You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

10 reviews

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark 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: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I picked this up to read a day and a half ago, because I randomly read about the issue re: the author attending (and then not attending) an event for romantasy authors. Something about how this published fic was originally HP fanfic for Dramione and people didn't want to support the author and her novel because of the HP association.

I would say in this case it worked in her favor because it got me looking into her novel, and it turns out it was just what I needed to read and pull me out of a reading slump. It's not the best or original, sure, but it engaged me and I enjoyed reading it, so I would say it's somewhere between a 3.0 and 3.5 for me. 

I'm curious why / how the Hearsts are powerful, what's Mallow's story (I just wish she wasn't Mallow because part of me keeps thinking of the word marshmallow lmao sorry), what's the dragon about and how does it come to play with mind magic and heart magic, if Toven and Briony are about to be a power couple with their talented magical energy and deprived will-they-or-won't-they sexual tension lol. The cliffhanger ending has me hooked too... only I have to wait til December 2026?! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated

4.5⭐️

As a huuuuuuge fan of “The Auction” and “The Rights & Wrongs” series….

I fucking loved this. It’s completely separated from the-bitch-who-must-not-be-named. Soto’s magic system is unique and very interesting! I loved her mind and heart magic descriptions, especially the mind magic. The needle and thread is such a great concept.

The name changes are a little funny to me. They’re just a little bit close to the originals that it made me giggle (ex. Briony - Hermione, Rory - Harry). Briony and Toven are my babies😩🫶🏻 they’re misunderstood, they’re broken and traumatized, they just want to love each other without getting killed or worse. I am a huge Dramione shipper, so Briony & Toven are my loves. 

Now speaking on Dramione…
I said this before, but I really feel like HarperCollins and Julie Soto could’ve marketed this book COMPLETELY organic, without the mention of the JKR bitch’s characters. I have no hate at all for Julie Soto, as some people are saying she shouldn’t have written and published this book. But she made the story, the characters, and everything her own. She had influences. Doesn’t everyone have influences? 


Overall, I absolutely devoured this book!!! Waiting another year for the 2nd is going to torture me😩 I maaaay have to read my downloaded copy of “The Auction” to get my fix😏 

(I have to nerd out for a second: Nikita Jobson did the artwork😭 Her “Golden Girl” art is just beautiful that I was so excited to see she did the cover for Rose in Chains!!!)
(Nerd out pt 2: “For the Saturday Girls…” Julie, are you fucking kidding me? I almost cried seeing that dedication😭😭)

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I absolutely devoured this book. The tension between the fmc and mmc was so amazingly done. Definitely left me wanting more and have so many unanswered questions. Can’t wait for more books in this series! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

4.5⭐️2.5🌶️

Dark Romantasy
Non-linear timeline
Flashbacks
Magical schools
Rival kingdoms
War
Political intrigue 
Dragons
Failed prophecy
Enemies to lovers
Secrets
Rebellion
Slow burn
Forced proximity
High stakes


Tw: grief, war, SA, human trafficking, murder, enslavement, forced sterility, forced termination of pregnancy (off page), non-consensual relationships, misogyny, gore

*note- trigger warnings are not reflected in spice rating. Read responsibly.


I love Julie Soto’s highly bingeable writing style, and as a fan of her contemporary romances, I was thrilled to be approved for the audiobook galley on NetGalley!

Many readers will recognize her from AO3, where she’s widely respected for her fanfiction. While those familiar with the source material may notice a few parallels, the story here stands firmly on its own. The changes are creative and distinct. You’d never know it was a reimagining unless you were looking for it.

The audiobook was fantastic! The narrator’s pacing, inflection, and melodic tone were spot-on, and each character had a clearly defined voice. Even at 1.75x speed, the narration felt perfectly paced and immersive.

The magical system and historical elements felt fresh and well-developed. Some aspects of the world were repeated a bit more than necessary, but not enough to pull me out of the story.

The plot was compelling and the tension, especially the romantic tension, was absolutely top-tier. There’s just something about a character quietly pining for someone they shouldn’t that always lands. While I’m not usually a fan of flashbacks, the ones to their school days were effective. Scenes occasionally replayed from different POVs or slightly altered timelines, which added depth, though the repetition was noticeable.

This is a dark fantasy romance, and the themes are heavy, particularly around human trafficking. It’s handled with care, but definitely worth noting.

This is a very slow burn. At times I wondered if any spice between the main characters would happen at all in this book… but the tension was so deliciously drawn out that I didn’t mind one bit.

Briony and Toven are wonderfully developed, and I loved seeing the slow reveal of Toven’s parents. However, most of the other characters felt less fleshed out—likely due to the story’s secluded setting. I especially wished for more development in Briony’s relationship with her twin brother, which felt underexplored.

I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to explore more of the characters, world, and magic in future books. A strong start to what promises to be a gripping series!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional tense slow-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: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings