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hapalyn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Torture, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery, Medical content, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, and Murder
shadikb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-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
Dec 31, 2023
Going to come back to the story. Just need a break.
Update Jan 3, 2024.
I finally finished it.... Here is my review:
I was so waiting for the “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” moment and it never came....... I was disappointed but it was an okay read. The pace from the last book was lost. Became repetitive with the "There she is". It just didn't captivate me the first book.
Going to come back to the story. Just need a break.
Update Jan 3, 2024.
I finally finished it.... Here is my review:
I was so waiting for the “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” moment and it never came....... I was disappointed but it was an okay read. The pace from the last book was lost. Became repetitive with the "There she is". It just didn't captivate me the first book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, War, Violence, Child abuse, Sexual content, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, and Toxic relationship
nikitanavalkar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? No
4.75
Human girl with endless rage deals with and learns to overcome deep generational traüma with the help of golden retriever vampire boy while fighting a wär. In this essay I will…
No seriously though, this story is a boatload of childhood traüma distilled into an action packed fantasy romance package. And yes, Raihn is a golden retriever. I will not be taking arguments. Anyway I was a little worried how an entire wär would be concluded within two books but I had nothing to worry about since the author really knows how to pack a punch in a short time and I was mighty pleased with how it was tied up. For now. So much happens in this second book, even more so than the 7(!) trials of the Kejari and you’re left gasping at all the twists and turns.
Raihn is the softest boi, the most respectful, and he’s so heckin’ gone for our stâbby girl it’s unfairly cute. Oraya is (understandably) still reeling from his previous betrayal (he had no choice and it was sort of accidental okay!) but even she knows the man is more sunk than the titanic for her. I mean how long can you resist this man who would literally give up his kingdom for you and has more confidence in you than his big bad warrior self even? The rekindling of their affection is gradual and sweet and hot and before you know it (or Oraya does), there’s the L word. Don’t be shocked, this isn’t a spoiler you picked up a fantasy romance.
I’m soft for those two, but since I clearly have several issues, my two favorite character ✨ may be ✨ Vincent and…umm Septimus? Hear me out okay. Vincent first. When I say favorite, I don’t mean in the I-love-him-and-would-marry-him way, but more in the he’s one of the most intriguingly complex characters I’ve encountered since Severus Snape way and I developed a morbid fascination with peeling each layer of his onion like character. And then his messy tangled heartbreaking bond with Oraya? This book is love and war but it’s also grief and what is grief but love persisting? I swear what finally broke me was this one scene at the end…and by broke I mean I sobbed like a lil baby.
As for Septimus, there’s so much more than meets the eye with this guy, and he might be a piece of shit at the moment, but I’m intrigued anyway and we already established I have issues so stop judging me you villain loving hussies.
No seriously though, this story is a boatload of childhood traüma distilled into an action packed fantasy romance package. And yes, Raihn is a golden retriever. I will not be taking arguments. Anyway I was a little worried how an entire wär would be concluded within two books but I had nothing to worry about since the author really knows how to pack a punch in a short time and I was mighty pleased with how it was tied up. For now. So much happens in this second book, even more so than the 7(!) trials of the Kejari and you’re left gasping at all the twists and turns.
Raihn is the softest boi, the most respectful, and he’s so heckin’ gone for our stâbby girl it’s unfairly cute. Oraya is (understandably) still reeling from his previous betrayal (he had no choice and it was sort of accidental okay!) but even she knows the man is more sunk than the titanic for her. I mean how long can you resist this man who would literally give up his kingdom for you and has more confidence in you than his big bad warrior self even? The rekindling of their affection is gradual and sweet and hot and before you know it (or Oraya does), there’s the L word. Don’t be shocked, this isn’t a spoiler you picked up a fantasy romance.
I’m soft for those two, but since I clearly have several issues, my two favorite character ✨ may be ✨ Vincent and…umm Septimus? Hear me out okay. Vincent first. When I say favorite, I don’t mean in the I-love-him-and-would-marry-him way, but more in the he’s one of the most intriguingly complex characters I’ve encountered since Severus Snape way and I developed a morbid fascination with peeling each layer of his onion like character. And then his messy tangled heartbreaking bond with Oraya? This book is love and war but it’s also grief and what is grief but love persisting? I swear what finally broke me was this one scene at the end…and by broke I mean I sobbed like a lil baby.
As for Septimus, there’s so much more than meets the eye with this guy, and he might be a piece of shit at the moment, but I’m intrigued anyway and we already established I have issues so stop judging me you villain loving hussies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and War
ktmcd26's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This book was jam-packed with many different components and a swift moving plot. Part of me wishes it was a little less complex to allow us to fully feel one part before moving on to the next.
The interpersonal relationships are the stand out part of this book. Specifically Oraya and Vincent and Oraya and Raihn. They were both complex and compelling. As more information was revealed and Oraya had to come to grips with the new realities, I felt myself traveling the emotional roller coaster with her.
Unfortunately, Mische took a back seat in this book. I understand why but I think we needed her optimism.
I did enjoy the dual POV to give us a more well-rounded experience.
IIRC, this will be a series of six books comprised of 3 duologies. Not convinced I care enough to read the next ones that come out, but we shall see.
The interpersonal relationships are the stand out part of this book. Specifically Oraya and Vincent and Oraya and Raihn. They were both complex and compelling. As more information was revealed and Oraya had to come to grips with the new realities, I felt myself traveling the emotional roller coaster with her.
Unfortunately, Mische took a back seat in this book. I understand why but I think we needed her optimism.
I did enjoy the dual POV to give us a more well-rounded experience.
IIRC, this will be a series of six books comprised of 3 duologies. Not convinced I care enough to read the next ones that come out, but we shall see.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, War, and Violence
lucindahoi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, War, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, and Slavery
woad674's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Gore, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Slavery and Sexual assault
gabydarling's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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
4.25
The first half of this book was sooooo good. The second half was 200 pages too long. Ughhh.
This series was the ultimate enemies to lovers. Wow I really thought I wouldn’t love Raihn again. I thought he was beyond forgiveness.
I’m so glad they came back to Vincent’s story and oraya realized he wasn’t the devil, just a victim of the past. That he did overcome so much. I do wish he wasn’t so villainized. He did a lot wrong, but so did Raihn.
The first book and first half of this book felt very original, but the second half was predictable from the first book and felt unoriginal, like it was just copies of other series.
This series was the ultimate enemies to lovers. Wow I really thought I wouldn’t love Raihn again. I thought he was beyond forgiveness.
I’m so glad they came back to Vincent’s story and oraya realized he wasn’t the devil, just a victim of the past. That he did overcome so much. I do wish he wasn’t so villainized. He did a lot wrong, but so did Raihn.
The first book and first half of this book felt very original, but the second half was predictable from the first book and felt unoriginal, like it was just copies of other series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War, and Violence
Complicated relationship with parent. Lots of hating her father for his flawsvirgoabb's review against another edition
5.0
just fell down the stairs broke my neck cried threw up passed out had a stroke oh my god raihn and oraya u are so incredibly real it’s insane i am so viscerally upset that this is a duology and not a 6 book series bc what the hell am i supposed to do now
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and Gore
Minor: Rape
natazabala's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Blood, and Violence
silly_little_creature's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent