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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
ARC Review:
Rising Sun by Donna Grant is the first book in the Elven Kingdoms series. This is an enemies to lovers fast-paced fantasy book. I had a lot of fun reading this book. This was the first book I read by Donna Grant and it definitely won't be my last!
The characters are very likeable. I really loved Yasmin. She was a strong badass FMC and I loved how she overcame her past trauma. Ravi was amazing. He was protective, strong, and mysterious. This duo was so much fun! Yasmin and Ravi are forced to work together to stop a terrorist threat from starting a war with the dragons. They absolutely hate each other in the beginning. Throughout their mission, they begin to realize that their assumptions of each other were wrong. I loved watching their relationship progress from enemies to unlikely friends to lovers.
This story had me hooked from the beginning. This was action packed and kept me engaged. The world building and magic system were easy to understand. The third act break up wasn't my favorite but I understand why the author did it. Overall, this was a great fun read! I recommend this book to anyone who wants an enemies to lovers fast paced fantasy book.
Thank you @dgauthor and NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I truly enjoyed this book and hope there will be more in this world soon.
P.S. Hoping to see more of Dain
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
HAPPY READING
Rising Sun by Donna Grant is the first book in the Elven Kingdoms series. This is an enemies to lovers fast-paced fantasy book. I had a lot of fun reading this book. This was the first book I read by Donna Grant and it definitely won't be my last!
The characters are very likeable. I really loved Yasmin. She was a strong badass FMC and I loved how she overcame her past trauma. Ravi was amazing. He was protective, strong, and mysterious. This duo was so much fun! Yasmin and Ravi are forced to work together to stop a terrorist threat from starting a war with the dragons. They absolutely hate each other in the beginning. Throughout their mission, they begin to realize that their assumptions of each other were wrong. I loved watching their relationship progress from enemies to unlikely friends to lovers.
This story had me hooked from the beginning. This was action packed and kept me engaged. The world building and magic system were easy to understand. The third act break up wasn't my favorite but I understand why the author did it. Overall, this was a great fun read! I recommend this book to anyone who wants an enemies to lovers fast paced fantasy book.
Thank you @dgauthor and NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I truly enjoyed this book and hope there will be more in this world soon.
P.S. Hoping to see more of Dain
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
HAPPY READING
I've listened several books in Donna Grant's Dark World and was happy to have a chance to listen to this one in advance. This is a little slower then all of the other books in the world but still enjoyable. The dragons were mentioned a few times but never made an appearance which was a bit of a bummer. I was hoping to have at least one make a cameo appearance and was pleasantly surprised when I got what I wished for.. After this book, I'm looking forward to delving further into the elv's stories.. Shane East is always a pleasure to listen to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rising Sun
Donna Grant
Rising Sun is set in a world where Elves are the superior race and humans are left to survive the hand they’ve been dealt. Yasmin hates Elves and all they’ve taken from her, she dreams of fleeing to find others like her. Ravi is a Sun Elf and has nothing against humans… except Yasmin, whom he despises. This was one of the better enemies to lovers I have read recently, we get to delve into the depths of their disdain for a good section of the book. I just hate when the loathing is over too fast! Yasmine and Ravi set off on a world saving adventure as unlikely and unwilling partners. The character growth from Ravi in this book was a real stand out for me, his ability learn and change his perception as he learns about her life and trauma. This was 5 stars from me and I am excited to read any future connecting books.
Donna Grant
Rising Sun is set in a world where Elves are the superior race and humans are left to survive the hand they’ve been dealt. Yasmin hates Elves and all they’ve taken from her, she dreams of fleeing to find others like her. Ravi is a Sun Elf and has nothing against humans… except Yasmin, whom he despises. This was one of the better enemies to lovers I have read recently, we get to delve into the depths of their disdain for a good section of the book. I just hate when the loathing is over too fast! Yasmine and Ravi set off on a world saving adventure as unlikely and unwilling partners. The character growth from Ravi in this book was a real stand out for me, his ability learn and change his perception as he learns about her life and trauma. This was 5 stars from me and I am excited to read any future connecting books.
