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kmartbooks's review against another edition
4.25
This takes place in a world divided by sisterly betrayal that tore the planet apart, one realm in perpetual night and the other scorched by the sun. Twin goddesses and their daughters—Odessa and Haidee—hold the key to a shattered world's healing. One is accompanied by a healer and the other a bold scavenger, they embark on perilous journeys across treacherous wastelands, driven by a calling to the site of the ancient rift. All while not knowing the other is alive. As secrets unravel and sacrifices loom, these young heroines fight to mend their fractured world.
This flipped my expectations on their head. I was fascinated by the slow descent into evil that is one of the character arcs and then bam! Surprise, nothing is as it seems. Chupeco is a master at storytelling that slowly builds with great, complex characters.
This flipped my expectations on their head. I was fascinated by the slow descent into evil that is one of the character arcs and then bam! Surprise, nothing is as it seems. Chupeco is a master at storytelling that slowly builds with great, complex characters.
mdieckmann's review against another edition
3.0
the world-building was sort of unclear at the beginning and it was hard to tell who was who with the twin goddesses concept, and by the end it was no clearer who or what had caused the breaking and why — although I did enjoy the book overall
mairynscho26's review against another edition
3.0
This was fun to read, but my issue is that it switched between 4 people’s POVs and I found myself likening one persons the best which made the other three not as fun to read. It left off on a cliff hanger and I don’t know if I want to read the second one.
adustypickle'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? It's complicated
3.5
kappareads's review against another edition
5.0
orionoconnell's review against another edition
2.0
The premise of this book, from the way it was described both by publisher and author drew me in. It sounded like an amazing adventure story full of found-family and a diverse cast of leads that would render me emotionally compromised.
But, honestly, it didn't tick any of the boxes I'd hoped for as a reader. The characters kind of blended together, and while I'm a little hesitant with switching-POVs to begin with, the only thing that I looked forward to when changing POVs was that it meant I was a chapter closer to finishing the book. I didn't connect with any of the main characters, really. They all just fell flat and had plotlines that seemed very pushed together. The romances were also very one-dimensional to me. Haidee and Arjun being a better buildup still than Lan and Odessa (though both were not without fault). The sex was unnecessary for me, because the relationships themselves were not built up properly it all just seemed kind of forced. And spoiler: with Odessa and Lan, it kinda was.
The book has a great deal of action sequences, admittedly also not my thing. The world-building kind of fell short for me, and descriptions just left me confused, as though I'm supposed to discern these things about this world without never being shown or adequately told. It seemed a bit lackadaisical of the author. I feel like there were things that we should have been 'shown' but we were just told with what seemed like very little enthusiasm. Same issue with the 'gates'. Not what I look for in a novel dealing with world-building.
I am a pretty quick reader, but this one I could only tolerate in 50 page a day increments, and that was pushing it. I couldn't get invested. I was bored with the characters, bored with the journey, bored and a little confused about the world I was looking so forward to exploring. Perhaps the world-breaking would have been a more interesting novel to start with? The fall of the world? I don't know. I just...struggled with almost every aspect of this one.
It feels like the book was all set up to be brilliant, and it just somehow fell short in all the ways it needed to come together.
I do hope that other readers enjoy it, but it wasn't for me.
Trigger Warnings for this Book: Sexual Assault, Mentions of Rape, Graphic Violence, Cannibalism Mentions, PTSD, Sexual Content (non-descriptive).
But, honestly, it didn't tick any of the boxes I'd hoped for as a reader. The characters kind of blended together, and while I'm a little hesitant with switching-POVs to begin with, the only thing that I looked forward to when changing POVs was that it meant I was a chapter closer to finishing the book. I didn't connect with any of the main characters, really. They all just fell flat and had plotlines that seemed very pushed together. The romances were also very one-dimensional to me. Haidee and Arjun being a better buildup still than Lan and Odessa (though both were not without fault). The sex was unnecessary for me, because the relationships themselves were not built up properly it all just seemed kind of forced. And spoiler: with Odessa and Lan, it kinda was.
The book has a great deal of action sequences, admittedly also not my thing. The world-building kind of fell short for me, and descriptions just left me confused, as though I'm supposed to discern these things about this world without never being shown or adequately told. It seemed a bit lackadaisical of the author. I feel like there were things that we should have been 'shown' but we were just told with what seemed like very little enthusiasm. Same issue with the 'gates'. Not what I look for in a novel dealing with world-building.
I am a pretty quick reader, but this one I could only tolerate in 50 page a day increments, and that was pushing it. I couldn't get invested. I was bored with the characters, bored with the journey, bored and a little confused about the world I was looking so forward to exploring. Perhaps the world-breaking would have been a more interesting novel to start with? The fall of the world? I don't know. I just...struggled with almost every aspect of this one.
It feels like the book was all set up to be brilliant, and it just somehow fell short in all the ways it needed to come together.
I do hope that other readers enjoy it, but it wasn't for me.
Trigger Warnings for this Book: Sexual Assault, Mentions of Rape, Graphic Violence, Cannibalism Mentions, PTSD, Sexual Content (non-descriptive).
tiamark's review against another edition
3.0
I was really disappointed with this book. I was super excited to read it. The concept is super cool the execution is lackluster. The love story's aren't really built up at all they are just happening. One minute one thing is happening and the next something else completely different is happening. It's just ehh . I don't regret reading it but I wouldn't read the sequel.
junghoseok's review against another edition
Much thanks to the publisher and Goodreads for hosting the giveaway of this book
DNF @ pg. 130ish
In all honesty I probably shouldn't have read this book right now because nothing's capturing my interest, but I won this in a giveaway back in October or something and felt bad that I hadn't read it or written a review yet, so this is me trying.
I think the concept is pretty cool, but there was just SO MUCH going on worldbuilding-wise that it was hard to keep straight and I didn't try (blame my lazy brain I guess). I didn't care much for the characters or their relationships either, though I think the day goddess and the dude with her would have been an interesting storyline eventually.
I may give it another shot down the road, but one of the things I want to change about myself this year is the need to finish books I'm not enjoying, so I'm stopping. I think I'll donate my copy to the library so it can find someone or many someones who enjoy it.
DNF @ pg. 130ish
In all honesty I probably shouldn't have read this book right now because nothing's capturing my interest, but I won this in a giveaway back in October or something and felt bad that I hadn't read it or written a review yet, so this is me trying.
I think the concept is pretty cool, but there was just SO MUCH going on worldbuilding-wise that it was hard to keep straight and I didn't try (blame my lazy brain I guess). I didn't care much for the characters or their relationships either, though I think the day goddess and the dude with her would have been an interesting storyline eventually.
I may give it another shot down the road, but one of the things I want to change about myself this year is the need to finish books I'm not enjoying, so I'm stopping. I think I'll donate my copy to the library so it can find someone or many someones who enjoy it.