The was endlessly ridiculous. I would never legit recommend it to anyone. But Jesus Christ, I 3.5 Smut Stars
The shit I read, folks. I mean...I dunno.
The was endlessly ridiculous. I would never legit recommend it to anyone. But Jesus Christ, I just love this crap.
I mean, it's about a fairy man who becomes a beast, you know, to save his people...and then he literally has to fuck his mate to normalize himself all day long. It's like this was meant for me, that's all I'm saying....more
Gonna settle on 2.5 stars, rounded down...final rating...not sure why I keep waffling on this one...
Before I get started, I want to say that directlyGonna settle on 2.5 stars, rounded down...final rating...not sure why I keep waffling on this one...
Before I get started, I want to say that directly prior to reading this, I had just completed book three of The Mistborn Saga and a re-read of Surviving Raine, two books I five-starred the shit out of...Meaning: I read this on the heels of a veritable case study on world-building and character/relationship development mastery, respectively.
So maybe this book was somewhat doomed simply based on that.
Regardless, I read a few reviews on this that had me really excited. PNR/Fantasy romance is some of my favorite kind of romance and I was looking forward to diving into this based on those select reviews and the blurb. So, the fact that I didn't love this thing bums me out.
But allow me to break it down...
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1) The writing.
Something was off about it and I can't quite put my finger on it. Word choices were routinely awkward and sometimes I had trouble following exactly what was going on, especially as applied to love scenes.
Now, I'm fairly intelligent...but the first two smutty scenes between the main couple left me wondering if they had actually done the deed or just fumbled around with their clothes on until someone...leaked.
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If you follow me.
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2) The world-building.
Was just poorly done, sadly. We are dropped into this world which is seemingly involved in a long, ongoing war between two factions of the Fae world. And humans are involved...somehow?
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The reasons for this war are murky, the "details," as limited as they were, were constantly changing, and the true catalyst when finally (I think?) explained, was weak and not fleshed out to my satisfaction.
Also, the magic system at play here was pudding soft and never fully made clear either. The characters seem to know and understand things that we the reader are never let in on.
Part of me appreciates that the author was probably trying to make an effort to show and not tell us what certain characters actions/events meant in the grand scheme of the story; but instead we were left with unexplained phenomena that would only be marginally, if ever, delved into chapters later.
Example: (view spoiler)[Opal goes to mend the human prince's cloak. Why? Not sure. But instead of just "mending" it right then and there with her fae abilities (which we later learn was her intent) she takes it back to her room with her. Mends it. And when the prince comes to collect it from her, it's discovered that she mended it with gold. It's not fully explained that it's not just gold thread, but actual legit gold hardware until a little later. But apparently it's "kind of a big deal," although why that is...is never really expanded upon. It's just alluded to that this is a power she was previously trying to hide....for some reason.
Again...
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Oh, and she can also change into a fucking bird. Which is related to some kind of prophesy. Which is also, you guessed it, never really fully explained. (hide spoiler)]
Early in the book, Opal is at some kind of magical "crossover" tree. Refer to point #2 for lack of any further, credible information involving said tree. While here, she runs into an enemy soldier who apparently is also aware of this...tree.
They meet there and...something. And even though this soldier is clearly part of the enemy forces supposedly slaughtering her lands and people, Opal starts meeting up with him at the tree on regular. To train with weapons. For no apparent reason. Cause romance book.
She of course later finds out who this soldier really is...and literally watches as this guy RIPS OUT HER FATHER'S HEART and kills him. But she somehow seems to just emotionally gloss over this. Because, she's just really drawn to him, you guys.
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And because, later on, we are doing it for the people. And peace. Or something. And because - again - romance book.
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I don't know.
All I know is, if someone MURDERED my father right in front of me...even if I was given a (super weak, mind you) justification for it later...I don't care HOW dreamy he is or how drawn to him I am...NOPE.
I mean, Opal doesn't even seem that upset about her father dying, period. And he was supposedly a solidly decent parent and person. It's not like he was even painted as some evil dictator, thus bookishly enabling us to more easily accept why Opal would so gamely overlook his death and the expectation for what would normally ensue following the death of a parent.
It just didn't make sense human emotions-wise.
But whatever.
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And don't even get me started on how she gets "imprisoned" by the humans (whose presence in this book seemed to merely act as a convenient plot device whenever the author needed to create scenes which would otherwise never have occurred). But seriously, Opal, you are bigger and stronger and have magical fucking powers. I mean, you can change into a goddamn bird and FLY out the window at any time. So ESCAPE already.
And if you aren't choosing to escape, then the reason (or at least some kind of indication that there are reasons) should be made clear to the reader. Otherwise you just seem...
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Not that bright.
I also didn't understand how, near the end, a group of powerless humans seemed to be kicking the ass of a king who supposedly had SO much power...who could basically teleport himself anywhere...who could change into a ginormous wolf...who could literally rip organs from people's bodies...and who could also fucking fly. But, then again, not using ones magical powers in dangerous situations that seemed to call for them seemed to be par for the course for this book.
There is so much more, but I just can't be bothered. The only reason I rated this higher than a firm 1 or 2-stars is because, for some reason, I kept turning the pages. And because, despite my above reservations, the main couple DID have good chemistry. Enough chemistry to justify the hero killing the heroine's father and her being like...
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No. But still. Chemistry. Which always gets a star from me.
Other than that, this felt like an adult mash-up of a lot of trope-ridden young adult fantasy I've read over the years. If you are in the mood for that, haven't read a lot of fantasy in general, and/or don't really care about world-building (which I totally get, we all have things we don't care about), this might work out better for you than it did for me.
And, even though it seems like I'm kind of tearing it apart a bit, I didn't hate this book. I really did like the chemistry between the main couple. And the H was exactly my brand of possessive alphahole. In fact, I low key adored him. And I'm just always a complete sucker for possessively fate matings. Every. Single. Time.
I guess I just thought everything had potential to be so much better. We had super decent fabric and a strong enough needle...it just wasn't threaded solidly enough for my taste....more
After sleeping on this, I am deciding to go with a straight 3-star rating here.
Now, let me start off by saying that everyone and their mother h3 Stars
After sleeping on this, I am deciding to go with a straight 3-star rating here.
Now, let me start off by saying that everyone and their mother has been recommending this book to me for years. Close to four years to be exact, being that this was published in November of 2016. Now, I definitely like recommendations...especially from those with whom I chat frequently and who know what I like. But sometimes, when something is recommended to me so frequently...it starts to feel like homework and I become childlike in my reluctance to NOT read it.
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And then I have to wait.
For that "homework" feeling to fade. For that inner asshole telling me to NOT read something I would probably like, but am not, out of completely baseless spite to shut the fuck up.
So that's what I did. I waited until that feeling faded. Until I was ready.
Which happened at approximately 5pm last night after I had been battling a migraine all day.
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Which brings me to now.
I enjoyed this book...but I wasn't necessarily enthralled by it, which I will be the first to admit really surprised me. I mean, this book has a lot of elements in it that are right up my alley.
Supernatural beings - especially a Siren...and I am always here for anything fae... Loved you since childhood shtick... A hot alpha-male who basically looks like the Witcher...
I'm here for it all.
So while I did enjoy it (3-stars is a good rating, people!) I also have no idea why I didn't love it more.
But I will endeavor to try to think of a couple reasons.
I think the world-building was a little weak in some areas, which left me feeling a little adrift...But mostly, I felt like the H went from tough and reticent...to overly lovey-dovey milk toast WAY too fast for my liking.
Also, unfortunately, I feel like my reluctance to read this sooner also played into me not liking this more. I think had I read this in 2016 (when it came out and people starting singing about it), I would have enjoyed it a lot more; however, at this point I think I have just read too many things with similar elements. So, my bad.
Otherwise, I do see myself continuing to book two sometime in the future - a decision solely predicated on the fact that it's available via Kindle Unlimited. I think if it wasn't...I would probably skip it, if I'm honest.
That said, I think anyone who has been thinking about reading this for some time (like I was) should go ahead and give it a go - especially if you already have it on your kindle or whatever reading platform you use. I really do think I would have liked it better had I read it earlier or simply been in a different mood....more
I know it's not "cool" to like SJM books anymore...all the cool kids say she's tired, she doesn't have enough "rep" in her books, she's too t4.5 Stars
I know it's not "cool" to like SJM books anymore...all the cool kids say she's tired, she doesn't have enough "rep" in her books, she's too trope-y, her males are too "masculine," angels and fae have been done too many times before, blah, blah, fucking blah...
I'm not here to rate the literary elements here, people. I'm not here to ferret out any imagined or un-imagined social warrior stances in a barely adult Urban Fantasy book meant for entertainment.
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And this was scrumptious.
Was the beginning somewhat clunky and hard to get into? Yes. But I was prepared. And that should be expected in almost any first in a new fantasy series.
Was it too long? Yeah, probably. But I also wouldn't trade in any of the length and, in turn, lose any of the world/character-building.
Did a lot of the characters remind me of characters from her other books? Sure.
But again, I don't care. At the end of any given day, I am just a basic bitch who reads for ENTERTAINMENT. And I found this book to be 800 pages of a good time.
Last night I got a bee up my ass and decided to count and see how many unread physical books I have on my home library shelves...and l3.25 - 3.5 Stars
Last night I got a bee up my ass and decided to count and see how many unread physical books I have on my home library shelves...and let’s just say the number was pretty shameful.
Thus, I decided it was time to cull the herd. So decided I would try the cliched booktube trend of reading first chapters of books that have been on my shelves awhile...unhauling anything that didn’t at least mildly capture my attention.
This book has been on my shelves the longest, so I grabbed it and figured I’d read one chapter and set it aside in the donate pile...342 pages later, I can proudly say I unhauled one fucking book. But it’s now a "read" book. So nanner nanner nanner.
I really enjoyed certain elements of this story and was (obviously) drawn in from the very first page. I thought the ending got a little dicey as far as plot details and general continuity is concerned...And I feel like the romance/love was never truly cemented enough for my tastes...but all in all a decent story I’m glad I read...
If only so I can say I read a book from my shelves I had started to think I never would get to. A truly satisfying feeling....more
Le sigh. This was very disappointing to me, which was surprising. It had DRAGONS in it, for fucks sake.
So, as perSettling on 2 "It Was Okay" Stars...
Le sigh. This was very disappointing to me, which was surprising. It had DRAGONS in it, for fucks sake.
So, as per usual when I'm not sure how I want to structure shit, let's go with the proven number system...
PS - ***spoilers*** ***spoilers*** ***spoilers***
Issue #1: The World-Building
I've gotten very jaded in my world-building rendezvous in my 36-year-old age. After being spoiled now by such amazing world-builders for so many years and series, I find that the bar of my satisfaction is pretty high these days.
And for those who scoff and say, but this is romance, not high fantasy...I say...
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Look no further than Nalini Singh, JD Robb, Kresley Cole, JR Ward, and numerous others and you will find authors who can marry romance and solid world-building just fine.
And not to say that the world-building here was AWFUL - it wasn't. It just wasn't as cohesive and fully fleshed out as I would have liked, especially when the characters actually traveled to a supposed different realm.
2) The Magic System...
...seemed to lack any actual system.
We learn early on that Gabriel (the Hero of the book) is a dragon from "Paragon" *eye roll* with all these supposed magical dragon powers (none of which are ever fully explained or which we even get to see) because he has been cursed by some voodoo witch named Crimson who dresses like she works at a New Orleans carnival - which apparently she does. As a cover.
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But fear not, because Raven (short for Ravenna), the heroine of the book (whom Gabriel saved from a Cancerous near-death by feeding her a dragon tooth he ripped from his mouth, thus "bonding" them) is apparently some badass "sorceress" (which is apparently more betta than a common witch), which Gabriel was able to sense based on a random picture of her in the newspaper.
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Raven's "powers" are never fully explained or realized, except to say that she can absorb the spells and magic from...stuff.
3) The Hero
As I mentioned earlier, the book starts with Gabriel already very weakened by the curse Crimson the drug-addled, voodoo Stevie Nicks lookalike witch put on him...somehow. And he kinda, sorta, uses the last of his magic to "bond" Raven to him using said tooth. So she can come to his mansion and use the magic she isn't even aware she has at that point to read grimoires (you know, spell books) he has gathered to figure out how to un-curse him.
Oh, and apparently the girl he bonded to him before Raven - who was a witch who could talk to spirits - had a scary abusive father who kept harassing her while she was at Gabriel's mansion. But instead of just vaporizing the guy like a badass, Gabriel helps her dye her hair blonde and sets her up as the manager of some rock band, you know, as a cover.
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I'm sorry, but I like my PNR heroes to be badasses. And nothing about Gabriel was badass.
I mean, for fucks sake, after he and Raven discover they are mates and discuss ad nauseam how possessive he is of her, how he won't let her out of his sight, how all the other dragons in Paragon would be drawn to her because FEMALE...what's the first thing he does when they arrive in Paragon?
"Here, stay here by yourself all alone while I go talk to these people and gather intel" aka leave you completely vulnerable in this world you've never been to that I've described as totally dangerous so you can get captured by the enemy because PLOT POINT.
4) The Bullshit Ending
In the end, as you can probably imagine - or perhaps not since this "review" is kind of all over the place - the ending boils down to a magical showdown between Raven and Voodoo. Or, as I like to call it, a Wizard's Duel...
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Which probably has to be one of the worst finales of all time.
Crimson is supposedly this crazy strong voodoo witch who has honed her magic badassery over the course of 300 long years. Meaning, bitch got skills, right? While Raven is this chick with barely discovered witch - I'm sorry, sorceress - powers, which she apparently has because she's a descendant of Circe. You know, the famous witch from Greek mythology. Sorry to throw that on you so randomly, but since it was thrown on us pretty fucking randomly in the book, I thought it was only fitting. I mean, it was an insult to Greek Mythology, really. Like an attempt to piggy-back a legit story to make your story make sense.
Anybullshit, the wizard's duel goes back and forth a bit, in a random way where nothing actually makes sense. Crimson somehow throws some magic black powder at Raven, thereby sending her back into the past, where she is being burned alive at the stake. Or something. But now that she's all dragon tooth infused (or something) she can't burn. Or something. So instead, she grabs past-Crimson and throws her into the fire. Somehow. They then return to the present and Raven says nanner nanner nanner. And Crimson dies.
Unfortunately, however, before throwing Raven into the past (somehow), Crimson "killed" Gabriel by turning him into stone. Somehow. And so after Crismon dies, Raven does some wazoo spell she pulled out of...somewhere...and brings Gabriel back to life. Somehow.
And there you have it folks.
Somehow, something happened somewhere. And they all lived happily ever after....more
Definitely my favorite in the series so far...which surprised me what with how long it was and how long it took me to read it. I usually fini4.5 Stars
Definitely my favorite in the series so far...which surprised me what with how long it was and how long it took me to read it. I usually finish books I am loving within a day or two and this one took me almost a week. But, life happens and I haven't had as much time to dedicate to reading these days.
Anyway, that's besides the point and interesting to, well, no one.
Moving on.
I really loved all the character interactions and dynamics going on in this installment. I just love epic fantasies involving loyalty and character development/surprises and this book was rife with examples of both.
The last 200 pages or so were especially awesome as the larger plot lines unfolded. I can't wait to start the next book. And even more exciting? Knowing this series is fully complete now...and and that I already have all the remaining books on my shelves ready to go.
All things considered, I enjoyed this book and series a great deal.
As the conclusion to a pretty popular and lengthy series, it had a l3.75 - 4 Stars
All things considered, I enjoyed this book and series a great deal.
As the conclusion to a pretty popular and lengthy series, it had a lot riding on its massive 980 page shoulders...and a LOT of uber-emotional fangirls and boys to avoid disappointing, let's be real.
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Overall I thought Maas did a pretty decent job of it...
...even with all the filler, all the battles, ALL the traveling to and fro...all the unnecessary...
...until about page 770 or so.
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This book was...long. Probably longer than it needed to be, quite frankly. I saw that some people had said that - and I didn't agree, at first. I was more than perfectly content, even at page 600-something, to relish these characters and the individual storylines that made for such an epic ending for as long as it lasted.
However, at about 770-800 pages, some events in the book made me...less than enthused. With all of the build-up regarding the final "showdown" and the closing of the Wyrdgate...I was bummed with the way it all went down.
Not gonna lie, since the time it was all explained, I have wondered about the Wyrdgate...and been a little confused by it all in a way. So many gods, blood debts, and other stuff involved. And when it finally came to "the moment," as it were, I was kind of a little miffed.
Especially when (view spoiler)[Aelin ends up losing her Fire-Bringer powers.
I'm sorry, I'm all for the ordinary being all extraordinary and all that...but I also like my "super-heroes" to have their super powers. And after so many books of Aelin finding and then learning to control this power...for her to just lose it in the end, right before the big battle?
(view spoiler)[When he learned how to shift, I was like, cool. That's cool. But when he goes to Morath, encounters Maeve, and supposedly dupes her? I just have a hard time believing he was able to do that. To overpower her and outsmart her with his magic like that after people much older and experienced with magic, i.e., Rowan and the cadre, have been unable to do so for millennia. And then, not to fucking kill her right then when presented the opportunity? (hide spoiler)]
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And don't even get me started on the final showdown.
(view spoiler)[Once again, Maeve seems to easily take control of everyone's minds (making my point with Dorian even more ridiculous), once again she seems to so easily overpower them all. (hide spoiler)]
Le sigh.
It just felt drawn out and repetitive.
Again.
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Also, I was kind of left a little blue-balled by how things ended between some of the characters. But I think by then, Maas realized she was encroaching on 1000 fucking pages. And, by then, there were just SO many damned story lines, it would have been almost a whole other book to properly ties up all the loose ends in regards to everyone's story, relationships, and future.
But, whatever.
All in all, I enjoyed the majority of this book. There were some REALLY poignant moments (view spoiler)[Manon and her Thirteen, anyone? Holy-throat-tight-with-emotion right there, people. (hide spoiler)] And in the end, I think the idea that you can have friendships and relationships you would be willing to sacrifice your life for? Always powerful....more
So...I'm not in a reviewing mood at ALL; but I figured I better lay something down here before I completely forget any thoughts I have about 3.5 Stars
So...I'm not in a reviewing mood at ALL; but I figured I better lay something down here before I completely forget any thoughts I have about this book and my experience reading it.
I had a hard time rating this.
Because, well, it just didn't blow my mind.
That said.
While I didn't love it... While I didn't really, really, really like it per se... I did appreciate it.
And here's why.
Prior to receiving my copy in the mail and, obviously, reading the book, I received Maas' subscriber newsletter email. In it she had the usual "woo hoo, it's release day" fodder they all send out, but it also contained - what I would later discover upon finishing the book - was exactly what was depicted in the "Acknowledgements" section.
In it, she talked about the process of writing this book and how hard it was because, in the midst of it, her father had a major health scare and almost died. Still, despite this trying time - she also found out she was pregnant - and, despite not really always "feelin' it," Maas trudged through the writing process because DEADLINE.
As someone who loves to write and also lost a parent in the past, I just really empathized with the creative struggle Maas probably had here.
Now, am I saying that an author's personal life issues should be taken into account when rating/reviewing or considering your own enjoyment of a book?
Hell no. Of course not. Absolutely not.
I'm just saying that, FOR ME, reading about that just changed the mindset I started the book with.
