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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Okay so the pacing in this book was just so slooooooow for me. The first half of the book was much too long, switching POVs with too many characters.
After the conflict of the second book in the series, Rhen and Harper went from being beloved characters to being annoying and ugly to read about. Rhen especially was not someone I wanted to spend time in his POV, I could not find much empathy for the way he behaved and felt like he was beyond redemption.
After the conflict of the second book in the series, Rhen and Harper went from being beloved characters to being annoying and ugly to read about. Rhen especially was not someone I wanted to spend time in his POV, I could not find much empathy for the way he behaved and felt like he was beyond redemption.
“I’m confident in my strengths, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about my weaknesses.”
I was really sceptical going into this finale. A Vow So Bold and Deadly was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but seeing so many disappointing reviews only served to lower my expectations. Thankfully, Kemmerer gave my favourite former bodyguard (and his friends Tycho + Iisak) some great development and page time, which is all I needed.
I adored Brigid Kemmerer’s writing. She articulates each of the four protagonists’ thoughts and emotions with impressive clarity. It’s never easy to make character perspectives sound distinguishable (especially when there are so many), but all of Rhen, Grey, Harper and Lia Mara’s chapters achieved just that.
My biggest issue (one of very few) was Lia Mara. I really liked her in A Heart So Fierce and Broken, but her characterization went off the rails in this finale. She was no longer the ambitious girl with a clear vision on how she intended to rule. Instead, she never took initiative for anything when she had previously fought her way to become Queen. I was happy for her and Grey in the end, but her mindset along the way was frustrating.
This was a pretty great conclusion (if slightly open-ended). While I can definitely see why some were disappointed by it, I found the second half in particular to be exhilarating and fast paced! The action scenes were really well written. If anything, I feel like Kemmerer could write a short novella following the conclusion of A Vow So Bold and Deadly; I’d love to see where these characters are at!
I was really sceptical going into this finale. A Vow So Bold and Deadly was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but seeing so many disappointing reviews only served to lower my expectations. Thankfully, Kemmerer gave my favourite former bodyguard (and his friends Tycho + Iisak) some great development and page time, which is all I needed.
I adored Brigid Kemmerer’s writing. She articulates each of the four protagonists’ thoughts and emotions with impressive clarity. It’s never easy to make character perspectives sound distinguishable (especially when there are so many), but all of Rhen, Grey, Harper and Lia Mara’s chapters achieved just that.
My biggest issue (one of very few) was Lia Mara. I really liked her in A Heart So Fierce and Broken, but her characterization went off the rails in this finale. She was no longer the ambitious girl with a clear vision on how she intended to rule. Instead, she never took initiative for anything when she had previously fought her way to become Queen. I was happy for her and Grey in the end, but her mindset along the way was frustrating.
This was a pretty great conclusion (if slightly open-ended). While I can definitely see why some were disappointed by it, I found the second half in particular to be exhilarating and fast paced! The action scenes were really well written. If anything, I feel like Kemmerer could write a short novella following the conclusion of A Vow So Bold and Deadly; I’d love to see where these characters are at!
Finishing this book was a chore. It had such a strong beginning that I now think just ended up being bait to keep reading the lack of action until the last ten chapters. Maybe it was the hype and over excitement that ruined it for me.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
A Vow So Bold and Deadly
I have finally finished this series! Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the plot, but I wasn't enamoured with the writing style. I felt that it dragged during Lia Mara's chapters mostly because she was so indecisive. While she wished to rule differently from her mother, it'd take more than a few words to gain the respect of her people. also, her sister should have been put in her place much sooner. It was like the wind had been taken out of her sails since the second book. Honestly, I was reading her parts because of Grey.
It was strange seeing both sides of two countries who didn't want to go to war. Grey finally accepting that Rhen is his brother and that he needs to take charge was done well. I enjoyed his interactions with the army as they grew to trust him. I loved the side characters so much. Jake and Noah were my OTP over the main couples. I do wish there were more Iisak and Tycho moments. I may have shed a tear when Iisak died. Tycho’s response was heart-wrenching. I really hope we get to see more of Iisak’s son in the spin-off. I want more Tycho-scraver interactions.
Rhen slowly won me back. Don't get me wrong, his actions were stupid, but this book gave us good insight into his fears and decisions. Man's got major PTSD. I don't think he could have done it without Harper. She's come so far! I do wish they'd addressed the missing Disi soldiers for Rhen's people. I have no clue how they're going to explain that properly. harper going for Lilith was legendary. I got chills when she dared Lilith to send her back to D.C.
I was not ready for that 180 plot twist halfway through the book. One moment Rhen and Harper are actually talking and resolving their issues and the next Lilith is murdering everyone in the castle. Emotional whiplash!
Hot take: I liked the ending. Rhen’s actions throughout the series just seemed so immature. He annoyed the hell out of me. He just seemed so selfish at times and made dumb decisions. He’s been under so much pressure for so long that letting him just find himself and work through his trauma would be good. After everything he went through, I don’t think he’s on the right mental state to be king. Also, can we just applaud this dumbass for thinking that Harper would leave him now that he isn’t king? Like, sir? Are you well? That’s a stupid question.
It felt fitting that it was Rhen’s monster form that ended Lilith. Full circle. Smh killed by her own creation. Loser.
Verdict: 4 stars
Fav Characters: Tycho and Iisak
I have finally finished this series! Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the plot, but I wasn't enamoured with the writing style. I felt that it dragged during Lia Mara's chapters mostly because she was so indecisive. While she wished to rule differently from her mother, it'd take more than a few words to gain the respect of her people. also, her sister should have been put in her place much sooner. It was like the wind had been taken out of her sails since the second book. Honestly, I was reading her parts because of Grey.
It was strange seeing both sides of two countries who didn't want to go to war. Grey finally accepting that Rhen is his brother and that he needs to take charge was done well. I enjoyed his interactions with the army as they grew to trust him. I loved the side characters so much. Jake and Noah were my OTP over the main couples. I do wish there were more Iisak and Tycho moments. I may have shed a tear when Iisak died. Tycho’s response was heart-wrenching. I really hope we get to see more of Iisak’s son in the spin-off. I want more Tycho-scraver interactions.
Rhen slowly won me back. Don't get me wrong, his actions were stupid, but this book gave us good insight into his fears and decisions. Man's got major PTSD. I don't think he could have done it without Harper. She's come so far! I do wish they'd addressed the missing Disi soldiers for Rhen's people. I have no clue how they're going to explain that properly. harper going for Lilith was legendary. I got chills when she dared Lilith to send her back to D.C.
I was not ready for that 180 plot twist halfway through the book. One moment Rhen and Harper are actually talking and resolving their issues and the next Lilith is murdering everyone in the castle. Emotional whiplash!
Hot take: I liked the ending. Rhen’s actions throughout the series just seemed so immature. He annoyed the hell out of me. He just seemed so selfish at times and made dumb decisions. He’s been under so much pressure for so long that letting him just find himself and work through his trauma would be good. After everything he went through, I don’t think he’s on the right mental state to be king. Also, can we just applaud this dumbass for thinking that Harper would leave him now that he isn’t king? Like, sir? Are you well? That’s a stupid question.
It felt fitting that it was Rhen’s monster form that ended Lilith. Full circle. Smh killed by her own creation. Loser.
Verdict: 4 stars
Fav Characters: Tycho and Iisak
I was honestly a little bit hesitant going into this third book, because I really enjoyed the first one, but the second one was a little bit of a disappointment for me.
But I was pleasantly surprised by A Vow so Bold and Deadly. I didn’t know how things would develop in this book, and I am overall pleased with it. The plot was intriguing and even kept me guessing at times.
I also have to say the relationships were cute, at least more than I remembered them being in the first two books. But I have to say that something was a little bit missing, at least for me. Especially regarding Harper and Rhen. I felt like a final scene to clear things out would have been nice.
And I liked the story in general, but the plot was maybe a little bit lacking, because it was interesting to follow, but realistically, it wasn’t really complex. But I still enjoyed the story and had a nice time reading it.
Overall, it was a satisfying ending to this series and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
But I was pleasantly surprised by A Vow so Bold and Deadly. I didn’t know how things would develop in this book, and I am overall pleased with it. The plot was intriguing and even kept me guessing at times.
I also have to say the relationships were cute, at least more than I remembered them being in the first two books. But I have to say that something was a little bit missing, at least for me. Especially regarding Harper and Rhen. I felt like a final scene to clear things out would have been nice.
And I liked the story in general, but the plot was maybe a little bit lacking, because it was interesting to follow, but realistically, it wasn’t really complex. But I still enjoyed the story and had a nice time reading it.
Overall, it was a satisfying ending to this series and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
adventurous
challenging
medium-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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
i love this series i just felt the ending is rushed and i would have loved for rhen and harper to be able to rule emberfall and prove to everyone how good of a king and queen they’d be and then for grey and lia mara to rule shyl shallow - don’t get me wrong i really liked the book but i just feel like the series defo went downhill and that might just me my love for rhen and harper and the lack of them in the last two books so yeah hahah
it was good. it was so good. and then the ending was so meh it made me angry
I know why I kept reading this series to the end: It has all the tropes I crave in an audio book while at work and I just kept waiting for them to live up to their full potential.