Quick Thoughts: Five Broken Blades (The Broken Blades #1) by Mai Corland

Five Broken Blades

(The Broken Blades #1)

by Mai Corland

May 7, 2024

Goodreads Summary:

It’s the season

for treason…

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness―from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

But for these five killers―each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal―it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.

Let the best liar win.

Review

Five Broken Blades was an impulse buy. I was drawn in by the sprayed edges and I don't regret it. The story is exactly what the synopsis promises.

What I Liked:

- the short chapters

- seeing through the different POVs

- refreshing voices

- badass Sora and her unwavering loyalty to her sister

- Tiyung has the potential to become great

- despite what he did in the past, I believed in Euyn

- Mikhail was an excellent spymaster

- Aeri was full of surprises:

   - the identity of her father

   - her decision near the end

   - (the source of) her ability

- the ending has me looking forward to book 2

The Not So Much:

- the writing was okay

- Royo felt extra

- two of the three couples were insta-lovey

"Power is responsibility." (p. 313)

"Coming to terms with what you've done wrong is better than just being a good person." (p. 324)

"But that is reality- impatience only makes for sloppy regret." (p. 436)