Take a photo of a barcode or cover
dark
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
First off, I have not read The Auction, but I really enjoyed the magic system in this book. It felt really unique to me. I also really enjoyed the opening and the ending of the book (it does end in a cliffhanger...). I also really loved the flashback scenes, along with the progression of Briony and Toven's relationship.
I did feel a little lull in the middle of the book, but the beginning was fantastic and the ending made it worth it. With the audiobook, I felt the narration was wonderfully done.
*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I did feel a little lull in the middle of the book, but the beginning was fantastic and the ending made it worth it. With the audiobook, I felt the narration was wonderfully done.
*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
slow-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
đź“š 24yr old Briony has spent her life having to dim herself while also shining her light on her twin, Rory - heir to the throne because only males can inherit in her country. She and Rory attended magic school with their neighboring country - a country they have a tenuous peace treaty with. Then, their tenuous peace is shattered by war with Briony's side losing. Her castle is captured and she's taken prisoner, to be sold along with the other captured prisoners. Unable to access her magic, she's trapped and lost. And then who buys her at auction but her magic school nemesis, that she always felt attracted to - Toven, who hails from a family known for their cruelty and close connection to their country's extra cruel ruler. Briony has to figure out how to survive, even if that means playing along, even when it feels like all is lost as she feels more alone than ever.
đź’ Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book. I didn't love everything about the book, and until the last 25% wasn't sure I would continue the series. I wish more of the book was as exciting for me and evoked more emotion from like the last quarter did. But the last quarter gave me enough excitement and feels to feel invested in learning more.
đź““ Told in a somewhat then now style, you get to experience some of 24yr old Briony's childhood and time at magic school.
Overall, I really enjoyed the plot. I found it interesting and easy to fall into. I can't say I found the twists and turns to be unexpected, but I still enjoyed them. There was one twist that I didn't see occurring in the way it did though, that was fun and interesting.
✍🏼 The writing is solidly good. It reads easily and smoothly. The dialogue feels natural and fits the characters.
This is the first Julie Soto book I've actually finished (I've struggled to finish any book for months, no fault of the book/author, just my brain/MH). Anyway, I can't say how it stacks up to her other works since I haven't read enough of any of them to say.
There were a couple instances of repetition that I feel were unnecessary. With the current state of my brain, I'm surprised I noticed them. They're short, but the repetition is there.
⏳ It started off strong. I feel like it bogs down just a bit in the middle, but then it picks up and that's when it really shined for me.
That last +/- 25% truly sold me on picking up the second book, immediately once it's available.
🗺️ The world building is ok, imo. I think if you're primarily a romance reader, it probably wouldn't be an issue for you. But if you're primarily a fantasy reader, I think you're likely to feel similarly to me - that world building was a bit lacking. I don't have a grasp of the layout, geography, religion (even though Godparent is mentioned once), or government structure of the world, etc beyond vague generalities anyway.
đź”® The magic system is ok, it's good, but I wouldn't say great or well developed. It's an interesting take on heart vs mind - I actually love that as a concept. How they can be both different and also the same. But I feel it's lacking in depth and explanation.
I'm going through some stuff currently, including short term memory issues, so maybe that's why this next part stuck out for me, but maybe not idk. The magic system confused me a bit - as in I couldn't keep straight which side was supposed to have
which type (heart vs mind magic). Especially since I couldn't really tell or understand the difference in their usage. We're told they're different, one is "superior," etc. But I still don't have a firm grasp on the magic system. Or why is one superior? etc
- Why are they thanking the waters? It reads as maybe something to do with religion, but idk.
- How (and why) does water come into play with strengthening magic?
đź‘Ą There are a lot of characters, and I feel like the development of the main cast is ok, it's good. I wanted more. Their histories, their motivations, etc. I didn't feel their connections the way I like to. We're told Briony and Rory are super close, but I didn't feel it (or really see it). I didn't feel an emotional connection to anyone, and as a character focused reader I didn't love that. I want to feel what they feel.
Characters are all cishetero - except maybe one, but he is angry about it. I currently don't have enough info to even say if this character is, in fact, queer, I'm going to leave it as if they are, I hope that's explored in future books.
Anyway, it's not necessarily an issue, per say, for me that they're all cishetero, but I always appreciate a diverse cast (and inclusion). There are non-white characters.
đź’ś This is a SLOW burn. If the romance in Daughter of No Worlds was too slow for you, you may not like that aspect of Rose in Chains. I love slow burn, the slower the better, personally, so this was a W aspect for me. You get yearning, longing, and angst. I enjoyed the will they/won't they.
I would have loved to really get inside Toven's head. I think that would've elevated the longing, yearning, and angst a ton.
I can't say they're true (imo) enemies to lovers, or even really rivals. Enemies vibes, maybe, more along the lines of being unsure where they stand with one another since they're from opposing worlds who have a tenuous peace treaty.
🌶️ 0.5 or maybe 1 when someone tells another character what he would do to her. other than that, we get make out session. the build up is there, so I expect the subsequent books to have more spice. If you like a lot of spice, this book may not be as enjoyable for you. Personally, I'm a take it or leave it. As long as it fits the plot and characters, I'm down for whatever.
Up until the last +/- 25%, I thought this was gonna be somewhere in the 3s for me. But then it got rolling and I was thoroughly invested and need the next book ASAP, so I was going to give it a 4. But writing the review reminded me of all the stuff I didn't love and so I'm at a 3.5 or 3.75.
⚠️ Please check CW/TW for this one - I was caught off guard by a few things. www.juliesotowrites.com for details on CW/TW
âž– some other things I didn't love, didn't fully grasp, etc:
- what caused this war to start? like, what was the catalyst?
- how did they just take over? or was there more to it than we weren't told/shown?
- why the mind magic hate? and did people fight back when one country outlawed it? I need more info, especially after the last 25% of the book
- I wish Toven had either been more morally grey, or less. He fell in the middle for me
- the recurring importance of her virginity. I know it's not exclusive to this book, but this book really went hard for her purity. I just... I greatly appreciate that Toven wanted her to have a choice and for her to not feel pressured.
- what happened with a certain female character?? I need more info. or is she exclusively a plot device? cause I'm more invested in her character than I feel like I should be. I want a thorough backstory.
** I wasn't aware this started off as a Dramionie fanfic (that's been rewritten, or something like that) until after I read it. Having said that, I didn't pick up on the MCs being similar to Hermione/Draco. Looking back, other than their looks being kinda, sorta, similar-ish, in a vague way - I still don't really see it. I've only knowingly read 1 Dramionie fanfic (Manacled), and that was years ago. So maybe it's just that I'm too far removed from Dramionie, or something, idk.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC.
đź’ Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book. I didn't love everything about the book, and until the last 25% wasn't sure I would continue the series. I wish more of the book was as exciting for me and evoked more emotion from like the last quarter did. But the last quarter gave me enough excitement and feels to feel invested in learning more.
đź““ Told in a somewhat then now style, you get to experience some of 24yr old Briony's childhood and time at magic school.
Overall, I really enjoyed the plot. I found it interesting and easy to fall into. I can't say I found the twists and turns to be unexpected, but I still enjoyed them. There was one twist that I didn't see occurring in the way it did though, that was fun and interesting.
✍🏼 The writing is solidly good. It reads easily and smoothly. The dialogue feels natural and fits the characters.
This is the first Julie Soto book I've actually finished (I've struggled to finish any book for months, no fault of the book/author, just my brain/MH). Anyway, I can't say how it stacks up to her other works since I haven't read enough of any of them to say.
There were a couple instances of repetition that I feel were unnecessary. With the current state of my brain, I'm surprised I noticed them. They're short, but the repetition is there.
⏳ It started off strong. I feel like it bogs down just a bit in the middle, but then it picks up and that's when it really shined for me.
That last +/- 25% truly sold me on picking up the second book, immediately once it's available.
🗺️ The world building is ok, imo. I think if you're primarily a romance reader, it probably wouldn't be an issue for you. But if you're primarily a fantasy reader, I think you're likely to feel similarly to me - that world building was a bit lacking. I don't have a grasp of the layout, geography, religion (even though Godparent is mentioned once), or government structure of the world, etc beyond vague generalities anyway.
đź”® The magic system is ok, it's good, but I wouldn't say great or well developed. It's an interesting take on heart vs mind - I actually love that as a concept. How they can be both different and also the same. But I feel it's lacking in depth and explanation.
