3.73 AVERAGE

dark emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Dual Narration - Shane East & Chloe Campbell
Fabulous voices. Very well narrated

Romantasy


This books cover is what drove me to want to listen. Then I saw who narrates and the description and I was even more intrigued. 

The book is definitely in the slower side but it is beautifully written and a captivating story. The author wrote a beautiful world these characters live in. Magical and romantic. I enjoyed this. I would definitely recommend to all my fantasy readers/listeners. 
emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

When I started this I wasn’t really sure about it. Thrown into a world that made little sense, but I’m glad I continued. This story is hauntingly beautiful, a mix of tragedy and whimsy woven into something new and unique. The prose is poetic and the imagery captures the world of dreams perfectly. It turned out to be a great read. 
adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book is slow, I put it down several times and almost dnf it.  But I’m so glad I stuck with it. About 1/2 way through the book really comes together. I love the dynamic between the characters. I need more of this story immediately. 
emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Loveable characters: No

 Initial Thoughts: Interesting, but a slow book. I think this is going to get positioned as a romantasy, but it's really not. In many ways, it's an interior book asking questions about what it means to be powerful but be bound to the whims of someone else, what it means to use your power for harm and whether you can be forgiven, etc. It's a look inside the mind of older, powerful magic workers who do not fully own their actions. It was a third of the way through the book before I was particularly invested, however. The start is slow and has a lot of world building that ultimately seems irrrelevant. There are three magical, legendary animals who are also mostly irrelevant, which is weird. I enjoyed the book overall, and it's a bit different, but I think many people will be confused that it's not the romantasy they were expecting. 
slow-paced
dark 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
emotional inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advance copy of this book! Never the Roses is a perfect, mostly closed-door romantasy, with writing that is like a breath of fresh air. It's poetic, intelligent, haunting, authentic, romantic, and every other good adjective I can think of. I read this book in three sittings, after being in a severe reading slump. This book then put me in a deeper reading slump, because the characters were so well fleshed out, seemed like real people, and the writing was melodic and beautiful. My first 5 star book in months and months. My only quibble is that I'd prefer more spice for my taste, but I don't take away from the book for that. I'll buy the copy of this book when it is released and recommend it to all my friends. Beautifully, well done.
dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! I would say this a fun read but I'm a sad boi now. It is very good. Tragic but good. Allows you to see into the heads of very powerful sorcerers and gives you a good rivals/enemies to romance. 
challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Haunting and so beautiful. I loved it from page one to the end. 

It was not what I expected but I think that made me love it all the more.
emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Haunting, romantic, atmospheric. Jennifer K. Lambert has created a beautiful dreamlike world where what starts as a cat-and-mouse game between a world-weary, retired sorceress and her one-time nemesis transforms into a richly drawn fairy tale of love and redemption.