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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars. I liked it but it doesn't quite reach 4 for me.
A charming little stand alone where everyone is French and gay. Does the magic system make any sense at all? NO, but then again neither does Harry Potter's and that series is absurdly popular. Does the ending feel like the author was up against a deadline and basically just threw up their hands and said "and then all that happened"? YES, but that's every single book Ernest Cline has ever written and he's absurdly popular. All in all, I liked it. The characters are fun and interesting, the conflict feels very rooted in reality, and the writing is tight and fun.
One thing that I'm extremely confused by . . . what is going on with the races of the characters? This book is clearly meant to take place in fantasy France and most of the characters are never identified with a specific race. However, there are like 5 characters, all relatively minor, whom are introduced as being "white". What color is everyone else then? It's also confusing because one minor character is introduced as "a middle-aged white man with dark brown skin". Ummmm ok? Normally I would never even think about this but the author draws such weird attention to pointing out that specific characters are white but never points out any other race until the very end when she describes someone as having "black skin". But she already described a white guy with dark brown skin? So maybe the guy with black skin is also white? IDK, it's extremely clunky but definitely not to the point that it ruins the book or anything like that.
A charming little stand alone where everyone is French and gay. Does the magic system make any sense at all? NO, but then again neither does Harry Potter's and that series is absurdly popular. Does the ending feel like the author was up against a deadline and basically just threw up their hands and said "and then all that happened"? YES, but that's every single book Ernest Cline has ever written and he's absurdly popular. All in all, I liked it. The characters are fun and interesting, the conflict feels very rooted in reality, and the writing is tight and fun.
One thing that I'm extremely confused by . . . what is going on with the races of the characters? This book is clearly meant to take place in fantasy France and most of the characters are never identified with a specific race. However, there are like 5 characters, all relatively minor, whom are introduced as being "white". What color is everyone else then? It's also confusing because one minor character is introduced as "a middle-aged white man with dark brown skin". Ummmm ok? Normally I would never even think about this but the author draws such weird attention to pointing out that specific characters are white but never points out any other race until the very end when she describes someone as having "black skin". But she already described a white guy with dark brown skin? So maybe the guy with black skin is also white? IDK, it's extremely clunky but definitely not to the point that it ruins the book or anything like that.
I really, really wanted to like this book. I am so excited that Belle Révolte, and others like it, are out in the world. Believe me when I say I'm HERE for the ace rep. And I do intend to finish it, eventually - just not now. Because while the premise and world are interesting, the plot & dialogue have been difficult for me to follow and often disjointed. I've also felt like rather than integrating the social issues into the subtext, they were being screamed at me in everything the characters said. But I'm far enough in that I want to know what happens; I care about Emilie & Annette & Charles & the rest of this lot. I just need something that isn't quite so preachy at the moment.
Final Score: 65 (good) ending was eh but the rest was good
Emilie wants to be a physician and Annette wants to learn magic but Emilie is being sent to learn magic and Annette has no chance. So in a chance meeting, they swap places and pretend to be each other.
The end of the book really dragged for me but otherwise, this was pretty good. I find Emilie a tiny bit annoying but Annette was great. I don't have many other thoughts on this besides that the magic system was cool and I liked that there were more consequences for using magic besides just getting tired.
Also Ace rep yay
Emilie wants to be a physician and Annette wants to learn magic but Emilie is being sent to learn magic and Annette has no chance. So in a chance meeting, they swap places and pretend to be each other.
The end of the book really dragged for me but otherwise, this was pretty good. I find Emilie a tiny bit annoying but Annette was great. I don't have many other thoughts on this besides that the magic system was cool and I liked that there were more consequences for using magic besides just getting tired.
Also Ace rep yay
I liked Belle Revolte! I didn't love it, but I really enjoyed it.
Emilie and Annette swap lives, and Annette gets to study magic, while Emilie get to be a physician's assistant. It was interesting to see them live a life different than their own. Mostly, I loved that they got to do what they always wanted, though I hated that in their world, they had to switch places in order to do so.
