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evermoresversion's reviews
150 reviews
The Bastard King by Donna Grant
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>2.5 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
⤷ <i>ARC review!</i> ⋆ˎˊ˗
the premise of this book sounded really interesting to me. a fantasy book with dragons, politics, and magic that’s set in a medieval world - that’s something that i should absolutely love.
ᝰ <b>writing</b> ⊹.˚
the language used in this book was very clear and understandable. at times, though, and especially the dialogue, sounded immature and very cringy. overall, it wasn’t anything special, but i didn’t absolutely hate it.
ᝰ <b>world-building</b> ⊹.˚
this is where i have the most complaints. nothing in this book was explained. even during the first 40%, which i enjoyed, i didn’t understand anything about the world, magic, politics, or even the characters.
what is a Star Person? why are they important? why can some characters shape shift into dragons? why are they dangerous? i feel like i know absolutely nothing. there’s a very nice map at the beginning of the book, but it doesn’t really explain that much either.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Kora</u>, </i>i don’t really know how to feel about her. we know a lot about her past, but we don’t know her personality at all. it was more focused on what happened to her family, than on her alone as a character. in general, she’s very fierce, and would do anything to get what she wants, but unfortunately, i didn’t feel connected to her.
⭒<i> <u>Derek</u>, </i>to be honest when i first saw him he gave me the ick. we don’t really know a lot about him either, but he seems like a very cocky character. he was introduced as this guy that everyone wants to sleep with and it really made me cringe. in the end, though, he was extremely devoted to Kora and would do anything to insure her safety, even by putting himself in danger.
⤷ what was really weird was that randomly new characters would appear that weren’t even introduced properly, and i just didn’t know who they were, or why they were important to the story. i know that this is a duology, but i think it’s important to give the reader at least some information about characters before making them have a huge impact on the story.
ᝰ <b>tropes</b> ⊹.˚
⭒ <i>insta-lust</i>
⭒ <i>forced proximity</i>
⭒ <i>hidden identities</i>
⭒ <i>dragons</i>
⭒ <i>medieval setting</i>
⭒ <i>multiple character 1st person POV’s</i>
⤷<i> <u>spice level</u>:</i> 🌶️🌶️/5
ᝰ <b>final thoughts</b> ⊹.˚
overall, i have really mixed feelings about this book. i think the plot and setting are perfect, and if the world-building made sense and the characters were more developed, this could’ve been one of my favorite reads.
⤷ <i>ARC review!</i> ⋆ˎˊ˗
the premise of this book sounded really interesting to me. a fantasy book with dragons, politics, and magic that’s set in a medieval world - that’s something that i should absolutely love.
ᝰ <b>writing</b> ⊹.˚
the language used in this book was very clear and understandable. at times, though, and especially the dialogue, sounded immature and very cringy. overall, it wasn’t anything special, but i didn’t absolutely hate it.
ᝰ <b>world-building</b> ⊹.˚
this is where i have the most complaints. nothing in this book was explained. even during the first 40%, which i enjoyed, i didn’t understand anything about the world, magic, politics, or even the characters.
what is a Star Person? why are they important? why can some characters shape shift into dragons? why are they dangerous? i feel like i know absolutely nothing. there’s a very nice map at the beginning of the book, but it doesn’t really explain that much either.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Kora</u>, </i>i don’t really know how to feel about her. we know a lot about her past, but we don’t know her personality at all. it was more focused on what happened to her family, than on her alone as a character. in general, she’s very fierce, and would do anything to get what she wants, but unfortunately, i didn’t feel connected to her.
⭒<i> <u>Derek</u>, </i>to be honest when i first saw him he gave me the ick. we don’t really know a lot about him either, but he seems like a very cocky character. he was introduced as this guy that everyone wants to sleep with and it really made me cringe. in the end, though, he was extremely devoted to Kora and would do anything to insure her safety, even by putting himself in danger.
⤷ what was really weird was that randomly new characters would appear that weren’t even introduced properly, and i just didn’t know who they were, or why they were important to the story. i know that this is a duology, but i think it’s important to give the reader at least some information about characters before making them have a huge impact on the story.
