Scan barcode
ka_ke's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-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
5.0
A.K. Mulford has yet to let me down! The Rogue Crown is a brilliant continuation of a fun, well written fantasy romance series. Bri is an absolute bimbo with more muscle than brains, and Lina is exactly the counter balance that keeps the story moving. Of course having the whole cast together is when the banter is at its peak.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Medical content, Outing, Death of parent, and Gore
maaikereadsbooks_'s review
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
Many thanks to HarperVoyager and A.K. Mulford for the advanced copy of The Rogue Crown via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I don’t recap plots in my reviews, as it’s easy enough to read the book’s synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.
The Rogue Crown is the third book in the Five Crowns of Okrith series, which is a fantasy romance (‘romantasy’) genre series. I enjoyed it as much as the first two books, and it continued to build on the world of Okrith introduced in the previous two volumes, with each story focusing on a different protagonist, which for these three books have all been female. The Rogue Crown is the first of the books to feature a same-sex relationship in-depth and the entire story is focuses on a sapphic romance.
Mulford writes both the fantasy and romantic elements of these stories equally well, building both the speculative, fantastical worlds and the romantic entanglements, backgrounds, and futures of the characters. These are aimed at the ‘grown up’ market, as the sex scenes can be deliciously spicy at times (although, to my mind, more imagination could have been used for the intimate scenes in this book in particular – my only complaint!).
Rather than feeling like Mulford is pandering to the LGBTQIA+ crowd, like so many authors seem to be doing of late, with stilted and poorly written and researched prose, this book felt natural and fun. The feelings and romance on the page felt ‘real’ and uncontrived and fit into the general storyline.
Perhaps further steps taken with this book are the choice of the main protagonist being less ‘femme’ – often sapphic romances will feature flowing gowns and long hair in their leading lady. Not so in this book. And the love interest is a curvy, full-figured woman, described to have a very large bosom, wide hips, shapely thighs. She’s not slim, not dainty, not sleek. She’s curvy and soft and dimpled. But she carries a huge double-headed axe which she’s most adept with.
The promised fourth book, The Evergreen Heir, promises an even deeper dive into queer writing. I’m looking forward to what Mulford writes next, and if she continues to make it feel as natural as it has, up until now.
Tropes: forced proximity, lover(s) in denial, redemption/dark past, touch her and die
Spice: 3/5
Trigger warnings: Alcohol, Amputation, Blood/Gore, Death, Death of a parent, Murder, Sexual content, Violence
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Death and Blood
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Murder
cover2covertx's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
As soon as I heard that Bri would be the main character in this book, I've been ready for it! :) Every time I pick up a new book in this series, I'm hooked. I feel like each story has its own feel, and this one definitely had a more detective-like vibe to the plot than the adventure/quest styles of the previous two. It was a really interesting change and I loved it just as much.
I really enjoyed the returning characters from the other books as well as a deeper look at side characters and introductions to brand new ones. AK Mulford did a fantastic job of pacing Bri's journey and her love story (which had ALL the swoon-worthy moments) while still weaving the overarching plot for the series seamlessly.
I can't wait for more!!
I really enjoyed the returning characters from the other books as well as a deeper look at side characters and introductions to brand new ones. AK Mulford did a fantastic job of pacing Bri's journey and her love story (which had ALL the swoon-worthy moments) while still weaving the overarching plot for the series seamlessly.
I can't wait for more!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual content
More...