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mstufail19's reviews
288 reviews
OHMIGOSH. How am I supposed to wait until book 3 comes out?? Impossible. Here's the thing - this book was very good. It's not often a book completely surprises me, I usually see things coming. But when I got to the end and read the description of the other fae, I legit got chills. Like broke into a sweat but also had goosebumps because I knew what was coming. And then, THEN, when I read the last line (before the epilogue) I gasped and burst into tears. Much to the baffled dismay of my husband who was sitting next to me. I am so excited about book 3 I can not even stand it. My TBR list is so long and I have ARCs I have to read but it's really difficult for me not to just start rereading SJM's whole catalog so I can just live in her world for a little longer, kill a little time waiting for book 3.
Book 2 of this series just came out so I needed to reread this to refresh my memory since it's been over a year since I read it. I remember I liked it but thought it was no ToG or ACOTAR (both series with which I'm a little beyond *mildly* obsessed).
But I was wrong. The series is so good in different ways. The way Maas captures grief and trauma/PTSD in all of her series is so visceral. Bryce is such a great, funny, strong, and flawed character. Her irreverence and snark when interacting with Hunt are hilarious. I sobbed through most of last night, starting with Lehabah's climactic moment until the very end. It was 1AM and I resisted the urge to text my best friend "Hey I'm reading this book about best friends that you should read but I know isn't your thing but you should read it anyway because it is so good and I'm a blubbering mess and I love you and miss you terribly. LIGHT IT UP! Which I know you don't know what that means. That's why you should read the book."
No one writes tattoos like SJM.
No one writes *casually slides hands in pockets* like SJM.
No one writes FMC outgrows love interest in the 1st book in the 2nd book so I am very excited to dive into House of Sky and Breath and see how that pans out.
But I was wrong. The series is so good in different ways. The way Maas captures grief and trauma/PTSD in all of her series is so visceral. Bryce is such a great, funny, strong, and flawed character. Her irreverence and snark when interacting with Hunt are hilarious. I sobbed through most of last night, starting with Lehabah's climactic moment until the very end. It was 1AM and I resisted the urge to text my best friend "Hey I'm reading this book about best friends that you should read but I know isn't your thing but you should read it anyway because it is so good and I'm a blubbering mess and I love you and miss you terribly. LIGHT IT UP! Which I know you don't know what that means. That's why you should read the book."
No one writes tattoos like SJM.
No one writes *casually slides hands in pockets* like SJM.
No one writes FMC outgrows love interest in the 1st book in the 2nd book so I am very excited to dive into House of Sky and Breath and see how that pans out.
3.5 stars.
I love Sophie Jordan. I did read an advance "uncorrected e-proof" copy of this book and I think maybe some of my complaints have to do with that. Like there was at least one scene that felt like maybe Sophie had it somewhere else chronologically in the book and then moved it to a different point and it hadn't yet been corrected for seamlessness yet.
That being said I enjoyed this book. It had some quintessential tropes - marriage of convenience, scoundrel reforms, only one bed. Gwen Cully, a blacksmith, saves Kellen Fox's life and the result is the two have to be married in three weeks. Neither had ever thought or wanted to get married, but they agree to the arrangement for a year. They will pretend to be a real couple in love and Kellen will help Gwen get her business back on its feet.
I really liked the MMC and his immediate attraction to Gwen. I liked that Gwen, the FMC, was a blacksmith who was big and tall and described as a Viking queen. I did want her to exhibit a little more confidence and courage at shirking convention, she is a female blacksmith after all. I also wanted her to give into Kellen sooner than she did. I wanted her to be like "Well I'm never getting married after this so f*<% it, let me see what this is all about." When they do finally get together though, it is *chef's kiss*. I loved the reunion scene. It had everything I want in a reunion - a dramatic entrance, public declarations of love, an immediate wedding. The epilogue a year later was satisfying, but Gwen again exhibits some insecurity when she tells Kellen she won't hold him back if he still wants to leave. Gurl, the man tells you he loves you and y'all do it on the daily. He ain't leaving today. Revel in your power.
Anyway, it's enjoyable. Would recommend to Sophie Jordan fans, and fans of an unconventional heroine.
I love Sophie Jordan. I did read an advance "uncorrected e-proof" copy of this book and I think maybe some of my complaints have to do with that. Like there was at least one scene that felt like maybe Sophie had it somewhere else chronologically in the book and then moved it to a different point and it hadn't yet been corrected for seamlessness yet.
That being said I enjoyed this book. It had some quintessential tropes - marriage of convenience, scoundrel reforms, only one bed. Gwen Cully, a blacksmith, saves Kellen Fox's life and the result is the two have to be married in three weeks. Neither had ever thought or wanted to get married, but they agree to the arrangement for a year. They will pretend to be a real couple in love and Kellen will help Gwen get her business back on its feet.
I really liked the MMC and his immediate attraction to Gwen. I liked that Gwen, the FMC, was a blacksmith who was big and tall and described as a Viking queen. I did want her to exhibit a little more confidence and courage at shirking convention, she is a female blacksmith after all. I also wanted her to give into Kellen sooner than she did. I wanted her to be like "Well I'm never getting married after this so f*<% it, let me see what this is all about." When they do finally get together though, it is *chef's kiss*. I loved the reunion scene. It had everything I want in a reunion - a dramatic entrance, public declarations of love, an immediate wedding. The epilogue a year later was satisfying, but Gwen again exhibits some insecurity when she tells Kellen she won't hold him back if he still wants to leave. Gurl, the man tells you he loves you and y'all do it on the daily. He ain't leaving today. Revel in your power.
Anyway, it's enjoyable. Would recommend to Sophie Jordan fans, and fans of an unconventional heroine.
I love this series and I just reread it for the 3rd (or 4th?) time. I'll tell ya, the whole plague thing really hits differently since COVID. Whew. There are several parts of this book that I tear up at every time I read it and this time around I bawled. Experiencing the parallels of events and emotions of the book and what's been going on in our actual world was a lot for my soul. But again I love this series and I'm sure I'll read again in another year or two.
For some reason, I had this sample in my library and just never finished it. But the latest in the series keeps showing up in my recs so I decided to give it a try. And boy am I glad I did. This book has everything - vampires, werewolves, gods, sacred/secret rites, epic battles, badass warrior FMC. I usually hate a virgin FMC. I deal with it because it's unavoidable. But I didn't hate this virgin FMC, I think because her virginity had a purpose and was an actual plot point - she's the Maiden, chosen by the gods. She's supposed to be untouched and unlooked upon.
I loved this book, I stayed up until after 3 am reading on 2 occasions. I couldn't put it down.
I loved this book, I stayed up until after 3 am reading on 2 occasions. I couldn't put it down.