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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
“The best lies come from the truth.”
It has been sitting in my table for quite some time now because, you know, life happened. I have to put it aside and face the reality of going back to being an employed member of the society. It is a great distraction for every day hustle at work, a stress reliever of some sort.
Full review to follow for this gorgeous little book, once the calm has finally arrived in my life. :p :D
I reread this last night, and it’s still the best YA romantasy I’ve ever read. It’s got everything you could want: enemies to lovers, betrayal, political intrigue, and the tension of a war college setting. The world-building is rich, with an immersive blend of magic and fae lore that keeps you hooked from the start. The characters are complex, each dealing with their own struggles, and their growth is woven beautifully into the story.
I typically don’t enjoy YA because the romance often feels immature, and the lack of spice can be frustrating. But this book does none of that. The romance is mature, well-paced, and doesn’t fall into the usual YA traps. In fact, adding spicy scenes wouldn’t have added any depth to the story, unlike what you often see with other YA novels. Every twist keeps you guessing, and the slow-burn romance adds tension without overtaking the plot. Whether you’re in it for the battles or the relationships, this book delivers on every front. It’s a must-read for romantasy lovers who want a story that doesn’t let up until the very end!
I typically don’t enjoy YA because the romance often feels immature, and the lack of spice can be frustrating. But this book does none of that. The romance is mature, well-paced, and doesn’t fall into the usual YA traps. In fact, adding spicy scenes wouldn’t have added any depth to the story, unlike what you often see with other YA novels. Every twist keeps you guessing, and the slow-burn romance adds tension without overtaking the plot. Whether you’re in it for the battles or the relationships, this book delivers on every front. It’s a must-read for romantasy lovers who want a story that doesn’t let up until the very end!
medium-paced
Yea this is a slowwwww burn but it was WORTH it.
I rlly liked this book in th beginning it took me a while to get invested to I felt like I was getting a in a reading slump but the audiobook helped a lot
But the plot and the main characters I love them the fmc she was a stronger fmc I rlly loved her and the mmm too and the betrayal and the plot twist that happen was unexpected.
I think I’m gonna rlly gonna love the rest of the series I was rlly surprised on how they met it was different then how I excepted to meet but it made sense overall
Can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series!
I rlly liked this book in th beginning it took me a while to get invested to I felt like I was getting a in a reading slump but the audiobook helped a lot
But the plot and the main characters I love them the fmc she was a stronger fmc I rlly loved her and the mmm too and the betrayal and the plot twist that happen was unexpected.
I think I’m gonna rlly gonna love the rest of the series I was rlly surprised on how they met it was different then how I excepted to meet but it made sense overall
Can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-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
adventurous
tense
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The whole premise of these fantasy schools where most of the children enrolled will die before graduation make absolutely zero sense. There is no military or government (fictional or otherwise) that would spend valuable time and critical resources on training children to become soldiers, only to have half of them die in the process. No country (no matter how corrupt) would invest in something as wasteful as that. I'm unable to suspend the logical side of my brain to believe that the parents of these children would allow them to be ripped from their arms for the "honor" of becoming a Mask.
If the Augurs are so powerful and all-knowing, why have they allowed these horrible things to pass? They bring children to a death camp, meant to weed out the weakest of all, but if they have the gift of foresight, then they could spare the children who would die in the culling process at Blackcliff. They say they don't interfere, but that's all they do, pulling the puppet strings of children forcing them to murder other children.
Which leads me to another point of contention for me: the Trials. Again, if these Augurs already know the outcome, there is no point to the trials. Again, what government would consent to pitting their best soldiers against one another in a battle to the death. Time wasted, resources consumed, lives forfeited; apparently it makes no difference to the Empire, cuz new Masks just grow on trees 🙄
I have so much more that I want to rant about, but I feel like this is enough.
2.5 stars
this book was…boring. i had high hopes but it fell sooo flat for me & i was genuinely struggling to keep my eyes open while reading it
i also felt like ive read this book before so nothing really surprised me or stood out to me lmao. that being said i will be giving book 2 a chance
this book was…boring. i had high hopes but it fell sooo flat for me & i was genuinely struggling to keep my eyes open while reading it
i also felt like ive read this book before so nothing really surprised me or stood out to me lmao. that being said i will be giving book 2 a chance