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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun and spicy standalone with a fast-burn romance and descriptive worldbuilding. This icy and violent world that Smitherman intrigued me, especially as the the new crowned Queen strives to bring about peace and hope -- despite many challengers and threats she against her. Her bodyguard, an assassin, from a rival country and our MMC, is a fun and salty character (and boy does he have a way with words). The story moves very quickly and the action is nicely sprinkled to keep the plot and pacing on point.
Can't wait to read more from this author!
Can't wait to read more from this author!
Now this is how you write an enemies to lovers.
Merged review:
Now this is how you write an enemies to lovers.
Merged review:
Now this is how you write an enemies to lovers.
The ending was rushed, but Meg Smitherman is a solid writer.
The internal dialogue of the main character doesn't fall flat (a small miracle). Pair a sympathetic FMC with a lovable, fierce MMC and a death arena, and there's not much that can go wrong.
The best part of the quick read is Smitherman's writing, which doesn't get to flex a ton given the romantasy genre, but really sparkles here and there.
Merged review:
The ending was rushed, but Meg Smitherman is a solid writer.
The internal dialogue of the main character doesn't fall flat (a small miracle). Pair a sympathetic FMC with a lovable, fierce MMC and a death arena, and there's not much that can go wrong.
The best part of the quick read is Smitherman's writing, which doesn't get to flex a ton given the romantasy genre, but really sparkles here and there.
The internal dialogue of the main character doesn't fall flat (a small miracle). Pair a sympathetic FMC with a lovable, fierce MMC and a death arena, and there's not much that can go wrong.
The best part of the quick read is Smitherman's writing, which doesn't get to flex a ton given the romantasy genre, but really sparkles here and there.
Merged review:
The ending was rushed, but Meg Smitherman is a solid writer.
The internal dialogue of the main character doesn't fall flat (a small miracle). Pair a sympathetic FMC with a lovable, fierce MMC and a death arena, and there's not much that can go wrong.
The best part of the quick read is Smitherman's writing, which doesn't get to flex a ton given the romantasy genre, but really sparkles here and there.
Holy crap I was biting my nails at the end
Merged review:
Holy crap I was biting my nails at the end
Merged review:
Holy crap I was biting my nails at the end
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The story suffered from pacing issues, and the first half of the book and the second half didn't connect seamlessly. It felt like the characters started to behave differently out of the blue and it made me feel disconnected from the story for a while.
I do prefer the second half, I found the characters more loveable and Rune was such a breath of fresh air as a love interest in the second part. And I'm particularly fond of tall female main characters, that coupled with her growth was a lot of fun to read.
The plot was predictable, but enjoyable and most of the smut scenes were well-written (I have my gripes with one of them but I don't want to spoil it). The prose is nothing special, but it was clear and easy to read. Another thing I dislike is that some scenes felt shoehorned as if to checkmark certain tropes even if they didn't fit well within the story.
The book is a fun time even though it doesn't particularly stand out (unless you're into blood in which case it's a very fun time).
I do prefer the second half, I found the characters more loveable and Rune was such a breath of fresh air as a love interest in the second part. And I'm particularly fond of tall female main characters, that coupled with her growth was a lot of fun to read.
The plot was predictable, but enjoyable and most of the smut scenes were well-written (I have my gripes with one of them but I don't want to spoil it). The prose is nothing special, but it was clear and easy to read. Another thing I dislike is that some scenes felt shoehorned as if to checkmark certain tropes even if they didn't fit well within the story.
The book is a fun time even though it doesn't particularly stand out (unless you're into blood in which case it's a very fun time).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Gore
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My biggest problem was Elma's development. She is introduced as someone not ready for queendom and I expected to see her go from shirking her responsibilities and step up to the role. Technically, yes that did happen but it felt unsatisfying and undeserved.
Around the 60-80% marks, we were still getting lines like "She should've known" and "She shouldn't have been so naive" and it was frustrating at that point. By the very end she does seem more ready for her position but reading 90% of the book where she's still incompetent (harsh word but best way I can describe it) made the book a struggle to get through.
At this point, there were still major things Elma was wrong about. It was frustrating because as a reader it felt so clear and I knew immediately what was up, but she didn't. We get more information as a reader but I think the writing should instill some doubt into the reader's assumptions. Twists and revelations don't need to be completely unpredictable, but I personally enjoy it when there's a good chance that I am wrong.
Some spoilers as examples of the above. My point is that I also would like to be as surprised as Elma! That or I also would like there to be some question of if my theories are right or not.
At some point you notice that Cora, her closest maid and "friend", was acting distant and strange when Elma couldn't help her. Elma doesn't do much about it but I knew immediately that something was wrong with Cora and she would do something against Elma at some point. So when it's revealed she did betray Elma it was no surprise and it felt almost tedious to read Elma go through her own stages of denial and acceptance. I remember thinking "Really? There's absolutely nothing in Cora's recent behavior that could of sparked this?" In general I was surprised at how she quickly ignored Cora despite her change in behavior.
Elma overhears her advisors say that it was a shame the assassin couldn't succeed and she immediately was convinced they were the ones who hired them. I knew from that point that she was wrong. My guess is because Elma seems very unprepared and naive about what it means to rule that I didn't trust her conclusions even this early on. I knew she would go about it wrong. If she paid a bit more attention, she also would've noticed that Rune gave a non-answer to her assumptions that they hired him. I didn't trust her decision-making at this point.
When that guard left to get Elma's uncle in the end should've been clear to her as well. When they get ambushed there's so much narration talking about mutiny and resistance feelings in her remaining guard. Is it unexpected that one would leave and go back to Frost? I felt that it was established from the beginning that even her guards were skeptical of her.
Regarding the ending: How is that going to work by the way if she marries the crown prince of Slödava? It sounded like he didn't have siblings so who is going to take over the crown? Did I miss something? This is less a criticism but genuinely wondering how it would work. Could their children be simultaneously Rothrn and Slödavian heirs? Is it just an L to the queen's direct line?
Some other minor things
- Weak worldbuilding. Naming the snowy area capital "Frost" felt silly.
- Lackluster romance. Not a fan when it's enemies-to-lovers but they are already lusting after each other during their first meeting. Rune was just kinda there. I was so intrigued with him in the beginning when he was kind of unhinged during the attempted assassination. I think him being more unhinged would've been fun.
- The nature of her "friendship" with Cora was touched upon but I felt like it didn't get a satisfying conclusion.
- "her practical knowledge of Slödava was almost nonexistent" then later on "she even missed her tutor... who... made certain that Elma knew everything a princess ought to know: geography... history" Moments like these felt so contradictory. She seems like she knows nothing of Slödava but then they say she had training. I see the point that the history was rewritten to seem more hostile, but how does that happen at the royal family level? I get if this type of disinformation happens to the citizens but is it feasible for the royal family too?
TLDR, I wish we saw more development of Elma as the book progressed. I was okay with her weak moments in the beginning but I expected to see major lessons as we got to the end. Instead it felt like we had to go through 90% of the book before seeing some development. Seeing "You are a queen, she thought. Do something" at the 60% mark was eh. In a standalone this is where I'd expect to see her doing her first major step ups.
Around the 60-80% marks, we were still getting lines like "She should've known" and "She shouldn't have been so naive" and it was frustrating at that point. By the very end she does seem more ready for her position but reading 90% of the book where she's still incompetent (harsh word but best way I can describe it) made the book a struggle to get through.
At this point, there were still major things Elma was wrong about. It was frustrating because as a reader it felt so clear and I knew immediately what was up, but she didn't. We get more information as a reader but I think the writing should instill some doubt into the reader's assumptions. Twists and revelations don't need to be completely unpredictable, but I personally enjoy it when there's a good chance that I am wrong.
Some spoilers as examples of the above. My point is that I also would like to be as surprised as Elma! That or I also would like there to be some question of if my theories are right or not.
Regarding the ending:
Some other minor things
- Weak worldbuilding. Naming the snowy area capital "Frost" felt silly.
- Lackluster romance. Not a fan when it's enemies-to-lovers but they are already lusting after each other during their first meeting. Rune was just kinda there. I was so intrigued with him in the beginning when he was kind of unhinged during the attempted assassination. I think him being more unhinged would've been fun.
- The nature of her "friendship" with Cora was touched upon but I felt like it didn't get a satisfying conclusion.
- "her practical knowledge of Slödava was almost nonexistent" then later on "she even missed her tutor... who... made certain that Elma knew everything a princess ought to know: geography... history" Moments like these felt so contradictory. She seems like she knows nothing of Slödava but then they say she had training. I see the point that the history was rewritten to seem more hostile, but how does that happen at the royal family level? I get if this type of disinformation happens to the citizens but is it feasible for the royal family too?
TLDR, I wish we saw more development of Elma as the book progressed. I was okay with her weak moments in the beginning but I expected to see major lessons as we got to the end. Instead it felt like we had to go through 90% of the book before seeing some development. Seeing "You are a queen, she thought. Do something" at the 60% mark was eh. In a standalone this is where I'd expect to see her doing her first major step ups.