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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
considering kiva spent a decade surviving zalindov, how does she have 0 survival or critical thinking skills?
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 7/10
World building: 8/10
Action: 5/10
Epicness: 7/10
Enjoyability: 9/10
Plot: 7/10
World building: 8/10
Action: 5/10
Epicness: 7/10
Enjoyability: 9/10
adventurous
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
I really liked this one from the middle until the end. Everything was unfolding and the bits we get that something bigger is brewing that we don't know about yet is always a hitter for me! I also love Caldon ofc! I was however so annoyed during the first half of the book cause almost every chapter ended with: "Kiva cares so much about these people and they care about her but she need to do what she came here for and it's not to look into Jarens big beautiful eyes when he tells her every single thing he loves about her. Kiva needs to fight for these people that she doesn't even know anything about but she guesses she loves". Don't get me wrong although Kiva is annoying sometimes with this, I can understand the torn she feels but what im talking about here is that its annoying writing wise to end so many chapters in one way. This kept me from reading a bunch of times even if the actual story was interesting.
When I got into it, I really got into it and am excited for the last book but am not sure when I will get to it for different reasons, mainly that I'm going to Paris for a year and I can't bring an entire suitcase of books (or can I???)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Violence
Moderate: Death, Blood, Kidnapping
Minor: Terminal illness, Death of parent, War
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would have scored this book so much higher if Kiva weren't so incredibly frustrating throughout it. Kaldan is amazing (gotta love a pansexual prince with brains and emotional depth). Jeren is still a bit boring but I appreciate his goodness and his devotion to Kiva. Tip is still a sweetie. I enjoyed meeting and learning about the other royals and the political entanglements. Kiva's brother is awesome. Kiva's sister is a great villain.
Kiva, though... Part of the problem is that the text is trying to convince the reader of her devotion to her family, but lacks the emotion and the logic for it--especially when in direct contrast to everything the reader sees in contradiction to it, with her family's repeated failures both in the first book and in this one as well as the positive experiences from the royals. Because the motivations are, at best, shaky, Kiva's stupid decisions aren't justified. They just seem stupid. The end of the first book established Kiva as an unreliable narrator which hurts this one two-fold: I as the reader can't trust Kiva, and, in failing to justify her decisions, it makes Kiva out to be a proper fool when there isn't a similar reveal about deeper motivations by the end.
Kiva, though... Part of the problem is that the text is trying to convince the reader of her devotion to her family, but lacks the emotion and the logic for it--especially when in direct contrast to everything the reader sees in contradiction to it, with her family's repeated failures both in the first book and in this one as well as the positive experiences from the royals. Because the motivations are, at best, shaky, Kiva's stupid decisions aren't justified. They just seem stupid. The end of the first book established Kiva as an unreliable narrator which hurts this one two-fold: I as the reader can't trust Kiva, and, in failing to justify her decisions, it makes Kiva out to be a proper fool when there isn't a similar reveal about deeper motivations by the end.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, War
Minor: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay, so. This book is more 3.5 stars but I can’t in good conscience rate it a 4 because I called the twist and so much of the conflict could have been avoided if all the characters didn’t make such stupid decisions fueled by emotion.
Now, let me make it known, I tend to have a hard time with book twos. I’m generally let down, so take that for what it is.
I very much enjoyed the beginning of this book. It felt very action-packed and was filled with a lot of new information that was interesting. I also enjoyed the introduction of a few more characters and learning more from the characters we already knew.
However, the middle gets a little slow and there were times my heart just wasn’t in it. That is to say, the ending (as expecting in a fantasy book) got a little wild in a good way and I appreciated that it got my heart pumping once or twice.
For me, I just get so annoyed when the conflict could have been avoided. It’s hard as a reader witnessing characters make choices and you just have to be like no! Don’t do that! (I.e. no don’t go down to the dark basement with a flickering light and a clinking noise.) I also just wanted more from Kiva. I’m hoping her experience in this book has roughed her up to take on the third book in stride.
Anyway. I did like the book. It just had some of my fantasy book pet peeves.
Now, let me make it known, I tend to have a hard time with book twos. I’m generally let down, so take that for what it is.
I very much enjoyed the beginning of this book. It felt very action-packed and was filled with a lot of new information that was interesting. I also enjoyed the introduction of a few more characters and learning more from the characters we already knew.
However, the middle gets a little slow and there were times my heart just wasn’t in it. That is to say, the ending (as expecting in a fantasy book) got a little wild in a good way and I appreciated that it got my heart pumping once or twice.
For me, I just get so annoyed when the conflict could have been avoided. It’s hard as a reader witnessing characters make choices and you just have to be like no! Don’t do that! (I.e. no don’t go down to the dark basement with a flickering light and a clinking noise.) I also just wanted more from Kiva. I’m hoping her experience in this book has roughed her up to take on the third book in stride.
Anyway. I did like the book. It just had some of my fantasy book pet peeves.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
adventurous
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
while the first book was okay, this one keeps you in its grip! no real plottwist, because you expect the most, but the story itself is just so exciting!
best part is how the characters are wirtten
best part is how the characters are wirtten