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januaryreads's review
3.0
3.5 stars
This was such a mess of a book. I haven’t read anything this consistently all over the place in ages, and it was so much fun. Every single character is unhinged and I constantly felt as if I’d missed a large chunk of introductions and world-building (not in a good way, clearly). Still, the whole family grew on me and once I let go of trying to understand it all, it was just a really enjoyable read. Decently well-written, though a good editor could have helped the plot a lot. I am kinda sad no other books have been (formally?) published in the series.
This was such a mess of a book. I haven’t read anything this consistently all over the place in ages, and it was so much fun. Every single character is unhinged and I constantly felt as if I’d missed a large chunk of introductions and world-building (not in a good way, clearly). Still, the whole family grew on me and once I let go of trying to understand it all, it was just a really enjoyable read. Decently well-written, though a good editor could have helped the plot a lot. I am kinda sad no other books have been (formally?) published in the series.
jolie1883's review
4.0
There aren't words for how much I enjoyed this book. I was a bit skeptical at first because of all the characters, I hate books that overload on characters, but in the end, it was all worth it, it kinda grows on you and everyone had their 15 minutes of fame so to speak. Loved it.
books_and_cha's review
3.0
Sebastian shook his head. "No one in this family is sane."
I love the Orwells. Sebastian himself is an endearing, witty grouch, and I loved reading about him and the rest of the family. They come off as dysfunctional, but they're held together by strong bonds of love . . . and magical threats, of course.
I loved reading this book. I liked the world-building and magic. Although there were numerous characters, it wasn't hard to keep track of everyone because they each had distinct personality traits. At some point, I stopped being surprised when Sebastian mentioned yet another sibling. A part of me just nodded and moved on.
The plot was well-paced. There were a lot of new developments but I thought they were spaced out and there was a good mix of action, dialogue, and different subplots taking place: family ties growing stronger, the romance progressing, and the mystery of who is after Prince Turren slowly unraveling.
I found the romance itself to be slightly disappointing. It started off interesting. I liked the dynamic between the hopelessly in-love Prince Turner and the untrusting, reserved (but also soft) Sebastian Orwell. Things escalated quickly, though. I found it implausible that the Prince should have fallen in love with so little interaction with Sebastian, that too when they were kids. I don't doubt that he was in love, I just thought the fact was ridiculous. I was, however, prepared to overlook that and was eagerly anticipating how Sebastian would fall in love, but even there, we had very little emotional development.
My main problem with the romance was that it was too physical. Now, I love myself some steam in my romance novels, but if the physical relationship is the driving factor behind the pairing - and this is what it felt like to me - then it is disappointing (especially cause the characters were so interesting!).
The mystery behind why Sebastian must wear a hood was also a letdown. I think Sam Argent does a great job of explaining why the cloak is necessary and ties it into the larger plot. She makes it work, but I still felt like less of the big reveal I had in my head.
Another aspect of the book I took issue with was the language. The wit and humor were whip-smart and on-point. I loved the bickering and back-and-forth retorts taking place. It made the book lively and gave it a bit of an edge. What didn't work for me was how inconsistent the language itself was. The formal tone jarred sharply with sudden swear words and a mix of new language. It isn't that I mind profanity, but I wish there was more consistency in the tone: either use formal language throughout or don't. The mix didn't work well.
The characters were good, and frankly, the entire book was very entertaining and heartwarming. The family aspect was my favorite. The romance, the mystery, and murder, even the character development - though appreciated - seemed to fall short of everything going on with the Orwells.
What gets me about this book is that it has so much potential. With a few tweaks, it could be much better. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I love the Orwells. Sebastian himself is an endearing, witty grouch, and I loved reading about him and the rest of the family. They come off as dysfunctional, but they're held together by strong bonds of love . . . and magical threats, of course.
I loved reading this book. I liked the world-building and magic. Although there were numerous characters, it wasn't hard to keep track of everyone because they each had distinct personality traits. At some point, I stopped being surprised when Sebastian mentioned yet another sibling. A part of me just nodded and moved on.
