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steffysev's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
I don’t know if maybe the narrator of the audiobook version I listened to contributed to this, but I felt like it was a chore to get through. I read the OG fic which I really enjoyed, but I wish Guanzon made this more original and not so copy paste. The world building was also kind of confusing and very info-dumpy (at least listening to it was) and I just kept zoning out quite often. I think Thea Guanzon is a great writer and I’d love to see more original stories from her, I’m always going to keep a look out for her work!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
pandorica_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, War, and Colonisation
maregred's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Colonisation, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
tenderbench's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and War
Minor: Death of parent
jomjom's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, Cursing, Death, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
It was fine. The book is medium pace but feels slow paced (so it drags) and the enemies to lovers aspect could have been stronger in that it was mostly unconvincing. The e2l dynamic should have just been focused on the fact that they are on opposite sides of the war because the personal aspect of their enemy dynamic was lacking and unconvincing Just not fleshed out enough. I would go into more detail but I'm too tired lol (not bc of the book I just need to go to sleep). Anyway it wasn't engaging enough for me be interested in reading the 2nd book but I do think there's an audience for it.luluht's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, War, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Colonisation
cryosphinx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Enjoyed it, will definitely be picking up the sequel. The beginning was good, I enjoyed the world building and the two main characters and their banter but I feel like it fell off when the promised political intrigue and continued world building got back burnered for romance.
It's not that the romance was bad, I did enjoy these two stupids pining for each other and I did appreciate that Talasyn never just ups and forgets the war that Alaric participated in in favor of said romance, but it started getting TOO back and forth. Same with the dual POV. It starts flipping back and forth per chapter then picks up and gets to a point where it flips back and forth within two or so pages which was jarring. At least I felt this was a TRUE enemies to lovers.
I hope the sequel brings more to the table for Talasyn, she got dealt a lot of shitting hands and was too quick to accept it. My girl needs to slap some people around. And I want more political intrigue! This world is primed for it.
I also can't speak to to Reylo-ness of it all. I know it started as a Reylo fic but I didn't pick up any of it but hey, I didn't watch SW 7-9 so I have no clue 🤷♀️ Maybe I got to enjoy it more because of that.
It's not that the romance was bad, I did enjoy these two stupids pining for each other and I did appreciate that Talasyn never just ups and forgets the war that Alaric participated in in favor of said romance, but it started getting TOO back and forth. Same with the dual POV. It starts flipping back and forth per chapter then picks up and gets to a point where it flips back and forth within two or so pages which was jarring. At least I felt this was a TRUE enemies to lovers.
I hope the sequel brings more to the table for Talasyn, she got dealt a lot of shitting hands and was too quick to accept it. My girl needs to slap some people around. And I want more political intrigue! This world is primed for it.
I also can't speak to to Reylo-ness of it all. I know it started as a Reylo fic but I didn't pick up any of it but hey, I didn't watch SW 7-9 so I have no clue 🤷♀️ Maybe I got to enjoy it more because of that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, War, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture
soniajoy98's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Abandonment, War, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Grief, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Okay, admittedly it took me about 30% in to really begin to feel fully invested in the storyline (a lot of info-dumping/exposition and world-building)and the characters. However, once I was locked in, I was *LOCKED IN* !!!!! If you feel like you're going to DNF, keep going if you can. For me, it did pay off & I ended up really enjoying this!
I recognize many people think it is Star Wars/ReyLo fanfiction, but I still had an absolute blast and didn't mind that at all. Sure, there are absolutely parallels (enemies to lovers, the Night Empire, Talasyn's upbringing as an orphan & then reveal of her surprising identity & parentage), but it still felt unique enough to stand on its own, with its:
Okay, admittedly it took me about 30% in to really begin to feel fully invested in the storyline (a lot of info-dumping/exposition and world-building)and the characters. However, once I was locked in, I was *LOCKED IN* !!!!! If you feel like you're going to DNF, keep going if you can. For me, it did pay off & I ended up really enjoying this!
I recognize many people think it is Star Wars/ReyLo fanfiction, but I still had an absolute blast and didn't mind that at all. Sure, there are absolutely parallels (enemies to lovers, the Night Empire, Talasyn's upbringing as an orphan & then reveal of her surprising identity & parentage), but it still felt unique enough to stand on its own, with its:
- Philippines-inspired setting of Nenavar
- South Asian folklore-inspired dragons (hopefully more dragons in the next books!)
- wartime climate
- soft (not fully fleshed out, at least to me) but easy-to-follow magic system with light versus shadow
- diverse characters
- forced proximity/arranged marriage/marriage of convenience with so much romantic tension and a satisfying slow burn
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Alaric (Night Emperor Gaheris' son & the Master of the Shadowforged Legion & shadow magic) and Talasyn. Mostly, I think it's funny because they very much have the classic enemies-to-lovers tension of "I hate you/I so badly want to kiss you" energy, but I do recognize the problematic elements of essentially creating a colonizer/colonized storyline. Ultimately, I do think this will be a series about fighting for freedom and equality, and coming together to overcome greater evils. The current dynamics of Talasyn's home Sarodivia, struggling under the oppressive rule of Kesath, will likely change (I don't see how they can't? Hoping Sarodovia & everyone displaced will rise up from the ashes?!) and I'm excited to see where the series picks up next.
Sometimes, the pacing felt off, with random flash forwards/time jumps. However, I'm going to give the author a bit of grace because I still was able to follow and have a good time! Go into book one knowing that it is mostly character-driven (to me, there is essentially no plot yet lol); (I think) since this is the first book in the series, that this novel's main goal to introduce readers to the characters, the world, and to entice us to care for and root for them, as I expect we will get more action-packed plotlines later in the series.
steam rating: 2.5/5 - there is one open-door, on-page sex scene, but the sexual tension and pining is fantastic!
cw: War, Colonisation, Genocide, Sexual content, Death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Terminal illness
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Colonisation, Genocide, Death, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Child abuse, and Gun violence
booksandcurlz's review against another edition
This book was not for me. The world building was great. The characters were just not my cup of tea.
Basically we have an FMC that started out as completely capable and highly resilient based on her experiences and all of the sudden devolved into this whinny and childish person that is no where the same as what is seen in part 1 of the book.
The mmc is also not my cup of tea. I found that he was both full of toxic masculinity and also a doormat, how is that even possible?
This was my experience with the book and by no means is meant to deduct from your experience as a reader. If you loved this book. I love that for you 🫶🏽
I feel like I am in an episode of catfish where I found a fantasy book not in the YA section, expecting adult level reading and just found YA level characters. I was fooled by the stunning cover and beautiful map
Basically we have an FMC that started out as completely capable and highly resilient based on her experiences and all of the sudden devolved into this whinny and childish person that is no where the same as what is seen in part 1 of the book.
The mmc is also not my cup of tea. I found that he was both full of toxic masculinity and also a doormat, how is that even possible?
This was my experience with the book and by no means is meant to deduct from your experience as a reader. If you loved this book. I love that for you 🫶🏽
I feel like I am in an episode of catfish where I found a fantasy book not in the YA section, expecting adult level reading and just found YA level characters. I was fooled by the stunning cover and beautiful map
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Colonisation, and Classism