ᝰ <b>tropes</b> ⊹.˚
⭒ <i>insta-lust</i>
⭒ <i>forced proximity</i>
⭒ <i>hidden identities</i>
⭒ <i>dragons</i>
⭒ <i>medieval setting</i>
⭒ <i>multiple character 1st person POV’s</i>
⤷<i> <u>spice level</u>:</i> 🌶️🌶️/5
ᝰ <b>final thoughts</b> ⊹.˚
overall, i have really mixed feelings about this book. i think the plot and setting are perfect, and if the world-building made sense and the characters were more developed, this could’ve been one of my favorite reads.
The Hunted Heir by Holly Renee
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>3 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
this series isn’t a literary masterpiece by any means, but it is entertaining. it feels like a palette cleanser.
this book was way more plot forward than the previous one and the main characters actually had some character development this time around.
ᝰ <b>world-building</b> ⊹.˚
the world-building wasn’t great, but at least it actually existed. in the previous book nothing was explained, so i guess that’s progress. a win is a win.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Verena</u>, </i>i liked how we got to see a bit more of her personality in this book. thankfully, she also wasn’t super boy-obsessed like in the previous one, and more focused on how she’s gonna survive.
⭒<i> <u>Dacre</u>, </i>he actually wasn’t an asshole for most of this book (shocking, i know). in the 2nd chunk of the book he became super dedicated to Verena and would do anything for her. he’s still meh, but in comparison to how we was in the previous book, this is huge progress.
ᝰ <b>tropes</b> ⊹.˚
⭒ <i>forced proximity</i>
⭒ <i>cat & mouse</i>
⭒ <i>betrayal</i>
⭒ <i>secret powers</i>
ᝰ <b>final thoughts</b> ⊹.˚
this wasn’t great, but will i continue it when the next book comes out? probably yes.
i’m simply curious how the story will go after that ending.
this series isn’t a literary masterpiece by any means, but it is entertaining. it feels like a palette cleanser.
this book was way more plot forward than the previous one and the main characters actually had some character development this time around.
ᝰ <b>world-building</b> ⊹.˚
the world-building wasn’t great, but at least it actually existed. in the previous book nothing was explained, so i guess that’s progress. a win is a win.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Verena</u>, </i>i liked how we got to see a bit more of her personality in this book. thankfully, she also wasn’t super boy-obsessed like in the previous one, and more focused on how she’s gonna survive.
⭒<i> <u>Dacre</u>, </i>he actually wasn’t an asshole for most of this book (shocking, i know). in the 2nd chunk of the book he became super dedicated to Verena and would do anything for her. he’s still meh, but in comparison to how we was in the previous book, this is huge progress.
ᝰ <b>tropes</b> ⊹.˚
⭒ <i>forced proximity</i>
⭒ <i>cat & mouse</i>
⭒ <i>betrayal</i>
⭒ <i>secret powers</i>
ᝰ <b>final thoughts</b> ⊹.˚
this wasn’t great, but will i continue it when the next book comes out? probably yes.
i’m simply curious how the story will go after that ending.
The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>3 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
you need absolutely no brain power to read this.
i genuinely loved the premise and first couple chapters of this book. i’m always down for a book about rebellion with a ton of secrets and a dystopian vibe.
the FMC was also really great for the most part. i felt connected to her immediately.
ᝰ <b>world-building</b> ⊹.˚
it was none existent. like, what happened there? why was absolutely nothing explained? i still have no idea how the magic works. why some people have it, why some don’t. the world itself isn’t really explained either. and the map doesn’t help in any way.
ᝰ <b>writing</b> ⊹.˚
it was fine. it was very understandable and easy to read, but it felt a bit immature at times. i wasn’t expecting anything amazing, anyway.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Nyra</u>, </i>i feel like if the writing was better, she could’ve been an amazing character. although, in general i really liked her. she was very badass and if it weren’t for the terrible MMC and the authors need for them to be together, she would’ve definitely stayed that way.
⭒<i> <u>Wren</u>, </i>she was my favorite character. she was so sweet and such a good friend to Nyra. girl deserved to become a main character instead of the MMC!
⭒<i> <u>Dacre</u>, </i>is the king of cringe. everything that came out of bro’s mouth was absolutely insane and out of pocket in the worst way possible. he shit talked the FMC non stop and then suddenly acted like he cares for her and would kill anyone who touched her? bro, bffr. what a loser.
ᝰ <b>final thoughts</b> ⊹.˚
the reveal at the end… i don’t understand how it was supposed to be shocking. to me it was obvious since the beginning, and if the MMC had even 1 singular brain cell he would’ve figured it out too.
you need absolutely no brain power to read this.
i genuinely loved the premise and first couple chapters of this book. i’m always down for a book about rebellion with a ton of secrets and a dystopian vibe.
the FMC was also really great for the most part. i felt connected to her immediately.
ᝰ <b>world-building</b> ⊹.˚
it was none existent. like, what happened there? why was absolutely nothing explained? i still have no idea how the magic works. why some people have it, why some don’t. the world itself isn’t really explained either. and the map doesn’t help in any way.
ᝰ <b>writing</b> ⊹.˚
it was fine. it was very understandable and easy to read, but it felt a bit immature at times. i wasn’t expecting anything amazing, anyway.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Nyra</u>, </i>i feel like if the writing was better, she could’ve been an amazing character. although, in general i really liked her. she was very badass and if it weren’t for the terrible MMC and the authors need for them to be together, she would’ve definitely stayed that way.
⭒<i> <u>Wren</u>, </i>she was my favorite character. she was so sweet and such a good friend to Nyra. girl deserved to become a main character instead of the MMC!
⭒<i> <u>Dacre</u>, </i>is the king of cringe. everything that came out of bro’s mouth was absolutely insane and out of pocket in the worst way possible. he shit talked the FMC non stop and then suddenly acted like he cares for her and would kill anyone who touched her? bro, bffr. what a loser.
ᝰ <b>final thoughts</b> ⊹.˚
the reveal at the end… i don’t understand how it was supposed to be shocking. to me it was obvious since the beginning, and if the MMC had even 1 singular brain cell he would’ve figured it out too.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>5 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
Miss Emily Henry has done it again.
wow, this was such an incredible book. it was a perfect mix of romance and comedy, while being very thought provoking and leaving you emotionally impacted.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Daphne</u>, </i>might be my new favorite FMC. she had such an amazing personality and cared so deeply for others. her friendship with Ashleigh might be one of my new favorites. i loved them so much.
⭒<i> <u>Miles</u>, </i>is the definition of a green flag. i wish men like him existed in real life. his love and chemistry with Daphne was top tier. they just matched each other perfectly in every way.
ᝰ <b>favorite quote</b> ⊹.˚
<i>“I didn’t learn what love was supposed to feel like. It doesn’t feel natural, or come easily to me, to let anyone close. But you—you make love so easy, Daphne. You make me think I already deserve it, exactly how I am.”
“And I feel lucky every time you look at me. Not because I think I’ve managed to earn you, but because it feels like you don’t need me to. Like you just . . . like me.” He shakes his head, voice fraying as he corrects himself: “Like you love me. That’s how I feel with you.”</i>
Miss Emily Henry has done it again.
wow, this was such an incredible book. it was a perfect mix of romance and comedy, while being very thought provoking and leaving you emotionally impacted.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Daphne</u>, </i>might be my new favorite FMC. she had such an amazing personality and cared so deeply for others. her friendship with Ashleigh might be one of my new favorites. i loved them so much.
⭒<i> <u>Miles</u>, </i>is the definition of a green flag. i wish men like him existed in real life. his love and chemistry with Daphne was top tier. they just matched each other perfectly in every way.
ᝰ <b>favorite quote</b> ⊹.˚
<i>“I didn’t learn what love was supposed to feel like. It doesn’t feel natural, or come easily to me, to let anyone close. But you—you make love so easy, Daphne. You make me think I already deserve it, exactly how I am.”
