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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Up until 1:30 to finish this💔 to be a woman
Loved this duology with my whole heart
Loved this duology with my whole heart
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
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
adventurous
mysterious
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:
Yes
Unfortunately, this was a massive miss for me. The 1st book was on shaky ground to begin with, and this follow up just made the whole story go downhill. It read like a sequel that didn't need to exist, and I'm comfortable saying that this all should've just been one 600 pg book. Splitting it in half did it no favors considering book 1 had way more active plot and characters worth rooting for.
This book made Meilin completely unlikeable. I was not rooting for her at any moment and I found it hard to believe that anyone was rooting for her. She was selfish and power hungry and that would be fine but the way she's written wants you to believe she's doing it to be free or that she's doing it to help others. Like, no! She's doing it because she's corrupted. Her motivations regularly conflicted with her actions and it took her the whole book to become honest with herself about what she had going on.
Her continuous trust of the dragon even though the entirety of book 1 is her realizing the dragon is power hungry and evil makes no sense. The whole reason you're in this situation to begin with is because of the dragon!!!!
The love story? Why does it exist? I didn't like either of the romance choices in book 1 but if I had to pick one, I would've chosen Sky. This entire story is character assassination on his behalf. Meilin treats him terribly chapter after chapter and he's so down bad and in love until suddenly, he loves her so much that he's physically abusing her? HUH? It felt so out of left field for his character that I was getting whiplash. I know it was supposed to be type of representation for how all the men in her life did her dirty and can't be trusted but .....wrong vessel for that message.
The romance ends up switching to Lei who is also in love with her while attacking her and really it had me exhausted. You need to be single sis!
To add, the plot was slow and had nothing interesting making me want to keep reading. The palace politics were interesting to an extent, but again, I struggled finding someone to root for. Everyone can't be evil. There needs to be someone willing to do good to make this all worth it in the end.
By the halfway point I was reading just to read and get it over with. Sad that a story that started off interesting ended so badly.
This book made Meilin completely unlikeable. I was not rooting for her at any moment and I found it hard to believe that anyone was rooting for her. She was selfish and power hungry and that would be fine but the way she's written wants you to believe she's doing it to be free or that she's doing it to help others. Like, no! She's doing it because she's corrupted. Her motivations regularly conflicted with her actions and it took her the whole book to become honest with herself about what she had going on.
Her continuous trust of the dragon even though the entirety of book 1 is her realizing the dragon is power hungry and evil makes no sense. The whole reason you're in this situation to begin with is because of the dragon!!!!
The love story? Why does it exist? I didn't like either of the romance choices in book 1 but if I had to pick one, I would've chosen Sky. This entire story is character assassination on his behalf. Meilin treats him terribly chapter after chapter and he's so down bad and in love until suddenly, he loves her so much that he's physically abusing her? HUH? It felt so out of left field for his character that I was getting whiplash. I know it was supposed to be type of representation for how all the men in her life did her dirty and can't be trusted but .....wrong vessel for that message.
The romance ends up switching to Lei who is also in love with her while attacking her and really it had me exhausted. You need to be single sis!
To add, the plot was slow and had nothing interesting making me want to keep reading. The palace politics were interesting to an extent, but again, I struggled finding someone to root for. Everyone can't be evil. There needs to be someone willing to do good to make this all worth it in the end.
By the halfway point I was reading just to read and get it over with. Sad that a story that started off interesting ended so badly.
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Review based on an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Unfortunately more of a miss than a hit. I found the pacing too slow for my taste and the overall plot read more like a trope filled YA romantasy than I actually expected.
Unfortunately more of a miss than a hit. I found the pacing too slow for my taste and the overall plot read more like a trope filled YA romantasy than I actually expected.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
adventurous
tense
fast-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
Amazing conclusion! Fast paced, kept to the want of being recognized and remembered. Watching the change in the characters were amazing and the tension between the love interests was great. There is more build up on the spirit magic and the spirits themselves. Flew through the book!
Thank you Berkely and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!
Thank you Berkely and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!