Five Broken Blades

I bought the third book in the series , because the first two are on ku. When I saw the cover and sprayed edges on the third book, I just had to buy this book, and the second one. for the match. I received this one today, and was very disappointed with the sprayed edges having a birthmark on it, that I HATE on books. It's just one of those things for me. I did read it on KU and Loved it! I hope Amazon does not continue to do the birthmarks on books. I will have to start buying them in person at other stores. Not the Author's fault for the birthmark thing. so I still gave the story 5 stars.

I liked this book very much!! After initially reading the blurb of Five Broken Blades I knew it was going to be a good read. It gave DND, heist, found family, deception, and romance! All amazing things. The found family aspect was my favorite and it paired with the fast paced plot.With the POV’s switching so often the plot ran quickly but I didn’t feel it lacked in bonding moments for our characters. It’s been a while since I’ve read more than 2 POV’s so this was a great break from my norm and hearing so many different voices was refreshing. The ending was satisfying in the way of leaving you wanting the next book simply for so many answers.On to characters!!I adore Royo, his brooding softness and inner turmoil.Sora is flying by the seat of her pants and just wants a peaceful life with her sister which she better get!!From the get go Euyn, Mikail, and Aeri we’re all sus. And that’s all that I’m saying about that. 😤I will say this group of the most dangerous and deadly is quite different than I thought they’d be but everyone has their own motive, secrets and weaknesses. I just think we got to see their softer sides sooner than I anticipated. I hope in the next books we get to see more malice, more actions and more will to take back their lives.Overall I rate this a 4.5⭐️’s and will be diving into the 2nd book as soon as it arrives on my doorstep!

The book’s premise was intriguing, but I felt it lacked depth. While it could be a good starting point for this genre, it felt somewhat unfinished in terms of character development and writing style. The writing style leaned more towards YA literature, but some of the relationships didn’t quite fit that tone. It was as if the author couldn’t decide whether it was YA or not. I understand that some readers might enjoy this as an easy read, but I personally wanted more from it. Each chapter is narrated from a different character’s perspective, which resulted in some jarring shifts in perspective and the need to refresh my memory of who each character is at the beginning of each chapter. It wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t anything to remember. Just a solid middle of the road read.

as advertised

I loved this book I loved all the point of views I loved getting to know all the characters and I loved the "mystery" aspect as well. Finished in 2 sittings

This was truly a great read. Mai Corland was able to capture each unique voice of every single morally gray character and I found myself falling in love with all of them. The work building was excellent and there were so many twists and turns I found myself enjoying the ride. Cannot wait to read the next book!

“Five Broken Blades” is a delightful romp filled with humor, action, and characters that feel like your slightly odd friends who always manage to get into trouble. If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh until your sides hurt (mainly the interaction between Royo and Aeri) and keep you turning pages faster than you can say “broken blade,” then this is the one for you! Just be prepared to explain to your family why you’re snorting with laughter at 2 AM.Grab your copy, and get ready for a hilarious adventure that proves that even broken blades can cut through the tension!

I really liked how this was written out!!! All the different viewpoints and perspectives really held my attention and I read this in like two days once I actually started it.The heist, the romance, the political intrigue! Who can you trust, even when those you trust have betrayed, hurt and lied to you before. I enjoyed the unreliable narrator of it all, and how I didn’t even know who I should trust or root for by the end of it.What I do know for certain is that I loved All of the characters. For dividing each chapter per character, I felt like all of them had enough depth and characterization for me to really understand who they are, their quirks and what motivates them. I really felt for them and the found family dynamic that was created!The setting was really interesting as well and the world building was very cool! I felt immersed and while I can see the Eastern influence on the land and political structure, it still felt entirely its own.I can’t wait to see where things go in book 2! Especially with a Book 3 so close to being out!

