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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
I was really happy to get ahold of this book as an ARC and even more thrilled that I got to read it. I’ve already told my friend that she needs to read this when it’s released on May 14 because this was more fun than I was expecting and I plan on picking up the next books in the series when they’re released.
I won’t get too far into spoilers because I think the best part of this book is hopping on the ride and letting it take you on an adventure.
The first thing I loved about this introduction to the Elven Kingdoms series immediately was the characters. I adore Yasmin. She’s an independent FMC with a big heart despite all the things she’s been through. Trauma runs deep, but her ability to overcome and rise above throughout the story is beautiful. Her enemy/partner Ravi is a Sun Elf with his own trust issues. The development of their relationship was interesting and I appreciate how it was handled. It wasn’t forced but rather very organic.
There are also some “side characters”—I’m not sure if they’ll continue to be considered side characters in future books—that made me go “hey wait, who is that? I want to know more.” I hope we get to see more of them in the future.
The world building in this book was also very interesting. I would have liked to have seen more magic (especially from Ravi), but the amount of building we get to see — politics, segregation of species, etc— I think will be further explored and I truly look forward to it in the future. Speaking of exploration though, the journey to Shaldorn gives us a physical glance at the world and the different creatures that inhabit this unique place. I feel like this ‘journey” our main characters embark on was the best way to show the lay of the land even if it is focused on just a portion of the world.
The story itself was 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was giving quest energy and heist, while developing characters and relationships. Once I got to the climax, I found myself refusing to put my kindle down to figure out how our MCs were going to get through the mess. There is a third act breakup. I’m not usually a fan but in this case I think it was necessary to resolve the “what’s next for us” question. It may have been a bit forced as the characters do a lot of back-and-forth over their reasoning for it.
I do want to give credit where credit is due though. This could have easily been another fae-related story with cookie-cutter MCs but it wasn’t.
Overall though, I enjoyed this ARC and I’m looking forward to seeing the world expanded in upcoming installments.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 ★★★★✫
Spice:
I won’t get too far into spoilers because I think the best part of this book is hopping on the ride and letting it take you on an adventure.
The first thing I loved about this introduction to the Elven Kingdoms series immediately was the characters. I adore Yasmin. She’s an independent FMC with a big heart despite all the things she’s been through. Trauma runs deep, but her ability to overcome and rise above throughout the story is beautiful. Her enemy/partner Ravi is a Sun Elf with his own trust issues. The development of their relationship was interesting and I appreciate how it was handled. It wasn’t forced but rather very organic.
There are also some “side characters”—I’m not sure if they’ll continue to be considered side characters in future books—that made me go “hey wait, who is that? I want to know more.” I hope we get to see more of them in the future.
The world building in this book was also very interesting. I would have liked to have seen more magic (especially from Ravi), but the amount of building we get to see — politics, segregation of species, etc— I think will be further explored and I truly look forward to it in the future. Speaking of exploration though, the journey to Shaldorn gives us a physical glance at the world and the different creatures that inhabit this unique place. I feel like this ‘journey” our main characters embark on was the best way to show the lay of the land even if it is focused on just a portion of the world.
The story itself was 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was giving quest energy and heist, while developing characters and relationships. Once I got to the climax, I found myself refusing to put my kindle down to figure out how our MCs were going to get through the mess. There is a third act breakup. I’m not usually a fan but in this case I think it was necessary to resolve the “what’s next for us” question. It may have been a bit forced as the characters do a lot of back-and-forth over their reasoning for it.
I do want to give credit where credit is due though. This could have easily been another fae-related story with cookie-cutter MCs but it wasn’t.
Overall though, I enjoyed this ARC and I’m looking forward to seeing the world expanded in upcoming installments.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 ★★★★✫
Spice:
⭐️High fantasy
⭐️Enemies to lovers
⭐️Angsty Slow burn
⭐️Check TWs
This is the first book I’ve read from Donna Grant and it’s fair to say I will be looking into more of her books after this instalment.
This book follows Yasmin, a courageous human woman with a dark past seeking answers to who she is, escaping her past and aiding to create a better world for others with a past as tormented as hers.
Ravi is a closed off and mysterious Sun Elf who is tasked to receive something that is in a place that links to Yasmins past.
The duo must work together to complete their mission, leading to a angsty journey through a will they/wont they slow burn, that had me almost ripping my hair out at points. The growth of the enemies to friendship to lovers of the two characters had me consumed whilst reading, following them both open up to one another as the book went on had my heart in a vice.
The descriptive high fantasy elements painted wonderful pictures of the world in this series and has me grasping for the next book to get the answers to the questions that had been introduced during the glimpses of reveals during reading.
