Take a photo of a barcode or cover
kirose 's review for:
Rebel Witch
by Kristen Ciccarelli
Edit (8 Apr): bumping this down to 1.5⭐️ because I just can’t stop thinking about how much I hated this book. If you really want to, just read book 1 as a standalone. It’s not great, but it’s sufficient.
—————————
This is probably my longest review to date.
———
This is a low 2 stars, unfortunately. If you want to make the plot so predictable, the least you could do is to make up in other aspects, like for example, character development (which should be an essential not matter what kind of books you are writing? Can’t believe I’m asking for the bare minimum). However, there is no character development seen in this book, and instead, it felt like it went backwards (if that’s even possible). Rune’s character felt watered down in this book, where’s the Rune we know from book 1? Don’t get me started on how there was zero development of the magic system lol. Very crazy in my opinion. She could have expanded on that and give us more, but no. There was potential with the magic system, it could have been interesting.
Honestly, there is zero depth to every character in this book, it’s as though they are just existing like NPCs. To push the plot. With 1 dimensional personality. Example: Noah Creed’s driving force in the whole book was just because he was bitter that Rune rejected him but instead chose a guy like Gideon. Idk, is this really a good enough reason to want to dispose Gideon? When he’s basically considered as the capital’s hero? Another example is Prince Soren. He gave an entire army to Cressida just because Rune flirted with him and will be engaged to him if he does so. A PRINCE. BEING SO FKING DUMB. Huh? A PRINCE. He just looks like a fool throughout the entire book, his whole mind was just filled with wanting Rune as his wife. He definitely just exists because the author says so. His character was not even thought out carefully. Blindly agreeing to lend his army to Cressida just for Rune is crazy stupid. Like you’re putting lives on the line for a woman??? I will riot as his commander. Lol. Honestly I can go on, but that’s too much trouble.
The whole book was very repetitive too, I don’t understand why the same kind of issues kept occurring. It was a whole CHORE to get to the end of the book. Also, the way the author tries to throw in multiple tropes in this one book, is insane. She’s turning the book to suit the tropes, and not the other way round. I cannot even begin to explain all the multiple tropes she attempted to put in. Some examples: one bed trope, ‘who did this to you’, and the whole enemies to lover trope that has been happening since book 1.
This brought me to the romance aspect now. Do I even want to explain any more? It was enemies to lovers to enemies then at the end back to lovers. You know what I cackled at? The part where they jumped into the train and did the deed, the way they said and acted were as though they were going straight into battlefield. But no, they weren’t LOL. They actually had like a few more days to organise and stuffs. So what was the whole act on the train? Got me very confused.
I can actually go on and on and on about the issues in this book, because they are never-ending, but I’m sure there are other reviews other there that will cover others too. Conclusion, don’t read it. I need to stop jumping on the hype train. I definitely prefer a good romantasy and enemies to lovers trope, but this duology is not it.
—————————
This is probably my longest review to date.
———
This is a low 2 stars, unfortunately. If you want to make the plot so predictable, the least you could do is to make up in other aspects, like for example, character development (which should be an essential not matter what kind of books you are writing? Can’t believe I’m asking for the bare minimum). However, there is no character development seen in this book, and instead, it felt like it went backwards (if that’s even possible). Rune’s character felt watered down in this book, where’s the Rune we know from book 1? Don’t get me started on how there was zero development of the magic system lol. Very crazy in my opinion. She could have expanded on that and give us more, but no. There was potential with the magic system, it could have been interesting.
Honestly, there is zero depth to every character in this book, it’s as though they are just existing like NPCs. To push the plot. With 1 dimensional personality. Example: Noah Creed’s driving force in the whole book was just because he was bitter that Rune rejected him but instead chose a guy like Gideon. Idk, is this really a good enough reason to want to dispose Gideon? When he’s basically considered as the capital’s hero? Another example is Prince Soren. He gave an entire army to Cressida just because Rune flirted with him and will be engaged to him if he does so. A PRINCE. BEING SO FKING DUMB. Huh? A PRINCE. He just looks like a fool throughout the entire book, his whole mind was just filled with wanting Rune as his wife. He definitely just exists because the author says so. His character was not even thought out carefully. Blindly agreeing to lend his army to Cressida just for Rune is crazy stupid. Like you’re putting lives on the line for a woman??? I will riot as his commander. Lol. Honestly I can go on, but that’s too much trouble.
The whole book was very repetitive too, I don’t understand why the same kind of issues kept occurring. It was a whole CHORE to get to the end of the book. Also, the way the author tries to throw in multiple tropes in this one book, is insane. She’s turning the book to suit the tropes, and not the other way round. I cannot even begin to explain all the multiple tropes she attempted to put in. Some examples: one bed trope, ‘who did this to you’, and the whole enemies to lover trope that has been happening since book 1.
This brought me to the romance aspect now. Do I even want to explain any more? It was enemies to lovers to enemies then at the end back to lovers. You know what I cackled at? The part where they jumped into the train and did the deed, the way they said and acted were as though they were going straight into battlefield. But no, they weren’t LOL. They actually had like a few more days to organise and stuffs. So what was the whole act on the train? Got me very confused.
I can actually go on and on and on about the issues in this book, because they are never-ending, but I’m sure there are other reviews other there that will cover others too. Conclusion, don’t read it. I need to stop jumping on the hype train. I definitely prefer a good romantasy and enemies to lovers trope, but this duology is not it.