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gardenfairyreads's review against another edition
3.0
This book was definitely a bit of a bumpy ride. I was immidietly sucked in by the interesting magic system, and the clear inner turmoil of the main character, but by the middle of the book, I was feeling extremely bored. However, I pushed through, and thoroughly enjoyed the end. I don't know if I'll read the next book, but I think this one was worth the struggle in the middle.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
And very bravely I continue on my quest to finally read all those beautiful Fairyloot books I have gathered over the years. This one was one that really spoke to me when I got it. It wasn't on my radar and I hadn't heard about it, but it sounded like a book for me. However, as it happens, the book was still on my shelf months and months later. Until today!
From the very first page I had a click with the main character in this book. It's not something I talk about often, but my main challenge in life where I needed a psychologist to help me out, was my head constantly overruling my heart with logic. My heart was closed off and I was ruled by my brain. So, the entire struggle Mia has to face, everything she has to learn, it sounds really familiar to me. On top of that I went to med-school which means that all the medical terms weren't that foreign to me either. I think if you had put me in Mia's place, this story wouldn't have been any different. Nothing would have changed. And that's a very powerful thing.
Because I know that plot wise this book is not perfect, far from it. The pacing seems a little off, the goal of the entire journey she and the prince take seems a little vague and the point is even vaguer because after a few days of finally getting where they wanted to be they already return. The finale however is actually quite nice! A lot of things are happening and revealed, pieces of the puzzle fall into place and even I ended up slightly surprised, because I hadn't seen everything coming. And I have to admit that doesn't happen too often.
What I also love is the magic system and the thought behind it. I don't want to give too much away in this review, of course, but although the feminism is a little in your face at times, I think the message of the book is quite powerful. It seems very logical that only females have the magical power men are so afraid of. And it also seems very logical that every girl has been taught to fear instead of embrace it. So, I can't wait to read the other books in this trilogy where they're very likely gonna bring that patriarchy down!
From the very first page I had a click with the main character in this book. It's not something I talk about often, but my main challenge in life where I needed a psychologist to help me out, was my head constantly overruling my heart with logic. My heart was closed off and I was ruled by my brain. So, the entire struggle Mia has to face, everything she has to learn, it sounds really familiar to me. On top of that I went to med-school which means that all the medical terms weren't that foreign to me either. I think if you had put me in Mia's place, this story wouldn't have been any different. Nothing would have changed. And that's a very powerful thing.
Because I know that plot wise this book is not perfect, far from it. The pacing seems a little off, the goal of the entire journey she and the prince take seems a little vague and the point is even vaguer because after a few days of finally getting where they wanted to be they already return. The finale however is actually quite nice! A lot of things are happening and revealed, pieces of the puzzle fall into place and even I ended up slightly surprised, because I hadn't seen everything coming. And I have to admit that doesn't happen too often.
What I also love is the magic system and the thought behind it. I don't want to give too much away in this review, of course, but although the feminism is a little in your face at times, I think the message of the book is quite powerful. It seems very logical that only females have the magical power men are so afraid of. And it also seems very logical that every girl has been taught to fear instead of embrace it. So, I can't wait to read the other books in this trilogy where they're very likely gonna bring that patriarchy down!
leilaxx's review against another edition
3.0
I honestly did not think I would like or enjoy this book at all due to the main character but as I continued the character development was awesome and the plot twists got darker and caught me off guard. Everything caught me by surprise and I’m glad I didn’t stop reading it. I rate it 3.5-4/5 idk but I’m glad the main character wasn’t such an annoying stuck up chick and she soon turned pretty interesting! Although it has the same vibe/plot as many YA books I’m glad for the different aspects of magic. If you start this the first few chapter may piss you off because of Mia she’s a bit of uh .... but it gets better.
alyssaindira's review against another edition
3.0
*no spoilers were harmed in the making of this review*
"the people you love are the ones who hurt you the most"
Hey guys, I finished Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton. This book...it was so so promising. I mean the premise was just, so full of life. Then once you actually read it, that life gets drained away little by little. I mean, the book overall was probably alright. The story itself, was alright in different parts and stages of the book. But it didn't ever really settle into a good flow of awesomeness for a long period of time. it had its ebbs and flows of greatness, just like a river. At times it was alright, at times..i wanted to turn the page just to get it over with faster. DOnt get me wrong, I didn't dislike this book. It had its good parts, like a few of the characters and the concept, culture, magic, and myth. I did like how there was a culture of strong, suitable, women who found the power in themselves to defeat those who belittle them as weak. I like the magic in this book, and the different tales and takes on it. I also like the inner turmoil of the main character as she struggles with certain issues in her life. It was relatable how she behaved when her whole life seemed to be falling apart. Everything she thought she knew was blown into splintered. It would make sense that she would try to cling to something familiar, and to her familiar was science, explanations, reasons, logic. TO make sense of everything even when it couldn't, shouldn't really. ANd in that manner, i didn't like the character, when she relied too heavily on old ways when she knew she shouldn't. Iget that she was torn over everything, but there was legit proof as to why you should adapt and thrive, not wither and die. It was certainly a battle between her brain and her heart. Logic versus intuition. For apparently, they are certainly not the same. There was also anothe battle raging in this book, the battle between love and hate. When in reality, turns out the two are more similar than they are different. They are the different side of the same coin. BOth are fueled with passion. Sometimes that passion is used for good things, sometimes it isn't. SO yeah, that was kinda interesting to see how that battled came to fruition. HOwever, i didnt really like the writing. I first I thought it was alright. I hoped it was just going to get better into the novel. But..the descriptiveness and the writing just became..boring and shallow. I felt like this most certainly during the travel scenes. It felt like they dragged on FOREVER. There was nothing to bring sustenance to these scenes either. The conversations tried to fill that much needed spark, but they fell flat. The travel scenes just felt like they were just going to keep journeying, never reaching their destination. And the journey wasnt all that good to make the destination less important. Oy. So yeah, i didn't like the travel scenes. And that's where the book lost me for a good chunk of time. I just got so bored and disinterested, i merely skimmed the book with little hope. I had no feelings for the character and no care how this was going to play out. I didn't even try to guess how it would, since this book veered heavily away from my expectations. But little snippets caught my attention and kept me mildy engaged, trudging along. But even then, i only liked a few things, not a lot of things. But those small things were heavy enough to keep me tied down to this novel. The end was bitter sweet. It was mildly shocking, for no one could have guessed the perp of all the mayhem. But at the same time, it was so random no one could have guessed it. It was just way too random, like it was just carelessly put in the book. Like the author was tthinking, "oh yeah, that sounds alright" and flings the deception in there. It certainly was deception, but it wasn't good deception. The rant that explained such things kinda helped justify it somewhat, but it didn't really do much in the way of completing making sense of it. in my opinion, nothing could make sense of it because it just didnt make sense. And half of the revelations were not well spun into the book. Most of them were just randomly and casually tossed in there. It ruined the aura of mystery, to have them just be so plain like that. There was no build up, no suspense to be broken. I love the suspense and shock. I didn't get my suspense or shock! SO yeah....and dont even get me started on the so called romance in this book. It was just..it was a wreck. I just...it didn't have much feelings or passion or energy behind it. Although the romance may have sizzled kinda, it fizzled more so. It either was too slow of a burn, or just sudden and abrupt at a weird time. And seriously, Mia says she values her brain and knowledge and wants to know everything and have all the answers, yet she continually just...UGH. Quin, the like interest, was pretty alright. Though his character development was kinda weird. First he is presented as the ice prince, then he is..well, not. He apparently has all these talents and likes and preferences that just abruptly led him o be a good woodsman and led him to want out of his gilded cage. They both wanted a different life, both wanted freedom. So yeah...One of my fav characters in this book, wasnt even a main one, lol. I loved dom. i don't know why. I just did. he just seemed chill and would be fun to hang with. I had to give him a shoutout. Alright, i think I prattled on long enough. Remember, this is all my opinion, if you want your own read the book. Till next time. bye
"the people you love are the ones who hurt you the most"
Hey guys, I finished Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton. This book...it was so so promising. I mean the premise was just, so full of life. Then once you actually read it, that life gets drained away little by little. I mean, the book overall was probably alright. The story itself, was alright in different parts and stages of the book. But it didn't ever really settle into a good flow of awesomeness for a long period of time. it had its ebbs and flows of greatness, just like a river. At times it was alright, at times..i wanted to turn the page just to get it over with faster. DOnt get me wrong, I didn't dislike this book. It had its good parts, like a few of the characters and the concept, culture, magic, and myth. I did like how there was a culture of strong, suitable, women who found the power in themselves to defeat those who belittle them as weak. I like the magic in this book, and the different tales and takes on it. I also like the inner turmoil of the main character as she struggles with certain issues in her life. It was relatable how she behaved when her whole life seemed to be falling apart. Everything she thought she knew was blown into splintered. It would make sense that she would try to cling to something familiar, and to her familiar was science, explanations, reasons, logic. TO make sense of everything even when it couldn't, shouldn't really. ANd in that manner, i didn't like the character, when she relied too heavily on old ways when she knew she shouldn't. Iget that she was torn over everything, but there was legit proof as to why you should adapt and thrive, not wither and die. It was certainly a battle between her brain and her heart. Logic versus intuition. For apparently, they are certainly not the same. There was also anothe battle raging in this book, the battle between love and hate. When in reality, turns out the two are more similar than they are different. They are the different side of the same coin. BOth are fueled with passion. Sometimes that passion is used for good things, sometimes it isn't. SO yeah, that was kinda interesting to see how that battled came to fruition. HOwever, i didnt really like the writing. I first I thought it was alright. I hoped it was just going to get better into the novel. But..the descriptiveness and the writing just became..boring and shallow. I felt like this most certainly during the travel scenes. It felt like they dragged on FOREVER. There was nothing to bring sustenance to these scenes either. The conversations tried to fill that much needed spark, but they fell flat. The travel scenes just felt like they were just going to keep journeying, never reaching their destination. And the journey wasnt all that good to make the destination less important. Oy. So yeah, i didn't like the travel scenes. And that's where the book lost me for a good chunk of time. I just got so bored and disinterested, i merely skimmed the book with little hope. I had no feelings for the character and no care how this was going to play out. I didn't even try to guess how it would, since this book veered heavily away from my expectations. But little snippets caught my attention and kept me mildy engaged, trudging along. But even then, i only liked a few things, not a lot of things. But those small things were heavy enough to keep me tied down to this novel. The end was bitter sweet. It was mildly shocking, for no one could have guessed the perp of all the mayhem. But at the same time, it was so random no one could have guessed it. It was just way too random, like it was just carelessly put in the book. Like the author was tthinking, "oh yeah, that sounds alright" and flings the deception in there. It certainly was deception, but it wasn't good deception. The rant that explained such things kinda helped justify it somewhat, but it didn't really do much in the way of completing making sense of it. in my opinion, nothing could make sense of it because it just didnt make sense. And half of the revelations were not well spun into the book. Most of them were just randomly and casually tossed in there. It ruined the aura of mystery, to have them just be so plain like that. There was no build up, no suspense to be broken. I love the suspense and shock. I didn't get my suspense or shock! SO yeah....and dont even get me started on the so called romance in this book. It was just..it was a wreck. I just...it didn't have much feelings or passion or energy behind it. Although the romance may have sizzled kinda, it fizzled more so. It either was too slow of a burn, or just sudden and abrupt at a weird time. And seriously, Mia says she values her brain and knowledge and wants to know everything and have all the answers, yet she continually just...UGH. Quin, the like interest, was pretty alright. Though his character development was kinda weird. First he is presented as the ice prince, then he is..well, not. He apparently has all these talents and likes and preferences that just abruptly led him o be a good woodsman and led him to want out of his gilded cage. They both wanted a different life, both wanted freedom. So yeah...One of my fav characters in this book, wasnt even a main one, lol. I loved dom. i don't know why. I just did. he just seemed chill and would be fun to hang with. I had to give him a shoutout. Alright, i think I prattled on long enough. Remember, this is all my opinion, if you want your own read the book. Till next time. bye
amybraunauthor's review
4.0
This book was great! Way more than I was expecting, even though I don't think it was perfect. I completely loved the idea of this particular magic, goddesses, various kingdoms, complicated characters, and elegant writing. It was definitely a darker story, with main heroine Mia being more conflicted than not. She might have complained a few times, but I sympathized with her. She's definitely emotional, but that made her compelling to me. Quin grew on me the more I read about him, and Dom is just ten kinds of fun. The story had me totally hooked, but I feel like it faltered a bit at the end. I'm not saying the ending is bad––it's full of crazy betrayals, reveals regarding Mia's past, and a shocking ending that has me dying for the next book. But I felt it was a little rushed and the big twist was almost so out of the blue that I had a hard time believing it. All this said, I really did enjoy this romantic, emotion heavy book, and will happily be continuing whenever the next book is released!
biancagraey's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
silly_goosie's review against another edition
4.0
I need book two now!
A story with a unique magic system, a slow-burning romance, nice prose, bisexual/gay rep, and a fast-paced plot? Sign me up! This book truly didn't have any boring bits.
I was kinda hoping the book would be a bit more dark and gritty, but still, the prose didn't disappoint.
A story with a unique magic system, a slow-burning romance, nice prose, bisexual/gay rep, and a fast-paced plot? Sign me up! This book truly didn't have any boring bits.
I was kinda hoping the book would be a bit more dark and gritty, but still, the prose didn't disappoint.