KC I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU!! How dare you off some of my favourite characters??? I love everyone equally, so I'd be sad to see anyone go, but oKC I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU!! How dare you off some of my favourite characters??? I love everyone equally, so I'd be sad to see anyone go, but one of these in particular is so unfair because of "what could've been". You'll understand that when you get to it.
The whole book (really, the whole series), I was waiting for this person to join the Merry Men, and while their ending was kinda perfect (I highlighted the whole thing, duh), I'm still sad. So so sad.
And the other deaths...I understand, but I don't like it. Okay? Okay.
Now, the most surprising thing here is Maid Marian's redemption arc, sort of, not exactly, but kinda? She's a complicated character, and I can't say I like her, but maybe I don't hate her anymore. She did do something right.
Queen of Sherwood had a bit less action than the first two books, but it was no less entertaining. As a whole, I feel like it was more focused on character growth, especially with the new recruits. But don't worry, Sheriff George also got what was coming to him.
There were twists I didn't see coming, all the way up to the end. And what an ending it was! I wouldn't mind 10 more books in this series, there's plenty of material! I'm just saying.
I'm also happy to report that, finally, after three books, I don't see Friar Tuck as a badger anymore. He's a human now, hurray!! Although he's still last in my ranking, which apparently hasn't changed much since book one...sorry Tuck, I love you.
Alan and Little John are both fighting for second place, and *I think* Little John might be winning, which leaves Alan third. He's so fun though, and that speech he gave to the two girls...MY HEART.
As for Little John, I didn't forget what happened, but it was still hard relieving it with him as he shared his story with everyone. I'm glad he did, so he can truly heal.
Will remains my ultimate fav, I actually think he got saner this time around? Or more mature, if you will. He might become a good influence someday.
Finally, Robin, the girl, the myth, the legend. She had a little darkness crisis at the start, and it's undeniable she was forever changed by being with the Merry Men, but I will always support my girl no matter what.
She became the leader she was destined to be. I'm so proud of her for everything she's accomplished, through all the trials and schemes, she really DID THAT.
I am, of course, excited for whatever KC puts out next, I know I'll love it.
*Thank you to the amazing author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
KC...you can expect my therapy bills in the mail. I survived chapter 29 (barely), I survived chapter 44 (somehow), but then you had to go and break myKC...you can expect my therapy bills in the mail. I survived chapter 29 (barely), I survived chapter 44 (somehow), but then you had to go and break my heart in chapter 47...HOW COULD YOU???? I'm just a shell of a person nobody talk to me.
Huntress of Sherwood is darker than the first installment, so heed the warnings going into this!!! Mainly those 2/3 chapters I mentioned, the third one is more attachment based, so if you like or love a certain character you won't be okay when you're reading that chapter. But don't worry, I got you, we can cry together.
I'm not done with the sad, but let's talk about something else for a sec, so this starts off with Robin & the Merry Men looking for Little John, and let me tell you, they searched high and low and even though I hated to see him suffer, I like that it wasn't easily resolved.
There are inter-group issues, Robin dealing with being the leader, some of the Merry Men thinking she's not fit for the role, especially with her taking the band in a different direction (with some new recruits), figuring out the great Robert mystery, bonding with her men and last but by no means least, discovering a very nefarious plot that I was not ready for.
I'm not at all surprised that something like that was afoot, but reading about it...anyway, it's a very busy book! There's so much plot to go around, and some extremely tense moments that, I'm pretty sure, gave me even more white hairs. That last third was just PURE STRESS. I survived though, unlike SOMEBODY. Cue sobbing.
PLEASE I MISS THAT CHARACTER ALREADY IT'S NOT FAIRRRRRRR. AAAAH.
While I try to pick myself up from the floor, can we focus on Alan's nickname for Will? Little badger is a) adorable and b) I mentioned I saw Friar Tuck as a badger because of the cartoon, this is a good way to distract me from that. Now I see two badgers!!! Kidding kidding, Tuck is now morphed into a human-ish creature, there's hope yet.
I liked that Alan & Will bonded also, maybe it's "just physical" for now, but I trust they'll love each other by the end of the series. Mhm.
Little John...tears 2.0. I'm so glad he's back, but what he endured will forever stick with me. Safe to say I do NOT like the Sheriff of Nottingham whatsoever, really I hate him. I need him to suffer in the next book so bad.
Marian...YOU ARE NOT A GIRLS GIRL, I HATE YOU TOO!!! Fingers crossed I can say good riddance next time.
And poor Robin, with the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she still somehow manages to save the day. That's my girl. A GIRLS girl. Take that Marian, hmph. I kinda wanna see some Merry Women action, now that there's more of them in the group. I loooooved how the girls got their justice at the end.
If you thought I was gonna end this without mentioning Guy of Gisborne you were wrong. Because...okay, he did do wrong in this one, I'll admit. And yet...he's still hot. I'm sorry. And he's not all bad either, you'll see, you'll join me on the dark side. He's my problematic fave.
Ok ok now the actual ending of this review, written with ink made from my tears ahem ahem, I am so excited for book three, less excited to part with these characters I've grown to love so much. But I really need to know what's going to happen next. Hopefully my heart won't get stomped on again.
*Thank you to the amazing author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
Though I didn't love this one quite as much as the first novella in the series, or some of Nisha's other books, I still had fun reading it.
It has an Though I didn't love this one quite as much as the first novella in the series, or some of Nisha's other books, I still had fun reading it.
It has an interesting concept of tattoo magic that was very well developed, the writing worked for me as usual, the world building was great...combined with a fast pace, it was easy to finish this in one sitting.
You don't have to read Wicked is the Reaper to read this, the reference to that book is small and it won't affect your reading experience if you choose to jump into this first. But you SHOULD read it because it's one of my favourite books in general, and it's "proper" enemies to lovers.
This one was more captor/captive with Beauty and the Beast vibes than enemies to lovers, and I think it would've worked for me in a longer book. As is I think there was a lot of time spent on the physical aspect of their relationship, or on the plot and as a result we didn't get to see them fall in love.
We read that weeks passed here and there as they were working on the thing that Ferran abducted Vespera for, but it didn't feel like it relationship development wise, you know.
I also didn't fully connect to either of the two main characters, I liked them, but needed a bit more depth. The steam was good though, which reminds me! This book starts off with a somewhat steamy scene & that surprised me, I was like "OH!" haha.
Don't attack me for this, but I think she and Savryn had more chemistry than her and Ferran. This is likely due to how Ferran was built up as a great big beast and then just wasn't, or how he'd keep running away from Vespera all the time. And I know Savryn was in like two scenes max, but he made a bigger impression.
But I'm still glad I read it, I'm now one book closer to reading all of Nisha J. Tuli's books!!! I only need to read the Artefacts of Ouranos series and then I'm all set until the next book.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
We are being FED this year folks, we not only got In The Shadow of a Dream, but this novella collection too AND another book by Maci Aurora (albeit inWe are being FED this year folks, we not only got In The Shadow of a Dream, but this novella collection too AND another book by Maci Aurora (albeit in a new series) is also due in June. Now if only the final book could somehow be moved up to the end of this year, I'd be an extremely happy camper.
So, here we have three novellas designed to clear up some things in between the last book and the upcoming one, because we were left with so many questions.
The first novella follows Scarlett, we finally find out everything she was hiding and why. We also got to see how she and Thomas met, fell in love and it was super cute. There was even some steam which I wasn't expecting? As in, I didn't think about it because they're the parents, but it's nice to see that they still love each other and are as passionate about one another as when they were younger.
The second novella is about Brinna and Luc, and how they're dealing with being together in the real world instead of dreams. This one gave us some sweet scenes, and I'm really glad because their book was shorter than the others, so it was nice to expand their story a bit.
The third novella stars Auri and Nix and is the most painful one of the three. Because, if you've read all the past books (if you haven't go do it now), you know that Nix lost his memories and isn't totally convinced that he and Auri are meant to be together, so it's up to her to try and help him remember.
And she really does. There's no one who knows him better than her, what makes him tick etc. I'd lie if I said some scenes didn't make me want to cry because Nix wasn't remembering despite Auri's best efforts.
Also, none of them forgot about Jessamine, they're still looking for her throughout each novella, but of course that couldn't be resolved before her own book! Everything else was though, I feel satisfied with what we got.
Now, I can't believe Scarlett actually spilled the beans. Like, I've been with this series since book one, waiting for answers for what seems like forever and I finally got them...amazing.
Novella three is my fav, but all three are worth reading, and I think also necessary for the overall story. So please do check them out when you get to this point in the series.
I also feel like thanking Maci Aurora for writing these and making the wait for In the Shadow of an Obsession a bit more bearable. I can't wait to read Jessamine's story!!!
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
I can't believe we're technically getting two books from this series in one year, it feels like a dream. Hah, see what I did there? But yeah, there I I can't believe we're technically getting two books from this series in one year, it feels like a dream. Hah, see what I did there? But yeah, there I was, finishing this book and resigning myself to another year of not so patient waiting for the next instalment of the Fareview series, when I saw that the novella collection would be coming out soon. EEEEEP!!!
We're still getting the final book next year, but the novella collection is supposed to help bridge the gap between this book and the last book. Now, why is there a gap you may ask? BECAUSE MACI AURORA LEFT US WITH A HUGE CLIFFHANGER, THAT'S WHY!!
I was sooooo not prepared for that, because in the past two books the main storyline for each couple was wrapped up, while the background storyline (the ribbons, their mother's secrets) kept unravelling more and more. In the Shadow of a Dream FINALLY gives us some of the answers we've been looking for, and not in a typical way, but in a very creative way.
Since Brinna is the "dreamy" sister, a lot of this book focuses on dreams. I'm a sucker for fated mates who can communicate through dreams so this book automatically catapulted itself over Tarley's as my second favourite in the series. Or maybe my first fav, though Auri and Nix are hard to beat.
But I just loved Brinna and Luc, he was so mischievous and funny and his banter with Brinna was the highlight of my day. I was actually hoping Luc would get a story because he seemed like such a cool character and I was proven right, ladies and gents.
What I wish we got even more of was them together. In comparison with Auri & Tarley, Brinna got much less page time with her love. Some of that was due to the plot, but still.
This book is shorter than the ones before, and I'm not exactly sure why? Because of the novellas or?? Either way I flew through it just as fast. This author knows how to write engaging stories that keep you wanting moremoremore until you've binged the whole book.
I can't wait to see what will happen next ahhhhhh. Also, PLEASE go back and read this from the beginning. Books one and two can (sort of) be read as standalones, but book three is where it gets messy. I don't want anyone to miss out on an amazing story so please listen to me when I tell you don't start with this, start with In the Shadow of a Wish!!!!! You'll love it, trust me.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
HOLD UP, THE FINAL MATE GAMES SERIES ISN'T COMING TILL 2025??? DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THAT IS??? WAHHHHHHH. I'm already going through withdrawal. HopefuHOLD UP, THE FINAL MATE GAMES SERIES ISN'T COMING TILL 2025??? DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THAT IS??? WAHHHHHHH. I'm already going through withdrawal. Hopefully there's something else in store for us while we wait (I have no hints, I'm just throwing that out there hoping it sticks).
OKAY SO, the ending was the most perfect ending x100, the epilogues were just so sweet and funny, I loved seeing cameos from other characters yet again (my favourite couple in the whole universe included, if you know you know). And THAT BONUS SCENE!!! STOP MY HEART CAN'T TAKE THE CUTENESS!!!!!!!
I've been holding off on reading the bonus scenes, because I figured it would be fun to read all of them at the end of the series and I JUST...WHO'S CRYING? ME? YES. That little puppy really is the goodest boy. Can't believe we got a crossover there too, mind blown in the best way.
All of those epilogues/bonuses had me smiling from ear to ear, the bloopers too. Now I fear I'll require bloopers after all the audiobooks I listen to, I've been so spoiled.
Plot wise, this is the closest we've gotten to an actual apocalypse, and I gotta tell miss ma'am Death what a good job she did!! So many twists I didn't see coming. I'm (almost) sad she lost? Like, she put so much effort into this, only for her plans to be foiled. Poor Death, let me give you a hug. She's my favourite villain in the series so far, even though the guys are technically villains too, but you know what I mean.
Speaking of resident hot villains, dear ol' Captain Hook had me laughing out loud yet again. His good mood is really contagious, I swear it made my headache better. If I said that he's my favourite Mate Games character ever, would the others be mad at me? HOPEFULLY NOT, THERE'S ENOUGH LOVE TO GO AROUND!! I just think Kim & Meg struck gold with Caspian, and I would not be opposed to more pirate characters in the future.
OH! Gotta mention this so I don't forget, that *IMPROVED* J. M. Barrie quote at the start really got me. I was giggling from the get go.
Now for the other three gents, are we ready? Yes? I know I always do a final ranking type of thing but...I don't know how to rank them this time. I love Tor, Kai and Cain/Hades equally. So I'll just say that I love how much they developed over the series, how close they got to each other and how all of Dahlia's men now function like a well oiled machine. They're still jealous from time to time, but they can properly share.
Also, I find it very fitting that Kai got to do the thing first. You'll know which thing when you get to it, hah.
Dahlia, meanwhile, finally came into her own, mastered her powers (for the most part), and became truly free with expressing her desires, that's my girl!! I love her so much, she's living the dream.
I don't remember if I ever mentioned Kiki in my reviews? Maybe, possibly? Either way, she was simply fabulous in this one. She's a true friend and would go to hell and back for Dahlia, quite literally. She had a bigger role here than in the past books which was honestly deserved.
We got a little sneak peak into the next series, I was wondering where that storyline was going and I'm glad we finally have an answer. I just wish we didn't have to wait so long to see it.
Lastly, stellar performance by all the narrators as always, these books and their narration make life worth living.
P. S. If you still haven't started this brilliant series, I'm judging you.
*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
“Sword-fighting isn’t your calling, little mouse. Perhaps you’ll best me in something else some day?”
Would you believe that, out of all the quotes I c“Sword-fighting isn’t your calling, little mouse. Perhaps you’ll best me in something else some day?”
Would you believe that, out of all the quotes I could've pulled, I picked one of the villain's? Because, and I'm sorry (not sorry), he's highkey hot, KC WHAT HAVE YOU DONE??? I was just minding my own business, then in comes Guy of Gisborne to steal the show...how rude.
YES I WILL BE IGNORING HIS EVIL DEEDS HE DID NOTHING WRONG NOT ONE THING!! Now if KC has me simping over the Sheriff of Nottingham too, well then we'll have a problem. So far so good though *knocks on sher-wood*. Ba dum tss. That was gold and you know it.
So, this (if it wasn't already apparent) is a gender-bent Robin Hood retelling, in which Robin gets kidnapped by the Merry Men after a carriage robbery and slowly burrows her way into their hearts (and pants).
I loved watching her grow from a somewhat naive noble girl into the strong woman she was meant to be. She's not at the legend level yet, but she'll get there.
She fell for the men pretty fast and I can't fault her for it, they are really cool. My favourite is probably Will Scarlet, but Alan a Dale is close behind. You know how he has a lute? Yeah, I was wondering if we'd get another lute scene somewhere in there. Bit of KC lore for you, you're welcome, and if you're curious about what I'm referring to, then you should go read the Camelot Untold trilogy, it's unforgettable.
But yeah, while all the men were fierce when it came to protecting Robin, Will was kind of a chaotic menace all around, I have no other option but to stan. He kind of reminds me of an angry hamster, but in a good way, I can't explain.
Alan we don't know much about, I think he got the least page time out of all the men which will be rectified in the future, I know. He's the softest and sweetest and swings all the ways AS HE SHOULD!!
Little John comes next in my line of faves, though the salt and pepper hair would normally place him higher, so this is subject to change. I feel like we know him, but we also need to get to know him, if that makes sense. With that cliffhanger I think we will.
Friar Tuck is last for a big cartoon shaped reason. That's what I've been imagining the whole time, I'm trying so hard not to and I'll hopefully succeed by the end of the series. He's sweet too, and can be very kind, it's just...I see a badger.
Maid Marian also gets a mention, I knew she'd be trouble from the start, just wasn't sure how much. She's rotten to the core and I wonder who she'll join forces with next.
I never doubted the ending would be a cliffhanger, but I am even more anxious after that last twist. I thought something along the lines might happen BUT I DIDN'T WANNA BE RIGHT. I WANT ANSWERS AND I WANT THEM NOW!!!!
P. S. Sir Gregory could get it too, I don't discriminate.
*Thank you to the amazing author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
"I might not mind oblivion, if you were the one to deliver it."
I think the right word to describe this book would be enchanting, which is exactly what"I might not mind oblivion, if you were the one to deliver it."
I think the right word to describe this book would be enchanting, which is exactly what a retelling should be. I was sucked into the story instantly, and DEVOURED most of it in one day. If I wasn't sick & with a fever I would've finished the whole thing in one go, trust me. It really is that addicting.
Even the "filler-y" chapters where Fia and Rogan weren't doing much until the next full moon were interesting to me. One of the main reasons why is Corra, who was my favourite character. They were so adorable and funny, I'm hoping we'll get to see more of them in the sequel.
As a fan of love triangles I was fed well, both love interests were likable, though clues were given as to why one of them wasn't right for her throughout the book and I wholeheartedly agree.
I even had a bit of an internal struggle where I wanted Fia to be with him for a bit, even though I preferred the other love interest, but at the same time was like "no no don't do that don't hurt the other one!!!".
Strangely enough, there was no typical jealousy. As in, the two love interests didn't interact, and they did occasionally make comments about one another, but when they were with Fia it was just about them in the moment (or, in the case of Rogan, about Eala who makes this into a love square).
Overall it was handled well, which surprised me.
Now, as much as I loved Irian, I wish we got a bit more time with him, getting to know him and seeing him and Fia fall for each other. Yes, he had the best lines in the book after Corra and I highlighted a bunch of them, but I wasn't completely sold on the love front.
This ties into something slightly illogical in the plot, basically they can only cross over during a full moon, but I didn't get why they didn't just stay for a few months. Rogan okay human, but Fia could've stayed during her "seduction" mission quite comfortably. That would've made the relationship more believable.
Because basically they saw each other a dozen times, not even full days, just nights...and they are in devastatingly crushing love with each other by the end of it. But, for minimum half of those times, Fia was still in love with Rogan and didn't fully open her heart up to Irian and it just didn't seem fair, you know.
I can maybe believe that he is in love with her, but not the other way around (yet).
As for the rest of the story/plot, I wouldn't call this unpredictable (except for the ending), you can tell where it's going to go most of the time, but it's still a very fun and enjoyable read. It also had something that made it feel fresh. Like, yes, definitely a romantasy, but not completely typical?
Which brings me to the comps, I can't really say if it's like The Cruel Prince since I haven't read it, but I can maybe see a little bit of For the Wolf in it, though if you ask me this is much better than that book. If anything this is most similar to These Hollow Vows, but even then it has its own uniqueness that no other comps come to mind.
You can tell the author did her research for the worldbuilding and did it well. There's a glossary at the back (maybe it'll be moved to the front for the published copy?), but I felt like the terms used were explained properly in the text so I didn't need to reference it.
WHICH REMINDS ME! Okay, so you know how in every book the love interest has a nickname for the main character? Mhm, here it's...colleen.
There's nothing wrong with colleen, and it's actually kind of cute that he came up with that based on what she said at their first meeting, but I am so sorry, every time Irian said it, I would picture Colleen Hoover in my brain and the moment wouldn't be as romantic as it was supposed to be.
Anyway, the ending was great, I couldn't have hoped for a better one. It wrapped the most important things up, and if you wanted to stop reading at this book you totally could. I'm absolutely reading the sequel though, and really excited for it.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
I loved Vance in the second book, but didn't mention it because he was kind of a jerk. So imagine my surprise when I realised he's the main character I loved Vance in the second book, but didn't mention it because he was kind of a jerk. So imagine my surprise when I realised he's the main character and gets a redemption arc??? Perfection.
All three books in the series have been great so far, especially with the writing style. The first one is still my favourite, this one close behind and then book two after that. They all make my geeky little heart happy.
And I think this series is a perfect example of pop culture references that make sense, and fit in the world. I know some people might get annoyed by any mention of anything from the real world, but for me, I loved it.
These books are cool on audio too, very fun and easy to listen to. I wish there were more of them in the series, because I just can't get enough. I hope Ashley Poston's new book will work for me as much as these three have....more
Oh wow, okay I'm SHOOKETH (ethethetheth, you get the picture), we finally know who the ripper is!!!! I know, I wasn't expecting that either.
SomewhereOh wow, okay I'm SHOOKETH (ethethetheth, you get the picture), we finally know who the ripper is!!!! I know, I wasn't expecting that either.
Somewhere around the halfway point I did start to suspect that character, but that's still 2 and a half books where I suspected nothing. And then there was another crazy twist...my heart can only take so much, it was such a good twist though.
I loved the plot of this book, everyone bonding (in all the ways), Dahlia getting better at her powers, spooky restless spirits causing chaos and frightening a poor Viking, the ripper subplot (of course), Cap'n Hook going full on coo coo, the whole gala madness and the chapters we got after Dahlia finally picked her dress...and of course the crossover!
We got to see not only my love my life Crombie, but also the past players of the Mate Games, yes, all of them. It was so heartwarming seeing them again, having them interact with Dahlia and her guys for more than just one scene. I need this type of crossover in the final Mate Games series too, pretty please.
I also loved the Ice Planet Barbarians and Pirates of the Caribbean references, I was literally waiting for a scene like "but you have heard of me" to occur ahhhh. I'm so happy.
Cas carried the humour on his back this time around, but don't worry, the other characters got some funny lines too. And that whole thing with Tor & the ghost was so funny, I feel so bad for laughing at my poor baby.
I feel like so much happened in this book, it was SO hard to stop listening. Though it always is because the writing is perfect, the story excellent, the characters lovable and the narration amazing, but things are really cooking up now. That little reveal at the end made me wonder how Dahlia & her mates will get out of this one.
Speaking of, Hook is still my fav no question. But see, I have a dilemma now, a biiig Kai shaped dilemma. WHY IS HE THREATENING MY WHOLE MATE PYRAMID HELPPP?? He really shone during this book and impressed me so much. I almost wanna say I wasn't familiar with his game, but hell, I WAS, he just stepped it up. I'm obsessed. Just a lil tiny bit.
My opinion on Tor is still unchanged, my lil cutie pie, but Kai might be usurping his position...NOBODY tell him that though, he doesn't need to hear the negativity. Cain is also more or less the same, I love him to bits just like the rest but he's not making me question my whole existence like Kai is right now. There's still time for that though.
Anyway, if you're not reading this series or listening to it, you are seriously missing out and I feel so bad for you. I'm having the time of my life every time I open a new Mate Games novel. No pressure, but...GO READ IT!!! This series is literally art, I will accept zero criticism.
*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
“I’d rather raze the world to nothing but cinders than hurt you.”
I have a sneaking suspicion Meg & Kim are psychic,HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO HUNTED BEAST!!
“I’d rather raze the world to nothing but cinders than hurt you.”
I have a sneaking suspicion Meg & Kim are psychic, because how else would you explain that one Captain Hook scene that I desperately needed to see (or hear)? YOU KNOW THE ONE WITH THE TAPES? If you read it you'll know what I mean. I said before that he was written for me and I definitely believe it all the more now. He's perfect.
Yes, he did something bad too, but he's a villain, it's expected!! Personally if I was Dahlia I would've forgiven him instantly, even though watching him be upset was funny. He's not completely off the hook yet though. Off the hook, get it? I had to.
He's fighting so hard to be my ultimate favourite and I think I might have to let him...but gosh, the others grew on me too, even more than they already have. Kai especially, he was so patient, understanding, even as a possessive dragon he knows how to share. And I lovee his friendship with Tor. I think he's the most mature out of everyone, which makes sense.
Tor, my sweet berserker baby suffered so much unfair treatment in this book, JUSTICE FOR TOR!!!!! They locked him up, and for what? Just because he went beast mode? NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON IF YOU ASK ME. Clearly the docs have never watched Beauty & the Beast, hmph.
Highkey felt like crying when Dahlia and he had to communicate through glass, it broke my wee heart. Like I said, unjust. Did they let him out though? Well you'll have to read and find out.
As for Cain, I gotta say my mind went in a totally different direction with him, so the reveal took me by surprise. Were the clues there the whole time? I'll have to go back and check. But honestly, his narrator would start talking and I'd go all starry eyed, so it's possible I missed something obvious. I'm looking forward to more scenes with him in the next two books, because he's finally opening up and not being a jerk.
His little dog (starts with A ends with double s, h, o, l, e) was the star of the show yet again, AND HE TALKS FOLKS!!! He's a real delight, and hilarious to boot. I'll have to go check out that chapter from his PoV when I'm done writing this.
I'm so curious as to who the Ripper is. I don't wanna think too hard about it, and anything I do think of doesn't make sense so I'm just ready to be shocked when we find out. And then I'll (hopefully) be all like "wait but the clues!!!"
I love love love this series and I can't wait for book three.
*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
I would very much like to be sane about this book, but I don't think that's possible. From the get go I was suckHAPPY RELEASE DAY TO HAUNTING BEAUTY!!
I would very much like to be sane about this book, but I don't think that's possible. From the get go I was sucked in, as with the other Mate Games books, but I think this one is by far my favourite.
It's a little darker, set in an asylum *ahem* wellness retreat and the patients are to die for. I fell for all of them instantly, even the minor characters (Sorchaaaaa, my new book wife, and the little yippy dog whose name we won't repeat because it's possible one of the review sites I'm posting this on won't let me proceed if we do).
In the previous two series I had one of the mates get on my bad side, so I'm really happy I'm loving everyone this time around.
I am so biased that if you asked me about my fav mate I'd say Tor, but listen, Cap'n Hook? HE COULD GET IT ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!!! He's too hot for this world, and such a delight whenever he's on page. He also has an earring and guyliner...he was written for me, mhm.
Tor is of course the perfect, protective and caring mate, one who's ready to go to war for you. What more could a girl want? I too need him to take care of me when I'm suffering through cramps.
Kai or Cain. Cain or Kai. Pick one because I can't. They're both kind of mysterious and we know the least about them (well, Cain more so than Kai), but they too stole my sanity with the way they were written.
I normally listen to audiobooks at fast speeds, but for the steamy scenes I paid extra close attention, they were CRIMINALLY well written. Like I legit had to stop what I was doing and sit there for a few minutes grinning like an idiot. Probably the hottest book so far, I SAID WHAT I SAID.
Reading this book really made my year, I swear, and it got even better when we got to see some of the characters from previous games, and some references to Meg's other series (heartbroken warrior and brainwashed assassin anyone?). The uncle Alistair mention got me, I was not prepared, I was crying my eyes out.
I also have a bunch of highlights for this read, there's so many good swoony lines I fear I'll have to get a physical copy to annotate.
Shout out to the therapy sessions too, I think they're so creative and I can't wait to see more of them. And the always present humour, oh I'm seated for more of that.
*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
This was pure perfection, just like the Six Crimson Cranes duology. So if you loved that, you'll surely love this too.
It's technically a prequel and aThis was pure perfection, just like the Six Crimson Cranes duology. So if you loved that, you'll surely love this too.
It's technically a prequel and a standalone, you could read it before SCC, but I'd recommend after so you can pick up on the little Easter eggs / references included.
It'll also help you see why you should care about Channi and Vanna's story, and the world building will be much clearer.
Not that it wasn't clear here, I was just looking at it from the perspective of someone who is very familiar with it (especially with SCC being among my favourite books) and it feels more like an expansion of it vs a starting point, if that makes sense.
As expected, this book made me cry early on (5% in!!) and I kept crying every once in a while, even though I didn't have that much affection for Shiori's stepmother in her series, in this one I love her.
Channari was similar to Shiori, always looking for trouble so it's no wonder she grew on me. Also, like Shiori she has a companion with her wherever she goes. Ukar is one of my favourite characters, he's so snarky. I think if snakes could talk, they'd for sure sound like Ukar.
There was a splash of romance in this book, which I of course loved, but I knew how it would end, because of the main series.
The real love story here is that of sisterly love between Channi and Vanna. You can feel how much they care about each other, how fiercely they protect one another. At first you think Channi is the one who would give everything to save Vanna, but at the end we see Vanna too would do the same for Channi.
Something I was hoping we'd get more of, is Channari's relationship with Hanriyu. We saw him during the selection, and I thought okay it's not the right time now with all the chaos, hopefully we'll get more of them later, and we did, but not enough.
I'd actually love another book (so this one wouldn't be a standalone then), covering the year long selection AND Channi's early years with Hanriyu and his kids, coming up full circle. Is that possible? Who knows, I mean, in my review of The Dragon's Promise I was hoping for a spinoff, AND LOOK WHAT WE GOT!!!
So once again, I'd love yet another spinoff set in the world, maybe following the same characters maybe not. But I think Seryu's earned his own book by now. I'm just saying. And hoping. Wishing. Praying. MAYBE WE'LL GET SOMETHING, KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED!
Obligatory writing mention, I love it so much, Elizabeth Lim you've enchanted me and you have a reader in me FOR LIFE (and in the next life too).
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
This was a fun SAPPHIC!!! read, in which Alice and the Hatter love each other. Except Alice doesn't remember any of that, will she remember? READ TO FThis was a fun SAPPHIC!!! read, in which Alice and the Hatter love each other. Except Alice doesn't remember any of that, will she remember? READ TO FIND OUT.
I NEED MORE THOUGH, GIMME MORE. They're so cute, and I need all of those moments described to happen. In play form or not, I don't mind as long as we (me, myself and I) get more of these two....more
"She opens up for me like a flower in full bloom."
LISTEN, when I saw this on Twitter I knew I had to read it, as a Shrek fan, but also so no one else "She opens up for me like a flower in full bloom."
LISTEN, when I saw this on Twitter I knew I had to read it, as a Shrek fan, but also so no one else would have to.
It was pretty much what I expected it would be, except nobody acts like the character they're supposed to be, especially not Donkey. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT??? I'm so mad about it.
Shrek is basically like a 15 year old boy discovering sex for the first time, Fiona is...concerning.
And the incest inclusion was...there for some reason??? Who even knows. I would like someone to clarify which one of them is Farquad (if any) and which Charming (if any)?
If you like Shrek I wouldn't really recommend this, because the only things in common are the swamp and that there's a hidden community of magical creatures. That's about it.
Even Shrek, who IS an ogre, is handsome and not very scary at all. Just huge and green. Fiona even says he could be a model...nah uh not OUR Shrek.
He also has a jawline so sharp that could cut diamonds by the way, thought you ought to know.
As for the writing, it was somehow even poorer than the storyline? As in lines kept getting recycled over and over again. Some of them were a pain to read, honestly.
Anyway, I think this one is around a 2.5? Not completely terrible, but also below average.
And if anyone wants a play by play of my reactions as I was reading here's my Twitter thread:
The time has finally come for the next book in this series to be released and now that I've read it I can't wait for the third one.
If you haven't readThe time has finally come for the next book in this series to be released and now that I've read it I can't wait for the third one.
If you haven't read the first book I'd suggest you do, because while this one can be read as a standalone, you'll miss some pieces of the larger puzzle that has been forming since the beginning.
But if you're not hugely into solving a mystery and just want the romance then you can safely dive right into this book, because there's plenty of it to go around.
It's been a while since I've read In the Shadow of a Wish so I can't accurately say if this one had more romance and steam or not, but it felt that way.
The first part follows Tarley and Lachlan in the woods and it was cute, they do have chemistry and A LOT of angst. They didn't fully click with me though, like Auri and Nix did. But I did like getting to know them throughout the book.
Tarley is also capable of saving herself, but lets other people save her sometimes too. She's kind of the grumpy in this grumpy-sunshine pairing, and Lachlan is like a golden retriever who has his own insecurities that he hides behind a smile.
So that forest part was a bit slow, I didn't mind, but I was glad that things started moving a bit faster when they made it back to the Sevens.
The end was my favourite however, because so many things happened, parts of the mystery were revealed and I thought that we'd get to hear the full story FINALLY...unfortunately Tarley's mother had other plans so now I have to wait till book three.
The world keeps expanding with each book, with some new creatures, and it seems there are brighter days ahead for the characters, but it'll take them a while to make the changes necessary to get there. As before, I'm definitely in it for the whole ride.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
The gorgeous cover and interesting blurb were what drew me to this book, but unfortunately what was inside didn't work for me.
I could tell by the writThe gorgeous cover and interesting blurb were what drew me to this book, but unfortunately what was inside didn't work for me.
I could tell by the writing style that something would inevitably annoy me when I opened it, but I wanted to give it a chance. After all, I can ignore just about anything if I like and/or can connect to the characters.
WELL, ABOUT THAT...The characters...I don't even know where to start with them.
Let's do Meren first, since she's the main character. Meren is the twin sister to the future queen, raised in secret and trained to sacrifice herself for her sister, whenever a dangerous situation should arise.
Problem is, we don't even get to see Meren in action, because she gets kidnapped before she can fulfil her duty. We can argue that her getting kidnapped was her fulfilling her duty, but as the book goes on it's very clear that her sister is the one who's in more danger.
And Meren didn't even fight, she was too distracted and forgot everything she learned. This happened continuously, and the reason for her distractions IS A MAN!
Reven is that man, and the very first time she encounters him in the dark, she falls for him. DONT TRY TO TELL ME SHE DOESN'T!!! She sees his midnight black hair and turquoise eyes, he speaks three words to her (his voice sounds like velvet and iron by the way, very important) and she's done for.
She thinks he sees her, the real her. The same thing happens in another scene which was even worse, but before I get to that one, I have to mention Cain.
Cain is the other potential love interest, who has no real chance at all, never did. Meren does mention him in the first two chapters, but we don't see him till chapter three, and by then she's already had her first encounter with Reven.
He's the typical best friend who has feelings for her, but aside from that I don't really see why he was even necessary to the story? I wanted to root for him, even if it was futile. He does eventually come back into the story, but I can't see any romance happening.
And everything about his family also felt like background fillers, we never learned anything about them, or for example why Meren and his sister hate each other so much.
I don't hate Pella at all, but I felt like I was supposed to with the way she was described. She's like a clichéd mean girl, but I found her back and forth with Meren cringy (mostly Meren's fault!). Again, it would've helped if we knew the context of their rivalry.
Back to Reven now and this other scene. So in that scene, Meren yet again feels like he sees the real her and wants her. At that point I just felt like closing the book in embarrassment. This NEVER happens to me with fantasy books, if it does it's with contemporary romances because some of the lines there are really not to my taste.
But yeah this is literally their second meeting, they haven't had a proper conversation and she's already one foot into the romance...girl...calm down.
It felt like they were pushed, or forced together too fast and I didn't like it. The romance didn't get any better from then on, just faster. There was no build up, no chemistry, just, whatever that was.
Reven was also one of those characters that's supposed to be evil, a monster, made of darkness etc etc, he pushes Meren away (but at the same time not really) and we didn't get anything like that. He's honestly nice? Although he does get jealous and possessive but that's to be expected.
It's just that I so rarely see characters described as monsters actually be monsters, and I get a bit more disappointed each time.
Meren's relationship with her sister is also one I didn't buy. No relationships were believable in this book. Maybe the book could've been a bit longer in order to explore their relationship (and Meren and Cain's too)?
This next thing is mostly contained to a few beginning chapters, and that's the descriptions of the "wandering desert peoples". Those descriptions made me slightly uncomfortable, and when I went to check if anyone else noticed it, I only saw one other person say it. If I didn't see it, I would've thought it was just me.
Luckily, this didn't continue for the rest of the book, but I'm very curious to see if anyone else will feel that way later on when more people read it.
So the plot, up until Meren gets kidnapped it feels like one book, and after she gets kidnapped it feels like a completely different one. But the plot wasn't nearly as bad as the romance. It wasn't bad at all actually, and it was better in the second half than in the first.
The plot might technically be my favourite thing next to the magic system? I don't know how the magic works, but do I care? No. I think the concept is unique, but could use more development.
I don't know if I'll be reading the sequel. The ending is a cliffhanger and was supposed to make me want to continue, except I'm not getting that feeling at all. I won't lose any sleep if I don't read the next book.
Lastly, are YA books supposed to have steamy scenes? The Liar's Crown has one, so I'm not sure how YA it really is. Maybe upper/older YA? Or YA bordering NA, something like that.
Anywayyyy, just because this didn't work for me, doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a chance. If it sounds good to you go ahead and read it.
2.5
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
To Wake a Kingdom was not my first book by this author, Wicked is the Reaper was and that one blew me away so I had to request an arc of this one. I wTo Wake a Kingdom was not my first book by this author, Wicked is the Reaper was and that one blew me away so I had to request an arc of this one. I was hoping to love it just as much, and while I did like it, I didn't love it.
The story starts with an action scene that promises an amazing story, but then it doesn't reach that height again until the second half. That first half is spent relationship building, mostly, and occasional training scenes, with some fillers too.
I wasn't bored, but it felt like it took forever to get through those parts. And even in the second half things could get a bit slow.
So basically my complaint is that I was expecting a slightly different story based on the blurb and first chapter. But it had some really good parts too.
It's a darker fairytale retelling, and is a great mix of those elements and original ideas. I like the world, from what we saw of it. And I still like the writing style.
Character wise, I felt very lukewarm towards Thorne, she acted exactly like a spoiled princess at the start. Eventually she did grow into a warrior, but her behavior and some of the things she said sounded kind of modern to me which made me laugh.
Ronan was okay, I like that he was there to save Thorne when she actually needed saving. Their romance was by no means enemies to lovers though. He basically just appeared on her castle's doorstep one day, she was annoyed about it, but let him and his friends stay and eventually they fell in love.
They did meet briefly once before, but I'm not counting that.
Maida is a character that I felt the strongest about, oddly enough. He's a side character with mysterious motivations of his own, and he outshined almost all the other side characters except Gideon (whose food I'd love to try). I'd like to learn more about him.
I'd still recommend this book, because of how original it was, and I'll be reading the sequel.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
This was a really great read. For a 500+ page book it didn't feel long at all, and I had no problem reading the whole thing at once.
I was so interestThis was a really great read. For a 500+ page book it didn't feel long at all, and I had no problem reading the whole thing at once.
I was so interested in what was going to happen next that I couldn't (and didn't want to) stop until I finished it.
The start was a nice intro into the story, and in those moments it felt really unique and unlike anything I've read before. The middle got a bit slower, and that part reminded me of For the Wolf because of certain scenes so if you liked that, you'll also love this. And the end had a lot of fun things happening, as well as some sad things.
The romance was kinda insta lovey, but I really didn't mind, because they're soulmates of a sort and I love soulmates. There was a lot of angst, and steam too, definitely more than I expected.
In a few other reviews I've seen readers say that some of the steamy scenes made them uncomfortable, and while I didn't feel like that myself, it's worth checking out the author's note at the start for possibly triggering material in the book.
I won't talk about the plot, because I have no complaints, and I also believe that you should go into this with as little knowledge as possible for maximum enjoyment (warnings aside of course). I didn't even reread the blurb before I started reading and I kept getting surprised the further along I read. Just trust me on this.
At the end of the book there's a teaser for book two and it seems one of Auri's sisters will be the main character in that one? I think that's a good idea, since this first book feels both self contained and there's also room for expansion.
There's also titles for the next three books, so that means this series will have at least four books and I'm assuming each of the sisters will get her own book. The only flaw is that each book will be released in a different year.
So before you start reading be ready for a long commitment, at least until 2025 if the dates stay the same. I know I'm committed now, and I'll be counting the days until January 2023 when book two is due to come out.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
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