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klaughs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
jessiepostshere's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t love this as much as I wanted to, but I don’t feel like it’s this books fault as much as it is the books that it felt similar to. It had elements of Kingdom of the Wicked/Kingdom of the Cursed and A Shadow in the Ember, which happen to be two of my favorite reads of the year, and this just didn’t top that for me. (Once again, not this books fault. KOTC wrecked my life in the best way possible.)
If I could time travel and read this before those two series, I think I would have enjoyed it much more.
Regardless, I can’t wait for book 2!
If I could time travel and read this before those two series, I think I would have enjoyed it much more.
Regardless, I can’t wait for book 2!
crown_of_blistering_stars's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I'm only giving this a 2 instead of a 1 because the prose was good and the main character was likeable, but good GOD. Every enemies to lovers must give you a horrible guy and then try to sell you a better version of him. This book's attempts to sell the better version of him to be felt like they were the inspiration for plot points. Entire characters made so I can have a "contrast" on how "better" he is. Entire pages convincing me that his country isn't as bad as it seems because history is cut and dry, unless you were lied to. Obviously there is always a good side and a bad side. Grey? What's that?
I did not feel like they had chemistry. To the point that I was able to guess the plot twistthat she knew him from a past life. It was literally the only way to explain her attraction towards him and why he seemed to both care and not care about her consent. Because he last lover totally loved him which means he present version of her will just have to get with the program. Give me a break.
If the author wanted to make THEIR romance actually believable she should have had him try to view her as a person and not a vessel for his past wife or something.
I will applaude the writer, however, for writing such a likeable female lead. She wasn't freshly 18 either, which led her to feeling like a mature and capable woman. We were not just told that she was a queen, we were showed. I was worried from the beginning that loving her people would be something that came up just for conflict with the romance. QI find it baffling that her choice to fuck her people's conquerer was framed as a "what more could they want from me?" UM A LOT??? NOT TO FUCK THE MAN WHO KILLED THEM WITH EASE, DISCARDING HOW IT SEEMED TO THE PEOPLE WHO DEPENDED ON HER. Nevertheless this trait was treated seriously and helped characterize her outside of her love interest.
I wanted to like this. I love vampires. I love enemies to lovers! But I think this story would have benefited a lot more from not being one.
I did not feel like they had chemistry. To the point that I was able to guess the plot twist
If the author wanted to make THEIR romance actually believable she should have had him try to view her as a person and not a vessel for his past wife or something.
I will applaude the writer, however, for writing such a likeable female lead. She wasn't freshly 18 either, which led her to feeling like a mature and capable woman. We were not just told that she was a queen, we were showed. I was worried from the beginning that loving her people would be something that came up just for conflict with the romance. Q
I wanted to like this. I love vampires. I love enemies to lovers! But I think this story would have benefited a lot more from not being one.
allivenger's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first Scarlett St. Clair book and overall I enjoyed it. The writing is solid even if the story is somewhat lacking. I felt like nothing happened and I can’t say that the story is life changing at all. However, the smut in this book is top tier. This is enemies to lovers but this is absolutely NOT a slow burn romance. This starts off strong with the smut and it continues throughout the book.
Isolde is the Princess of a kingdom that is going to surrender to the Vampire King. But the price of surrender is her hand in marriage. Isolde doesn’t want to be married. She doesn’t want to be controlled by some man who thinks he knows her mind. But the Vampire King has plans for her. And she’s not ready for what those plans entail or the feelings the Vampire King brings to the surface.
Isolde’s internal monologue got really old really fast. Which is why I gave this four stars instead of five. It was monotonous to listen to her complain about her situation and her attraction to Adrian. And not a lot happens in the book. She travels, she reaches the court, and there’s a mystery to solve. That’s about it. But the end starts to weave together things going on and I can’t help but want to read the next book immediately. Because it’s like this book is just the foundation to the overall story and the next book is going to be so much better. I have high hopes.
Isolde is the Princess of a kingdom that is going to surrender to the Vampire King. But the price of surrender is her hand in marriage. Isolde doesn’t want to be married. She doesn’t want to be controlled by some man who thinks he knows her mind. But the Vampire King has plans for her. And she’s not ready for what those plans entail or the feelings the Vampire King brings to the surface.
Isolde’s internal monologue got really old really fast. Which is why I gave this four stars instead of five. It was monotonous to listen to her complain about her situation and her attraction to Adrian. And not a lot happens in the book. She travels, she reaches the court, and there’s a mystery to solve. That’s about it. But the end starts to weave together things going on and I can’t help but want to read the next book immediately. Because it’s like this book is just the foundation to the overall story and the next book is going to be so much better. I have high hopes.
thrivingduck's review against another edition
I started this book because the internet told me it had good angst. I’m 35% in and mostly it’s just the main girl being so horny for the main guy but upset about it bc he’s a vampire and supposedly evil. Meh.
gracefulcatastrophe12's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
purplebunni's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0