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adventurous
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:
Yes
There’s a lot to unpack here. Could have used another editor. A FMC who is frustratingly resistant to making any sort of smart decision. Most of the characters are tropes nailed together inside of a trench coat. The plot borrows so much from the Disney Beauty and The Beast movie I’m surprised they let this get published. The events of the story move so quickly that I often felt hurried through scenes with no world building, which very often ruined my immersion. Character movements within a scene were often confusing and hard to follow. Creature and character descriptions were lacking and I found it hard to picture the scale of anything. It’s not groundbreaking in any way or reinventing the wheel.
That being said, I couldn’t put it down. I found myself rooting for Feyre, despite her idiocy. The plot is wholly unoriginal for 2/3rds of this book, but once it took off, it really got going. Sure, I’ve probably read similar plots a hundred times before in books and fanfiction, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a lot of fun. Sure, the dialogue was flat and much of the writing cliche and cringe. But that’s the charm.
Was it good? No.
Will I read all the others? Yes.
That being said, I couldn’t put it down. I found myself rooting for Feyre, despite her idiocy. The plot is wholly unoriginal for 2/3rds of this book, but once it took off, it really got going. Sure, I’ve probably read similar plots a hundred times before in books and fanfiction, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a lot of fun. Sure, the dialogue was flat and much of the writing cliche and cringe. But that’s the charm.
Was it good? No.
Will I read all the others? Yes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Abandonment
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Genocide
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Is there like... a cult initiation I need to take when I admit I enjoyed the shit out of this? Because this feels like one of those books where I'm joining a cult because I really liked it. I'm okay with a cult if it means we get stylish cult robes.
I'll admit, there was a point where it felt a little draggy and there were a couple moments that were a little cringey (for lack of a better word), which is why I'm settling for four stars instead of five. Aside from that, I honestly really enjoyed my first time reading a SJM book. It was better than I expected it would be, especially since it seems to be one of those either love it or hate it sorts of books. I was looking for those moments where I was just going to hate it, but I didn't find them.
The only thing I find kind of lacking is I didn't find Amarantha a very compelling villain. As far as feeling threatening and all that, she's probably a 6/10 at most for me. She was okay, but still kind of blah and stereotypical for me.
I don't know what to expect for the rest of the series, but I'm going to be tentatively looking forward to it.
I'll admit, there was a point where it felt a little draggy and there were a couple moments that were a little cringey (for lack of a better word), which is why I'm settling for four stars instead of five. Aside from that, I honestly really enjoyed my first time reading a SJM book. It was better than I expected it would be, especially since it seems to be one of those either love it or hate it sorts of books. I was looking for those moments where I was just going to hate it, but I didn't find them.
The only thing I find kind of lacking is I didn't find Amarantha a very compelling villain. As far as feeling threatening and all that, she's probably a 6/10 at most for me. She was okay, but still kind of blah and stereotypical for me.
I don't know what to expect for the rest of the series, but I'm going to be tentatively looking forward to it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Torture
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder
Minor: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
A Court of Thorns and Roses
By Sarah J Maas
5⭐️
This book was so much more than I could have ever imagined! It is definitely a 5 star read that every fantasy lover should read! I really think this would even be a great fantasy starter book for those that want to see if they might like fantasy.
Feyre, a human, finds herself forced from the human lands to the lands of the Fae. She is stubborn, strong, and very capable for a human. However, as she enters the lands of the Fae she meets members of the fae that are unlike anything we could imagine. Their physical characteristics and personalities are so well crafted by the author that you almost forget that you are reading. The story holds you in its grip the entire way through the book!
I am super excited to start the next book in the series. This is my first book by Sarah J Maas and I can already tell she’ll be one of my favorite authors!
By Sarah J Maas
5⭐️
This book was so much more than I could have ever imagined! It is definitely a 5 star read that every fantasy lover should read! I really think this would even be a great fantasy starter book for those that want to see if they might like fantasy.
Feyre, a human, finds herself forced from the human lands to the lands of the Fae. She is stubborn, strong, and very capable for a human. However, as she enters the lands of the Fae she meets members of the fae that are unlike anything we could imagine. Their physical characteristics and personalities are so well crafted by the author that you almost forget that you are reading. The story holds you in its grip the entire way through the book!
I am super excited to start the next book in the series. This is my first book by Sarah J Maas and I can already tell she’ll be one of my favorite authors!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, War
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I mean, I read it! It was fun to read something with so much discourse around it. I don’t think I would have read it otherwise, tbh, I was cringing through a fair bit. But at the same time it was fun, at times steamy, and some nice escapism.
The audiobook was well produced. Someone else said it was Beauty and the Beast x Twilight and I couldn’t have said it better (I think others have said the BATB adaptation was intentional). I think I’ll read the second one which I’ve heard is the best, but right now I’m not sure I’ll get through the whole series.
I think Tamlin was underdeveloped as a character and that made the central love story, while sexy, unbelievable as anything other than Stockholm syndrome. I liked Lucien as a character much better. Also found Rhys very disrespectful of boundaries but apparently his deal is explained in the next book? And that’s the actual love story? Idk. Overall just something about the power dynamics of the fairy world felt undercooked to me, and I was annoyed by how Feyre had to be told nearly everything by other characters. Especially Amarynthe laying out her whole riddle/3 challenge deal, like why? But I think what keeps me reading with fantasy books is that frustration/lack of resolution, so I guess I’ll keep reading! Gotta see what Margot Robbie sees!
The audiobook was well produced. Someone else said it was Beauty and the Beast x Twilight and I couldn’t have said it better (I think others have said the BATB adaptation was intentional). I think I’ll read the second one which I’ve heard is the best, but right now I’m not sure I’ll get through the whole series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The series is good in my opinion the first book feels slow and is a bit harder to get into I really wasn’t digging it untill the last chapters but the rest of the books are great
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit, Kidnapping, Abandonment, War
Minor: Child death
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Vomit, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War
Minor: Child death