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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
4.75⭐️ for the vibes and the hold this series and its characters have on me. Would be 3⭐️ for execution.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Yes
I'm in the minority of all the issues people seem to be having with this book, personally I loved it!
I know a ton of people are upset with this author and how some things went down but she's only human! A human who writes masterpieces (in my opinion) and while this book felt slower I still appreciated and enjoyed it. It did take me a while to read because I'm at that point of the year where I just don't want to read (or do anything else, really) but my mind was always on this.
Most people gripe over the fact that Soren didn't grovel enough but Rooke already knew her fate and was always willing to fulfill it. I would have liked him to grovel more as well but I get it! Rooke is a forgiving person and will put everything before herself. It's the way she is so she didn't expect anything more from him. She has bigger fish to fry after all.
This book is heavily character building and relationship building and I think it was 100% necessary going into the last book. We needed to see who Soren could be for Rooke and how they could build into a friendship. There are still secrets being kept and some of them are a doozy, too.
While this book was chunky, there wasn't a ton that was truly happening. I felt like the end is where it all happened. At one point, I was confused too, like where did this character even come from!?
That ending though... has me all twisted up.
I know a ton of people are upset with this author and how some things went down but she's only human! A human who writes masterpieces (in my opinion) and while this book felt slower I still appreciated and enjoyed it. It did take me a while to read because I'm at that point of the year where I just don't want to read (or do anything else, really) but my mind was always on this.
Most people gripe over the fact that Soren didn't grovel enough but Rooke already knew her fate and was always willing to fulfill it. I would have liked him to grovel more as well but I get it! Rooke is a forgiving person and will put everything before herself. It's the way she is so she didn't expect anything more from him. She has bigger fish to fry after all.
This book is heavily character building and relationship building and I think it was 100% necessary going into the last book. We needed to see who Soren could be for Rooke and how they could build into a friendship. There are still secrets being kept and some of them are a doozy, too.
While this book was chunky, there wasn't a ton that was truly happening. I felt like the end is where it all happened. At one point, I was confused too, like where did this character even come from!?
That ending though... has me all twisted up.
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Oh God My Heart Is Breaking
I knew It! I freaking knew it! But those last few revelations aren’t any easier. I’m crying here!
This story is engrossing it just captures your attention and holds it captive. My only complaint is that it clearly needs another editor and proofreader. I’m not sure why those steps were skipped, but even with that this book still keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you cry.
🌶️ (one explicit intimate scene that’s fairly brief)
Lots of bloody action
This is a fantasy romance that’s heavy on the fantasy and lite on the romance.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
I want to start this review by saying J Bree is one of my all time favorite authors. I drove 9 hours just to meet her at this books "not release party" and this was my most anticipated releases this year. Crowns of Oaths and Curses and the two novellas were some of my favorite books last year.
Now to why I did not like TOHAB.
1. Lack of background/explanation of characters. There were a ton of characters that were thrown into the book without any background of them. I felt bombarded with new names and people and found it extremely hard to read about them without ever hearing of them before and then they just weren’t mentioned again.
2. One character is talked about in present tense often as if they are alive and well…then out of nowhere they are dead? This felt like it was a thought that she had and it wasn’t supposed to be in the book (or at least not this book) and it got submitted anyways. I could get behind this is there was foreshadowing leading up to the big reveal.
3. Rooke's character started as an independent, strong willed, powerful witch…but as soon as Soren comes to terms with their fate she becomes a damsel. She was still very powerful however she seemed to diminish after that. Now I know everyone won’t interpret her character that way however that’s how I felt when we got to part 2. This is not to say that I don't love Rooke anymore. She's been one of my favorite FMC (other than OLI) that J has written.
4. All the errors in the book made it extremely difficult to stay focused. I kept having to re read lines to figure out what was trying to be said.
5. Some scenes were so poorly written I couldn’t even picture what was happening. The entire chapter at the end was such a clusterf*** of information that I was confused the entire time. Names being thrown in that I didn’t recognize and actions not clearly explained made it to seem like I was just standing in the woods and everything was bloody. (I’m normally great at picturing things in my head).
6. Now groveling isn’t a big deal but I do feel like Soren could have groveled a tiny bit. He repented too little and snarled at everyone for looking at Rooke too much. And she's like...I get why you're mad and treated me like shit...but that's okay because the Fates are telling me to marry you.
