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adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.25⭐️1🌶️(mostly closed door, very few sex scenes, several tension-filled scenes)
This had been on my TBR for 4 years and idk what took me so long. People either love or hate this book and this series in general and I liked it a lot! I will say the beginning 20% is pretty slow, it took me a couple weeks to get through that and then I read the last 80% in less than 24hrs. I read along with the graphic audiobook and that version shuffles some inner monologue and dialogue around to make conversations flow, so I’d suggest the regular audiobook first and the graphic audio for a reread. I really didn’t find the book spicy at all, I think this could be appropriate for YA readers, but I’ve heard the rest of the series is spicier. Another thing: why does everyone hate tamlin?? He’s a pretty decent guy and takes care of FMC and her family when he doesn’t need to. I can see the rhys hype, he’s the misunderstood villain bad boy who I predict will be an enemies to lovers in the future and his fan art is🥵. Some of the book is gory and graphic, I would classify this as a dark romantasy with plenty of fluff. I would definitely reread in the future and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!
This had been on my TBR for 4 years and idk what took me so long. People either love or hate this book and this series in general and I liked it a lot! I will say the beginning 20% is pretty slow, it took me a couple weeks to get through that and then I read the last 80% in less than 24hrs. I read along with the graphic audiobook and that version shuffles some inner monologue and dialogue around to make conversations flow, so I’d suggest the regular audiobook first and the graphic audio for a reread. I really didn’t find the book spicy at all, I think this could be appropriate for YA readers, but I’ve heard the rest of the series is spicier. Another thing: why does everyone hate tamlin?? He’s a pretty decent guy and takes care of FMC and her family when he doesn’t need to. I can see the rhys hype, he’s the misunderstood villain bad boy who I predict will be an enemies to lovers in the future and his fan art is🥵. Some of the book is gory and graphic, I would classify this as a dark romantasy with plenty of fluff. I would definitely reread in the future and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Classism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Stalking, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was…fine. A story full of tropes and stolen ideas. I cannot for the life of me understand all the hype. The sex wasn’t even fun.
Like is no one going to talk about how this is just Beauty and the Beast?
Like is no one going to talk about how this is just Beauty and the Beast?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of my rare ratings below a 3-star. I have enjoyed stories like this before ('Land Of The Beautiful Dead" by R. Lee Smith, a Beauty & The Beast inspired romantasy with a brooding death god MMC in a mask and the feisty YA FMC protagonist who just wants him to stop with the zombies, already – which made me weep by the end, and "Spinning Silver" by Naomi Novik – which was a fantasy romance take on the Rumplestiltskin fairytale with well-written and well rounded female protagonists and a similar "taken to live in a fantasy world" plot), so conceptually I wasn't opposed to a romantasy or fantasy romance rendition of an old folk or fairytale – certainly the Cupid & Psyche or Beauty & The Beast stories, I have been known to have an affinity for.
It's unfortunate that I feel I ultimately wasted the strength and willpower it took to get through this book.
I went into it knowing quite a lot of the opinions surrounding it – good, yes, but mostly bad. It did colour my perception somewhat going in, but a lot of the thoughts I developed were my own.
For one, my immediate impression was that the writing style both over-the-top and underdone, flipping between the past and the present day in the opening scene, giving an exposition dump without a lot happening for a while.
It got worse for me as it went; the logic in it felt flawed and inconsistent as the main character was so contrary that she at multiple points disregarded what was not only common sense but advice given to her for her survival – which is not to mention how I found several components of the story ethically questionable at best (e.g. the significant age and maturity gap in the main relationship, the scenes that either bordered on being or outright were sexual assault), and the major villain more than severely lacking. The most momentum the story had to me was nearer the end, but I ended up wondering why Feyre was still alive at all by that point, and why a lot of it had to happen at all, if not for sheer plot convenience.
I could understand why somebody might like it, as the atmosphere of the world felt like it had a distinctive character, which is hard to achieve. It had its sexier moments, too, which I know appeals to some, and there were some side characters that even I engaged with (I'm a Alis girl first and foremost – then my allegiance goes to that one kindhearted buff lady mercenary, then to Lucien, whose orange flag was not sleeping or being overly sexual with a teenager, and generally medium green flags having some good banter and development with Feyre, and getting her out of trouble on more than one occasion – plus minimal reference to the state of his abs or his eye colour). To me, however, I feel sad to say that none one of this felt like it was enough to make up for the rest of what I didn't like.
I'm undecided on whether I want to continue with the series, to see if it improves or falls even flatter for me. For now, the idea feels a little draining, but I may revisit it.
It's unfortunate that I feel I ultimately wasted the strength and willpower it took to get through this book.
I went into it knowing quite a lot of the opinions surrounding it – good, yes, but mostly bad. It did colour my perception somewhat going in, but a lot of the thoughts I developed were my own.
For one, my immediate impression was that the writing style both over-the-top and underdone, flipping between the past and the present day in the opening scene, giving an exposition dump without a lot happening for a while.
It got worse for me as it went; the logic in it felt flawed and inconsistent as the main character was so contrary that she at multiple points disregarded what was not only common sense but advice given to her for her survival – which is not to mention how I found several components of the story ethically questionable at best (e.g. the significant age and maturity gap in the main relationship, the scenes that either bordered on being or outright were sexual assault), and the major villain more than severely lacking. The most momentum the story had to me was nearer the end, but I ended up wondering why Feyre was still alive at all by that point, and why a lot of it had to happen at all, if not for sheer plot convenience.
I could understand why somebody might like it, as the atmosphere of the world felt like it had a distinctive character, which is hard to achieve. It had its sexier moments, too, which I know appeals to some, and there were some side characters that even I engaged with (I'm a Alis girl first and foremost – then my allegiance goes to that one kindhearted buff lady mercenary, then to Lucien, whose orange flag was not sleeping or being overly sexual with a teenager, and generally medium green flags having some good banter and development with Feyre, and getting her out of trouble on more than one occasion – plus minimal reference to the state of his abs or his eye colour). To me, however, I feel sad to say that none one of this felt like it was enough to make up for the rest of what I didn't like.
I'm undecided on whether I want to continue with the series, to see if it improves or falls even flatter for me. For now, the idea feels a little draining, but I may revisit it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first fantasy book, and will definitely be picking up more, especially in this series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Slavery, War
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Blood
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, Death of parent, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Super easy to read and enjoyable but lots of dumb decisions from the main female character, almost ignoring advice for the sake of being contrary in some cases. The relationships developed very quickly too, though that could just be my demisexual viewpoint! I just didn't really fully believe in it, especially to the level of the things they endured for each other.
I do get why it's popular though, it delivers the action and sexual tension people look for in YA novels, but it definitely didn't feel wholesome.
I do get why it's popular though, it delivers the action and sexual tension people look for in YA novels, but it definitely didn't feel wholesome.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol
Moderate: Confinement, Sexism, Sexual content