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adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i really tried to like this but it was deeply boring, the sex felt entirely superfluous, and the worldbuilding was interesting but not enough to make me want to read more about it
I’m sad bc i really wanted to love a book with a sapphic black lead but what a snooze of a read :(
the twists were more annoying than they were interesting, and I didn’t feel that I knew much about the characters by the end besides Lettle being deeply annoying, Yeeran being a simp of the highest order, and Rayan being… a guy.
I’m sad bc i really wanted to love a book with a sapphic black lead but what a snooze of a read :(
the twists were more annoying than they were interesting, and I didn’t feel that I knew much about the characters by the end besides Lettle being deeply annoying, Yeeran being a simp of the highest order, and Rayan being… a guy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Moderate: Death, Sexual content
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the book was so mid tbh. the romance felt really forced and out of place because it seemed to just develop from nowhere; it seemed to be rather to fill a checkbox of a trope rather than to develop any meaningful connection between characters.
the writing was also… not great. still don’t really get the whole magic system or worldbuilding but i fr might just be stupid. the whole thing about the obeah and stuff?? don’t get it LMFAO. it also did bring in a lot of anachronisms (existence of leggings and a few other things) that i felt was really forced or out of place for a fantasy book; yes i know ‘suspend your disbelief’ but my immersion </3
that being said i am invested now because i am 100% rooting for these characters now ajd will buy the next book when it drops
the writing was also… not great. still don’t really get the whole magic system or worldbuilding but i fr might just be stupid. the whole thing about the obeah and stuff?? don’t get it LMFAO. it also did bring in a lot of anachronisms (existence of leggings and a few other things) that i felt was really forced or out of place for a fantasy book; yes i know ‘suspend your disbelief’ but my immersion </3
that being said i am invested now because i am 100% rooting for these characters now ajd will buy the next book when it drops
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, War
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Medical content, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
My issue with reading is that I expect every book to be a masterpiece, like the select few I’ve read. This book was pretty good, it just didn’t live up to my standards.
The writing style was good and the author did a great job at invoking emotions. I quickly became attached to the characters, and I feel they had a lot of personality. Though I will say, the romances did feel slightly forced and moved quickly for the characters (in my opinion.) Despite this, I did enjoy the couples together, so I can overlook the lack in development for them.
Overall, it was a good book. Some plot twists were expected, but I think the more important ones caught me so off-guard. I was pleasantly shocked at the end, and I’m looking forward to reading the second book.
The writing style was good and the author did a great job at invoking emotions. I quickly became attached to the characters, and I feel they had a lot of personality. Though I will say, the romances did feel slightly forced and moved quickly for the characters (in my opinion.) Despite this, I did enjoy the couples together, so I can overlook the lack in development for them.
Overall, it was a good book. Some plot twists were expected, but I think the more important ones caught me so off-guard. I was pleasantly shocked at the end, and I’m looking forward to reading the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content
Moderate: War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, War
Minor: Sexual content
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, War
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Racism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Dementia, Trafficking
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow, this was not good. Very disappointing. Before I get into the plot, the writing is just plain bad at times. It wasn't the kind of writing I'd expect from an adult novel but more than that, I'm surprised some of this writing passed final edits.
The plot is intensely predictable to the extent where the book felt a little pointless to read. I don't think its bad to write a story where the reader knows what will inevitably happen in the plot, but the whole prophecy thing took the joy out of figuring out what will happen on my own and instead I was just waiting for plot points to fall into place.
This novel is also advertised as being a romantasy. Please do not read this book if that is what you are seeking. The romance has very little build up between MC's and love interests, they are just suddenly totally all over each other with what felt like very little relationship building. I'm all for characters having instant chemistry but it just doesn't feel very romantic to me when you do away with showing me why I should even care about the relationship.
World building seems cool at first glance but if you poke it even a little it falls apart. I am not sure why the duo MCs were elves when they had no characteristics of why being an elf set them apart from the other races except for prophecy telling, which actually made the plot actively worse, as stated previously.
Ultimately, the book is easily readable, so 2 stars it is. I wish this read had gone better for me and I honestly think you should probably read something else instead of picking this up.
The plot is intensely predictable to the extent where the book felt a little pointless to read. I don't think its bad to write a story where the reader knows what will inevitably happen in the plot, but the whole prophecy thing took the joy out of figuring out what will happen on my own and instead I was just waiting for plot points to fall into place.
This novel is also advertised as being a romantasy. Please do not read this book if that is what you are seeking. The romance has very little build up between MC's and love interests, they are just suddenly totally all over each other with what felt like very little relationship building. I'm all for characters having instant chemistry but it just doesn't feel very romantic to me when you do away with showing me why I should even care about the relationship.
World building seems cool at first glance but if you poke it even a little it falls apart. I am not sure why the duo MCs were elves when they had no characteristics of why being an elf set them apart from the other races except for prophecy telling, which actually made the plot actively worse, as stated previously.
Ultimately, the book is easily readable, so 2 stars it is. I wish this read had gone better for me and I honestly think you should probably read something else instead of picking this up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Murder
Minor: Dementia, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I think it tired and had a cool premise, but I ultimately just felt bored with the main character Yeeran and felt Lettle was annoying but otherwise enjoyed her and actually found her interesting.
I often found myself asking the question "why should I care about any of this?"
I found the lore behind the drums lacking. I wish we learned a lot more about the connection between the animals that the fae bind with to gain their magical powers. I forget the name and am not going to look it up (it was similar to the blue people avatar but if their connections with the animal tied their lives together, so if one dies the other dies). This dynamic was by far the most interesting part of the book to me besides the idea of some hidden fae society that has not been seen for centuries. Another disappointment is that apparently the long extinct humans in this world were more powerful because they were the ultimate magic users. Usually fantasy books make humans weaksauce (as they should tbh) so this was met with disappointment for me, and then compounded when I find out they don't exist anymore to delve deeper into that.
I do wish that I liked this book, especially with how beautiful the cover is. The idea for the main plot is interesting and so is the setting and even some of the characters, but I never felt like it clicked or captivated me. It is hard to describe a book as being "bad" when I am rating it subjectively on its ability to engage me as it can be difficult to put into words. I think this book is still worth a try reading because there are so many people that do enjoy it, but maybe go into it with low expectations.
Still better than House of Flame and Shadow though lmao
I often found myself asking the question "why should I care about any of this?"
I found the lore behind the drums lacking. I wish we learned a lot more about the connection between
I do wish that I liked this book, especially with how beautiful the cover is. The idea for the main plot is interesting and so is the setting and even some of the characters, but I never felt like it clicked or captivated me. It is hard to describe a book as being "bad" when I am rating it subjectively on its ability to engage me as it can be difficult to put into words. I think this book is still worth a try reading because there are so many people that do enjoy it, but maybe go into it with low expectations.
Still better than House of Flame and Shadow though lmao
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Murder, War
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War
adventurous
emotional
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
Beautifully written, with a unique magical world. I could tumble down this story over and over.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, War