sarahlamagna's review
5.0
Shelby has such an incredible way of portraying each of her characters and their development throughout the book. I was so excited to start Book #2 after falling in love with the characters in the first book. My favorite characters are, by far, Petra and Elias and was so glad that they both still played a major role in the second installment. Shelby's worldbuilding is so unique and not remotely close to the typical story line that you see in most of the adult fantasy romance books. Her prose is so eloquently written and I can't wait to see how all this ends in the third installment. I just hate that I have to wait until 2023 to read it!
cweaton9's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
booksandblackshirts's review
5.0
I received an e-ARC copy for Our Hollow Bones (OHB) from the author for an honest review.
5/5 Stars
My Review in 5 Words/Concepts: Intriguing Complexity, Redemption, Duality, Teasing Tension, Believable Magic
*Spoiler Free Portion*
The first in The Forged Trilogy (A Kingdom of Mischief & Memories) sets the reader up well to best understand the conflict, relationships, and tension between characters in this installment. Shelby creates vivid imagery and situational auras through her descriptive passages. This book has several backdrops and I never once felt lost or lacking vision of the setting. I found myself having a hard time putting this down and will say that there is more consistent activity and plot movers in this book in comparison to the first.
I enjoyed the consistency of adherence to the complex magic system - it feels natural and enveloping in the text. From the specific powers an individual can possess to how the society functions, the world is incredibly detailed and built out. In addition to the immersive backdrop of the book, the characters vary greatly and while they fall into some classic tropes, they don't feel "trope-y" and translate genuinely. I found Maeve to be very likable in her journey through duality and coming to terms with her past, present, & future.
As for the romance - holy tension, Batman. I loved the slow burn and by the end of the book I was practically fanning myself. Steamy McSteamerson. I also enjoyed that the romance scenes were handled well overall and fostered Maeve's sexuality as a young woman.
I am looking forward to seeing what is next for Maeve and co.!
*Mini Spoiler Portion*
- Good and evil become murky waters - the transitions/epiphanies are well-placed and as a reader I enjoyed the journey of revelation. Who is actually good/evil?
- "A lie is just a reminder that beautiful things are often fake." - this line got me good.
- Nicknames <3
- Lukas
- Lukas, but in bold
5/5 Stars
My Review in 5 Words/Concepts: Intriguing Complexity, Redemption, Duality, Teasing Tension, Believable Magic
*Spoiler Free Portion*
The first in The Forged Trilogy (A Kingdom of Mischief & Memories) sets the reader up well to best understand the conflict, relationships, and tension between characters in this installment. Shelby creates vivid imagery and situational auras through her descriptive passages. This book has several backdrops and I never once felt lost or lacking vision of the setting. I found myself having a hard time putting this down and will say that there is more consistent activity and plot movers in this book in comparison to the first.
I enjoyed the consistency of adherence to the complex magic system - it feels natural and enveloping in the text. From the specific powers an individual can possess to how the society functions, the world is incredibly detailed and built out. In addition to the immersive backdrop of the book, the characters vary greatly and while they fall into some classic tropes, they don't feel "trope-y" and translate genuinely. I found Maeve to be very likable in her journey through duality and coming to terms with her past, present, & future.
As for the romance - holy tension, Batman. I loved the slow burn and by the end of the book I was practically fanning myself. Steamy McSteamerson. I also enjoyed that the romance scenes were handled well overall and fostered Maeve's sexuality as a young woman.
I am looking forward to seeing what is next for Maeve and co.!
*Mini Spoiler Portion*
- Good and evil become murky waters - the transitions/epiphanies are well-placed and as a reader I enjoyed the journey of revelation. Who is actually good/evil?
- "A lie is just a reminder that beautiful things are often fake." - this line got me good.
- Nicknames <3
- Lukas
- Lukas, but in bold
More...