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adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence
Moderate: Death, Vomit, Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Gore, Vomit
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am not one to write thourough reviews, especially because most books, though enjoyable, don't really stay in my memory for much long after. I tend to literary and classics, even nonfiction from time to time, even more now than I did 5 years ago. I read to ease my mind, to distract myself and hardly invest much time in them after. Some are worth thinking about, some are even worth writing about. Fantasy has disappointed me more and more recently, everything I put my hands on turned out to not meet my expectations. Whether Tiktok recommendations or books I found on my own. Nothing really caught me the way I remember fantasy did when I was fifteen. I deemed myself too old for fantasy or blamed it on the books entirely.
But this one? Fantasy is SO back. (to me, at least)
I was hooked immediately. The pace was interesting. Very fast and straight-forward, I think the first 200ish pages take place on the same two to three days.
The plot was the focus, I realized that soon enough. But Elspeth was the plot. She was character as much as she was the driving force, the unwinding direction this book took. All thanks to The Nightmare.
Every second in Elspeth's head, every idea she had and every thought she shared with The Nightmare left me wondering, aching. What was she up to? What was HE up to?
Everything was a question. A rhyme. Half-questions matched with half-answers. Nobody really deemed themselves worthy enough to actually explain what the actual fuck was going on here. It stung.
The magic system was a double-edged sword. It intruiged me the second I hearr about it. Magic from cards. Nothing comes for free. Uncontrolled magic deemed a danger.
The worldbuilding was lacking. But I think we didn't need anything more than what was told. I'm just too curious. I couldn't really picture Blunder in my head, like it, too, was covered by the mist. Dark, grey. Unfeeling.
Ravyn was a lovely addition from the start. Suspicious but lovely. He was as straight forward as the plot and I liked that. He had a mission and made it very clear that all his heart was into it. His family. Jespyr, Elm. His parents. Emory.
With a mission that traitorous, magic that defining, I thought, there's got to be a traitor? Someone who betrays the family, a black sheep.I was so surprised, so relieved that there wasnt. (Stupid Tyrn doesn't count. Ass.)
This book is as much romance as it is family. Unconditional love. I figure it is a love story but not a romance that carries through these pages. It's trust, it's a bond. Love. Love. Nothing but love. A story about love.
But this one? Fantasy is SO back. (to me, at least)
I was hooked immediately. The pace was interesting. Very fast and straight-forward, I think the first 200ish pages take place on the same two to three days.
The plot was the focus, I realized that soon enough. But Elspeth was the plot. She was character as much as she was the driving force, the unwinding direction this book took. All thanks to The Nightmare.
Every second in Elspeth's head, every idea she had and every thought she shared with The Nightmare left me wondering, aching. What was she up to? What was HE up to?
Everything was a question. A rhyme. Half-questions matched with half-answers. Nobody really deemed themselves worthy enough to actually explain what the actual fuck was going on here. It stung.
The magic system was a double-edged sword. It intruiged me the second I hearr about it. Magic from cards. Nothing comes for free. Uncontrolled magic deemed a danger.
The worldbuilding was lacking. But I think we didn't need anything more than what was told. I'm just too curious. I couldn't really picture Blunder in my head, like it, too, was covered by the mist. Dark, grey. Unfeeling.
Ravyn was a lovely addition from the start. Suspicious but lovely. He was as straight forward as the plot and I liked that. He had a mission and made it very clear that all his heart was into it. His family. Jespyr, Elm. His parents. Emory.
With a mission that traitorous, magic that defining, I thought, there's got to be a traitor? Someone who betrays the family, a black sheep.
This book is as much romance as it is family. Unconditional love. I figure it is a love story but not a romance that carries through these pages. It's trust, it's a bond. Love. Love. Nothing but love. A story about love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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: Violence, Blood
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Yes
The magic system in this book is so unique and creative as is the style of writing. I literally didn’t know some of the types of trees referenced and had to look them up. 😅 Some of the “revelations” were a little predictable (like Nightmare being the Shepherd King, Ravyn & Emory being infected, and Ravyn eventually figuring out her secret by using the nightmare card) , but it’s a really cool read and I’m looking forward to the conclusion in book two!
Also “fake relationship” is an annoying trope in contemporary romance because it’s always some petty reason like “let’s make our exes jealous,” but apparently I’m here for a “let’s be in a fake relationship so we have an excuse to be near each other to conspire to save everyone” trope. 😂
“Be wary. Be clever. Be good.”
Also “fake relationship” is an annoying trope in contemporary romance because it’s always some petty reason like “let’s make our exes jealous,” but apparently I’m here for a “let’s be in a fake relationship so we have an excuse to be near each other to conspire to save everyone” trope. 😂
“Be wary. Be clever. Be good.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
dark
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Complicated
I liked this but I kept thinking it was a different book than it was, which is on me but it kept throwing me off. I was running off in different directions thinking it was a monster romance and that the king was trans, while it kept fairly faithful to the typical tale. I loved the magic system though, I think it was clever and understandable and hearkens back to traditional fairy tales. I also liked the characters a lot, I'm really excited to see more of Ione. I do have issues with describing the main character as clever, since she makes the worst decisions ever always, which is fun as a character but you can't call it clever. Rayvn blocking magic is so obvious a solution and they leave it for the next book most likely but they lay heavy handed clues, but no character brings it up. Also the rhyme scheme kept altering which bothered me. It felt kind of YA and had a lot of classic romance turns of phrase, but overall I love girls being monsters and will probably check out the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Police brutality
Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love a protagonist who is actually terrified of their magic. This book felt kinda slow paced at first but I think that’s because it was planned as a duology. It needs the next one. But it did feel like a satisfying ending. And a really well done cliffhanger, too
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Self harm, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Ik vond dit boek goed. De rijmpjes in het verhaal zijn erg poeïtisch, maar dit haalde mij soms uit het verhaal. Ze zijn wel belangrijk voor het verhaal!
Ik vond Elspeth erg interessant en leuk. Ze heeft een sterke persoonlijkheid,maar ik vond dat ze de nachtmerrie wel snel om hulp vroeg, terwijl ze wist wat de consequenties waren . Ravyn is ook zo leuk, hij heeft persoonlijkheid en beschermd Elspeth op een goede manier. Ik vond Ravyn een goede keuze als love interest al had ik Elm ook niet zo erg gevonden🤭.
Het verhaal loopt goed. De spanning zit er goed in en er gebeurd precies genoeg. De vertaling is ook goed gedaan. De zinnen lopen vloeiend en het is allemaal een logisch samenhangend verhaal. Het magie systeem is simpel en wordt ook simpel uitgelegt. Je krijgt niet ineens on 1x alle informatie, maar dit wordt goed verdeeld over het boek. Ik vond het ook erg goed dat de nachtmerrie niet in 1x zijn geheimen prijs gaf. Dit gaf nog een extra laag mysterie.
Ik had alleen iets meer verwacht. Dit boek wordt enorm opgehypt en ik ging ook met die verwachtingen het verhaal in. Het verhaal is goed, maar niet spectaculair. De gebeurtenissen voelde soms wat afgeflakt aan. Ik ben wel geïntegreerd en ik ga dan ook zeker deel 2 lezen! Dit is namelijk een perfect voorbeeld van een goed neergezette "gotische" fantasy
Ik vond Elspeth erg interessant en leuk. Ze heeft een sterke persoonlijkheid,
Het verhaal loopt goed. De spanning zit er goed in en er gebeurd precies genoeg. De vertaling is ook goed gedaan. De zinnen lopen vloeiend en het is allemaal een logisch samenhangend verhaal. Het magie systeem is simpel en wordt ook simpel uitgelegt. Je krijgt niet ineens on 1x alle informatie, maar dit wordt goed verdeeld over het boek. Ik vond het ook erg goed dat de nachtmerrie niet in 1x zijn geheimen prijs gaf. Dit gaf nog een extra laag mysterie.
Ik had alleen iets meer verwacht. Dit boek wordt enorm opgehypt en ik ging ook met die verwachtingen het verhaal in. Het verhaal is goed, maar niet spectaculair. De gebeurtenissen voelde soms wat afgeflakt aan. Ik ben wel geïntegreerd en ik ga dan ook zeker deel 2 lezen! Dit is namelijk een perfect voorbeeld van een goed neergezette "gotische" fantasy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail