Scan barcode
mothercrow's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting story paired with regency romance feels . I loved it.
votesforwomen's review against another edition
3.0
So this was a wild ride and I admit I have mixed feelings! But for my first foray into a UUP book, it was pretty great!
THINGS TO LOVE:
>the dreamworld. So terrifying. A lot of the time bookish nightmares are just "let's relive our worst memory!" and I don't know about you guys, but...I don't experience that? If I have nightmares they're just WEIRD. xD So Mahr's approach to the nightmare world was BRILLIANT. I would NOT want to go here. Thanks.
>Arden! "I'm not the knight. I'm the dragon." THIS MAN. *flails softly* *sobs* He was so precious and I need more of him like now. He might not be perfect (okay, fine, he's a knave with a dirty mind), but I think he has redemption in his future and I can't wait to see that play out in the sequel.
>The court life was so accurately done and I appreciated that. Balls are just a think that happen. Reeve doesn't like them, but she goes because she does. No sneaking off. Just goes. And the court stuff in general...it felt like they could genuinely be in a palace.
>THE TWIST AT THE END. Ummmm excuse me. I did not see that coming, at all, and it's AMAZING.
>I read this book in a day. It was so tautly plotted, so expertly done, that I just...I loved. Thank you muchly, Mahr.
THINGS I DID NOT LOVE:
>*sighs* The love triangle, for one thing. It drove me crazy how Reeve was always salty at Arden for not giving her all his attention and being a player (which she KNEW WHEN SHE MET HIM), while in the meantime she was running off to kiss another guy behind his back? And genuinely thought she could be with both? Like...girl.
>Reeve in general kind of drove me crazy. So naive. So rash. She had some definite growth by the end, and I appreciated that. She's another one I'd like to see MUCH growth from in the sequel.
>Most of the side characters needed a little bit more to flesh them out (or a little more screentime, plz)
>Also that cliffhanger was CRUEL (*whispers* I didn't actually hate it but I do hate that I don't have book 2 in my hands rn so PLEASE SOMEONE SEND ME THE SECOND FOR MY BIRTHDAAAAAY)
Waffling between 3 and 4 stars (WHERE ARE HALF STARSSSSSSSS). Overall, an enjoyable ride! But a bit frustrating.
Content:
Some swearing. Most of the words are ones I would call minor (d-word, h-e-double-hockey-sticks, one usage of b*****d. More of that than I would have wanted, but I personally didn't find it too bad (just annoying.) The characters also say "Lord" a lot, which bothered me a little bit more.
Arden is a known womanizer, and says some innuendos to Reeve that make her blush. There's one scene where a man chases a woman down a dark street and then corners her that made me a little bit nervous, but his intentions are to catch her for interrogation, although it does not seem that way for most of the scene. Some kissing--not TOO described, but there is a good amount of it. An unmarried boy and girl share a bed at one point, just for sleeping. Reeve is highly over-romantic and obsessed with the idea of boys.
Violence is about average for a fantasy novel--blood, fighting, attack via bird, getting knocked out, and stuff like that. Besides a couple of very bloody sections (most of which deal with the aftermath of the injury, not the injury itself) I didn't find it too bad on this respect.
*whispers* again, I need book 2. Buy me book 2, loyal supporters...
3.5 stars
THINGS TO LOVE:
>the dreamworld. So terrifying. A lot of the time bookish nightmares are just "let's relive our worst memory!" and I don't know about you guys, but...I don't experience that? If I have nightmares they're just WEIRD. xD So Mahr's approach to the nightmare world was BRILLIANT. I would NOT want to go here. Thanks.
>Arden! "I'm not the knight. I'm the dragon." THIS MAN. *flails softly* *sobs* He was so precious and I need more of him like now. He might not be perfect (okay, fine, he's a knave with a dirty mind), but I think he has redemption in his future and I can't wait to see that play out in the sequel.
>The court life was so accurately done and I appreciated that. Balls are just a think that happen. Reeve doesn't like them, but she goes because she does. No sneaking off. Just goes. And the court stuff in general...it felt like they could genuinely be in a palace.
>THE TWIST AT THE END. Ummmm excuse me. I did not see that coming, at all, and it's AMAZING.
>I read this book in a day. It was so tautly plotted, so expertly done, that I just...I loved. Thank you muchly, Mahr.
