Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Series: The Broken Blades #1
Author: Mai Corland
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Released: May 7, 2024
Received: Own (BOTM)
Find it on Goodreads | BOTM | More Fantasy

Book Summary:

The king of Yusan is not a good person. Most people are too afraid to admit that for fear of losing their heads. Yet, just as many people have reason to want the king dead. Enter an unlikely crew of misfits.

Together, these five potential killers will share a mission – to do something impossible and kill a god. All they have to do is find a way to trust one another, cross the country, and risk everything at the feet of the king.

My Review:

Having just finished Five Broken Blades, I can see why there’s some discourse about it. People seem to either love it (or at least like it) or hate it. It’s an interesting read in a compelling world, so personally, I’m happy I took a chance on it.

That said, I’ll be the first to admit that the motives for each character were a bit flat, for the most part. Likewise, the romance per pairing (three sets of romances in total) wasn’t necessary, especially as there wasn’t time to develop all of them. Walking into a story where we’re supposed to believe these people are madly in love (but don’t act that way) is a challenge.

Moving on, I did like the story. I loved how it unfolded through multiple perspectives, even if that sometimes resulted in a bit of repetition. As for the twists, I knew that something was up (obviously), but even knowing that, I didn’t guess the big twist at the end. Truthfully, I felt a bit dumb for not seeing it coming. So take what you want from that sentiment.

All in all, I enjoyed Five Broken Blades. I certainly enjoyed it enough to want to see where the story goes from here.

Highlights:

• Romantic Fantasy
• Multiple POVs
• Found Family
• Hidden Missions

Trigger Warnings:

• Attempted Assault
• Slavery
• Animal Death

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