This is a great book, the world building and magic system is superior and has left me wanting to know more and more after this first instalment.
I give this book 4 stars, possibly 4.5 at times, however, sometimes this book became slightly slow and dragged, not enough to lose interest, but it could have been less and more plot driven than descriptive. But over all I really enjoyed this novel and I can’t wait to read the next one.
*This was an ARC read, for my honest review*
⭐️Enemies to lovers
⭐️Angsty Slow burn
⭐️Check TWs
This is the first book I’ve read from Donna Grant and it’s fair to say I will be looking into more of her books after this instalment.
This book follows Yasmin, a courageous human woman with a dark past seeking answers to who she is, escaping her past and aiding to create a better world for others with a past as tormented as hers.
Ravi is a closed off and mysterious Sun Elf who is tasked to receive something that is in a place that links to Yasmins past.
The duo must work together to complete their mission, leading to a angsty journey through a will they/wont they slow burn, that had me almost ripping my hair out at points. The growth of the enemies to friendship to lovers of the two characters had me consumed whilst reading, following them both open up to one another as the book went on had my heart in a vice.
The descriptive high fantasy elements painted wonderful pictures of the world in this series and has me grasping for the next book to get the answers to the questions that had been introduced during the glimpses of reveals during reading.
This is a great book, the world building and magic system is superior and has left me wanting to know more and more after this first instalment.
I give this book 4 stars, possibly 4.5 at times, however, sometimes this book became slightly slow and dragged, not enough to lose interest, but it could have been less and more plot driven than descriptive. But over all I really enjoyed this novel and I can’t wait to read the next one.
*This was an ARC read, for my honest review*
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I read the synopsis, this book seemed right up my alley. The genre, the tropes, the elves… so why didn’t I enjoy it more? I have no complaints about the plot, worldbuilding, and lore, but unfortunately the characters and writing didn’t do it for me.
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
❤️ Swoon-worthy voice actor
❤️ Smart, strong FMC
❤️ Interesting worldbuilding
❤️ Gorgeous cover
❌ Inconsistent pace
❌ Too much telling vs. showing
❌ Meh MMC
❌ Third-act breakup
Trigger warnings: violence, blood and gore, injury detail, child abuse (mentioned), racism, controlled reproduction, hunger, kidnapping, human trafficking, torture.
Plot:
To save their region from a terrorist attack, reluctant partners Yasmin and Ravi have to steal a powerful weapon in Shaldorn, a stronghold where rich, sadistic Elves can do whatever they want without consequences. Yasmin is the only one who’s ever managed to escape from this place of nightmares, but to avoid life imprisonment and take care of the ones she loves, she accepts to guide Ravi to the one place she vowed she’d never go back to.
The worldbuilding in the first 20% was captivating and intriguing (with segregation and discrimination of humans from the elves), but most of it was quickly swept under the rug and barely mentioned again while our protagonists embarked on a mission to save their region from a peril I didn’t know (or care) much about. Then, the story started dragging while they hiked for a long while, barely talking and yet falling in “love.” By the time they got to the stronghold, I was uninvested in both the quest and the relationship/romance.
Characters:
This is where things went wrong, in my opinion. I just can’t enjoy a book if I don’t like the characters.
While I liked Yasmin’s profile, I failed to connect with her character. Perhaps it would have helped if she’d used sentences with more than four words? As for Ravi, I disliked his intransigence and lack of compassion. I was hoping for more character development from him and had a hard time believing in his budding relationship with Yas; I saw lust, but no chemistry or love.
And then there’s this other elf called Dain. I wanted to know mooooooooore about him! When he was introduced, I was convinced he’d be the MMC. He certainly seemed stronger, kinder, sexier than Ravi! If I continue this series (I haven’t decided yet), it would be 100% thanks to Dain and the dragon shifters, as Yasmin and Ravi failed to keep me interested.
Writing:
While the writing wasn’t *bad*, it was slightly choppy. I also feel like more atmosphere and imagery would have been great, especially given how amazing the worldbuilding was.
Audiobook:
Okaaay, I am now a Shane East fan. I could listen to his deep, toe-curling voice and British accent aaaaall day. And while I usually prefer having two different voice actors for dual-POV stories, I think he did a spectacular job at changing his voice and speech pattern for the various characters.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
❤️ Swoon-worthy voice actor
❤️ Smart, strong FMC
❤️ Interesting worldbuilding
❤️ Gorgeous cover
❌ Inconsistent pace
❌ Too much telling vs. showing
❌ Meh MMC
❌ Third-act breakup
Trigger warnings: violence, blood and gore, injury detail, child abuse (mentioned), racism, controlled reproduction, hunger, kidnapping, human trafficking, torture.
