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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
4 stars - I enjoyed the different POVs and found all of the main characters interesting, though I would have liked to learn a little more about Vitaly's background. The narration was engaging and allowed me to be immersed in the story when listening. I loved both romances - they were very different but both added a lot to the book, and the sisters' love interests became my favourite characters to read about. I also enjoyed the story beginning in the middle of the action, as it kept me interested from the beginning. The gods/magic system is unlike any I've read about before, and I would have enjoyed seeing this explored a little more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Alas, this story had potential, but ultimately was rather dull. I read it at a snail pace because nothing within it gripped me.
Funnily enough, being a Russian speaker made it even harder for me to read, although set in an Imperial Russia inspired world, as the nicknames and names were a bit awkward in its execution. (But credit where it’s due : there was clearly a lot of research done, which is not the case for many other worlds in such a setting.)
Katya and Vasilisa were the two stand out characters for me, but the rest felt hollow.
Rating this a tad higher as I believe the author has promise, and I will check out more of their work in the future! The writing was decent, although sometimes a bit convoluted.
Funnily enough, being a Russian speaker made it even harder for me to read, although set in an Imperial Russia inspired world, as the nicknames and names were a bit awkward in its execution. (But credit where it’s due : there was clearly a lot of research done, which is not the case for many other worlds in such a setting.)
Katya and Vasilisa were the two stand out characters for me, but the rest felt hollow.
Rating this a tad higher as I believe the author has promise, and I will check out more of their work in the future! The writing was decent, although sometimes a bit convoluted.
It really shows that Elizabeth May is also a historical romance writer, because the romances in this were both really strong. I loved the banter and I felt the connections, but what I really loved was how willing they were to listen to each other, especially when Vitaly found out about Sera, decided he loved her more than he hated what she is, and then just carried on being obsessed with her, as he fucking should be
Outside of the romance, I thought the worldbuilding was strong, and I loved the relationship between Sera and Galina as well. Overall, I just really enjoyed this book, and while I'm sad it's looking like there may not be another, at least not any time soon, I think this book wrapped up enough to stand on its own if it must. And she has other books (under two names!), so I will not starve
Outside of the romance, I thought the worldbuilding was strong, and I loved the relationship between Sera and Galina as well. Overall, I just really enjoyed this book, and while I'm sad it's looking like there may not be another, at least not any time soon, I think this book wrapped up enough to stand on its own if it must. And she has other books (under two names!), so I will not starve
adventurous
challenging
funny
DNFed at ch. 7
Either your girl is in a reading slump, or the books I'm picking up recently just really aren't cutting it. The writing was incredibly bland, as were the characters, and looking at a few other reviews I don't think it improves much over the course of the book. Sadly not for me.
Either your girl is in a reading slump, or the books I'm picking up recently just really aren't cutting it. The writing was incredibly bland, as were the characters, and looking at a few other reviews I don't think it improves much over the course of the book. Sadly not for me.
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
