Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by abookishacademic
The Shards of Ophelia by Nicole Platania
5.0
Some endings weren’t meant to be happy.
There is so much I want to say about this book, but it’s also one that you just deserve to read without any spoilers. I felt so many emotions reading it, and I’m just so attached to this story.
Generally, I don’t relate to Ophelia (as much as I wish I did), in that I’m not a badass, headstrong warrior leader. But I rarely feel as *seen* as I do reading Ophelia’s experiences in this book—her desperate attempt to pick up the pieces of her life and fit them back together, and the slow recognition that she can’t heal and move forward without letting them break. Without giving anything away, there is so much in this book that I see in my own life and love story.
I continue to love this cast of characters — they’re flawed and chaotic and so lovable. I love Ophelia so much, even when she drives me absolutely mad; she reminds me so much of Aelin in Throne of Glass. Tolek had already cemented his role as a god-tier book boyfriend for me in book 1, and I was STILL not prepared for him in TSOO. I’m so impressed with the writing of Malakai, a character whom (tbh) I could not stand in the early chapters but actively rooted for by the end. I can’t wait for more of Cyph and Rina. And, I want to know SO BADLY what is up with Jezelia… what is her secret?!
Things I loved about this book:
✔️ Tolek, as always.
✔️ The found family—and the born (?) family! The father-daughter relationship had me tearing up at multiple points, and the banter gives me life.
✔️ One horse + one bed tropes… in one chapter!
✔️ The best romances can never be complete without a *stellar* dancing scene.
✔️ The “touch him and die” vibes are STRONG in this one.
✔️ OH MY GOD that ending.
HUGE thanks to the author for an ARC. This series is an absolute must-read for fantasy & romantasy lovers.
There is so much I want to say about this book, but it’s also one that you just deserve to read without any spoilers. I felt so many emotions reading it, and I’m just so attached to this story.
Generally, I don’t relate to Ophelia (as much as I wish I did), in that I’m not a badass, headstrong warrior leader. But I rarely feel as *seen* as I do reading Ophelia’s experiences in this book—her desperate attempt to pick up the pieces of her life and fit them back together, and the slow recognition that she can’t heal and move forward without letting them break. Without giving anything away, there is so much in this book that I see in my own life and love story.
I continue to love this cast of characters — they’re flawed and chaotic and so lovable. I love Ophelia so much, even when she drives me absolutely mad; she reminds me so much of Aelin in Throne of Glass. Tolek had already cemented his role as a god-tier book boyfriend for me in book 1, and I was STILL not prepared for him in TSOO. I’m so impressed with the writing of Malakai, a character whom (tbh) I could not stand in the early chapters but actively rooted for by the end. I can’t wait for more of Cyph and Rina. And, I want to know SO BADLY what is up with Jezelia… what is her secret?!
Things I loved about this book:
✔️ Tolek, as always.
✔️ The found family—and the born (?) family! The father-daughter relationship had me tearing up at multiple points, and the banter gives me life.
✔️ One horse + one bed tropes… in one chapter!
✔️ The best romances can never be complete without a *stellar* dancing scene.
✔️ The “touch him and die” vibes are STRONG in this one.
✔️ OH MY GOD that ending.
HUGE thanks to the author for an ARC. This series is an absolute must-read for fantasy & romantasy lovers.