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aislinghelen 's review for:
Where Broken Wings Fly
by J. Rose
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this, there was a few things that made it fall slightly short for me but overall it was good and I will read the next book. If you haven’t read her previous series, [book:Blackwood Institute: The Complete Trilogy|112974346] [book:Corpse Roads|62900560] don’t worry. This is set in the same world and I think the next book will have some previous characters showing up, but you can still understand and enjoy the book without reading the others. CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FIRST
The positive:
I really like her daughter Arianna and the relationship she had with the guys. The guys were really nice and I liked the relationship they had with each other and with Willow. Willow has PTSD from her past (childhood, marriage etc. check TWs) and I think, for the most part, this was handled really well. Zach is definitely my favourite guy but the other two aren’t far behind. The ending was good, a little predictable, but I was glad that it wasn’t a really big cliffhanger.
I really like a lot of the side characters, Ryder, Albie, Lola, Aalia and her son Johan. I loved that Arianna was able to make a friend and the whole town supported each other so much. Over all, it was good and while I would have enjoyed it with slightly less twistiness and drama, it was enjoyable. I would recommend reading her previous books first, not only so you have the background of the world but also because this one is quite dark and the others will bring you into the writing style and trauma levels.
My issues with the book are mostly how the trauma was handled and felt both overdone and ignored at the same time. If you want more details they are below but please be aware this is based on my opinion and experiences and is not said to invalidate anyone else.
The negative:
Willow has a lot of trauma and her PTSD is very prevalent in the book, but I felt that it wasn’t written well at points. She was sold into marriage at 16 and raped for years by her husband. When she has a panic attack or similar, a lot of the time it is pretty bad and then a few seconds later she seems way too ok she goes from flashbacks of being raped to fucking one of her guys, or yelling about her issues to attacking like nothing happened (I deal with my trauma by ignoring it too but the way this was written is what bothered me.) .
I also found it slightly annoying how the guys, especially Killian, reacted to her panicking at points, by getting annoyed she would tell them everything or yelling. I will also say that I found her a bit annoying, she handles everything like a 16 year old, which makes sense, but it got on my nerves.
Micah was a good character but I didn’t particularly like how his trauma was handled either. He had been quiet for years (10+) and never let anyone into his space or his studio. He had tried therapy and many other things. As soon as he meets her, however, he is magically so much better. Her and her daughter are allowed in the studio and he talks to them. It just felt odd.
I liked this, there was a few things that made it fall slightly short for me but overall it was good and I will read the next book. If you haven’t read her previous series, [book:Blackwood Institute: The Complete Trilogy|112974346] [book:Corpse Roads|62900560] don’t worry. This is set in the same world and I think the next book will have some previous characters showing up, but you can still understand and enjoy the book without reading the others. CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FIRST
The positive:
I really like her daughter Arianna and the relationship she had with the guys. The guys were really nice and I liked the relationship they had with each other and with Willow. Willow has PTSD from her past (childhood, marriage etc. check TWs) and I think, for the most part, this was handled really well. Zach is definitely my favourite guy but the other two aren’t far behind. The ending was good, a little predictable, but I was glad that it wasn’t a really big cliffhanger.
I really like a lot of the side characters, Ryder, Albie, Lola, Aalia and her son Johan. I loved that Arianna was able to make a friend and the whole town supported each other so much. Over all, it was good and while I would have enjoyed it with slightly less twistiness and drama, it was enjoyable. I would recommend reading her previous books first, not only so you have the background of the world but also because this one is quite dark and the others will bring you into the writing style and trauma levels.
My issues with the book are mostly how the trauma was handled and felt both overdone and ignored at the same time. If you want more details they are below but please be aware this is based on my opinion and experiences and is not said to invalidate anyone else.
The negative:
Willow has a lot of trauma and her PTSD is very prevalent in the book, but I felt that it wasn’t written well at points.
I also found it slightly annoying how the guys, especially Killian, reacted to her panicking at points, by getting annoyed she would tell them everything or yelling. I will also say that I found her a bit annoying, she handles everything like a 16 year old, which makes sense, but it got on my nerves.
Micah was a good character but I didn’t particularly like how his trauma was handled either. He had been quiet for years (10+) and never let anyone into his space or his studio. He had tried therapy and many other things. As soon as he meets her, however, he is magically so much better. Her and her daughter are allowed in the studio and he talks to them. It just felt odd.