I'm going through some stuff currently, including short term memory issues, so maybe that's why this next part stuck out for me, but maybe not idk. The magic system confused me a bit - as in I couldn't keep straight which side was supposed to have
which type (heart vs mind magic). Especially since I couldn't really tell or understand the difference in their usage. We're told they're different, one is "superior," etc. But I still don't have a firm grasp on the magic system. Or why is one superior? etc
- Why are they thanking the waters? It reads as maybe something to do with religion, but idk.
- How (and why) does water come into play with strengthening magic?
đź‘Ą There are a lot of characters, and I feel like the development of the main cast is ok, it's good. I wanted more. Their histories, their motivations, etc. I didn't feel their connections the way I like to. We're told Briony and Rory are super close, but I didn't feel it (or really see it). I didn't feel an emotional connection to anyone, and as a character focused reader I didn't love that. I want to feel what they feel.
Characters are all cishetero - except maybe one, but he is angry about it. I currently don't have enough info to even say if this character is, in fact, queer, I'm going to leave it as if they are, I hope that's explored in future books.
Anyway, it's not necessarily an issue, per say, for me that they're all cishetero, but I always appreciate a diverse cast (and inclusion). There are non-white characters.
đź’ś This is a SLOW burn. If the romance in Daughter of No Worlds was too slow for you, you may not like that aspect of Rose in Chains. I love slow burn, the slower the better, personally, so this was a W aspect for me. You get yearning, longing, and angst. I enjoyed the will they/won't they.
I would have loved to really get inside Toven's head. I think that would've elevated the longing, yearning, and angst a ton.
I can't say they're true (imo) enemies to lovers, or even really rivals. Enemies vibes, maybe, more along the lines of being unsure where they stand with one another since they're from opposing worlds who have a tenuous peace treaty.
🌶️ 0.5 or maybe 1 when someone tells another character what he would do to her. other than that, we get make out session. the build up is there, so I expect the subsequent books to have more spice. If you like a lot of spice, this book may not be as enjoyable for you. Personally, I'm a take it or leave it. As long as it fits the plot and characters, I'm down for whatever.
Up until the last +/- 25%, I thought this was gonna be somewhere in the 3s for me. But then it got rolling and I was thoroughly invested and need the next book ASAP, so I was going to give it a 4. But writing the review reminded me of all the stuff I didn't love and so I'm at a 3.5 or 3.75.
⚠️ Please check CW/TW for this one - I was caught off guard by a few things. www.juliesotowrites.com for details on CW/TW
âž– some other things I didn't love, didn't fully grasp, etc:
- what caused this war to start? like, what was the catalyst?
- how did they just take over? or was there more to it than we weren't told/shown?
- why the mind magic hate? and did people fight back when one country outlawed it? I need more info, especially after the last 25% of the book
- I wish Toven had either been more morally grey, or less. He fell in the middle for me
- the recurring importance of her virginity. I know it's not exclusive to this book, but this book really went hard for her purity. I just... I greatly appreciate that Toven wanted her to have a choice and for her to not feel pressured.
- what happened with a certain female character?? I need more info. or is she exclusively a plot device? cause I'm more invested in her character than I feel like I should be. I want a thorough backstory.
** I wasn't aware this started off as a Dramionie fanfic (that's been rewritten, or something like that) until after I read it. Having said that, I didn't pick up on the MCs being similar to Hermione/Draco. Looking back, other than their looks being kinda, sorta, similar-ish, in a vague way - I still don't really see it. I've only knowingly read 1 Dramionie fanfic (Manacled), and that was years ago. So maybe it's just that I'm too far removed from Dramionie, or something, idk.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Medical trauma
Minor: Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War
adventurous
challenging
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
Emotionally charged and hauntingly addictive, Julie Soto’s first foray into Dark Romantasy was as high stakes and tension filled as they come!
The opening scenes (and aftermath of the war) were quite brutal to read through, with protagonist, Briony (and many others) captured and put up for auction. As such, I definitely advise checking the TWs beforehand.
That being said, Soto explores them in as grounded and serious a manner as possible, never glorifying the abuse or trauma our characters face— something I’m very grateful for.
