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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
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This fantasy was darker than what I typically read but still captivating. It was also my first introduction to anything Dramione-inspired. The slow burn is quite slow friends, but luckily, this is only the first book in the trilogy. I thought the idea for the story was very original because Briony and her people lost the war at the beginning of the story. You don’t typically see a war get lost by the main characters. I’m very intrigued to find out what happens next after the ending. I will say I wasn’t surprised by the plot twist at the end because of other fantasies I’ve read but it’s still a good one. I honestly just can’t wait for more tension and yearning to happen between Toven and Briony in the next two books! Thanks to Forever Publishing, NetGalley and Edelweiss for the advanced copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent
Minor: Rape
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ARC and ALC review
"Rose in Chains" by Julie Soto is the first book in "The Evermore Trilogy".
Thank you Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for the ARC and Hachette Audio for the ALC (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.
Before starting the book I did not know much about it and I have to admit that the cover caught my attention.
Also, I did not read "The Auction".
But I love Julie's contemporary romances and I plan to read all the books she writes.
This is a dark romantic fantasy and I am glad that I read the content warnings first because I was prepared for it to be even darker.
Please check these warnings on the author's website before you start reading.
The story is told from Briony's POV in 3rd person and there is a dual timeline.
Briony is the Eversun princess and she is captured by the enemies, the Bomards.
She is later sold to Toven, a high ranking Bomardsun that is also her long time infatuation (even if she tried to get over it).
From the beginning I liked the writing and the world building.
The book starts in the present and then there are chapters from the past that give more context about how the war started.
But since we only have one POV, there are still many things that remain a mystery until the end of the book (hopefully we get more details in the next book).
The audiobook is narrated by Ella Lynch, that did an amazing job.
She used multiple accents for different people and her male voice is very good.
As Briony she managed to make me feel her emotions and I ended up finishing the book in 2 days.
I recommend an immersive read for this book if possible (listening to the audio while reading the physical/e-book).
The romance part of the story is very slow burn with tension and forced proximity.
They start as enemies and are (almost) lovers.
But what I liked the most is the strength of the women. I cannot say more to avoid spoilers.
There is a twist at the end that I suspected during the book but the epilogue made me what to read the next book as soon as possible.
"Rose in Chains" by Julie Soto is the first book in "The Evermore Trilogy".
Thank you Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for the ARC and Hachette Audio for the ALC (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.
Before starting the book I did not know much about it and I have to admit that the cover caught my attention.
Also, I did not read "The Auction".
But I love Julie's contemporary romances and I plan to read all the books she writes.
This is a dark romantic fantasy and I am glad that I read the content warnings first because I was prepared for it to be even darker.
Please check these warnings on the author's website before you start reading.
The story is told from Briony's POV in 3rd person and there is a dual timeline.
Briony is the Eversun princess and she is captured by the enemies, the Bomards.
She is later sold to Toven, a high ranking Bomardsun that is also her long time infatuation (even if she tried to get over it).
From the beginning I liked the writing and the world building.
The book starts in the present and then there are chapters from the past that give more context about how the war started.
But since we only have one POV, there are still many things that remain a mystery until the end of the book (hopefully we get more details in the next book).
The audiobook is narrated by Ella Lynch, that did an amazing job.
She used multiple accents for different people and her male voice is very good.
As Briony she managed to make me feel her emotions and I ended up finishing the book in 2 days.
I recommend an immersive read for this book if possible (listening to the audio while reading the physical/e-book).
The romance part of the story is very slow burn with tension and forced proximity.
They start as enemies and are (almost) lovers.
But what I liked the most is the strength of the women. I cannot say more to avoid spoilers.
There is a twist at the end that I suspected during the book but the epilogue made me what to read the next book as soon as possible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Rape
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
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
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!!!
3.5 stars.
This was a highly anticipated read for me and I was so happy to get an early copy…
I feel like I went through multiple phases with this book. The beginning hooked me pretty quickly and I felt like I had an easy time getting pulled into the story. I feel like the world building was relatively easy to understand and I was able to imagine the world pretty well based on the writing. I do think the politics and succession was kind of confusing and there were a lot of characters to remember, but it felt pretty well thought out. I appreciated the tension between the two main characters and felt that the flashbacks really helped to give more context to their relationship and set the scene for a sort of enemies to lovers situation.
