adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-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: Yes

*repeatedly slaps book cover* this is the good shit right here! Brimming with everything I enjoy about Knightley's writing - posh, witty, poetic, with the drive-by quirky (and crass) humor I love. The narrators are unreliable, the plants are delicately paid off, the denial is turned up to 11 - get it in my veins!

I reserve the right to bump this up to 5⭐ after reading the second book, since it is only half of the story. I'm excited to see how it all ties together.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark funny mysterious tense medium-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

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC of this book.

I'm a huge fan of Brigitte's fanfiction so I was immediately so excited to read this book. I manifested receiving the arc for weeks after hearing the announcement and apparently during a bout of fever and the flu, I mumbled about the book in my sleep for a week!

I have been rationing the book since February, treating myself to a chapter at time, trying to drag it out and savour it, but alas, I got half way through and could not put it down again. 

Firstly, Brigitte's world building. Phenomenal. Don't get me wrong, it was confusing and felt rushed at times but I fear that is how all fantasy books make me feel. Yet, she was able to explain sufficiently enough the details needed for the plot and not do so in an overwhelming way. It was really smooth. I did not feel too confused to comprehend but enough to wonder and want to read more. 
I feel the magical system and the different Order's was a really interesting concept. The book felt new and yet familiar at the same time. 

Secondly, the writing. God it was so beautiful. A mixture of crass, blunt snips of humour and beautiful prose. I loved the style of writing - it definitely made me crack open the dictionary a few times - and I do not think it will be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. The way Brigitte describes inexplicable things genuinely tugs at my soppy little heart.

Most importantly, the BANTER. As always Brigitte's writing is so freaking witty. I NEVER laugh out loud at books, or tv or most media, but I was repressing giggles and bursts of laughter at work... which is inconvenient seeing as I work in a library. The humour in this book is un-paralleled and I genuinely loved the relationship between Aurienne and Osric. It was definitely toxic and a perfect enemies-to-lovers but it was so bloody funny and I found myself excited for more interactions between them, just to see what weird situations they find themselves in and how hilarious they will be. 

The romance was SLOW. Yet it felt natural for the characters. When I say they are enemies, I mean genuine hatred. So anything faster than was was written would have felt strange for the characters. I would have liked a few more tense moment throughout but if anything it made me more excited to see how they relationship progresses in the next book. The ending did feel a bit abrupt but again it made me want to read more so I'm not too mad about it. 

I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come and I may have to re-read some parts to fill the void inside. I definitely recommend to everyone who loved hilarious, witty, enemies-to-lovers set in a unique fantasy world. 


Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings