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joromney's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kj0517's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? No
5.0
The story is mainly based on the political maneuverings of a war torn kingdom with a secondary focus in romance. It’s the first book I’ve read that portrait a mixed raced main character with dark skinned people playing holding the role of the majority. It is reflects on the oppression of woman and their strength to overcome the various challenges that rule such a corrupt system.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, War, and Violence
allthestories08's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
4.75
stephlovaofbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.75
grcml's review against another edition
I keep picturing the MC as King Jeoffery and I cannot get it out of my head. I will def revisit this series so that the strong FCs can carry me to the end.
bellahm16's review against another edition
4.25
i’ve never read a book and cried tears of satisfaction at the end, but i did for this! i didn’t find the ending super sad or distressing, but it wasn’t exactly happy/warm and fuzzy either. it just felt right, and that made me cry idk.
i love almira, i love alton and how devoted he is to her, i am so so so attached to the red guard and i cannot WAIT to read book 2 and also the remaining books in the series (looks like there will be 5 total with books dedicated to each RG member).
i thought the daddy issues in this book would be more painful than they were/i was expecting to feel crushed by his betrayal, but i wasn’t and for that i took some points off
i love almira, i love alton and how devoted he is to her, i am so so so attached to the red guard and i cannot WAIT to read book 2 and also the remaining books in the series (looks like there will be 5 total with books dedicated to each RG member).
taylerreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
storytimewithlily's review against another edition
2.75
It wasn't bad per se, but it definitely wasn't for me.
thelibraryofklee's review
5.0
“… I ruined you. Raised you as a son and now you speak like a king.”
…”Perhaps we shouldn’t attribute certain characteristics to men and women. We should allow each person to decide how they’d like to speak. Then we wouldn’t analyse what is proper.”
This book had me swooning at all these kick ass feminist quotes. Part high fantasy, part fem-lit, part good ole smut (with a whole heap of CW needed).
Almira is raised to be a Queen. At the death of her husband, she enters a bargain with a warring faction, which will put her at the helm next to an aggressive, complicated King. What she didn't bargain for was the treachery, the complexity of rulership, and the love in multiple places she would find along the way. Almira struggles with keeping the peace with enemies at her back, but with her warrior women, the Red Guard, at her side, I knew I was in for something good.
This would have to be one of the best indie authors I have read. The finesse of the story telling, the beautiful complexity of the language and editing, the characterisation and world-building - this truly has all the best parts of authorship on view. I loved it so much I immediately went on Kindle and brought the prequel novellas because I am so enamoured by the cast of characters, I must know more. Highly recommend, check this authors work out asap.
“Men will never be ready for women like us, and it is not our job to ready them.”
…”Perhaps we shouldn’t attribute certain characteristics to men and women. We should allow each person to decide how they’d like to speak. Then we wouldn’t analyse what is proper.”
This book had me swooning at all these kick ass feminist quotes. Part high fantasy, part fem-lit, part good ole smut (with a whole heap of CW needed).
Almira is raised to be a Queen. At the death of her husband, she enters a bargain with a warring faction, which will put her at the helm next to an aggressive, complicated King. What she didn't bargain for was the treachery, the complexity of rulership, and the love in multiple places she would find along the way. Almira struggles with keeping the peace with enemies at her back, but with her warrior women, the Red Guard, at her side, I knew I was in for something good.
This would have to be one of the best indie authors I have read. The finesse of the story telling, the beautiful complexity of the language and editing, the characterisation and world-building - this truly has all the best parts of authorship on view. I loved it so much I immediately went on Kindle and brought the prequel novellas because I am so enamoured by the cast of characters, I must know more. Highly recommend, check this authors work out asap.
“Men will never be ready for women like us, and it is not our job to ready them.”