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A review by alionavoychuk
The Thorns Remain by J.J.A. Harwood
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
The thorns remain by J.J.A. Harwood was exactly what I needed at the moment. It is a fantasy romance with human heroine, fae hero, who doesn’t understand humans at all, and an ensemble of decidedly weird, magical creatures-not all of them good.
My favourite thing about this book was the fae. Unlike most works out there, this one doesn’t paint them as superior, more beautiful humans with impossible powers. The Fae here - and the MMC - feel like the uncanny and cunning creatures from old tales that will smile at you one moment, and eat you another.
I loved it.
The plot begins when MMC kidnaps the female lead’s friends, so they are forced to dance without stopping; our main girl’s goal is to get them all back. To do that, she agrees to a deal with the male lead: for each of her friends’ lives, she will give something in return.
There is a LOT of magical creatures, and some of them get the spotlight at some point. The book also explores themes of grief and family.
If the feeling of reading a darkish fairytale is what you’re after, then give it a go! However, if you’re looking for a romantic book with steamy action and a traditional HEA - then you should probably skip it.
In the end, what truly made this book a 4.5 star read was the MMC.
Even though he did some questionable things to FMC (no violence), by the end of it, I truly rooted for him.
A creature who lived in a world of lies and illusions, who could have anything he wanted… a someone who didn’t know love. His desperation to keep FMC close was pitiful and heartbreaking, and I loved every second of it
My favourite thing about this book was the fae. Unlike most works out there, this one doesn’t paint them as superior, more beautiful humans with impossible powers. The Fae here - and the MMC - feel like the uncanny and cunning creatures from old tales that will smile at you one moment, and eat you another.
I loved it.
The plot begins when MMC kidnaps the female lead’s friends, so they are forced to dance without stopping; our main girl’s goal is to get them all back. To do that, she agrees to a deal with the male lead: for each of her friends’ lives, she will give something in return.
There is a LOT of magical creatures, and some of them get the spotlight at some point. The book also explores themes of grief and family.
If the feeling of reading a darkish fairytale is what you’re after, then give it a go! However, if you’re looking for a romantic book with steamy action and a traditional HEA - then you should probably skip it.
In the end, what truly made this book a 4.5 star read was the MMC.
Even though he did some questionable things to FMC (no violence), by the end of it, I truly rooted for him.
A creature who lived in a world of lies and illusions, who could have anything he wanted… a someone who didn’t know love. His desperation to keep FMC close was pitiful and heartbreaking, and I loved every second of it