Scan barcode
hdabru's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
3.5
The story in this book is excellent. It has all the elements of a great fantasy plus a lot of originality. I love found family, cozy settings like libraries and pubs and enchanted woods. I love heroines coming into their power and fighting for those they love.
The reason I gave it three stars was purely on technique. This was however given to me as an ARC so I am hopeful that the incorrect words and clunky writing are corrected prior to publishing. I know writing is hard, and I struggle with the same issues when writing descriptive sentences, especially action. But they were often so clunky that it would take me out of the immersion of the story, and I would struggle to get through passages because I had to reread to figure out what was going on. I also had issues with minor plot holes as well as pacing. For a large portion of the book I couldn’t figure out where it was going and even by halfway I was waiting for it to get really good. Eventually it did, and I became very invested in the characters and the story, and loved the magical elements. But the writing style definitely came across as YA to the point that I thought the book was YA until some f bombs and a spicy scene jarred me right out of that. Those things are fine—it was just that the writing style felt so much younger that it caught me off guard.
I also would have liked the book to have passed the bechdel test prior to the halfway point, aside from an exchange with a cranky maidservant. But that I guess is getting a little pendantic. Overall I think this has the potential to be an amazing series and a great adventure. And with nary a white character in sight, which we all know is a much needed perspective in the fantasy genre. I would definitely recommend, but be prepared for a book in need of polish, unless the ARC has been heavily edited prior to final release.
The reason I gave it three stars was purely on technique. This was however given to me as an ARC so I am hopeful that the incorrect words and clunky writing are corrected prior to publishing. I know writing is hard, and I struggle with the same issues when writing descriptive sentences, especially action. But they were often so clunky that it would take me out of the immersion of the story, and I would struggle to get through passages because I had to reread to figure out what was going on. I also had issues with minor plot holes as well as pacing. For a large portion of the book I couldn’t figure out where it was going and even by halfway I was waiting for it to get really good. Eventually it did, and I became very invested in the characters and the story, and loved the magical elements. But the writing style definitely came across as YA to the point that I thought the book was YA until some f bombs and a spicy scene jarred me right out of that. Those things are fine—it was just that the writing style felt so much younger that it caught me off guard.
I also would have liked the book to have passed the bechdel test prior to the halfway point, aside from an exchange with a cranky maidservant. But that I guess is getting a little pendantic. Overall I think this has the potential to be an amazing series and a great adventure. And with nary a white character in sight, which we all know is a much needed perspective in the fantasy genre. I would definitely recommend, but be prepared for a book in need of polish, unless the ARC has been heavily edited prior to final release.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
I will start with the positives, of which there are many! The story is gripping, with fairly high stakes at every turn and a deft handling of worldbuilding as you go, so that you are never bogged down with too much exposition at any given time but always have the information you need to understand the significance of what's happening in a scene. The book never stagnates, either. Just when our main character Lore settles into one location, she finds she has to move onto the next. I never felt like we were in one situation for too little or too long. Lore herself is established in her introduction as someone who is hard working, quick thinking, and highly compassionate, and she carries these traits throughout the story. The other characters she knows and comes across are also compelling and intriguing, some more mysterious than others.I absolutely loved the twist at the end! It's the perfect kind of twist where I knew something was up, but didn't expect THAT, and yet it does fit in with the rest of the story and make sense looking back.
Now for the negatives, of which there's really only one. I would be swept along with the prose of the book, really immersed in the story, and every now and then there would be a little speed bump where it felt like a character (usually Lore) said or did something that didn't fit the context/setting. Usually it was some phrasing that felt too modern or crass compared to the rest of the text. If I had to guess, I would say these were moments to establish Lore as "sassy" or "feisty" but I think the way it was done feels anachronistic. I do hope this book gets another round of editing to address some typos I found as well as these passages that feel a little out of place.
Another note, this is meant to be YA, but I feel like some language and events might push the book more into adult territory.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for fans of romantasy, especially if they like fae romances and diverse representation.
This was my first time reading an ARC, and now I can see the drawback because I am so eager for the next book in the series and the first book isn't even out yet!
I will start with the positives, of which there are many! The story is gripping, with fairly high stakes at every turn and a deft handling of worldbuilding as you go, so that you are never bogged down with too much exposition at any given time but always have the information you need to understand the significance of what's happening in a scene. The book never stagnates, either. Just when our main character Lore settles into one location, she finds she has to move onto the next. I never felt like we were in one situation for too little or too long. Lore herself is established in her introduction as someone who is hard working, quick thinking, and highly compassionate, and she carries these traits throughout the story. The other characters she knows and comes across are also compelling and intriguing, some more mysterious than others.
Now for the negatives, of which there's really only one. I would be swept along with the prose of the book, really immersed in the story, and every now and then there would be a little speed bump where it felt like a character (usually Lore) said or did something that didn't fit the context/setting. Usually it was some phrasing that felt too modern or crass compared to the rest of the text. If I had to guess, I would say these were moments to establish Lore as "sassy" or "feisty" but I think the way it was done feels anachronistic. I do hope this book gets another round of editing to address some typos I found as well as these passages that feel a little out of place.
Another note, this is meant to be YA, but I feel like some language and events might push the book more into adult territory.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for fans of romantasy, especially if they like fae romances and diverse representation.
This was my first time reading an ARC, and now I can see the drawback because I am so eager for the next book in the series and the first book isn't even out yet!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Rape, Pregnancy, Slavery, and War
More...