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bookishk80's review against another edition
3.5
Robin Vale is a half fae make living in the town of Grove, until he is abducted at night by fey hunters. After being rescued by fey and stumbling into his power, Robin embarks on a journey of learning about his mother, his heritage, and what it might mean being the only remaining member of a lost court.
This is the first in a series of books in a works with humans and fae and it's my first novel I've read by Ben There's a lot of political plotting and intrigue as Robin is introduced to the world. I struggled to connect with the characters, but I imagine others will enjoy this, particularly if you enjoy court intrigue and assassins. I'm interested to see where the story goes next.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book is due to be published 10/22/24.
This is the first in a series of books in a works with humans and fae and it's my first novel I've read by Ben There's a lot of political plotting and intrigue as Robin is introduced to the world. I struggled to connect with the characters, but I imagine others will enjoy this, particularly if you enjoy court intrigue and assassins. I'm interested to see where the story goes next.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book is due to be published 10/22/24.
tonyaf's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A Betrayal of Storms was originally independently published and available through Kindle Unlimited. It, and all later books in the series, were bought by Angry Robot and are now being re-released. I did not read the series when it was originally posted, so I can't give details on any major changes but I did enjoy the book and I think fans of spicy male/male romance books will like it!
The book starts with Robin, our main character who is half-Fey, being kidnapped from his bed in the middle of the night. He quickly learns that his abduction is by an anti-Fey hate group. These first few chapters were surprisingly dark due to this horrifying political climate. Robin is soon saved and taken to Wychwood where the Fey (and other magical beings) live. He learns some life-changing information about his heritage and meets Erix, who will be his new personal guard.
Erix and Robin are immediately drawn to each other and have some fun banter. Erix is mysterious but incredibly protective of Robin - and not just because it's his job. Robin leans on Erix as one of his only trusted allies in a world he doesn't fully understand yet. The two are charming and I thought their dynamic was sweet and steamy.
While their relationship is playing out, there is a big political plot that Erix, Robin, and their friends must navigate. As with the politics in the human world, the politics of the Fae are also pretty dire. The two worlds are at a very dangerous crossroads. Robin is key to either preventing war or watching both of his people descend into bloodshed.
The romance between Robin/Erix is in its early stages in this book, as is the political story. Progress is made on both fronts but it's clear this is just the start of a much bigger story. The ending left me really interested in where the story could be heading in the future. I'm glad that the second book in the series releases so soon!
A Betrayal of Storms is a fast-paced political story woven into a very fun and spicy romance. The story follows some similar beats to other fantasy romances but it's told in a way that I found to be unputdownable. It's perfect for fans of "romantasy" who wish there were more queer options in the genre!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
ladyseven's review against another edition
2.0
This was a cringe-fest.
I've been reading and re-reading danmei non-stop for the last two months. Now I feel like it's time to return to western literature so I figured that an mm fantasy romance would be the best transition between wuxia danmei and western fantasy books....? Idk, either my thinking was extremely flawed or this book didn't meet the requirements for a good transitioning (?) read. - My eggs are on the second basket-
The worldbuilding was nonexistent. I follow the author on tiktok an he's lovely an very good at marketing his books, sadly of the two books I've read neither of them managed to reach the level of expectation the author created. So, worldbuilding: Non existent. Characters: They felt two dimensional and flat. Romance: cute, but not enough and very insta. I usually don't really mind insta-love, so the thing here it's probably all me, most likely I brainwashed mysef by reading to many slow-burn in this two months.
I wanted to like this book, I felt like I needed to like this book in order to properly re-enter the western fantasy setting but in the end, nothing in it felt appealing. I only managed to reach the end because It was so short, otherwise I would've definitely dnf'd it.
ps: I spoiled myself the next book and thanks god I decided not to read it. and now I feel like giving it one star.................... ugh
I've been reading and re-reading danmei non-stop for the last two months. Now I feel like it's time to return to western literature so I figured that an mm fantasy romance would be the best transition between wuxia danmei and western fantasy books....? Idk, either my thinking was extremely flawed or this book didn't meet the requirements for a good transitioning (?) read. - My eggs are on the second basket-
The worldbuilding was nonexistent. I follow the author on tiktok an he's lovely an very good at marketing his books, sadly of the two books I've read neither of them managed to reach the level of expectation the author created. So, worldbuilding: Non existent. Characters: They felt two dimensional and flat. Romance: cute, but not enough and very insta. I usually don't really mind insta-love, so the thing here it's probably all me, most likely I brainwashed mysef by reading to many slow-burn in this two months.
