Reviews

A Scholar of Beauty by Jen Lynning

sarahlreadseverything's review

4.0

Another solid entry to The Great Balance World! A Scholar of Beauty really expands upon the world-building for this series, building up how 'balance' works in practice - it means it would work well as a standalone, and makes me want to read the first two books again as I suspect it would make elements of those stand out more second-time around.

Jen Lynning is auto-read for me because of the strength of her female MCs, and A Scholar of Beauty hit that nail on the head yet again. They are always unique, well-rounded and feel like real people in a way that fantasy and fantasy-romance genre women often aren't. Ketira is genuinely studious, holds down a real job and supports her family, while trying to balance an odd family-dynamic behind the scenes and an active society social life (and not always succeeding).

The romance in this one was cute, and the way that Ketira is cautious around Makev and doesn't totally trust him, makes total sense in the context of their relationship. We already know both characters from A Lady of Truth, and I was glad to have that background because it gave more depth to Makev's character; without that he would have felt quite shallow. I still could have done with more insight into his motiviations (which I also felt with the male MC in A Princess of Vision, the last entry in the series) and it did mean for me that the romance was definitely cute but lacked real tension.

I do wish that the third act of A Scholar of Beauty

Spoiler

didn't feel like quite so much of a repeat of A Princess of Vision. I get that the religious terror group is a major thread throughout the series, but the kidnapping scenario was just too similar.

Overall my opinion of Jen Lynning's books have not changed. If you want easy-reading fantasy romance, with smart, characterful heroines, set in a unique world, she is a great choice and this was a strong 4-star read. But in her next entry, I'm hoping for a male MC that matches the female one for depth

Spoiler

and a different third act.

*Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this title from the author in exchange for an honest review*

whatsmacksaid's review

4.0

This one was a little less perfect than its predecessors--I would have liked to see the story unfold over a longer time span to really drive home Makev's insistence that he was in it for the long haul. But I really, really loved Ketira's emotional arc, though. That felt so real it was practically tangible. And her professional progress! That was absolutely wonderful, and the discoveries she made in relation to how the magic system doesn't quite work the way everyone thought it did was deftly crafted so that I never once felt overwhelmed by technical explanations.

magickkit's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

gummybear_smutbookreader's review

5.0

This book had me so invested I couldn’t put it down the whole book was well written it was chefs

stephnm26's review

4.0

I definitely read this as a stand alone and it was good! Also.. can we talk about how the author has women supporting women?? As soon as I got started reading I could not put it down! I know that it is a BATHB retelling but I wanted a bit more the FMC did not like it that makes sense? Overall nice read!

I received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are completely my own.

beccaontheinternet's review

4.0

I thought this was a great addition to the series! While you can certainly read it as a standalone, there are many references to the first two books that give more context to some of the plot points and characters in this one. The romance was cute, the writing was sweet and witty, and this book really expanded on the mechanics of the world building in a way that was missing in the other two and very cool. I also really appreciated the well roundedness of the characters and how much women supporting other women there was! The book passed the bechdel test which is surprisingly rare for romance novels. The couple of things I think could have been done better are, first, the fact that the jump from the FMC not being sure about the MMC wasn’t as smooth as it could have been. I wish there had been more like small moments that built up to that, as well as more building up to the big action plot point at the end. Second, I also have reservations about how often gambling is in each of the books. While this book, and the first one in the series, certainly show people who have suffered from gambling, the characters also rely on it a lot and it seems a little like glorification? On the other hand, I really love the way the author uses this and her world mechanics to discuss equity and equality.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

bookitallaway's review

4.0

I was wary going into this book considering I wasn't a super fan of A Lady of Truth, however, I was pleasantly surprised! She gave a lot more time and dedication to the plot and character depths. There was definitely a balance between doing what you need to do/what's expected of you, versus choosing to follow your own path to happiness.

What I liked:
--- I LOVED the strong MFC and how smart and strong willed she is portrayed as being
--- I loved the sense of familial duty and the struggle between helping them and yourself
--- MMC was a gem, super sweet
--- I'm glad that the MFC didn't dumb down herself to suit her potential male caller
--- The storyline with the zealots and the Balance and how different people's intentions are when it comes to 'restoring' the balance
--- The zealots were an interesting portion of the story, I am intrigued enough to want to know more!


What I didn't like:
--- Poor, sweet, handsome MMC. I felt like he was so sweet and kind, but that it didn't leave much to flush out his personality as a person.
--- I had a hard time believing he just all of a sudden one day realized he was madly in love with our MFC. It was too forced in my opinion. Sweet and tender but forced.
--- Secondary characters felt more like 3rd or 4th circle characters. Not a lot of development with them or flushing out of a grander storyline. Like they were just meh people because they were meh people. I wanted more.
--- Needed more info on the parents. Was hard to feel empathy to relate to the character's plight or struggle. Needed more explanation or depth. It all felt superficial.

Overall, if you're looking for a fun read, soft, sweet romance with a hint of spice, this is for you. It's a feel good romance with a few plot holes, but all around an enjoyable read!

Spice: 1/5--- not much happening except one scene
Plot: 4/5
Character Dev: 4/5
Overall: 4/5