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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
The story itself was not bad, I liked the way the retelling aspect was implemented in the book, but I was so annoyed by two of our main characters and the plot was often very obvious to me. Also, the romance was so annoying and took up so much unnecessary space ughh I couldn't stand it and it is so obvious from page 1 tho I don't understand why the characters even fell in love and how fast it turned into "OMG I love you so much I would die for you"... OF COURSE. This was definitely the weakest book in the Ravenspire series.
This whole series was FUN.
Each of the four books takes a fairy tale/story we all know and whips it into something totally new. You never reach a point where you think, "and blah blah blah happens yeah I know this story" because it's not even the skeleton of the tales that she builds on; she plucks familiar bones from those tales, lines them up in a different order, and surrounds them with fresh meat that builds a new beast.
Every story has a struggle, a darkness, a romance, and a tie-in to the other places in this world she build for all the books to take place in.
I'd say that #4 is the darkest/goriest, but even that one I'd let a 7th/8th grader read. These books are solid for teens, but some middle schoolers would genuinely enjoy them.
Each of the four books takes a fairy tale/story we all know and whips it into something totally new. You never reach a point where you think, "and blah blah blah happens yeah I know this story" because it's not even the skeleton of the tales that she builds on; she plucks familiar bones from those tales, lines them up in a different order, and surrounds them with fresh meat that builds a new beast.
Every story has a struggle, a darkness, a romance, and a tie-in to the other places in this world she build for all the books to take place in.
I'd say that #4 is the darkest/goriest, but even that one I'd let a 7th/8th grader read. These books are solid for teens, but some middle schoolers would genuinely enjoy them.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this literally devoured like marielle did with those children I'm so serious THIS should be the book making its rounds on fantasy booktok because it was literally so good. if you're one who prioritizes romance above all, this book does have an enemies-to-lovers plotline but it's more like childhood rivals to friends to forbidden-ish lovers and man is it delicious. it was also pretty low-key, which i loved and i usually don't like the male love interests but i actually really liked kellen because he felt really real and human to me and not just an extension of blue.
but what really what was at the forefront was the relationships blue had with the people around her, such as kellen, nessa, her grandmother, and dinah. the magic was so fun and interesting, really taking nature magic to new and interesting heights rather than just like... the stray potion you might find in other fantasy books.
i keep seeing others call his book cosy and I'm like WHERE!??! like yeah there's nice descriptions of blue and her magic, which uses plants and such but this book was such a trip of surprising gore and sudden deaths (note: plural), talking especially about grief, survivor's guilt, and ptsd. i wouldn't really use "cosy" to describe the book and would rather describe it as actually more dark than i expected.
overall, i had a lot of fun with the book, although it can be a bit slow at some parts and also really got fast-paced almost out of nowhere at the end, especially with the sudden revelations but it was such a fun ride with realistic characters.
(forgive me if the names were misspelled, i listened to the audiobook)
but what really what was at the forefront was the relationships blue had with the people around her, such as kellen, nessa, her grandmother, and dinah. the magic was so fun and interesting, really taking nature magic to new and interesting heights rather than just like... the stray potion you might find in other fantasy books.
i keep seeing others call his book cosy and I'm like WHERE!??! like yeah there's nice descriptions of blue and her magic, which uses plants and such but this book was such a trip of surprising gore and sudden deaths (note: plural), talking especially about grief, survivor's guilt, and ptsd. i wouldn't really use "cosy" to describe the book and would rather describe it as actually more dark than i expected.
overall, i had a lot of fun with the book, although it can be a bit slow at some parts and also really got fast-paced almost out of nowhere at the end, especially with the sudden revelations but it was such a fun ride with realistic characters.
(forgive me if the names were misspelled, i listened to the audiobook)
A Cinderella retelling mixed with alchemy, magic, and fae.
I loved how every characters have indeed "character". Each of them have desires, fear and pasts that would make the readers feel sympathetic for them, especially when it was emphasized how Blue's Papa was important to her that it made me think how would she return to her life without him.
In every chapter, it kept me reading for more for there wasn't a single moment that it bore me to death. I also loved the banter between Blue and Kellan, but I wished that their slow burn romance started later, as I felt like it happened sooner and I wasn't ready for it though. The ending also felt a little too fast-paced, but overall, I loved this book and every character in it.
It was a read full of laughter, suspense, and tears, and I enjoyed every second of it.
I loved how every characters have indeed "character". Each of them have desires, fear and pasts that would make the readers feel sympathetic for them, especially when it was emphasized how Blue's Papa was important to her that it made me think how would she return to her life without him.
In every chapter, it kept me reading for more for there wasn't a single moment that it bore me to death. I also loved the banter between Blue and Kellan, but I wished that their slow burn romance started later, as I felt like it happened sooner and I wasn't ready for it though. The ending also felt a little too fast-paced, but overall, I loved this book and every character in it.
It was a read full of laughter, suspense, and tears, and I enjoyed every second of it.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Words almost just can’t describe just how perfect The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine was. I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book. I had put it down back in February even though I was looking for another brilliant read like A Curse So Dark and Lonely.
I just loved every aspect of this story.
It had enemies to lovers. I just seem to be on the roll with this trope lately. My heart is just sooooooo content right now. Gah. *enter big cheesy smile here* There was also forbidden romance. This is also another one of my most favorite tropes ever.
The characters were just awesome…. I really liked Kellan and Blue, though I wasn’t sure about Blue at first. I think that was why I put the book down at first, but I honestly don’t know why. And we had some character diversity in here with Nessa being deaf and she only knew sign language. I can always appreciate this plot in stories also.
All of the Cinderella aspects were SUPER well done in this fantasy realm. It wasn’t all at once, it still held it’s own story even though it was a retelling. But I still smiled when each element was met. It just all flowed really nicely.
And I know I have mentioned this in other reviews, but I really just love it when enemies just become friends and they start to understand each other a bit better. And then someone bends unexpectedly….. (like that Tale as old as time song.
I just loved every aspect of this story.
It had enemies to lovers. I just seem to be on the roll with this trope lately. My heart is just sooooooo content right now. Gah. *enter big cheesy smile here* There was also forbidden romance. This is also another one of my most favorite tropes ever.
The characters were just awesome…. I really liked Kellan and Blue, though I wasn’t sure about Blue at first. I think that was why I put the book down at first, but I honestly don’t know why. And we had some character diversity in here with Nessa being deaf and she only knew sign language. I can always appreciate this plot in stories also.
All of the Cinderella aspects were SUPER well done in this fantasy realm. It wasn’t all at once, it still held it’s own story even though it was a retelling. But I still smiled when each element was met. It just all flowed really nicely.
And I know I have mentioned this in other reviews, but I really just love it when enemies just become friends and they start to understand each other a bit better. And then someone bends unexpectedly….. (like that Tale as old as time song.
adventurous
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
I was never a fan of Cinderella. But Blue.... I love!!!!
Read more reviews on my blog.
Who doesn't like a good Cinderella story? Mind you, I've never been a fan of the original - atleast as far as Cinderella's character goes - which is why I particularly enjoy retellings of this classic fairytale.
The fourth book in the Ravenspire series is set in the coastal kingdom of Balavata and focuses on Prince Kellan (whom we know as Prince Javan's best friend from The Traitor Prince) as he returns home from years of schooling and prepares to take up his royal responsibilities. And the first of those is choosing a bride from one of Balavata's nine noble families - easier said than done when most of them are willing to go to any lengths for a chance at the throne. Enter Bernadina "Blue" De La Cour, childhood rival of the prince and close family friend to the royals. Blue and her father are alchemists, but Blue longs to do more, and has made it her life's goal to figure out how to transmute metal into gold to help the homeless children of Falaise de la Mer. Her experiments must be conducted in high secrecy though, as magic is forbidden in Balavata after the actions of an evil witch. Everything goes wrong one day as Blue's father is murdered and shortly after, a cruel and powerful noblewoman claims guardianship of Blue and all her property, determined to use Blue's abilities to save her family from financial ruin. But an old evil is awakening, children are disappearing from the streets, and someone is determined to unleash a terrible monster that has been chained for many years upon the kingdom once more - and the first in line to go will be the royal family.
Blue is a wonderful character, kind and generous, but no naive pushover. Far more likeable than Cinderella, Blue is willing to stand up and fight for what she believes in, whether it be helping the city's homeless children or tattling on Prince Kellan's antics to keep him safe. The development of Blue and Kellan's friendship is amazing and it develops into a beautiful, if a little clichéd, romance (it is a fairytale after all). Combined with the thrilling adventure which takes centre stage as the story progresses, it makes for quite the Cinderella tale. I particularly loved how the most beloved elements of the story: the fairy godmother, the magical ball gown, the transformed carriage, and most of all the glass slipper were not missed out, but woven into the narrative despite the unique take on the tale. This is also one of those very few retellings where we spend some time inside the head of the villain, the "stepmother". This added perspective definitely increases the tension as we wonder what will befall Blue next.
Kellan's character in comparison was nothing so surprising, but a strong one all the same. After the portrayal of him in The Traitor Prince, it's quite the change seeing his side of things - the boy weighed down with responsibilities and memories of the past. Dinah's POV was an excellent touch, but I do feel that there was perhaps a little too much insight into her as the villain, almost building sympathy at some points in the story which is not something I really like in retellings. These villains are meant to be disliked! There isn't much else I can criticize in this book apart from the fact that everything felt very rushed towards the end and it greatly lessened the impact since I had to go back and reread to figure out exactly what had just happened.
As always, I loved the subtle links to the other novels in the series - these easter eggs are always so much fun to spot! It's a great way of reminding the readers of events in previous books while still keeping each book as a standalone. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and with such a diverse cast and gripping storyline, it was definitely one of the more original retellings I've come across!
Who doesn't like a good Cinderella story? Mind you, I've never been a fan of the original - atleast as far as Cinderella's character goes - which is why I particularly enjoy retellings of this classic fairytale.
The fourth book in the Ravenspire series is set in the coastal kingdom of Balavata and focuses on Prince Kellan (whom we know as Prince Javan's best friend from The Traitor Prince) as he returns home from years of schooling and prepares to take up his royal responsibilities. And the first of those is choosing a bride from one of Balavata's nine noble families - easier said than done when most of them are willing to go to any lengths for a chance at the throne. Enter Bernadina "Blue" De La Cour, childhood rival of the prince and close family friend to the royals. Blue and her father are alchemists, but Blue longs to do more, and has made it her life's goal to figure out how to transmute metal into gold to help the homeless children of Falaise de la Mer. Her experiments must be conducted in high secrecy though, as magic is forbidden in Balavata after the actions of an evil witch. Everything goes wrong one day as Blue's father is murdered and shortly after, a cruel and powerful noblewoman claims guardianship of Blue and all her property, determined to use Blue's abilities to save her family from financial ruin. But an old evil is awakening, children are disappearing from the streets, and someone is determined to unleash a terrible monster that has been chained for many years upon the kingdom once more - and the first in line to go will be the royal family.
Blue is a wonderful character, kind and generous, but no naive pushover. Far more likeable than Cinderella, Blue is willing to stand up and fight for what she believes in, whether it be helping the city's homeless children or tattling on Prince Kellan's antics to keep him safe. The development of Blue and Kellan's friendship is amazing and it develops into a beautiful, if a little clichéd, romance (it is a fairytale after all). Combined with the thrilling adventure which takes centre stage as the story progresses, it makes for quite the Cinderella tale. I particularly loved how the most beloved elements of the story: the fairy godmother, the magical ball gown, the transformed carriage, and most of all the glass slipper were not missed out, but woven into the narrative despite the unique take on the tale. This is also one of those very few retellings where we spend some time inside the head of the villain, the "stepmother". This added perspective definitely increases the tension as we wonder what will befall Blue next.
Kellan's character in comparison was nothing so surprising, but a strong one all the same. After the portrayal of him in The Traitor Prince, it's quite the change seeing his side of things - the boy weighed down with responsibilities and memories of the past. Dinah's POV was an excellent touch, but I do feel that there was perhaps a little too much insight into her as the villain, almost building sympathy at some points in the story which is not something I really like in retellings. These villains are meant to be disliked! There isn't much else I can criticize in this book apart from the fact that everything felt very rushed towards the end and it greatly lessened the impact since I had to go back and reread to figure out exactly what had just happened.
As always, I loved the subtle links to the other novels in the series - these easter eggs are always so much fun to spot! It's a great way of reminding the readers of events in previous books while still keeping each book as a standalone. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and with such a diverse cast and gripping storyline, it was definitely one of the more original retellings I've come across!