“And I feel lucky every time you look at me. Not because I think I’ve managed to earn you, but because it feels like you don’t need me to. Like you just . . . like me.” He shakes his head, voice fraying as he corrects himself: “Like you love me. That’s how I feel with you.”</i>
Undead Gods by Caitlyn Battelle
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>DNF</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
⤷ <i>09/09/2024</i> ⋆ˎˊ˗
thank you to NetGalley, the publisher ‘Twelfth House Publishing’, and the author for allowing me to read an E-arc of this book.
i feel so bad, as i hate leaving negative reviews, but unfortunately this book wasn’t for me.
the synopsis sounded like something that’d be right up my alley. the first couple chapters were very interesting and i was immediately intrigued, but after the initial 50 pages i felt like we were just going in circles.
the world-building, premise, and overall vibes of this book were incredible - everything was so well explained. yet, i couldn’t connect with any of the characters. that caused me to not want to pick the book up and get bored with the story.
on top of that, i didn’t vibe with the writing style at all. while i love stories with simple writing, here it felt like there was just something missing.
⤷ <i>09/09/2024</i> ⋆ˎˊ˗
thank you to NetGalley, the publisher ‘Twelfth House Publishing’, and the author for allowing me to read an E-arc of this book.
i feel so bad, as i hate leaving negative reviews, but unfortunately this book wasn’t for me.
the synopsis sounded like something that’d be right up my alley. the first couple chapters were very interesting and i was immediately intrigued, but after the initial 50 pages i felt like we were just going in circles.
the world-building, premise, and overall vibes of this book were incredible - everything was so well explained. yet, i couldn’t connect with any of the characters. that caused me to not want to pick the book up and get bored with the story.
on top of that, i didn’t vibe with the writing style at all. while i love stories with simple writing, here it felt like there was just something missing.
The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black
mysterious
slow-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
3.0
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>3 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
was this book better than The Stolen Heir? yes.
but, was it still mid? also, yes.
i liked how this book was entirely in Oak’s POV as i didn’t really like him in the previous one. the thing that i didn’t love, though, was that it was written in 3rd person, and Wren’s was in 1st. i prefer 3rd person, but for the sake of this series i would’ve just stuck to using 1st person all throughout.
the plot was a bit more interesting compared to the first book. but overall nothing i’d write home about.
the real thing that saved this book, though, was Jurdan. i missed them so much! i audibly gasped when i opened the book and saw that Jude and Cardan made an appearance. i was hanging onto every single one of their lines ❤️
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Oak</u>, </i>i liked his character way more in this book. thanks to his POV we got to see a lot of what’s actually going on in his head along with all his worries and insecurities. it helped to understand his character better, but overall i wouldn’t say i’m his biggest fan or anything.
⭒<i> <u>Suren</u>, </i>to completely honest, i missed my girl. i feel like because of Oak’s POV she wasn’t really on page that much (even though she was). i don’t really have anything more to say; i like her and she’s my favorite character from this duology, but that’s not really saying a lot.
ᝰ <b>favorite quote</b> ⊹.˚
⭒ <u>Suren/Oak</u>
<i>“Until I met you, I didn’t understand to feel loved, one has to feel known. And that, outside of my family, I had never really loved because I hadn’t bothered to know the other person. But I know you. And you have to come back to me, Wren, because no one gets us but us.”</i>
⭒ <u>Jude/Cardan</u>
<i>“I hate being unwell,” he says.
“You’re not sick,” Jude tells him. “You are recovering from being stabbed—or rather, throwing yourself on a knife.”
“You would have done the same for me,” he says airily.
“I would not,” Jude snaps.
“Liar,” Cardan says fondly.”</i>
was this book better than The Stolen Heir? yes.
but, was it still mid? also, yes.
i liked how this book was entirely in Oak’s POV as i didn’t really like him in the previous one. the thing that i didn’t love, though, was that it was written in 3rd person, and Wren’s was in 1st. i prefer 3rd person, but for the sake of this series i would’ve just stuck to using 1st person all throughout.
the plot was a bit more interesting compared to the first book. but overall nothing i’d write home about.
the real thing that saved this book, though, was Jurdan. i missed them so much! i audibly gasped when i opened the book and saw that Jude and Cardan made an appearance. i was hanging onto every single one of their lines ❤️
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
⭒<i> <u>Oak</u>, </i>i liked his character way more in this book. thanks to his POV we got to see a lot of what’s actually going on in his head along with all his worries and insecurities. it helped to understand his character better, but overall i wouldn’t say i’m his biggest fan or anything.
