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and_im_ash's Reviews (395)
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was phenomenal.
There was so much I enjoyed: The political intrigue. The commentary on war. The deep, realistic relationship built between the two main characters. The vibrancy of the world Broadbent created.
The prose is effortlessly readable. Tisaanah and Max are fantastic main characters who I wanted to see succeed. This book does a great job, in my opinion, of depicting how the quest for power turns people into villains. I also like that it doesn't gloss over the traumatic things that happen to these characters - Tisaanah and Max continue to be affected by what they've endured, it isn't just washed away the moment they meet each other.
I liked the magic system and am eager to see how it is expanded upon in the next book. There are certainly more questions than answers at this point.
Ultimately, this was a great read, and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.
There was so much I enjoyed: The political intrigue. The commentary on war. The deep, realistic relationship built between the two main characters. The vibrancy of the world Broadbent created.
The prose is effortlessly readable. Tisaanah and Max are fantastic main characters who I wanted to see succeed. This book does a great job, in my opinion, of depicting how the quest for power turns people into villains. I also like that it doesn't gloss over the traumatic things that happen to these characters - Tisaanah and Max continue to be affected by what they've endured, it isn't just washed away the moment they meet each other.
I liked the magic system and am eager to see how it is expanded upon in the next book. There are certainly more questions than answers at this point.
Ultimately, this was a great read, and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This...did not disappoint. For a book that's gotten so much hype in my corner of booktok, I was apprehensive that it would let me down but holy shit. This floored me. In the best way.
It made me uncomfortable, it made my heart race, I couldn't put it down.
This story is so expertly told, from the way Ahlborn weaves the two different perspectives together to the way she constructed this intense relationship between Michael and Reb.
This is fucked up, but somehow still full of heart and emotion.
I love everything about this. It lived up to the hype for sure.
It made me uncomfortable, it made my heart race, I couldn't put it down.
This story is so expertly told, from the way Ahlborn weaves the two different perspectives together to the way she constructed this intense relationship between Michael and Reb.
This is fucked up, but somehow still full of heart and emotion.
I love everything about this. It lived up to the hype for sure.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was delightful. A fantasy novel written as a memoir by a scientist of dragons? With Bridgerton-esque society setting worked in as well? And a woman trying pave her way in the scientific world? Sign. Me. Up.
I adored everything about this and cannot wait to get into the rest of the series.
I adored everything about this and cannot wait to get into the rest of the series.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I really enjoyed this lecture series. Robert Garland's delivery and content was engaging and I found myself eager to continue.
This was a great overview of the history of average people in ancient times. I learned a lot about how people's day-to-day would have been like. I especially enjoyed the lectures focussing on women's lives in the different eras.
Overall, I found this really interesting and would love to check out more work by Robert Garland.
This was a great overview of the history of average people in ancient times. I learned a lot about how people's day-to-day would have been like. I especially enjoyed the lectures focussing on women's lives in the different eras.
Overall, I found this really interesting and would love to check out more work by Robert Garland.
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-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:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was so good. Well-written, fantastic plot, beautiful romance, intense chemistry, reflections on girlhood and sisterhood, intriguing setting, OCD rep, enjoyable world building and characters I got attached to so quickly.
I was so, so impressed. After a lot of tiktok recommendations and a lot of duds (unedited writing, flimsy plots, characters flatter than cardboard), I feel like I have struck gold with this book. This was dark and suspenseful and sexy and entertaining and clever and also very beautiful. Ophelia's relationship with her sister, and her experience with OCD, really made this story stand out for me. The way Ophelia and Blackwell's relationship progressed felt realistic and their chemistry was palpable. Best of all, every central character had depth and feeling and the author made me care about them and what happened to them. They felt like fully realised humans (or not humans) and their motivations were understandable and exciting.
This book starts with a bang. The first chapter had me hooked immediately and then I really couldn't put this book down. I was drawn into this world and Ophelia's life, and the game of Phantasma. The way all the different plotlines and mysteries tied into one another was delectable. The plot was so well constructed and the reveals were so satisfying.
I loved every second of this and cannot wait for the sequel, because I need to read Genevieve's story like yesterday.
If you've got the itch for a gripping fantasy that dips into horror, delivers a beautiful romance and has a cracking plot, this book is for you. It was a great time and had me smiling at my kindle like a silly little girl.
Edit: It is very unclear what time period this is set in, with some conflicting elements, however I had such a good time reading it I truly looked past it.
I was so, so impressed. After a lot of tiktok recommendations and a lot of duds (unedited writing, flimsy plots, characters flatter than cardboard), I feel like I have struck gold with this book. This was dark and suspenseful and sexy and entertaining and clever and also very beautiful. Ophelia's relationship with her sister, and her experience with OCD, really made this story stand out for me. The way Ophelia and Blackwell's relationship progressed felt realistic and their chemistry was palpable. Best of all, every central character had depth and feeling and the author made me care about them and what happened to them. They felt like fully realised humans (or not humans) and their motivations were understandable and exciting.
This book starts with a bang. The first chapter had me hooked immediately and then I really couldn't put this book down. I was drawn into this world and Ophelia's life, and the game of Phantasma. The way all the different plotlines and mysteries tied into one another was delectable. The plot was so well constructed and the reveals were so satisfying.
I loved every second of this and cannot wait for the sequel, because I need to read Genevieve's story like yesterday.
If you've got the itch for a gripping fantasy that dips into horror, delivers a beautiful romance and has a cracking plot, this book is for you. It was a great time and had me smiling at my kindle like a silly little girl.
Edit: It is very unclear what time period this is set in, with some conflicting elements, however I had such a good time reading it I truly looked past it.