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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
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
This was a great reimagining of Arthurian tales with fae and a dark side.
I appreciated the way the author wrote about our FMC’s grief and trauma. I felt like this was really relatable for a lot of people. I loved our grumpy and brooding MMC Arran!
He is the morally gray MMC I’ve been needing for a while. And the way he appreciates Keyva’s full figure. Yes please, we need more of that in fantasy books.
Plus some very hot spicy scenes are always appreciated 🥵
Not to mention the cliffhanger?!?! I was shook! And I will be starting the 2nd book immediately following this review.
If you’re looking for a dark fantasy series with political intrigue and an enemies to lovers storyline then I’d recommend giving this one a go.
My only note/criticism that the beginning of this book was quite slow and I wasn’t really sure where the plot was going until I hit the 40% mark.
I appreciated the way the author wrote about our FMC’s grief and trauma. I felt like this was really relatable for a lot of people. I loved our grumpy and brooding MMC Arran!
He is the morally gray MMC I’ve been needing for a while. And the way he appreciates Keyva’s full figure. Yes please, we need more of that in fantasy books.
Plus some very hot spicy scenes are always appreciated 🥵
Not to mention the cliffhanger?!?! I was shook! And I will be starting the 2nd book immediately following this review.
If you’re looking for a dark fantasy series with political intrigue and an enemies to lovers storyline then I’d recommend giving this one a go.
My only note/criticism that the beginning of this book was quite slow and I wasn’t really sure where the plot was going until I hit the 40% mark.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief
Minor: Body shaming
A great start to a fantasy series filled with romance, murder, mystery and prophecies that leaves you hooked till the end! The first book with a decent amount of world building is always a struggle for me compared to the rest of the series, but I do think this series has a lot of potential, especially as time goes on within the series!
Arran and Veyka have a ton of chemistry and their romance storyline will be fun as they are definitely lusting over each other, but no where near love yet. They are just learning to move past the hate and distrust, but we’ve got a while to go, and I’m going to love the drive.
I love the Queen of Secrets, because her secrets are so good, and make me wonder how the rest of the series will continue! I cant wait to come back to this series after I read this next book!
Arran and Veyka have a ton of chemistry and their romance storyline will be fun as they are definitely lusting over each other, but no where near love yet. They are just learning to move past the hate and distrust, but we’ve got a while to go, and I’m going to love the drive.
I love the Queen of Secrets, because her secrets are so good, and make me wonder how the rest of the series will continue! I cant wait to come back to this series after I read this next book!
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I LOVED this book!
It started off a little slow. The world building and identifying key relationships eased me into the story. Veyka is now queen after her brother Arthur is murdered, but not officially queen until she bonds with/married the terrestrial heir. The first part of the book introduces various characters while Veyka drowns in grief. Yes, it is a bit of a slog to read because no one really wants to dwell on grief because it's a hard subject, it makes people uncomfortable. But I am a firm believer in, its not about the destination, it's the journey you take to get there. To understand Veyka's character development, to really appreciate it, you have to see her at rock bottom. You have to feel the soul deep, bone aching loss that she's trying to survive. And I loved it, I loved the journey and seeing her come out the other side.
Arran is a bit of a prick but in the end, he's Veyka's prick and I love it. Enemies to lovers to epic partners in crime (or the solving of said crime..) He has his own traumatic past but is old enough to have come to terms with it, for the most part. He is gruff and violent.
Other secondary characters include Arthur's should've been queen, a trio of handmaidens, a few guards and two of Arthur's lovers. AND LETS NOT FORGET THE MOTHER... I want to know more about her!
A spin on King Arthur and the knights of the round table. It's a dark read with plot twists, turns and foreshadowing. Not to mention a bit of spice, intrigue, mystery and just the right amount (for me) of threats, violence and death. Veyka is a bigger lady, there's a lot of reference to her size in comparison to other Fae, but mostly it comes from Arran so I'm wasn't too annoyed by the frequency of it. Through his appreciation of her size the author brings our attention back to the fact that Veyka isn't a frail little bird. I loved that she was an accomplished fighter at the beginning of the book and didn't magically become a master fighter overnight. I highly recommend this book.
I cannot wait to dive into the next book because after everything that has come to light in this book, the secrets unveiled, the treasonous plots and betrayals uncovered, I do not want to waste any time.
I LOVED this book!
It started off a little slow. The world building and identifying key relationships eased me into the story. Veyka is now queen after her brother Arthur is murdered, but not officially queen until she bonds with/married the terrestrial heir. The first part of the book introduces various characters while Veyka drowns in grief. Yes, it is a bit of a slog to read because no one really wants to dwell on grief because it's a hard subject, it makes people uncomfortable. But I am a firm believer in, its not about the destination, it's the journey you take to get there. To understand Veyka's character development, to really appreciate it, you have to see her at rock bottom. You have to feel the soul deep, bone aching loss that she's trying to survive. And I loved it, I loved the journey and seeing her come out the other side.
Arran is a bit of a prick but in the end, he's Veyka's prick and I love it. Enemies to lovers to epic partners in crime (or the solving of said crime..) He has his own traumatic past but is old enough to have come to terms with it, for the most part. He is gruff and violent.
Other secondary characters include Arthur's should've been queen, a trio of handmaidens, a few guards and two of Arthur's lovers. AND LETS NOT FORGET THE MOTHER... I want to know more about her!
A spin on King Arthur and the knights of the round table. It's a dark read with plot twists, turns and foreshadowing. Not to mention a bit of spice, intrigue, mystery and just the right amount (for me) of threats, violence and death. Veyka is a bigger lady, there's a lot of reference to her size in comparison to other Fae, but mostly it comes from Arran so I'm wasn't too annoyed by the frequency of it. Through his appreciation of her size the author brings our attention back to the fact that Veyka isn't a frail little bird. I loved that she was an accomplished fighter at the beginning of the book and didn't magically become a master fighter overnight. I highly recommend this book.
I cannot wait to dive into the next book because after everything that has come to light in this book, the secrets unveiled, the treasonous plots and betrayals uncovered, I do not want to waste any time.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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:
No
Veyka and Arthur. The twins who should not be. Arthur the heir to the Kingdom. Veyka the newly released prisoner, tortured survivor and now talented warrior. But when Arthur is struck down, Veyka finds herself was the unwanted queen and heir. Now she must navigate court politics, Fae rivalries and the machinations of the Dowager!
Arran Earthborn may be her intended but she won't be submitting to anyone, ever again. But can Arran make Veyka see that life can be worth living after loss. That arranged marriage can lead to true love. That sometimes creating a family of friends, can be stronger than that of blood relations.
I really loved Veyka. She has taken her trauma and turned it into her super-power. She's decided that if she doesn't love anyone else, then it won't hurt if anyone else is taken from her. She turns from tortured, self-loathing, powerless survivor to powerful warrior, fated mate and queen of the realm. Arran may be the strongest fae for centuries but for a warrior with a fearsome reputation he has strong friendships and quite a tenderheart under all those muscles. when he finally sees past Veyka's outer shell of "doesn't give a s**t" and sees the self-hate boiling there, he drags her soul kicking and screaming into the light. He refuses to allow her to die and shirk her duty to her people.
Revenge, hope, triumph over abuse, found family and dealing with prophecies all mix together into a fabulous story. Some parts of the story are hard to read due to the themes being dealt with (child abuse, torture, confinement and suicidal thoughts) but they make Veyka's triumph that much more sweeter.
Arran Earthborn may be her intended but she won't be submitting to anyone, ever again. But can Arran make Veyka see that life can be worth living after loss. That arranged marriage can lead to true love. That sometimes creating a family of friends, can be stronger than that of blood relations.
I really loved Veyka. She has taken her trauma and turned it into her super-power. She's decided that if she doesn't love anyone else, then it won't hurt if anyone else is taken from her. She turns from tortured, self-loathing, powerless survivor to powerful warrior, fated mate and queen of the realm. Arran may be the strongest fae for centuries but for a warrior with a fearsome reputation he has strong friendships and quite a tenderheart under all those muscles. when he finally sees past Veyka's outer shell of "doesn't give a s**t" and sees the self-hate boiling there, he drags her soul kicking and screaming into the light. He refuses to allow her to die and shirk her duty to her people.
Revenge, hope, triumph over abuse, found family and dealing with prophecies all mix together into a fabulous story. Some parts of the story are hard to read due to the themes being dealt with (child abuse, torture, confinement and suicidal thoughts) but they make Veyka's triumph that much more sweeter.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief
This was such a fun read for me - super unexpected that I'd enjoy it as much as I did. I hadn't read anything else from the author (even via her other pen name) but really enjoyed this one.
It was a great balance of plot and romance and spice. I felt intrigued by the romance but also very intrigued by the plot.
Would highly recommend to those who need a need a new fantasy romance to sink their teeth into.
This one does end on a cliffhanger, so beware, but book 2 is already out!
It was a great balance of plot and romance and spice. I felt intrigued by the romance but also very intrigued by the plot.
Would highly recommend to those who need a need a new fantasy romance to sink their teeth into.
This one does end on a cliffhanger, so beware, but book 2 is already out!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
If Silver Flames was your favourite of the ACOTAR books then this is definitely for you. Full of political drama, action, and of course lots of spice Crown of Earth and Sky is a fantastic romantasy read. The plot immediately pulls you in with a dramatic death and intriguing world building but it does slow down a lot in the middle and I struggled with continuing on. But I am glad I did because the 3rd act is so worth it. The ending draws you back in with so many plot twists and a fabulous cliff hanger.
The world building is really interesting and well thought out. The characters are complex, flawed, and loveable. The FMC Veyka is stubborn and headstrong but also brave and fiercely loyal its hard not to love her and emphasise with all she's been through. Arren, the MMC, is quite a typical fantasy male, tall, dark, and brooding, although we got glimpses of his backstory it didn't go into much detail and I really hope we delve into his character more in books 2 and 3. Every side character was very well written and each felt like their own person who contributed to the story I look forward to diving more into their stories, Gwen especially as she is such an interesting character.
The slow burn romance was well done, with the 2 main characters having obvious attraction while not liking each other but falling into the love the more they got to know each other. The fact we have a plus size main character love interest is also fantastic! There isn't enough plus size fmcs in fantasy or romance. Though for me I felt the author maybe objectified Veyka a little too much, there was very very few chapters that didn't mention her ass, curves, or breasts, which I found a little over the top but I am not a fan of smut or sexual writing so this is very much a personal issue.
On the topic of smut there was just too much of it for me and ultimately it did negatively affect my enjoyment of the book. The amount of times it mentions Arrens c*ck getting hard honestly made me uncomfortable. But if you are a spice lover this will be right up your street.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would have rated it higher but the slow point in the middle and the amount of smut really let it down for me. Nonetheless I am still excited to get stuck into book 2!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So I really, really, really liked this book in the beginning, but unfortunately it just got way too long and meandering that I ended up getting really bored about 60% of the way through.
This book had a very strong beginning. You are immediately sucked into the story with action and death and a little bit of mystery. The characters are being introduced very well and are all very different and interesting. Veyka was a complex person with her own strengths and weaknesses that are explored throughout the book. Arran was the typical brooding, powerful MMC but it definitely wasn't overdone. We know he spent a good part of his life fighting for his people, but we never really get that weird plot device of whether or not he's a good person and whether or not Veyka can love him because of that. I know this is done a lot in romantasies, so I appreciate that this isn't the case. Yes, Arran is a brutal killer but it's never questioned whether or not he'll do the objectively right thing. The only conflict like this is whether or not Veyka and Arran's goals actually align but it's pretty quickly resolved.
I am very interested to learn more about their backstories, specifically Arran since we saw so little about him and his people. I would say the only critique I really have is that there was maybe too much of the spice in this book. Not necessarily full smutty scenes, but the amount of times that Arran describe his c*ck getting hard after looking at Veyka was a little ridiculous and honestly made me uncomfortable a few times.
The side characters were also very fun to read about and had good roles in the story--no one seemed pushed to the side (except Evander, I still don't understand why Veyka hated him so much).
Now my biggest issue with this book is that it could definitely be at least 100 pages short than it is. The middle of the book is just so bogged down with nothing happening. There's a little bit of world-building going on and personal conflicts, but nothing that is really advancing the plot. Besides the very beginning and end of the book, there are maybe two or three scenes that really advance the plot. The humans aren't really explored even though they advanced the entire book's plot. As someone so bent on revenge, we don't really see Veyka doing too much to investigate who actually orchestrated her brother's assassination. Honestly if there was more minor conflict between the main characters and better emotional development of their relationships, I wouldn't mind the lack of action, but that was not the case. I didn't really feel any major chemistry between Veyka and Arran outside of physical attraction. There was a lot of good groundwork for other relationships (both romantic and platonic), but they're never really explored. As someone who loves books in which I can really relate to or fall in love with the characters, this book really fell short in that area.
Overall, I think this series has insane potential, it just really needs to be edited down and focus more on plot/characters than smut.
This book had a very strong beginning. You are immediately sucked into the story with action and death and a little bit of mystery. The characters are being introduced very well and are all very different and interesting. Veyka was a complex person with her own strengths and weaknesses that are explored throughout the book. Arran was the typical brooding, powerful MMC but it definitely wasn't overdone. We know he spent a good part of his life fighting for his people, but we never really get that weird plot device of whether or not he's a good person and whether or not Veyka can love him because of that. I know this is done a lot in romantasies, so I appreciate that this isn't the case. Yes, Arran is a brutal killer but it's never questioned whether or not he'll do the objectively right thing. The only conflict like this is whether or not Veyka and Arran's goals actually align but it's pretty quickly resolved.
I am very interested to learn more about their backstories, specifically Arran since we saw so little about him and his people. I would say the only critique I really have is that there was maybe too much of the spice in this book. Not necessarily full smutty scenes, but the amount of times that Arran describe his c*ck getting hard after looking at Veyka was a little ridiculous and honestly made me uncomfortable a few times.
The side characters were also very fun to read about and had good roles in the story--no one seemed pushed to the side (except Evander, I still don't understand why Veyka hated him so much).
Now my biggest issue with this book is that it could definitely be at least 100 pages short than it is. The middle of the book is just so bogged down with nothing happening. There's a little bit of world-building going on and personal conflicts, but nothing that is really advancing the plot. Besides the very beginning and end of the book, there are maybe two or three scenes that really advance the plot. The humans aren't really explored even though they advanced the entire book's plot. As someone so bent on revenge, we don't really see Veyka doing too much to investigate who actually orchestrated her brother's assassination. Honestly if there was more minor conflict between the main characters and better emotional development of their relationships, I wouldn't mind the lack of action, but that was not the case. I didn't really feel any major chemistry between Veyka and Arran outside of physical attraction. There was a lot of good groundwork for other relationships (both romantic and platonic), but they're never really explored. As someone who loves books in which I can really relate to or fall in love with the characters, this book really fell short in that area.
Overall, I think this series has insane potential, it just really needs to be edited down and focus more on plot/characters than smut.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
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