I went in knowing that, by her own admission, Maas struggled writing it.
So I guess you could say that 1) lowered my expectations bar, and 2) made me read the book knowing Maas had been experiencing personal pain while writing it.
And I think that emotion was definitely captured in the story.
This book will NOT blow your mind. It does NOT really move the plot forward.
But what it did do, in my opinion, was move the CHARACTERS forward.
It really drilled down into a lot of their inner thoughts and longstanding issues and baggage and - as someone who loves character driven stories - I really enjoyed that aspect of the book.
Also, I mentioned this in a status update while reading, but for some reason, I am REALLY intrigued by Nesta's character.
She was totally selfish in book one and has continued to be heinously bitchy throughout the series, but there is just something about her strength, stubbornness, and just plain fucking resolve that I love. For whatever reason, I am just sometimes drawn to complex, fucked up, misunderstood female characters that everyone else hates. And I can't WAIT for the next book.
In fact, I think the character development done in this book is going to act as a veritable buttress to the next books in the series and make them even better for its existence, as meh as it might have been plot/action-wise.
So yeah, I guess I had more to say than I thought. LOL Oh well.
Toodles!
P.S. I thought I'd share the cool exclusive edition ends papers for anyone who hasn't seen them...
Well, despite marking this as "currently reading" (I put books there that I plan to read within the next week or two) I finally cracked this bad boy oWell, despite marking this as "currently reading" (I put books there that I plan to read within the next week or two) I finally cracked this bad boy open today...and finished it in one three-hour siting.
So, if that's not an indication of something being a seriously above average read, I don't know what is.
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Jude was a really edgy, imperfect, relatable character and I really liked her.
So often, I want characters to do something - maybe say something or do something I want them to do in a specific moment - and I am left feeling frustrated and annoyed when they don't.
They DON'T deliver the nasty comeback I feel someone so amazingly deserves. They DON'T punch the face of the asshole who has done them wrong. They DON'T say "fuck you" to the person who just betrayed them.
But, Jude?
Home girl DID all of those things and more and I loved it.
She saw that proverbial high road on some occasions, the one other characters sometimes begged her to take and she said:
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Get it, girl.
On top of that, the plot here was pretty well thought out and I enjoyed the twists and turns, none of which felt convenient or trite.
It will definitely be interesting to see what happens with the plot and certain character relationships in the next book.
This was pretty underwhelming, which is a huge bummer, because I really wanted to like it.
A lot of people might compare this at first to ACOTAR becausThis was pretty underwhelming, which is a huge bummer, because I really wanted to like it.
A lot of people might compare this at first to ACOTAR because of the fair folk and their courts, but - surprise! - fairies and their courts are actually longstanding fairy lore that go back centuries. Sarah J. Maas didn't make all that up on her own.
Anyway, as I said, I really wanted to like this, if only for the cover.
But, alas, the world building felt unfinished, the purpose and direction of the story was unclear to the very end, and the characters were a group of bland strangers I never truly got to know.
I love fairy court folklore and had high hopes for this book; however, the only thing that truly impressed me here was the fact that I finished it, which again: bummer, especially since Rogerson has a very fluid and engaging writing style.
As such, despite my lackluster response to this book, I could probably be convinced to attempt another book by her, provided the blurb sounded interesting. And I got it on sale.
In the end, I’m glad this at least has a purty cover, since I have it in hardback via Uppercase. So at least it will look pretty on my shelves if nothing else....more
What the fuck is this "vulgar gesture" that has been mentioned over and over and a-FUCKING-over again th4 Stars
Before I say anything, I must say this:
What the fuck is this "vulgar gesture" that has been mentioned over and over and a-FUCKING-over again throughout all this series, which all the characters seem to gift each other with?
No for real, I would love to know.
Are they all giving each other a different "vulgar gesture" every time, or is it ONE single gesture. And if so, which one?
This one?
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This one?
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How about this one?
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No?
How about the ever tried and true?
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Or, perhaps, MY personal favorite:
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No?
Well, whatever. I would love to know.
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Anynotawave, if you follow my reviews, you know that I didn't particularly love book one and two of this series like most people did. And, conversely, most people who adored books one and two seemed to be less...enthused with this book.
So, of course, leave it to me to be the complete opposite of everyone else.
Because, even though I wasn't OMG in lurve with books one and two, I found myself really into this one.
Maybe it just took books one and two to really dig my heels into the series - who knows - but I was really digging the characters in this one.
Obviously, I loved the relationship between Feyre and Rhys... The group love and loyalty of the Night Court inner circle... And the connection between Feyre and her sisters...
But - and I know this is not the case with most people - I am REALLY loving Nesta's story.
I have been oddly drawn to her and her cold bitchiness since book one and I REALLY loved the growth she displayed in this book, the dynamic between her and Cassian, just everything.
And of course, RHYS. Who can not love Rhys?
In fact, this book actually made me really appreciate books one and two more. I might go back and read them again.