I was not sure what to expect reading this book but it was quite unexpected. The different POVs made for a compelling look into the storyline from the different characters. The pace at which the plot went on was great, allowing me (the reader) time to learn this new world, how it functions and get to know the characters. I love how each couple grew to trust each other to a certain degree in order to accomplish their task. Even if you could feel that something else was going on, it added more intrigue to the main story. That plot twist at the end however was quite unexpected, truly a twister. Which makes me want to continue this series to know what happens next.

This is a good story told with an ensemble cast of characters. The twist ending was one part surprising and one part of course. I’m not sure how much each character grows but the relationships between them do and I suppose their abilities to have meaningful relationships changes as well. Not a great story or ending both fall a bit flat to me but I did like the characters

Great characters and backgrounds. Well written, easy read. Plots twists that don't disappoint as well as a great lead into book 2. Recommend!

Five Broken Blades is a story about a ragtag team of people who have special skills that aren't technicaly legal. They get pulled together to work as a team to kill a god king. I ate this book up. I listened to the audio book and it was good. I really liked how the different POV's for each character was read by someone different so I could tell them all a part easily. Even though the characters are a diverse group they work together really well. They're all full of secrets and when the secrets come out in the end, let me tell you, some of the secrets are insane. I had a great time listening; it's full of action with a dash of romance. I highly recommend picking this book up!

It took me almost half a year to get through this book.When I started it, I right away fell in love with Royo's character, but then something about the writing style seemed almost amateurish (sorry). I left off at around the 20% mark several times; left to start a different book, returned, gave up again...it was an on and off relationship, haha.But when I finally reached the 50% mark about a month ago, I tried harder to read some chapters in between other things I had to do throughout my week. And just a few days ago, I went from 60% to 100%. And I have to say, wow... I felt genuine anxiety and fear and joy and every other good and bad emotion right along with the characters.Can't wait to read the next entry!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.I went into this book with high expectations and felt just a bit let down - I think I was expecting too much in regards to the world building - I wanted it to be vivid, fulfilling, and just really enticing but it was just lackluster. I found myself with questions about the kingdom and there were just no answers given.The different POV's were at times hard to follow - a few sounded very similar to the point where I found myself flipping back just to reread and understand the differences. I saw the ending coming, but overall really enjoyed how it was written and can't wait for the sequel.

4.5 stars totalThis a start to the Broken Blades series and it follows the pov of six different people brought together to try and kill a cruel god king. This story is inspired around Korean myths and folklore. We have an exiled prince, master of spies, a thief, bodyguard, courtesan and a count’s son all taking part in an elaborate heist scheme. I absolutely loved all the different POVs, you can really get the different personalities through them. Each one is its own chapter so some of them are super short like two pages. I actually loved this because you can see a conversation and their thoughts right after from different view points. Everyone in this group has their own motives and are all lying throughout their journey. This book was also so hard to put down, there is lots of action and fast paced moments. You can really feel the high stakes of this book. This whole book takes place over a short period of time as well. I think I enjoyed Aeri, Sora and Royo’s pov the most. This would be perfect if your in a reading slump too 🖤 I would look up triggers/ warnings before reading ✨

