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koistyfishy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
5 Salt in the Water Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I love this book so much, that I made my phone background a picture of the cover art...
Reading this feels like you're wrapped up in a warm, fluffy blanket, with oversized socks and a cup of deliciously spiced tea while you're sitting by a roaring fire, watching the rain outside. If that doesn't give you the epitome of cosy vibes, then I don't know what you find cosy.
This was also a very unexpected surprise. I wasn't sure how this book ended up on my TBR, so went in with no expectations - and I am pretty happy I did. I was blown away by the story, the plot and the characters.
This is a dual POV - Daella, a half-Orc is a captive of a brutal tyrannical emperor who forces her to do his dirty work. She is also allergic to fresh water (not in the same way as Gremlin's where she multiplies into little evil versions of herself)... Instead, she ends up in giant boils and welts. Sent on a mission to track Dragon-Magic users her ship is attacked by a vicious storm. She ends up falling overboard - don't worry, salt water is fine - and washes up on the island of Fable in a little town where a gorgeous elf with long silver hair greets her with a sword to her throat. Rivelin strikes up a deal with Daella. She can return to the mainland in six weeks after she helps him win this year's Midsummer Games by being his assistant. Rivelin needs to win the games as the winner is granted a wish - and he wants to wish for the protection of his Island and home.
It was really sweet and charming to see how these two forged a bond. (This is funny because Rivelin is a blacksmith). At the start, they are very apprehensive of each other and have both built up walls around their hearts. But as more and more time goes along, the two start opening up to each other and start falling for each other as they learn to trust one another.
Daella was the complete opposite of my perceptions of a Half-Orc. I expected brutish, quick to anger and a brain one step above a Neanderthal. While she is stubborn, she is incredibly kind-hearted. She has a traumatic past and has been pushed to her limits by the Emperor, only doing his bidding as he will kill her if she doesn't with a magic ice shard embedded into her hip. Given her guarded actions, she comes off with a resting bitchface personality but as people slowly get to know her, they realize that she is incredibly self-sacrificing, honest, noble and gentle.
Rivelin is a grumpy, lonesome blacksmith who deeply cares for his family, his village and his home. All he wants is for that to remain safe. He's self-sacrificing, noble and incredibly generous - especially towards Daella. Underneath his grumpy persona lurks a spicy little cinnamon roll.
The world-building is easy to understand. The writing is captivating and gripping causing the book to be a perfect quick little romantasy palate cleanser.
Tropes in this include:
▶ Cosy Fantasy
▶ Dual POV
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Enemies Rivals to Lovers
▶ Interracial/Multicultural Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Dragons
▶ Who Did This To You
▶ Rolled Sleeves (and Forearms)
▶ Hold on to the...
If you are looking for a low angst fluffy read with a little bit of spice and maybe some dragons, I highly recommend this. The tropes were well executed and the characters were enjoyable and sweet.
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I love this book so much, that I made my phone background a picture of the cover art...
Reading this feels like you're wrapped up in a warm, fluffy blanket, with oversized socks and a cup of deliciously spiced tea while you're sitting by a roaring fire, watching the rain outside. If that doesn't give you the epitome of cosy vibes, then I don't know what you find cosy.
This was also a very unexpected surprise. I wasn't sure how this book ended up on my TBR, so went in with no expectations - and I am pretty happy I did. I was blown away by the story, the plot and the characters.
This is a dual POV - Daella, a half-Orc is a captive of a brutal tyrannical emperor who forces her to do his dirty work. She is also allergic to fresh water (not in the same way as Gremlin's where she multiplies into little evil versions of herself)... Instead, she ends up in giant boils and welts. Sent on a mission to track Dragon-Magic users her ship is attacked by a vicious storm. She ends up falling overboard - don't worry, salt water is fine - and washes up on the island of Fable in a little town where a gorgeous elf with long silver hair greets her with a sword to her throat. Rivelin strikes up a deal with Daella. She can return to the mainland in six weeks after she helps him win this year's Midsummer Games by being his assistant. Rivelin needs to win the games as the winner is granted a wish - and he wants to wish for the protection of his Island and home.
It was really sweet and charming to see how these two forged a bond. (This is funny because Rivelin is a blacksmith). At the start, they are very apprehensive of each other and have both built up walls around their hearts. But as more and more time goes along, the two start opening up to each other and start falling for each other as they learn to trust one another.
