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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a tough one for me. It’s well-written and started off really interesting. I loved getting thrown into the world with the characters and the language. We’re launched into the story pretty quickly too. There is definitely a Vikings feel, perhaps with a bit of ACOTAR. Ertha, the main character, a princess, and a healer, is great…. until about halfway through the book.
At this point, the story felt like it stalled as my connection with Ertha turned into being frustrated with her choices and lack of insight in the people around her. Perhaps she’s just sheltered, and I’ve read too many books.
3.75 stars: This is the start of a series, worth checking out if you are a romantasy fan!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence
Minor: Rape
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Reading The Seventh Sister felt like being awake inside a dream. This was hands down a 5 ⭐️ read for me!
This book was whimsical and written with the kind of polish that makes everything from the quiet moments to the big moments absolutely shine. The worldbuilding is rich with its own terminology and layered mythology, but it never got overwhelming. Instead, it unfolded gently like a classic fairy tale.
The pacing is slow yet obviously deliberate. Plot wise, the book takes its time, but not in a way that dragged. By the time the plot crested, it landed hard. I didn’t even realize I was approaching the end until I turned the final page.. and wow. That ending.
The pacing is slow yet obviously deliberate. Plot wise, the book takes its time, but not in a way that dragged. By the time the plot crested, it landed hard. I didn’t even realize I was approaching the end until I turned the final page.. and wow. That ending.
Some of the tropes you can expect: “who hurt you,” “don’t touch her,” “she’s mine,” found family, and last of her kind. But they’re all handled with a kind of graceful restraint that makes them feel earned, not performative.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the art. It added so much charm and I really hope it stays in the final copy!
While the story had a fairytale softness to it, it doesn’t shy away from darker themes… there are subtle references to violence, forced pregnancy, and control. It never feels gratuitous, but it does add weight beneath the whimsy. The result is a story that balances beauty and brutality really well.
If you like your romantasy with rich worldbuilding, emotionally layered, and interesting romantic subplot, check out The Seventh Sister.
Big thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, I had a blast with this book and can’t wait to see people enjoying it as much as I did!
Big thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, I had a blast with this book and can’t wait to see people enjoying it as much as I did!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
4 🌟
Tags/tropes/themes:
🌙 Last of her kind
🩸 Healer FMC
🌙 Unique worldbuilding
🩸 "Who did this to her?"
🌙 Kidnapped by the enemy
🩸 Hidden/secret identity
🌙 Background sapphics, as a treat
🩸 Meddling gods
🌙 Semi-sentient magic
🩸 "She's mine"
🌙 Slow burn
I had trouble getting pulled into the story toward the beginning, but eventually it picked up for me, and I was on the edge of my seat to know how everything fit together!
This book has such a unique story and worldbuilding, which is so refreshing when a lot of romantasy books start to blend together these days. I loved Ertha and the fact that she still stuck to her role as a healer, even if she loathed the person she was healing. The characters are all well-developed in my opinion, and it was fun trying to guess all their secrets and motives. The romance also builds nice and slowly, so it feels genuine.
Like other people have said in their reviews, I really had no idea what was going to happen next. The hints are there, but they're subtle, and I wasn't being spoon-fed foreshadowing. At the same time, there's still so much more story to tell, and I can't wait for book 2 to learn more!
The cover art, chapter headers, and scene break art are also really pretty 💖
I was a little worried the book would be too dark for me. It has dark themes throughout, the most prominent being r*pe threats and forced pregnancy threats (not by MMC), but it was relatively mild overall in my opinion, which was perfect for me.
Overall, I definitely recommend giving this romantasy a chance, and I am metaphorically knocking on M.A. Brown's door asking for book 2 🙏
Thank you Netgalley and M.A. Brown for the chance to read the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.
Tags/tropes/themes:
🌙 Last of her kind
🩸 Healer FMC
🌙 Unique worldbuilding
🩸 "Who did this to her?"
🌙 Kidnapped by the enemy
🩸 Hidden/secret identity
🌙 Background sapphics, as a treat
🩸 Meddling gods
🌙 Semi-sentient magic
🩸 "She's mine"
🌙 Slow burn
I had trouble getting pulled into the story toward the beginning, but eventually it picked up for me, and I was on the edge of my seat to know how everything fit together!
This book has such a unique story and worldbuilding, which is so refreshing when a lot of romantasy books start to blend together these days. I loved Ertha and the fact that she still stuck to her role as a healer, even if she loathed the person she was healing. The characters are all well-developed in my opinion, and it was fun trying to guess all their secrets and motives. The romance also builds nice and slowly, so it feels genuine.
Like other people have said in their reviews, I really had no idea what was going to happen next. The hints are there, but they're subtle, and I wasn't being spoon-fed foreshadowing. At the same time, there's still so much more story to tell, and I can't wait for book 2 to learn more!
The cover art, chapter headers, and scene break art are also really pretty 💖
I was a little worried the book would be too dark for me. It has dark themes throughout, the most prominent being r*pe threats and forced pregnancy threats (not by MMC), but it was relatively mild overall in my opinion, which was perfect for me.
Overall, I definitely recommend giving this romantasy a chance, and I am metaphorically knocking on M.A. Brown's door asking for book 2 🙏
Thank you Netgalley and M.A. Brown for the chance to read the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Overall, I enjoyed the story and a lot of things were done well within it. I enjoyed the dynamics between the FMC and MMC a lot. I’m a sucker for a gruff, protective man. The inclusion of mythology was both interesting enough to grab my attention as well as well-incorporated, such that it helped add to the overall setting and world-building. The beginning felt a bit shaky in that I felt more time could be spent establishing the bond between the FMC and her friend (in my opinion it would add depth to the FMC’s feelings toward the friend and make it more believable) but the book really hit a rhythm and made up for what I felt was a tad weak of a beginning. The intrigue within it was built rather nicely and there were several parts that I did NOT see coming! It was refreshing and overall an enjoyable read. I would surely read the next book!
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I’m SO glad I had a chance to read it and form opinions before seeing a bunch of reviews! As someone who frequently tries to guess plot twists (and frequently gets them right), this book actually kept me on my toes.
These are some of my favorite characters that I’ve seen in a book in a while! Ertha feels very real with both lovable traits and flaws. The supporting characters made me laugh and get a sense of a “found family” from them. And then all I can say without giving much away is that the men in this book just make sense. If someone made Ertha uneasy but she moves past that feeling and grows to like them, I felt the exact same way as the reader. If Ertha was annoyed by someone, I was also annoyed by them. It was so refreshing compared to many popular books right now where you’re questioning the FMC’s judgement for the majority of the book.
The plot was also fantastic! By the end I felt like the real story was just getting started and I have no clue what direction it will take. There’s so much left to explore, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
My only complaint was the use of “dey” instead of “day” and “noct” instead of “night”. My brain kept seeing them as typos even thought it was clearly intentional. It’s such a minor complaint, but just a heads up if this is something that will bother you.
These are some of my favorite characters that I’ve seen in a book in a while! Ertha feels very real with both lovable traits and flaws. The supporting characters made me laugh and get a sense of a “found family” from them. And then all I can say without giving much away is that the men in this book just make sense. If someone made Ertha uneasy but she moves past that feeling and grows to like them, I felt the exact same way as the reader. If Ertha was annoyed by someone, I was also annoyed by them. It was so refreshing compared to many popular books right now where you’re questioning the FMC’s judgement for the majority of the book.
The plot was also fantastic! By the end I felt like the real story was just getting started and I have no clue what direction it will take. There’s so much left to explore, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
My only complaint was the use of “dey” instead of “day” and “noct” instead of “night”. My brain kept seeing them as typos even thought it was clearly intentional. It’s such a minor complaint, but just a heads up if this is something that will bother you.
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I was one of the lucky ones to get my hands on the arc of this and let me tell you, this was so damn beautiful and everything.
I devoured this as slow as I could so I could taste every little morsel that was given to me. This is my second book I've read by this author and she delivers. The writing and description felt like magic. The world felt huge, the characters were so well written and the magic so damn interesting. I was hit with so much suspense and slow burn I could have screamed. Ertha is such a lovely character. She is relatable and I wanted to pick her brain apart. she has her flaws and makes mistakes but she gets right back up, brushes her skirt off, head held high and moves on. Although some of her mistakes had me rolling my eyes. The side characters Munin, Rhaspo and Hugin made me want to smile and they felt like a warm hug. I won't talk about the men options because I don't want to spoil anything but I did have some guy feelings about them. I could feel like Norse mythology wound through out this one and I loved it.
I devoured this as slow as I could so I could taste every little morsel that was given to me. This is my second book I've read by this author and she delivers. The writing and description felt like magic. The world felt huge, the characters were so well written and the magic so damn interesting. I was hit with so much suspense and slow burn I could have screamed. Ertha is such a lovely character. She is relatable and I wanted to pick her brain apart. she has her flaws and makes mistakes but she gets right back up, brushes her skirt off, head held high and moves on. Although some of her mistakes had me rolling my eyes. The side characters Munin, Rhaspo and Hugin made me want to smile and they felt like a warm hug. I won't talk about the men options because I don't want to spoil anything but I did have some guy feelings about them. I could feel like Norse mythology wound through out this one and I loved it.