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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
Egyptian-inspired fantasies. Where has this sub-genre been all my life?
I love books that have some sort of challenges and games in them. But sometimes the author can go to overboard with them, which is why lately I've been shying away from plotlines with them in them. Hashem is NOT one of those authors. She did such a wonderful job world building, character building and building up to the challenges/games with keeping the story moving forward toward Sylvia and Arin's end goal.
Hashem did a really good job with the enemies to lovers' aspect of the plotline too. I really have tried to get away from the cat and mouse game that feels teenager-y in the plots. This one, I felt, was written true to age and maturity, especially with all of the trauma each of them has experienced.
I look forward to the rest of the series.
My only complaint with this book is the long chapters. It's a personal preference to not have chapters last for 60-90 minutes. And yes, you can argue that I could have stopped at a break. No, my brain doesn't like to work that way.
I love books that have some sort of challenges and games in them. But sometimes the author can go to overboard with them, which is why lately I've been shying away from plotlines with them in them. Hashem is NOT one of those authors. She did such a wonderful job world building, character building and building up to the challenges/games with keeping the story moving forward toward Sylvia and Arin's end goal.
Hashem did a really good job with the enemies to lovers' aspect of the plotline too. I really have tried to get away from the cat and mouse game that feels teenager-y in the plots. This one, I felt, was written true to age and maturity, especially with all of the trauma each of them has experienced.
I look forward to the rest of the series.
My only complaint with this book is the long chapters. It's a personal preference to not have chapters last for 60-90 minutes. And yes, you can argue that I could have stopped at a break. No, my brain doesn't like to work that way.
adventurous
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:
Yes
I was so ready to love this book, but it just didn’t land for me. At about 50% of the way through it starts to get more interesting, but I probably would have DNFed if there weren’t so many people waiting for my Libby copy.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
j’ai vraiment aimé ma lecture en soit surtout le début contre toutes attentes, j’ai nettement préféré le début à la suite du livre même si il n’en restait pas moins très bien
on est sur une fantasy magnant correctement ses nombreux aspects, l’aventure de la protagoniste était très intéressante à suivre entre son identité secrète les secrets entourant sa propre personne et autres personnages proche d’elle, sa psychologie et sa personnalité (mdrrr queen d’ailleurs hein) mais aussi la politique et les nombreuses révélations au fur et à mesure de la lecture
j’ai quand même trouvé que c’était long et parfois long pour rien vraiment des longueurs qui auraient pu être mises dans l’arc des épreuves qui selon moi manquaient de descriptions mais ce n’était pas forcément anti climatique même si pouvait presque le frôler parfois
je trouve que y’avait une bonne balance de tout en vrai
et juste merci pour les perso surtout Sylvia je l’aime trop elle va me manquer j’pense après
on est sur une fantasy magnant correctement ses nombreux aspects, l’aventure de la protagoniste était très intéressante à suivre entre son identité secrète les secrets entourant sa propre personne et autres personnages proche d’elle, sa psychologie et sa personnalité (mdrrr queen d’ailleurs hein) mais aussi la politique et les nombreuses révélations au fur et à mesure de la lecture
j’ai quand même trouvé que c’était long et parfois long pour rien vraiment des longueurs qui auraient pu être mises dans l’arc des épreuves qui selon moi manquaient de descriptions mais ce n’était pas forcément anti climatique même si pouvait presque le frôler parfois
je trouve que y’avait une bonne balance de tout en vrai
et juste merci pour les perso surtout Sylvia je l’aime trop elle va me manquer j’pense après
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-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
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was interesting and I did enjoy the story but felt that at some points there were gaps that kept me from fully engaging. I also did start reading Powerless while reading this and found some overlaps which perhaps is one of the reasons it was more difficult to keep this story true in my reading mind
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Ok…this is tough. I did enjoy myself, and I’m intrigued by the world. I really like the pairing of the FMC and MMC—they’re alike in ways and really different in other ways that make their interactions a lot of fun to read—buuuuuuuuuuut I think this could’ve used a heavier edit. Halfway thru the book, I was still having moments of “wait, who? what? where? when?” And more than the typical fantasy learning curve.
I also experienced a lot of disjointed scenes—something would be happening, and I’d be following, but then randomly we’d jump somewhere mid-scene that made no sense.
Also, there seemed like a lot of buildup to the trials, and then the trials seemed like NBD if you ask me.
I have the next book on hold, so I’m not mad at this. Tbh I think if the chemistry between the two MCs wasn’t what it was……this book may have been the end of the road for me. BUT I am holding out hope that some of the technical complaints I have will get remedied in the second book…we’ll see…
I also experienced a lot of disjointed scenes—something would be happening, and I’d be following, but then randomly we’d jump somewhere mid-scene that made no sense.
Also, there seemed like a lot of buildup to the trials, and then the trials seemed like NBD if you ask me.
I have the next book on hold, so I’m not mad at this. Tbh I think if the chemistry between the two MCs wasn’t what it was……this book may have been the end of the road for me. BUT I am holding out hope that some of the technical complaints I have will get remedied in the second book…we’ll see…