Daella was the complete opposite of my perceptions of a Half-Orc. I expected brutish, quick to anger and a brain one step above a Neanderthal. While she is stubborn, she is incredibly kind-hearted. She has a traumatic past and has been pushed to her limits by the Emperor, only doing his bidding as he will kill her if she doesn't with a magic ice shard embedded into her hip. Given her guarded actions, she comes off with a resting bitchface personality but as people slowly get to know her, they realize that she is incredibly self-sacrificing, honest, noble and gentle.
Rivelin is a grumpy, lonesome blacksmith who deeply cares for his family, his village and his home. All he wants is for that to remain safe. He's self-sacrificing, noble and incredibly generous - especially towards Daella. Underneath his grumpy persona lurks a spicy little cinnamon roll.
The world-building is easy to understand. The writing is captivating and gripping causing the book to be a perfect quick little romantasy palate cleanser.
Tropes in this include:
▶ Cosy Fantasy
▶ Dual POV
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Enemies Rivals to Lovers
▶ Interracial/Multicultural Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Dragons
▶ Who Did This To You
▶ Rolled Sleeves (and Forearms)
▶ Hold on to the...
If you are looking for a low angst fluffy read with a little bit of spice and maybe some dragons, I highly recommend this. The tropes were well executed and the characters were enjoyable and sweet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, and Cursing
Minor: War and Genocide
elisedasnarechick's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
sinoclock's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Late to reviewing this but I think this is probably gonna end up being the best book in the series. This, combined with Legends & Lattes, got me into a real cozy fantasy kick and there just isn't enough of that kind of content imo. This started it, but reading the follow up books and reflecting I think the author could use a lot more practice conveying world building and developing characters in a way that doesn't feel contrived.
I still had a good time and it turned me on to the niche subgenre like I said but I've really only cracked open book 3 because it's free on kindle unlimited.
I still had a good time and it turned me on to the niche subgenre like I said but I've really only cracked open book 3 because it's free on kindle unlimited.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
tania_mybookishsecret's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: War and Death of parent
karapillar's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Genocide, Deportation, Slavery, Confinement, Murder, Torture, and Physical abuse
Minor: War, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry
doahdancer's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Genocide
dinipandareads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
TL;DR: It took me a minute to get into this story but once I was hooked, I didn't want to put it down! This was action-packed and full of magical adventure and a somewhat literally steamy romance. 😉 Daella and Rivelin were fun characters to root for as you see them go from untrustworthy enemies, tentative friends to eventual lovers. It was a nice slow burn! Overall, this was a great first cosy-ish fantasy romance at the start of a new series and I can't wait to continue it soon!
Although I feel this had a bit of a slow start as we're introduced to this magical kingdom that has been taken over by a megalomaniac frost giant hell-bent on getting rid of all dragons, dragon-magic users and other creatures that threaten his dictatorial rule. This world had a mix of all the creatures that you'd expect to find in a fantasy including elves, orcs, dragons, pixies, ice giants, dwarves and elemental demons, amongst many others. Despite the kingdom having a dark history, this was a pretty cute and cosy fantasy romance! There was something so comforting reading about the idyllic island life and the midsummer parties, plus I especially loved the Travelling Tavern!
I liked Daella and Rivelin. Both have experienced great losses due to the emperor and they were both easy to root for and empathise with. When Rivelin finds Daella he believes her to be a murk from the Emperor and despite both feeling some kind of attraction for each other, their initial enmity and lack of trust meant they went from enemies to tentative friends and eventually became lovers. The romance moves quickly once they give in to their feelings but I wouldn't necessarily call it "instalove" and although the events happen over one summer, it didn't feel like it happened fast and I enjoyed the way their relationship evolved as they let their guard down around each other.
That said, where it went kinda bonkers for me was in the last maybe 30%. The miscommunication or more like no communication trope plays a massive role in their third act and I was not a fan of it especially since they made snap judgements about the other when they had seemingly worked past doing that. Things escalated quickly from speculation to pointing fingers straight to jail and it was very confusing and a bit nonsensical. The logic was not logic-ing and it kinda took away from my enjoyment a bit simply by how predictable and how quickly things escalated. I wish that Rivelin had to do a bit more grovelling for how he reacted and Daella's instant forgiveness of the other community members who played a role in driving her away was just too easy. I wanted to feel they were more sorry than they came across!
Overall though, this was a fun read. Friendship, a magical midsummer competition, and a community of fantasy species living in relative harmony on a secluded idyllic island location, out of sight of the kingdom's bloodthirsty tyrannical ruler. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series about Lillia cos I loved her!