But until then, I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
And I also just obtained the Throne series, so hopefully I will enjoy that one from the onset. ...more
I know I'm late to the Court party. Super late. And I liked this installment, but I also has a few small issues with3 I Wanted to Love This More Stars
I know I'm late to the Court party. Super late. And I liked this installment, but I also has a few small issues with it...
***SPOILERS***
1) Tone
I feel like this book - and series thus far - is one big identity crisis.
I have seen there is an ongoing argument among some readers about whether or not this series should be considered Young Adult or just plain...Adult.
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But being that it won the GR award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction for 2016...I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's intended to be YA.
Now...I've read a lot of YA in my day.
And I've never read a YA that had so much cunnilingus, fellatio, and use of the word FUCK.
For real though.
Now, I am down with the word FUCK. We be homies, yo. I am also VERY down with all the sexy sexy.
But in a book pedaled as YOUNG adult?
It just felt like a little much. In the world of books, I have always felt that young adult included people age 12 or even below.
Per Wikipedia:
Young adult fiction or young adult literature (YA)[1] is fiction published for readers in their youth. The age range for young adult fiction is subjective. Some sources claim it ranges from ages 12–18,[2] while authors and readers of "young teen novels" often define it as written for those aged 15 to the early 20s.
Personally, I always thought it was the latter.
And, in my opinion, the sex scenes and some of some of the other general content just didn't feel YA to me. It seemed a little too racy to be YA.
That said, however, a lot of the content felt very YA.
Now, I'm not a prude...and I don't have kids. My issue here is NOT whether certain scenes are appropriate for young readers or not. I was reading smut at 12 myself....so I don't really give a shit. Plus, I'm not here to judge or decide what parents allow or don't allow their kids to read. It's not my place to argue and I have no desire to anyway.
My issue here is simply that this juxtaposition between scenes that felt too adult for a young adult book...and yet too young adult for an adult book...made for an uneven tone.
It made me feel like I couldn't get grounded in this book.
3) Sex Scenes Soundtrack
During a lot of the sex scenes, Feyre "snarls" or is "snarling" or "barks" a moan....
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Ummm, yeah...No.
3) Length
Per amazon, the print length of this Goliath is 626 pages...
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Or, as I like to call it...
250 pages too long.
There was a LOT of superfluous stuff in this book. A LOT of scenes that felt pointless and tedious. A LOT of things that made the book just DRAG.
Which made the ending...a little frustrating for me...which brings me to...
4) The Ending
All this build up. All these tests and trials. All these missions. All these moments.
ALL of these things snowballing together for 626 pages in preparation for this big ending...
THAT.
WAS.
LAME.
Seriously.
We spent the whole book practicing, training, planning, getting one half of this magic book...then the OTHER half of this magic book...
...We had Feyre getting upset with Rhysand about BULLSHIT (which ate up 20-50 MORE unnecessary pages)...
...for our big huge master plan to be "walk into bad guy's house and expect bad guy not to notice us?"
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Well he does, of course, within minutes.
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And even though Rhysand is supposed to be the most powerful High Lord to have EVER existed...even though Feyre is supposed to be this uber wazoo High Lord Stew of a Fae...even though Amren is supposed to be over 5,000 years old with 5,000 years worth of firedragon (or whatever the fuck she is supposed to be) power...
This ONE king controls and disables them all within seconds?
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Ridiculous.
I mean, for fucks sake, Maas has Feyre conveniently developing all these secret magic skills at just the right moment *eye roll* on every other page in this book, why not then?
And Tamlin?
Don't even get me started on that idiot.
The fact that Feyre ended this book be going back to Tamlin...why exactly did this happen again? I mean, I get that she was trying to save her sisters (a-fucking-gain) and yadda, yadda...
But I don't see why her suddenly pretending to be "free" from the bond and fake brainwashing by Rhysand so she could go back with Tamlin and save them all made sense.
Why would that make the King let them go? Why wouldn't he just kill them all right then and there?
He has them all there. They are at his whim because they are all USELESS apparently. So him letting them all go and not killing them seemed like a lame plot ploy. A reason for a book three.
And that's my main issue with the book as a whole, actually.
All of these spells and magic powers are created and used at very convenient times all throughout the book.
We have 626 pages of all of these convenient spells, escape routes, and just-in-time wraith helpers.
And yet, in the end, to see the good guys so easily thwarted?
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But what do I know.
Anyway, on the positive side...
This story has a very creative premise and plot arc. I enjoyed all the characters - most of the time - and I really do like Feyre, Rhysand, and their Night Court family. I LOVE that Feyre ended up with Rhysand. I LOVE that they are mates.
But other than that, this book just felt too bogged down and convoluted in places for me to say I really like it. And a reminder to those who think this is a negative review: It's not.
I rate books according to the GR scale, meaning I thought this book was somewhere in the "I liked it" range. Plus, I think I will like the series as a whole once it's all said and done. ...more
I REALLY like this author's Elder Races series - ESPECIALLY books 1-4 - and this is a spin-off of that series...it takes place in the same worl3 Stars
I REALLY like this author's Elder Races series - ESPECIALLY books 1-4 - and this is a spin-off of that series...it takes place in the same world that Harrison has created there (which is AMAZING by the way)...
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But this one just didn't do it as much for me, sadly.
Despite the fact that she already "built" this world in the Elder Races series, I feel like I still trudged through the foundation-building for this series.
I had a hard time getting a good feel for Sophie and her powers and abilities...
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...and it took too long (in my opinion) for Harrison to reveal Nikolas' origins and the conflict in which he and his brethren found themselves.
All of that left me feeling completely disconnected from the two main characters, unfortunately, which affected my enjoyment of the story.
Don't get me wrong, the plot was very interesting; however, the lack of chemistry and I felt between the H and h left me feeling less than 100 percent engaged.
I will still read the next on though. As I said, I really like this world and I know what Harrison is capable of.
So I initially rated this a 3.5 star, but upon further reflection and some pinot noir, I'm feeling gracious.
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Not about the pinot part.
A4 Stars
So I initially rated this a 3.5 star, but upon further reflection and some pinot noir, I'm feeling gracious.
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Not about the pinot part.
About the being gracious part.
Because this book doesn't need my pretentious graciousness.
It was awesome all on its own.
Haha, tricked ya.
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Sorry, that^^^ probably made no sense whatsoever.
But I'm watching The Avengers in the background as I write this and I'm feeling very... avenger-y.
And horny, because well:
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Oh, le super swoon.
But anythorbabies, this book.
I was looking forward to this book - Bo and Nyx's book - based on the foundation laid out for them in books #1-3.
Bo was as obsessed and possessive as I wanted him to be and Nyx really came into her own as well.
In previous books, I must admit that she seemed kind of one dimensional - while in contrast, Bo was VERY fleshed out dynamic in my mind. So I was pleasantly surprised by her in this book.
I really enjoy Reus' writing and the world she has built in this series.
So why not 5 stars? And why an inital thought of 3.5 stars?
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1) The "Realm" Jumping...
...was not my favorite thing.
As I said above, I enjoy the world Reus has built.
On EARTH.
Not this other "hell realm" or some such nonsense.
Not my cuppa joe, homies.
2) Very limited shifter interactivity...
...which was a bummer.
Something I love about this series is how all the characters work together and interact - with the Stavros pack kind of at its core.
But that was missing in this book. Sure, we got to see Victoria and Drake a little bit. But the scenes they were in felt very superfluous and really did nothing to enhance the story line.
And, as I said, a lot of the action in this book happened in that weird, aforementioned, hell realm.
2) There were NO DRAGONS....
...or at least not much of them.
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Ya'll know how much I love my dragons - thus my unending lurve for books two and three.
So after enjoying them for two solid books in a row, perhaps I was left in a state of dragon withdrawl during this forth installment.
Thus, the only drawbacks of this book for me were completely personal.
The story was there, the writing was there, the enjoyment was there.
It just wasn't my favorite so far in the series.
That said, something I DID really enjoy about this book and the ONLY thing I enjoyed about the visit to the hell realm was the introduction of Bo's brothers, Ian and Rory.
I really liked them and I am hoping they get their own books soon...especially Ian...why you say?
That moment when a book you thought was a standalone...turns out being not only book one of a sister series (where it is recommended you read the otheThat moment when a book you thought was a standalone...turns out being not only book one of a sister series (where it is recommended you read the other series first, mind you) but a also book one in a six part serial. Lemme repeat that.
Six. Part. Serial.
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Off to read book one of the original series now...thank fuck for KU....more
Once again, I find myself the odd man out when it comes to a massively popular book...
I went into this really excited and and really wanting 2.5 Stars
Once again, I find myself the odd man out when it comes to a massively popular book...
I went into this really excited and and really wanting to love this thing.
After seeing this book and its successors paint my feed with its courts and thorns and wings and ruin, I knew there was a lot of hype surrounding this series in general.
And this first installment just didn't live up to it for me, sadly.
There, there, Court Thornians...
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Quite frankly, the first 60% of this book dragged like a U-Haul trailer with no wheels.
Nothing really happened and the things that did didn't even make sense until after the book was over.
And I'm just not a fan of that. I like to enjoy books while I'm reading them, not only for the last 25-35% when everything that was murky throughout the whole book becomes clear.
I also found myself WAY more interested in Rhysand than the actual love interest, Tamlin. Whoops!
THAT SAID.
I did enjoy the writing and the ending.
And while those things aren't enough to prompt me to rate this thing any higher, I AM going to read the second book.
I trust my peeps and all of you are saying that, while the first book drags, the second book is "OMG amazeballs." And I have faith in ya'll.
Plus, I am getting it free from the library, so why not, no?
As evidenced by my rating and review title, I was less than impressed with this book.
[image2 Dumber Than a Box of Rocks Stars
Good.
Effin.'
Grief.
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As evidenced by my rating and review title, I was less than impressed with this book.
