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lisashelves's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War
aseel_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really dig yhalla as a character, I think she's had a great arc so far. The plot didn't have the best flow and it kind of became pretty predictable. I can't believe we got a certain death and I am still not sure how I feel about the romance plot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
koistyfishy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
I have to officially admit that I love this series! It was a slow-burn love that developed lovingly as I turned each and every page and blossomed into something magical as I became more and more invested in the world and characters.
I am not going to lie and say I wasn't terrified to pick up this book. I was an emotional wreck at the end of Earth's End - the cliffhanger shot my heart with an arrow, ripped it out, and then stomped on it numerous times. And whilst there were a fair few moments where great moments happened in Water's Wrath (where it carefully picked up the pieces of my broken heart and mended it); there was almost a scale-tipping unbalancement of sadness. The previous emotional aspects in books 1-3 were nothing but a painful hangnail compared to the utter brutality of what this book did to me emotionally! I have no heart left, it has been burnt to a crisp and nothing remains but ash, soot and cinder.
Water's Wrath truly lives up to the "Water" in its name as I was snot and tears "ugly crying" for a full 30 minutes in my bathtub while reading - which caused serious concern from my husband coming to check up on what the wailing sounds were and offering the unsolicited advice of "if books are going to make you cry then STOP READING BOOKS" Seriously!!!! 😤🙄
SPOILER WARNING, I cannot comment on aspects of this book without mentioning spoilers from Air Awakens, Fire Forged and Earth's End. If you do not like spoilers I would hate to spoil the experience of the book for you so please stop reading - JUST KNOW I RECOMMEND THIS SERIES SO GO READ THOSE FIRST....
For the first time, I can say this book does NOT pick up directly where the previous book ended. This time we catch up with Vhalla four months after she has fled her Prince and friends. She is working in a bookshop at the Crossroads. However just because the War is over does not mean all the battles are complete and soon after being forced to kill a few Knights of Jadar, Vhalla needs to face her demons and return South.
What stands out the most with not only this book but the series is I feel like every time I have a gripe or irritation in the previous book, that aspect is addressed, explained, cleared up or resolved in the next book. It makes me think that Elise Kova is actually this evil genius mastermind, planting those elemental seeds to spark a reaction or conversation so that it can be handled in the future. Most of what I felt was wrong with Earth's End was turned on its head!!!!
1. Fritz - I had missed the friendship with Fritz and OH BOY did that get delivered in this book. He never had a chance to mourn with Vhalla over Larel's death and we had a beautiful moment shared between the two of them. (Cue first time I cried)
2. Daniel - The following quote says it way way better than I ever could
I am not going to lie and say I wasn't terrified to pick up this book. I was an emotional wreck at the end of Earth's End - the cliffhanger shot my heart with an arrow, ripped it out, and then stomped on it numerous times. And whilst there were a fair few moments where great moments happened in Water's Wrath (where it carefully picked up the pieces of my broken heart and mended it); there was almost a scale-tipping unbalancement of sadness. The previous emotional aspects in books 1-3 were nothing but a painful hangnail compared to the utter brutality of what this book did to me emotionally! I have no heart left, it has been burnt to a crisp and nothing remains but ash, soot and cinder.
Water's Wrath truly lives up to the "Water" in its name as I was snot and tears "ugly crying" for a full 30 minutes in my bathtub while reading - which caused serious concern from my husband coming to check up on what the wailing sounds were and offering the unsolicited advice of "if books are going to make you cry then STOP READING BOOKS" Seriously!!!! 😤🙄
SPOILER WARNING, I cannot comment on aspects of this book without mentioning spoilers from Air Awakens, Fire Forged and Earth's End. If you do not like spoilers I would hate to spoil the experience of the book for you so please stop reading - JUST KNOW I RECOMMEND THIS SERIES SO GO READ THOSE FIRST....
For the first time, I can say this book does NOT pick up directly where the previous book ended. This time we catch up with Vhalla four months after she has fled her Prince and friends. She is working in a bookshop at the Crossroads. However just because the War is over does not mean all the battles are complete and soon after being forced to kill a few Knights of Jadar, Vhalla needs to face her demons and return South.
What stands out the most with not only this book but the series is I feel like every time I have a gripe or irritation in the previous book, that aspect is addressed, explained, cleared up or resolved in the next book. It makes me think that Elise Kova is actually this evil genius mastermind, planting those elemental seeds to spark a reaction or conversation so that it can be handled in the future. Most of what I felt was wrong with Earth's End was turned on its head!!!!
1. Fritz - I had missed the friendship with Fritz and OH BOY did that get delivered in this book. He never had a chance to mourn with Vhalla over Larel's death and we had a beautiful moment shared between the two of them. (Cue first time I cried)
2. Daniel - The following quote says it way way better than I ever could
Vhalla remembered when Daniel had cut off his shirt to help her hide it. Distance had helped her sort a little through her heart, and Vhalla didn’t like the woman she saw when she replayed her interactions with the swordsman. She didn’t like her reliance on him or how she had abused the fact that he would be there for her without question.
3. Gummy Throat - THERE WAS NOT 1 MENTION OF GUMMY THROATS!!!!!!!!!
Vhalla continues to grow beyond limits and it's amazing to see how far she has come from where she was a year ago. The one problem I have with the Character Development of Vhalla though is as much as the ending of Earth's End hurt, and I am glad Vhalla got a bit of distance from it all and dealt with her reeling mind, I am sad that we as a reader never got to see most of this. I wanted to see how she emotionally recovered from the War and the initial stages of dealing with the Prince's Engagement. She should have had some sort of PTSD from everyone she killed and everything we saw. However, when we meet her again she is almost desensitised to death and cold towards her feelings for Aldrik, and I felt cheated we weren't shown how she got there.
From the Romance part, it was painfully beautiful how Vhalla and the Prince are constantly drawn to each other. The yearning in this book is what love poems are written about and I am glad that we were shown aspects of Alrick where he too has grown and worked through his shit - cause I was really really angry with him and his behaviour; but at least now I can almost understand him more and the anger I felt towards him has dissipated.
This book also does feel weaker in terms of the plot. You can very easily sum up the plot into a few sentences and the last 25% was extremely rushed! Almost to the point where it felt messy and out of the blue. This is the main reason why it's not a full 5-star as I am left a little confused by the direction the story is going and I don't quite understand the new magic system.
FINAL POINT -ELISE KOVA STOP KILLING OFF MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS PLEASE....I do not think I could handle it anymore if Jax, Fritz, Elise, Daniel or Aldrik die....Do not do me dirty as you did with Baldair because I already do not forgive you for his death because you cut me very very deep! He did not deserve to die and he did not have to go in the way that he did. You could have easily changed the plot to arrange for the end without it...
I need therapy after that chapter - GEEZ
Overall I am excited to see where Crystal Crowned takes our heroine and what she has in store for her next...
Vhalla continues to grow beyond limits and it's amazing to see how far she has come from where she was a year ago. The one problem I have with the Character Development of Vhalla though is as much as the ending of Earth's End hurt, and I am glad Vhalla got a bit of distance from it all and dealt with her reeling mind, I am sad that we as a reader never got to see most of this. I wanted to see how she emotionally recovered from the War and the initial stages of dealing with the Prince's Engagement. She should have had some sort of PTSD from everyone she killed and everything we saw. However, when we meet her again she is almost desensitised to death and cold towards her feelings for Aldrik, and I felt cheated we weren't shown how she got there.
From the Romance part, it was painfully beautiful how Vhalla and the Prince are constantly drawn to each other. The yearning in this book is what love poems are written about and I am glad that we were shown aspects of Alrick where he too has grown and worked through his shit - cause I was really really angry with him and his behaviour; but at least now I can almost understand him more and the anger I felt towards him has dissipated.
This book also does feel weaker in terms of the plot. You can very easily sum up the plot into a few sentences and the last 25% was extremely rushed! Almost to the point where it felt messy and out of the blue. This is the main reason why it's not a full 5-star as I am left a little confused by the direction the story is going and I don't quite understand the new magic system.
FINAL POINT -
I need therapy after that chapter - GEEZ
Overall I am excited to see where Crystal Crowned takes our heroine and what she has in store for her next...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief, War, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent
stephaniemcuervo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Blood, War, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
Minor: Animal death
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