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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
No
So I put off reading this book because I had a feeling it was going to consume me.
It did.
This was one of my favorite reads of 2021. It’s beautifully written (I learned a few new words!) and the pacing kept me engaged. The romance isn’t forced, and just feels like a natural part of a bigger story. That said, I did swoon. If I didn’t have to work I would have read this in one sitting :)
It did.
This was one of my favorite reads of 2021. It’s beautifully written (I learned a few new words!) and the pacing kept me engaged. The romance isn’t forced, and just feels like a natural part of a bigger story. That said, I did swoon. If I didn’t have to work I would have read this in one sitting :)
dark
slow-paced
This had all the dark goth fairytale vibes with a touch of Eldritch horror. The setting felt reminiscent of One Dark Window, but it was a different story. The cover gives Little Red Riding Hood vibes, but the story is definitely a darker Beauty and the Beast retelling. I’m curious where this will go in the second book. The series has 5 star potential to me.
This leans more towards Beauty and the Beast than Little Red Riding Hood. If you liked the enchanting yet gritty atmosphere of The Cruel Prince and One Dark Window, you’d like this vibe. Its atmosphere draws you in, twiggy and folksy in its uniqueness. However, it's worth noting that the pacing is slower, and it’s not always certain what the plot is. It tends to meander to give way to the vibes.
I will say, though, that one of the key messages in the story is the lengths to which people will go for love, showcasing how desperation can lead individuals to embrace darkness and evil when they believe there are no other options. I think the struggles that the characters show are the importance of seeking the full truth, that myths and legends may not always reflect reality, yet truth can often be intertwined with legend.
I will say, though, that one of the key messages in the story is the lengths to which people will go for love, showcasing how desperation can lead individuals to embrace darkness and evil when they believe there are no other options. I think the struggles that the characters show are the importance of seeking the full truth, that myths and legends may not always reflect reality, yet truth can often be intertwined with legend.
slow-paced
Could’ve been way shorter with some much needed editing. I felt the author tried too hard to make the language “beautiful”, but it came across tedious instead. Terribly repetitive at times. Enjoyable enough characters though (when they weren’t being so damn stubborn)!
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I’ve read this book in 2024 but didn’t go into the sequel so I decided to re-read it before reading the sequel. I have the Kindle version and the audiobook. I mostly listened to the audiobook during my shifts at work to pass the time.
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This book follows Redaris, who is the second daughter of Valleyda and was promised as a sacrifice to the Wilderwood and the Wolf. She has always known this and is resigned to it, even if she doesn’t always agree with the religious undertones to the reasoning for it.
She comes to a Wilderwood that is close to falling apart and it is up to her and the Wolf, Eammon, to repair the damage. She doesn’t want to use her magic but she soon comes to realize that she has no other options to aid in the repairs.
How far is she willing to go to save the home she was sent to and the man she realizes slowly that she is falling in love with? What will be taken from her in the end before things go back to a new normal?
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I enjoyed this book the first time I read it when I read it as a paperback book from my local library system. I bought the Kindle version soon after for both this novel and the sequel but I hadn’t gotten to the sequel before now.
The priestesses remind me of the priestess from the ACOTAR series but I can’t remember her name at the moment. I didn’t trust them from the beginning. During the second reading, I felt the same way. I didn’t trust any of them.
It has been too long to remember which sect of priestesses set the end of this book into motion so I found real quickly that I didn’t trust any of them. I wonder if that has anything to do with the lack of trust I have for real life religious figures. Yikes.
I liked Eammon from the beginning and felt so much sympathy for him from the get-go. I can’t imagine what I would feel and how I would act in his position. It makes me cringe, even now, to think about it. I would hate to be stuck in one place for centuries.
I didn’t realize this was an age-gap duology like ACOTAR until Eammon let it slip that he has been alive for centuries. I can’t remember if he ever admits to his age in full in this book. I haven’t read the sequel yet so I don’t know if he reveals it in that book or not.
I’m not normally into books with religious undertones in the plot since I was raised in a religious household. It reminds me of my time in the Christian church. I wasn’t sure what to make of the woman that wanted to be the next High Priestess and was left questioning her motives throughout the entire novel.
The cliffhanger at the end left me gasping with shock. I can’t remember the last time that happened so that’s a plus for Hannah’s writing. I was left feeling the same way after reading The Nightglove King. I need to read the sequel for this book and The Nightglove King as well.
I would recommend this book, for sure, if you want a dark fantasy novel with a new magic system. I love Red Riding Hood retellings so this was right up my alley. I wasn’t expecting the magic system or the fierceness that Red shows from the get-go. It’s a great read!
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
This book follows Redaris, who is the second daughter of Valleyda and was promised as a sacrifice to the Wilderwood and the Wolf. She has always known this and is resigned to it, even if she doesn’t always agree with the religious undertones to the reasoning for it.
She comes to a Wilderwood that is close to falling apart and it is up to her and the Wolf, Eammon, to repair the damage. She doesn’t want to use her magic but she soon comes to realize that she has no other options to aid in the repairs.
How far is she willing to go to save the home she was sent to and the man she realizes slowly that she is falling in love with? What will be taken from her in the end before things go back to a new normal?
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I enjoyed this book the first time I read it when I read it as a paperback book from my local library system. I bought the Kindle version soon after for both this novel and the sequel but I hadn’t gotten to the sequel before now.
The priestesses remind me of the priestess from the ACOTAR series but I can’t remember her name at the moment. I didn’t trust them from the beginning. During the second reading, I felt the same way. I didn’t trust any of them.
It has been too long to remember which sect of priestesses set the end of this book into motion so I found real quickly that I didn’t trust any of them. I wonder if that has anything to do with the lack of trust I have for real life religious figures. Yikes.
I liked Eammon from the beginning and felt so much sympathy for him from the get-go. I can’t imagine what I would feel and how I would act in his position. It makes me cringe, even now, to think about it. I would hate to be stuck in one place for centuries.
I didn’t realize this was an age-gap duology like ACOTAR until Eammon let it slip that he has been alive for centuries. I can’t remember if he ever admits to his age in full in this book. I haven’t read the sequel yet so I don’t know if he reveals it in that book or not.
I’m not normally into books with religious undertones in the plot since I was raised in a religious household. It reminds me of my time in the Christian church. I wasn’t sure what to make of the woman that wanted to be the next High Priestess and was left questioning her motives throughout the entire novel.
The cliffhanger at the end left me gasping with shock. I can’t remember the last time that happened so that’s a plus for Hannah’s writing. I was left feeling the same way after reading The Nightglove King. I need to read the sequel for this book and The Nightglove King as well.
I would recommend this book, for sure, if you want a dark fantasy novel with a new magic system. I love Red Riding Hood retellings so this was right up my alley. I wasn’t expecting the magic system or the fierceness that Red shows from the get-go. It’s a great read!