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jellyfists's review against another edition
4.0
Although it contained some clichés, 'Words Once Spoken' was an enjoyable novel. Our heroine Evelyn wasn't the weakest or the strongest, although she was quite strong. Some of the things she did bothered me though. For instance, when she learned what she was she didn't even question the sanity of the person telling her this for five seconds. Although it's annoying when the MC freaks out too much, it also bothers me when they have no reaction to the newly learned information at all. Her willingness to trust everyone also bothered me. It seems like she'd do a better job of looking out for potential enemies than that.
This is definitely a good book and thus I have to recommend it, especially to those who aren't as picky about their MCs as me.
This is definitely a good book and thus I have to recommend it, especially to those who aren't as picky about their MCs as me.
_pearl_'s review
fast-paced
2.0
omg this book was SO much fun to read..... really interesting to see how the fantasy and YA genre has changed since 2013 bc WOW what a ride
the main character is insufferable (as well as being such a cliché it isn't even funny), the pacing was SO fast for no reason, there was a love triangle (just for fun I guess? both options were... questionable), and SOMEHOW, even though this is a book about fae, werewolves and vampires are included (?). also, the main character was way too okay with major life-altering, world-changing revelations and there were a bunch of really strange plot and story choices throughout.
overall - was this book super enjoyable to read? yep. do I recommend it? nope.
the main character is insufferable (as well as being such a cliché it isn't even funny), the pacing was SO fast for no reason, there was a love triangle (just for fun I guess? both options were... questionable), and SOMEHOW, even though this is a book about fae, werewolves and vampires are included (?). also, the main character was way too okay with major life-altering, world-changing revelations and there were a bunch of really strange plot and story choices throughout.
overall - was this book super enjoyable to read? yep. do I recommend it? nope.
knightingale's review against another edition
4.0
Although it contained some clichés, 'Words Once Spoken' was an enjoyable novel. Our heroine Evelyn wasn't the weakest or the strongest, although she was quite strong. Some of the things she did bothered me though. For instance, when she learned what she was she didn't even question the sanity of the person telling her this for five seconds. Although it's annoying when the MC freaks out too much, it also bothers me when they have no reaction to the newly learned information at all. Her willingness to trust everyone also bothered me. It seems like she'd do a better job of looking out for potential enemies than that.
This is definitely a good book and thus I have to recommend it, especially to those who aren't as picky about their MCs as me.
This is definitely a good book and thus I have to recommend it, especially to those who aren't as picky about their MCs as me.
buuboobaby's review against another edition
3.0
Read review here -
http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=9251
http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=9251
bluebeewrites's review against another edition
5.0
Istyria book blog - B's world of enchanted books
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thanks!*
Oh my god I wanted to love this book so bad. When I saw the cover on Netgalley, I fell in love with it and when I read the blurb I knew I had to read the book. And I was praying that it would be awesome. And for the first time, praying and wishing has paid off because I really loved this book. Definitely earns a spot among my favorites!
Words Once Spoken is about Evelyn. She lives in England, in a time that is similar to the 16th century. Evelyn isn’t like other people. She hates being inside between four walls, dressed in heavy dresses and gushing about shoes. She’d rather go out for a ride with her horse in a tunic and breeches, armed with her bow and surrounded by nature. But soon that comes to an end. She’s forced to go to court to become one of the Princess’s ladies in waiting. That is what her mother hopes anyway. But there, at court, a journey starts that Evelyn never saw coming. She discovers where she comes from and why she never quite fit in.
This is a story filled with magic. The writing takes some getting used to because it’s quite formal but it fits with the story and the time and country it takes place in. I got invested in the story fairly quick and I connected with Evelyn. There never really was a boring moment because it was all so fascinating and there is just enough action. Of course there’s more action once Evelyn finds out what she is, but still. I enjoyed going on this journey with her and it was fun to get to know most of the characters and the setting first. And by the time I got to the end, I was in there with her. And I can honestly say that I cannot wait to find out what happens next.
As I said, I connected with Evelyn. She didn’t fit in in her town and never knew why, but I loved how she enjoyed those little moments of freedom when she went out with her horse in the forest. She can handle herself out there and she’s stubborn and yeah, I liked her as a main character. Also, she doesn’t like to be told what to do, especially by boys and her mother.
