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megnut's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide attempt
thebookandwineclub's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a hard book to review because I loved so much about the concept and the characters but I think it just got a bit lost in itself.
The world build is rather dense and whilst it focuses around creatures we often see in fantasy, the societal structure felt rather different, so there was a lot to learn.
And the main PoV is from a character with fragmented memories so I feel you spend a lot of the book as confused as her. I suspect it is a book that would completely click into place on a 2nd read.
✨🌙✨🌙
Premise:
Astraea can only remember the last 5 years of her life. And is trapped by a man who claims to be her protector, in a world riddled with vampires.
Every century, each land is allowed the chance to send a selected victor to the Libertatem, to complete a series of trials for safety from the vampires for 100 years.
And after a strange encounter with a mysterious man, Nyte, Astraea enters into a bargain with him, to help her escape her captivity, and leave with their land’s selected. But when things go wrong whilst travelling to the competition, Astraea finds herself having to enter the trails herself.
✨🌙✨🌙
Even summarising the book above was a challenge, because there’s so many different parts to it. But it’s definitely a fantastic concept and now so much more of the world is developed, I’m excited to see what happens in book 2.
And the dynamic between Astraea and Nyte was great. Nyte is kind of feral in his nature at times and has the filthiest mouth. And whilst Astraea finds his constant presence annoying at first, I love how he keeps prodding and aggravating her. Their dialogue and push/pull dynamic made the book for me. And there is a bit of spice in the last quarter of the book!
And I love a trail focused book and I liked how the trails really played into the competitors own mind, using their own thoughts against them.
And the general plot and bargain was great. Whilst I spent the first half of the book thinking I knew where this was all going, there’s a particular point (the first cave scene), that completely shocked me, and had me questioning so much more.
And also, the wider characters were fab! I loved the bonus chapter for Zath and Rose and wish we could have seen more of them in this book but suspect we will in the second. And I’m intrigued what happens next with Drystan.
Definitely keen to see what happens next, although there’s a lot of questions I have going into book 2. Plus I really hope we get to see more of their previous life but let’s see!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Grief
palmkd's review against another edition
3.0
A lot of this book feels like a fever dream, and I think that's intentional. There's a lot going on, but ultimately it didn't work so well for me despite really liking the world and most of the characters. I really wanted more from it. I think it showed a lot of potential, but ultimately didn't deliver and took a lot of pages to do so. It does end with a good hook and promise of more to come. My understanding is it's a duology so I will probably try to borrow book 2 at some point.
That being said... I have some extended thoughts about this one. I read it for a readalong which meant I spent some extra time reflecting on the book.
I'll start with what I thought worked.
The concept and characters were great and I really wanted to root for them in their own situations. I hated Astraea's cruel protector who we meet at the start and everything with him made me so uncomfortable I really struggled with the book. I think this might be a bit of a trigger for me, this level of controlling,. This mindset of: oh we know better than you, and know what's best for you and will just make decisions to keep you safe but... you don't get to know any truth. Okay personal rant aside, I think those were somewhat intended feelings/reactions, we're not supposed to like him, but it was a LOT of ick for me.
Nyte is a good complex character with lots of sides, and with Cassia it was so nice to see Astraea have an actual friend and some normalcy.
I liked the Liberatem and the world building. The vampires were intriguing with their different types and traits. The fae were a fun touch. The whole back story with the stars was interesting.
There are some lovely moments and quotes. Really a lot of good nuggets in here.
Unfortunately while solid characters and world building are to two must haves, there was a lot that really through me out of this book and lessened my enjoyment.
I think with some more editing and polishing this would have been such a strong story. If I'm not mistaken it was first self-published before getting picked up so I have to wonder why there wasn't more editing for the version I read, or what happened there. Wording of many sentences were clunky and awkward. I found the wrong word a couple times in a few spots. I know these things happen but it was at too high a rate.
