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abby_can_read's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
4.0
đź“–
This was a cute read. I had a good time. I thought parts were funny. I liked the romance between Rose and Shen, and I thought the relationship between Wren and Tor.
This was a cute read. I had a good time. I thought parts were funny. I liked the romance between Rose and Shen, and I thought the relationship between Wren and Tor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: War, Blood, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Death, and Animal death
soph22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
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? No
4.75
At halfway through I ordered the next two books. Honestly, as a Disney girlie, I loved everything about this. The only reason it didn’t quite get to five stars is because the ending felt slightly rushed. Otherwise, this is one of my favourite books I’ve read this year!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Murder, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child death, Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
oystersauce's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, and War
Minor: Animal death and Death
kassidyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Genocide, and War
maregred's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Sexism, and Confinement
2blueshoes's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Sometimes in order to write convincing character development, your characters have to be very unlikable at the beginning of your book. For me, this was the case here. I almost stopped reading about a third of the way through, BUT I’m glad I didn’t. About half way through the book, Wren and Rose become much more thoughtful and less juvenile and their dialogue becomes much more witty and engaging.
There is some romance in this story, but it is not the main focus, and the “heroes” are very much secondary characters. (Albeit very charming ones). Spiciness is fairly tame - it’s mostly longing looks.
Overall a fun read, with increasingly like-able characters. (Low key obsessed with Celeste.) Not life changing - I did not want to stay up all night reading this book, but I’ll definitely read the next one in the series.
There is some romance in this story, but it is not the main focus, and the “heroes” are very much secondary characters. (Albeit very charming ones). Spiciness is fairly tame - it’s mostly longing looks.
Overall a fun read, with increasingly like-able characters. (Low key obsessed with Celeste.) Not life changing - I did not want to stay up all night reading this book, but I’ll definitely read the next one in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Gaslighting
Moderate: Kidnapping, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Murder
Minor: War, Confinement, Vomit, Sexual content, Death of parent, Animal death, and Sexual harassment
takarakei's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Princess and the Pauper retelling, kind of. A bit too long especially cause it's a duology. I felt like they could've cut at least 100 pages. Plotline was a bit predictable for regular ya fantasy readers. I likely won't continue with book two as I feel like I know what's gonna happen and I'm not moved to read another 500 pages.
2/5 🌶️ basically some hot and heavy kissing
2/5 🌶️ basically some hot and heavy kissing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: War, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Death, and Sexual content
bzliz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rose and Wren are twin sisters separated at birth to protect them from their parent’s murderer. Wren grew up in a colony of witches with her maternal grandmother Banba after being hurried away from the attack on her mother by a witch midwife. She’s spent her whole life preparing to help take back the country from the man who killed her parents and controls her sister. Rose grew up in the castle, raised and protected by the Kingsbreath and fully indoctrinated into his anti-witch world and unaware that she has living family until the day finally comes that Wren takes her place and she’s spirited away to the witch colony and learns that she’s been lied to and manipulated her whole life.
This is a really solid YA story. It’s kind of Prince and the Pauper-y with a magical spin. The twins are both interesting and their respective love interests make sense with their arcs. Some of the background characters are kind of one dimensional and single use (one witch is there to spill secrets to Rose before Shen has told her the truth, another is there to represent the animosity some witches have against the crown and to show Rose’s kindness, etc).
The beginning was a little slow with Wren trying to integrate herself into the castle and Rose being kidnapped and going on her first journey outside of her gilded prison. It picked up once Rose gained some confidence but it also got a little confusing because there seems to be some time passing but it wasn’t really clear how much skipping around there was. You could tell me the twins had swapped places for two weeks or 4 months and I’d believe either. I also wish we’d gotten to see more interactions between the sisters. A few scenes of them plotting and scheming were boiled down to “we spent the whole night talking”. I think some of it is meant to show their innate twin connection but it would have been nice to see them actually get to know each other.
Content warnings:
Blood, injury, violence (on page):Shen is injured in the desert which is his Rose learns she’s a healer witch. Big fight at the wedding.
Child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse (flashbacks):Described in chapter 12. Rose was tested by the Kingsbreath for witchcraft as a child, which she described in her thoughts as him making her crawl through mud, pushing her face into it and forcing her hands closed around it until her fingernails cracked. This happened monthly until she was twelve. He continued to manipulate her as his puppet to present day. Rose does not voice these thoughts.
Death (on page):During the climax at the wedding, the Kingsbreath hurls a dagger at Wren but Tor pushes her out of the way which causes the dagger to strike and kill Ansel instead. Rose tries to save him but Alarik pulls her off his body.
Death of parent (off page):The Kingsbreath poisoned the twin’s father and then slit their mother’s throat moments after she gave birth to Rose. This is mentioned a few times as it is essential to why the twins were separated. Rose spent most of her life believing a witch was responsible for their deaths and learns the truth about halfway into the book.
Kidnapping (on page):Rose is kidnapped so Wren can take her place. She is protected by Shen and ends up being pretty chill about the whole thing in a way only a YA protagonist could be.
This is a really solid YA story. It’s kind of Prince and the Pauper-y with a magical spin. The twins are both interesting and their respective love interests make sense with their arcs. Some of the background characters are kind of one dimensional and single use (one witch is there to spill secrets to Rose before Shen has told her the truth, another is there to represent the animosity some witches have against the crown and to show Rose’s kindness, etc).
The beginning was a little slow with Wren trying to integrate herself into the castle and Rose being kidnapped and going on her first journey outside of her gilded prison. It picked up once Rose gained some confidence but it also got a little confusing because there seems to be some time passing but it wasn’t really clear how much skipping around there was. You could tell me the twins had swapped places for two weeks or 4 months and I’d believe either. I also wish we’d gotten to see more interactions between the sisters. A few scenes of them plotting and scheming were boiled down to “we spent the whole night talking”. I think some of it is meant to show their innate twin connection but it would have been nice to see them actually get to know each other.
Content warnings:
Blood, injury, violence (on page):
Child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse (flashbacks):
Death (on page):
Death of parent (off page):
Kidnapping (on page):
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Child abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping
taryn_g's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Confinement
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcohol and Animal death
katvou's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Kidnapping, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, and Animal death
Minor: Alcohol and Sexual content