crsharks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
captainpantsless's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ruthlessly's review against another edition
4.0
I REALLY enjoyed this!!! I love love loved Evemer and Kadou as characters! I thought it was so fun! I really loved all the characters, which is what made this book shine for me. I got invested in them and I wanted good things for them.
I thought, really, what let it down a bit is I didn't quite buy the world. It's a fantasy but the fantasy doesn't seem overly prevalent. The magic system didn't make a whole lot of sense to me and I think if it had felt a bit more full and rounded I'd have loved it more. But this was such a fun read that swept me along and I really enjoyed. There were a bunch of scenes that had me beaming. I especially loved Evemer slowly unbending and also when Kadou told him off for being condescending. A PERSONAL highlight.
I thought, really, what let it down a bit is I didn't quite buy the world. It's a fantasy but the fantasy doesn't seem overly prevalent. The magic system didn't make a whole lot of sense to me and I think if it had felt a bit more full and rounded I'd have loved it more. But this was such a fun read that swept me along and I really enjoyed. There were a bunch of scenes that had me beaming. I especially loved Evemer slowly unbending and also when Kadou told him off for being condescending. A PERSONAL highlight.
mimira's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
h_banana_books49's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cassie_happened's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
A solid read with some good panic attack/anxiety representation. Overall parts of this book felt a little rushed. The bad guys (who you can pretty much guess is from chapter one) are caught towards the later half of the middle of the book, and the two main characters spend the rest of the book waffling between whether they want to stay 'fake' married or not. I like both Kadou and Evemer quite a lot, and thought they had a very warm and loving relationship that was forged through a lot of political scheming.
There were some very interesting glimpses of the wider world and in general how things are run in this kingdom that I would have loved to see expanded on.
I would also KILL to read a Tadek spin-off. PUT THAT BOY IN A THROUPLE.
A solid read with some good panic attack/anxiety representation. Overall parts of this book felt a little rushed. The bad guys (who you can pretty much guess is from chapter one) are caught towards the later half of the middle of the book, and the two main characters spend the rest of the book waffling between whether they want to stay 'fake' married or not. I like both Kadou and Evemer quite a lot, and thought they had a very warm and loving relationship that was forged through a lot of political scheming.
There were some very interesting glimpses of the wider world and in general how things are run in this kingdom that I would have loved to see expanded on.
I would also KILL to read a Tadek spin-off. PUT THAT BOY IN A THROUPLE.
spellboundbybooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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
4.0
First off, can I just say how much I loved Kadou and Evemer and the development of their relationship?! It was just so sweet and heartfelt. It really was lovely to read about.
I thought the mental health depiction was so well done in here. Kadou lives with anxiety which can lead to panic attacks and oh boy did I totally relate to this. Not only was it well written in how Kadou views himself, but also about how those around him discover and deal with this knowledge.
I found the society and customs of this world quite interesting and would have liked to explore them even more. There is also great representation for both gender and sexuality in this story too.
The book had a slow but steady pace that was a little bit too slow for me personally. This is no fault of the book, and in fact suits the story the author is telling perfectly. Its just a matter of my personal preference.
While this story isn't necessarily low stakes, I would definitely recommend it to people on the look out for more cosy fantasy, as I think the sweet romance and slower pace of this book really do fit that vibe.
I thought the mental health depiction was so well done in here. Kadou lives with anxiety which can lead to panic attacks and oh boy did I totally relate to this. Not only was it well written in how Kadou views himself, but also about how those around him discover and deal with this knowledge.
I found the society and customs of this world quite interesting and would have liked to explore them even more. There is also great representation for both gender and sexuality in this story too.
The book had a slow but steady pace that was a little bit too slow for me personally. This is no fault of the book, and in fact suits the story the author is telling perfectly. Its just a matter of my personal preference.
While this story isn't necessarily low stakes, I would definitely recommend it to people on the look out for more cosy fantasy, as I think the sweet romance and slower pace of this book really do fit that vibe.