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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Unimaginative retelling of beauty and the beast. Hanna is bland, arrogant, and stupid. Death thinks with his second head. There's hints at lore but never any answers because sex is the most important thing here. I almost DNF'd but I wanted some hint of a foundation of plot by the end of the story. I am infuriated by the ending.
I’m blown away by this book. How engrossed was I? I own multiple kindles but decided to start the book on my phone while my husband drove to the post office - got so into the book, I couldn’t stop reading it. Couldn’t put it down to switch to my kindle that’s easier on my eyes, not to shower (yay for waterproof phone) - read while cooking, got mad at myself for getting tired and grabbed my phone to read before getting out of bed for the day the next morning.
I’m absolutely obsessed. It’s a dark gothic mortal vs God slow burn with a forced marriage. How could you not want to read this?!
How far would you go to save a loved one? Your father?
Would you go to a new realm? To meet the God of Death himself in Shadows End…
That’s what Hanna does.
The detail and imagery this author created, nothing compares. We’re talking about folklore that’s so mythical - talking geese, killer unicorns, skeletal maidens, mermaids, even fruits and plants otherworldly.
“The guest of honor has arrived,” Death says, straightening up and getting to his feet, towering over the table. “The fairy girl, the little bird, the mortal daughter of Shaman Torben. Hanna Heikkinen.”
Hanna trading her freedom for her fathers life. It’s a huge sacrifice. But maybe not.
Hanna may be a prisoner - but her time with Death is good. Kinky. Sexual. Desirable. A possible feeling of belonging?
“Like it or not, you’re mine,” he murmurs, his voice thick and husky and brimming of promise. “But if you choose to like it, you might even love it.”
No No. Hanna must find a way to get back to her father. To her realm.
This book leaves off on an insane cliffhanger. Like mega. But I’m so ready for book three!
I’m absolutely obsessed. It’s a dark gothic mortal vs God slow burn with a forced marriage. How could you not want to read this?!
How far would you go to save a loved one? Your father?
Would you go to a new realm? To meet the God of Death himself in Shadows End…
That’s what Hanna does.
The detail and imagery this author created, nothing compares. We’re talking about folklore that’s so mythical - talking geese, killer unicorns, skeletal maidens, mermaids, even fruits and plants otherworldly.
“The guest of honor has arrived,” Death says, straightening up and getting to his feet, towering over the table. “The fairy girl, the little bird, the mortal daughter of Shaman Torben. Hanna Heikkinen.”
Hanna trading her freedom for her fathers life. It’s a huge sacrifice. But maybe not.
Hanna may be a prisoner - but her time with Death is good. Kinky. Sexual. Desirable. A possible feeling of belonging?
“Like it or not, you’re mine,” he murmurs, his voice thick and husky and brimming of promise. “But if you choose to like it, you might even love it.”
No No. Hanna must find a way to get back to her father. To her realm.
This book leaves off on an insane cliffhanger. Like mega. But I’m so ready for book three!
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The sluttiest little Hades and Persephone retelling. Love it
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 stars.
This book is my good don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed it and the new Finnish lore (to me). I will start the second book right away.
What I didn’t particularly like:
- the modern phrases used by the Gods/ mystical creatures. I’m sorry but “just yeet me” should not ever be in a dark(ish) fantasy romance! Nor should it come from a mermaid. Regardless if she learnt it from the upper world ( earth). Sorry hard pass.
- I found that there were too many recaps of that has happened so far. A reader shouldn’t need these throughout a less than 400 page book. Sure a MC might use it quickly in an internal monologue to help them get their head straight. It became repetitive.
- the beginning was a lot of info dumping. It was hard to read through. At about 25% in it got better.
Liked:
- Oh hello Daddy Death.
- the dark macabre undertones of the Finnish lore.
- Hanna’s character. Strong, feisty, loyal and smart( aka not 19).
- the spice is nice
Here we go into book 2. I hope Daddy Death is extra vengeful
This book is my good don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed it and the new Finnish lore (to me). I will start the second book right away.
What I didn’t particularly like:
- the modern phrases used by the Gods/ mystical creatures. I’m sorry but “just yeet me” should not ever be in a dark(ish) fantasy romance! Nor should it come from a mermaid. Regardless if she learnt it from the upper world ( earth). Sorry hard pass.
- I found that there were too many recaps of that has happened so far. A reader shouldn’t need these throughout a less than 400 page book. Sure a MC might use it quickly in an internal monologue to help them get their head straight. It became repetitive.
- the beginning was a lot of info dumping. It was hard to read through. At about 25% in it got better.
Liked:
- Oh hello Daddy Death.
- the dark macabre undertones of the Finnish lore.
- Hanna’s character. Strong, feisty, loyal and smart( aka not 19).
- the spice is nice
Here we go into book 2. I hope Daddy Death is extra vengeful
Man, this book is just amazing. Truly, fucking a-mah-zing!
River of Shadows is the first book in this brand new high fantasy series and I'm already dying (pun intended) to read the next one. I need my Death's fix ASAP!
This has the Hades & Persephone x Beauty & the Beast feels but with Finnish mythology spin, which equals to one epic read. I was hooked from page one. The ease of which the author built the setting of the story will pull you right in and never let go until you turned that very last page. Both Death and Hanna have personal issues and I would love to see how their love story unfolds in the next book. With a major cliffhanger ending, I just can't wait for book 2!
River of Shadows is the first book in this brand new high fantasy series and I'm already dying (pun intended) to read the next one. I need my Death's fix ASAP!
This has the Hades & Persephone x Beauty & the Beast feels but with Finnish mythology spin, which equals to one epic read. I was hooked from page one. The ease of which the author built the setting of the story will pull you right in and never let go until you turned that very last page. Both Death and Hanna have personal issues and I would love to see how their love story unfolds in the next book. With a major cliffhanger ending, I just can't wait for book 2!
Oh my Finnish mythology goodness. Look, I was in the midst of reading a different book by Halle (stay tuned) when my lovely friends said “Hey! Applications for book three arc reading are up!” and I knew I had to jump for it.
Edge of your seat suspense, spice, and a delightful plot. Halle has curated the perfect first installment of a series that is sure to leave readers begging for more. Even without previous knowledge of Finnish mythology, the story was captivating and easy to follow. It’s a refreshing twist to what I’ve been reading lately and I’m eager to see what happens next.
Edge of your seat suspense, spice, and a delightful plot. Halle has curated the perfect first installment of a series that is sure to leave readers begging for more. Even without previous knowledge of Finnish mythology, the story was captivating and easy to follow. It’s a refreshing twist to what I’ve been reading lately and I’m eager to see what happens next.
Little bit of beauty and the beast mixed with a hades & Persephone spin, add some Finnish folklore and bam!
Nicely written, fuck that ending!!!
Nicely written, fuck that ending!!!