This is a fantastic book.
I absolutely couldn’t put it down.
I absolutely couldn’t put it down.
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
adventurous
emotional
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
The Dark Universe is growing and I love it so much. Zora is such a mystery still even with what the Dragon Kings have found so far. Getting the know the elves is going to be so much fun. Yasmin is a human who has been through hell because of the elves. Ravi is a sun elf whose new mission is to stop others from starting a yard with the dragons. I think my favorite part of this book was Dain. I have a feeling I am going to be waiting on pins and needles for his book. The way Donna Grant ties these series together while still leaving us all guessing will never cease to amaze me.
adventurous
emotional
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
Please note I received an E – ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
When I read the synopsis of this story I thought it would be just my thing. And for the most part it is I really love the idea of it and the world was trying to create however I really struggled with the pacing and all the telling. There would be paragraphs if not pages of the main characters going back and forth with just every thought in their brain. I think this may appeal to some readers, but it did not work for me . These are my two main gripes with the book and it made it very hard to stay invested. I also felt like particularly the MMC’s depth was really lacking and we definitely could’ve explored a lot more of the FMC. Unfortunately, everything else felt really flat for me despite really wanting to like the story and I pushed all the way through anyways in hopes that that would change. I don’t think I will remember most of this book in a few weeks.
What I did like was the bones of the story, the world, the stakes. I think this would’ve easily been a more enjoyable read for me if we had fleshed out all the characters a little bit more and did a lot more showing over telling.
Oh, and the third act break up? Pass.
When I read the synopsis of this story I thought it would be just my thing. And for the most part it is I really love the idea of it and the world was trying to create however I really struggled with the pacing and all the telling. There would be paragraphs if not pages of the main characters going back and forth with just every thought in their brain. I think this may appeal to some readers, but it did not work for me . These are my two main gripes with the book and it made it very hard to stay invested. I also felt like particularly the MMC’s depth was really lacking and we definitely could’ve explored a lot more of the FMC. Unfortunately, everything else felt really flat for me despite really wanting to like the story and I pushed all the way through anyways in hopes that that would change. I don’t think I will remember most of this book in a few weeks.
What I did like was the bones of the story, the world, the stakes. I think this would’ve easily been a more enjoyable read for me if we had fleshed out all the characters a little bit more and did a lot more showing over telling.
adventurous
dark
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
This was an interesting kick off to a series. I think there were a lot of elements mentioned but not at all clear in the world building, which left me confused. You can still follow the story, but if some of these things aren’t addressed explicitly in later books, I think the series will be very hard to follow. The elf glossary would’ve been better at the end of the book, rather than giving me details I wouldn’t retain before introducing a single character. Also a glossary of animals would’ve been nice—not a major thing, but I was left wondering what in the world was being described.
Worth noting, Ravi is an idiot. Well-intentioned, but kind of thoughtless. He grows, but I was banging my head against a wall because of him in the beginning. I feel like Yaz is kind of put through the wringer repeatedly. Her reactions and the ways she deals with her trauma are understandable, but at some points the trauma and abuse she suffers felt gratuitous rather than proportionate to the circumstances. I also felt like Ravi’s feelings made more sense than Yaz’s. He knew a lot more about her than she him, but that said, I feel like the overall trajectory of their relationship made sense.
However, all the characters are compelling, even when we don’t entirely understand their motives. It was a fun read that started a little slow but definitely picked up once the adventure started. I’m interested to see what’s next.
