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emily_mh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
5.0
Where to start with my love with this book??? It has been the first thing since Our Flag Means Death finished up to give me any strong emotion. It is the Merthur book I’ve always needed. It has almost all of my absolute favourite tropes. I simply ADORE IT.
I loved how satirical it was, because this meant the fantasy element could act as an interesting backdrop for the romance to shine from, and shine it did. The interactions and dialogue between Arek and Matt had my heart soaring; they really showcased the depth of their relationship and of course highlighted the pining, which was PERFECTLY executed.
On top of this there was a lovely found family element, and even though this book is only 350 pages, I got a good feel for the side characters. Also, Arek was an amazing MC to follow, as he brought so much humour into the story both through his wit and because he was such a himbo and completely oblivious to everyone around him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Ableism, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Minor warnings for earthquake, mass murder, famine, epidemic and loss of a loved one. Moderate warnings for fainting and dissociation.purplepenning's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Alcohol, Animal death, Gore, Vomit, and Violence
Minor: Confinement and Kidnapping
betweentheshelves's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this to review! FT Lukens' In Deeper Waters was such a fun book, I couldn't wait to read this one. And I'm happy to say it's just as entertaining and fun as In Deeper Waters!
So This Is Ever After takes a lot of the fantasy tropes you might know and love and turns them into an absolutely fun and entertaining story. Where most fantasy novels end after the great evil is defeated, we get to see Arek and his friends struggling with what to do now that the king is dead. None of them are from royal backgrounds, so seeing them try to figure out how to rule a kingdom was definitely a riot.
While a lot of the plot elements are a bit predictable, the characters make up for it. Their interactions and just general meandering in the world makes for fun reading. I loved the way things developed between Arek and Matt, because you are absolutely rooting for them throughout the entire novel. Arek's escapades in finding someone to be his soulmate are endearing and funny. And the whole group's interactions with the people of the kingdom add a little breath of fresh air to what you normally might think about fantasy royalty.
All in all, if you're a fan of D&D and love quest novels with a great cast of characters, this book is definitely for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Blood
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, and Sexual assault
bookstarbri's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've been unbelievably excited for this book since I first saw the cover and read the description and I am beyond happy that it gave EVERYTHING it was supposed to give and more. One word to describe this experience: YEARNING. The angst and yearning of this spoke to my soul.
What happens after a hero goes on their quests and defeats their monsters? That's what this story is about. It's also focused heavily on friendship, which I loved. This book has one of my favorite found families I've ever experienced. This book doesn't technically *need* sequel, but I'd want one just so I could be with these characters again. In fact, this is my formal request at a second adventure with this group. They were all great and had their distinct personalities that was palpable from the first chapter. They're weird and funny and complement each other the way a friendship should. Their bond is phenomenal.
The plot of this book is simple. The main character has become king and needs to marry or suffer the life-ending consequences. Of course, the circumstances of the book (brought on by the MC being both dramatic and terrible at communication) make things anything but simple. The MC (and whose POV we're in for the whole book) is Arek. He's a fantastic reluctant hero whose character growth is wonderful to read. And, though he and Matt are total idiots (who I adore so much), their relationship in particular felt so genuine and natural. It's hard to pick a favorite character from this book because they're all so wonderful. Even the side characters have their roles that just feel right. F.T. Lukens has written a masterpiece and they are for sure an auto-buy author for me from here on out.
Thank you to F.T. Lukens, Margaret K. Elderberry Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for a review!
What happens after a hero goes on their quests and defeats their monsters? That's what this story is about. It's also focused heavily on friendship, which I loved. This book has one of my favorite found families I've ever experienced. This book doesn't technically *need* sequel, but I'd want one just so I could be with these characters again. In fact, this is my formal request at a second adventure with this group. They were all great and had their distinct personalities that was palpable from the first chapter. They're weird and funny and complement each other the way a friendship should. Their bond is phenomenal.
The plot of this book is simple. The main character has become king and needs to marry or suffer the life-ending consequences. Of course, the circumstances of the book (brought on by the MC being both dramatic and terrible at communication) make things anything but simple. The MC (and whose POV we're in for the whole book) is Arek. He's a fantastic reluctant hero whose character growth is wonderful to read. And, though he and Matt are total idiots (who I adore so much), their relationship in particular felt so genuine and natural. It's hard to pick a favorite character from this book because they're all so wonderful. Even the side characters have their roles that just feel right. F.T. Lukens has written a masterpiece and they are for sure an auto-buy author for me from here on out.
Thank you to F.T. Lukens, Margaret K. Elderberry Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for a review!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Alcohol
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