The unreliable narrator is a trope that can be really hit or miss for me. I think it's part of why I struggled so much in the beginning of the story before her escape. Unfortunately that same feeling of dislike came back a few times, when things were especially confusing.
When books give you that fever dream/confusion/unreliable narrator bit, they're asking you to step out on a ledge with them. There needs to be some trust in something for me to feel secure with that and I didn't feel that with this story. I didn't feel invested or committed to go through this level of confusion, and the payoff unfortunately wasn't there in the end. I felt bad for Astraea but I cared a lot more for everyone else than her somehow.
All that being said, I do still think this is an OK read, thus the 3 star rating. I'm disappointed that it wasn't more because there was a lot of potential.
That's not to say this isn't a good story for someone else, but it was not the right read for me at this time, that's for sure.
That being said... I have some extended thoughts about this one. I read it for a readalong which meant I spent some extra time reflecting on the book.
I'll start with what I thought worked.
The concept and characters were great and I really wanted to root for them in their own situations. I hated Astraea's cruel protector who we meet at the start and everything with him made me so uncomfortable I really struggled with the book. I think this might be a bit of a trigger for me, this level of controlling,. This mindset of: oh we know better than you, and know what's best for you and will just make decisions to keep you safe but... you don't get to know any truth. Okay personal rant aside, I think those were somewhat intended feelings/reactions, we're not supposed to like him, but it was a LOT of ick for me.
Nyte is a good complex character with lots of sides, and with Cassia it was so nice to see Astraea have an actual friend and some normalcy.
I liked the Liberatem and the world building. The vampires were intriguing with their different types and traits. The fae were a fun touch. The whole back story with the stars was interesting.
There are some lovely moments and quotes. Really a lot of good nuggets in here.
Unfortunately while solid characters and world building are to two must haves, there was a lot that really through me out of this book and lessened my enjoyment.
I think with some more editing and polishing this would have been such a strong story. If I'm not mistaken it was first self-published before getting picked up so I have to wonder why there wasn't more editing for the version I read, or what happened there. Wording of many sentences were clunky and awkward. I found the wrong word a couple times in a few spots. I know these things happen but it was at too high a rate.
The unreliable narrator is a trope that can be really hit or miss for me. I think it's part of why I struggled so much in the beginning of the story before her escape. Unfortunately that same feeling of dislike came back a few times, when things were especially confusing.
When books give you that fever dream/confusion/unreliable narrator bit, they're asking you to step out on a ledge with them. There needs to be some trust in something for me to feel secure with that and I didn't feel that with this story. I didn't feel invested or committed to go through this level of confusion, and the payoff unfortunately wasn't there in the end. I felt bad for Astraea but I cared a lot more for everyone else than her somehow.
All that being said, I do still think this is an OK read, thus the 3 star rating. I'm disappointed that it wasn't more because there was a lot of potential.
That's not to say this isn't a good story for someone else, but it was not the right read for me at this time, that's for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Rape and Self harm
frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The amount that I love this book cannot be overstated. I think this book works so well because Astrea doesn’t have her memories. We get to learn along with her.
A few parts feel messy, but the book doesn’t lose anything for its messiness. In fact, I think I love it because I don’t know everything.
I hope to learn more in book 2.
A few parts feel messy, but the book doesn’t lose anything for its messiness. In fact, I think I love it because I don’t know everything.
I hope to learn more in book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Self harm
hiraethianlibrary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Astrae has been living the last five years under the thrall of her current lover. Her memories of the past are a haze just out of her grasp. Tragedy seems to follow her as she makes her way through an unforgiving world on the verge of war.
Part Romeo and Juliet, part Hunger Games, this romance has a bit of everything from civil discontent to starcrossed lovers. The themes approached are dark so do mind content. There are mentions of addiction and recovery, suicidal ideation, and abuse. That said, they were approached with care which was refreshing to read.
I wish I could give this 5 stars. I wish I could tip my hat to a great start to a trilogy, but Tor Publishing didn’t offer this rising star a proper editing team, and that is perhaps the most frustrating thing about reviewing this book.
Chloe C. Peñaranda offers rich world-building that is full of diverse and well-rounded characters. This immersive first act of a tale as old as time is filled with intrigue, social strife, and moral dilemmas. Astraea is relatable, unrelenting, and a gem. Her found family is complex and full of secrets ready to be unravelled. Her love interest is the villain of the story while remaining redeemable. It checks a lot of boxes for readers looking for their next dark romance, complete with a morally grey shadow daddy.
And can we talk about that cover for a minute? Combined with those sprayed edges, it’s a work of art worthy of becoming a book trophy to any collector/reader. I picked this book up because of it. I devoured and savoured it for days. I have zero regrets because it checks a lot of boxes for me.
The one thing her publisher should have to offer as part of the Big Five (MacMillan bought Tor forever ago) is a solid editing team. It felt like they failed to deliver. A good editor will praise where it is due and hone and develop skills as needed. The need to lean on “had” was a recurring issue that should have been caught and corrected. There were glaring typos, including a paragraph ending with “M.”. I hope that, for the following two books, a better eye for detail is brought on board.
#bookstagram #thestarsaredying #booklover #bookaddict #shelftrophybook #readersofinstagram #romance #darkromance #shadowdaddy #torbooks
I wish I could give this 5 stars. I wish I could tip my hat to a great start to a trilogy, but Tor Publishing didn’t offer this rising star a proper editing team, and that is perhaps the most frustrating thing about reviewing this book.
Chloe C. Peñaranda offers rich world-building that is full of diverse and well-rounded characters. This immersive first act of a tale as old as time is filled with intrigue, social strife, and moral dilemmas. Astraea is relatable, unrelenting, and a gem. Her found family is complex and full of secrets ready to be unravelled. Her love interest is the villain of the story while remaining redeemable. It checks a lot of boxes for readers looking for their next dark romance, complete with a morally grey shadow daddy.
And can we talk about that cover for a minute? Combined with those sprayed edges, it’s a work of art worthy of becoming a book trophy to any collector/reader. I picked this book up because of it. I devoured and savoured it for days. I have zero regrets because it checks a lot of boxes for me.
The one thing her publisher should have to offer as part of the Big Five (MacMillan bought Tor forever ago) is a solid editing team. It felt like they failed to deliver. A good editor will praise where it is due and hone and develop skills as needed. The need to lean on “had” was a recurring issue that should have been caught and corrected. There were glaring typos, including a paragraph ending with “M.”. I hope that, for the following two books, a better eye for detail is brought on board.
#bookstagram #thestarsaredying #booklover #bookaddict #shelftrophybook #readersofinstagram #romance #darkromance #shadowdaddy #torbooks
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief
stuffed_with_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
.5⭐️ for how pretty this book is-the cover is attractive and the art inside is well done.
.5⭐️ for a decent spice scene and content warnings. We love a consent king.
.5⭐️ for an interesting concept.
This book is bad. The stakes don't matter, you rarely find answers, and this badly needed an editor.
.5⭐️ for a decent spice scene and content warnings. We love a consent king.
.5⭐️ for an interesting concept.
This book is bad. The stakes don't matter, you rarely find answers, and this badly needed an editor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Emotional abuse and Torture
asims723's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I am so disappointed! I very nearly had to respectfully DNF this one. This book is long, slow, and filled with telling instead of showing.
Let's start with the good, the why I picked up this book: the cover and title are chef's kiss great. I was immediately sucked in based on that alone. I'm a romantasy girlie, so the presence of a Shadow Daddy is another big plus for me. The language the author uses to convey her story is interesting. I liked the names of characters, and they were distinct enough that I didn't get any of the handsome men around confused.
