Take a photo of a barcode or cover
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Audiobook:
A great new adult fantasy book which to be honest surprised me a lot and I could not stop reading it.
It has everything most romantic fantasy readers could ever dream of: "enemies to lovers" and "arranged marriage" tropes, tons of sexual tension, fast-paced story, tough main character, and intriguing world building which—despite the lack of magic—I enjoyed very much.
Lara is a princess, trained by her father to become a spy. She is supposed to marry the enemy king and help defeat his kingdom. She soon finds out that her husband is not the monster she believed him to be and that her true enemy is someone else. Now she needs to decide where her loyalties lie.
King Aren is my favorite character. I just wish he did not suffer from the "Jon Snow syndrome" so much. He is simply too nice and gullible, and often makes decisions that lead to serious issues which could have otherwise been prevented. On the other hand, the fact that Lara is reasonable, smart, yet not manipulative, is quite refreshing. The relationship between Lara and Aren was well written and felt very believable.
The narration of the audiobook is also amazing, both narrators did a great job.
Overall, The Bridge Kingdom has become one of my favourite fantasy books.
A great new adult fantasy book which to be honest surprised me a lot and I could not stop reading it.
It has everything most romantic fantasy readers could ever dream of: "enemies to lovers" and "arranged marriage" tropes, tons of sexual tension, fast-paced story, tough main character, and intriguing world building which—despite the lack of magic—I enjoyed very much.
Lara is a princess, trained by her father to become a spy. She is supposed to marry the enemy king and help defeat his kingdom. She soon finds out that her husband is not the monster she believed him to be and that her true enemy is someone else. Now she needs to decide where her loyalties lie.
King Aren is my favorite character. I just wish he did not suffer from the "Jon Snow syndrome" so much. He is simply too nice and gullible, and often makes decisions that lead to serious issues which could have otherwise been prevented. On the other hand, the fact that Lara is reasonable, smart, yet not manipulative, is quite refreshing. The relationship between Lara and Aren was well written and felt very believable.
The narration of the audiobook is also amazing, both narrators did a great job.
Overall, The Bridge Kingdom has become one of my favourite fantasy books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Sexual content
Minor: Misogyny, Blood, Death of parent
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Vomit
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. The suspense of the book was almost too much to handle. This book was incredible. I'll be reading the other books this author writes and has written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Kidnapping
Minor: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
OMG I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!!!
Awalnya aku membaca buku ini untuk mengejar kisah romance yang dibalut dengan fantasy. Namun ternyata aku tidak mendapatkan kisah romance yang cukup banyak. Apakah aku kecewa? Sama sekali tidak karena aku malah jatuh cinta dengan plot yang ditawarkan buku ini. Siapa yang menyangka kalau kisah tentang perseteruan politik antar kerajaan bisa seseru ini!
Ini menjadi buku pertamaku yang membawakan kisah enemies to lover trope dan juga arranged marriage trope, aku berharap akan melihat banyak momen antara Aren dan Lara meskipun itu momen-momen mereka bertengkar atau berselisih, sayangnya pada awal-awal malah lebih banyak cerita tentang Lara yang mempelajari tentang Itichana dan menyusun rencananya untuk membantu kerajaannya.
Tapi, ternyata aku malah bisa fokus dengan politik-politik yang terjadi dan juga perseteruan yang terjadi di antar kerajaan. Meskipun dunia yang dibangun jauh dari kata magical tapi aku tetap jatuh cinta dengan world building yang dibuat oleh penulis. Lengkap meskipun agak sulit dibayangkan karena cukup disayangkan tidak ada map dari kerajaan-kerajaan ini, karena kalo ada tentu akan sangat membantu.
Setelah berpusing-pusing ria dengan politik dan perang yang ada baru kita bisa menikmati sedikit demi sedikit kisah antara Lara dan Aren, mereka adalah power couple. Lara yang kuat dan begitu juga Aren, tidak sabar banget selama baca gimana nantinya mereka kalau sudah berubah jadi lover.
Bagian ending pun waaaaahhh bikin deg-degan banget!!! Perseteruan, khianat, kepercayaan yang dipertanyakan dah semuanya ada banget di ending bikin aku semakin greget banget dan kesel selama baca. Sayangnya sekarang harus lanjut dulu ke buku ke-2 karena endingnya masih gantung banget!
Awalnya aku membaca buku ini untuk mengejar kisah romance yang dibalut dengan fantasy. Namun ternyata aku tidak mendapatkan kisah romance yang cukup banyak. Apakah aku kecewa? Sama sekali tidak karena aku malah jatuh cinta dengan plot yang ditawarkan buku ini. Siapa yang menyangka kalau kisah tentang perseteruan politik antar kerajaan bisa seseru ini!
