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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
This was a breath of fresh air. An absolute joy to read, the vibes were immaculate. Cosy, fun and full of bits that made me laugh out loud, with the most relatable FMC and MMC at its core. I didn’t know how much I needed this lighthearted fantasy in my life until I read it. My heart is happy.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Despite an interesting concept, there is nothing that makes this distinguishable from any other romantasy. It felt very much like going through the motions of a cozy fantasy. And slow burn my azz. they knew each other three days before they slept together and Bianca started contemplating if she loved him
I have mixed feelings about the representation of the other countries, I would be interested to see if it’s just me being oversensitive or if it is kind of weird to have a country called Zhei where the people are almost caricatures of East Asian culture.
Bianca’s disorder was obviously celiac’s disease, in a very thinly veiled way. I think if the author wanted to make more of an impact, I would have tweaked the disease even more rather than just be celiac-but-we-use-different-words-for-it. It felt kind of gimmicky to me.
Overall I think on paper, figuratively, it follows the arc of a fantasy story and has distinct character growth, so i don’t think I could rate below a 3. But it was not strong or memorable whatsoever so I also could not rate it higher than a 3.
I have mixed feelings about the representation of the other countries, I would be interested to see if it’s just me being oversensitive or if it is kind of weird to have a country called Zhei where the people are almost caricatures of East Asian culture.
Bianca’s disorder was obviously celiac’s disease, in a very thinly veiled way. I think if the author wanted to make more of an impact, I would have tweaked the disease even more rather than just be celiac-but-we-use-different-words-for-it. It felt kind of gimmicky to me.
Overall I think on paper, figuratively, it follows the arc of a fantasy story and has distinct character growth, so i don’t think I could rate below a 3. But it was not strong or memorable whatsoever so I also could not rate it higher than a 3.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Cute, quirky, and fun!! I loved the characters and the plot was fast-paced and kept you engaged. I wish you learned more about the countries represented and their magical systems, because I thought that was really fascinating. Overall, a solid fantasy romance!!
3.5⭐ rounded up to 4. The miscommunication trope is a strong pet peeve of mine. I also tend to dislike books where plot seems to have been written around popular tropes. That being said, this was a short (only 10 hours) and easy-to-listen-to audiobook that made me laugh and kept me entertained. The voice actor was also great!
Note: I received an advance audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
Two things made me kick my rating up a notch:
1. the last 30% (which were fast paced and where the MCs *finally* stopped hating each other), and
2. the horse/riding puns and *accidental* innuendos (which made me cackle a few times).
I disliked how the FMC was needlessly offended by eeeeeeveryyyything the MMC did for most of the book. It felt like an attempt at creating drama and extending the slow burn. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between the MCs---it seemed like physical attraction and similar trauma were the only things uniting them. Still, I liked the disability / chronic illness rep, the LGBTQ rep as well, as the MMC’s sweet, bookish disposition. (Justice for fair-haired walking green flags who like to read!) Some of the side characters were also great. (Looking at you, Tatiana!) And while Ialwaysoften cringe at male voices from female narrators, Natalie Naudus delivered a solid performance here. Finally, I feel like mentioning again how I loved all the horse/riding puns. Because they were amazing. Seriously.
If you enjoy short and easy reads, romantasy standalones, cozy fairytale vibes, disabled / chronically ill MCs, horse and riding puns, and characters in their mid and late twenties, this book is for you! However, if you can’t stand the miscommunication trope, it might be a skip.
Tropes to expect: forced marriage, magic misfire, cursed prince, wrongfully accused, only one bed, only one stall in the stable (!), grumpy x grumpier, slow-burn romance.
❤️ Chronic illness rep (although a predictable plot twist lessens the impact)
❤️ Funny innuendos and horse puns
❤️ Voice actor
❤️ The last 30%
❤️ Aric and Tatiana
❌ *All* the miscommunication
❌ Abrupt shift in romance between the MCs about 70% in
❌ Predictable plot twists
❌ Spoonfeeding / repetitions
❌ Wonky telepathy system
❌ Bianca
Trigger warnings: chronic illness, emotional abuse, animal cruelty, violence, death, murder, blood and gore, vomit, poisoning, injury and injury detail, ableism, self-harm, etc.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
Note: I received an advance audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
Two things made me kick my rating up a notch:
1. the last 30% (which were fast paced and where the MCs *finally* stopped hating each other), and
2. the horse/riding puns and *accidental* innuendos (which made me cackle a few times).
