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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
i was not expecting what happened in this book at all. i felt all the emotionsš
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
āļø: 5/5
š¶ļø: 4.5?/5
Genre: Dark Romantasy
In a word? Emotionally TRAUMATIC
Iā¦ do not understand this book. I should have DNFed. I heavily thought about it. It hit one of my HARD LINES (SA between SOs). But somehow Liv Zanders made me keep reading??? And LOVE THE STORY??
I truly do not understand how I love this book, all I know is that I do
š¶ļø: 4.5?/5
Genre: Dark Romantasy
In a word? Emotionally TRAUMATIC
Iā¦ do not understand this book. I should have DNFed. I heavily thought about it. It hit one of my HARD LINES (SA between SOs). But somehow Liv Zanders made me keep reading??? And LOVE THE STORY??
I truly do not understand how I love this book, all I know is that I do
Did I like this series or not? Iām not really sure, honestly. I think I loved some parts and hated others, but I donāt regret it, so thatās something š¤·āāļø
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Better than the 1st one
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Ten stars! Loved it
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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
This book absolutely destroyed me. I'm definitely not ok šš. The author sure has a way to make you fall in love with all the characters.
adventurous
dark
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
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I burned through this duology. Very dark, but saucy fun.
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
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
I struggled a bit with the first book in the Court of Ravens duetāit took a while to find its footing, and things only really clicked for me toward the end. But book two? That was a completely different experience.
Shadows So Cruel drew me in right away. The world-building expanded in interesting ways, the stakes felt real, and the emotional depth of the story hit hard. It finally gave me that āsomething differentā Iād been waiting for in the dark romantasy space.
That saidā¦ I was not emotionally prepared. The ending was brutal. I understand that not every story has to have a happy-ever-after for every character, but when you spend an entire book getting attached to a characterāonly to have them die near the endāit hits like a punch to the gut. It felt like a choice made for shock rather than story, and yes, I cried at 2am, and no, I didnāt enjoy that part.
Still, thereās so much to appreciate here. The way the characters grow, the way difficult themes are handled with care, and the dynamic between the trio at the center of the story. I especially loved how the MFM aspect was writtenānot overly idealized, but as something messy, evolving, and worth fighting for. It felt realistic and mature, like a true āweāll make it workā approach rather than a picture-perfect fairytale.
If you're in the mood for an emotionally intense romantasy with high stakes and unforgettable characters, this oneās worth readingābut maybe have tissues ready.
Shadows So Cruel drew me in right away. The world-building expanded in interesting ways, the stakes felt real, and the emotional depth of the story hit hard. It finally gave me that āsomething differentā Iād been waiting for in the dark romantasy space.
That saidā¦ I was not emotionally prepared. The ending was brutal. I understand that not every story has to have a happy-ever-after for every character, but when you spend an entire book getting attached to a characterāonly to have them die near the endāit hits like a punch to the gut. It felt like a choice made for shock rather than story, and yes, I cried at 2am, and no, I didnāt enjoy that part.
Still, thereās so much to appreciate here. The way the characters grow, the way difficult themes are handled with care, and the dynamic between the trio at the center of the story. I especially loved how the MFM aspect was writtenānot overly idealized, but as something messy, evolving, and worth fighting for. It felt realistic and mature, like a true āweāll make it workā approach rather than a picture-perfect fairytale.
If you're in the mood for an emotionally intense romantasy with high stakes and unforgettable characters, this oneās worth readingābut maybe have tissues ready.