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blodeuedd's review
4.0
I really liked this one. I would not call it fantasy romance, because yes there were romance but far at the end. Too many issues before that. So light romantic fantasy, something ;) Cos it sure is not epic fantasy either, not with the whole will they wont they going on.
I liked the world, and the sprinkle of norse words here and there did make it cool. And it does show the difference between places in this world.
First, the Chosen are those with a mark of a Healer, a warrior or a Seer and they learn their trade so to say at a school. Kael is a warrior and now a feared pirate, warlord, but he does it in service of his Emperor. So he is a good guy. Sure he says some wrong things when he first meets poor Ishtear, but he could not even imagine what she has been through.
Ishtaer our heroine, wow, some of the more damaged heroines of late. I did like how it was portrayed, she was broken, she was timid, after years of abuse you do not just snap out of it. Not if you are that broken. So it takes time. Sure she learns the ways fast after it, but hey if you got it you got it. I guess that is how the Chosen work. So I looked through my fingers with that.
The romance comes late. A slow friendship, getting to know each other, living their own lives. The romance is not the focus, no, she needs to find herself. He needs to learn that everyone can't be protected.
My thoughts:
Magic, fighting, a cool world, I do feel that Kate Johnson needs to write about other people in this world. She is on to something here.
I liked the world, and the sprinkle of norse words here and there did make it cool. And it does show the difference between places in this world.
First, the Chosen are those with a mark of a Healer, a warrior or a Seer and they learn their trade so to say at a school. Kael is a warrior and now a feared pirate, warlord, but he does it in service of his Emperor. So he is a good guy. Sure he says some wrong things when he first meets poor Ishtear, but he could not even imagine what she has been through.
Ishtaer our heroine, wow, some of the more damaged heroines of late. I did like how it was portrayed, she was broken, she was timid, after years of abuse you do not just snap out of it. Not if you are that broken. So it takes time. Sure she learns the ways fast after it, but hey if you got it you got it. I guess that is how the Chosen work. So I looked through my fingers with that.
The romance comes late. A slow friendship, getting to know each other, living their own lives. The romance is not the focus, no, she needs to find herself. He needs to learn that everyone can't be protected.
My thoughts:
Magic, fighting, a cool world, I do feel that Kate Johnson needs to write about other people in this world. She is on to something here.
nelsonseye's review against another edition
5.0
Rounded up from four and a half stars for fantastic heroine and secondary characters.
naomilane's review
4.0
Reread in April 2021.
I really like this book. There are a lot of informations thrown at you from the start and it's a little overwhelming but you quickly get the hang of it, I think the world the author built is just super interesting and pretty fantastic. I loved the characters, both the hero and heroine, but especially her. She has the best development and honestly such a powerful story. I loved how even though the male MC was alpha and powerful, he wasn't afraid to apologize when he did something wrong and how gentle he could be. The romance is very slow burn but worth it in my opinion, I do think the end is little abrupt and wish we could have an epilogue or something. But all in all, Impossible Things is a really good adult high fantasy romance book.
I really like this book. There are a lot of informations thrown at you from the start and it's a little overwhelming but you quickly get the hang of it, I think the world the author built is just super interesting and pretty fantastic. I loved the characters, both the hero and heroine, but especially her. She has the best development and honestly such a powerful story. I loved how even though the male MC was alpha and powerful, he wasn't afraid to apologize when he did something wrong and how gentle he could be. The romance is very slow burn but worth it in my opinion, I do think the end is little abrupt and wish we could have an epilogue or something. But all in all, Impossible Things is a really good adult high fantasy romance book.
hellishnell's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ela_35's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? No
4.0
This book was amazing, and the only reason why it’s not a five star is because I wanted to see more scenes in Skjultfjell with the people living there.
I really liked the plot as a lot was happening and I didn’t think that it was predictable.
I usually don’t like books that span long periods of time, but I really liked how this book showed Ishtaer’s character growth over more than a year. Also, I liked how the long period of time showed the slow relationship development between Ishtaer and Kael.