The reasons for the nearly DNF: the pacing is terribly slow. I really struggled with the repetition of ideas and dialogue that I think a better editor would have cut down. There was also a lot of telling and very questionable decisions on the part of the FMC (why even go back to the house you needed to sneak out of in the first place when you plan to leave again almost immediately?) The Shadow Daddy was not more than a voice in the FMC's mind for so much of this, and without an established relationship it just felt like a cheap connection and a little unhinged with her even questioning whether he was real over and over again. This book feels like I've read this story before. The magic system might be unique, but it was hard to tell with how little is explained except for infodump chapters toward the end.
Why I did finish: I was up all night sick, and it helped distract me from how I was feeling. To that end, I was ultimately not upset with how long it is.
If you loved A Court of Thorns and Roses (specifically the first book in the series), you will definitely enjoy this one.
The audiobook narrators were fine, though Corvin King was difficult to understand at times, especially in the beginning. Most of the book is first person pov, with Jacci Prior reading the majority of the text, and King reads the first chapter and all male dialogue. I found the gravelly nature of his voice pleasant but not always clear enough.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC.
Let's start with the good, the why I picked up this book: the cover and title are chef's kiss great. I was immediately sucked in based on that alone. I'm a romantasy girlie, so the presence of a Shadow Daddy is another big plus for me. The language the author uses to convey her story is interesting. I liked the names of characters, and they were distinct enough that I didn't get any of the handsome men around confused.
The reasons for the nearly DNF: the pacing is terribly slow. I really struggled with the repetition of ideas and dialogue that I think a better editor would have cut down. There was also a lot of telling and very questionable decisions on the part of the FMC (why even go back to the house you needed to sneak out of in the first place when you plan to leave again almost immediately?) The Shadow Daddy was not more than a voice in the FMC's mind for so much of this, and without an established relationship it just felt like a cheap connection and a little unhinged with her even questioning whether he was real over and over again. This book feels like I've read this story before. The magic system might be unique, but it was hard to tell with how little is explained except for infodump chapters toward the end.
Why I did finish: I was up all night sick, and it helped distract me from how I was feeling. To that end, I was ultimately not upset with how long it is.
If you loved A Court of Thorns and Roses (specifically the first book in the series), you will definitely enjoy this one.
The audiobook narrators were fine, though Corvin King was difficult to understand at times, especially in the beginning. Most of the book is first person pov, with Jacci Prior reading the majority of the text, and King reads the first chapter and all male dialogue. I found the gravelly nature of his voice pleasant but not always clear enough.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
jaijai230's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Self harm and Blood
cryosphinx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This had so much potential that I feel like the author didn't fully grasp at the beginning. The first half was meandering and oddly paced (and I caught some typos, ugh). It did finally find it's footing and the twist towards the end was fine and I do like call backs to puzzles, but it took half the book to get there. With editing, this book could have been 100 less pages and all the points could have gotten home all the same. The biggest bother was random one off paragraphs where Astraea would remember something about her past, trying to relate it to whatever was happening, and then would move on. There was no need and it kept happening.
I did enjoy Astraea and Nyte's banter though Astraea's motivations seemed off they she just accepted Nyte's tagging along without questioning anything and the whole first relationship was really confusing. She was TOO naive. They also didn't really "grow" and were the same in the beginning as the end. And Astraea gets ONE friend who does early on. We get a setup for a second on but clearly isn't as developed.
It seems like most of the care went into the physical art of the book, which is gorgeous. I'll probably read the next one because by the end I was definitely invested and the writing did improve, I just hope the next one is cleaner and we get some more character attention because I DO love the world and the magic concepts.
I did enjoy Astraea and Nyte's banter though Astraea's motivations seemed off they she just accepted Nyte's tagging along without questioning anything and the whole first relationship was really confusing. She was TOO naive. They also didn't really "grow" and were the same in the beginning as the end. And Astraea gets
It seems like most of the care went into the physical art of the book, which is gorgeous. I'll probably read the next one because by the end I was definitely invested and the writing did improve, I just hope the next one is cleaner and we get some more character attention because I DO love the world and the magic concepts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement and Drug use
Minor: War
cham721's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence