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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
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:
Complicated
Book Review
“I should have died in the womb”
I love when a book draws you in with an opening line. It was hard to put this book down once I started. I was totally engrossed in Veyka’s quest for revenge and learning the secret she’s been keeping to protect herself and the kingdom. I love a book with a strong, murderous, stabby FMC especially when it’s paired with a strong, “you’re mine” MMC who falls first! What a cliffhanger that would have been?! I’m so glad I didn’t have to wait for the 2nd book to find out what comes next for Veyka and her knights of the round table. I know what I am jumping into next.
For those who love ACOTAR and FBAA I present you a new series to obsess over!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Emberly Ash for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
“I should have died in the womb”
I love when a book draws you in with an opening line. It was hard to put this book down once I started. I was totally engrossed in Veyka’s quest for revenge and learning the secret she’s been keeping to protect herself and the kingdom. I love a book with a strong, murderous, stabby FMC especially when it’s paired with a strong, “you’re mine” MMC who falls first! What a cliffhanger that would have been?! I’m so glad I didn’t have to wait for the 2nd book to find out what comes next for Veyka and her knights of the round table. I know what I am jumping into next.
For those who love ACOTAR and FBAA I present you a new series to obsess over!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Emberly Ash for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This review is for the ARC provided by Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op
"Only Arthur had ever made me feel loved. But that was the love of a brother."
"I'd let Annwyn burn, down to the last soul, if it meant Veykas life."
"Bloodthirsty, buxom, beautiful. Mine."
This retelling was absolutely amazing. The fae and shifters added so much to the story. The FMC is strong and BA. She was ready for her revenge and she was going to make it happen. The MMC was just as great. He would do anything for his people and for his mate. He always pushed Veyka to do her best. The angst for this couple was written so well. It was enemies to all enemies. They had so much growth together it was beautiful. The world building was so interesting and so we're the side characters. I definitely can't wait for the sequel. The ending was mind blowing and I need to know what's going to happen.
• Enemies to lovers
• Arranged Marriage
• Spicy
• Strong FMC
• Retelling
• Fae
"I'd let Annwyn burn, down to the last soul, if it meant Veykas life."
"Bloodthirsty, buxom, beautiful. Mine."
This retelling was absolutely amazing. The fae and shifters added so much to the story. The FMC is strong and BA. She was ready for her revenge and she was going to make it happen. The MMC was just as great. He would do anything for his people and for his mate. He always pushed Veyka to do her best. The angst for this couple was written so well. It was enemies to all enemies. They had so much growth together it was beautiful. The world building was so interesting and so we're the side characters. I definitely can't wait for the sequel. The ending was mind blowing and I need to know what's going to happen.
• Enemies to lovers
• Arranged Marriage
• Spicy
• Strong FMC
• Retelling
• Fae
Veyka Pendragon is an unwilling Queen of the Elemental Fae seeks revenge for her kingdom. She is betrothed to the Brutal Prince of the Terrestrial Fae, Arran Earthborn. Bound together by tradition and duty they must band together to fight anyone who seeks to hurt their rule and also learn to get along with each other, for their own sanity.
“Crown of Earth and Sky” by Emberly Ash was absolutely amazing. I was so invested and sucked into the story right away. I loved the relationship Veyka and Arran have with each other and their fighting. The world Emberly Ash created was unique and easy to picture. I also really like Veyka’s outfits. The fact that they fight with axes instead of swords was refreshing choice and I ended up really liking it. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars and cannot wait for a second book.
“Crown of Earth and Sky” by Emberly Ash was absolutely amazing. I was so invested and sucked into the story right away. I loved the relationship Veyka and Arran have with each other and their fighting. The world Emberly Ash created was unique and easy to picture. I also really like Veyka’s outfits. The fact that they fight with axes instead of swords was refreshing choice and I ended up really liking it. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars and cannot wait for a second book.
I wanted to like this so much, but there are too many issues.
First, it’s poorly edited and the amount of typos is highly distracting. When I have to reread sentences just to figure out what the author meant to say, it takes me out of the story. The writing improved towards the end but I really had to push my way through.
Second - and let me get on my soap box for this one - I’m tired AF of reading how plus sized women are represented in romance novels lately. I’m all for representation, but so many authors are writing FMCs whose weight becomes their entire character. Veyka is plus-sized. We get it. But nearly every single chapter includes a description of her body. EVERY. CHAPTER. A few examples of the 22 I highlighted (and there are more):
▸ I’d been told from a young age that there was too much of me—my belly too soft, my hips too wide, my breasts too large.
▸ My hip hit the bookcase hard, the impact of my considerable weight sending several volumes flying…
▸ She paused, hands settling on her impossibly wide hips.
▸ …those vines wouldn’t hold Veyka’s considerable weight…
▸ he actually leaned over on the chaise so he could see past Veyka’s wide figure…
▸ I was tall, wide, with a soft belly and an ass that wobbled when I walked…
These are not flattering descriptions. These are not written in a more powerful light, as they should have been. As a woman, I find it quite honestly insulting. I am so much more than my body size, more than my weight, more than the circumference of my hips. If my fated mate was going around describing me as "impossibly wide", I would have found the closest cauldron of eternal damnation™️ and tossed him in! If the author spent half as many words on Veyka’s character (or maybe the plot overall) as they did reminding us all that she’s plus sized, this would have been a far better book. As it stands, I really had to force myself through this. Alright, rant over.
Putting that aside, I just didn't find Veyka to be likable at all. Yes, she is wallowing in grief and exists solely for revenge. But when she's supposed to have this turning point in her character development, where she actually gives a damn about the people around her, it's still ALL in service of her revenge. Arran, our MMC, changes his (extremely low but accurate) opinions of Veyka because...he sees her plotting her revenge and decides she's clever? Idk, I thought she was really selfish & petty throughout the whole book.
Last little pieces - Arran was just bland. All he seemed to care about is peace for the kingdom…and Veyka’s tits. Literally all of his thoughts are about fucking her, how selfish she is, and how they are about to be high king & high queen of Annwyn. Kinda boring, overall.
I really wish this had been better
First, it’s poorly edited and the amount of typos is highly distracting. When I have to reread sentences just to figure out what the author meant to say, it takes me out of the story. The writing improved towards the end but I really had to push my way through.
Second - and let me get on my soap box for this one - I’m tired AF of reading how plus sized women are represented in romance novels lately. I’m all for representation, but so many authors are writing FMCs whose weight becomes their entire character. Veyka is plus-sized. We get it. But nearly every single chapter includes a description of her body. EVERY. CHAPTER. A few examples of the 22 I highlighted (and there are more):
▸ I’d been told from a young age that there was too much of me—my belly too soft, my hips too wide, my breasts too large.
▸ My hip hit the bookcase hard, the impact of my considerable weight sending several volumes flying…
▸ She paused, hands settling on her impossibly wide hips.
▸ …those vines wouldn’t hold Veyka’s considerable weight…
▸ he actually leaned over on the chaise so he could see past Veyka’s wide figure…
▸ I was tall, wide, with a soft belly and an ass that wobbled when I walked…
These are not flattering descriptions. These are not written in a more powerful light, as they should have been. As a woman, I find it quite honestly insulting. I am so much more than my body size, more than my weight, more than the circumference of my hips. If my fated mate was going around describing me as "impossibly wide", I would have found the closest cauldron of eternal damnation™️ and tossed him in! If the author spent half as many words on Veyka’s character (or maybe the plot overall) as they did reminding us all that she’s plus sized, this would have been a far better book. As it stands, I really had to force myself through this. Alright, rant over.
Putting that aside, I just didn't find Veyka to be likable at all. Yes, she is wallowing in grief and exists solely for revenge. But when she's supposed to have this turning point in her character development, where she actually gives a damn about the people around her, it's still ALL in service of her revenge. Arran, our MMC, changes his (extremely low but accurate) opinions of Veyka because...he sees her plotting her revenge and decides she's clever? Idk, I thought she was really selfish & petty throughout the whole book.
Last little pieces - Arran was just bland. All he seemed to care about is peace for the kingdom…and Veyka’s tits. Literally all of his thoughts are about fucking her, how selfish she is, and how they are about to be high king & high queen of Annwyn. Kinda boring, overall.
I really wish this had been better
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one is for fans of acotar but more spice. IT HAS SHIFTERS, GRUMPY X GRUMPY, MAGIC, ROYALTY AND ARRANGED MARRIAGES.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
Slow, Angry Burn
Veyka will make you hate and love her from chapter to chapter. Arran’s loyalty is admirable. The spicy scenes take a minute to get to, but once they arrive, I definitely was eager for the next!
Veyka will make you hate and love her from chapter to chapter. Arran’s loyalty is admirable. The spicy scenes take a minute to get to, but once they arrive, I definitely was eager for the next!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Murder