I also really liked protagonist, Briony. As our sole POV character, she’s the only viewpoint we have in exploring this world and I found her perspective such a nuanced and emotionally evocative one. She’s not as outwardly rebellious as other FMCs in this genre. But the internalising of her fears, hopes and secret longings (of survivor’s guilt, shame, grief and even attraction) really made her feel soo real.
And of course, I can’t not mention the slow burn and deliciously intense romance! Love interest, Toven was the ultimate brooding, Byron-esque figure, whose secretive nature intrigued me. And the glimmers of mutual attraction he and Briony share, (long before the war) was really great. It felt almost too delicate to explore, but I held an anticipatory breath through each and every scene!
However, the skill with which Soto navigates the power dynamics (and budding relationship) was what I found the most impressive. I won’t go into any specifics (in case of spoilers) but Briony’s autonomy and growing sense of agency was absolutely divine.
I just wish we’d explored the heart and mind-based magic system in a bit more depth. Overall, this was a gorgeously compelling read with a morally grey romance at its heart, and an ending that’ll be living rent free in my head until the sequel is released.
Also, thanks to Harper Voyager UK for the proof.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, War
Minor: Death, Abortion, Death of parent
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!
As someone who does not have any experience with the Dramoine fanfic world, I really enjoyed this. If anything, this plot reminded me more of The Legacy series by Melissa K Roehrich, but with less infuriating characters. This was an exciting start to a dark romance series (and it is dark. Especially the first half, so take the trigger warnings seriously) and the romance is perfectly paced for me so far. It’s a very slow burn, which I prefer in a series , otherwise I lose interest. We get lots of little hints that Toven feels more for Briony, but we’re still trying to figure out what’s really going on with him and his family. I’m very intrigued by the magic system and this world and how everything works. I need to know more about this dragon situation, This left me with a lot of questions, but there were enough little pieces of the puzzle sprinkled throughout to make me want to keep reading and figure out where this is going. I also like Briony’s character growth so far. I think she’s level-headed, is always considering the people around her, and makes good decisions. I’m excited to hopefully get to watch her become more confident and lead a revolution.
As someone who does not have any experience with the Dramoine fanfic world, I really enjoyed this. If anything, this plot reminded me more of The Legacy series by Melissa K Roehrich, but with less infuriating characters. This was an exciting start to a dark romance series (and it is dark. Especially the first half, so take the trigger warnings seriously) and the romance is perfectly paced for me so far. It’s a very slow burn, which I prefer in a series , otherwise I lose interest. We get lots of little hints that Toven feels more for Briony, but we’re still trying to figure out what’s really going on with him and his family. I’m very intrigued by the magic system and this world and how everything works. I need to know more about this dragon situation, This left me with a lot of questions, but there were enough little pieces of the puzzle sprinkled throughout to make me want to keep reading and figure out where this is going. I also like Briony’s character growth so far. I think she’s level-headed, is always considering the people around her, and makes good decisions. I’m excited to hopefully get to watch her become more confident and lead a revolution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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:
No
Every now and again, a book comes along that flays you open and restitches your very skin and bones into something new. Rose in Chains is one of those books for me. I’ve been up all night devouring this book and I’ve never felt more alive. Julie Soto couldn’t have written a more perfect book if she’d been trying to write directly to my ID. This right here rang all my bells and checked all my boxes. The messy, the fucked up, the YEARNING.
Briony Rosewood is smart and accomplished and powerful (?) and the Princess of Evermore, but ultimately burdened by the expectations of a patriarchal society. And on the losing side in a terrible war. It’s fallen to her to salvage what’s left of her broken kingdom, which isn’t much. What follows is a series of horrifying circumstances and terrible choices that aren’t really choices at all. And Briony navigates it all with a spine of steel. Folks, I beg you to heed the content warnings and protect your peace, do not go into this if you find the subject matter triggering or otherwise distasteful. This is a dark romance with gruesome, dark themes. I for one, started off concerned about it being too bleak for my current state of mind, but the vein of hope running through the depths of despair in the story is what I held on to. This book really got me like half AGONY, half HOPE.
Speaking of dark, let’s talk about Toven Hearst, our…MMC? Is he the villain? Antihero? Hero? Yes I know he’s allegedly done no good very bad unheroic heinous acts, and will do more (do we really know this). I’m sorry but I’m supporting all his wrongs until proven otherwise. He’s just a boy, and I am one messy bitch. He’s arrogant and mysterious and ice cold but that ice thaws under the right conditions which may or may not have to do with our princess. We shall never know, because one thing a broody tortured man will be is secretive and terrible at communication. But that’s fine, he has Reasons. Which I could not hear over the noise of his slutty forearms in his slutty button downs and slutty waistcoats. Sorry, horny humor.
Soto is a master of tension; you don’t really know what’s going on, but you still FEEL IT because Briony and Toven don’t even have to be in one room for the tension to leap off the page and slap you in the face. She only has to think of silver hair and gray eyes and you are panting like a dehydrated dog in the desert. Only intensified by the acerbically witty banter which makes you want to make heart eyes at a man and smack him at the same time. Soto also is a master of the slow burn, and for aforementioned dark reasons, it makes perfect sense for the development of their non-relationship (even though you will yell “NOW KITH” a lot). I have not read the source material (aka the fic that inspired this saga) and I was never truly invested in a certain fanfic couple except for a deep love of bullyish enemies to lovers dynamics. But Ms Soto can make me a believer in anything she wishes.
A truly sweeping fantasy romance is incomplete without compelling secondary characters and villains, and this book is chock full of all the above. I have a lot of feelings about all the amazing wonderful brilliant women, treated as little more than commodities for trade and spoils of war, and rising fiercely to the occasion anyway. Some dudes were okay too but they’re all on notice as far as I’m concerned. I did not quite see that one twist at the end coming but I’m abuzz with glee at the possibilities for the future developments in the story.
*I received an arc from the publisher and voluntarily chose to read and review. All opinions are mine alone*
Briony Rosewood is smart and accomplished and powerful (?) and the Princess of Evermore, but ultimately burdened by the expectations of a patriarchal society. And on the losing side in a terrible war. It’s fallen to her to salvage what’s left of her broken kingdom, which isn’t much. What follows is a series of horrifying circumstances and terrible choices that aren’t really choices at all. And Briony navigates it all with a spine of steel. Folks, I beg you to heed the content warnings and protect your peace, do not go into this if you find the subject matter triggering or otherwise distasteful. This is a dark romance with gruesome, dark themes. I for one, started off concerned about it being too bleak for my current state of mind, but the vein of hope running through the depths of despair in the story is what I held on to. This book really got me like half AGONY, half HOPE.
Speaking of dark, let’s talk about Toven Hearst, our…MMC? Is he the villain? Antihero? Hero? Yes I know he’s allegedly done no good very bad unheroic heinous acts, and will do more (do we really know this). I’m sorry but I’m supporting all his wrongs until proven otherwise. He’s just a boy, and I am one messy bitch. He’s arrogant and mysterious and ice cold but that ice thaws under the right conditions which may or may not have to do with our princess. We shall never know, because one thing a broody tortured man will be is secretive and terrible at communication. But that’s fine, he has Reasons. Which I could not hear over the noise of his slutty forearms in his slutty button downs and slutty waistcoats. Sorry, horny humor.
Soto is a master of tension; you don’t really know what’s going on, but you still FEEL IT because Briony and Toven don’t even have to be in one room for the tension to leap off the page and slap you in the face. She only has to think of silver hair and gray eyes and you are panting like a dehydrated dog in the desert. Only intensified by the acerbically witty banter which makes you want to make heart eyes at a man and smack him at the same time. Soto also is a master of the slow burn, and for aforementioned dark reasons, it makes perfect sense for the development of their non-relationship (even though you will yell “NOW KITH” a lot). I have not read the source material (aka the fic that inspired this saga) and I was never truly invested in a certain fanfic couple except for a deep love of bullyish enemies to lovers dynamics. But Ms Soto can make me a believer in anything she wishes.
A truly sweeping fantasy romance is incomplete without compelling secondary characters and villains, and this book is chock full of all the above. I have a lot of feelings about all the amazing wonderful brilliant women, treated as little more than commodities for trade and spoils of war, and rising fiercely to the occasion anyway. Some dudes were okay too but they’re all on notice as far as I’m concerned. I did not quite see that one twist at the end coming but I’m abuzz with glee at the possibilities for the future developments in the story.
