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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Unfortunately I just could not get into it at all. The story sounded like something I should love but the author has given very little space to care about the characters and the plot moves so quickly it feels like it’s being rushed. I don’t have a lot of spare reading time at the moment and after 60 pages I would have hoped to be more hooked. Hopefully it will work for someone else, hence why I’ll return it back the library early.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was an okay story. Felt like a DND campaign put on paper.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Hodderscape and Rose Black for letting me have an ARC copy of Til Death Do Us Bard to review.
Til Death Do Us Bard is a plot-driven story, based on the quest trope which starts to save the man whom the protagonist loves but expands to save the world. Feels like reading a DND game full of mythical creatures and magic. It’s a great title, drawing the eye. An easy read, with some great one-liners, and centered on values about how far we will go for the ones we love and commit our hearts to. The fantasy world-building feels a little wooly, I was expecting a lot more detail and set-up. I closed the last page, without any standout recollections for descriptive elements of places the story took me.
The pacing was a bit overwhelming and hectic for me. I found it found a stride around the midpoint, but little side-bar subplots are taking the limelight until the villain is revealed. Logan and Pie’s relationship is engaging, endearing and heart-warming. I have to admit, I kept turning the page just to see more of this and to see more of their relationship. Rose Black does write some incredibly good comical moments and her dialogue is sharp, witty, and punchy, especially some of the one-liners comebacks.
The characters in this book weren’t as strong as I would have liked. A lot is going on with the overall plot in the book, I did feel at times it was difficult to get to know the cast. The characters are genuinely well-thought-out and all of them given buckets of flaws, some unique traits, and Logan might be the most developed, relatable character in the bunch. He’s got a great character arc showing his growth between how he undervalued people in the past and how Pie’s love has made him a better man, I feel it gets sidetracked though in favour of the big bang plot.
I found some toxic relationship traits and dynamics between some characters. Sadly, it did bring down the tone of the book for me a little. I get the flirty traits of the Countess. She reminds me of my grandma, who flirted with everything in a kilt. It’s a different generation thing and reflective of a different value system between generations. But she did cross the line for me a few times, where it felt bordering on harassment of Logan and Pie. Every reader’s threshold is different, I didn’t like this behaviour.
Til Death Do Us Bard would target itself in the cosy fantasy niche, with some good comical moments, interesting banter, and a sweet redemptive romance. A gruff, good-natured story with a nice romantic couple at the heart of it and can boast some great sharp and punchy banter exchanges.
Til Death Do Us Bard is a plot-driven story, based on the quest trope which starts to save the man whom the protagonist loves but expands to save the world. Feels like reading a DND game full of mythical creatures and magic. It’s a great title, drawing the eye. An easy read, with some great one-liners, and centered on values about how far we will go for the ones we love and commit our hearts to. The fantasy world-building feels a little wooly, I was expecting a lot more detail and set-up. I closed the last page, without any standout recollections for descriptive elements of places the story took me.
The pacing was a bit overwhelming and hectic for me. I found it found a stride around the midpoint, but little side-bar subplots are taking the limelight until the villain is revealed. Logan and Pie’s relationship is engaging, endearing and heart-warming. I have to admit, I kept turning the page just to see more of this and to see more of their relationship. Rose Black does write some incredibly good comical moments and her dialogue is sharp, witty, and punchy, especially some of the one-liners comebacks.
The characters in this book weren’t as strong as I would have liked. A lot is going on with the overall plot in the book, I did feel at times it was difficult to get to know the cast. The characters are genuinely well-thought-out and all of them given buckets of flaws, some unique traits, and Logan might be the most developed, relatable character in the bunch. He’s got a great character arc showing his growth between how he undervalued people in the past and how Pie’s love has made him a better man, I feel it gets sidetracked though in favour of the big bang plot.
I found some toxic relationship traits and dynamics between some characters. Sadly, it did bring down the tone of the book for me a little. I get the flirty traits of the Countess. She reminds me of my grandma, who flirted with everything in a kilt. It’s a different generation thing and reflective of a different value system between generations. But she did cross the line for me a few times, where it felt bordering on harassment of Logan and Pie. Every reader’s threshold is different, I didn’t like this behaviour.
Til Death Do Us Bard would target itself in the cosy fantasy niche, with some good comical moments, interesting banter, and a sweet redemptive romance. A gruff, good-natured story with a nice romantic couple at the heart of it and can boast some great sharp and punchy banter exchanges.
After getting trough half the book, i still didnt like the carachters or the plot. I found it poorly written, and at times confusing
fast-paced
i enjoyed this. the core characters were for the most part fun to follow (with the exception of the countess' continued advances on various people who were not interested), and i loved how they meshed as a group. i was relatively invested in logan and pie's relationship, and i really enjoyed the interludes and how they helped fill in the picture of their relationship.
i think there was a lot that the author wanted to incorporate, and i know that there's well thought out lore and world-building for this universe, but it doesn't exist within the pages of the book. there were too many elements and none of which were really explored in enough depth for me to feel like i knew what was happening. somehow we went from grief-stricken king to lovecraftian goop monster from the depths of the ocean. i remember the elements of the plot, but not how they connected to each other. like, yes, we need to get a unicorn, that's the goal right now. why do we need one? i barely remember but we're trying to get to a cup. but also one character is missing his husband. but then we get the husband. but we still need the cup? what was the purpose of the cup? why did we start looking for the cup?
especially towards the last quarter, i feel as though the story was overwhelmed with new characters, concepts, villains, etc. like who even was adella? and why was i supposed to care about her and her weird romance(?) with the king? who even was this king???
i will also admit...
i think there was a lot that the author wanted to incorporate, and i know that there's well thought out lore and world-building for this universe, but it doesn't exist within the pages of the book. there were too many elements and none of which were really explored in enough depth for me to feel like i knew what was happening. somehow we went from grief-stricken king to lovecraftian goop monster from the depths of the ocean. i remember the elements of the plot, but not how they connected to each other. like, yes, we need to get a unicorn, that's the goal right now. why do we need one? i barely remember but we're trying to get to a cup. but also one character is missing his husband. but then we get the husband. but we still need the cup? what was the purpose of the cup? why did we start looking for the cup?
especially towards the last quarter, i feel as though the story was overwhelmed with new characters, concepts, villains, etc. like who even was adella? and why was i supposed to care about her and her weird romance(?) with the king? who even was this king???
i will also admit...