For Annette in particular, things are really difficult for her, but I was glad to see that she got to study magic, and be in a place that allows her to be who she is. I was glad that Emilie got to do the same, but I especially wanted it for Annette. I hope, that after this book ends, they both get to do everything they dreamed of.
I wrongly assumed this was a series, so I was surprised to see that it was a stand-alone. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have a stand-alone fantasy, but because of that, things do get a little rushed. As usual, I wanted to know more about the world. I feel like a broken record with that, because I feel like I say that a lot with fantasy novels, but especially the stand-alone fantasy novels. It was nice knowing that there isn't a series I have to read just to find out more but at the same time, I think having at least one more book would help things not feel as rushed.
The book was a little slow at times, and I had a hard time getting into at first. Things do pick up, and things get a little more fast-paced as the book goes on. I know things need to be set up, and that can take a while, but for whatever reason, I had a hard time with this book at first.
I don't usually mention covers, but I love the cover for this book! It's so pretty, and I love the colors. Plus, it somehow fits with the book really well, even though nothing like it is described in the book.
My Rating: 3 stars. I liked Belle Revolte, and I am interested to see what else Miller writes.
Emilie and Annette swap lives, and Annette gets to study magic, while Emilie get to be a physician's assistant. It was interesting to see them live a life different than their own. Mostly, I loved that they got to do what they always wanted, though I hated that in their world, they had to switch places in order to do so.
For Annette in particular, things are really difficult for her, but I was glad to see that she got to study magic, and be in a place that allows her to be who she is. I was glad that Emilie got to do the same, but I especially wanted it for Annette. I hope, that after this book ends, they both get to do everything they dreamed of.
I wrongly assumed this was a series, so I was surprised to see that it was a stand-alone. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have a stand-alone fantasy, but because of that, things do get a little rushed. As usual, I wanted to know more about the world. I feel like a broken record with that, because I feel like I say that a lot with fantasy novels, but especially the stand-alone fantasy novels. It was nice knowing that there isn't a series I have to read just to find out more but at the same time, I think having at least one more book would help things not feel as rushed.
The book was a little slow at times, and I had a hard time getting into at first. Things do pick up, and things get a little more fast-paced as the book goes on. I know things need to be set up, and that can take a while, but for whatever reason, I had a hard time with this book at first.
I don't usually mention covers, but I love the cover for this book! It's so pretty, and I love the colors. Plus, it somehow fits with the book really well, even though nothing like it is described in the book.
My Rating: 3 stars. I liked Belle Revolte, and I am interested to see what else Miller writes.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a free copy to review!
Emilie and Annette come from two different worlds. Emilie, a rebel from an aristocrat family that wants to study the masculine side of magic and become a physician, swaps lives with the talented but overlooked Annette. Annette attends a prestigious boarding school under Emilie's name to study the midnight arts while Emilie rides to the front lines of a war in the name of medicine and magic.
Overall, the princess and pauper idea was well placed and had good intentions, but the characters fell completely flat and bored me. I found myself waiting for interesting side characters to liven up the story. The magic descriptions seem all over the place and generic while settings were blown over. I loved the idea, but this didn't really do it for me.
2.5, rounded to 3 stars for trying something new.
Emilie and Annette come from two different worlds. Emilie, a rebel from an aristocrat family that wants to study the masculine side of magic and become a physician, swaps lives with the talented but overlooked Annette. Annette attends a prestigious boarding school under Emilie's name to study the midnight arts while Emilie rides to the front lines of a war in the name of medicine and magic.
Overall, the princess and pauper idea was well placed and had good intentions, but the characters fell completely flat and bored me. I found myself waiting for interesting side characters to liven up the story. The magic descriptions seem all over the place and generic while settings were blown over. I loved the idea, but this didn't really do it for me.
2.5, rounded to 3 stars for trying something new.
Hmmm.
I am a fan of Linsey Miller and jumped at the chance to read and review an ARC of her latest novel.
