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pauinha6's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
I had higher expectations i guess, after having read the Kingdom of Stars and Shadows series.
In comparison this felt rushed, less developed characters.
I love me a gray af mmc but Dacre was not it for me.
All their interactions felt very…… cohersed. And yes, she wanted it. But she also didn’t. She was conflicted and he was in a position of power and I am a firm believer in enthusiatic consent!
Yes, i know, it’s fiction. And we ignore the red flags because it’s safe when it’s not real. But it just felt wrong with Dacre 🤷🏻♀️ sorry.
Evren will always have my heart but that last chapter only made me feel like i was right all along.
I will read book 2, i think. But i had high expectations and was let down.
In comparison this felt rushed, less developed characters.
I love me a gray af mmc but Dacre was not it for me.
All their interactions felt very…… cohersed. And yes, she wanted it. But she also didn’t. She was conflicted and he was in a position of power and I am a firm believer in enthusiatic consent!
Yes, i know, it’s fiction. And we ignore the red flags because it’s safe when it’s not real. But it just felt wrong with Dacre 🤷🏻♀️ sorry.
Evren will always have my heart but that last chapter only made me feel like i was right all along.
I will read book 2, i think. But i had high expectations and was let down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child death, Infertility, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Bullying, Confinement, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
koistyfishy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
4 Little Traitor Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I was very sceptical going into this because when it comes to my friend's ratings and previous Holly Renee books, they are polar opposites. Some of them love her books and nonstop hype about them, and some of them do not particularly like her writing. So what better way to form my own opinion, than by reading the first instalment of her new adult romantasy???
AND LETS JUST SAY.... THIS IS BASICALLY CATNIP IN WORDS...
I loved this and if I could have inhaled the book faster I would...but sometimes a girl has got to get her beauty sleep...
From the very first line, I was hooked. There was something about the characters, their situations, the ease of writing and how the plot was set up that just played into everything I adore.
This is a dual POV that follows Nyra and Dacre. Nyra is the runaway princess, having fled her abusive father who only wants to use her. The only problem is she is the only fae that does not HAVE MAGIC. Living on the streets for about a year, she is captured and lands in the hands of Dacre, the son of the Resistance General. The same Resistance who are desperately trying to capture this princess so that they can overthrow the King. Having no choice but to join the Resistance, Nyra is forced to become one of the warriors, while also keeping her true identity a secret.
Nyra was everything that I look for in an FMC in a fantasy. While she does have flaws, an innate vulnerability due to her cloistered naivety, she also has scars. But she does not let those aspects define her. She is tenacious and determined to survive so is willing and able to be strong and to show some teeth when required. Given that she has had a very rough life, even though she is a princess - this has not broken her spirit and she makes the best of whatever situation she is placed in. I like the way that she pushed back and gave back as much as she got - and that she was feisty.
Dacre is just a walking metaphor for what makes your panties wet. He was morally grey PERFECTION but was completely and utterly smooth and swoony. He might be a literal asshole and knows he's an ass...BUT my god- THAT MAN AND HIS DIRTY MOUTH. Also that he is confident, cocky and dominant. I say it again...PERFECTION! I enjoyed his internal dialogue dealing with his grief as it made him incredibly real, also seeing how actions that he has to commit for his father affect him. I loved that the man stands for his morals and is incredibly motivated to do the right thing he believes.
The Banter between Nyra and Dacre was heel-kicking squeal-inducingly good. As I mentioned...THE MAN IS PERFECTION, so obviously his banter would be too... duh.
I loved the slow burn push and pull between the two. You could feel the animosity and sexual tension between them at the start and I DELIGHTED in the slow steps they walked as that transitioned to attraction.
I had one problem with the book, and the reason why I didn't give this 5 stars was I felt the story was a little bit lacking in depth and too short. Aspects were a bit too simplistic and high-level and I craved the story to dig a little deeper - without necessarily having this information in the sequel. Because it is such a quick read, the worldbuilding is not as fleshed out and Holly Renee does not go into too much on the backstories of the characters. BUT I WANTED MORE BACKSTORY. The same with aspects of their trauma - while it is touched on I think it would have added a little more to the characterisation if this was fleshed out a little more.