7. I just feel like there was a ton of filler and traveling that took away from the issues that the characters were trying to solve. I'm more than positive that we spent majority of the book traveling from one place to another rather than actually breaking down the plot.
8. JBree stated when I went to the “not release party" that Hanede would be someone who puts Soren in his place throughout this book. She also said that he gets humbled by Hanede a lot. However the only time he was in the book was at the very end. Which leads me to believe that this book wasn’t ready.
I love love loved the first book and I’m normally not one who likes to pick apart a book. I mostly just rate books on my feelings because I don’t think my mind can really compute issues like plots holes and stuff that well. But this just felt unfinished and rushed. As if she didn’t actually have the book ready to be out in the world just yet. I was frustrated with the delays and lack of communication but if she came out and said “I don’t have this book ready and will have to delay release.” I would have waited another 6 months for the book that I know she’s capable of writing. Since the paperback hasn't been released I am crossing my fingers that she's going through edits and we will get this baby cleaned up and brought to its full glory. However if this is the final work than I probably won't finish this series.
Now to why I did not like TOHAB.
1. Lack of background/explanation of characters. There were a ton of characters that were thrown into the book without any background of them. I felt bombarded with new names and people and found it extremely hard to read about them without ever hearing of them before and then they just weren’t mentioned again.
2. One character is talked about in present tense often as if they are alive and well…then out of nowhere they are dead? This felt like it was a thought that she had and it wasn’t supposed to be in the book (or at least not this book) and it got submitted anyways. I could get behind this is there was foreshadowing leading up to the big reveal.
3. Rooke's character started as an independent, strong willed, powerful witch…but as soon as Soren comes to terms with their fate she becomes a damsel. She was still very powerful however she seemed to diminish after that. Now I know everyone won’t interpret her character that way however that’s how I felt when we got to part 2. This is not to say that I don't love Rooke anymore. She's been one of my favorite FMC (other than OLI) that J has written.
4. All the errors in the book made it extremely difficult to stay focused. I kept having to re read lines to figure out what was trying to be said.
5. Some scenes were so poorly written I couldn’t even picture what was happening. The entire chapter at the end was such a clusterf*** of information that I was confused the entire time. Names being thrown in that I didn’t recognize and actions not clearly explained made it to seem like I was just standing in the woods and everything was bloody. (I’m normally great at picturing things in my head).
6. Now groveling isn’t a big deal but I do feel like Soren could have groveled a tiny bit. He repented too little and snarled at everyone for looking at Rooke too much. And she's like...I get why you're mad and treated me like shit...but that's okay because the Fates are telling me to marry you.
7. I just feel like there was a ton of filler and traveling that took away from the issues that the characters were trying to solve. I'm more than positive that we spent majority of the book traveling from one place to another rather than actually breaking down the plot.
8. JBree stated when I went to the “not release party" that Hanede would be someone who puts Soren in his place throughout this book. She also said that he gets humbled by Hanede a lot. However the only time he was in the book was at the very end. Which leads me to believe that this book wasn’t ready.
I love love loved the first book and I’m normally not one who likes to pick apart a book. I mostly just rate books on my feelings because I don’t think my mind can really compute issues like plots holes and stuff that well. But this just felt unfinished and rushed. As if she didn’t actually have the book ready to be out in the world just yet. I was frustrated with the delays and lack of communication but if she came out and said “I don’t have this book ready and will have to delay release.” I would have waited another 6 months for the book that I know she’s capable of writing. Since the paperback hasn't been released I am crossing my fingers that she's going through edits and we will get this baby cleaned up and brought to its full glory. However if this is the final work than I probably won't finish this series.
I have no idea how to feel about this book yet. The drama with the release was beyond frustrating.
This book needed another edit. I enjoy the characters and the world and I’m intrigued to see where things head. I do think this series as a whole could be amazing with the right editor/ publisher.
With a good structural edit and copy edit this book could be improved dramatically. Hopefully the author and their team will take some time to either rework this book, or at least take the time to really polish the next book in the series and make sure it is completely ready before releasing it.
This book needed another edit. I enjoy the characters and the world and I’m intrigued to see where things head. I do think this series as a whole could be amazing with the right editor/ publisher.
With a good structural edit and copy edit this book could be improved dramatically. Hopefully the author and their team will take some time to either rework this book, or at least take the time to really polish the next book in the series and make sure it is completely ready before releasing it.