It’s refreshing to have a standalone fantasy narrative rather than buying into a trilogy or long series. Also, I enjoyed the way Miller handled magic; it was different to other fantasy novels and that, in itself, is an achievement.
However.
I found the character development lacking. The two protagonists, who pull off a switcheroo, aren’t sufficiently different so it was the setting that told me whether or not I was with Emilie or Annette. Moreover, I agree with other reviewers who have argued the plot was quite flat. I felt it picked up a little when the war commenced but, in essence, I’ve seen the classism, magic division and revolution before.
I’m glad I read it but it was a slog and took me a couple of weeks because I kept leaving it and returning to it as a duty.
I am a fan of Linsey Miller and jumped at the chance to read and review an ARC of her latest novel.
It’s refreshing to have a standalone fantasy narrative rather than buying into a trilogy or long series. Also, I enjoyed the way Miller handled magic; it was different to other fantasy novels and that, in itself, is an achievement.
However.
I found the character development lacking. The two protagonists, who pull off a switcheroo, aren’t sufficiently different so it was the setting that told me whether or not I was with Emilie or Annette. Moreover, I agree with other reviewers who have argued the plot was quite flat. I felt it picked up a little when the war commenced but, in essence, I’ve seen the classism, magic division and revolution before.
I’m glad I read it but it was a slog and took me a couple of weeks because I kept leaving it and returning to it as a duty.
I tried. DNF around 70%, found it meandering and not what I expected (no fun swapping places and dealing with culture shock, alas). Much more serious but in a fairly depressing way and lots of war (I'm so done with reading fiction focused on war). Gets a bonus star for queer characters.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Strong concept, but the execution could've been better. Bonus points for all the queer rep!!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
You can find this review and others on my blog SleepySamReads!
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t read a ton of high fantasy because I have a hard time remembering all the new names of places and new ideas. It’s not impossible for me, but it does feel exhausting. That being said, I’m so glad I picked this one up!
The thing I loved the most about this novel was how much beautiful diversity there is. There’s a ton of sexuality and gender diversity. One of our main characters, Annette, is asexual. This thrilled me, there’s just so few books with asexual MCs in it. Annette is also either panromantic or biromantic, which is awesome! There’s also a transgender man and several non-binary characters who use they/them pronouns. There’s a cute lesbian couple as well, which I’m always game for. Overall, the diversity was beautiful and felt so organic and I wish every book I read was like this.
Another wonderful thing about this novel is how the magic is used. I’ve never read anything that wove magic and fighting so well. This was so cool. Especially how they describe Emilie using noonday magic to like open old wounds or heal people. It was so so so cool. I wish I could describe this better, but you’ll just have to pick it up to see for yourself!
I did struggle a little with the world building, but like I said at the beginning, that just come with high fantasy and it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
I’m not sure if this is supposed to be a standalone or a series, but I kind of hope it’s a standalone. I really dug how it ended and don’t think it needs anymore.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t read a ton of high fantasy because I have a hard time remembering all the new names of places and new ideas. It’s not impossible for me, but it does feel exhausting. That being said, I’m so glad I picked this one up!
The thing I loved the most about this novel was how much beautiful diversity there is. There’s a ton of sexuality and gender diversity. One of our main characters, Annette, is asexual. This thrilled me, there’s just so few books with asexual MCs in it. Annette is also either panromantic or biromantic, which is awesome! There’s also a transgender man and several non-binary characters who use they/them pronouns. There’s a cute lesbian couple as well, which I’m always game for. Overall, the diversity was beautiful and felt so organic and I wish every book I read was like this.
Another wonderful thing about this novel is how the magic is used. I’ve never read anything that wove magic and fighting so well. This was so cool. Especially how they describe Emilie using noonday magic to like open old wounds or heal people. It was so so so cool. I wish I could describe this better, but you’ll just have to pick it up to see for yourself!
I did struggle a little with the world building, but like I said at the beginning, that just come with high fantasy and it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
I’m not sure if this is supposed to be a standalone or a series, but I kind of hope it’s a standalone. I really dug how it ended and don’t think it needs anymore.