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tinyelfarcanist's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
Minor: Grief and Death
amyteurhour's review
4.0
Content warning: death of a parent, substance abuse (alcohol), sexism, homophobia, blackmail, gore
I thought this was a relatively fast-paced, fun story. I was kind of bummed that this series on audiobook seems to only be available via Audible, and only the first one is included with membership (although it seems even that's going away at the end of February 2024). I was intrigued enough that now I'm seriously debating if I want to purchase so I can find out what happens in the rest of the series, or just end it here. I enjoyed Finty Williams's narration.
I thought this was a relatively fast-paced, fun story. I was kind of bummed that this series on audiobook seems to only be available via Audible, and only the first one is included with membership (although it seems even that's going away at the end of February 2024). I was intrigued enough that now I'm seriously debating if I want to purchase so I can find out what happens in the rest of the series, or just end it here. I enjoyed Finty Williams's narration.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Gore, Sexism, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
onthesamepage's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
There's something really cozy about this story, even though I wouldn't categorize it as cozy fantasy. But the world, the writing, and the characters were incredibly compelling to me. Plus there's all the genre blending going on—fantasy, romance, mystery, and it all works well together.
The plot doesn't move at a very fast pace. A big part of the book is Hetta getting used to her new position, which means she walks the grounds, reads up on estate management, and does a lot of "slice of life" things. The world is still patriarchal, and Hetta runs into a few situations where she is discriminated against because she's a woman. I liked how the author handled all of these aspects. Hetta is someone who has plenty of agency, and instead of constantly being the person who needs to be saved, she does plenty of saving. There's also plenty of time spent on developing the different relationships, and unraveling the mysteries surrounding Stariel.
Some of the reveals were kind of obvious to me from the beginning, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all. A surprising delight, and I look forward to continuing in the series.
The plot doesn't move at a very fast pace. A big part of the book is Hetta getting used to her new position, which means she walks the grounds, reads up on estate management, and does a lot of "slice of life" things. The world is still patriarchal, and Hetta runs into a few situations where she is discriminated against because she's a woman. I liked how the author handled all of these aspects. Hetta is someone who has plenty of agency, and instead of constantly being the person who needs to be saved, she does plenty of saving. There's also plenty of time spent on developing the different relationships, and unraveling the mysteries surrounding Stariel.
Some of the reveals were kind of obvious to me from the beginning, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all. A surprising delight, and I look forward to continuing in the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia
tragedies's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
I went into this book thinking it would be a cozy fantasy. And it is. But as it turns out, it’s also a murder mystery, a period piece, and somehow a story about fae all rolled into one genre-bending amalgamation. And surprisingly, it works. Though I already saw the plot twist from a mile away and found the pacing too slow at times, I enjoyed this book a lot. There’s just something about the atmosphere of the strange, otherworldly Stariel estate that makes it so immersive and easy to get lost into. I also grew to love the characters and their relationships with one another. Of course, Hetta and Wyn are a given; their chemistry is off the charts. Romance aside, I also adore the friendships between different characters, as well as the loving relationships between the Valstar siblings.
When I first started this, I didn’t really sign up for a series (I legit thought this was a standalone). However, I’m already too invested in the story and the characters to stop now. There are four books, and as I’m writing this, I’m currently halfway through the second one. I also heard that Marius has his own spin-off novel, which I’m really excited for since he’s my favorite character. I can’t wait to get to the rest of the series and wade deeper into this new fictional world I stumbled upon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Sexism, Homophobia, and Misogyny
wilybooklover's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Quite slow to start, but once it got going this was a delightful cosy gaslamp fantasy with a hint of romance. I enjoyed the writing style; it was quite witty, in an understated way, and very readable. The characters were lovely, nuanced, and for the most part mature and level-headed. I'll definitely be picking up the next one.
I will say I didn't really care much for the love triangle,especially since one of them ended up as a villain anyway.
I will say I didn't really care much for the love triangle,
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Outing, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Violence, and Child death
sarahmitra's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Homophobia
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