Although I feel this had a bit of a slow start as we're introduced to this magical kingdom that has been taken over by a megalomaniac frost giant hell-bent on getting rid of all dragons, dragon-magic users and other creatures that threaten his dictatorial rule. This world had a mix of all the creatures that you'd expect to find in a fantasy including elves, orcs, dragons, pixies, ice giants, dwarves and elemental demons, amongst many others. Despite the kingdom having a dark history, this was a pretty cute and cosy fantasy romance! There was something so comforting reading about the idyllic island life and the midsummer parties, plus I especially loved the Travelling Tavern!
I liked Daella and Rivelin. Both have experienced great losses due to the emperor and they were both easy to root for and empathise with. When Rivelin finds Daella he believes her to be a murk from the Emperor and despite both feeling some kind of attraction for each other, their initial enmity and lack of trust meant they went from enemies to tentative friends and eventually became lovers. The romance moves quickly once they give in to their feelings but I wouldn't necessarily call it "instalove" and although the events happen over one summer, it didn't feel like it happened fast and I enjoyed the way their relationship evolved as they let their guard down around each other.
That said, where it went kinda bonkers for me was in the last maybe 30%. The miscommunication or more like no communication trope plays a massive role in their third act and I was not a fan of it especially since they made snap judgements about the other when they had seemingly worked past doing that. Things escalated quickly from speculation to pointing fingers straight to jail and it was very confusing and a bit nonsensical. The logic was not logic-ing and it kinda took away from my enjoyment a bit simply by how predictable and how quickly things escalated. I wish that Rivelin had to do a bit more grovelling for how he reacted and Daella's instant forgiveness of the other community members who played a role in driving her away was just too easy. I wanted to feel they were more sorry than they came across!
Overall though, this was a fun read. Friendship, a magical midsummer competition, and a community of fantasy species living in relative harmony on a secluded idyllic island location, out of sight of the kingdom's bloodthirsty tyrannical ruler. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series about Lillia cos I loved her!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death
teaand_tomes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Forged by Magic by Jenna Wolfhart is an enchanting fantasy romance with captivating world-building, well-written characters, and an engaging plot filled with twists and turns. The author skillfully evokes emotions, making the journey of the protagonist, Daella, impactful. The book offers a heartwarming and feel-good read with a touch of spice and danger, perfect for those who enjoy escaping into a whimsical world of magic, romance, and adventure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
hobbithopeful's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A cozy, light read full of magic, romance, and dragons, my only complaint it was over all too soon.
The world building and the lore in Forged by Magic is one of my favorite parts. The lush setting and extensive history makes the land and people feel real and vibrant. Daella and Rivelin have great chemistry, I love how they took time to get together and weren't instantly sleeping together. When they did get together it was STEAMY! Towards the middle and end I did find a bit of with the pacing. The ending and the plot felt rushed, I wish there was more of a chance for Daella to showcase her battle prowess and for a confrontation with the emperor. There almost felt like a bit of disconnect from the end and the rest of the book. The miscommunication that occurs also felt very out of character for the side characters.
There is another book in the series, and I will definitely be reading that next!
Overall this is a light and cozy read, and a perfect story for anyone looking for a sweet fantasy.
The cover is amazing! Honestly the whole reason I picked up this book through KU is because the cover caught my eye. I love the composition, color, and how well depicted the characters are.
The world building and the lore in Forged by Magic is one of my favorite parts. The lush setting and extensive history makes the land and people feel real and vibrant. Daella and Rivelin have great chemistry, I love how they took time to get together and weren't instantly sleeping together. When they did get together it was STEAMY! Towards the middle and end I did find a bit of with the pacing. The ending and the plot felt rushed, I wish there was more of a chance for Daella to showcase her battle prowess and for a confrontation with the emperor. There almost felt like a bit of disconnect from the end and the rest of the book. The miscommunication that occurs also felt very out of character for the side characters.
There is another book in the series, and I will definitely be reading that next!
Overall this is a light and cozy read, and a perfect story for anyone looking for a sweet fantasy.
The cover is amazing! Honestly the whole reason I picked up this book through KU is because the cover caught my eye. I love the composition, color, and how well depicted the characters are.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Violence
sweejy's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.5
Cute, and the mystery element did have me stressin at the end. But it was almost a lil too much drama/conflict for "cozy fantasy" plot for me lol. I've read other cozy fantasy that were more satisfying. Aside from that, I did like the characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Violence, Blood, and Cursing