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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
This was delightful! I'm a sucker for any beast taming characters/stories. I loved the world setting so much and with each beast introduced.
The characters were easily lovable despite them being the typical adventure gang.
The story is about a Charmer named Leena, and for reasons explained later, she was exiled from the closed Charmer society. Desperate for some money to survive, she sells some of the beast she tames despite feeling guilty and it being illegal.
After a few years of getting used to that life, she is targeted by an assassin. She managed to surprise attack him and force him to take her to their hideout where she wants to negotiate her bounty.
Four powerful beasts for her head and the leader of the assassin agrees and they go to an adventure to search for beasts.
What I didn't enjoy in this story is how fast the romance developed. This is my personal preference but I love slow burn romance. Since Leena and Noc showed interest in each other so early, I couldn't ship them until where I loved their relationship in the end.
Most of the book's focused more on the attraction and relationship rather than the plot. The author repeatedly teases us with Leena's and Noc's backstory and I'm glad she didn't spill it all at once though Noc's was a bit cliche.
This is a trilogy and the book ended somewhat on a cliffhanger.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
The characters were easily lovable despite them being the typical adventure gang.
The story is about a Charmer named Leena, and for reasons explained later, she was exiled from the closed Charmer society. Desperate for some money to survive, she sells some of the beast she tames despite feeling guilty and it being illegal.
After a few years of getting used to that life, she is targeted by an assassin. She managed to surprise attack him and force him to take her to their hideout where she wants to negotiate her bounty.
Four powerful beasts for her head and the leader of the assassin agrees and they go to an adventure to search for beasts.
What I didn't enjoy in this story is how fast the romance developed. This is my personal preference but I love slow burn romance. Since Leena and Noc showed interest in each other so early, I couldn't ship them until where I loved their relationship in the end.
Most of the book's focused more on the attraction and relationship rather than the plot. The author repeatedly teases us with Leena's and Noc's backstory and I'm glad she didn't spill it all at once though Noc's was a bit cliche.
This is a trilogy and the book ended somewhat on a cliffhanger.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I ended up enjoying this one a lot less than I had anticipated. I just could not for the life of me get into the story. I think the problem I had was that it started off too deep into the world already. So much information was thrown at me all at once, I felt very lost and overwhelmed and therefore couldn't connect with the story.
Also, the love interest concept where they go from enemies to lovers I felt was a little stale here. There was not really anything unique enough about the characters to make me care about their romance. I mean they seemed fine but they also seemed like so many other characters I've read before.
All in all, this one just didn't connect with me. I think someone who reads a lot more fantasy than I do though could find plenty to love about the book though.
Also, the love interest concept where they go from enemies to lovers I felt was a little stale here. There was not really anything unique enough about the characters to make me care about their romance. I mean they seemed fine but they also seemed like so many other characters I've read before.
All in all, this one just didn't connect with me. I think someone who reads a lot more fantasy than I do though could find plenty to love about the book though.
This book definitely started off strong by immediately hooking me in and continued to keep me on the edge of my seat. It was super engaging and fast-paced while also managing to portray character and relationship development. Leena was a super fun and badass main character and I loved reading about her journey. The relationship between Leena and Noc was also definitely a highlight of the book. The i-have-to-kill-you trope was very well done and I loved the added aspect of the Noc's curse.
The magic system was also an amazing part of the story. The world-building was very well done and I appreciated that there was no info-dumping! The beasts were so fun to learn about and I fell in love with all the different types of beasts immediately. Its such a fantastic concept, especially with the whole other realm where the beasts reside. Overall this was a super enjoyable fantasy romance with very unique creatures and magic.
The magic system was also an amazing part of the story. The world-building was very well done and I appreciated that there was no info-dumping! The beasts were so fun to learn about and I fell in love with all the different types of beasts immediately. Its such a fantastic concept, especially with the whole other realm where the beasts reside. Overall this was a super enjoyable fantasy romance with very unique creatures and magic.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“I might still have a future.” -Leena, Kingdom of Exiles
Leena is a charmer, one of a race of beings gifted with the ability to charm magical beasts, and tame them. She keeps them in a separate paradise realm, where she is able to call to them when she needs their magical abilities, for everything from comfort to protection. But she has been exiled from her home city, framed for a crime she did not commit.
Noc is an assassin. A dead one. He rules over Cruor, a shadow realm where the undead assassins make their home and take on murders for hire, with an absolute guarantee, they will kill their mark, or die themselves.
When Noc’s guild is contracted to kill Leena, their paths cross, and a common goal leads Noc to postpone her death. But somewhere along the way, Noc stops wanting her dead, and begins to wonder if she is the key to breaking his curse, a curse that kills every person he has ever and will ever love.
Sourcebooks sent this ARC to me for a review, and while it is not my usual genre, the fantasy aspect and the world Maxyn M. Martineau builds is fascinating. I did feel like it could have been a perfectly good fantasy novel without the romance aspect. Their was a sex scene that seemed like it was thrown in as an afterthought, unnecessary to the story.
I had a few problems with this book. While I loved the characters and the world building, some parts seemed to drag on, and some important parts were left out altogether. Who cursed Noc? Who hired the assassins? I’m sad to say that we never find out. Typical fantasy romance stories do have other characters in them with love interests to lead into the next story. I’m good with that. But you need to finish the story with the original characters first. The fact that we still don’t know who Noc really is ruined the ending for me, and leads me to my next point.
Leena feels a bit like Anna in Frozen. She falls for Noc with a strictly physical attraction. He’s an outright dick to her, because he has to be, or worry that his curse will kill her. But she is drawn to him anyway. Sure, there are glimpses of his non-dickishness (don’t make fun, I like my word!) but not enough to show her who he really is. How can she fall for someone she barely knows? The “love” seems to come out of left field. All of a sudden people call him her “mate” and they just kind of go with it. The sex scene could have been used to solidify the “mating” part of the story, but it wasn’t, it showed up too early in the storyline. I was kind of wanting her to fall for Calem instead, a side character who has a great sense of humor and an obvious good heart. So when the betrayal finally comes, as it always does in a romance novel (tropes be damned), she absolutely expects it and hardly even has a thought that he might not have meant to doom her. And why shouldn’t she? She barely knows the dude!
If you enjoy this genre, this is actually pretty good, in all honesty most of them are absolute shit, but this writer has talent. I just wanted a completed storyline. My rating is comparing this romance novel to other romance novels, not rating it against books outside of this category.
3/5, looking forward to seeing more from Martineau, just hope that she can segue each book into the next with a bit more commitment, a bit more finality for the main protagonists.
Leena is a charmer, one of a race of beings gifted with the ability to charm magical beasts, and tame them. She keeps them in a separate paradise realm, where she is able to call to them when she needs their magical abilities, for everything from comfort to protection. But she has been exiled from her home city, framed for a crime she did not commit.
Noc is an assassin. A dead one. He rules over Cruor, a shadow realm where the undead assassins make their home and take on murders for hire, with an absolute guarantee, they will kill their mark, or die themselves.
When Noc’s guild is contracted to kill Leena, their paths cross, and a common goal leads Noc to postpone her death. But somewhere along the way, Noc stops wanting her dead, and begins to wonder if she is the key to breaking his curse, a curse that kills every person he has ever and will ever love.
Sourcebooks sent this ARC to me for a review, and while it is not my usual genre, the fantasy aspect and the world Maxyn M. Martineau builds is fascinating. I did feel like it could have been a perfectly good fantasy novel without the romance aspect. Their was a sex scene that seemed like it was thrown in as an afterthought, unnecessary to the story.
I had a few problems with this book. While I loved the characters and the world building, some parts seemed to drag on, and some important parts were left out altogether. Who cursed Noc? Who hired the assassins? I’m sad to say that we never find out. Typical fantasy romance stories do have other characters in them with love interests to lead into the next story. I’m good with that. But you need to finish the story with the original characters first. The fact that we still don’t know who Noc really is ruined the ending for me, and leads me to my next point.
Leena feels a bit like Anna in Frozen. She falls for Noc with a strictly physical attraction. He’s an outright dick to her, because he has to be, or worry that his curse will kill her. But she is drawn to him anyway. Sure, there are glimpses of his non-dickishness (don’t make fun, I like my word!) but not enough to show her who he really is. How can she fall for someone she barely knows? The “love” seems to come out of left field. All of a sudden people call him her “mate” and they just kind of go with it. The sex scene could have been used to solidify the “mating” part of the story, but it wasn’t, it showed up too early in the storyline. I was kind of wanting her to fall for Calem instead, a side character who has a great sense of humor and an obvious good heart. So when the betrayal finally comes, as it always does in a romance novel (tropes be damned), she absolutely expects it and hardly even has a thought that he might not have meant to doom her. And why shouldn’t she? She barely knows the dude!
If you enjoy this genre, this is actually pretty good, in all honesty most of them are absolute shit, but this writer has talent. I just wanted a completed storyline. My rating is comparing this romance novel to other romance novels, not rating it against books outside of this category.
3/5, looking forward to seeing more from Martineau, just hope that she can segue each book into the next with a bit more commitment, a bit more finality for the main protagonists.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ok now this was fun. like truly fun to read. the story was captivating from the start. the fucking tension? HOT! these characters are dynamic, genuinely interesting to read about, and I’m literally in love with ALL of them. If you're looking for heavy romance over plot, this book is for you.
THOUGHTS: this had everything I wanted in a plot: enemies to lovers, adventure, friendship, found family, magic, badass female & male mc, very steamy scenes (that were lowkey kind of worded weirdly but still addictive to read.), and overall great writing! The world building could have been better but it’s nothing to complain over. I’m glad there wasn’t a lot of information dump in the beginning. it was sewn into the plot nicely without being overwhelming. This is enemies to lovers but i wished this was more slow burned out. The relationships weren't forced however i just wanted to see more banter. The book was pretty fast paced without beginning annoying so i really enjoyed that. made it smoother to read.
i really enjoyed the bi & gay representation we got from the MC and other characters. this could’ve used more racial diversity however. or just a clear description of any character introduced.
but damn, the way things ended?!! I’m picking up book 2 NOW!
THOUGHTS: this had everything I wanted in a plot: enemies to lovers, adventure, friendship, found family, magic, badass female & male mc, very steamy scenes (that were lowkey kind of worded weirdly but still addictive to read.), and overall great writing! The world building could have been better but it’s nothing to complain over. I’m glad there wasn’t a lot of information dump in the beginning. it was sewn into the plot nicely without being overwhelming. This is enemies to lovers but i wished this was more slow burned out. The relationships weren't forced however i just wanted to see more banter. The book was pretty fast paced without beginning annoying so i really enjoyed that. made it smoother to read.
i really enjoyed the bi & gay representation we got from the MC and other characters. this could’ve used more racial diversity however. or just a clear description of any character introduced.
but damn, the way things ended?!! I’m picking up book 2 NOW!
The kingdom of exiles - Maxym M. Martineau
The frozen prince - Maxym M. Martineau
Why do I always do this to myself? Every time. I go and pick a book, read it and love it and of course buy the second one
The frozen prince - Maxym M. Martineau
Why do I always do this to myself? Every time. I go and pick a book, read it and love it and of course buy the second one