*I received an arc from the publisher and voluntarily chose to read and review. All opinions are mine alone*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Slavery
Moderate: Rape
Forced sterilization
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Torture, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Abortion, War
dark
sad
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Uh... How do I even begin?
I am so sad and disappointed. I really enjoyed The Thrashers and I wasn't expecting to. Soto made me enamored with her prose and ability to treat sensitive matters with a lot of respect in that narrative. The gripping paranormal mystery was exciting, she got me to love a mystery thriller which is not usually my jam. So when I found out she wrote a high fantasy book with a forbidden romance with emphasis on the angsty pining? I was sold!
... that is until I read it. What happened? How did the writing quality go so downhill? Why were the characters so flat? Where was that sensitivity to darker and serious materials? And I see some people saying this should been advertised as "Grimdark," and you know, while I feel like that would helped cover the type of material you get in the book adequately, that doesn't fix the hard-to-follow action scenes and some of the writing in general. What I mean is the actual prose itself is confusing, it's not just a taste thing. And I hate to keep bringing up The Thrashers, but I just don't understand. Soto wrote some very vivid and easy to action scenes.(Like swimming, crashing into river, gasping and frantically searching for an inhaler, etc.)
I'm stunned and stumped, not in a good way.
I will not be continuing the series. I'm rounding up to one star. Man... what a bummer...
Uh... How do I even begin?
I am so sad and disappointed. I really enjoyed The Thrashers and I wasn't expecting to. Soto made me enamored with her prose and ability to treat sensitive matters with a lot of respect in that narrative. The gripping paranormal mystery was exciting, she got me to love a mystery thriller which is not usually my jam. So when I found out she wrote a high fantasy book with a forbidden romance with emphasis on the angsty pining? I was sold!
... that is until I read it. What happened? How did the writing quality go so downhill? Why were the characters so flat? Where was that sensitivity to darker and serious materials? And I see some people saying this should been advertised as "Grimdark," and you know, while I feel like that would helped cover the type of material you get in the book adequately, that doesn't fix the hard-to-follow action scenes and some of the writing in general. What I mean is the actual prose itself is confusing, it's not just a taste thing. And I hate to keep bringing up The Thrashers, but I just don't understand. Soto wrote some very vivid and easy to action scenes.
I'm stunned and stumped, not in a good way.
I will not be continuing the series. I'm rounding up to one star. Man... what a bummer...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, War
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
This is my new favorite book of the year and I'm ready to make it my entire personality.
I've been excited for this novel for quite a while and anxious to start it in case I didn't enjoy it, but let me tell you I devoured it and loved every second. I took me five days to finish and it would have been quicker but the dark subject matter made me take breathers with this one, so check your trigger warnings because it is dark at times and gave me anxiety.
I immediately fell in love with Briony and Toven and I was invested in their story from the start. I loved the magic system in this novel and enjoyed learning more about it and our main character's past in the chapters set in the past, and loved watching the story unfold and having all the pieces come together by the end. The romance was steamy and so well done and I can't wait to see their relationship develop in further novels.
The only issue I have with this novel is that book 2 and 3 aren't out yet and I have no idea when they will be out and I need to know what happens next now.
This is my first Julie Soto novel and I can't wait to read their other books, and will be first in line when book to of The Evermore Trilogy comes out.
5 out of 5 would recommend.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I've been excited for this novel for quite a while and anxious to start it in case I didn't enjoy it, but let me tell you I devoured it and loved every second. I took me five days to finish and it would have been quicker but the dark subject matter made me take breathers with this one, so check your trigger warnings because it is dark at times and gave me anxiety.
I immediately fell in love with Briony and Toven and I was invested in their story from the start. I loved the magic system in this novel and enjoyed learning more about it and our main character's past in the chapters set in the past, and loved watching the story unfold and having all the pieces come together by the end. The romance was steamy and so well done and I can't wait to see their relationship develop in further novels.
The only issue I have with this novel is that book 2 and 3 aren't out yet and I have no idea when they will be out and I need to know what happens next now.
This is my first Julie Soto novel and I can't wait to read their other books, and will be first in line when book to of The Evermore Trilogy comes out.
5 out of 5 would recommend.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, War
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Bullying
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence