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juliesleseecke's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Death, Hate crime, Murder, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol
samflowerv6's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I really liked this!!! The story is immediately interesting and never slows down. Jude is a one of my favorite FMC ever, she’s strong willed, passionate, protective and never gives up. Yes, she’s not perfect but that’s almost even better. We meet Jude and her twin, Taryn when they are about seven. They are living with their mother and father in the human world alongside their older sister Vivi, who is considered weird by those around them. A tale of blood, faery lore, magical lives and lands intertwined with determination and a VERY slow, slow burn. In this new land, we meet Cardan, a cruel manipulative prince *wink wink* who’s gorgeous beyond repair. Jude and Cardan hate each other so much…. Not sure it’s even hate anymore. Fuck that traitor bitch Taryn… yes, Locke sucks but HE DIDNT BETRAY HIS TWIN
If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.
“Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It's disgusting, and I can't stop.”
“Have I told you how hideous you look tonight?” Cardan asks, leaning back in the elaborately carved chair, the warmth of his words turning the question into something like a compliment.
“No” I say, glad to be annoyed back into the present. “Tell me.”
"I can't.”
“If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back.”
“So I am to sit here and feed you information,” Cardan says, leaning against a hickory tree. “And you’re to go charm royalty? That seems entirely backward.”
I fix him with a look. “I can be charming. I charmed you, didn’t I?”
He rolls his eyes. “Do not expect others to share my depraved tastes.”
“I am going to keep on defying you. I am going to shame you with my defiance. You remind me that I am a mere mortal and you are a prince of Faerie. Well, let me remind you that means you have much to lose and I have nothing. You may win in the end, you may ensorcell me and hurt me and humiliate me, but I will make sure you lose everything I can take from you on the way down. I promise you this is the least of what I can do.”
“Instead of being afraid, I could become something to fear.”
“Father, I am what you made me. I’ve become your daughter after all.”
“Let's have a toast. To the incompetence of our enemies.”
“You really do want me,' I say, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath as it hitches. 'And you hate it.”
“Cardan looks at me as though he's never seen me before. He looks at me as though no one has ever spoken to him like this. Maybe no one has.”
“I get why he chose her. I just wish she had chosen me.”
“It's shocking," he says, as though he's giving me some great compliment. "I know humans can lie, but to watch you do it is incredible. Do it again.”
“I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.”
“He stares at me as though I am a stranger, but I have never felt less like one. For the first time, we are both unmasked.”
“Faeries make up for their inability to lie with a panoply of deceptions and cruelties. Twisted words, pranks, omissions, riddles, scandals, not to mention their revenges upon one another for ancient, half-remembered slights. Storms are less fickle than they are, seas less capricious.”
“There is a pleasure in being with them,” he says. “Taking what we wish, indulging in every terrible thought. There’s safety in being awful.”
“Crowns of flowers on our heads, shooting bows and arrows at the sky. Eating candied violets and falling asleep with our heads pillowed on logs. We were children. Children can laugh all day and still cry themselves to sleep at night.”
If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.
“Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It's disgusting, and I can't stop.”
“Have I told you how hideous you look tonight?” Cardan asks, leaning back in the elaborately carved chair, the warmth of his words turning the question into something like a compliment.
“No” I say, glad to be annoyed back into the present. “Tell me.”
"I can't.”
“If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back.”
“So I am to sit here and feed you information,” Cardan says, leaning against a hickory tree. “And you’re to go charm royalty? That seems entirely backward.”
I fix him with a look. “I can be charming. I charmed you, didn’t I?”
He rolls his eyes. “Do not expect others to share my depraved tastes.”
“I am going to keep on defying you. I am going to shame you with my defiance. You remind me that I am a mere mortal and you are a prince of Faerie. Well, let me remind you that means you have much to lose and I have nothing. You may win in the end, you may ensorcell me and hurt me and humiliate me, but I will make sure you lose everything I can take from you on the way down. I promise you this is the least of what I can do.”
“Instead of being afraid, I could become something to fear.”
“Father, I am what you made me. I’ve become your daughter after all.”
“Let's have a toast. To the incompetence of our enemies.”
“You really do want me,' I say, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath as it hitches. 'And you hate it.”
“Cardan looks at me as though he's never seen me before. He looks at me as though no one has ever spoken to him like this. Maybe no one has.”
“I get why he chose her. I just wish she had chosen me.”
“It's shocking," he says, as though he's giving me some great compliment. "I know humans can lie, but to watch you do it is incredible. Do it again.”
“I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.”
“He stares at me as though I am a stranger, but I have never felt less like one. For the first time, we are both unmasked.”
“Faeries make up for their inability to lie with a panoply of deceptions and cruelties. Twisted words, pranks, omissions, riddles, scandals, not to mention their revenges upon one another for ancient, half-remembered slights. Storms are less fickle than they are, seas less capricious.”
“There is a pleasure in being with them,” he says. “Taking what we wish, indulging in every terrible thought. There’s safety in being awful.”
“Crowns of flowers on our heads, shooting bows and arrows at the sky. Eating candied violets and falling asleep with our heads pillowed on logs. We were children. Children can laugh all day and still cry themselves to sleep at night.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Stalking, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
n0elle's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Slavery, Blood, Domestic abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Body horror, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Trafficking, Classism, Drug use, Grief, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Murder
maltu21's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Self harm, and Murder
becca_w_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Medical content, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, and Gore
Moderate: Abandonment, Incest, Child death, and Xenophobia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Vomit, and War
anigirl524's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
3.25
i didn’t love it and i don’t really get the hype 😅.
I felt like the first part largely dragged on with unnecessary plot points, but i haven’t read the whole series so maybe the following installations will tie up some of those loose ends? it picked up and got much more interesting around the halfway point, though. once i understood why things were happening, it was much easier to keep up with the story.
also, i get that black was trying to make a point with all of the bullying at the beginning, but i think it was taken a bit too far. even without theattempted murder it was taken to an extreme i don’t think was necessary. it made it hard to read.
i definitely will continue with the series because i did enjoy the story and i’m ✨intrigued✨. i want to know how the rest of it plays out.
I felt like the first part largely dragged on with unnecessary plot points, but i haven’t read the whole series so maybe the following installations will tie up some of those loose ends? it picked up and got much more interesting around the halfway point, though. once i understood why things were happening, it was much easier to keep up with the story.
also, i get that black was trying to make a point with all of the bullying at the beginning, but i think it was taken a bit too far. even without the
i definitely will continue with the series because i did enjoy the story and i’m ✨intrigued✨. i want to know how the rest of it plays out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Bullying, Death of parent, Hate crime, and Violence
delle_frenchtxt's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
You need quite a few chapters to get into it (the narrator is quite immature) but once the plot is unfolding you ll get hooked. Idk why exactly but I feel like the vibes are similar to the ones of Percy Jackson if you ve read that as a teen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Racism, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Slavery, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Deportation, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Infidelity, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Death
stellenelcielo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I will give two stars because I appreciated certain points of the book. Like, the portrayal of faerie lore and the malicious attitude towards mortals? I did like that. I also liked that there were certain niche memories of Jude’s that felt relatable, like the sticky fingers and television childhood, as well as different descriptions of emotions she was feeling.
However, this book’s pacing was hell on my ADHD and it truly felt like a chore to read. There were parts that were engaging and I had no problem getting through chapters, and others were so slow that I would lose focus and go do something else. This book took me a month to read, which is atrocious and I wish I had a the habit of DNFing a book without feeling guilty, but I don’t so here I am now.
The characters as well, while relatable at certain points, are infuriating. Jude makes absolutely no sense. Why stay in Faerie if she’s angry and terrified all the time? If the people around her are all fucking terrible? Because you were raised there? You want power? Even though you are viewed as inherently inferior?
You gonna go ahead and fall in love eventually with someone who ripped another’s wings right off and participated in sexually assaulting you?
Bullshit, sounds like torture porn.
Vivienne was the only engaging character. I would read three books about her romance with Heather and her grappling with her identity and her hatred, but her determination to love a mortal and live there.
I didn’t care for the romance either (I mean, I’m gay, so I would never have cared for the het romance anyway) but I bought the book because people were mad about the lack of it, only to find political intrigue. I love political intrigue, but this book was vague at best with the world building and system descriptions. So I found that to be lacklustre as well.
I hear that Wicked King and Queen of Nothing were better, but I don’t think they might be better enough to give a shot, also it will be the last time I take book recommendations from heterosexual booktokers.
However, this book’s pacing was hell on my ADHD and it truly felt like a chore to read. There were parts that were engaging and I had no problem getting through chapters, and others were so slow that I would lose focus and go do something else. This book took me a month to read, which is atrocious and I wish I had a the habit of DNFing a book without feeling guilty, but I don’t so here I am now.
The characters as well, while relatable at certain points, are infuriating. Jude makes absolutely no sense. Why stay in Faerie if she’s angry and terrified all the time? If the people around her are all fucking terrible? Because you were raised there? You want power? Even though you are viewed as inherently inferior?
Bullshit, sounds like torture porn.
Vivienne was the only engaging character. I would read three books about her romance with Heather and her grappling with her identity and her hatred, but her determination to love a mortal and live there.
I didn’t care for the romance either (I mean, I’m gay, so I would never have cared for the het romance anyway) but I bought the book because people were mad about the lack of it, only to find political intrigue. I love political intrigue, but this book was vague at best with the world building and system descriptions. So I found that to be lacklustre as well.
I hear that Wicked King and Queen of Nothing were better, but I don’t think they might be better enough to give a shot, also it will be the last time I take book recommendations from heterosexual booktokers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Bullying, Grief, Hate crime, Drug abuse, and Kidnapping
adeliab's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I am really conflicted on how to rate this books. On one hand I enjoyed myself and there were some elements pertaining to mortality that I thought were interesting. On the other I take issue with some of the plot beats relating to the romance and with the overall pacing.
This book is just flat out addictive. I started listening to the 13 hour audiobook yesterday and am finished with it today. I did not put the book down. My favorite fantasy novels are those that focus on interpersonal relationships, but have fantastical and sociopolitical elements to spice it up. Luckily for me, that is what this book does. It focused on the relationships between Jude, her family, and the rest of the court all within the setting of this fantasy world.
The strongest element of this book, in my opinion, is the exploration of morality. All of the main cast of characters are morally complex. Whether is be the Jude's adopted father Madoc,who kills Jude's biological parents, but clearly loves Jude and the rest of the family or Taryn Jude's sisterwho lets Locke, the boy Taryn is engaged to, court Jude because she want so badly to be accepted by the fae or even Jude who is tries to secure peace for the human and fae people while you the reader can tell she is brimming with violence and desire for power . I appreciate this book for exploring how one can both love someone and disdain them for their actions.
Further, the books focus on making all of the characters morally ambiguous ensures that the characters are dynamic. Oriana Jude's step-mother, for exampleseems to occupy the niche of evil step mother, a relatively static role, but is later revealed to have acted out of caring. She may have lectured and been suspicious of the girls, but it was because she was influence by her own experiences as the concubine of the king to protect the girls from evils of the court. Oriana, could have remained a static character, a foil for the plot, but I believe because of the book's commitment to exploring mortality she was given more depth .
Yet, when it comes to Cardan (finish review later)
This book is just flat out addictive. I started listening to the 13 hour audiobook yesterday and am finished with it today. I did not put the book down. My favorite fantasy novels are those that focus on interpersonal relationships, but have fantastical and sociopolitical elements to spice it up. Luckily for me, that is what this book does. It focused on the relationships between Jude, her family, and the rest of the court all within the setting of this fantasy world.
The strongest element of this book, in my opinion, is the exploration of morality. All of the main cast of characters are morally complex. Whether is be the Jude's adopted father Madoc,
Further, the books focus on making all of the characters morally ambiguous ensures that the characters are dynamic. Oriana Jude's step-mother, for example
Yet, when it comes to Cardan (finish review later)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Death of parent, and Hate crime
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Slavery
Minor: Kidnapping
lexi_readsbooks's review against another edition
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? Yes
5.0
I normally don’t write reviews but this book is just so good I had to, unlike most books there are no patch’s where it just gets boring it’s just great. However if you came to this series promised an enemies to lovers that’s more of a sub plot and the rest is like an awesome fantasy with politics and some family
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Murder, Violence, and Alcoholism