Some complaints…
After finishing this book, I just kept thinking that it felt incomplete. I know it is meant to be the start of a series, so I expected it to leave us with a conflict that will need to be completed in the other books, but I just felt like we were lacking when it came to a lot of things. The ending felt rushed, and really lacked any sort of wrapping up of ANY parts of the plot. The relationship between the main characters felt like it reset completely back to where it was at the beginning of the book and we lost all progress. I also feel like, honestly, not that much actually happened in this book. I know sometimes first books in a series can be like that as they are providing a lot of setup… but this book felt like so much filler and borderline repetition that didn’t advance the plot as much as I wanted. Also, if you love a slow-burn then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. There was tension, there was like… suggestive dialogue and longing and dreaming of each other……. but they did not even so much as KISS until 95% into the book. I like a slow burn but it was hard to wait that long for any sort of progress.
Overall there were things I enjoyed and things that I did not. I’m honestly unsure at the moment if this will be a series I continue or not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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:
Yes
While reading, I felt every emotion from grief, hate, to fangirling over Toven Hearst. Without spoilers, this book follows a bright princess named Briony Rosewood, who has a strong affinity for mind magic. Her kingdom is invaded, and Briony and many other women are kidnapped and auctioned into slavery. The mysterious Toven Hearst, her former crush at school, purchases her at the auction. As the people from her kingdom continue to rebel, Briony has to find out where her friends are, and if there is any hope in escaping her new "home," Hearst Hall. The book switches between present day and flashbacks, and slowly unravels the characters' backstories and their relationships with each other.
For those who don't know, Rose in Chains is based off of Julie Soto's fanfiction, The Auction, which is one of the holy grails of the Draco x Hermione fandom community. The Auction was one of the first fanfictions I read when I was first getting introduced to Dramione, and it is one of my favorite fanfictions of all time. I feel like those who read The Auction will also love Rose in Chains. I wonder what inspired her new naming conventions as well (i.e. Hearst Hall vs. Malfoy Manor), and I'd honestly like to see a behind the scenes on how she went through editing this book. Getting to see this story given new life and new fans makes me so happy, and I'm so happy for Julie Soto. I already know this book is going to be a huge hit and I'm excited to see where it leads next.
I thought it might be weird seeing this story rewritten with a new cast of characters --- I felt the Harry Potter characters and universe was so crucial to the original story --- but I enjoyed meeting Toven Hearst and Briony Rosewood and seeing a new magic system take place. I loved seeing flashbacks of their academic rivalry and the scenes under the willow tree at the lake. The slow burn tension between them is SO good, and I love their dialogue banter. Toven Hearst is definitely being added to the list of book boyfriends (I have a soft spot for misunderstood, morally grey characters; bonus points if they're Draco Malfoy-coded haha).
Just a note: This book is not for the faint of heart. It deals with very dark themes, and essentially human trafficking/slavery. Trigger warnings for this book include: death, murder, bullying, confinement, drug use, misogyny, physical abuse, racism, sexism, sexual assault/violence, slavery, xenophobia/bigotry, trafficking, kidnapping, grief, sexual harassment, war, drug use, rape, torture, abortion, etc. Be warned!
There isn't spice in this book; however, I have a feeling there will likely be spice in the sequel. Julie Soto, you are amazing and I cannot wait for the next book in the Evermore Series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced copy!
For those who don't know, Rose in Chains is based off of Julie Soto's fanfiction, The Auction, which is one of the holy grails of the Draco x Hermione fandom community. The Auction was one of the first fanfictions I read when I was first getting introduced to Dramione, and it is one of my favorite fanfictions of all time. I feel like those who read The Auction will also love Rose in Chains. I wonder what inspired her new naming conventions as well (i.e. Hearst Hall vs. Malfoy Manor), and I'd honestly like to see a behind the scenes on how she went through editing this book. Getting to see this story given new life and new fans makes me so happy, and I'm so happy for Julie Soto. I already know this book is going to be a huge hit and I'm excited to see where it leads next.
I thought it might be weird seeing this story rewritten with a new cast of characters --- I felt the Harry Potter characters and universe was so crucial to the original story --- but I enjoyed meeting Toven Hearst and Briony Rosewood and seeing a new magic system take place. I loved seeing flashbacks of their academic rivalry and the scenes under the willow tree at the lake. The slow burn tension between them is SO good, and I love their dialogue banter. Toven Hearst is definitely being added to the list of book boyfriends (I have a soft spot for misunderstood, morally grey characters; bonus points if they're Draco Malfoy-coded haha).
Just a note: This book is not for the faint of heart. It deals with very dark themes, and essentially human trafficking/slavery. Trigger warnings for this book include: death, murder, bullying, confinement, drug use, misogyny, physical abuse, racism, sexism, sexual assault/violence, slavery, xenophobia/bigotry, trafficking, kidnapping, grief, sexual harassment, war, drug use, rape, torture, abortion, etc. Be warned!
There isn't spice in this book; however, I have a feeling there will likely be spice in the sequel. Julie Soto, you are amazing and I cannot wait for the next book in the Evermore Series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, War
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Rape, Torture, Abortion