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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The promise of a love triangle done right is what really attracted me to this book. It delivered on that promise and gave me a touching, thrilling character-driven story that I’m eager to get more of. Add in an arranged marriage trope AND forbidden love trope?! It’s as if Kemmerer put all of my favorite things into one book!
The warrior king Maddox Kyronen is a feared and respected man with the power to wield fire. However, he is relying on a political marriage with the princess of a neighboring kingdom and the magic her father provides to protect his people from famine. On the eve of their engagement, an assassination hit is put out against the two of them. Who’s the assassin assigned to the task? The princess’s long lost childhood love. They become entangled in a web of betrayal, secrets, and desire as they try to determine who wants them dead.
Shelved as romantasy, I would say this leans heavily in the romance category, less on fantasy. This could have been a regency romance or historical romance and still worked plot-wise. This book really shines in the characters and their development. I found myself becoming attached to these three main characters as I learned more and more about their past and how it’s shaped them. They feel like real people that leap off the page. Kemmerer writes us the beginnings of a love story that encompasses all the facets of love: respect, desire, loyalty, and patience. As mentioned, this has an arranged marriage and forbidden love trope. But it’s also a love triangle that is not only done right, but is also a polyamorous MMF romance. I have not read a book with this kind of romance before but I found this one to be extremely well-written! There is spice but leaves the door open for more spice in later books.
At times I was missing the bigger plot and at the end of the book I’m eager for more now that we get a nice little plot twist. I have to remind myself that this is only book one of a series, however I’m very eager and excited for what’s in store for these great characters.
Bottom line: if you’re looking for character driven romance with the backdrop of fantasy and magic, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this one! A respectable 4/5 stars—I’m wanting just a little bit more in the plot department, but the characters really shine and more than make up for it.
Immense gratitude and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
this book ended in a cliffhanger. It was
MF the girl pissed me off.
MF the girl pissed me off.
I wanted to like this book, but unfortunately I just couldn't.
To start with, for an adult debut, the writing and dialogue are remarkably juvenile. Relying on the same hallmarks of YA fiction (overuse of italics, reliance on banter and UST than real conversation and dynamics, bland broody men, bland protective men, no discernible personality for the fmc yet everyone still wants her, the first person pov with too much sass and too little sense) I fail to see how this book is distinguishable enough from Kemmerer's previous works to be an adult debut. The characters are neurotic and uninspired and the setting is poorly sketched. It's a hard sell as a romantasy book, when none of the character interest you, and the romance seems tiresome already. Sadly, this was a DNF for me.
To start with, for an adult debut, the writing and dialogue are remarkably juvenile. Relying on the same hallmarks of YA fiction (overuse of italics, reliance on banter and UST than real conversation and dynamics, bland broody men, bland protective men, no discernible personality for the fmc yet everyone still wants her, the first person pov with too much sass and too little sense) I fail to see how this book is distinguishable enough from Kemmerer's previous works to be an adult debut. The characters are neurotic and uninspired and the setting is poorly sketched. It's a hard sell as a romantasy book, when none of the character interest you, and the romance seems tiresome already. Sadly, this was a DNF for me.
5 stars because it fulfilled all of my romantasy poly dreams for a book! Spare me from the Why Choose trope please. Everyone love each other
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
My Review: I have been loving why choose romance era and have another book to add to my list. We have a Princess who has to married a king ( warrior) to help her kingdom then before she does that her best friend and crush who is an assassin tells her that the warrior and her have a hit over their head and are now trying to see who wants them killed. This book had my emotions up and down I like the relationship between all three of them and how they act and care for each other but there was so much misunderstanding, and it drove me crazy for most of the whole book. The last few pages were crazy in a good way and so
many unanswered questions and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Thank you Avon and NetGalley for an arc
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Harper Collins and Brigid Kemmerer for the eARC of Warrior Princess Assassin. This review is honest and voluntary.
I really loved this book. I kept thinking about it even when I put the book down because I'm so intrigued with the story and the characters. Kemmerer blends world building and character development so beautifully.
What Warrior Princess Assassin does so well is political intrigue. A lot of this book was trying to figure out who to trust and who was out to get these characters. The Warrior King is from the kingdom looking to create an alliance and peace with the kingdom of both the Princess and the Assassin. But then, there's also the threat from a mysterious and brutal third kingdom. I loved the mystery surrounding this kingdom, and I can't wait for more from them.
This is such a beautiful depiction of privilege and the naivety that can come with it, and the Princess proves that you can't believe what you hear in rumors. I loved her growth of realizing how sheltered she was and wanting to learn the truth, no matter how ugly it is.
I really loved this one, and I can't wait for more from this series. I would highly recommend this to fans of fantasy romance.
I really loved this book. I kept thinking about it even when I put the book down because I'm so intrigued with the story and the characters. Kemmerer blends world building and character development so beautifully.
What Warrior Princess Assassin does so well is political intrigue. A lot of this book was trying to figure out who to trust and who was out to get these characters. The Warrior King is from the kingdom looking to create an alliance and peace with the kingdom of both the Princess and the Assassin. But then, there's also the threat from a mysterious and brutal third kingdom. I loved the mystery surrounding this kingdom, and I can't wait for more from them.
This is such a beautiful depiction of privilege and the naivety that can come with it, and the Princess proves that you can't believe what you hear in rumors. I loved her growth of realizing how sheltered she was and wanting to learn the truth, no matter how ugly it is.
I really loved this one, and I can't wait for more from this series. I would highly recommend this to fans of fantasy romance.
Thank you Harper Voyager for the gifted book!
I'm a big fan of when my love triangles throuple instead, so I'm really excited to see how Jory, Ky, and Asher grow in their relationship throughout the series. All three of our main characters brought so much baggage with them that it was impressive their horses managed to carry them (much less when Jory was riding doubled up with Ky, that poor horse having to carry both their weight and all of their baggage).
Jory's sheltered naivety could be grating at times, so I'm hopeful that she is able to grow into herself more in the next books. I think Asher and Ky will be good for her in that regard.
If you're looking for a romantasy that is plot forward, this probably isn't for you (at least not the first installment), but if you're open to a romance forward idiots-in-love story, then this was great.
And if you're just in the reviews waiting to find out if mettle was mentioned, don't worry, of course it was.
And here's to hoping that by the end of the series, Jory gets to give Dane a black eye. Or a kick in the balls. Or both! She does seem to like it when she can take both options.
I'm a big fan of when my love triangles throuple instead, so I'm really excited to see how Jory, Ky, and Asher grow in their relationship throughout the series. All three of our main characters brought so much baggage with them that it was impressive their horses managed to carry them (much less when Jory was riding doubled up with Ky, that poor horse having to carry both their weight and all of their baggage).
Jory's sheltered naivety could be grating at times, so I'm hopeful that she is able to grow into herself more in the next books. I think Asher and Ky will be good for her in that regard.
If you're looking for a romantasy that is plot forward, this probably isn't for you (at least not the first installment), but if you're open to a romance forward idiots-in-love story, then this was great.
And if you're just in the reviews waiting to find out if mettle was mentioned, don't worry, of course it was.
And here's to hoping that by the end of the series, Jory gets to give Dane a black eye. Or a kick in the balls. Or both! She does seem to like it when she can take both options.
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this ARC Copy!
I was expecting just another romantasy story and went into this book expecting to have a good time, I did not know that I was going to find my new book boyfriend and a new piece of literature that I will think about nonstop for days!
This story is so real, and raw, and emotional. I have never felt so much love for fictional characters, and I need to know what happens next. I need my sweet baby boy Asher to have a HEA and if he does not get it then I don't know how I will even survive, JKJK, but also kind of not.
I adore these characters, I love the story, the magic system is really interesting, and the love is all encompassing.
I was expecting just another romantasy story and went into this book expecting to have a good time, I did not know that I was going to find my new book boyfriend and a new piece of literature that I will think about nonstop for days!
This story is so real, and raw, and emotional. I have never felt so much love for fictional characters, and I need to know what happens next. I need my sweet baby boy Asher to have a HEA and if he does not get it then I don't know how I will even survive, JKJK, but also kind of not.
I adore these characters, I love the story, the magic system is really interesting, and the love is all encompassing.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-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
Brigid Kemmerer does it again!
Not only is it well written but the deep understanding of human psyches and traumas that she exudes in her writing are always so real and unlike anything else I’ve ever read. These don’t feel like regurgitated characters and tropes from other stories we’ve all read before. They could legitimately be real people with real intricate faults. Everything is so raw and refreshing.
I went into this thinking it was a “Why choose?” for the Princess but was very pleasantly surprised to find it’s a “Why choose?” For errbody. Easily one of the hottest things I’ve ever read.
I cannot wait for the next one!
Not only is it well written but the deep understanding of human psyches and traumas that she exudes in her writing are always so real and unlike anything else I’ve ever read. These don’t feel like regurgitated characters and tropes from other stories we’ve all read before. They could legitimately be real people with real intricate faults. Everything is so raw and refreshing.
I went into this thinking it was a “Why choose?” for the Princess but was very pleasantly surprised to find it’s a “Why choose?” For errbody. Easily one of the hottest things I’ve ever read.
I cannot wait for the next one!