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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I’m lost. I’m so unbearably, hopelessly lost until ‘This Ancient Feud’ releases😭 I need for everyone to read this! I haven’t read KoL yet, but damnit if I’m not going to binge it before TAF comes out. I’m invested and groveling to Stacia for the next.
I was a little stressed at the beginning thinking Calysian’s identify will be the “shocker” at the end, but I was VERY pleasantly surprised when it was made obvious and common knowledge super early on. There was so much banter, tension, traveling, and action! I lived for everything. All of the small pieces and hints were woven together ✨perfectly✨ for the cliffhanger we’re left dangling from!
I was attached to everyone so quickly. I felt Madinia’s burning rage, felt the worry for her friends who had yet to find her, felt Calysian’s hollowness of not being whole for centuries, and felt how helpless Eammon felt. The way my jaw was on the floor the last 100 pages should be a CRIME! I’m so excited to be reunited with everyone in a new light in TAF🥹 I just know the journey is going to devastate me. Emotionally, physically, mentally🫠 I’m soooo ready for it!
Thank you SO so much to the author and Ingram Sparks for the gifted copy!🖤
I was a little stressed at the beginning thinking Calysian’s identify will be the “shocker” at the end, but I was VERY pleasantly surprised when it was made obvious and common knowledge super early on. There was so much banter, tension, traveling, and action! I lived for everything. All of the small pieces and hints were woven together ✨perfectly✨ for the cliffhanger we’re left dangling from!
I was attached to everyone so quickly. I felt Madinia’s burning rage, felt the worry for her friends who had yet to find her, felt Calysian’s hollowness of not being whole for centuries, and felt how helpless Eammon felt. The way my jaw was on the floor the last 100 pages should be a CRIME! I’m so excited to be reunited with everyone in a new light in TAF🥹 I just know the journey is going to devastate me. Emotionally, physically, mentally🫠 I’m soooo ready for it!
Thank you SO so much to the author and Ingram Sparks for the gifted copy!🖤
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
A dark, gripping fantasy ride that feels like Game of Thrones collided headfirst with The Witcher. And somehow got sexier in the process.
This book is intense from the start. The world-building is rich, the characters are layered and captivating, and the plot doesn’t hold back. Every chapter is packed with action and tension, all woven together with just enough spice to keep things delicious without overwhelming the story.
It’s the kind of book that digs its claws in deep and doesn’t let go. I was completely hooked. And that ending? I need the next book immediately!
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4 🌟
I love Madinia in the prequel series and I’m so happy she is getting her story. I did take me a minute to remember the appearance the MMC made in the series.
Dark god is right 😰
I love Madinia in the prequel series and I’m so happy she is getting her story. I did take me a minute to remember the appearance the MMC made in the series.
Dark god is right 😰
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ends on a cliffhanger.
fast-paced
I’m SO glad Bookish Box is doing a special edition of this. I picked it up to see if I was going to commit to the purchase/skip and after reading the sample, I immediately downloaded on KU and read 30% until 1am.
For anyone wondering if you need to read the OG series, “A Court this Cruel and Lovely” I would say yes. This feels like a continuation of the main series, not a new one. Similar to “serpent and the wings of night, “the bridge kingdom”, or “ACOTAR” where it’s one overarching series but follows different leads.
While this touched on plot beats from the previous storyline, I don’t think you’ll truly grasp the importance of the motivations of the MMC and FMC. It picks up nearly right after the series ended (albeit a few months of boat travel that is summed up at the beginning) and I believe that you need Madinia’s background to fully appreciate her. It would be like reading TOG andnever seeing Lysandra’s backstory with Aelin and her time serving.
Now that that’s out of the way….
1. HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS WAS MADINIA’S STORY?!
2. I didn’t particularly love “A Court this Cruel and Lovely”. That series is fast paced and a fun read that had me laughing and crying but I didn’t particular get obsessed over them. I say this incase anyone reading this review also felt luke warm about the original series and is intrigued by this one!! - not to dissuade anyone from reading that series!
I crave a darker character and story and this delivered as far as a fantasy goes (without falling into dark fantasy, imo). Madina and Calysian were my favorite from ACTCAL and I was so bummed that I didn’t see more of her and them but this? This right here was everything I needed.
While this felt like the same writing I fell into with the prequel series, the writing and plotting felt so much more experienced.
The story feels original and the twist at the end felt well plotted and very interesting. The beginning chapter?? I knew this was for me from that alone. I love how this isn’t exactly enemies to lovers but…they sure fight like hellllll to not trust the other.
I CANNOT WAIT for the next book!!
Audio is duel POV, dual narrators.
For anyone wondering if you need to read the OG series, “A Court this Cruel and Lovely” I would say yes. This feels like a continuation of the main series, not a new one. Similar to “serpent and the wings of night, “the bridge kingdom”, or “ACOTAR” where it’s one overarching series but follows different leads.
While this touched on plot beats from the previous storyline, I don’t think you’ll truly grasp the importance of the motivations of the MMC and FMC. It picks up nearly right after the series ended (albeit a few months of boat travel that is summed up at the beginning) and I believe that you need Madinia’s background to fully appreciate her. It would be like reading TOG and
Now that that’s out of the way….
1. HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS WAS MADINIA’S STORY?!
2. I didn’t particularly love “A Court this Cruel and Lovely”. That series is fast paced and a fun read that had me laughing and crying but I didn’t particular get obsessed over them. I say this incase anyone reading this review also felt luke warm about the original series and is intrigued by this one!! - not to dissuade anyone from reading that series!
I crave a darker character and story and this delivered as far as a fantasy goes (without falling into dark fantasy, imo). Madina and Calysian were my favorite from ACTCAL and I was so bummed that I didn’t see more of her and them but this? This right here was everything I needed.
While this felt like the same writing I fell into with the prequel series, the writing and plotting felt so much more experienced.
The story feels original and the twist at the end felt well plotted and very interesting. The beginning chapter?? I knew this was for me from that alone. I love how this isn’t exactly enemies to lovers but…they sure fight like hellllll to not trust the other.
I CANNOT WAIT for the next book!!
Audio is duel POV, dual narrators.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
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:
Complicated
This book was disappointing. It took a long time to get into, and there wasn’t enough depth to the characters. I fell asleep multiple times. It finally got interesting near the end, then it sets up for the next book. This was so sad. I think it should have been a completely different universe or something maybe?