There were lots of characters, and while they were developed, I wanted to see more of them. For example, I wanted to see more of Durran and Garik, and the people living in Skjultfjell. Also, I wanted to see more of the men on Kael’s ship, because only Verak is shown and even then, only briefly. I really liked the idea of Brutus and Eirenn, but I thought that Brutus could have been shown more, and Eirenn’s character kind of centred around helping Ishtaer and being her guide.
I liked the idea of this world with the different ‘career paths’ (Healer, Warrior, Seer), but I didn’t really understand what the Viator and Viscus were. I understood what their powers were, but I didn’t understand how it fit into the ‘career paths’ and the Academy.
This book was great, and even though I want to try other books by this author, I’m worried they’re not going to live up to this one.
leelah's review
3.0
3,5 stars.
This was really ok book.
It's a romantic fantasy, but not so heavy on fantasy, so it's easy to figure out rules and follow the story.
Kael is a warlord and on one of his quests he found a slave with strange markings, markings that couldn't be possible. Slave- Ishtaer- is blind, crippled, beaten and malnourished; on a verge of dying. Her mistress calls her witch because she has tattoos on her arms and her face, but in Kael's empire that ink marks her as Chosen. And not just any Chosen, that would make her Three-Time chosen, since she has marks of a Healer, Warrior and a Seer. He knows that couldn't be possible, but he decides to take her to his homeland and let Council check if she is a real deal. From there we follow Ishater as she slowly transforms from timid, scared person into a strong woman, able to defend herself and others. Romance between her and Kael is also slow, easy burn and we watch it as it progress into a true love.
I don't have much to say- it's a linear, somewhat predictable fantasy romance story; something that fans of [a:C.L. Wilson|1310735|C.L. Wilson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1249006911p2/1310735.jpg] or [a:Grace Draven|2759153|Grace Draven|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1318912237p2/2759153.jpg] would like. There's no dull moment- it's always something happening.
The reason I chucked my rating is that ending felt a bit rushed. Like author was writing and put so many things in it, but suddenly she realized that book is going to be huge and decided to wrap it up in haste. Something that should have been read like big, final showdown felt flat and, frankly if you blink you would miss it. It's not just ending that made me think this way, there were also some questions opened, but we never really got conclusion of them.
Spoiler
There is this Wild Hunt in Krulland- it's a time of the year when people are staying inside because it cold and because there is myth of huntsmen riding and taking girls. In one scene Ishtaer is confronted by Huntsmen, but being blind, everyone is reluctant to believe her. Also, it's mentioned that Kael's wife was running from an evil man and she was so scared she killed herself after giving a birth to her child. All this, but especially Wild Hunt was mentioned several times in book like it has significance, but it was never really addressed at the end.All in all, enjoyable. ;)
nelsonseye's review
5.0
Rounded up from four and a half stars for fantastic heroine and secondary characters.
becxreadz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Liked
*Fantasy romance
*Slow burn
*Ishtar's character growth
*Animal companion
*Blind fmc
Disliked
*They could have communicated better
*Plot wasn't the strongest
*Fantasy romance
*Slow burn
*Ishtar's character growth
*Animal companion
*Blind fmc
Disliked
*They could have communicated better
*Plot wasn't the strongest
reginaexmachina's review
3.0
Enjoyable but the relationship didn't really feel authentic to me and it wasn't particularly memorable.
lmcoulson's review
5.0
I can't say enough good things about this book. A bit brutal at times, and often heart wrenching, Johnson nevertheless spins a masterful, engrossing tale. I've never read a book where the heroine grows and changes so much that she's almost unrecognizable at the end--but in the best way possible. The romance is heavy, but grounded in reality, and the magic system in place is unique and cool.
Though I almost put the book aside after reading the first chapter because it was totally not what I had been expecting, I nevertheless ground through it. I am so happy I did! There are definite problems and things that could have been improved (calling people "Chosen" is a little pretentious… what do the non-Chosen think about that?), but the characters were so interesting that these could be easily ignored. Overall a great read.
Though I almost put the book aside after reading the first chapter because it was totally not what I had been expecting, I nevertheless ground through it. I am so happy I did! There are definite problems and things that could have been improved (calling people "Chosen" is a little pretentious… what do the non-Chosen think about that?), but the characters were so interesting that these could be easily ignored. Overall a great read.