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espurrr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I found 'A River Enchanted' to be beautifully enchanting. I really enjoyed discovering all the ways the various characters were connected to each other. The romances are slow and sweet and have some of the best declarations of love I have come across. The world is richly described and seeping with magic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infertility, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
readingwithasha's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I am not a huge fantasy person, so this book was certainly a departure from what I usually like to read. It took me awhile to get into it and to understand the world-building, but once I got into it, I enjoyed it!
I particularly enjoyed the middle of the book, which does a nice job of illustrating the intricacies of the landscape and the magic that happens there.
I am giving this book a 3.75 because I really disliked the ending!
It felt like the last 50 pages were forced and resolved all of the tension so quickly! I felt like the Adaira-is-actually-from-the-West plotline came out of nowhere, and it felt like the author wanted to TELL the reader rather than SHOW the reader. I also thought it was strange that Adaira leaves without Jack. I felt like we lost a lot of the beautiful, unspoken parts at the end.
I particularly enjoyed the middle of the book, which does a nice job of illustrating the intricacies of the landscape and the magic that happens there.
I am giving this book a 3.75 because I really disliked the ending!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
andrea_makes'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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
sangsmiles's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
dunecello's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Beautifully written, and lovely use of the Squishy Wizard trope, with an in-canon reason for it!
The Scottish fantasy setting is so cozy and the stories within the story felt like fairy tales.
It is rare that I enjoy romance in fiction, but the dynamics between the main couple in this book seemed appealing when I heard about it, and they did not let me down. Absolutely loved Jack and Adaira as a pair. On the other hand, I found the more traditional (in terms of romance literature) secondary couple uninteresting and my attention wavered during their scenes. It got to the point where I groaned whenever it was Sidra's POV. Really did not enjoy her characterization. Though I will say, the quote"I've built my life upon something that can be taken from me" hit hard. I needed to read that.
The reason for the girls' disappearances ended up being a little ridiculous. But as someone whoseancestors were involved in a blood feud that stupidly still exist today , it's not that farfetched.
The ending broke my heart as it was supposed to so I will be reading the next book at some point. Hope we get a lot more Jack ♥ Adaira in the next one.
The Scottish fantasy setting is so cozy and the stories within the story felt like fairy tales.
It is rare that I enjoy romance in fiction, but the dynamics between the main couple in this book seemed appealing when I heard about it, and they did not let me down. Absolutely loved Jack and Adaira as a pair. On the other hand, I found the more traditional (in terms of romance literature) secondary couple uninteresting and my attention wavered during their scenes. It got to the point where I groaned whenever it was Sidra's POV. Really did not enjoy her characterization. Though I will say, the quote
The reason for the girls' disappearances ended up being a little ridiculous. But as someone whose
The ending broke my heart as it was supposed to so I will be reading the next book at some point. Hope we get a lot more Jack ♥ Adaira in the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
styxx's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
bookjudy42's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Exceptionally written, deep and satisfying lore, characters that make your heart ache. I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Self harm, Torture, and Medical content
kwthor's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
elaineh7's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a very cozy atmospheric fantasy that is super whimsical. I loved the slow burn romance. I enjoyed following the multiple povs throughout the story. The world building was really great forming this magical island.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
minnow's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This novel has many of the tropes I love: enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, lots of longing, gorgeous descriptions of food and clothing; additionally, the setting is lush and beautiful, with a rich lore. The plot is interesting and hints at mystery, and there are several love-based subplots. I should have loved this book. But I didn't.
It's entertaining and is, in parts, beautifully written. However, it's at best a snack, and not a very filling one. It takes some of the tropes I love and over-uses them until it made my eyes roll every time they popped up in the text--how many times can Jack rake back his hair with one hand? There are so many aching chests that this story needed a cardiologist more than it needed a bard. Every emotion is set at ten, every moment is The Most Dramatic Moment, which reduces every truly heightened emotion and moment to zero. If everything is in stereo, nothing is in stereo.
Yet the world-building is lovely and well-done. I wish it had been focused on more and there had been less romantic navel-gazing and reminiscing performed by secondary characters. The development of the main characters feels abrupt; it's handled better with the supporting characters Torin and Sidra. There is one mildly spicy scene that is well done but feels poorly placed in the narrative.
A beautiful premise that feels shallow. I won't read further into the series as it didn't enchant me.
It's entertaining and is, in parts, beautifully written. However, it's at best a snack, and not a very filling one. It takes some of the tropes I love and over-uses them until it made my eyes roll every time they popped up in the text--how many times can Jack rake back his hair with one hand? There are so many aching chests that this story needed a cardiologist more than it needed a bard. Every emotion is set at ten, every moment is The Most Dramatic Moment, which reduces every truly heightened emotion and moment to zero. If everything is in stereo, nothing is in stereo.
Yet the world-building is lovely and well-done. I wish it had been focused on more and there had been less romantic navel-gazing and reminiscing performed by secondary characters. The development of the main characters feels abrupt; it's handled better with the supporting characters Torin and Sidra. There is one mildly spicy scene that is well done but feels poorly placed in the narrative.
A beautiful premise that feels shallow. I won't read further into the series as it didn't enchant me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder