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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reviewed this as an ARC and devoured it. Fast paced book with themes that felt like an overlap of FourthWing and Anne Mcaffrey's Dragonflight with a little viking flare and dragon shifting. I enjoyed the characters and story telling a lot but it just wasn't unique enough for me to give it a full 5 stars. Great enjoyable read overall though!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was super engaging from the first page!! With the fast paced plot and the lovable characters, it was difficult to put this one down. I really enjoyed he worldbuilding and magic system and would've loved to have seen more of it - but as the first in a series I have no doubt there's more to come and in super excited for it. I loved the way the dragons were included in the story, and I found it to be really unique to anything I've read so far.
Eisa is a great FMC, she is brave and willing to do anything to protect the people she loves but Madeleine also does a fantastic job of displaying he anxiety and fear with everything she's going through. It makes Eisa a really believable character, which I loved.
I loved the slow burn/forced proximity romance, and Arik is just PERFECT. Unbelievably sweet and understanding but still the right amount of strong and endearing. The found family vibe and side characters were also great - especially Branka, Jorgen and Revna, I'm really hoping to see more of them in future books.
Overall, I'm super ready for book 2 - I need more of this world and the characters as soon as possible!!
Eisa is a great FMC, she is brave and willing to do anything to protect the people she loves but Madeleine also does a fantastic job of displaying he anxiety and fear with everything she's going through. It makes Eisa a really believable character, which I loved.
I loved the slow burn/forced proximity romance, and Arik is just PERFECT. Unbelievably sweet and understanding but still the right amount of strong and endearing. The found family vibe and side characters were also great - especially Branka, Jorgen and Revna, I'm really hoping to see more of them in future books.
Overall, I'm super ready for book 2 - I need more of this world and the characters as soon as possible!!
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed diving into this book. It is a lighter romantasy which I had not come across yet. There were several moments where I fully laughed out loud at certain lines, such as "I ignored the meddling lizard" and "It's far too much paperwork if you eat a king". The dialogue between the dragons and drage is so wholesome and hilarious. If you're a Fourth Wing fan who wants a peak into what goes on between Ridoc and Aotrom, this book is for you! A great read for someone who loves romantasy but needs a lighter, feel good read with excellent spice.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
The way I absolutely DEVOURED this book. First I want to say I will always love ANYTHING Madeliene writes because she is amazing. But this book, this is too tier in her collection. First love the dragon shifting aspect! I think it’s super cool and unique - also I don’t know about y’all but mates are my favorite trope! - this book is so cool and so unique and the plot is just chefs kiss. I CANNOT wait for book 2 😭😭😭
I really liked this story. I’ve read a lot of books with dragons, and this was the most unique and not like anything I’ve read before.
I would’ve loved more tension between the fmc/mmc and I felt like the lead up to the fight was heavily lacking. It got resolved so quickly and I felt like it deserved more.
Overall, I really did enjoy this story and I will for sure be reading the next book!!
Thank you Madeleine for this ARC
I would’ve loved more tension between the fmc/mmc and I felt like the lead up to the fight was heavily lacking. It got resolved so quickly and I felt like it deserved more.
Overall, I really did enjoy this story and I will for sure be reading the next book!!
Thank you Madeleine for this ARC
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a journey and in not a good way. It’s giving Fourth Wing’s cousin (younger, slightly awkward, and still trying to find its place). There were moments I wanted to like it, but overall it ended up feeling… meh.
Our malnourished, whiny FMC somehow has the endurance of a seasoned warrior, even while her lip is bleeding non-stop?? Like genuinely, how much blood can one person lose and still keep sprinting into danger? I kept waiting for her to pass out. No such luck.
The writing itself was easy to follow, which I appreciated, and there were a few parts where I found myself enjoying it more than I expected. But that didn’t last. The more I read, the more I realised I didn’t care about any of the characters. Eisa was painfully childish, and every interaction between her and Arik made me internally scream and gave me really bad secondhand embarrassment.
The whole “mate” thing was so cringe. I get that it’s a common trope, but the repeated use of the word made my skin crawl a little. And once they became mates, the plot basically turned into: they have a bond = they must have sex. No real relationship development, no emotional build-up, it just felt forced and flat.
By the end, I wasn’t even mad. I was just bored. The storyline was incredibly predictable, but not in that comforting “I know exactly what I’m getting and I love it anyway” way. More like “oh… this again.”
In short: not awful, but not great either. Very YA in tone, very surface level, and just didn’t hit the mark for me.
Our malnourished, whiny FMC somehow has the endurance of a seasoned warrior, even while her lip is bleeding non-stop?? Like genuinely, how much blood can one person lose and still keep sprinting into danger? I kept waiting for her to pass out. No such luck.
