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A review by lycaenide
A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
After hearing reviews if this I was pleasantly surprised to find I really enjoyed it. Yes, it's dramatic and a little confusing at times. But the slow burn romance was good, the world was fun, and it's a series I look forward to continuing.
See full rating breakdown below:
Characters: 8/10
I did really like both lead characters, and liked the side characters for the most part too. I would have loved to see stronger differences in character voices, as some did seem to blend together into a few archetypes. Higher score because of Hook, for sure.
Atmosphere: 9/10
Really enjoyed the setting of a grand castle, greenhouse, and the occasional atmospheric jaunts around the non human realm. Lovely mentions of plants too.
Writing style: 7/10
Very easy to read and not put down. But I found the pacing fluctuated, with some events being described in a sentence where it felt like it could have benefited from more.
Plot: 8/10
Strong "find a solution before the time runs out" combined with arranged marriage/close proximity trope. The addition of herbalism/gardening was a nice touch.
Intrigue: 8/10
I was definitely invested and needed to find out what happened, even if it was a little confusing and convoluted.
Logic: 6/10
Logic and continuity let this book down a little. Also the plot would lead us to a revelation, dangle a tid bit then not reach a conclusion. Revelations were delivered in a confusing way, making them feel anticlimactic.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Altogether I did really enjoy this. Would have rated it higher in enjoyment but the sex scenes were all in veiled language and cutaways, which aren't my preference.
Overall rating: 7.71/10
See full rating breakdown below:
Characters: 8/10
I did really like both lead characters, and liked the side characters for the most part too. I would have loved to see stronger differences in character voices, as some did seem to blend together into a few archetypes. Higher score because of Hook, for sure.
Atmosphere: 9/10
Really enjoyed the setting of a grand castle, greenhouse, and the occasional atmospheric jaunts around the non human realm. Lovely mentions of plants too.
Writing style: 7/10
Very easy to read and not put down. But I found the pacing fluctuated, with some events being described in a sentence where it felt like it could have benefited from more.
Plot: 8/10
Strong "find a solution before the time runs out" combined with arranged marriage/close proximity trope. The addition of herbalism/gardening was a nice touch.
Intrigue: 8/10
I was definitely invested and needed to find out what happened, even if it was a little confusing and convoluted.
Logic: 6/10
Logic and continuity let this book down a little. Also the plot would lead us to a revelation, dangle a tid bit then not reach a conclusion. Revelations were delivered in a confusing way, making them feel anticlimactic.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Altogether I did really enjoy this. Would have rated it higher in enjoyment but the sex scenes were all in veiled language and cutaways, which aren't my preference.
Overall rating: 7.71/10
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
Moderate: Toxic friendship