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2.91 AVERAGE
2.91 AVERAGE
Let me lead with the great - Renee Ahdieh could write absolutely anything and I would be charmed. Something about her writing just completely transports me. I mean, I spent the time while reading this gem IN New Orleans and the Wyld. Like, right there. I can still see it in my head right now!!!!
Now the good - the characters that made this series so wonderful were, for me, not always the mains. I mean, of course I love Bastien and Celine. But even better? Pippa. And Arjun. And, uh, Michael Grimaldi and his grandma. Such fun with that one. There are just so many good ones.
Uh oh…there’s bad to report for the first time ever with an Ahdieh read. I did NOT like the trajectory of Celine in this one. I don’t wanna spoil anything, but she pissed me off! A lot. Just sayin’.
But, all in all, I did love it. It was my least favorite of the series, but I dug it just the same.
Now the good - the characters that made this series so wonderful were, for me, not always the mains. I mean, of course I love Bastien and Celine. But even better? Pippa. And Arjun. And, uh, Michael Grimaldi and his grandma. Such fun with that one. There are just so many good ones.
Uh oh…there’s bad to report for the first time ever with an Ahdieh read. I did NOT like the trajectory of Celine in this one. I don’t wanna spoil anything, but she pissed me off! A lot. Just sayin’.
But, all in all, I did love it. It was my least favorite of the series, but I dug it just the same.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-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 Gist:
A dazzling conclusion to The Beautiful Quartet, with a war brewing between two worlds, The Sylvan Vale, a land of endless summer, and The Sylvan Wyld, the land of endless winter. At the forefront is Celine and Bastien, both who end up on opposite sides of the war. Can their love for another endure???
1/5
And so we are right where The Righteous has ended, on the cusp of war. It seems that people are no choosing sides, and Bastien must prove himself among the Winter Fey. Methinks this book will be very heavy-handed in the warfront, I don't know...not exactly the story I had signed up for when I first started on this journey through the quartet, but I'm still eager to see where this leads me.
1/6
Yeah...this is war-heavy. I'm hoping Pippa is not dead, and I wish they would go more with the vampires than the fey people and their court and politics. And I'm not too thrilled with the introduction of new characters and telling their side stories. Meh...still hanging on.
1/7
Oh, the horror of it all!😱😱 Poor, poor Pippa. My own nightmares brought into reality. And now we have a fable unfolding about choices and the big what-ifs in life. Truly, I am intrigued indeed and can't wait to see how the turn of events will turn out. Bastien goes into the mirror? Will he seal his doom, or find his salvation? What about the truth about Pippa??? OMGOMGOMG A thrill for sure as Bastien steps into the mirror the moment he died in the past and Pippa makes a run for it into the sun.
1/8
Good lessons learned here. Do no look to rewrite the past to save your future. Fix what you have now. Be in the present. So Bastien finds out here that there's a possibly future where she is killed by her mother!! How will he save her? I knew not to trust Lady Silla. So intense now with Bastian and Celine at a standstill. He refuses to divulge the location of the mirror, she refuses to leave her mother's side, even after told that he believes her mother intends to kill her. And now, her anguish is fresh anew seeing Arjun without his Pippa. Honestly, Arjun and Pippa make me care less about Bastien and Celine.
1/9
Shocking turn of events. Although I dont agree with Celine and how she carried herself, I understand. And I'm so glad Pippa and Arjun are together again! Meanwhile, the tides have turned and Bastien is now accused of attempted assassination of Lady Silla😱
Nothing short of breath-taking. Here is where everything is coming together and we are now at the cusp of war. Pippa learns to control her new powers, Bastien has been called upon for a duel, and Emilie now has the key to the mirror. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild, bumpy thrill ride from here.
1/10
Whoa...😳 The plot thickens...big time. Its so sweet that Haroun and Bastien now have a friendship, but its terrifying how truly EVIL Celine's mother is, putting her in grave danger. Meanwhile, showing what a bada$$ he really is, Bastien mounts none other than a winged stead made of nightmares. Celine remembers Bastien, and Emilie, in all her rage and strife, chooses the side of UNSPEAKABLE evil.
Bastien outsmarts Lord Vyr and the Vale, and shoots Celine's mother. Does this mean the future he saw in the mirror will not come to pass???😱
Honestly, unless Ahdieh really trashes the last 40%, i dont see how this is bad. Its actually quite the thrill ride.
1/11
And I'm freeeee falliiiinnnggg...Emilie and Celine conspiring??? Lady of the Vale...dead?? (good) but at what personal cost to Bastien, who is now about to launch a war to rebuild the Ice Throne. Although she is raging and only wants power and greatness because she's self-serving, I do understand Emilie's anger and jealousy.
We're right at the precipice of the war, and I'm anxious as to what's about to happen.
Whew!!! Tragic ending to be sure. Not sure how to feel, but that last scene really got me. More detailed review to come.
The Takeaway:
Oh man, I was so torn by this. At first, I was very baffled by the overall low rating of the book, as the writing was gorgeous, the story gripping, and the characters unforgettable, but by the last few pages, I can see what they mean. Is it a perfect ending? No. There were quite a few loose ends, the events felt somewhat rushed to to the end, some plot points never really felt like they materialized.
But hear me out:
The five star rating stands for a few reasons. One is that the less than perfect ending didn't take away that this book made me think. It brought up a lot of good points in regards to cause and consequence, choices, and repercussions to those choices. The more I thought about it by the end of the book, the more I realized that the ending definitely illustrated that point. Bastien worked desperately to avoid disaster from happening, losing his beloved Celine, but failed to see what the outcome could be should he try to change the course of fate, that changing the future does not only affect him and those he loves, but everyone as a whole. Celine on the other hand, wanted nothing more than power, but that power comes at a heavy price, and sometimes, that price may not be something you are willing to pay. Through Emilie, I see the cost of what can happen when hatred burrows deep into one's heart and soul and being unable to let go and learn from the past. Very thought provoking indeed.
In addition, the book was very entertaining and left me spell-bound, shocked, then saddened at the very end. I was very moved on that last scene with Bastien and Celine, yet devastated at the same time. I'd say that's a good thing.
5 stars.
A dazzling conclusion to The Beautiful Quartet, with a war brewing between two worlds, The Sylvan Vale, a land of endless summer, and The Sylvan Wyld, the land of endless winter. At the forefront is Celine and Bastien, both who end up on opposite sides of the war. Can their love for another endure???
1/5
And so we are right where The Righteous has ended, on the cusp of war. It seems that people are no choosing sides, and Bastien must prove himself among the Winter Fey. Methinks this book will be very heavy-handed in the warfront, I don't know...not exactly the story I had signed up for when I first started on this journey through the quartet, but I'm still eager to see where this leads me.
1/6
Yeah...this is war-heavy. I'm hoping Pippa is not dead, and I wish they would go more with the vampires than the fey people and their court and politics. And I'm not too thrilled with the introduction of new characters and telling their side stories. Meh...still hanging on.
1/7
Oh, the horror of it all!😱😱 Poor, poor Pippa. My own nightmares brought into reality. And now we have a fable unfolding about choices and the big what-ifs in life. Truly, I am intrigued indeed and can't wait to see how the turn of events will turn out. Bastien goes into the mirror? Will he seal his doom, or find his salvation? What about the truth about Pippa??? OMGOMGOMG A thrill for sure as Bastien steps into the mirror the moment he died in the past and Pippa makes a run for it into the sun.
1/8
Good lessons learned here. Do no look to rewrite the past to save your future. Fix what you have now. Be in the present. So Bastien finds out here that there's a possibly future where she is killed by her mother!! How will he save her? I knew not to trust Lady Silla. So intense now with Bastian and Celine at a standstill. He refuses to divulge the location of the mirror, she refuses to leave her mother's side, even after told that he believes her mother intends to kill her. And now, her anguish is fresh anew seeing Arjun without his Pippa. Honestly, Arjun and Pippa make me care less about Bastien and Celine.
1/9
Shocking turn of events. Although I dont agree with Celine and how she carried herself, I understand. And I'm so glad Pippa and Arjun are together again! Meanwhile, the tides have turned and Bastien is now accused of attempted assassination of Lady Silla😱
Nothing short of breath-taking. Here is where everything is coming together and we are now at the cusp of war. Pippa learns to control her new powers, Bastien has been called upon for a duel, and Emilie now has the key to the mirror. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild, bumpy thrill ride from here.
1/10
Whoa...😳 The plot thickens...big time. Its so sweet that Haroun and Bastien now have a friendship, but its terrifying how truly EVIL Celine's mother is, putting her in grave danger. Meanwhile, showing what a bada$$ he really is, Bastien mounts none other than a winged stead made of nightmares. Celine remembers Bastien, and Emilie, in all her rage and strife, chooses the side of UNSPEAKABLE evil.
Bastien outsmarts Lord Vyr and the Vale, and shoots Celine's mother. Does this mean the future he saw in the mirror will not come to pass???😱
Honestly, unless Ahdieh really trashes the last 40%, i dont see how this is bad. Its actually quite the thrill ride.
1/11
And I'm freeeee falliiiinnnggg...Emilie and Celine conspiring??? Lady of the Vale...dead?? (good) but at what personal cost to Bastien, who is now about to launch a war to rebuild the Ice Throne. Although she is raging and only wants power and greatness because she's self-serving, I do understand Emilie's anger and jealousy.
We're right at the precipice of the war, and I'm anxious as to what's about to happen.
Whew!!! Tragic ending to be sure. Not sure how to feel, but that last scene really got me. More detailed review to come.
The Takeaway:
Oh man, I was so torn by this. At first, I was very baffled by the overall low rating of the book, as the writing was gorgeous, the story gripping, and the characters unforgettable, but by the last few pages, I can see what they mean. Is it a perfect ending? No. There were quite a few loose ends, the events felt somewhat rushed to to the end, some plot points never really felt like they materialized.
But hear me out:
The five star rating stands for a few reasons. One is that the less than perfect ending didn't take away that this book made me think. It brought up a lot of good points in regards to cause and consequence, choices, and repercussions to those choices. The more I thought about it by the end of the book, the more I realized that the ending definitely illustrated that point. Bastien worked desperately to avoid disaster from happening, losing his beloved Celine, but failed to see what the outcome could be should he try to change the course of fate, that changing the future does not only affect him and those he loves, but everyone as a whole. Celine on the other hand, wanted nothing more than power, but that power comes at a heavy price, and sometimes, that price may not be something you are willing to pay. Through Emilie, I see the cost of what can happen when hatred burrows deep into one's heart and soul and being unable to let go and learn from the past. Very thought provoking indeed.
In addition, the book was very entertaining and left me spell-bound, shocked, then saddened at the very end. I was very moved on that last scene with Bastien and Celine, yet devastated at the same time. I'd say that's a good thing.
5 stars.
The title of this book is what happened to the series.
I feel like the author set up this really beautiful concept and had a really great foundation for a story but then tried to do to much. I was expecting a great gothic forbidden romance about old timey vampires in New Orleans but instead was later introduced to a faerie world which was highly confusing. I did not like the characters arcs at all for the story and felt as though the actions did not align with the characters of the first book. While I did not like the Emily plot line, I do wish it was fleshed out more. Her character just felt very one dimensional and used for pointless drama.
I feel like the author set up this really beautiful concept and had a really great foundation for a story but then tried to do to much. I was expecting a great gothic forbidden romance about old timey vampires in New Orleans but instead was later introduced to a faerie world which was highly confusing. I did not like the characters arcs at all for the story and felt as though the actions did not align with the characters of the first book. While I did not like the Emily plot line, I do wish it was fleshed out more. Her character just felt very one dimensional and used for pointless drama.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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