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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Almost DNF. Booktok rec.
Very reminiscent of SJM series. Acotar & tog. Assassins, “old world magic”, poor girl who becomes queen to save sister and father, falls in love with high fae she thought might kill her etc etc.
Very reminiscent of SJM series. Acotar & tog. Assassins, “old world magic”, poor girl who becomes queen to save sister and father, falls in love with high fae she thought might kill her etc etc.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well, that was extremely disappointing. The premise and world-building pulled me in from the very beginning. The magic system was intriguing, the stakes felt high, and the slow-burn tension between Asha and Kieran? Totally chef’s kiss.
But after a strong start, the story took some truly bizarre turns. There were twists on top of twists, one in particular that made me nervous to even continue. Once the real villain was revealed, most of their motivations were told to us rather than shown — and this dragged on for several chapters. It felt like a long-winded info-dump when I just wanted to see those conflicts play out.
By the last 30%, the story became a rollercoaster of emotions and plot twists (most of which were painfully predictable). The finale left me feeling unsatisfied — especially because there was barely anything between Asha and Kieran after all that build-up. And don’t even get me started on the epilogue. Instead of focusing on them, we get some weird sidetrack with the “mother” character, which was hands-down one of the most boring conclusions I could have imagined. I literally almost DNF’d at 98% because of it.
Sadly, this one just didn’t live up to its potential for me.
But after a strong start, the story took some truly bizarre turns. There were twists on top of twists, one in particular that made me nervous to even continue. Once the real villain was revealed, most of their motivations were told to us rather than shown — and this dragged on for several chapters. It felt like a long-winded info-dump when I just wanted to see those conflicts play out.
By the last 30%, the story became a rollercoaster of emotions and plot twists (most of which were painfully predictable). The finale left me feeling unsatisfied — especially because there was barely anything between Asha and Kieran after all that build-up. And don’t even get me started on the epilogue. Instead of focusing on them, we get some weird sidetrack with the “mother” character, which was hands-down one of the most boring conclusions I could have imagined. I literally almost DNF’d at 98% because of it.
Sadly, this one just didn’t live up to its potential for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Murder, Gaslighting
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love the characters and enjoyed the storyline.
I dnf this for now at 52% bc it’s kinda slow and I‘ve taken a break from reading it.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
A story that initially intrigued me a lot—one I started reading because of a TikTok excerpt—but I have to say it gradually lost its spark. It’s marketed as a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, and while it is to some extent, that element barely shows. The story is incredibly long and takes so many twists and turns that at some point, you have no idea where the next plot twist is going to come from.
It wasn’t exactly predictable—hence why I kept reading—but by the end, I felt a bit lost. It had twisted so much that nothing made sense anymore. In my opinion, if the book had been half the length and less convoluted, it could’ve been a solid read that left me wanting more. Right now, I don’t even have the energy to continue with the series—it left me feeling completely overwhelmed.
I gave it 3.5 stars because it did manage to keep me intrigued enough to finish, but overall, it wasn’t a great reading experience.
Took a minute to get through but it was so good
I found this pretty boring. I kept waiting for it to pick up but at 35% I just can’t do it anymore.
adventurous
challenging
dark
lighthearted
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was a surprise. Since I’m chomping at the bit for the conclusion of Lawrence’s Peter Pan retelling, I’m working my way through her backlist.
I’ve never seen anyone take on 1,001 Nights as a retelling, but it was clever. With deep secrets, magic, hidden façades, and sisterly bonds, it’s a riveting read. A few parts dragged in pacing, mostly with flashbacks to the story Asha is telling to save her life. However, by the ending, its significance is clear.
There’s a bit of a cliffhanger with plenty of unanswered questions that will be answered further on in the series. Overall, Asha & Kiran really made me enjoy this story and I’m rooting for more of them!
Content: some violence but not gory; a couple mild kisses; very vague hints of consummation (this is an arranged marriage); domestic violence is depicted; several characters are revealed to have cheated/had affairs (not MCs)