Plot:
To save their region from a terrorist attack, reluctant partners Yasmin and Ravi have to steal a powerful weapon in Shaldorn, a stronghold where rich, sadistic Elves can do whatever they want without consequences. Yasmin is the only one who’s ever managed to escape from this place of nightmares, but to avoid life imprisonment and take care of the ones she loves, she accepts to guide Ravi to the one place she vowed she’d never go back to.
The worldbuilding in the first 20% was captivating and intriguing (with segregation and discrimination of humans from the elves), but most of it was quickly swept under the rug and barely mentioned again while our protagonists embarked on a mission to save their region from a peril I didn’t know (or care) much about. Then, the story started dragging while they hiked for a long while, barely talking and yet falling in “love.” By the time they got to the stronghold, I was uninvested in both the quest and the relationship/romance.
Characters:
This is where things went wrong, in my opinion. I just can’t enjoy a book if I don’t like the characters.
While I liked Yasmin’s profile, I failed to connect with her character. Perhaps it would have helped if she’d used sentences with more than four words? As for Ravi, I disliked his intransigence and lack of compassion. I was hoping for more character development from him and had a hard time believing in his budding relationship with Yas; I saw lust, but no chemistry or love.
And then there’s this other elf called Dain. I wanted to know mooooooooore about him! When he was introduced, I was convinced he’d be the MMC. He certainly seemed stronger, kinder, sexier than Ravi! If I continue this series (I haven’t decided yet), it would be 100% thanks to Dain and the dragon shifters, as Yasmin and Ravi failed to keep me interested.
Writing:
While the writing wasn’t *bad*, it was slightly choppy. I also feel like more atmosphere and imagery would have been great, especially given how amazing the worldbuilding was.
Audiobook:
Okaaay, I am now a Shane East fan. I could listen to his deep, toe-curling voice and British accent aaaaall day. And while I usually prefer having two different voice actors for dual-POV stories, I think he did a spectacular job at changing his voice and speech pattern for the various characters.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
This book took me a little bit to get into. The premise is very interesting and I liked all of the characters for sure. However, it felt a little slow at parts. I was also a little surprised how dark some of the details were, but I do think it helped give the story depth. The relationship development between Yas and Ravi was yummy. The yearning! Overall, I liked it and will continue on with the series for at least another book.
3.25 ⭐️
I liked this one but it was so slow that it left me so uninterested at times. I liked the FMC, I liked her a lot. The romance is slow burn too you don’t really see any romance until the very end of the book. I was interested in the story itself but I didn’t get on well with the writing style, it felt quite choppy in parts which left me really uninterested and I did consider DNFing at some points. I would probably revisit this at some point and try again to see if I feel different about it.
I liked this one but it was so slow that it left me so uninterested at times. I liked the FMC, I liked her a lot. The romance is slow burn too you don’t really see any romance until the very end of the book. I was interested in the story itself but I didn’t get on well with the writing style, it felt quite choppy in parts which left me really uninterested and I did consider DNFing at some points. I would probably revisit this at some point and try again to see if I feel different about it.
Dnf- lost interest in the last hour or so of the audiobook. Kept trying to relisten, but I just could not stay interested. I’ve also never read the other series other reviews mention, so maybe that’s part of it.
***ARC Review
Firstly, I extend my gratitude to Donna Grant and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. It was truly a pleasure to delve into its pages.
One of the most compelling aspects of this book is its portrayal of adult characters. In a genre often dominated by youthful protagonists, it's refreshing to encounter a main character who has weathered significant trauma and confronts her adversaries with a strength born of pure determination to honor her word.
Grant masterfully weaves together elements of enemies to lovers, dual points of view, Elven lore, intricate magic systems, Romantasy, and forced proximity, creating a tapestry of intrigue and emotion that will captivate readers.
I would definitely recommend reading this book, and I look forward to the next one in the series!
Firstly, I extend my gratitude to Donna Grant and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. It was truly a pleasure to delve into its pages.
One of the most compelling aspects of this book is its portrayal of adult characters. In a genre often dominated by youthful protagonists, it's refreshing to encounter a main character who has weathered significant trauma and confronts her adversaries with a strength born of pure determination to honor her word.
Grant masterfully weaves together elements of enemies to lovers, dual points of view, Elven lore, intricate magic systems, Romantasy, and forced proximity, creating a tapestry of intrigue and emotion that will captivate readers.
I would definitely recommend reading this book, and I look forward to the next one in the series!