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A review by piasbookshelf
Of Sand & Silk by Claire Butler
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
5.0
Rating: 5✨
Spice: 2.5🌶
Thank you to the author for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest.
THIS BOOK. You guys, I LOVED this book. Beginning, middle & end, I was HOOKED. Everything about it was so intriguing, from the world & world-building, political intrigue, characters, character development & the different dynamics. I adored it ALL. Also, it had me a feral mess when it came to the romantic development & I was constantly screaming into my pillow while kicking my feet in the air. I was letting out feral pterodactyl screeches constantly.
Let's start with Henri. I loved his character & his growth when we first saw him in the Redwood Duology, however, my love for him has tremendously grown after reading this book. The way I feel like a proud mama bear after seeing this first part of his story & his new journey, his character is so easy to adore & root for. To want to protect at ALL costs. Henri is such a passionate character, who is haunted by moments of his past while discovering this new world he has be thrust into. However, I can honestly say Henri is barely given a moment to BREATHE, because he is in this state of turmoil due to the constant threats & dangers surrounding him, as well as the new emotions he is feeling. He is such a caring, just & fierce protector, who is realizing those traits of his may just lead to his downfall.
MALIK, the way this man had my knees & legs constantly trembling. His character in the beginning had me constantly guessing what his intentions were & who he was on the inside, behind the masks he showed that were free of any emotions. But when I tell you I fell hard & fast, I mean it! Malik has got his own dark past, memories that haunt & plague him & secrets he is willing to keep hidden at all costs. However, this man is also passionate to the point that you begin feeling feverish. He is wholly loyal & wholly dangerous to those he determines a threat. But his heart is golden underneath all the haunted shadows that surround it. I truly adore him & am rooting for him to the very end.
Our Silk Rose, Tahlia, we meet her later on in the book, but we quickly become enraptured by her & her story. She is a character who has her own secrets & motivations, but also a past that is mixed with its own darkness, her decisions & decisions made FOR her. She is such an intriguing FMC, who constantly keeps you guessing. Who she is underneath the persona of the infamous courtesan, the Silk Rose.
Ele, Kala, along with multiple characters we are introduced to in this new world, were all so intriguing to see again or to meet. Claire truly did an incredible job in the writing of this book & the pace in which the story developed. It was neither too slow nor too fast, it progressed perfectly & left you wanting more immediately. I also adored seeing Claire's growth in her writing & was left in awe of her author's voice in this book. This multi-POV book is filled with slow burn tension, dangerous & deadly politics, twists & turns & secrets at every turn. The spice was definitely spicing, & the MM & MMF romances left me longing for more. I 100% recommend this read! 🧡
Spice: 2.5🌶
Thank you to the author for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest.
THIS BOOK. You guys, I LOVED this book. Beginning, middle & end, I was HOOKED. Everything about it was so intriguing, from the world & world-building, political intrigue, characters, character development & the different dynamics. I adored it ALL. Also, it had me a feral mess when it came to the romantic development & I was constantly screaming into my pillow while kicking my feet in the air. I was letting out feral pterodactyl screeches constantly.
Let's start with Henri. I loved his character & his growth when we first saw him in the Redwood Duology, however, my love for him has tremendously grown after reading this book. The way I feel like a proud mama bear after seeing this first part of his story & his new journey, his character is so easy to adore & root for. To want to protect at ALL costs. Henri is such a passionate character, who is haunted by moments of his past while discovering this new world he has be thrust into. However, I can honestly say Henri is barely given a moment to BREATHE, because he is in this state of turmoil due to the constant threats & dangers surrounding him, as well as the new emotions he is feeling. He is such a caring, just & fierce protector, who is realizing those traits of his may just lead to his downfall.
MALIK, the way this man had my knees & legs constantly trembling. His character in the beginning had me constantly guessing what his intentions were & who he was on the inside, behind the masks he showed that were free of any emotions. But when I tell you I fell hard & fast, I mean it! Malik has got his own dark past, memories that haunt & plague him & secrets he is willing to keep hidden at all costs. However, this man is also passionate to the point that you begin feeling feverish. He is wholly loyal & wholly dangerous to those he determines a threat. But his heart is golden underneath all the haunted shadows that surround it. I truly adore him & am rooting for him to the very end.
Our Silk Rose, Tahlia, we meet her later on in the book, but we quickly become enraptured by her & her story. She is a character who has her own secrets & motivations, but also a past that is mixed with its own darkness, her decisions & decisions made FOR her. She is such an intriguing FMC, who constantly keeps you guessing. Who she is underneath the persona of the infamous courtesan, the Silk Rose.
Ele, Kala, along with multiple characters we are introduced to in this new world, were all so intriguing to see again or to meet. Claire truly did an incredible job in the writing of this book & the pace in which the story developed. It was neither too slow nor too fast, it progressed perfectly & left you wanting more immediately. I also adored seeing Claire's growth in her writing & was left in awe of her author's voice in this book. This multi-POV book is filled with slow burn tension, dangerous & deadly politics, twists & turns & secrets at every turn. The spice was definitely spicing, & the MM & MMF romances left me longing for more. I 100% recommend this read! 🧡