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edey_books's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was unexpectedly bleak, and I ended up kind of resenting the MMC… not sure how the author is going to effectively redeem him and some other characters. I liked Rooke (FMC) a lot more, but her inaction was incredibly frustrating too. I will absolutely read the second book, but I hope the characters turn a major corner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Moderate: Death of parent
martine3's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It was a great and engaging book but gosh I have never seen such a group of frustrating, prejudiced, and stupid characters as the high fae. The problem is that while Rooke was an amazing heroine, the other likeable characters were Firna, the Goblin royal family, the woman from the orphanage and that's it. Soren and Tauron were vile, racist, and dumb as shit and frankly this kingdom didn't deserve anything and I sometimes wished Rooke let them burn. It's no wonder that the regent's and Kharl's schemes were so successful when the opposition was so deep in their shit that they would sacrifice their own people to save their own prejudice and high ground. And Airlie's redemption doesn't work for me as being so desperate to have a baby does not compensate for being a racist, dumb, elitist bitch. Honestly, Rooke is a better person than me because I would have probably left her to deliver her spawn and save her husband herself since she was so superior. And I didn't appreciate the endless details of childbirth and care as if her being a MOM erases all of her shit, it does not. I am not sure how much grovelling would be necessary to redeem these assholes and if any would be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Pregnancy, and War
cryosphinx's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I intended to read this book as an aside just when I happened to have my Kindle and some spare time and WHOOPS, I absolutely CONSUMED it in two days.
JBree wrote an intriguing fantasy novel that makes a twists of the fated mates tropes by making the mates from two races that abhir each other and have had centuries of prejudice. I found the world building to be well done, easy to understand but not boring.
Rooke is the epitome of the bad ass FMC and I love her and her quiet but rightfully justified sass. There are side characters who come to understand and break through the prejudices , they grow and learn and they become really compelling parts of the story. Soren can be face punchingly annoying and dense but I think it's very much written that way to make a true energies to lovers trope shine in the end, but I fully expect some grovling to come along in the next book. Which I now desperately need.
The only bother is there's some explanations that are repeated as if it was the first time being told and some moments of long internal monologue during conversations they I forgot what was being said and had to go back. Very minor and didn't ruin anything. This is just a well told joy ride of a fantasy and I cannot wait for the next book.
JBree wrote an intriguing fantasy novel that makes a twists of the fated mates tropes by making the mates from two races that abhir each other and have had centuries of prejudice. I found the world building to be well done, easy to understand but not boring.
Rooke is the epitome of the bad ass FMC and I love her and her quiet but rightfully justified sass. There are side characters who come to understand and break through the prejudices , they grow and learn and they become really compelling parts of the story. Soren can be face punchingly annoying and dense but I think it's very much written that way to make a true energies to lovers trope shine in the end, but I fully expect some grovling to come along in the next book. Which I now desperately need.
The only bother is there's some explanations that are repeated as if it was the first time being told and some moments of long internal monologue during conversations they I forgot what was being said and had to go back. Very minor and didn't ruin anything. This is just a well told joy ride of a fantasy and I cannot wait for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, and Xenophobia
Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
pixe's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, and War
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Miscarriage