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heabooknerd 's review for:
The Viridian Priestess
by Katrina Calandra
THE VIRIDIAN PRIESTESS was such a fresh take on sci-fi romance and I devoured every tension filled moment. The story started out a little slow in the beginning but quickly picked up by 15% once Ferren leaves Cosima on her mission to retrieve the First Mother's sacred stones. While this has great moments of action, its more character driven and its truly a story about Ferren. I loved seeing her progression and growth as she explored the world outside the temple and the way she came to love herself exactly as she was. Ferren was sweet and kind but also determined and willing to voice her thoughts even when her religious training told her to stay meek and quiet. Spending time around August and the 99th Commander tested her in ways she never expected and it was rocky at first due to the poor relationship between the priestess's of Cosima and the Viathans.
While Ferren doesn't have much experience outside the temple, she's not innocent and while she's hesitant in her feelings about 99 she's not afraid to explore what they can have between them. This was definitely a sloooow burn but I loved the tension between Ferren and 99 and I've never read a book where the author made staring so hot! 99 might have spent the majority of the book hidden behind his armor and helmet, stoically guarding the group, but that man had a fiery stare and I was sweating alongside Ferren every time she caught him looking. These two had great chemistry and I adored the way 99 became so devoted to Ferren. He didn't always know how to express himself with words but he never let Ferren doubt his feelings and he showed her through his actions and the mind link that Ferren could created that he cared for her. This man would burn down the world to protect what's his and it was beyond swoony.
I also appreciated that Ferren built friendships with August and Calliape and that they became the family she never really had in the temple. They supported her, made her laugh, appreciated her, and loved her exactly the way she was, instead of making her feel like she was lacking because she hadn't ascended as a priestess yet.
The main reason this didn't hit 5 stars for me is because there were a lot of unanswered questions. We hardly learn anything about 99's past or anything about the Viathan people. Viathan's hate and fear for the priestesses of Cosima is never really explained and while I appreciated the whole masked MMC thing, it felt like there was something more behind why 99 always wore his helmet but that's never addressed. Ferren's abilities are still a bit of a mystery and I have lots of questions about the conjunction, the First Son soldiers, and the three worlds at large.
All those questions, combined with the epic ending have me jumping into book 2 right away and I'm hoping we'll get some answers to my questions.
Content Warning: overcoming religious trauma
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Favorite Quotes:
“It was difficult leaving. You made it very difficult while I was away. You . . . haunted me, Priestess.”
- - - - -
“If something like that happens to you again . . . I will tear the three fucking worlds apart.”
- - - - -
"You are perfect to me as you are now," he whispers.
While Ferren doesn't have much experience outside the temple, she's not innocent and while she's hesitant in her feelings about 99 she's not afraid to explore what they can have between them. This was definitely a sloooow burn but I loved the tension between Ferren and 99 and I've never read a book where the author made staring so hot! 99 might have spent the majority of the book hidden behind his armor and helmet, stoically guarding the group, but that man had a fiery stare and I was sweating alongside Ferren every time she caught him looking. These two had great chemistry and I adored the way 99 became so devoted to Ferren. He didn't always know how to express himself with words but he never let Ferren doubt his feelings and he showed her through his actions and the mind link that Ferren could created that he cared for her. This man would burn down the world to protect what's his and it was beyond swoony.
I also appreciated that Ferren built friendships with August and Calliape and that they became the family she never really had in the temple. They supported her, made her laugh, appreciated her, and loved her exactly the way she was, instead of making her feel like she was lacking because she hadn't ascended as a priestess yet.
The main reason this didn't hit 5 stars for me is because there were a lot of unanswered questions. We hardly learn anything about 99's past or anything about the Viathan people. Viathan's hate and fear for the priestesses of Cosima is never really explained and while I appreciated the whole masked MMC thing, it felt like there was something more behind why 99 always wore his helmet but that's never addressed. Ferren's abilities are still a bit of a mystery and I have lots of questions about the conjunction, the First Son soldiers, and the three worlds at large.
All those questions, combined with the epic ending have me jumping into book 2 right away and I'm hoping we'll get some answers to my questions.
Content Warning: overcoming religious trauma
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
“It was difficult leaving. You made it very difficult while I was away. You . . . haunted me, Priestess.”
- - - - -
“If something like that happens to you again . . . I will tear the three fucking worlds apart.”
- - - - -
"You are perfect to me as you are now," he whispers.