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in the exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, Classism
Minor: Suicide
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
⋆⭒˚｡⋆ 3/5 stars. arc review, minor spoilers ahead.
wow what a ride tbh. the romance was DEFINITELY slowburn, but i wouldn't necessarily consider this enemies to lovers. i feel like this term is used too often to describe when characters dislike one another and THEN fall in love, but i don't think they were ever ENEMIES yk what i mean? she had this like burning rage toward his race and he didn't like her because he thought she stole children or smth.
the plot.
as the synopsis says, yasmin, the fmc, is given an ultimatum. she has to choose between becoming a prisoner again or taking ravi, our mmc who works as an agent or whatever, to a fortress known as shaldorn. the whole dangerous peaks thing was i want to say maybe 25% of the book, and then the fortress was i WANT to say like 30% of it. i think the beginning of this was really slow and a little boring, a lot of information and terms were thrown at us, and if i'm being completely honest, when the plot was unfolding, everything was super anticlimactic. things happened and there weren't many moments where i genuinely thought they were going to fail despite all of the setbacks that they had. the whole point of this journey is to like prevent a war from breaking out with dragons because somebody wants to bomb them with a device? idk that was a little basic and i think it should have been more difficult to succeed (again, the procuring of said device was pretty anticlimactic) but maybe that's just me.
the romance.
like i said at the start of this review, very slowburn. we don't really SEE any romance until we're very very very very very very VERY randomly hit with like this completely uncalled for lust??? like just to put this into perspective, we have a scene where something scary has just happened and yasmin is helping ravi, and while she's sharing her body heat with him while he rests, he's rock hard and she's thinking about having sex with him??? LMFAOOO idk cause this was THE FIRST TIME yk, all we had before this was like them looking away from each other because "oh no this feels too intimate" or something like that but to go straight from that to "ohh look at his LENGTH" my goodness i was NOT ready
anyways, they were cute. ravi was a good man, albeit very slow. the entire middle of the book was engaging, definitely easy to flip through those pages and it did get difficult to put the book down sometimes. so would i recommend it? yeah, i think so. it has spice and the premise of the world is actually interesting, seems like the next book might be wilder and i do hope it's higher stakes.
tropes in this book :
➺ only one tent/forced proximity
➺ afraid to commit
➺ scarred heroine
wow what a ride tbh. the romance was DEFINITELY slowburn, but i wouldn't necessarily consider this enemies to lovers. i feel like this term is used too often to describe when characters dislike one another and THEN fall in love, but i don't think they were ever ENEMIES yk what i mean? she had this like burning rage toward his race and he didn't like her because he thought she stole children or smth.
the plot.
as the synopsis says, yasmin, the fmc, is given an ultimatum. she has to choose between becoming a prisoner again or taking ravi, our mmc who works as an agent or whatever, to a fortress known as shaldorn. the whole dangerous peaks thing was i want to say maybe 25% of the book, and then the fortress was i WANT to say like 30% of it. i think the beginning of this was really slow and a little boring, a lot of information and terms were thrown at us, and if i'm being completely honest, when the plot was unfolding, everything was super anticlimactic. things happened and there weren't many moments where i genuinely thought they were going to fail despite all of the setbacks that they had. the whole point of this journey is to like prevent a war from breaking out with dragons because somebody wants to bomb them with a device? idk that was a little basic and i think it should have been more difficult to succeed (again, the procuring of said device was pretty anticlimactic) but maybe that's just me.
the romance.
like i said at the start of this review, very slowburn. we don't really SEE any romance until we're very very very very very very VERY randomly hit with like this completely uncalled for lust??? like just to put this into perspective, we have a scene where something scary has just happened and yasmin is helping ravi, and while she's sharing her body heat with him while he rests, he's rock hard and she's thinking about having sex with him??? LMFAOOO idk cause this was THE FIRST TIME yk, all we had before this was like them looking away from each other because "oh no this feels too intimate" or something like that but to go straight from that to "ohh look at his LENGTH" my goodness i was NOT ready
anyways, they were cute. ravi was a good man, albeit very slow. the entire middle of the book was engaging, definitely easy to flip through those pages and it did get difficult to put the book down sometimes. so would i recommend it? yeah, i think so. it has spice and the premise of the world is actually interesting, seems like the next book might be wilder and i do hope it's higher stakes.
tropes in this book :
➺ only one tent/forced proximity
➺ afraid to commit
➺ scarred heroine