⭒<i> <u>Suren</u>, </i>to completely honest, i missed my girl. i feel like because of Oak’s POV she wasn’t really on page that much (even though she was). i don’t really have anything more to say; i like her and she’s my favorite character from this duology, but that’s not really saying a lot.
ᝰ <b>favorite quote</b> ⊹.˚
⭒ <u>Suren/Oak</u>
<i>“Until I met you, I didn’t understand to feel loved, one has to feel known. And that, outside of my family, I had never really loved because I hadn’t bothered to know the other person. But I know you. And you have to come back to me, Wren, because no one gets us but us.”</i>
⭒ <u>Jude/Cardan</u>
<i>“I hate being unwell,” he says.
“You’re not sick,” Jude tells him. “You are recovering from being stabbed—or rather, throwing yourself on a knife.”
“You would have done the same for me,” he says airily.
“I would not,” Jude snaps.
“Liar,” Cardan says fondly.”</i>
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>2.5 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
ugh… this was extremely mid.
i absolutely adore this world, but this book just wasn’t what i had expected. it’s nowhere near as good as the original trilogy.
i loved being back in Elfhame. the magic, descriptions and overall vibes are perfect.
however, apart from that there wasn’t a lot i liked about this book.
the plot was extremely slow and lackluster, and i felt myself wanting to skim a lot of it. i didn’t feel connected to the story at all and was genuinely bored most of the time.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
i’m not gonna lie, i only liked Suren. and the fact that i looked up fan-art before starting this book didn’t help in the slightest. i simply just didn’t care about the majority of the characters.
⭒<i> <u>Suren</u>, </i>her backstory was so heartbreaking. reading about her insecurities and the way she’d always been alone made me think of myself and my own childhood. overall, i really liked her and felt connected to her.
⭒<i> <u>Oak</u>, </i>was such a disappointment. i know he’s a lot older than he is in TFOTA, but here he’s a completely different person. there were moments i thought he was fine, but most of the time if found him really annoying.
ugh… this was extremely mid.
i absolutely adore this world, but this book just wasn’t what i had expected. it’s nowhere near as good as the original trilogy.
i loved being back in Elfhame. the magic, descriptions and overall vibes are perfect.
however, apart from that there wasn’t a lot i liked about this book.
the plot was extremely slow and lackluster, and i felt myself wanting to skim a lot of it. i didn’t feel connected to the story at all and was genuinely bored most of the time.
ᝰ <b>characters</b> ⊹.˚
i’m not gonna lie, i only liked Suren. and the fact that i looked up fan-art before starting this book didn’t help in the slightest. i simply just didn’t care about the majority of the characters.
⭒<i> <u>Suren</u>, </i>her backstory was so heartbreaking. reading about her insecurities and the way she’d always been alone made me think of myself and my own childhood. overall, i really liked her and felt connected to her.
⭒<i> <u>Oak</u>, </i>was such a disappointment. i know he’s a lot older than he is in TFOTA, but here he’s a completely different person. there were moments i thought he was fine, but most of the time if found him really annoying.
The Sword by J. Bree
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>2 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
꒰ <b>review</b> ꒱
i found this novella pretty boring.
it was nice getting to know more about Soren, but ‘The Scepter’ was much more interesting.
i found this novella pretty boring.
it was nice getting to know more about Soren, but ‘The Scepter’ was much more interesting.
The Scepter by J. Bree
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚<i> <u>3 stars</u> </i>˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
꒰ <b>overall</b> ꒱
i don’t really know how to rate or judge these super short novellas, nonetheless, this was actually really interesting.
this did a great job explaining the main character, her brother, her fate, and her backstory.
from what i’ve learnt in this novella i think i’ll love the main series!
꒰ <b>overall</b> ꒱
i don’t really know how to rate or judge these super short novellas, nonetheless, this was actually really interesting.
this did a great job explaining the main character, her brother, her fate, and her backstory.
from what i’ve learnt in this novella i think i’ll love the main series!