I disliked how the FMC was needlessly offended by eeeeeeveryyyything the MMC did for most of the book. It felt like an attempt at creating drama and extending the slow burn. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between the MCs---it seemed like physical attraction and similar trauma were the only things uniting them. Still, I liked the disability / chronic illness rep, the LGBTQ rep as well, as the MMC’s sweet, bookish disposition. (Justice for fair-haired walking green flags who like to read!) Some of the side characters were also great. (Looking at you, Tatiana!) And while I
If you enjoy short and easy reads, romantasy standalones, cozy fairytale vibes, disabled / chronically ill MCs, horse and riding puns, and characters in their mid and late twenties, this book is for you! However, if you can’t stand the miscommunication trope, it might be a skip.
Tropes to expect: forced marriage, magic misfire, cursed prince, wrongfully accused, only one bed, only one stall in the stable (!), grumpy x grumpier, slow-burn romance.
❤️ Chronic illness rep (although a predictable plot twist lessens the impact)
❤️ Funny innuendos and horse puns
❤️ Voice actor
❤️ The last 30%
❤️ Aric and Tatiana
❌ *All* the miscommunication
❌ Abrupt shift in romance between the MCs about 70% in
❌ Predictable plot twists
❌ Spoonfeeding / repetitions
❌ Wonky telepathy system
❌ Bianca
Trigger warnings: chronic illness, emotional abuse, animal cruelty, violence, death, murder, blood and gore, vomit, poisoning, injury and injury detail, ableism, self-harm, etc.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
adventurous
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
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was expecting a fun silly book about a woman who's husband turns into a horse. Instead I got a heartfelt and genuine book about disability, parental neglect, and unconditional love where a woman who's husband turns into a horse.
It was relatable in ways I never could have expected and possibly one of my best reads of the year for how much it impacted me personally.
It was relatable in ways I never could have expected and possibly one of my best reads of the year for how much it impacted me personally.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
I picked this up on a whim for a trip and it was very light and cute! It's part of the new wave of disability fantasy rep (celiac, in this case, which isn't really a spoiler if you know anything about celiac), but the characters were sweet (love a princess who's clear-eyed about politics and marriage) and there were plenty of horse shenanigans. I did appreciate how quickly the initial misunderstanding gets cleared up once the horse magic happens, which meant a lot less sniping and more bonding than I had expected from the summary.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
A fun, slightly spicy cozy romantasy! Perfect for the mood I was in. Loved the characters and the world building.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Behooved is a standalone cozy-ish romantasy by M. Stevenson. Bianca is sent off to marry the ill-reputed heir of a neighboring kingdom in order to stave off war. Their first meeting confirms all of her worst fears about Prince Aric, and things go from bad to worse on their wedding night. An assassination attempt leads to a spell going awry, magically transforming Aric into a horse. Accused of his murder, Bianca runs away with her stallion husband who only turns back human at night. Now they must work together to unravel the curse, uncover the assassination plot, and save the throne just in time for Prince Aric’s coronation.
The moment I read the description, I knew I had to pick it up because of just how ridiculous and campy it sounded (in the best way). And I’m happy to say it delivered exactly that. The book knows how silly it is and absolutely leans into it with charm and confidence. It is fast-paced and a light read with a cozy vibe despite the not-quite-low stakes. It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance with miscommunication and only-one-bed tripes. There’s a bit of spice and even more banter.
Bianca and Aric make for a fun pairing. Bianca can be frustrating at times with how self-critical and judgmental she is, but it’s rooted in understandable insecurities stemming from her upbringing and chronic illness. Meanwhile, I adored Aric with his grumpy stubbornness and unexpected tenderness. I do wish we got chapters from his perspective too. Also, I’m a sucker for awkward magical hijinks (of course he’s naked when he transforms), and this book delivers those moments perfectly.
Behooved is a breezy steamy romantasy that fully commits to its horsey chaos. A genuinely fun read, whether or not you were a horse girl.