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lins18's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
yulireads's review against another edition
1.0
A complete snoozefest
DNF’d at 83%. I’m not one to dnf usually, and maybe one day I’ll actually finish this, but I just can’t find it in me to finish this. I really really really tried to finish and I just can’t.
This read like a classical novel, which is fine if that’s what you’re in the mood for but I was not.
The majority of the time the fmc and mmc just sit around a fountain and talk and nothing really happens behind that. I had a hard time connecting with any of these characters, felt like nothing really happened until the 50% mark. Yes it got a little steamy, but then I was just over it.
Needless to say I will not be continuing this series.
DNF’d at 83%. I’m not one to dnf usually, and maybe one day I’ll actually finish this, but I just can’t find it in me to finish this. I really really really tried to finish and I just can’t.
This read like a classical novel, which is fine if that’s what you’re in the mood for but I was not.
The majority of the time the fmc and mmc just sit around a fountain and talk and nothing really happens behind that. I had a hard time connecting with any of these characters, felt like nothing really happened until the 50% mark. Yes it got a little steamy, but then I was just over it.
Needless to say I will not be continuing this series.
heartscontent's review against another edition
5.0
You can find this review of Blood Mercy on my blog, Heart's Content!
Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I won’t lie, the cover was super eye-catching. I know, I know that we don’t judge a book by it’s cover. I didn’t. I swear. I’ve seen a bajillion books with fantastic covers and haven’t requested for an advanced reader’s copy of all of them. The reason I wanted to read this book was because of this phrase in the blurb: “gentle immortal”, which was used to describe the male protagonist. Now, how often does that happen? I was curious if the author could actually pen a character who’s got the description of a vampire but with a gentle hue, and whether that hue will remain unstained till the very end; because this wasn’t a 200 page novel, this was a big book.
The beginning of the book frankly was very confusing for me. There were many things happening and the story was dense with aspects of the world that were alien to me and I was scrambling to catch up. Additionally this book is dual POV and the protagonists’ lives are so different that they both required world building which meant that both POVs were initially a challenge for me. This resulted in me taking a few breaks in the beginning a lot.
What was it about the book though that kept me coming back? I’m not sure, but have you ever felt like sometimes your reader heart has this strange book-nerd version of the spidey-senses? Maybe that’s what brought me back or perhaps there was something about the book that naturally reels you in slowly.
Interestingly, I feel like the book is a perfect twin soul to the female protagonist’s personality. Just like with Cassia, the story is slow to trust, revealing only small parts of itself. But as you invest yourself further into it it reveals it’s true self, almost like a lovely rose hidden behind thorns and brambles.
The book was brimming with so many aspects and everything takes precedence at their exact moments before they all entwine themselves in the end rendering a befitting climax of everything we’ve learned about the characters, their belief systems, culture, the plot and the little relationships between characters.
The aspect of this book that I felt leaks into every line, dialogue, silence, fight and resolution is gentleness. Lio, the male protagonist of Blood Mercy, truly effects the tone of the book by influencing the heroine herself in the absolute best way. He brings something really precious to the pages; where he allows the woman who has only ever known jagged edges and deep cuts to feel like she can be vulnerable and trust. However that doesn’t mean he is perfect.
Cassia and Knight (because where one goes the other is) are quiet companions in a dangerous game. They’ve stuck together though thick and thin and Cassia has many many wounds and secrets from the past that she slowly tells the readers if we trust to stay with her.
All the secondary characters (and there are many, believe me) too take their time to leave a mark on us. Perhaps it’s the narration matching the nature and situation of the protagonists, but once these secondary characters are truly revealed for who they are, they all stick to you and you see them as extensions of the main protagonists…people they cannot be who they are without. People who have their back. Closest thing to family.
The book brims with politics, betrayal, death, life, blood, love and emotional moments that catch you unawares and stay with you till the end. As I had mentioned the world building felt a little difficult to follow in the beginning but the characters really pull you through and everything slowly makes sense. The pace was its absolute fastest from around 75%, but until then the pace was steady and comfortable once you get past the initial few chapters where you try to piece things together. The plot was so much darker, deeper and dangerous than I had imagined and I can’t wait to see what Vela Roth does with this series!
Five stars! Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a politically heavy high fantasy, friends to lovers, gentle and emotional story.
KU readers, truly, this is the biggest gem you could pick.
Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I won’t lie, the cover was super eye-catching. I know, I know that we don’t judge a book by it’s cover. I didn’t. I swear. I’ve seen a bajillion books with fantastic covers and haven’t requested for an advanced reader’s copy of all of them. The reason I wanted to read this book was because of this phrase in the blurb: “gentle immortal”, which was used to describe the male protagonist. Now, how often does that happen? I was curious if the author could actually pen a character who’s got the description of a vampire but with a gentle hue, and whether that hue will remain unstained till the very end; because this wasn’t a 200 page novel, this was a big book.
The beginning of the book frankly was very confusing for me. There were many things happening and the story was dense with aspects of the world that were alien to me and I was scrambling to catch up. Additionally this book is dual POV and the protagonists’ lives are so different that they both required world building which meant that both POVs were initially a challenge for me. This resulted in me taking a few breaks in the beginning a lot.
What was it about the book though that kept me coming back? I’m not sure, but have you ever felt like sometimes your reader heart has this strange book-nerd version of the spidey-senses? Maybe that’s what brought me back or perhaps there was something about the book that naturally reels you in slowly.
Interestingly, I feel like the book is a perfect twin soul to the female protagonist’s personality. Just like with Cassia, the story is slow to trust, revealing only small parts of itself. But as you invest yourself further into it it reveals it’s true self, almost like a lovely rose hidden behind thorns and brambles.
The book was brimming with so many aspects and everything takes precedence at their exact moments before they all entwine themselves in the end rendering a befitting climax of everything we’ve learned about the characters, their belief systems, culture, the plot and the little relationships between characters.
The aspect of this book that I felt leaks into every line, dialogue, silence, fight and resolution is gentleness. Lio, the male protagonist of Blood Mercy, truly effects the tone of the book by influencing the heroine herself in the absolute best way. He brings something really precious to the pages; where he allows the woman who has only ever known jagged edges and deep cuts to feel like she can be vulnerable and trust. However that doesn’t mean he is perfect.
Cassia and Knight (because where one goes the other is) are quiet companions in a dangerous game. They’ve stuck together though thick and thin and Cassia has many many wounds and secrets from the past that she slowly tells the readers if we trust to stay with her.
All the secondary characters (and there are many, believe me) too take their time to leave a mark on us. Perhaps it’s the narration matching the nature and situation of the protagonists, but once these secondary characters are truly revealed for who they are, they all stick to you and you see them as extensions of the main protagonists…people they cannot be who they are without. People who have their back. Closest thing to family.
The book brims with politics, betrayal, death, life, blood, love and emotional moments that catch you unawares and stay with you till the end. As I had mentioned the world building felt a little difficult to follow in the beginning but the characters really pull you through and everything slowly makes sense. The pace was its absolute fastest from around 75%, but until then the pace was steady and comfortable once you get past the initial few chapters where you try to piece things together. The plot was so much darker, deeper and dangerous than I had imagined and I can’t wait to see what Vela Roth does with this series!
Five stars! Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a politically heavy high fantasy, friends to lovers, gentle and emotional story.
KU readers, truly, this is the biggest gem you could pick.
meowsicles's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
michx3lla's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 rounded up
This was excellent! I loved everything from the immersive writing and world-building to the depth of the characters. It was empowering to see Cassia's progression of a demure bastard princess to a strategic and cunning rebel of the crown. Lio's ability to not only guide but assist her in this was amazing. I can't wait to read book 2!!
This was excellent! I loved everything from the immersive writing and world-building to the depth of the characters. It was empowering to see Cassia's progression of a demure bastard princess to a strategic and cunning rebel of the crown. Lio's ability to not only guide but assist her in this was amazing. I can't wait to read book 2!!
nerdyjess's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.25
curly_cat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
The conlang for genitalia threw me off but otherwise this was such an enjoyable read! Interesting characters and truly unique worldbuilding.
cedarcinders's review against another edition
I could not get over the slow pace of the story. It felt like a giant nothing burger in terms of plot. The Hesperines were intriguing at first, but then they seemed too perfect, too righteous, too flawless to continue being interesting enough to read any further.
diaryofabookahloic's review
3.0
This book took a long time to read and that mostly was because of the beginning of this book. with this being a high fantsy book it took a lot to build the world and the magic and what i wanted was the romance of this story. I did get it after a while but this slow burn romance had me wanting more by the end of the book so i am looking foreword to the next book