A lot of the book was spent in the training grounds focusing on banter and footwork so it didn't have as much action. There are just things that you are told and not shown, and I prefer to be shown, so I wouldn't have minded if this was an extra 100 pages longer to flesh out a bit more of the story and foundation. There are a couple of other things but they are spoilers - so only read them after you have read the book!There is also the part about why she all of a sudden HAS magic but not around WHAT her magic is, or why only now... In fact, I have no clue actually HOW the whole magic system of the world works because there isn't much detail given to this aspect of worldbuilding
Trope Summary:
▶ Dual POV
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Royals and Political Intrigue
▶ One Bed
▶ Who Did This To You
▶ Captor/Captive
▶ Hidden Identity
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Found Family
▶ Forbidden Romance
(Like seriously....these are just MY CATNIP TROPES... - I TOLD YOU THIS BOOK WAS CATNIP)
Even though I wanted more depth, this was a fantastic first instalment, the ending blew my mind and I am salivating for the next book. Mostly that I can see what new dirty things come out of Dacre's mouth...
Thank you so much to Holly Renee and Valentine PR for the ARC in exchange for a review.
All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I was very sceptical going into this because when it comes to my friend's ratings and previous Holly Renee books, they are polar opposites. Some of them love her books and nonstop hype about them, and some of them do not particularly like her writing. So what better way to form my own opinion, than by reading the first instalment of her new adult romantasy???
AND LETS JUST SAY.... THIS IS BASICALLY CATNIP IN WORDS...
I loved this and if I could have inhaled the book faster I would...but sometimes a girl has got to get her beauty sleep...
From the very first line, I was hooked. There was something about the characters, their situations, the ease of writing and how the plot was set up that just played into everything I adore.
This is a dual POV that follows Nyra and Dacre. Nyra is the runaway princess, having fled her abusive father who only wants to use her. The only problem is she is the only fae that does not HAVE MAGIC. Living on the streets for about a year, she is captured and lands in the hands of Dacre, the son of the Resistance General. The same Resistance who are desperately trying to capture this princess so that they can overthrow the King. Having no choice but to join the Resistance, Nyra is forced to become one of the warriors, while also keeping her true identity a secret.
Nyra was everything that I look for in an FMC in a fantasy. While she does have flaws, an innate vulnerability due to her cloistered naivety, she also has scars. But she does not let those aspects define her. She is tenacious and determined to survive so is willing and able to be strong and to show some teeth when required. Given that she has had a very rough life, even though she is a princess - this has not broken her spirit and she makes the best of whatever situation she is placed in. I like the way that she pushed back and gave back as much as she got - and that she was feisty.
Dacre is just a walking metaphor for what makes your panties wet. He was morally grey PERFECTION but was completely and utterly smooth and swoony. He might be a literal asshole and knows he's an ass...BUT my god- THAT MAN AND HIS DIRTY MOUTH. Also that he is confident, cocky and dominant. I say it again...PERFECTION! I enjoyed his internal dialogue dealing with his grief as it made him incredibly real, also seeing how actions that he has to commit for his father affect him. I loved that the man stands for his morals and is incredibly motivated to do the right thing he believes.
The Banter between Nyra and Dacre was heel-kicking squeal-inducingly good. As I mentioned...THE MAN IS PERFECTION, so obviously his banter would be too... duh.
I loved the slow burn push and pull between the two. You could feel the animosity and sexual tension between them at the start and I DELIGHTED in the slow steps they walked as that transitioned to attraction.
I had one problem with the book, and the reason why I didn't give this 5 stars was I felt the story was a little bit lacking in depth and too short. Aspects were a bit too simplistic and high-level and I craved the story to dig a little deeper - without necessarily having this information in the sequel. Because it is such a quick read, the worldbuilding is not as fleshed out and Holly Renee does not go into too much on the backstories of the characters. BUT I WANTED MORE BACKSTORY. The same with aspects of their trauma - while it is touched on I think it would have added a little more to the characterisation if this was fleshed out a little more.
A lot of the book was spent in the training grounds focusing on banter and footwork so it didn't have as much action. There are just things that you are told and not shown, and I prefer to be shown, so I wouldn't have minded if this was an extra 100 pages longer to flesh out a bit more of the story and foundation. There are a couple of other things but they are spoilers - so only read them after you have read the book!
Trope Summary:
▶ Dual POV
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Royals and Political Intrigue
▶ One Bed
▶ Who Did This To You
▶ Captor/Captive
▶ Hidden Identity
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Found Family
▶ Forbidden Romance
(Like seriously....these are just MY CATNIP TROPES... - I TOLD YOU THIS BOOK WAS CATNIP)
Even though I wanted more depth, this was a fantastic first instalment, the ending blew my mind and I am salivating for the next book. Mostly that I can see what new dirty things come out of Dacre's mouth...
Thank you so much to Holly Renee and Valentine PR for the ARC in exchange for a review.
All thoughts and opinions are my own
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Child abuse, and Death of parent
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