The plot was well-paced. There were a lot of new developments but I thought they were spaced out and there was a good mix of action, dialogue, and different subplots taking place: family ties growing stronger, the romance progressing, and the mystery of who is after Prince Turren slowly unraveling.
I found the romance itself to be slightly disappointing. It started off interesting. I liked the dynamic between the hopelessly in-love Prince Turner and the untrusting, reserved (but also soft) Sebastian Orwell. Things escalated quickly, though. I found it implausible that the Prince should have fallen in love with so little interaction with Sebastian, that too when they were kids. I don't doubt that he was in love, I just thought the fact was ridiculous. I was, however, prepared to overlook that and was eagerly anticipating how Sebastian would fall in love, but even there, we had very little emotional development.
My main problem with the romance was that it was too physical. Now, I love myself some steam in my romance novels, but if the physical relationship is the driving factor behind the pairing - and this is what it felt like to me - then it is disappointing (especially cause the characters were so interesting!).
The mystery behind why Sebastian must wear a hood was also a letdown. I think Sam Argent does a great job of explaining why the cloak is necessary and ties it into the larger plot. She makes it work, but I still felt like less of the big reveal I had in my head.
Another aspect of the book I took issue with was the language. The wit and humor were whip-smart and on-point. I loved the bickering and back-and-forth retorts taking place. It made the book lively and gave it a bit of an edge. What didn't work for me was how inconsistent the language itself was. The formal tone jarred sharply with sudden swear words and a mix of new language. It isn't that I mind profanity, but I wish there was more consistency in the tone: either use formal language throughout or don't. The mix didn't work well.
The characters were good, and frankly, the entire book was very entertaining and heartwarming. The family aspect was my favorite. The romance, the mystery, and murder, even the character development - though appreciated - seemed to fall short of everything going on with the Orwells.
What gets me about this book is that it has so much potential. With a few tweaks, it could be much better. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read.
junior_18's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
ippym's review
5.0
What a hoot. This book is another in the trove of dialogue centred eccentricity that I'm currently doing a spree of. Sebastian's interactions with his family of a gazillion is hilarious. His responses to Turren are equally so and Turren himself is the sweetest most determined princeling and I admittedly laughed a lot at the rather deadpan conversations those around him seemed to have about his love life.
Some of the criticisms of this book revolve around the rather large and unwieldy cast of characters and while this is a bit difficult to wrap your head around (there's a list at the end to help with this) I somehow found it oddly endearing and reflective of the chaotic world they seem to live in. Admittedly, by the end I didn't know exactly who everyone was in the extended character list but it didn't really detract from the story as a whole.
This story doesn't really rely on grand descriptions or detailed world building. You're kind of just thrown into it and expected to figure it out as you go which for some reason I didn't really mind at all. The two MCs are hilarious and sweet while also being ridiculously sexy in their interactions. A fun and light read - looking forward to what Sam Argent produces next because it will definitely be on my to read list.
Some of the criticisms of this book revolve around the rather large and unwieldy cast of characters and while this is a bit difficult to wrap your head around (there's a list at the end to help with this) I somehow found it oddly endearing and reflective of the chaotic world they seem to live in. Admittedly, by the end I didn't know exactly who everyone was in the extended character list but it didn't really detract from the story as a whole.
This story doesn't really rely on grand descriptions or detailed world building. You're kind of just thrown into it and expected to figure it out as you go which for some reason I didn't really mind at all. The two MCs are hilarious and sweet while also being ridiculously sexy in their interactions. A fun and light read - looking forward to what Sam Argent produces next because it will definitely be on my to read list.
emilyxmoore's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
scholarly_pigeon's review
adventurous
funny
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault
joliendelandsheer's review
2.0
I don't quite know how I feel about this one. I found it amusing and enjoyed the read but felt so confused at times. So many people are introduced, and the world or magic is never really explained. Anyway, full review to come.
helllucifer's review
4.0
Very amusing book! Turell is my absolute favourite and I really wish there was more of him. Loved Sebastian, and the Orwell family were so fascinating. If you ask me about the plot I'll just stare at you blankly, but I did enjoy this book.