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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I kinda had to push through this book from the start to nearly the end. I felt like it was a mess at the start with the Old Voice and their stories. I skimmed or skipped a lot of parts that prattled on about things that weren't necessary for me.
It finally got good at near the end when things started to be come together about Az.
Asha did make me roll my eyes a lot when she kept saying how much she hated Kiran but in the end all of a sudden "loved him".
The concept of the book was super interesting. I liked the storyline (if it was cut down some more), surprising characters, and the world. I liked the history of learning about how the Fae got into the human world. I thought that was interesting.
It finally got good at near the end when things started to be come together about Az.
Asha did make me roll my eyes a lot when she kept saying how much she hated Kiran but in the end all of a sudden "loved him".
The concept of the book was super interesting. I liked the storyline (if it was cut down some more), surprising characters, and the world. I liked the history of learning about how the Fae got into the human world. I thought that was interesting.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
GOOD!!! 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I started this series a bit out of order (reading #3 first lol) but I ended up enjoying Asha and Kiran's story. It was a more complex story with more complex characters which created an ending that didn't really feel like an ending. I felt like there was so much more to the story and it didn't remotely wrap up the loose ends. Even with another couple taking the lead in the next book I hope to find this story more conventionally wrapped up by the end of the next book.
Romance: 2/5
Spice: 1/5
World building: 5/5
Trope(s): forced marriage, proximity, one bed (kind of), fey w/ human queen
Ok, a few highlights (& mild spoilers)..
I really enjoyed the mirrored instances of diving into what makes a monster: thinking about/ the intention of murder vs actually following through on those thoughts.
I also really enjoyed how Dinah kinda put Asha in her place- that while her sacrafice for their people was admirable, she couldn't know for sure that someone else wouldn't have done the same had she not. To assume she was so special that only she had that kind of capacity is a slippery slope- one the reader and Asha herself hadn't realized she was going down.
I loved reading about how the fey came to be- what a good story! and what a way to end- with a curse and that lie. oof I felt that in my heart when mother remembered what her son's last words were. What he lied about. That betrayal and realization. *chef's kiss*
I would've loved to read more about Kiran and Asha getting together. It felt like one day Kiran just fell in love and the rest of the story was getting Asha to accept Kiran. It was a bit jarring, especially considering there was hardly any romantic tension and the characters barely talked to each other one-on-one until 70% through the book.
I was kinda confused about the whole plot tbh. The murdered ex wife twist, the Az twist, the whole deal with Calias (that doesn't seem remotely done), the legitimacy of Kiran's rule.. all of it seems so convoluted and none of it was resolved by the end of the book. It was so frustrating! We didn't even get any good romance scenes... so most of the book felt like a set up to ... something ... that never happened.
I really really really hate fantasy romances that partner a human life span with that of an immortal being and call it a 'happy ending romance' cause it's not. The human will age and die and the immortal fey will be left behind for eternity with (one can hope) a few children to remember her by. But to think that a being would remain loyal for literally forever is dumb and that means we are accepting that this brillant romance is one doomed to be short lived and that the hero will, eventually, love another. and another. and another. That doesn't really fit my idea of 'happily ever after' in fantasy.
Romance: 2/5
Spice: 1/5
World building: 5/5
Trope(s): forced marriage, proximity, one bed (kind of), fey w/ human queen
Ok, a few highlights (& mild spoilers)..
I really enjoyed the mirrored instances of diving into what makes a monster: thinking about/ the intention of murder vs actually following through on those thoughts.
I also really enjoyed how Dinah kinda put Asha in her place- that while her sacrafice for their people was admirable, she couldn't know for sure that someone else wouldn't have done the same had she not. To assume she was so special that only she had that kind of capacity is a slippery slope- one the reader and Asha herself hadn't realized she was going down.
I loved reading about how the fey came to be- what a good story! and what a way to end- with a curse and that lie. oof I felt that in my heart when mother remembered what her son's last words were. What he lied about. That betrayal and realization. *chef's kiss*
I would've loved to read more about Kiran and Asha getting together. It felt like one day Kiran just fell in love and the rest of the story was getting Asha to accept Kiran. It was a bit jarring, especially considering there was hardly any romantic tension and the characters barely talked to each other one-on-one until 70% through the book.
I was kinda confused about the whole plot tbh. The murdered ex wife twist, the Az twist, the whole deal with Calias (that doesn't seem remotely done), the legitimacy of Kiran's rule.. all of it seems so convoluted and none of it was resolved by the end of the book. It was so frustrating! We didn't even get any good romance scenes... so most of the book felt like a set up to ... something ... that never happened.
I really really really hate fantasy romances that partner a human life span with that of an immortal being and call it a 'happy ending romance' cause it's not. The human will age and die and the immortal fey will be left behind for eternity with (one can hope) a few children to remember her by. But to think that a being would remain loyal for literally forever is dumb and that means we are accepting that this brillant romance is one doomed to be short lived and that the hero will, eventually, love another. and another. and another. That doesn't really fit my idea of 'happily ever after' in fantasy.
Book one of the Severed Realms series.
The fae king has been betrayed by his human queen and he has her executed and sends out a decree that he will marry one human woman once every mooncycle, only to execute her the following morning. That is unless one woman comes as a sacrifice to wed him and face her execution to save her fellow human women.
This is a take on 1,001 nights.
Asha knows she won’t be chosen to wed the king, the decree states a beautiful woman and she is far from what others will call beautiful, as a child she had a horrible accident that left scars on her face and took one of her eyes. No she isn’t in any danger at all from the king.
But her sister, her sister is as beautiful as can be, Asha would do anything and everything in her power to protect her sister. Even if that is agreeing to the terms of the kings decree and accepting her fate of marrying him for one night only to be executed the next morning. But the sacrifice will be worth it to save her sister.
That night after marrying the king he offers her anything within reason and all she asks is to see her sister and to be able to tell her one last story.
Asha is possessed with an old magic that likes to string tales together, a favorite past time of her and her sister is to sit and listen until they fall asleep. That night her story stops on a cliffhanger, and unbeknownst to Asha the king had sat outside the bedroom door all night listening to her tale.
The next morning she is spared, but how long will the king spare her. And why is she allowing herself to form feelings for a cruel king? Is the threat of assassination gone with the former queen or is there more at play here?
The fae king has been betrayed by his human queen and he has her executed and sends out a decree that he will marry one human woman once every mooncycle, only to execute her the following morning. That is unless one woman comes as a sacrifice to wed him and face her execution to save her fellow human women.
This is a take on 1,001 nights.
Asha knows she won’t be chosen to wed the king, the decree states a beautiful woman and she is far from what others will call beautiful, as a child she had a horrible accident that left scars on her face and took one of her eyes. No she isn’t in any danger at all from the king.
But her sister, her sister is as beautiful as can be, Asha would do anything and everything in her power to protect her sister. Even if that is agreeing to the terms of the kings decree and accepting her fate of marrying him for one night only to be executed the next morning. But the sacrifice will be worth it to save her sister.
That night after marrying the king he offers her anything within reason and all she asks is to see her sister and to be able to tell her one last story.
Asha is possessed with an old magic that likes to string tales together, a favorite past time of her and her sister is to sit and listen until they fall asleep. That night her story stops on a cliffhanger, and unbeknownst to Asha the king had sat outside the bedroom door all night listening to her tale.
The next morning she is spared, but how long will the king spare her. And why is she allowing herself to form feelings for a cruel king? Is the threat of assassination gone with the former queen or is there more at play here?
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I came across this book on social media and kind of wished I had left it there. There’s nothing really wrong with it, but I just think it’s not for me.
I like the idea of the story, but to me, it came across boring. There’s not a lot happening in the first 300 pages or so. The slow burn is agonizingly slow and not in a good way since it’s mostly one sided.
The plot twist hit hard and was exciting until it wasn’t. There were too many twists that were unnecessary. Like wholly unnecessary and too much.
I skipped a lot of this book. I’m not a fan of a story within a story, and it just didn’t seem all that necessary to the main story. Sure, it’s all connected, but is it really necessary? I’m not sure.
I like the idea of the story, but to me, it came across boring. There’s not a lot happening in the first 300 pages or so. The slow burn is agonizingly slow and not in a good way since it’s mostly one sided.
The plot twist hit hard and was exciting until it wasn’t. There were too many twists that were unnecessary. Like wholly unnecessary and too much.
I skipped a lot of this book. I’m not a fan of a story within a story, and it just didn’t seem all that necessary to the main story. Sure, it’s all connected, but is it really necessary? I’m not sure.
I'm a sucker for 1,001 Arabian night, so I chose this book after seeing it on Tiktok. Where the story and world building were good, and made the 600 page book fly by, the writing could be a little immature at times.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Un ROLLERCOASTEEERRR pero me gustó bastante y fue súper entretenido, bien construido con respecto a la magia y mundo alrededor.