This is easily the worst book I've read this year so far. There were so many times I wanted to put this book down and walk away. My first issue with this book is just how predictable it all is. The book starts off by neatly organizing three couples together, making sure the reader understands that these are the obvious love interests. While i appreciate the different views of various characters, it gets to the point where the 2-4 page chapters have the reader jumping around way too much. I frequently had to turn back to the beginning of the chapter to remind myself who’s POV i was on. The characters are all bland and embody a major flaw and a secret. The writer loves dropping obvious hints at betrayal but can’t seem to get to the point until the last 10% of the book. It’s similar to when someone is telling you for weeks “I got you something you’ll love for your birthday” and then reminding you over and over and over again. When you try to get a straight answer, they’re response is “You have to wait and see!” When the day finally comes, what they got you was so utterly disappointing that you were wondering what in the world were they thinking. That’s how this book is, for the entire read for the entirety of 440 pages and 86 chapters.My biggest gripe with this book is the plot. The time setting of this book is what really throws me off. There’s no electricity it seems, but they can go to a restaurant and get take out boxes? There’s carnivals where you can win colorful and detailed stuffed animals? The random situation the author puts these characters in throws me off. From pirates attacking them on a river, to being attacked by giant birds in the desert, to random people dying, to bandits, to busting a drug ring. There’s so many side quests and no real substance. In the end, the whole main plot point that the whole plot point was leading up to, happened so quickly and was entirely lack-luster.The last thing I’ll touch on is the writing. The author uses incredibly short, unnecessary sentences that makes the book feel longer and more dramatic than it actually is.“Tiyung offers his his hand to help me into the varnished midnight-blue coach. I ignore it. I don’t want to touch him. Ever.”“ D*mn. I’m never going to find another pair of heels like that. But I should be thankful. Other people on board weren’t as lucky.”“I lean forward. She doesn’t flinch. I love that about her. I love everything about her. I think about telling her.”“When she was nine and I was ten. But this isn’t the time. Maybe I will before this is all over. But not today.”“With that, she leaves the room. In her robe.”“They know how to attack and evade. And they probably know who we are.”“They believe they’re seeing an excessively handsome young couple. Or a young noble and his courtesan. Their fashion is different here. The men wear longer, lighter tunics. The women’s dresses wrap.”“ ‘ If… If i have your word you’ll undo the law once you have the crown, you have my sword,’ I say. Euyn’s eyes widen, but he recovers quick and nods. ‘You have my word.’‘Then you have my sword.’ ”“Stars. We all freeze. Aeri holding Royo. Ty holding his nose. Euyn with the fabric out.”“His lips part. They’re nice lips.”“It’s Sora. What the f***. We freeze and stare at each other. Then a bloodcurdling scream rises over the roar of the fountains. Somebody has just been killed.”“Hubris. My downfall was nothing more than hubris. How unoriginal.”This is essentially how the whole book is written. Its not “quick” and “witty.” Its irritating and shows incredibly weak writing by the author. The inability to use longer sentences and go into detail about events more than just a surface level is truly astounding for someone who made it to publishing. Its truly astonishing how under-developed this story is, along with its utter lack of editing. This is nothing more than a rough draft, with the potential for more if it had spent more time being developed.

FIVE BROKEN BLADES, by Mai Corland, is the first book in this series. The idea behind it (found in synopsis--no spoilers) immediately captured my attention. "The King of Yusan must die." Enter the five best liars in the in all the lands--each with something important to gain, and revenge to be had at any cost.However, King Joon is called the "god king" for a reason, and it will take a perfect plan to even get close.". . . Life is timing, and timing is luck."We are introduced to our main characters individually, in the area they are now in, and learn of the situations that put--or trapped--them there. There's the strongman/hitman, a beautiful assassin, a skilled thief, a spymaster, and a disgraced Prince (thought to be dead).Each one of them has their own Point-of-View in the novel. Rather than complicate things, this enables the reader to really get to know each character--and I, personally, quickly became attached to each and every one of them.". . . But memories can cut like a blade."The pacing is fast, and the action moves throughout many of the realms--all of them of significance to at least one of our main characters. The mission is one that they know could kill them all, yet a sense of "found family" permeated the last third of the novel, especially.". . . Love is a balm . . . as well as a blade on your neck."Overall, this novel delivered in every way I had hoped it would. From fantastic characters, individual motives, secrets, and action, the excitement kept up right to the final page. I can't wait for the next book, FOUR RUINED REALMS to be released.Highly recommended.