The writing itself was easy to follow, which I appreciated, and there were a few parts where I found myself enjoying it more than I expected. But that didn’t last. The more I read, the more I realised I didn’t care about any of the characters. Eisa was painfully childish, and every interaction between her and Arik made me internally scream and gave me really bad secondhand embarrassment.
The whole “mate” thing was so cringe. I get that it’s a common trope, but the repeated use of the word made my skin crawl a little. And once they became mates, the plot basically turned into: they have a bond = they must have sex. No real relationship development, no emotional build-up, it just felt forced and flat.
By the end, I wasn’t even mad. I was just bored. The storyline was incredibly predictable, but not in that comforting “I know exactly what I’m getting and I love it anyway” way. More like “oh… this again.”
In short: not awful, but not great either. Very YA in tone, very surface level, and just didn’t hit the mark for me.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another amazing book by Madeleine Eliot! The world building is so unique I found myself gasping within the first 50 pages. Can’t wait for more from Eisa and Arik 🩵🤍
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A big shout out and thank you to the author for giving me this opportunity to read Heart of Chaos early in exchange for an honest review!
Can we just talk about how Indie authors have been stealing my little heart the whole of this year? Because they are. But they always take good care of it so I’m never worried. I can’t wait for the rest of this year to unfold!
Eliot’s writing in this book is, in my opinion, what makes this book everything it is. From the very first word to the very last paragraph, Heart of Chaos is gripping, painful and warm at the same time with heartfelt characters and an absolutely wonderful storyline, all cinched together with perfection. All this done within four hundred pages. I just want to share that it may not seem like a small page count, but believe me, given how much happens in this book achieving everything within 399 pages is certainly the mark of very tight writing.
I think the one question that often turns up in everyone’s mind after the release of the most famous dragon book in recent times is “Is this book going to be like Fourth Wing?”. Here’s my take on it, there are some similarities, especially in certain parts of the set-up of the story. However, with time, they disappear as you delve deeper into the world Eliot has created. Heart of Chaos is a high fantasy, high stakes read with lots of magic, politics and romance that carves a path and space for itself in just 399 pages.
(Sorry, I’m not over the page count.)
The world building in Heart of Chaos is consistent and given that it has all the elements of a high fantasy series (yes, I’m pretty sure it’s a series), it makes sense that the world both expands with time and is further explored with each chapter. I can’t particularly remember struggling too much understanding Eliot’s world. Anything that isn’t explained with words, is depicted through action and anything that’s not shown in action is explained in words. Adding in a dual-POV adds greatly to the readers’ understanding as it switches between a character that isn’t aware of the rules and practices of the world (like the reader) and one who is completely entrenched in it. It was a fantastic balance that was done just right to offer fantastic and unshakable support to the story.
The book reads (as mentioned earlier) in a dual first person perspective and from the first moment the second perspective was introduced I knew it was going to be done well. My struggle with dual POV is how well the perspectives are matched to the personalities of the narrator; when there are discrepancies there, I struggle to enjoy the book. Eliot however, has done such a fantastic job ensuring the voices of the characters match their thoughts and actions perfectly. I nearly never had to check whose chapter I was reading because of how distinct their voices were!
The pace was wonderfully swift, but feels extremely even. I wouldn’t be surprised if you, like me, suddenly looked down at the page count and realized you were 78% into the book already. This book can be an easy one and a half sitting read because of how gripping and swift it is! The perfect slump breaker read with just the right amount of everything and additionally it being a two-bite sized read? Perfecto. 🤌🏻 ✨
Four and a half stars! Check trigger warnings as there are themes in this book that can be difficult for some. Happy reading!
adventurous
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
This was so good! Fantastic world building, dynamic characters that developed throughout the story, and great banter between the main characters. The shifter aspect was interesting and explained in great defail. I thought the concept was well portrayed and I really enjoyed the interactions between the humans and dragons!
I am so glad I read this book and recommend to anyone who likes dragons and new adult fantasy inspired by (Norse) mythology.
I am so glad I read this book and recommend to anyone who likes dragons and new adult fantasy inspired by (Norse) mythology.
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i LOVED this book. the author has my kind of perfect plot/ adventure and spice balance. i liked that the dragons and “humans” were different than others i’ve read. love the care for the women who’ve gone thru stuff and the reassurance and care from the males. the banter, the slow burn, the evolution of our fmc, the evil character is easy to dislike sheesh hah i’m curious about this necklace and ready to go on the next adventure. such an easy read, i was eating it up & can’t wait for this next book!!