Scan barcode
shabanak's review
4.0
Forged by Linda Ling
(Book 2 in Land of the Sun trilogy)
4 ⭐️
First off, thank you, @hazels_booktours and @lindalingwrites , for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
Fantasy, adventure, romance, angst, and darkness.
All of these combined created an imaginative story that you could picture clearly in your mind. A lot of thought went into these characters and their storyline, and you'd know it by the way they do something, say something, or even the expression their face gives. I can't wait to see what book 3 has in store!
(Book 2 in Land of the Sun trilogy)
4 ⭐️
First off, thank you, @hazels_booktours and @lindalingwrites , for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
Fantasy, adventure, romance, angst, and darkness.
All of these combined created an imaginative story that you could picture clearly in your mind. A lot of thought went into these characters and their storyline, and you'd know it by the way they do something, say something, or even the expression their face gives. I can't wait to see what book 3 has in store!
sophslilbooknook's review
4.0
This is the second book in the Land of the Sun trilogy, and starts right where Sundered (book one) ended.
Faelyn is learning to master her powers whilst fighting her growing feelings for Khare, whilst elsewhere, Thane has tricked Winyx into helping to fulfil an ancient prophecy.
There were twists and turns that left me gripping the edge of my seat, and I absolutely loved the way the author controlled the narrative of both storylines without one overwhelming the other!
The books are well written - the world-building is incredible, the different characters add so much detail to the story, and I loved that the romance aspect didn’t take over the entire storyline!
Just like book one, Forged does end on a cliffhanger, but thankfully all three books are available on KU so I will be getting started on book three straight away!
*Thank you Linda Ling and Hazels Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
Faelyn is learning to master her powers whilst fighting her growing feelings for Khare, whilst elsewhere, Thane has tricked Winyx into helping to fulfil an ancient prophecy.
There were twists and turns that left me gripping the edge of my seat, and I absolutely loved the way the author controlled the narrative of both storylines without one overwhelming the other!
The books are well written - the world-building is incredible, the different characters add so much detail to the story, and I loved that the romance aspect didn’t take over the entire storyline!
Just like book one, Forged does end on a cliffhanger, but thankfully all three books are available on KU so I will be getting started on book three straight away!
*Thank you Linda Ling and Hazels Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
whatkaylareads1221's review
4.0
It’s release day for the second installment of The Land of the Sun series! The first book (Sundered) is available on KU and is an easy read, I have a review on Goodreads if you’d like to get an idea of what it’s like.
We start this novel by revisiting Wiynx, a fairy that was kidnapped out of her own protected world by an elf named Thane who has given Wiynx the ick up to this point. She is told by him that in order to fulfill the prophecy he must experiment on her and she is NOT into that at first. Eventually she gives in because there is a grander scheme at play, but Wiynx’s story has been braided into Faelyn’s story from the first book.
Overall, I loved the depth this book provided for characters we met in book 1. A great beginner fantasy read with a low spice level, however love triangles and enemies to lovers tropes are both present.
Thank you so much @hazels_booktours and @lindalingwrites for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest feedback. I would rate this series 3.5/5 ⭐️ so far in hopes to continue the character development this book has provided!
We start this novel by revisiting Wiynx, a fairy that was kidnapped out of her own protected world by an elf named Thane who has given Wiynx the ick up to this point. She is told by him that in order to fulfill the prophecy he must experiment on her and she is NOT into that at first. Eventually she gives in because there is a grander scheme at play, but Wiynx’s story has been braided into Faelyn’s story from the first book.
Overall, I loved the depth this book provided for characters we met in book 1. A great beginner fantasy read with a low spice level, however love triangles and enemies to lovers tropes are both present.
Thank you so much @hazels_booktours and @lindalingwrites for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest feedback. I would rate this series 3.5/5 ⭐️ so far in hopes to continue the character development this book has provided!
confessionsofabibliophile's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Forged by Linda Ling (Book 2 in a Trilogy)
I was given a copy courtesy of Hazel's Book Tours in exchange for a review. Even though this was given to me for this purpose, though this is my honest opinion.
Rating:3.5 stars
Review spoiler free:
Forged is book two in the series by Linda Ling, and it starts off. I assume where the first book ended. I haven't read the first book, but the author puts a lot of time and effort into the first few chapters revisiting and explaining things. So, in essence, this could have been picked up as a standalone and would be fine. The book is multi POV, which sometimes is like whiplash but, for the most part, easy to follow. The author does an amazing job at painting a beautiful world with her words. She is very descriptive and, I believe, explains things mostly. There is some stuff left unanswered, but this might be a book 3 explains it all situation. There are minor grammatical errors in the book but nothing too extreme, like one point Winyx is talking to Thane about leaving and going back to the Valley and how she will tell other fairies about Thane and stuff (trying to not spoil anything), but Thane says that he wants to go with her and he can 'met the fairies himself.' As you can see, this is an example of a minor error, but the sentence is still understandable. It honestly doesn't take away from the book or the immersive aspects.
There were things I liked about the book and things I didn't like. We will touch on things that weren't my cup of tea first. The book started off extremely slow. It is a slower paced book to me anyway, but the start seemed to drag on. This is a me issue, slower paced reads I lose interest as my brain starts thinking of a million things nothing having to do with the book that I lose focuse. Midway/end does pick up, which made it easier for me to focus.
There is a chapter in the book, I think it is 12. I can't remember off the top of my head, but every single sentence started with the word 'She'. I know it was from Winyx's perspective, but that chapter bothered me. It took me a bit to not dread reading the word she after that.
Although Ling does an absolutely phenomenal job at setting the scene, and you can tell she is a gifted writer, I felt like this was used a lot as filler. Again, in my opinion, I wanted more plot and story, and I felt that the book was heavy world building, especially at the start.
There are so many characters. I mean I love a good fantasy with loads of characters, but I think the thing that threw me was some characters go by multiple names and the author uses them interchangeably and I got confused a couple times, I had to re-read things.
Last two things that bothered me was how Faelyn is supposed to be in love with one person and then this new guy just barely gives her a smile and she is like "oh my God I am in love with him" like it was so instant and there was no build up, I mean something does lead into her being in this character's company but her being all googlie eyes happens so incredibly fast like within minutes and on no basis and I was so bothered by it. I know love triangle is a romantic theme in this book, but still. I like plot to my romance and romance building, and it was like blinked eyes, and she is in love with a new guy.
The other thing is also a relationship flaw for me. Winyx and Thane. They are enemies, and their is a fade to black sort of flash forward where she ends up going along with something Thane is orchestrating. Then when it succeeds it seems Thane seems to sort of fall for Winyx and she slightly in return, I think but the thing that I was like wait what...was the fact they got closer together OVER A DEAD BODY. I was like, wait, what did this just happen? I get the whole enemies to lovers trope but this I was like pause, excuse me come again, let's rewind and reread this section to make sure I am picking up what Linda Ling was putting down and YEP, I WAS. I mean, some people may not have an issue with this, but as I said, this is my own opinion. Not to mention I don't know I just picture Thane thousands of years older than Winyx and I know it's fantasy and I get people don't mind things like that for me I was like I get grandpa vibes from him, haha.
Now, onto the things I liked. I loved Sage. She was one of my favourites and I felt so sorry for her and I loved her care and compassion for Winyx almost like a Nana, which is why I think I view Thane as a Gdad because Sage is his sister.
I also LOVED Winyx! I enjoy fairy's and fairytales, and she was like fairy to a T! The wit, the sassy stubbornness, kindness, and beauty all in one. I enjoyed her story arc, I thought it flowed fairly well, minus the fade to black choice thing and infamous 'She' Chapter she was truly a loveable character and really fleshed out!
Speaking of fleshing out! Oh my God, the world building, Elvarue, The Valley, Rohinder, and all of the other places, characters, and creatures that make up this fantastical world that Linda Ling has created!
I liked how I was able to pick this up without reading the first book and understand perfectly what was going on. I loved fantasy elements, fairies, elves, mages, princesses, and more. The battle scenes were good and had all the elements for a good fantasy novel, romance, fighting, whimsical characters, and fantasmic setting that whisks your imagination off to the land of the Fae. If you like fantasy and typical romantacy tropes, you will probably like Linda Ling's series.
Would I read book 3? Yeah, to see if everything I was left questioning was answered.
I was given a copy courtesy of Hazel's Book Tours in exchange for a review. Even though this was given to me for this purpose, though this is my honest opinion.
Rating:3.5 stars
Review spoiler free:
Forged is book two in the series by Linda Ling, and it starts off. I assume where the first book ended. I haven't read the first book, but the author puts a lot of time and effort into the first few chapters revisiting and explaining things. So, in essence, this could have been picked up as a standalone and would be fine. The book is multi POV, which sometimes is like whiplash but, for the most part, easy to follow. The author does an amazing job at painting a beautiful world with her words. She is very descriptive and, I believe, explains things mostly. There is some stuff left unanswered, but this might be a book 3 explains it all situation. There are minor grammatical errors in the book but nothing too extreme, like one point Winyx is talking to Thane about leaving and going back to the Valley and how she will tell other fairies about Thane and stuff (trying to not spoil anything), but Thane says that he wants to go with her and he can 'met the fairies himself.' As you can see, this is an example of a minor error, but the sentence is still understandable. It honestly doesn't take away from the book or the immersive aspects.
There were things I liked about the book and things I didn't like. We will touch on things that weren't my cup of tea first. The book started off extremely slow. It is a slower paced book to me anyway, but the start seemed to drag on. This is a me issue, slower paced reads I lose interest as my brain starts thinking of a million things nothing having to do with the book that I lose focuse. Midway/end does pick up, which made it easier for me to focus.
There is a chapter in the book, I think it is 12. I can't remember off the top of my head, but every single sentence started with the word 'She'. I know it was from Winyx's perspective, but that chapter bothered me. It took me a bit to not dread reading the word she after that.
Although Ling does an absolutely phenomenal job at setting the scene, and you can tell she is a gifted writer, I felt like this was used a lot as filler. Again, in my opinion, I wanted more plot and story, and I felt that the book was heavy world building, especially at the start.
There are so many characters. I mean I love a good fantasy with loads of characters, but I think the thing that threw me was some characters go by multiple names and the author uses them interchangeably and I got confused a couple times, I had to re-read things.
Last two things that bothered me was how Faelyn is supposed to be in love with one person and then this new guy just barely gives her a smile and she is like "oh my God I am in love with him" like it was so instant and there was no build up, I mean something does lead into her being in this character's company but her being all googlie eyes happens so incredibly fast like within minutes and on no basis and I was so bothered by it. I know love triangle is a romantic theme in this book, but still. I like plot to my romance and romance building, and it was like blinked eyes, and she is in love with a new guy.
The other thing is also a relationship flaw for me. Winyx and Thane. They are enemies, and their is a fade to black sort of flash forward where she ends up going along with something Thane is orchestrating. Then when it succeeds it seems Thane seems to sort of fall for Winyx and she slightly in return, I think but the thing that I was like wait what...was the fact they got closer together OVER A DEAD BODY. I was like, wait, what did this just happen? I get the whole enemies to lovers trope but this I was like pause, excuse me come again, let's rewind and reread this section to make sure I am picking up what Linda Ling was putting down and YEP, I WAS. I mean, some people may not have an issue with this, but as I said, this is my own opinion. Not to mention I don't know I just picture Thane thousands of years older than Winyx and I know it's fantasy and I get people don't mind things like that for me I was like I get grandpa vibes from him, haha.
Now, onto the things I liked. I loved Sage. She was one of my favourites and I felt so sorry for her and I loved her care and compassion for Winyx almost like a Nana, which is why I think I view Thane as a Gdad because Sage is his sister.
I also LOVED Winyx! I enjoy fairy's and fairytales, and she was like fairy to a T! The wit, the sassy stubbornness, kindness, and beauty all in one. I enjoyed her story arc, I thought it flowed fairly well, minus the fade to black choice thing and infamous 'She' Chapter she was truly a loveable character and really fleshed out!
Speaking of fleshing out! Oh my God, the world building, Elvarue, The Valley, Rohinder, and all of the other places, characters, and creatures that make up this fantastical world that Linda Ling has created!
I liked how I was able to pick this up without reading the first book and understand perfectly what was going on. I loved fantasy elements, fairies, elves, mages, princesses, and more. The battle scenes were good and had all the elements for a good fantasy novel, romance, fighting, whimsical characters, and fantasmic setting that whisks your imagination off to the land of the Fae. If you like fantasy and typical romantacy tropes, you will probably like Linda Ling's series.
Would I read book 3? Yeah, to see if everything I was left questioning was answered.
transcending_chels's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
More...