This book was very much an impulse buy for me. I heard that it was a lot like Six of Crows, involving a group of misfits who have to work together to complete a heist. I also saw that Rebecca Roanhorse gave it 5 stars. Lastly, I have been in the mood for swords; like any sword at all, and the title is pretty self-explanatory.I did really enjoy this. It is very much a popcorn read; it’s a light read with a style that involves short chapters and a pace that makes it easy to keep thinking “oh only one more chapter”. The book is told in first person point-of-view from six different perspectives, all with very different personalities and voices. First person POV is always my favorite narrative style as it really allows you to be inside a person’s head. It can be hard to pull off when there are multiple characters, though, as it involves the author adapting their writing style to each unique character. All the characters think and speak differently, so it was really well done here. If you listen to the audiobook, they do have different narrators for each person, so that helps for sure, but the writing really provided a solid base for all the narrators to go off of when they have to act as their character.One slight warning I would give is that the characters aren’t all working together from the start. Most start off in a pair with another POV character, and then about halfway through is when they start meeting the other pairs. I thought it would involve misfits being thrown in together at the start, but the slightly slower way to introduce them did give the author more time to set each character up and better develop each of their motivations for being part of a plot to assassinate an immortal king. All of the characters have secrets to hide as well, which is always fun to try and sleuth out as the reader.I docked a star off because while it does build to a good ending, it didn’t quite hit the pay off I was hoping for. Still a fun, easy breezy read. I would recommend it if you want a fast-paced book centering around a band of misfits, assassins, and thieves working together to accomplish a very difficult task. Fair warning that it can be dark at times. Romance is a fairly heavy sub-plot of the book as well, but it loops into each character’s motivations. It creates tension between the relationship and what secrets these morally-grey characters actually have.

“A thief, a strongman, a spy, an assassin, a nobleman, and an exiled prince add up to a ring of liars. Trust is a surefire way to wind up with a blade in your back.”Not gonna lie, I’m still reeling from that ending. This is a thick book, but I was so immersed in the story that it just flew by. I love that the story was told from so many POVs. Since everyone is lying to some extent, the reader learns things and sees complications long before they happen. Even so, there were multiple twists along the way that I didn’t expect. I enjoyed this book and am curious to see what happens next.I hesitate to call this a romance, but the book does include three separate love stories. Each would-be couple has real affection, but significant obstacles. It was interesting to see them all play out.Note: This is the first book in the Broken Blades trilogy. It doesn’t quite end on a cliffhanger, but it’s clear that there is much more story to tell. The next book will be Four Ruined Realms.Romance Steam Rating: Gentle Simmer [2.5 out of 5] (Limited Detail/Fade to Black)

Five Broken Blades is a dark fantasy inspired by Korean myth, lengend, and culture. It weaves multiple POVs together until they all collide together. Each person has their own moral code, their own dangerous secrets, and their own agenda and I loved how just when we thought we knew someone something else was revealed. I found each character to be distinguishable and multi dimensional. They each had multiple layers to their personality. They could all be soft and sometimes sweet only to turn around and show how lethal and secretive they can be. It makes them feel real with their own flaws but it also makes it feel like no one can be trusted because while yes each character has their own weaknesses and secrets, there is an underlying vibe that everyone is holding something even bigger close to their chest. This helped the pace keep this quick, sharp, and urgent consistency.I would say this is light fantasy romance. It has some kissing and suggestive moments but it’s all fade to black. I really enjoyed the diversity and LGBTQ+ rep inside the pages. Could I have used a bit more smut with my romance? Duh but hello I’m not gonna hold that against the book as that is just my personal desires. There was a romance between two characters that I didn’t quite enjoy as much but that’s not to say I out right hated it. I think I just need it to be explored more deeply because it feels more surface level compared to the others. But the little pockets of romance we got was great and brought even more tension between these characters.Five Broken Blades was a heart pounding, suspenseful, and twisty high stakes fantasy. I was immediately sucked in and found it hard to put down. This was such a great read and I need book two asap after that ending.Thank you RedTower, Entangled, and Mai for sending me an arc!4.5⭐️1.5🔥What to expect:-revenge-multiple POVs-ex lovers reunited-cuddling to stay warm-fighting huge birds that can & will eat you-enemies to lovers-she has been forced to become the best at poisoning people-“let’s kill the god king”-everyone has secrets so no one can be trusted-found family vibes-lots of travelingTW/CW: the author included a detailed list of content warnings so please look at it before reading! Some of these include poisonings, murders, violence, death of children & animals, substance abuse, rape & genocide discussed/mentioned graphically, etc…