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adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Ich hatte keine großen Erwartungen an dieses Buch. Eine Fanfiction über Draco und Hermine? Ja gut, kann man mal lesen...
Aber wie wurde ich überrascht! Fanfictions sind nun mal nicht zu unterschätzen. Julie Soto hat sich eine ganz besondere Geschichte ersonnen, die für mich (als Harry Potter Laiin) nicht viel mit der Potter Welt zu tun hat. Aber es gab gewisse Anspielungen. Nichtsdestotrotz überzeugt das Buch auch ohne Hintergrundwissen.
Neben den ganzen Gewaltdarstellungen, ekelhaften Männerfiguren und wirklich dunklen Machenschaften überzeugte vor allem Brionys und Tovens Beziehung zueinander. Ich liebe gute slow burn stories.
Auch das Magiesystem und sämtliche Charaktere sind einleuchtend gestaltet. Es gab für mich eigentlich fast nichts, was zu verbessern wäre. Manches war mir nur zu vulgär, aber das passte halt zur Buchwelt.
Die Kritik, dass das Buch zu langsam in Fahrt kommt, kann ich übrigens nicht verstehen. Ich fand es ab der ersten Seite spannend lol. Und gespannt wie ein Bettlaken muss ich jetzt auf die nächsten Teile warten - oh Man.
PS: Das sage ich selten, aber mir gefiel sogar das Ende.
PPS: Durch dieses Buch habe ich einige neue Wörter gerlent haha. Z. B. "grienen".
Aber wie wurde ich überrascht! Fanfictions sind nun mal nicht zu unterschätzen. Julie Soto hat sich eine ganz besondere Geschichte ersonnen, die für mich (als Harry Potter Laiin) nicht viel mit der Potter Welt zu tun hat. Aber es gab gewisse Anspielungen. Nichtsdestotrotz überzeugt das Buch auch ohne Hintergrundwissen.
Neben den ganzen Gewaltdarstellungen, ekelhaften Männerfiguren und wirklich dunklen Machenschaften überzeugte vor allem Brionys und Tovens Beziehung zueinander. Ich liebe gute slow burn stories.
Auch das Magiesystem und sämtliche Charaktere sind einleuchtend gestaltet. Es gab für mich eigentlich fast nichts, was zu verbessern wäre. Manches war mir nur zu vulgär, aber das passte halt zur Buchwelt.
Die Kritik, dass das Buch zu langsam in Fahrt kommt, kann ich übrigens nicht verstehen. Ich fand es ab der ersten Seite spannend lol. Und gespannt wie ein Bettlaken muss ich jetzt auf die nächsten Teile warten - oh Man.
PS: Das sage ich selten, aber mir gefiel sogar das Ende.
PPS: Durch dieses Buch habe ich einige neue Wörter gerlent haha. Z. B. "grienen".
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence
Moderate: Rape, Grief
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, War
Moderate: Rape
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Es war ein wirklich gutes Buch und ich werde auf jeden Fall, denn nächsten Band lesen, jedoch war er ,besonders in der Mitte, etwas schleppend und es wurden immer wieder Sachen wiederholt. Ich weiß, dass es mal eine fanfiction war, bei denen solche Wiederholungen oft nötig sind, da zwischen den Kapiteln viel Zeit liegt. Trotzdem bin der Meinung man hätte das, vor der Veröffentlichung, beheben müssen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
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
Very similar yet incredibly different to The Auction. Impressive world and magic system, political intrigue, dark themes handled with care. Also, the tension is extremely well-written—I had to stop and breathe at some points. I did find myself struggling to keep track of all the characters, as they don’t map quite as easily onto fanfic characters. This is everything I loved about The Auction, just more refined.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence
Moderate: Death
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?!
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?!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence
Moderate: Rape, Trafficking, Murder
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, War
Moderate: Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma
Minor: Death, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow, where do I even begin?!
Perhaps with this disclaimer: I know there is a lot of discontent around this author/book. My review is based strictly on the writing and story.
Plot: This plot is DARK. Make sure you triple check your trigger warnings before starting this book journey! Brioney Rosewood is Princess of Evermore, twin sister to the Heir of the Kindgom. On the day her kingdom falls and their enemy wins, Briony is captured along with many others from Everson. They are stripped of their magic and sold off to the highest bidder to be used in servitude as a magic source. As the Princess, she manages to achieve the highest selling point and is purchased by her lifelong school nemesis, Toven Hearst.
Characters: The characters truly give this plot heart. Briony is the perfect MFC. She is strong and full of fight, but that doesn’t prevent her from also breaking down, questioning her own worth and her choices, feeling regret or vulnerability and at times, helplessness. She is this super intelligent, extremely talented and powerful young woman but she has also grown up in a world where men are in charge and that has certainly played its role in shaping her. She is grieving while also trying to find a way forward for herself, friends and kingdom. Toven is also the perfect MMC. We flip back and forth between timelines, getting a glimpse into their life before the way while they were still just students. Toven is a character that is easy to hate, while still leaving us conflicted. Julie Soto did an incredible job of making all side characters so impactful, and I found myself so invested in what happened to each and every one of them.
Overall, this was a slow-burn, dark fantasy that was wonderfully written. The plot is well thought out and layered strategically. The characters are engaging and captivating, and the ending has left me wanting book two so badly!
Wow, where do I even begin?!
Perhaps with this disclaimer: I know there is a lot of discontent around this author/book. My review is based strictly on the writing and story.
Plot: This plot is DARK. Make sure you triple check your trigger warnings before starting this book journey! Brioney Rosewood is Princess of Evermore, twin sister to the Heir of the Kindgom. On the day her kingdom falls and their enemy wins, Briony is captured along with many others from Everson. They are stripped of their magic and sold off to the highest bidder to be used in servitude as a magic source. As the Princess, she manages to achieve the highest selling point and is purchased by her lifelong school nemesis, Toven Hearst.
Characters: The characters truly give this plot heart. Briony is the perfect MFC. She is strong and full of fight, but that doesn’t prevent her from also breaking down, questioning her own worth and her choices, feeling regret or vulnerability and at times, helplessness. She is this super intelligent, extremely talented and powerful young woman but she has also grown up in a world where men are in charge and that has certainly played its role in shaping her. She is grieving while also trying to find a way forward for herself, friends and kingdom. Toven is also the perfect MMC. We flip back and forth between timelines, getting a glimpse into their life before the way while they were still just students. Toven is a character that is easy to hate, while still leaving us conflicted. Julie Soto did an incredible job of making all side characters so impactful, and I found myself so invested in what happened to each and every one of them.
Overall, this was a slow-burn, dark fantasy that was wonderfully written. The plot is well thought out and layered strategically. The characters are engaging and captivating, and the ending has left me wanting book two so badly!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, War