Scan barcode
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes you all of a sudden come across books screaming your name. I found this book via Twitter, placed a pre-order on Amazon and then I got an invitation from the publisher to get an arc. It had to be a sign. It had to be a sign that this was a me book, that I was gonna love it. However, when I got the book the release day was still a couple of months away so I made myself wait and two days ago it was finally time to dive into this arc.
For quite some time now we're mostly reading about the fair folk in romance novels. This book is in a way a romance and in a way it's not. But the fair folk in this book are at least a lot more like the fair folk you read about in myths and hear about in local legends. They're not human. They don't know much about human emotions. They don't really know what love is and how to express feelings and how to help people deal with their feelings. It doesn't mean they don't try.
Throughout the book we feel how our heroine is growing more and more helpless. How she's fighting for her friends, against the prejudice of the people in her village because she's acting strange, against the games the Dreamer is playing, against the deals he's trying to make with her. It's clear that things are not getting any easier for our heroine. On the contrary. The closer we get to the end of the story, the more pressing the situation becomes.
My favorite part of this book though is how our heroine is dealing with grief and pain and memories. I don't want to give too much away, because this is the kind of book you want to experience without knowing too much, without expecting too much, but throughout the novel we feel her love for the one friend who didn't return from the war. We relive her memories of him, their shared moments and we understand that some loves are worth hurting for.
It's not a light hearted YA novel, but it's an emotional journey with a touching, gripping and action packed finale. I'm glad I have this book pre-ordered and can't wait for my copy to arrive.
For quite some time now we're mostly reading about the fair folk in romance novels. This book is in a way a romance and in a way it's not. But the fair folk in this book are at least a lot more like the fair folk you read about in myths and hear about in local legends. They're not human. They don't know much about human emotions. They don't really know what love is and how to express feelings and how to help people deal with their feelings. It doesn't mean they don't try.
Throughout the book we feel how our heroine is growing more and more helpless. How she's fighting for her friends, against the prejudice of the people in her village because she's acting strange, against the games the Dreamer is playing, against the deals he's trying to make with her. It's clear that things are not getting any easier for our heroine. On the contrary. The closer we get to the end of the story, the more pressing the situation becomes.
My favorite part of this book though is how our heroine is dealing with grief and pain and memories. I don't want to give too much away, because this is the kind of book you want to experience without knowing too much, without expecting too much, but throughout the novel we feel her love for the one friend who didn't return from the war. We relive her memories of him, their shared moments and we understand that some loves are worth hurting for.
It's not a light hearted YA novel, but it's an emotional journey with a touching, gripping and action packed finale. I'm glad I have this book pre-ordered and can't wait for my copy to arrive.
hayforrest's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mtbdbassbot's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 Stars
If you expect this book to be romantic in any sense of the word, and gay as the dedication makes it out to be, you're gonna be disappointed.
At least, I was. I felt bamboozled.
Romance really only happened when the main character was talking about her dead fiance and even that was simply just sad and made me feel bad for her. Not saying that is a bad thing at all, I quite enjoyed reading about their relationship.
Just when I thought the Fae Lord was going to learn human emotions and learn how to love and what it means to be remembered, did he just revert to being the selfish and manipulative as*hole from the beginning. Which again, nothing wrong with that, but why is this book not being promoted as such?
The only time the main character really starts falling for sweet words is when the Fae Lord takes on the form of a woman, which is used to all of a sudden reveal that the main character is not straight. And considering the dedication was "make it gayer," really feels like it was an afterthought that was not handled well and was of poor taste to me.
I did finish it and honestly, I did enjoy most of it but I realized the only reason I saw it through was because I kept anticipating the point in which the relationship changes. And that final part, where I realized nothing that I was expecting was going to get realized, did I start to skim the heavily rushed finale.
The epilogue did nothing to really answer all the questions I have left behind. Also, what the hell was that final line? How does the main character have iron in her soul exactly?
Would have liked this book if it was packaged differently or delivered differently.
If you expect this book to be romantic in any sense of the word, and gay as the dedication makes it out to be, you're gonna be disappointed.
At least, I was. I felt bamboozled.
Romance really only happened when the main character was talking about her dead fiance and even that was simply just sad and made me feel bad for her. Not saying that is a bad thing at all, I quite enjoyed reading about their relationship.
Just when I thought the Fae Lord was going to learn human emotions and learn how to love and what it means to be remembered, did he just revert to being the selfish and manipulative as*hole from the beginning. Which again, nothing wrong with that, but why is this book not being promoted as such?
The only time the main character really starts falling for sweet words is when the Fae Lord takes on the form of a woman, which is used to all of a sudden reveal that the main character is not straight. And considering the dedication was "make it gayer," really feels like it was an afterthought that was not handled well and was of poor taste to me.
I did finish it and honestly, I did enjoy most of it but I realized the only reason I saw it through was because I kept anticipating the point in which the relationship changes. And that final part, where I realized nothing that I was expecting was going to get realized, did I start to skim the heavily rushed finale.
The epilogue did nothing to really answer all the questions I have left behind. Also, what the hell was that final line? How does the main character have iron in her soul exactly?
Would have liked this book if it was packaged differently or delivered differently.
happy2bits's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
th3bookthief's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Gaslighting, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Cursing
intostarlight's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was an overall pleasant read, perfect for those who love descriptive language, folklore, magic and fantasy. Instead of the more recent tendencies to romanticise the Fae, this Fae-based story leans into more traditional folklore, with sometimes sinister and morally ambiguous Fae which I really enjoyed.
I initially devoured this book, as Harwood's writing style is generally easy to read, and easy to follow. Later on some parts came through as very repetitive and slow, I think they could have been condensed in less pages and the pace of the plot could have been handled better. For the most part, however, Hardwood's world building is beautiful, detailed, and well worth the read.
Sadly I did not connect with Moira Jean as the main character. I think part of this is I found it hard to place the ages of the main, young group - sometimes the language felt like the group were young teens, and other times like the group were in their mid twenties.
All in all, this book was never going to be my favorite read, but I did find it to be generally satisfying, if a bit of a slog at times.
I initially devoured this book, as Harwood's writing style is generally easy to read, and easy to follow. Later on some parts came through as very repetitive and slow, I think they could have been condensed in less pages and the pace of the plot could have been handled better. For the most part, however, Hardwood's world building is beautiful, detailed, and well worth the read.
Sadly I did not connect with Moira Jean as the main character. I think part of this is I found it hard to place the ages of the main, young group - sometimes the language felt like the group were young teens, and other times like the group were in their mid twenties.
All in all, this book was never going to be my favorite read, but I did find it to be generally satisfying, if a bit of a slog at times.
unfiltered_fiction's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
murrreads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5