I also liked Liam, Padriac, Niall and all the other characters. They were fun and again it wasn’t hard connecting to them even when they were supernatural creatures. The world they all live in is so well-done. A very magical place that wasn’t hard to create in my mind. And the characters were well-developed. And yes, there was romance but it wasn’t the main thing in the story. The story was about Evelyn. But for a moment I feared for a love-triangle, but luckily, I had no reason to be afraid for that. And I believed the romance. It was subtle and sweet and by the end of the book, it still had to grow a lot. So I look forward to see that in the next book too.
So to sum it all up, this is a magical story with great world-building and characters that are fun to read about. Written to enchant you and pull you into the story. And I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy.
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thanks!*
Oh my god I wanted to love this book so bad. When I saw the cover on Netgalley, I fell in love with it and when I read the blurb I knew I had to read the book. And I was praying that it would be awesome. And for the first time, praying and wishing has paid off because I really loved this book. Definitely earns a spot among my favorites!
Words Once Spoken is about Evelyn. She lives in England, in a time that is similar to the 16th century. Evelyn isn’t like other people. She hates being inside between four walls, dressed in heavy dresses and gushing about shoes. She’d rather go out for a ride with her horse in a tunic and breeches, armed with her bow and surrounded by nature. But soon that comes to an end. She’s forced to go to court to become one of the Princess’s ladies in waiting. That is what her mother hopes anyway. But there, at court, a journey starts that Evelyn never saw coming. She discovers where she comes from and why she never quite fit in.
This is a story filled with magic. The writing takes some getting used to because it’s quite formal but it fits with the story and the time and country it takes place in. I got invested in the story fairly quick and I connected with Evelyn. There never really was a boring moment because it was all so fascinating and there is just enough action. Of course there’s more action once Evelyn finds out what she is, but still. I enjoyed going on this journey with her and it was fun to get to know most of the characters and the setting first. And by the time I got to the end, I was in there with her. And I can honestly say that I cannot wait to find out what happens next.
As I said, I connected with Evelyn. She didn’t fit in in her town and never knew why, but I loved how she enjoyed those little moments of freedom when she went out with her horse in the forest. She can handle herself out there and she’s stubborn and yeah, I liked her as a main character. Also, she doesn’t like to be told what to do, especially by boys and her mother.
I also liked Liam, Padriac, Niall and all the other characters. They were fun and again it wasn’t hard connecting to them even when they were supernatural creatures. The world they all live in is so well-done. A very magical place that wasn’t hard to create in my mind. And the characters were well-developed. And yes, there was romance but it wasn’t the main thing in the story. The story was about Evelyn. But for a moment I feared for a love-triangle, but luckily, I had no reason to be afraid for that. And I believed the romance. It was subtle and sweet and by the end of the book, it still had to grow a lot. So I look forward to see that in the next book too.
So to sum it all up, this is a magical story with great world-building and characters that are fun to read about. Written to enchant you and pull you into the story. And I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy.
marie_thereadingotter's review
2.0
Review:
2.5 stars
This book was a little all over the place.
It almost seems like the author started out with one idea that kept morphing into another, and most of it didn't really match up all the way.
"Evie" is a walking cliche in a depressing number of YA fiction.
"Girl of court doesn't want to be a lady, she wants to wear leather pants and tunics, and use a bow. Said girl's mother tries at every turn to make her be a lady, girl hates mother for making her behave that way."
It's getting old and no longer has the same appeal as it used to when it was an original idea.
Evelyn, was pretty annoying through most the book, and the dual love interests didn't work for me. Neither of them seemed to appeal to me in anyway for the MC, but the one she "loves" he had zero personality.
They made such a big deal about Evelyn becoming friends with this princess to then completely cut her out of the story, along with half the other characters they made part of most of the book. I picked up this book because, lately, I have been really loving books about Fae lore. But this book was just poorly organized and executed. If I can get the sequel on sale like this one, I might read it. If not, I don't see me reading anymore of this series.
2.5 stars
This book was a little all over the place.
It almost seems like the author started out with one idea that kept morphing into another, and most of it didn't really match up all the way.
"Evie" is a walking cliche in a depressing number of YA fiction.
"Girl of court doesn't want to be a lady, she wants to wear leather pants and tunics, and use a bow. Said girl's mother tries at every turn to make her be a lady, girl hates mother for making her behave that way."
It's getting old and no longer has the same appeal as it used to when it was an original idea.
Evelyn, was pretty annoying through most the book, and the dual love interests didn't work for me. Neither of them seemed to appeal to me in anyway for the MC, but the one she "loves" he had zero personality.