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And - sadly - being that I was also less than impressed with it's two predecessors (Night's Honor and Kinked), I'm thinking I might take a break from this series for a while.
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There are so many things about this book that I didn't love.
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But let's just jump right to Point of Hatred (POH) #1...
POH #1:
MELLY.
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Besides being a complete and utter idiot,
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she had the maturity of a gnat,
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and the decision making skills of a teenage boy.
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Which is truly just an insult to teenage boys everywhere.
But really, if you took a teenager and subtracted 10 years, you'd have Melly.
Because what normal, well-adjusted, responsible adult - keep in mind she is supposed to be 300 YEARS OLD - actually still refers to their mother as "Mommy"?
And still calls on Mommy to solve all of her problems.
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And, after being held captive, fighting for her life for a few days, and being on the cusp of planning a massive counter attack, what are her priorities?
"Put me down. I need to dry my hair at least partway. If I don't it will go crazy."
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And let's not forget this little nugget of wisdom:
"Don't you know what happens at the darkest point of the day?" "What?" "A beautiful, brand-new days begins, and it's all fresh and full of promise...That's why magic in the fairy tales happens at midnight, you know. When you reach that point, you have the power to change everything."
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But wait, you might say, that was such a sweet little gem of profoundness.
Hmmmmmmm, no.
Not when paired with everything else that this little idiot said or thought.
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Lord I disliked this woman.
And the fact that Julian loved her?
As trifling as that love might have seemed?
Made me NOT like HIM.
Because the fact that he would actually want to spend time with this airhead?
Truly made me question his judgement.
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POH #2:
ON THE RUN SEX
Let's have a survey, shall we?
If you were a powerful, really old immortal being who was being held captive and tortured by another powerful, really old immortal being, and you were finally able to free yourself from the restraints holding you in said position, your first instinct would be to?
a) Run for your life b) Run for your life and call immediately for help c) Run for your life and make a plan for retaliation d) Hang out in the dungeon where you were being kept, where no one but the BAD GUY knows where you are and fuck like rabbits while passive-aggressively waxing poetic about "the way we were?"
Well, if you answered d, *ding* *ding* *ding* then you too have earned the title of one of the biggest idiots known to man.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am ALL for the bumping of uglies in random settings.
Obviously.
But, I mean seriously.
People are trying to kill you.
Dontcha think it might be more sensible for less fucking and more fleeing?
POH #3:
THE BIG RIDICULOUS BETRAYAL
***Spoilers***
So supposedly Julian and Melly broke up "in the 1990's" after ONLY 3 MONTHS OF DATING *snort* and broke up because Julian received photographic evidence that Melly had cheated on him.
Melly denied this adamantly to him, of course.
Oh and, by the way, did I mention she has a twin?
That looks exactly like her?
And didn't like Melly's relationship with Julian?
...See where I'm going here?
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And it took 20 years for these idiots to put this possibility together?
Aren't you supposed to get smarter with age?
But I digress.
In addition to the above mentioned POH's, this book suffered from a somewhat convoluted and yet overly simplified plot.
Too much time was spent in some areas and too little in others.
But mostly, I just didn't feel the connection between Melly and Julian.
He was supposed to be 3,000+ year old badass King and yet he falls in love with this dingbat of a woman who acts in grade B movies, calls her mother "Mommy" and has the intelligence of a poodle.
But then you throw in some minor plot holes, some major characterization inconsistencies, some personThis started off SO strong and I was enthralled.
But then you throw in some minor plot holes, some major characterization inconsistencies, some personality vs. action issues, and some semi-flawed world-building and we are left with a bit of a convoluted...mess, honestly.
Regardless, I really did enjoy it and I am intrigued by the questions we are left with at the end of book one. I want to know...WHO exactly is Ryder, WHY exactly is Syn so important, and WHAT exactly is their destiny?
*Side Note: This has been sitting on my kindle for over a year now. I got it for FREE and and it is the first book in my quest to kill my tbr of free/sale books that I have currently overloading my kindle. I'm proud of myself for getting started on it and doubly glad I enjoyed the book.
And PS. Supposedly Ryder is hung like a horse. A fairy horse, if you will.
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For serious though, WTF does this dude have in his pants?...more
In fact, nothing even remotely exciting happened until perhaps t2...Rounded Down...
Dull.
That pretty much sums up this book.
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The plot was dull.
In fact, nothing even remotely exciting happened until perhaps the 75% mark. But by then, I was already in a coma.
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Xavier was dull.
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Tess was dull...And bitchy contrary just for the sake of it. [image]
The only mildly interesting characters is this book were Melisande and Julian...and the epilogue...because it was about Melisande and Julian...
So hopefully that means the next one will be more exciting since it's about them.
What a bummer because I love this series (with the exception of Oracle's Moon...unless you liked that one...meaning this one might be right up your alley...)
So all in all, a bit of a letdown, but I'm still looking forward to the next installment. Thea Harrison is super talented and I love her Elder Races world.
Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️
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