I wanted to like this book, I felt like I needed to like this book in order to properly re-enter the western fantasy setting but in the end, nothing in it felt appealing. I only managed to reach the end because It was so short, otherwise I would've definitely dnf'd it.
ps: I spoiled myself the next book and thanks god I decided not to read it. and now I feel like giving it one star.................... ugh
yamuna_rai's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
espen05's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The very first page of the book absolutely captivated me. The writing was great. The storyline was amazing and the plot twists were fantastic. I really want to know how the series continues and can hardly wait.
jinjan's review
3.0
This was a fairly standard, middle of the road, self published queer fantasy romance. It is comped to ACOTAR & honestly have no idea if that's a good comparison as I haven't read any SJM! It does feature a human vs fae conflict, seasonal courts, and overprotective hotties, so in those marks it would seem to be an accurate comp title.
Everything that could be considered interesting in this book is severely bogged down by the writing style. This book is over written, over explained, and extremely formal. There are way too many words and at some points it makes sentences nonsensical. Alderson refuses to use contractions which is a huge pet peeve of mine, especially since our main character is allegedly a small town farm boy who worked in a tavern. There are royalty in this book, so I could see those characters speaking very formally, but Robin isn't one of them! And I hated that at times he refers to his father as "Dad." It was very jarring amongst all the formal language.
Otherwise I found the plot & setting to be quite interesting! I personally wished that Alderson had gone a different direction with Tarron, especially because it felt like the Cedarfall family was purposely keeping Robin in the dark. And honestly, Erix is a walking red flag. I think that the way the book ended was a little to the point & would have liked to see more exploration of grey area. I also was so annoyed at the way Alderson goes about giving info to Robin & I hated how multiple times the Althea & Co tell Robin that the only reason he doesn't know what's going on is because he isn't asking the right questions. Which like I understand to a certain extent, but everyone knows that Robin is new to the Fae world & doesn't know shit about the Passing or the Icethorn Court. Althea & the Cedarfell Court take Robin in, house & feed him, tell him thathe can stop a war if he ascends the throne, but then doesn't explain what that is, how to do it, when the Passing takes place, or any information regarding his court's downfall. There's more than one scene where Erix is told not to impart info to Robin & then when Robin complains about not knowing anything he's chastised for not asking the right questions??? Like hello how the fuck is he supposed to know what info he doesn't know? It just comes off as very sinister, which is why I liked the potential that Tarron had. Overally, I would have liked to see Robin be a bit more discerning of the people who supposedly "saved" him & I think it would have made for a more interesting story.
The characters themselves needed a lot of work, but again I think they were worsened by the writing style. Between Robin, Erix, and Althea, Erix was the only one with any kind of distinct personality trait. Was he very one note? Yes. But at least I was getting something out of him. Althea is just a generic badass princess with a feisty side that can be tamed by her lover. Bo-ring! And even though the story is in Robin's point of view, I just could not connect with him. Looking back, I can't really think of anything that actually motivates him. We don't know things that he loves or hates. We get no names of the people he grew up with. There are no real flash backs to his supposed good relationship with his father. In general, he's a very weak character who feels like the shell of a person.
I recognize that this review feels overwhelmingly negative, but I did have a pretty good time while it lasted! I didn't love how Tarron was dealt with, but up until about the 90% point I was really chugging along. And the world building & setting are pretty interesting, they just didn't pan out in the direction I wanted. I had fun! I won't remember much, but I had a good time while it lasted.
Everything that could be considered interesting in this book is severely bogged down by the writing style. This book is over written, over explained, and extremely formal. There are way too many words and at some points it makes sentences nonsensical. Alderson refuses to use contractions which is a huge pet peeve of mine, especially since our main character is allegedly a small town farm boy who worked in a tavern. There are royalty in this book, so I could see those characters speaking very formally, but Robin isn't one of them! And I hated that at times he refers to his father as "Dad." It was very jarring amongst all the formal language.
Otherwise I found the plot & setting to be quite interesting! I personally wished that Alderson had gone a different direction with Tarron, especially because it felt like the Cedarfall family was purposely keeping Robin in the dark. And honestly, Erix is a walking red flag. I think that the way the book ended was a little to the point & would have liked to see more exploration of grey area. I also was so annoyed at the way Alderson goes about giving info to Robin & I hated how multiple times the Althea & Co tell Robin that the only reason he doesn't know what's going on is because he isn't asking the right questions. Which like I understand to a certain extent, but everyone knows that Robin is new to the Fae world & doesn't know shit about the Passing or the Icethorn Court. Althea & the Cedarfell Court take Robin in, house & feed him, tell him that
The characters themselves needed a lot of work, but again I think they were worsened by the writing style. Between Robin, Erix, and Althea, Erix was the only one with any kind of distinct personality trait. Was he very one note? Yes. But at least I was getting something out of him. Althea is just a generic badass princess with a feisty side that can be tamed by her lover. Bo-ring! And even though the story is in Robin's point of view, I just could not connect with him. Looking back, I can't really think of anything that actually motivates him. We don't know things that he loves or hates. We get no names of the people he grew up with. There are no real flash backs to his supposed good relationship with his father. In general, he's a very weak character who feels like the shell of a person.
I recognize that this review feels overwhelmingly negative, but I did have a pretty good time while it lasted! I didn't love how Tarron was dealt with, but up until about the 90% point I was really chugging along. And the world building & setting are pretty interesting, they just didn't pan out in the direction I wanted. I had fun! I won't remember much, but I had a good time while it lasted.
vicky_k_'s review against another edition
3.5
Thank you to Angry Robot Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to review.
I have been following Ben on Social Media for a while and was excited to read this book. It is the first in the Realm of The Fey series and follows Robin's journey into Wychwood as he discovers he is the heir to the Icethorn Court and its power. I mostly enjoyed reading this book but I wish the characters had some more depth. Even though this book was over 500 pages I felt like I learned very little of Robin and even less of Erix. I am not sure if that was done on purpose to keep things secret but I didn't become as invested in the characters due to this. I did enjoy the action-packed plot and the twists (which I did not see coming) made me want to keep reading!
I haven't decided yet if I will keep reading the series as I would like to know what happens to the characters but I am also not overly invested in them at the same time.
I have been following Ben on Social Media for a while and was excited to read this book. It is the first in the Realm of The Fey series and follows Robin's journey into Wychwood as he discovers he is the heir to the Icethorn Court and its power. I mostly enjoyed reading this book but I wish the characters had some more depth. Even though this book was over 500 pages I felt like I learned very little of Robin and even less of Erix. I am not sure if that was done on purpose to keep things secret but I didn't become as invested in the characters due to this. I did enjoy the action-packed plot and the twists (which I did not see coming) made me want to keep reading!
I haven't decided yet if I will keep reading the series as I would like to know what happens to the characters but I am also not overly invested in them at the same time.
kayceeisbookish's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Basically, it's ACOTAR, but make it ✨️queer✨️. Well written, season based magic system. Fey politics, forced proximity romance, betrayal, knives to throat. The characters for me felt a little flat, and I could not really get into the plot of the novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
kmacgahan's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ciphertextx's review against another edition
I wanted to like this book SO bad but I've now read an entire quarter of it and I can't keep going. Alderson states he worked with an editor (maybe more than one?), but did he really? The grammar was all over the place, particularly bad was the number of times he used "was" or "were" incorrectly. Sentences were, at times, barely sensible, and often weird like they were missing something. Don't care for any of the characters, and the main character especially is very flat for me. Prose is trying to be very "adult fantasy-esque" but all the technical problems with it detracts from that. For the record, I hate when a main character dislikes their future love interest but still finds time to blush at how sexy they are at every given moment. I just don't buy it. I have tried to be invested in the plot at least, but I can't really get behind that either because it's just kind of happening to Robin (MC). Which I get is the point, but Robin's characterisation is just not strong enough to pull that off. And speaking of, two times now Robin has had an extremely traumatic experience and he's like "this will haunt me forever", but then he's fine right after? I'm very sure he is NOT fine 'cause he does at least think about each thing one time after it happens, but the writing wants to be more about how flowery and fantasy it can sound instead of actually zeroing in on the real nitty-gritty of the emotions.
IDK maybe it gets really good later, maybe the writing style evolves, but I've given it a fair chance with 25% and I just can't sit and read books I'm finding so many problems with these days. Would maybe try to read again if it had some serious hardcore editing, bit for now, I'll just be disappointed RIP.
IDK maybe it gets really good later, maybe the writing style evolves, but I've given it a fair chance with 25% and I just can't sit and read books I'm finding so many problems with these days. Would maybe try to read again if it had some serious hardcore editing, bit for now, I'll just be disappointed RIP.