THINGS I DID NOT LOVE:
>*sighs* The love triangle, for one thing. It drove me crazy how Reeve was always salty at Arden for not giving her all his attention and being a player (which she KNEW WHEN SHE MET HIM), while in the meantime she was running off to kiss another guy behind his back? And genuinely thought she could be with both? Like...girl.
>Reeve in general kind of drove me crazy. So naive. So rash. She had some definite growth by the end, and I appreciated that. She's another one I'd like to see MUCH growth from in the sequel.
>Most of the side characters needed a little bit more to flesh them out (or a little more screentime, plz)
>Also that cliffhanger was CRUEL (*whispers* I didn't actually hate it but I do hate that I don't have book 2 in my hands rn so PLEASE SOMEONE SEND ME THE SECOND FOR MY BIRTHDAAAAAY)
Waffling between 3 and 4 stars (WHERE ARE HALF STARSSSSSSSS). Overall, an enjoyable ride! But a bit frustrating.
Content:
Some swearing. Most of the words are ones I would call minor (d-word, h-e-double-hockey-sticks, one usage of b*****d. More of that than I would have wanted, but I personally didn't find it too bad (just annoying.) The characters also say "Lord" a lot, which bothered me a little bit more.
Arden is a known womanizer, and says some innuendos to Reeve that make her blush. There's one scene where a man chases a woman down a dark street and then corners her that made me a little bit nervous, but his intentions are to catch her for interrogation, although it does not seem that way for most of the scene. Some kissing--not TOO described, but there is a good amount of it. An unmarried boy and girl share a bed at one point, just for sleeping. Reeve is highly over-romantic and obsessed with the idea of boys.
Violence is about average for a fantasy novel--blood, fighting, attack via bird, getting knocked out, and stuff like that. Besides a couple of very bloody sections (most of which deal with the aftermath of the injury, not the injury itself) I didn't find it too bad on this respect.
*whispers* again, I need book 2. Buy me book 2, loyal supporters...
3.5 stars
betwixt_the_pages's review against another edition
5.0
Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose.
By day she is a lady of Acarsaid's royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars.
Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air.
Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what's real, until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.
***PLEASE NOTE: this review is for BOTH books in this gorgeous duology. K thanks bye!***
Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: gorgeous, atmospheric prose; I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story; vibrant, well-written characters; this was a wild journey from start to finish; I have NEVER moved so quickly to purchase the physical copy(ies) of a book in my life; please read this duology, it's the best
HUGE thanks to Kristina Mahr, Uncommon Universes Publishing, and YA Bound Book Tours for sending free egalleys of these titles my way! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on these books.
"I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that I'm the dragon and not the knight."
"I like you as the dragon," I say quietly. "I just wish that I was enough, even if just for one night, for you to focus the whole of your fire on me."
I'm going to be honest, Penguins...I basically went into this duology completely blind. I saw the cover and title for All that We See or Seem and jumped in headlong without taking time to read what the series was actually about.......
But it worked out, GORGEOUSLY. This duology is an atmospheric, beautifully written journey, and I couldn't make myself put either book down once I started. Which means I basically binge-read both of these within the matter of a day. Maybe. At most. The characters are well-rounded, poignantly relatable, and SO entertaining. I had such a great time following in Reeve's footsteps and allowing her to lead me down this path of magic and dark devices. I really enjoyed the backdrops--the mirror-esque qualities that the "real, everyday" world and her "nightmare" portrayed.
I especially enjoyed some of the more unique and fantastical elements that Kristina Mahr employed throughout each novel. There were twists and turns even I couldn't see coming, which is saying a lot, given I generally see the reveals from miles away. I did feel as if the actual ending was SUPER quick and tied up almost a little too nicely, all things considered--we had such a long, enthralling lead up, I felt a bit like I lost out on the honest ending...but alas, so it goes.
Of course, I also have to admit to something else. For the sake of being honest, you know. I got about halfway through All that We See or Seem..........only to find myself running to Amazon to order a physical, hardcover copy of both books! I was only able to find the first available in hardcover format, so I immediately purchased it...and will be keeping an eye out for A Dream Within a Dream to become available for purchase in hardcover every day until it's in my grubby, greedy little flippers. I NEED IT, y'all. NEED. I have never purchased a physical copy in the MIDDLE of reading a book before...but I did for this series. And I don't regret doing so.
"Thank you."
"I daresay 'rescuer of damsels in distress' was not one of the rumors you heard about me," he muses.
"It most certainly was not," I laugh. "'Creator of the distress damsels find themselves in,' more accurately."
I am so so very happy to have been part of this blog tour, and given the chance to read and review each of these novels. I LOVE the play on the titles, I LOVE how they fit into the story as a whole, and THESE COVERRRRRRRS! I adore how the covers, just like the two worlds found between, act as a sort of mirror to one another. This entire duology--from physical looks to the fantastical worlds--was brilliantly thought out and captivated by Kristina Mahr. Take a walk with me into a nightmare, Penguins--you're bound to love what you find there.
toritoot's review against another edition
3.0
I am about 9 chapters away from finishing this book, but I believe it's safe to go ahead and write my review now, as my praises and critiques are not likely to be affected by any twists or exposition the final chapters might offer.
I'll start with saying that there is much about this book that is well-done. The prose is very strong and there is a lot of beautiful imagery. I was frequently struck by Mahr's poetic/lyrical style of writing, and I'm now very eager to purchase some of her poetry.
The early world-building for Reeve's dreamworld is very well-done. The book opens with its darkness and keeps that energy going for much of the book. This dreamworld is truly terrifying. Even when she's 'invisible' in this world, what she must witness while there is the sort of thing to cause PTSD.
Finally, while I have some rather large critiques of the love triangle, I still quite like both of Reeve's love interests. Arden is very much the trope of the lovable but broken rogue, a trope I really love when it's done well, which I think it is here. Bran, while not equally as interesting of a character (I'll explain more later), is still immensely likable.
But even though I think there is much to commend and enjoy about this book, the things that have been rattling around in my head since about halfway through it and that will most likely be what I remember long after I finish, are not so positive.
First and foremost, the love triangle was very difficult to bear. Not because it is cheating (which it is), but because it's not treated as cheating. I can't remember a moment in the book where Reeve experiences real feelings of guilt for what she's doing. For example: At one point, Arden kisses Reeve, then not long after she kisses Bran. And yet, there's no moment afterwards these two kisses where she appears to feel guilt for what she's doing or even question her choices.
For my part, if a character is going to cheat in your story, and you still want me to like and/or understand that character and their motivations, then they need to experience some level of guilt or internal conflict over what they are doing. Even if she shoves that guilt away, comes up with excuses to justify her behavior, the guilt needs to be there, and it needs to be expressed in some way. Alternatively, if Mahr didn't want Reeve to experience feelings of guilt until book two of the duology (which I think is possible), then she needed to give insight into how Reeve is so good at compartmentalizing, at placing things into several different boxes so that nothing touches. This would have worked well when paired with Reeve's frequent mentions of a door she keeps closed/locked between her waking world and her dreaming world.
As far as the love interests are concerned, while I like both of them equally, I was more drawn to Arden, mainly because he's a fuller character. He may be a trope, but he's a trope with personality. He's charming, self-assured, trouble with a capital T, but also a man with baggage, personal traumas, who's secretly wishing someone would love him. I really liked him.
Bran, on the other hand, is....a bit of a piece of toast. Now don't misunderstand. Despite us not being given very much information about him and who he is, there is something about him that seems good and honorable and kind. But we don't really learn anything about him. He has no personality.
And all of that can be blamed squarely on Reeve and her lack of interest in actually getting to know him.
Every time Reeve thinks about Bran, every time she looks at him, it's to reference how physically attractive she finds him. She does the same with Arden, but it makes sense there given Arden's character trope. Arden is seeking this response from Reeve, from every woman he flirts with and woos with no serious intentions, so it's very logical for Reeve to be affected by him in that way. But Bran and Reeve are the OTP, so why not give them a more compelling reason to be attracted to one another than just 'the curve of his jaw' or 'his piercing eyes?' How about a little 'he's brave' or 'he's kind' or 'he's honest' as well? Especially if you want the reader to prefer Bran to Arden. As is, her motives for liking both of them are 'You're hot,' which is pretty self-centered.
I'm going to ignore the insta-love problem the OTP has, because I think we all understand the problems with insta-love at this point, and I don't feel like spending much time on it, but suffice to say, Bran and Reeve's romance is also insta-love, which I'm not a fan of.
Personally, I think the love triangle would have worked better if more of a distinction had been made between Reeve's attraction to Arden and her interest in Bran. What a more compelling love triangle it would have been if Reeve had had a genuine interest in Bran as a person, but she was drawn to Arden because of his looks and charisma and very clear talent at playing with a girl's heart, and she was trying to keep them both while at the same time slowly realizing her own selfishness in doing so. I can acquiesce that perhaps this was what the author was intending, but if so, I don't believe she succeeded.
The second major critique I have for this book is how Reeve reacts (or doesn't) to her nightly visits to this terrifying dreamworld. While in the dreamworld, her response to the horrors she witnesses is appropriate and expected. She's afraid of this world and seeks to flee it. She doesn't know why she can't be seen, but she isn't willing to question it, more intent on escaping the sight of dead bodies hanging from the gallows, razor sharp talons digging into human flesh, the unearthly screams of birds and humans mingled together.
That's also where Reeve's reaction ends. Every day, when she wakes from this dreamworld back in the real one, she uses that same door I mentioned earlier to lock the horrors of the dreamworld away. And then she doesn't think about them again. This would be fine if there were hints here or there at how much of a toll going to this dreamworld, and subsequently locking it behind a door each day, takes on her. But she seems completely unaffected during the day. For example: We don't learn until the end of the book that Reeve's dreams mean she gets very little actual rest at night and has to take periodic naps during the day. Why were we not given this information sooner?
Reeve also shows very little interest in understanding the world she visits in her dreams or figuring out why she goes there every night and how to make the visits stop. She has been going to this dreamworld every night for 14 years (I believe she says the dreams started when she was 4), but she appears to have made no attempts at understanding what is happening to her. She's never asked the court sorcerer about her dreams. She's never done research in the palace library. She's never even discussed them with her guards, whom she calls her best friends.
Maybe there's a reason why she doesn't want to tell anyone about these dreams. It could be because of her mother and whatever has been going on with her. It could be that she's afraid she'll be told she's crazy or losing her mind. It could be for a variety of reasons, but we're never given one. And even still, why has she not made any attempt in 14 years to find out what's happening and seek relief?
Part of why I kept reading this book, aside from how well Mahr did with creating this dark dreamworld as well as all of her beautiful imagery and prose, was because I wanted to understand what was going on. Why is Reeve visiting this dreamworld every night? Is this place real or a figment of her imagination? What is happening here and why? The story creates a lot of intriguing questions early on for the reader that make you want to keep going so you can learn the answers. But the story let me down. It provided me no answers and gave me no directions in which to look for them.
Obviously, this is the first book of a duology, so Mahr can't reveal everything to us, or maybe even very much. But so much of this book felt like a never-ending loop of Reeve waking, sleeping, dreaming, everything static, nothing changing, the reader learning nothing. And I think the reason for that is because while the conceit of the book is Reeve's nightly visits to this terrifying dreamworld and what happens there, the true foundation of the story is the love triangle, and once it appears, the story around the dreamworld takes a backseat.
If you enjoy the love triangle, then you'll enjoy this book. But if you don't enjoy the love triangle, or you recognize some of its flaws, you will struggle to enjoy the rest of the story. Which is unfortunate, because I think there's a lot of good in this book. It just got a little buried.
I'll start with saying that there is much about this book that is well-done. The prose is very strong and there is a lot of beautiful imagery. I was frequently struck by Mahr's poetic/lyrical style of writing, and I'm now very eager to purchase some of her poetry.
The early world-building for Reeve's dreamworld is very well-done. The book opens with its darkness and keeps that energy going for much of the book. This dreamworld is truly terrifying. Even when she's 'invisible' in this world, what she must witness while there is the sort of thing to cause PTSD.
Finally, while I have some rather large critiques of the love triangle, I still quite like both of Reeve's love interests. Arden is very much the trope of the lovable but broken rogue, a trope I really love when it's done well, which I think it is here. Bran, while not equally as interesting of a character (I'll explain more later), is still immensely likable.
But even though I think there is much to commend and enjoy about this book, the things that have been rattling around in my head since about halfway through it and that will most likely be what I remember long after I finish, are not so positive.
First and foremost, the love triangle was very difficult to bear. Not because it is cheating (which it is), but because it's not treated as cheating. I can't remember a moment in the book where Reeve experiences real feelings of guilt for what she's doing. For example: At one point, Arden kisses Reeve, then not long after she kisses Bran. And yet, there's no moment afterwards these two kisses where she appears to feel guilt for what she's doing or even question her choices.
For my part, if a character is going to cheat in your story, and you still want me to like and/or understand that character and their motivations, then they need to experience some level of guilt or internal conflict over what they are doing. Even if she shoves that guilt away, comes up with excuses to justify her behavior, the guilt needs to be there, and it needs to be expressed in some way. Alternatively, if Mahr didn't want Reeve to experience feelings of guilt until book two of the duology (which I think is possible), then she needed to give insight into how Reeve is so good at compartmentalizing, at placing things into several different boxes so that nothing touches. This would have worked well when paired with Reeve's frequent mentions of a door she keeps closed/locked between her waking world and her dreaming world.
As far as the love interests are concerned, while I like both of them equally, I was more drawn to Arden, mainly because he's a fuller character. He may be a trope, but he's a trope with personality. He's charming, self-assured, trouble with a capital T, but also a man with baggage, personal traumas, who's secretly wishing someone would love him. I really liked him.
Bran, on the other hand, is....a bit of a piece of toast. Now don't misunderstand. Despite us not being given very much information about him and who he is, there is something about him that seems good and honorable and kind. But we don't really learn anything about him. He has no personality.
And all of that can be blamed squarely on Reeve and her lack of interest in actually getting to know him.
Every time Reeve thinks about Bran, every time she looks at him, it's to reference how physically attractive she finds him. She does the same with Arden, but it makes sense there given Arden's character trope. Arden is seeking this response from Reeve, from every woman he flirts with and woos with no serious intentions, so it's very logical for Reeve to be affected by him in that way. But Bran and Reeve are the OTP, so why not give them a more compelling reason to be attracted to one another than just 'the curve of his jaw' or 'his piercing eyes?' How about a little 'he's brave' or 'he's kind' or 'he's honest' as well? Especially if you want the reader to prefer Bran to Arden. As is, her motives for liking both of them are 'You're hot,' which is pretty self-centered.
I'm going to ignore the insta-love problem the OTP has, because I think we all understand the problems with insta-love at this point, and I don't feel like spending much time on it, but suffice to say, Bran and Reeve's romance is also insta-love, which I'm not a fan of.
Personally, I think the love triangle would have worked better if more of a distinction had been made between Reeve's attraction to Arden and her interest in Bran. What a more compelling love triangle it would have been if Reeve had had a genuine interest in Bran as a person, but she was drawn to Arden because of his looks and charisma and very clear talent at playing with a girl's heart, and she was trying to keep them both while at the same time slowly realizing her own selfishness in doing so. I can acquiesce that perhaps this was what the author was intending, but if so, I don't believe she succeeded.
The second major critique I have for this book is how Reeve reacts (or doesn't) to her nightly visits to this terrifying dreamworld. While in the dreamworld, her response to the horrors she witnesses is appropriate and expected. She's afraid of this world and seeks to flee it. She doesn't know why she can't be seen, but she isn't willing to question it, more intent on escaping the sight of dead bodies hanging from the gallows, razor sharp talons digging into human flesh, the unearthly screams of birds and humans mingled together.
That's also where Reeve's reaction ends. Every day, when she wakes from this dreamworld back in the real one, she uses that same door I mentioned earlier to lock the horrors of the dreamworld away. And then she doesn't think about them again. This would be fine if there were hints here or there at how much of a toll going to this dreamworld, and subsequently locking it behind a door each day, takes on her. But she seems completely unaffected during the day. For example: We don't learn until the end of the book that Reeve's dreams mean she gets very little actual rest at night and has to take periodic naps during the day. Why were we not given this information sooner?
Reeve also shows very little interest in understanding the world she visits in her dreams or figuring out why she goes there every night and how to make the visits stop. She has been going to this dreamworld every night for 14 years (I believe she says the dreams started when she was 4), but she appears to have made no attempts at understanding what is happening to her. She's never asked the court sorcerer about her dreams. She's never done research in the palace library. She's never even discussed them with her guards, whom she calls her best friends.
Maybe there's a reason why she doesn't want to tell anyone about these dreams. It could be because of her mother and whatever has been going on with her. It could be that she's afraid she'll be told she's crazy or losing her mind. It could be for a variety of reasons, but we're never given one. And even still, why has she not made any attempt in 14 years to find out what's happening and seek relief?
Part of why I kept reading this book, aside from how well Mahr did with creating this dark dreamworld as well as all of her beautiful imagery and prose, was because I wanted to understand what was going on. Why is Reeve visiting this dreamworld every night? Is this place real or a figment of her imagination? What is happening here and why? The story creates a lot of intriguing questions early on for the reader that make you want to keep going so you can learn the answers. But the story let me down. It provided me no answers and gave me no directions in which to look for them.
Obviously, this is the first book of a duology, so Mahr can't reveal everything to us, or maybe even very much. But so much of this book felt like a never-ending loop of Reeve waking, sleeping, dreaming, everything static, nothing changing, the reader learning nothing. And I think the reason for that is because while the conceit of the book is Reeve's nightly visits to this terrifying dreamworld and what happens there, the true foundation of the story is the love triangle, and once it appears, the story around the dreamworld takes a backseat.
If you enjoy the love triangle, then you'll enjoy this book. But if you don't enjoy the love triangle, or you recognize some of its flaws, you will struggle to enjoy the rest of the story. Which is unfortunate, because I think there's a lot of good in this book. It just got a little buried.
faiththompson416's review against another edition
3.0
So this was a wild ride and I admit I have mixed feelings! But for my first foray into a UUP book, it was pretty great!
THINGS TO LOVE:
>the dreamworld. So terrifying. A lot of the time bookish nightmares are just "let's relive our worst memory!" and I don't know about you guys, but...I don't experience that? If I have nightmares they're just WEIRD. xD So Mahr's approach to the nightmare world was BRILLIANT. I would NOT want to go here. Thanks.
>Arden! "I'm not the knight. I'm the dragon." THIS MAN. *flails softly* *sobs* He was so precious and I need more of him like now. He might not be perfect (okay, fine, he's a knave with a dirty mind), but I think he has redemption in his future and I can't wait to see that play out in the sequel.
>The court life was so accurately done and I appreciated that. Balls are just a think that happen. Reeve doesn't like them, but she goes because she does. No sneaking off. Just goes. And the court stuff in general...it felt like they could genuinely be in a palace.
>THE TWIST AT THE END. Ummmm excuse me. I did not see that coming, at all, and it's AMAZING.
>I read this book in a day. It was so tautly plotted, so expertly done, that I just...I loved. Thank you muchly, Mahr.
THINGS I DID NOT LOVE:
>*sighs* The love triangle, for one thing. It drove me crazy how Reeve was always salty at Arden for not giving her all his attention and being a player (which she KNEW WHEN SHE MET HIM), while in the meantime she was running off to kiss another guy behind his back? And genuinely thought she could be with both? Like...girl.
>Reeve in general kind of drove me crazy. So naive. So rash. She had some definite growth by the end, and I appreciated that. She's another one I'd like to see MUCH growth from in the sequel.
>Most of the side characters needed a little bit more to flesh them out (or a little more screentime, plz)
>Also that cliffhanger was CRUEL (*whispers* I didn't actually hate it but I do hate that I don't have book 2 in my hands rn so PLEASE SOMEONE SEND ME THE SECOND FOR MY BIRTHDAAAAAY)
Waffling between 3 and 4 stars (WHERE ARE HALF STARSSSSSSSS). Overall, an enjoyable ride! But a bit frustrating.
Content:
Some swearing. Most of the words are ones I would call minor (d-word, h-e-double-hockey-sticks, one usage of b*****d. More of that than I would have wanted, but I personally didn't find it too bad (just annoying.) The characters also say "Lord" a lot, which bothered me a little bit more.
Arden is a known womanizer, and says some innuendos to Reeve that make her blush. There's one scene where a man chases a woman down a dark street and then corners her that made me a little bit nervous, but his intentions are to catch her for interrogation, although it does not seem that way for most of the scene. Some kissing--not TOO described, but there is a good amount of it. An unmarried boy and girl share a bed at one point, just for sleeping. Reeve is highly over-romantic and obsessed with the idea of boys.
Violence is about average for a fantasy novel--blood, fighting, attack via bird, getting knocked out, and stuff like that. Besides a couple of very bloody sections (most of which deal with the aftermath of the injury, not the injury itself) I didn't find it too bad on this respect.
*whispers* again, I need book 2. Buy me book 2, loyal supporters...
3.5 stars
THINGS TO LOVE:
>the dreamworld. So terrifying. A lot of the time bookish nightmares are just "let's relive our worst memory!" and I don't know about you guys, but...I don't experience that? If I have nightmares they're just WEIRD. xD So Mahr's approach to the nightmare world was BRILLIANT. I would NOT want to go here. Thanks.
>Arden! "I'm not the knight. I'm the dragon." THIS MAN. *flails softly* *sobs* He was so precious and I need more of him like now. He might not be perfect (okay, fine, he's a knave with a dirty mind), but I think he has redemption in his future and I can't wait to see that play out in the sequel.
>The court life was so accurately done and I appreciated that. Balls are just a think that happen. Reeve doesn't like them, but she goes because she does. No sneaking off. Just goes. And the court stuff in general...it felt like they could genuinely be in a palace.
>THE TWIST AT THE END. Ummmm excuse me. I did not see that coming, at all, and it's AMAZING.
>I read this book in a day. It was so tautly plotted, so expertly done, that I just...I loved. Thank you muchly, Mahr.
THINGS I DID NOT LOVE:
>*sighs* The love triangle, for one thing. It drove me crazy how Reeve was always salty at Arden for not giving her all his attention and being a player (which she KNEW WHEN SHE MET HIM), while in the meantime she was running off to kiss another guy behind his back? And genuinely thought she could be with both? Like...girl.
>Reeve in general kind of drove me crazy. So naive. So rash. She had some definite growth by the end, and I appreciated that. She's another one I'd like to see MUCH growth from in the sequel.
>Most of the side characters needed a little bit more to flesh them out (or a little more screentime, plz)
>Also that cliffhanger was CRUEL (*whispers* I didn't actually hate it but I do hate that I don't have book 2 in my hands rn so PLEASE SOMEONE SEND ME THE SECOND FOR MY BIRTHDAAAAAY)
Waffling between 3 and 4 stars (WHERE ARE HALF STARSSSSSSSS). Overall, an enjoyable ride! But a bit frustrating.
Content:
Some swearing. Most of the words are ones I would call minor (d-word, h-e-double-hockey-sticks, one usage of b*****d. More of that than I would have wanted, but I personally didn't find it too bad (just annoying.) The characters also say "Lord" a lot, which bothered me a little bit more.
Arden is a known womanizer, and says some innuendos to Reeve that make her blush. There's one scene where a man chases a woman down a dark street and then corners her that made me a little bit nervous, but his intentions are to catch her for interrogation, although it does not seem that way for most of the scene. Some kissing--not TOO described, but there is a good amount of it. An unmarried boy and girl share a bed at one point, just for sleeping. Reeve is highly over-romantic and obsessed with the idea of boys.
Violence is about average for a fantasy novel--blood, fighting, attack via bird, getting knocked out, and stuff like that. Besides a couple of very bloody sections (most of which deal with the aftermath of the injury, not the injury itself) I didn't find it too bad on this respect.
*whispers* again, I need book 2. Buy me book 2, loyal supporters...
3.5 stars
jennamonaco's review against another edition
5.0
A 2018 must-read for summer! If you think the cover is wonderful, just wait until you start reading. I honestly couldn't put this book down. There are books that have two love interests and it's cliché and overdone--this is not one of those books. However, I am 100% team Bran aka team BRAVE. I am not so patiently waiting for book 2!!
Beautiful prose, riveting plot, and well-developed characters. I could go on. Highly highly recommend this book!
Beautiful prose, riveting plot, and well-developed characters. I could go on. Highly highly recommend this book!
theestherhadassah's review against another edition
4.0
This book is beautifully written. Kristina Mahr's writing style is very poetic. I was submerged into the story and thoroughly invested. There is a suspense present throughout the book. The story was so intriguing and had me glued to my couch (I might have to go do some laps to make up for the time I spent sitting on my bum lol)
I'm a fairly quick reader, but this is one of those books that forced me to take my time. There was no way I could have sped through it. I felt like there was a lot happening and I didn't want to miss anything. Makings of a great movie if you ask me . . .
I am super pleased with the turn that this book is taking. Seriously need to get into the next book NOW.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from YA Bound Book Tours. This is my honest, voluntary review.
I'm a fairly quick reader, but this is one of those books that forced me to take my time. There was no way I could have sped through it. I felt like there was a lot happening and I didn't want to miss anything. Makings of a great movie if you ask me . . .
I am super pleased with the turn that this book is taking. Seriously need to get into the next book NOW.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from YA Bound Book Tours. This is my honest, voluntary review.
hauntedbybooks's review against another edition
4.0
This was just as amazing as the first book! The writing is just as beautiful! I loved the character growth in this book. The twists and turns keep me fully captivated. The characters are just so well written and I really enjoyed getting to read their stories. This was a wonderful book!
More...