They made such a big deal about Evelyn becoming friends with this princess to then completely cut her out of the story, along with half the other characters they made part of most of the book. I picked up this book because, lately, I have been really loving books about Fae lore. But this book was just poorly organized and executed. If I can get the sequel on sale like this one, I might read it. If not, I don't see me reading anymore of this series.
bookadventurer's review
1.0
(e-Arc provided by NetGalley)
I’m not sure how to describe this book, so I’m only going to provide the briefest summary. Evelyn is a young woman who has always defied traditional gender roles. She hunts, rides like a man, and can’t sew, for a few examples. Just before her eighteenth birthday she’s sent to Court to try for the position of lady’s maid to the princess. Right off, she meets a mysterious young man and the prince, both intriguing and handsome. She learns about the fae. And she learns about her past. Then, she embarks on a convoluted journey to find her destiny.
Unfortunately, I really did not enjoy this reading experience, with its long line of confusing, vague world building, instant attraction (aka insta-love), too many too-convenient plot elements, and not enough cohesion. I did find somewhat intriguing Evie's determination to be as independent and self-sufficient as possible, no matter what others thought (more on that later).
My first impression was one of confusion. I could not determine if the setting was in an alternate England, or if being in England really mattered - the lack of detail and description made it seem like the setting was a fantasy world, but every now and then the author threw in “English” and “Greek and Roman myths” and “Moses” and I got confused all over again. England was an idea that never fully developed, and really only distracted from the story, which would have been just as well-set in a fantasy world. Court has no relation to the English court, and the royals have no connection to the English royal families.
She meets the prince and instantly becomes infatuated with him. There is no romantic tension, no relationship building, just instant attraction. Evie herself should be interesting, given her propensity to ride, fight, hunt, and wear pants. However, I found it difficult to believe that she learned those behaviors on her own, when there were no other examples of women who did these things, and no external characters, events, or relationships that influenced her life choices.
The story is cluttered with supernatural and paranormal creatures, and the relationships and world rules that governed them were convoluted, convenient, and unconvincing. The fae never really come alive as a species that drives the plot and story.
The plot itself was rushed and predictable, except for the additions of new paranormal creatures. There is a constant struggle between too many story elements (the human court/England, the fae, the lycans, the vampires, and more) - and sketchy (as in, sketched in, not fleshed out) world building. Lots has been left out, causing all the disparate elements to be disconnected. Lastly, I found the ending unconvincing and complicated.
Ultimately, this was a very disappointing and difficult read. I wouldn't recommend it.
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I’m not sure how to describe this book, so I’m only going to provide the briefest summary. Evelyn is a young woman who has always defied traditional gender roles. She hunts, rides like a man, and can’t sew, for a few examples. Just before her eighteenth birthday she’s sent to Court to try for the position of lady’s maid to the princess. Right off, she meets a mysterious young man and the prince, both intriguing and handsome. She learns about the fae. And she learns about her past. Then, she embarks on a convoluted journey to find her destiny.
Unfortunately, I really did not enjoy this reading experience, with its long line of confusing, vague world building, instant attraction (aka insta-love), too many too-convenient plot elements, and not enough cohesion. I did find somewhat intriguing Evie's determination to be as independent and self-sufficient as possible, no matter what others thought (more on that later).
My first impression was one of confusion. I could not determine if the setting was in an alternate England, or if being in England really mattered - the lack of detail and description made it seem like the setting was a fantasy world, but every now and then the author threw in “English” and “Greek and Roman myths” and “Moses” and I got confused all over again. England was an idea that never fully developed, and really only distracted from the story, which would have been just as well-set in a fantasy world. Court has no relation to the English court, and the royals have no connection to the English royal families.
She meets the prince and instantly becomes infatuated with him. There is no romantic tension, no relationship building, just instant attraction. Evie herself should be interesting, given her propensity to ride, fight, hunt, and wear pants. However, I found it difficult to believe that she learned those behaviors on her own, when there were no other examples of women who did these things, and no external characters, events, or relationships that influenced her life choices.
The story is cluttered with supernatural and paranormal creatures, and the relationships and world rules that governed them were convoluted, convenient, and unconvincing. The fae never really come alive as a species that drives the plot and story.
The plot itself was rushed and predictable, except for the additions of new paranormal creatures. There is a constant struggle between too many story elements (the human court/England, the fae, the lycans, the vampires, and more) - and sketchy (as in, sketched in, not fleshed out) world building. Lots has been left out, causing all the disparate elements to be disconnected. Lastly, I found the ending unconvincing and complicated.
Ultimately, this was a very disappointing and difficult read. I wouldn't recommend it.
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