Ini menjadi buku pertamaku yang membawakan kisah enemies to lover trope dan juga arranged marriage trope, aku berharap akan melihat banyak momen antara Aren dan Lara meskipun itu momen-momen mereka bertengkar atau berselisih, sayangnya pada awal-awal malah lebih banyak cerita tentang Lara yang mempelajari tentang Itichana dan menyusun rencananya untuk membantu kerajaannya.
Tapi, ternyata aku malah bisa fokus dengan politik-politik yang terjadi dan juga perseteruan yang terjadi di antar kerajaan. Meskipun dunia yang dibangun jauh dari kata magical tapi aku tetap jatuh cinta dengan world building yang dibuat oleh penulis. Lengkap meskipun agak sulit dibayangkan karena cukup disayangkan tidak ada map dari kerajaan-kerajaan ini, karena kalo ada tentu akan sangat membantu.
Setelah berpusing-pusing ria dengan politik dan perang yang ada baru kita bisa menikmati sedikit demi sedikit kisah antara Lara dan Aren, mereka adalah power couple. Lara yang kuat dan begitu juga Aren, tidak sabar banget selama baca gimana nantinya mereka kalau sudah berubah jadi lover.
Bagian ending pun waaaaahhh bikin deg-degan banget!!! Perseteruan, khianat, kepercayaan yang dipertanyakan dah semuanya ada banget di ending bikin aku semakin greget banget dan kesel selama baca. Sayangnya sekarang harus lanjut dulu ke buku ke-2 karena endingnya masih gantung banget!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-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
I picked this up on a whim because of a recommendation I saw on tiktok, and I won't lie, I initially was a bit skeptical, but wow did Danielle Jensen absolutely steal my heart with The Bridge Kingdom. I think this is what I have been missing in my search for adult fantasy. Jensen doesn't pull any punches and from the very first chapter I was hooked.
Now I thought about this a lot and it almost doesn't feel fair, but I cannot help but to compare this to my recent rereads of a few other notable adult fantasy novels. I decided I will mention it though because the reviews and recommendations everywhere compare this work to those series and frankly this is a disservice to Danielle Jensen and The Bridge Kingdom. Both of those series left me frustrated at their conclusion (or current end point) because there are so many loose ends, randomly thrown in tidbits of information that feel important when you are reading them and then are just tossed aside, or inconsistently motivated characters but The Bridge Kingdom does not under any circumstances suffer from this same failure. Jensen masterfully foreshadows and builds a complex and unique fantasy world that acknowledges the intelligence of both the characters and the reader themselves. Lara and Aren do not feel any less than the capable, competent and deadly rulers that they are written to be and the politics and dealings of Ithicana are nuanced and realistic.
In a time when I am enjoying reading, but still struggling to find those really stunning reads that stick long after I close the page, this was a welcome reprieve that left me laughing out loud, cheering and gasping at Lara's journey and excitedly relaying the plot back to my husband (who was happy to listen even though he didn't really know what I was talking about). If you are looking for a happy ending, or even hope for one in the second novel, The Bridge Kingdom will not deliver on that front. But if you are seeking something that brings you into it's world, seduces you with it's brilliantly balanced characters and complexities, then I cannot recommend this book more.
Now I thought about this a lot and it almost doesn't feel fair, but I cannot help but to compare this to my recent rereads of a few other notable adult fantasy novels. I decided I will mention it though because the reviews and recommendations everywhere compare this work to those series and frankly this is a disservice to Danielle Jensen and The Bridge Kingdom. Both of those series left me frustrated at their conclusion (or current end point) because there are so many loose ends, randomly thrown in tidbits of information that feel important when you are reading them and then are just tossed aside, or inconsistently motivated characters but The Bridge Kingdom does not under any circumstances suffer from this same failure. Jensen masterfully foreshadows and builds a complex and unique fantasy world that acknowledges the intelligence of both the characters and the reader themselves. Lara and Aren do not feel any less than the capable, competent and deadly rulers that they are written to be and the politics and dealings of Ithicana are nuanced and realistic.
In a time when I am enjoying reading, but still struggling to find those really stunning reads that stick long after I close the page, this was a welcome reprieve that left me laughing out loud, cheering and gasping at Lara's journey and excitedly relaying the plot back to my husband (who was happy to listen even though he didn't really know what I was talking about). If you are looking for a happy ending, or even hope for one in the second novel, The Bridge Kingdom will not deliver on that front. But if you are seeking something that brings you into it's world, seduces you with it's brilliantly balanced characters and complexities, then I cannot recommend this book more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Death of parent
adventurous
tense
Read: March 2021
I sped through this and enjoyed it. I love the concept of a secretive kingdom (kind of gave off Night Court vibes), but really would have liked a map to better visualize everything (my ebook did not have one). Lara's development is good, love hidden spy type characters! It felt like romance was pushed aside for sexual attraction, though. Looking forward to seeing if the sequel changes that!
CW: death, violence, poisoning, sexual content, past physical abuse
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Physical abuse
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Death of parent
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence