( This piece here will give more depth than I’ll go into in this review, but also if you just google oppressed mage trope or something similar, there’s a lot out there.) Now, I don’t know how much any of you have read about the whole “oppressed mage” trope, because I think a lot of that conversation surrounds video games, not books, but it’s a whole thing. That being said, there were parts of it that I genuinely didn’t like and that’s not just me and YA fantasy.īasically, this book follows the “oppressed mage is enslaved by evil king who wants her power” trope. This is yet another review that I have to open up with the disclaimer that this book suffered from my continuing (though more occasional now) …let’s say issues with YA fantasy, and if you are interested in it, don’t let this review stop you. Rep: pan mc, lesbian li, nonbinary side character, polyamory Like a lot of my books, this one is likely not for everyone, but if it sounds like what you’re looking for, enjoy! <3 I’ll add more here if I think of more things to note. Threat of rape/abuse of the main character, but the offender gets what’s coming to him before that happens.Īll that said, the book is also morbidly funny and quite absurd at times, and the ending *isn’t* tragic, so I hope you’re not deterred. Forced marriage and pregnancy (including rape, but the latter is off page, in the past, and not involving main characters) Gore (not excessive, but there’s, uh, a scene or two for sure) Death of queer characters, but most main characters are queer and also these deaths aren’t exaaactly permanent!

Death (lots, major and minor characters)

This is pretty upper YA/can cross over into adult, and a dark book. This is not a content warning so much as a notification of content, but there are on-page sex scenes (two, one f/f and one m/f) and lots of cursing, quite a few f-bombs included. Get ready for a blood-spattered, kiss-filled roller coaster ride. It also has the queer found family of my heart, which makes this book one of my favorites. Queerness isn’t really an issue in the world unless it messes with heirs/lines of succession and then it’s policed a bit, but don’t be too concerned about major homophobia or transphobia since it’s generally accepted. It has a pansexual main character (though that word isn’t used on page in this Greco-Roman-inspired fantasy world), a lesbian love interest, an asexual and nonbinary major supporting character (they/them pronouns used throughout, no misgendering), multiple f/f relationships and a m/f/f relationship. It stars a young woman (19), Rovan, who falls for her hated guardian, gets entranced by a beguiling princess at the same time, and starts a revolution in both the living world and the underworld.

This book involves blood magic, death magic, a spooky underworld, and ghostly guardians. Author, here! Now that the (AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS) cover has been revealed, let’s talk content + content warnings.

In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland