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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
DNF at 57%. I tried so hard to read this book. Once I got to page 50, I told myself, "it should get better now." It never did. The whole book is so bland and plain I would quite literally rather watch paint dry. Every sentence is empty, every interaction is lackluster, and the romance is just horrible. The fact that the second Kiara saw Jude and they instantly fell in love? Absolutely ridiculous and very unnatural. It felt so forced. All of their kiss scenes were so unwarranted too, the LAST thing I was expecting, not to mention extremely unprofessional-it was icky. I just felt really uncomfortable while reading this book and it was just a whole bunch of nothing. I barely remembered Kiara's name while writing this and tbh I have no clue who all of the random guys she's friends with names are.
1.5 stars. OBJECTIVELY BAD.
1.5 stars. OBJECTIVELY BAD.
I just didn’t like the writing style or the characters
3.5 stars from me
Alright, buckle up for 'To Kill a Shadow,' where we're thrust into a world that's as vibrant as it is grey, complete with lore snippets at the beginning of each chapter – a little seasoning for the narrative, if you will.
Now, let's dive into the juicy bits:
Our dynamic duo – Jude and Kiara. Kiara's not your typical damsel; she's a force to be reckoned with, handling her own mess without breaking a sweat. Then there's Jude, the morally grey knight in not-so-shiny armor. Refreshing, right? What's even better is that Kiara's rocking the same morally grey vibe, making them a pair worth rooting for. Their commitment to their principles adds some much-needed authenticity. Kiara's got sass for days, perfectly playing off Jude's dark and brooding vibe. It's the kind of dynamic I usually eat up with a spoon.
But, here's the tea on what didn't quite hit the spot:
The world-building had promise, but it felt like we were teased more than satisfied. Gods strolling around casually? Count me in, but I need more deets. Now, onto the romance – Jude didn't just catch feelings faster than I eat a bag of chips; he eyed that bag of chips on my grocery list and was hooked. Bit odd for a dark, brooding assassin, don't you think? A little more brooding from his perspective might've balanced things out.
And seriously, spill the tea on the Mist, the light loss, and the gods! I'm starving for details on those monsters – who, what, when, where, and why? Plus, the plot twist with the god who went from conspirator to helping out our mains? Cue the eyebrow raise.
Now, here's the spoiler-filled dish:
Major kudos for throwing us a curveball with the bad guy twist – totally caught me off guard! Kiara's mystery injuries? Love it, adds a dash of spice. But those vampy, cannibalistic monsters in the mist? What's their deal? How do they survive when no one's entering the mist? And Patrick showing up with a god on speed dial?
Final take:
"To Kill a Shadow" stages a great show with some cool characters and classic tropes. Jude and Kiara bring the realness, even if Jude's love story hits turbo. The first chunk's alright, but the real party kicks off in those last chapters. When they decide to rescue their friends and face those mystery creatures, that's when it gets juicy. A fun ride with a sprinkle of darkness, laying the groundwork for what could be one epic series."
Alright, buckle up for 'To Kill a Shadow,' where we're thrust into a world that's as vibrant as it is grey, complete with lore snippets at the beginning of each chapter – a little seasoning for the narrative, if you will.
Now, let's dive into the juicy bits:
Our dynamic duo – Jude and Kiara. Kiara's not your typical damsel; she's a force to be reckoned with, handling her own mess without breaking a sweat. Then there's Jude, the morally grey knight in not-so-shiny armor. Refreshing, right? What's even better is that Kiara's rocking the same morally grey vibe, making them a pair worth rooting for. Their commitment to their principles adds some much-needed authenticity. Kiara's got sass for days, perfectly playing off Jude's dark and brooding vibe. It's the kind of dynamic I usually eat up with a spoon.
But, here's the tea on what didn't quite hit the spot:
The world-building had promise, but it felt like we were teased more than satisfied. Gods strolling around casually? Count me in, but I need more deets. Now, onto the romance – Jude didn't just catch feelings faster than I eat a bag of chips; he eyed that bag of chips on my grocery list and was hooked. Bit odd for a dark, brooding assassin, don't you think? A little more brooding from his perspective might've balanced things out.
And seriously, spill the tea on the Mist, the light loss, and the gods! I'm starving for details on those monsters – who, what, when, where, and why? Plus, the plot twist with the god who went from conspirator to helping out our mains? Cue the eyebrow raise.
Now, here's the spoiler-filled dish:
Major kudos for throwing us a curveball with the bad guy twist – totally caught me off guard! Kiara's mystery injuries? Love it, adds a dash of spice. But those vampy, cannibalistic monsters in the mist? What's their deal? How do they survive when no one's entering the mist? And Patrick showing up with a god on speed dial?
Final take:
"To Kill a Shadow" stages a great show with some cool characters and classic tropes. Jude and Kiara bring the realness, even if Jude's love story hits turbo. The first chunk's alright, but the real party kicks off in those last chapters. When they decide to rescue their friends and face those mystery creatures, that's when it gets juicy. A fun ride with a sprinkle of darkness, laying the groundwork for what could be one epic series."
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To Kill A Shadow, gave me some Mulan vides with Kiara being a woman in the man's army and out fighting the men and holding her own. Also gave me some Shadow and Bone vibes by having to fight an unknown darkness full of strange demons. I really liked Kiara and Jude's interactions and I liked the kind of found family Kiara had with some of the other recruits. The little bits of notes at the start of the chapters were interesting. I would have like seen a little more world building in the beginning. Maybe a little more interaction between Kiara and her bother and how they were really each others only friend, then I could have felt it more when she took his place in the calling. Things started very quick then felt a kind of slow in the middle as they wonder the darkness and then the end picked back up. Going into this book I was hoping it was a standalone this definitely feels like only part of the story and I'm very interested to see what happens next. How the story progresses might determine how I rate this part.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
This book was truly mysterious and I loved it! I really thought I had figured out who certain bad characters were, but could not have been more wrong. The imagery of the writing was perfectly done to describe The Mist and I really enjoyed watching the relationships between the different characters grow.
The start of this book felt so much like Fourth Wing for me. I mean the male main character is broody, in a position of leadership, and has a scar over one eye. The female main character has experienced some form of a handicap all her life (resulting in her gloved hands) and ultimately had not prepared for or chosen the path she was on by her own decision. Despite this feeling of being a very similar story to FW at the beginning, it all changed when they started their mission.
I liked this book a lot. I really developed a connection with the characters and I desperately want to know what happens next! I was not expecting Jude to have the role that he did in the end of the book, but I thought it was a really good twist. I can only imagine how things will go in the next book plotted for this series!
The start of this book felt so much like Fourth Wing for me. I mean the male main character is broody, in a position of leadership, and has a scar over one eye. The female main character has experienced some form of a handicap all her life (resulting in her gloved hands) and ultimately had not prepared for or chosen the path she was on by her own decision. Despite this feeling of being a very similar story to FW at the beginning, it all changed when they started their mission.
I liked this book a lot. I really developed a connection with the characters and I desperately want to know what happens next! I was not expecting Jude to have the role that he did in the end of the book, but I thought it was a really good twist. I can only imagine how things will go in the next book plotted for this series!
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Exited to read the second book. Entertaining.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First and foremost, Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an Advanced Readers copy of this book to read and review.
All comments are my own.
I genuinely really enjoyed this book.
I'll be honest, it took some effort on my part to get fully into the story but it's mostly because I struggle to not get annoyed when the FMC is stubborn/childish, howeverrrrr, it's definitely worth it to keep reading and I'm really glad I did.
I adored the worldbuilding in this book. It sometimes will feel like there is too much information being given, but Katherin Quiin is a genius so, trust the process.
There were some unexpected plot twists which is a plus for any book. I looove being caught off guard or proven wrong about the villain, and it's not easy to do, so kudos.
The slow burn between Jude and Kiara was amazing, despite the whiplash...
P.S.: If you like a character - 80% chance they will die, so avoid getting too attached
All comments are my own.
I genuinely really enjoyed this book.
I'll be honest, it took some effort on my part to get fully into the story but it's mostly because I struggle to not get annoyed when the FMC is stubborn/childish, howeverrrrr, it's definitely worth it to keep reading and I'm really glad I did.
I adored the worldbuilding in this book. It sometimes will feel like there is too much information being given, but Katherin Quiin is a genius so, trust the process.
There were some unexpected plot twists which is a plus for any book. I looove being caught off guard or proven wrong about the villain, and it's not easy to do, so kudos.
The slow burn between Jude and Kiara was amazing, despite the whiplash...
P.S.: If you like a character - 80% chance they will die, so avoid getting too attached