I'll be the first to admit, I was not the biggest fan of The Stars are Dying. It didn't feel very original and I found the pacing pretty slow. That beI'll be the first to admit, I was not the biggest fan of The Stars are Dying. It didn't feel very original and I found the pacing pretty slow. That being said, I thought the world building was quite whimsical and that the series had potential for growth. I've read many series where I didn't love book one, but I adored the later books in the series. And I was really hoping that The Night is Defying was going to be one of those cases. Unfortunately, just like its predecessor, The Night is Defying failed to rouse my interest.
My first issue with this novel is that there isn't good separation between the two timelines. At least in the audiobook version, there is no "past/present" signifier at the start of each chapter. So when I first started reading, I didn't realize I was reading excerpts from the past and found myself very lost. My next problem is that the romance felt pretty underwhelming to me, especially in the past timeline. The enemies-to-lovers romance isn't that engaging, as it felt like it was just following the motions of what is expected from a romantasy like this. The love triangle felt forced, the smut got boring, and there were many lines of dialogue that felt painfully cliche.
On the subject of cliche, my biggest problem with this book is that it isn't just unoriginal, no, it is a straight rip off of ACOTAR. I'm not even a fan of ACOTAR, and yet I couldn't help but get defensive on Sarah J Maas's account. Here are just a few of the similarities between this book and A Court of Mist and Fury: -the love interest is a powerful non-human who is representative of the night -the love interest has black hair and only dresses in black -the love interest has an "evil" persona that he lets the world believe of him for the greater good but the main character sees through it -the love interest is only soft for the main character -the setting is night time inspired -the main character and love interest have a magical binding where if she calls he will come -the main character and love interest have a group of powerful friends with a nickname (the "tribe of nightmares" vs the "inner circle") -the main character is light incarnate and her whole body glows during sex -after escaping captivity the love interest shows the main character how his world works -the main character gets wings in the second book and the love interest teaches her to fly -the love interest has both shadow powers and a monstrous form -the main character and love interest have to go searching for magical objects -the main character was sheltered in the first book but is now coming into her powers (she's a little overpowered now) and gains she sass/personality back -the main character and love interest are bonded mates ... There's more similarities, but the most egregious are the ones that show that Nyte is literally just copy-and-paste Rhysand.
Aside from the cases of potential copyright, I just could not get into this author's writing style. I found the writing quite blunt and a lot of the dialogue ripped from other popular books. At times it felt like I had gone on TikTok and searched "best romantasy micro tropes" or "enemies to lovers" quotes. It's that cliche. In fact, at times it felt like the plot was being dictated by the tropes. Often times the characters had no rational for their actions. The only reason they do things is because they have to in order to set up a trope. There is one scene in particular that drove me crazy. It goes like this: The main character sneaks into a den of vampires that can easily kill her. The love interest hides her with his shadows for her safety. But when she toys with him he says "No more of this game. I'll let you handle yourself" and reveals her to the den of killers. He does this intentionally, and yet immediately after doing it, he acts like he didn't mean to drop his shadows. He yells "Anyone who touches her will have their limbs torn off," or something to that effect. It just goes to show that he had no reason for any of his actions. They just had to be done so that we could get to that popular "touch her and die" line.
So overall, with no attachment to the romance, no love for the writing style, and constant reminders of better books that this felt like a variation of, I really had no reason to care for the events of this book. I kept reading, hoping that something would grab my attention. But ultimately, nothing did. I'm sure there are some people who will love this book, especially in those moments after reading a popular book when you need something similar to fill the void, but for me this was the nail in the coffin. I'm done with this series, and perhaps even the author for now.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
When I first started reading The Gods Time Forgot, I wasn't quite sure what type of story I was about to become immersed in. The book's described as When I first started reading The Gods Time Forgot, I wasn't quite sure what type of story I was about to become immersed in. The book's described as a "romantasy," but personally, I feel a better description of the book is "historical romance with fantasy elements". And I think that so long as readers go into this book expecting that, they'll come away really impressed.
Before even falling for the characters or plot of this story, I'd immediately become immersed in the setting. The Gods Time Forgot follows Rua, a stifled woman living in gilded-era New York. She's plagued by missing memories and strange dreams, but cannot investigate them without being reprimanded, as her life is full of restrictions. I thought that the author did a fantastic job in making the reader feel just as trapped in upper-echelon society as Rua is. I also really enjoyed the author's writing style. I felt that the connection between the main characters was quite palpable. (view spoiler)[ Although I will say, it irritated me how long it took for Finn to stand up for Rua. In that regard, the romance felt a bit slow. (hide spoiler)] And finally, I really loved how this story wrapped itself up. The fantasy plot line, though more minor than expected, was incredibly engaging and really added a lot to the romantic plot.
My only major complaint of this book is the pacing. Many sections of this novel felt incredibly slow, and then the final chapter moved at lightspeed. (view spoiler)[ I also found that the theme of Rua battling her inner darkness and desire for violence came out of left field. I think that this was due to the pacing, as the plot line only really existed for the last three chapters or so. (hide spoiler)] But overall, I really enjoyed this novel. Despite some quirks, I kept reading this book because I really loved the world the story takes place in, both in terms of the glamorous New York setting, and the glimpses of Irish folklore we get. The romance and writing style are quite alluring. If you can get past the pacing issues, and let yourself slowly follow the plot instead of asking when things will pick up, I think you'll really love this story.
Thank you to Alcove Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
Any Trope But You is a stunningly heartfelt debut that pays homage to the romance genre, while also discussing why people feel the urge to pick up ficAny Trope But You is a stunningly heartfelt debut that pays homage to the romance genre, while also discussing why people feel the urge to pick up fiction in the first place. The story explores many tough realities of the world, such as dealing with health issues and learning to find reason to put yourself out there. I absolutely adored this story. From start to finish, I was compelled to keep reading. The romance is swoon-worthy and perfectly paced, but the character growth and thematic writing was the highlight of the book. Victoria Lavine manages to write with such maturity, while still keeping levity in her novel. I really loved this book and can't wait to see what she puts out next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
Could not finish. So generic and contradictory. I hardly DNF even if I'm bored, but even I have limits.Could not finish. So generic and contradictory. I hardly DNF even if I'm bored, but even I have limits....more
If I could give this book infinite stars, I would. It's gorgeous through and through, and I urge everyone to pick it up ... That being said, I don't tIf I could give this book infinite stars, I would. It's gorgeous through and through, and I urge everyone to pick it up ... That being said, I don't think it's really the first book of a new trilogy, as the marketing suggests. Let's discuss...
Before going into Iron and Embers, I had read the author's other connected series, The Legends of Thezmarr. The Legends of Thezmarr is set in the same universe and takes place 5 years before the start of this novel. I devoured that series, and throughout reading it, kept feeling like it was reminiscent of Throne of Glass. I couldn't pinpoint what gave me that feeling. Was it the tropes used, or perhaps common story beats? But as I read Iron and Ember, I realized why it reminded me of so many icons of the fantasy genre. It's not necessarily because of the elements that Helen Scheuerer puts into her books, but rather how she combines them.
I've found that many books published in the last year or two have lacked the depth that I've wanted. Even some with great premises rely too heavily on one trope to carry the novel. Iron and Embers, however, does not fall victim to this issue. This novel is a tapestry of smaller stories that all work together to create a romantic, fantasy epic. Iron and Embers is full of numerous intertwined fantasy plot lines, mystery elements, romantic plots, character development and real world discussions. In fact, when I first started writing this review, I wanted to list all the engaging aspects of this book. But I've realized that no matter how comprehensive the list I compile is, it will not do justice to this book. Yes, there is a bodyguard romance, the second-chance trope, fated mates, deadly trials, royals with elemental powers, and so much more, but just listing these tropes doesn't convey the emotional journey this book will take you on.
I actually found that this story reminded me in many ways of A Court of Silver Flames. It is a love story between a man and woman with a romantic past full of yearning and almost confessions, that was then cut short at the end of a war. Flash forward to now, the woman is dealing with trauma, and as such, shutting everyone out. However, as the man protects and trains her, she slowly opens herself back up and allows herself to be loved. Sound like something you'd like? I thought so!
Funnily enough, I think this novel is much like A Court of Silver Flames in terms of its place in its series as well. Although Iron and Embers gives you lots of flashbacks and context as to the events of The Legends of Thezmarr, I don't think you get the full impact of this story without reading that series first. These characters have been growing with and against each other for multiple novels now. Although you can start here, you don't get the full impact if you do. I know that this book has been marketed as the first book in a new series and world, but really, I think it is more of a continuation of The Legends of Thezmarr series, simply from a new point of view, in the same way that A Court of Silver Flames is still an ACOTAR novel, just following a new character.
That being said, I do urge people to read this story. From the humour, to the fun tropes, to the earnest character growth, it has everything I could have asked for. If you don't want to commit to reading a whole series before this book, I totally get it and think you'll still enjoy this book. But, if you do have time on your hands, or have been looking for a new fantasy series to read, I really do suggest starting this universe with Blood and Steel.
I, on the other hand, will be counting the days until the next book in the series comes out.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
4.5 stars Now listen, a lot of Devney Perry's books follow similar plots and use the same tropes, yet I enjoy them all anyway. However, I found the fir4.5 stars Now listen, a lot of Devney Perry's books follow similar plots and use the same tropes, yet I enjoy them all anyway. However, I found the first book of this series to be a very underwhelming start. If I didn't own it already on Audible, I may not have continued the series. But wow, I'm glad I did. The writing in WIld Highway is a vast improvement upon book one. The characters in this novel are so well rounded, and their trauma is treated much more seriously than anything was in book one. And the angst! People always act like miscommunication is a bad trope, but when it's done well it allows for a perfect push and pull relationship full of yearning. Overall, this book was beautifully romantic and I'm really glad I picked the series back up. I'm excited for the next book! Unrequited love can be hit or miss, but I know the author has done it well in other books....more
4.5 stars I've been on a streak of reading really great books lately, and The Rose Bargain just added momentum to that trend. This book is a combinatio4.5 stars I've been on a streak of reading really great books lately, and The Rose Bargain just added momentum to that trend. This book is a combination of so many elements that I love, all held pieced by quite enchanting writing. You'll like this book if you like: -fantasy books set in alternative historical timelines -fae of reminiscent of old folklore, who cannot lie and enjoy tricks -well-rounded side characters -female friendships -the reluctant-allies-to-lovers tropes -love triangles where there isn't an immediate clear choice -deadly trials -books full of royalty, balls and grandeur -yearning!!! Really, my only complaint is that I wish I knew this is the first book in a duology when I picked it up. I thought it was a standalone, and that ending really proved me wrong. While the suspense is killing me, I can admit the ending is very well concocted. (view spoiler)[ I'm not sure how I feel about the villain reveal, but the rest is great! (hide spoiler)] I cannot wait to pick up the next book when it eventually comes out!...more
I'm shocked that so many people didn't like this book. While yes, I did prefer the first book, this one is just as well written. The plot and characteI'm shocked that so many people didn't like this book. While yes, I did prefer the first book, this one is just as well written. The plot and character arcs build upon the first book in such a cohesive manner. And the story kept me compelled from start to finish!...more
Absolutely stunning. I cannot stress enough the level of craftmanship and dedication that it takes to create a novel such as this one. The Sky Weaver Absolutely stunning. I cannot stress enough the level of craftmanship and dedication that it takes to create a novel such as this one. The Sky Weaver is made up of uniquely beautiful world building, heartfelt romance, and a sweeping adventure. The book itself features the titular character, the sky weaver, who weaves souls into the tapestry of the stars. As I read this novel, I could not help myself from likening the way that Kristen Ciccarelli wove together these plot threads to that action. This was the perfect conclusion to a painfully underrated trilogy. I highly recommend giving this series a chance....more
You know that time Aretha Franklin was asked what she thought of Taylor Swift’s music and she just said “she has beautiful gowns� � I’m kind of havingYou know that time Aretha Franklin was asked what she thought of Taylor Swift’s music and she just said “she has beautiful gowns� � I’m kind of having one of those moments. The first edition of this book is beautiful, the premise sounds good on paper, and the racial representation is critical to representation in publishing as a whole, but other than that � there sadly aren't any other highlights that I can point out. This book has so much potential, but where it consistently fell short for me is that it clear wants to be edgy. The romance goes past the normal point of enemies to lovers, and veers into abuse and bullying territory. It doesn't help that I never really sensed any connection or tension between the two main characters. And on the subject of characterization, the characters aren’t morally grey, they're just bad people. They’re impossible to root for. And this character and relationship writing really messes up all attempts at a theme. You can’t tell me that this book is a character study of Kidan or about the grey area of morality when I can’t stand behind a single decision she or Susenyos makes. The prose is simple, which is fine, but again, you can feel the author trying to add some bite, and it just falls flat. Overall, I really wanted to like this, but when I realized about 25% in that the forced snark and cruelty between character’s wasn’t going to fade out, I knew it wasn’t for me. If you like intense enemies-to-lovers, this book may be for you, but personally I couldn’t connect with any of these characters. Thank you to Hatchette Audio for the audio Arc in exchange for an honest review!...more
I've been following Danielle Jensen since wayyy before she was Tiktok famous. I've always found the romance that she writes to be so tender, and the pI've been following Danielle Jensen since wayyy before she was Tiktok famous. I've always found the romance that she writes to be so tender, and the political worlds she creates so engrossing. However, and I hate to say it, I have found her last two releases (this and A Fate Inked in Blood) incredibly lacklustre. I'm not sure if her writing schedule has been sped up since becoming traditionally published, or what, but I feel like her writing is losing its special touch. This is still a perfectly passable book, but I wanted so much more. The political plot was well thought out, but did not engage me at all. Danielle Jensen managed to find the one political aspect of world building I don't care about, economics, and write a whole book about it. And while Ahnna is a strong character, it was no fun to read about her squabbles with the main characters of previous books, and her romance felt underdeveloped. And finally, while the twist ending was dramatic and high stakes, it didn't make me want to keep reading. I will read the next book, but mainly because it's the conclusion to the whole series. I really hope it's an improvement on this....more
To be honest, I thought this was going to suck. Mia Sheridan has a tendency to write men doing cruel things because of a misunderstanding, and then skTo be honest, I thought this was going to suck. Mia Sheridan has a tendency to write men doing cruel things because of a misunderstanding, and then skip over any grovelling or apologies. The enemies-to-lovers premise of this made me think this was going to be one more example of that. But it’s actually not! Yes, the male lead hates the female lead for the first like 15% of the book, but after that he realizes his mistake and just openly grovels and loves her. There’s the classic Mia Sheridan themes of trauma and poverty, so it’s still not a lighthearted read, but overall I enjoyed this. Also can whoever is republishing Mia Sheridan's older books please update this one as well. I want a prettier cover....more
Ew. Even enemies-to-lovers needs a line. Don't make revenge porn of the girl you like. Don't throw her outside in sub-zero weather. Ew. Ew. Even enemies-to-lovers needs a line. Don't make revenge porn of the girl you like. Don't throw her outside in sub-zero weather. Ew. ...more
Expected more from what I heard. Yes there was pining, but also so much of this book is a man picking apart the decisions of a woman who's being abuseExpected more from what I heard. Yes there was pining, but also so much of this book is a man picking apart the decisions of a woman who's being abused. Didn't love it. Also just not a fun read. ...more
3.5 stars Some great pining, some surprisingly sweet moments, but also some moments of men doing too much. Yah, yah, you're enemies, but be nice. 3.5 stars Some great pining, some surprisingly sweet moments, but also some moments of men doing too much. Yah, yah, you're enemies, but be nice. ...more
Update: The more I think about this book and series the more I realize it isn't for me. Yes, there are some good scenes, but often way too much crueltUpdate: The more I think about this book and series the more I realize it isn't for me. Yes, there are some good scenes, but often way too much cruelty from the male leads, even for a dark romance. The age-gap alone was fine, but the way that it compounded with the male lead constantly expressing that he was only using the female lead for sex and that he wanted to ruin her made it uncomfortable at times, especially during some sex scenes where he only ever seemed focused on his own pleasure and well-being.
2021 review: This was my favourite book of the series so far. I think the romantic developments were really natural. The main characters had chemistry and a forbidden enemies to lovers arc, but there wasn't any insta love, and the enemies part of their arc never ventured into bullying/verbal abuse (thank god I hate bully romances). I think this book also benefitted from not having any flashback scenes and from the shorter page count. Lastly, I liked the trope of "single dad meets a woman whose the only person that can get through to their kid", so naturally I enjoyed this. My main complaint is just that I don't like how L.J. Shen writes smut. Same as with the other books in this series, the men are always too "alpha male/dominant" for my liking and I feel like a lot of the time their behaviour crosses the line of whether the main character and love interest are being mutually satisfied, or if the male love interest is just using the main character for her body and/or taking his anger out on her sexually. I get that some people are into that, especially in dark romances, but whenever I read that kind of "dominant man forcing a woman to his will, regardless of pain" kind of smut, the feminist in me starts screaming that the love interest is objectifying the women or more often is not thinking about her comfort during sex. Still, I will acknowledge that this book did a decent job clarifying that during the sex scenes, although it sometimes got rough, there was never any question of whether the woman actually consented to everything that happened, which I can't say for some of the other books in this series. Overall though, I really enjoyed this. There were a few things I didn't like here and there, but I think Scandalous was the best of the series so far. To be fair, I also just think that out of all the books in this series, Scandalous just aligns with my personal taste the most....more
I had A LOT of opinions on this book, but then I read Ruckus before reviewing this, so I've fully forgotten most of what I was going to say. The thingI had A LOT of opinions on this book, but then I read Ruckus before reviewing this, so I've fully forgotten most of what I was going to say. The thing is, I honestly don't know how I feel about Vicious (book not character - dumb name btw). This was a middle of the road book, not because it was bland or had middle of the road romance/plot, but because that there was so much bad but then also a decent amount of good, so it balanced out to be about a 3 star rating. My rating decision for this book went something like this: I was going to give this 4 stars even though I think it's objectively a 3 star book. Although I hate to admit it, I enjoyed this. But then, Ruckus was a 4 star read, so I had to bump this down to 3 stars. BUT THEN, there was a scene in Ruckus that I hated, so I wanted to bump this back up to 4 again. I don't know, I'm sticking to 3 stars cause I don't want to make any bold statements lol. My main thoughts on this book: I don't like dark romances, I read this to get to book 2, I don't like love triangles that are only there to draw out the plot/create jealousy, I HATE bully romances (like let's pls not portray abuse as a sign that he likes you), even more than that I HATE bully romances where even though he treats her like shit, the girl still pines after the guy, and lastly, I hate books that use a character's trauma as an excuse to abuse other people (whether it be physically, emotionally or sexually)(yes, the cycle of abuse is real, but let's not use it to justify toxic behaviour). Somehow, despite all that, I liked this book. Was it good? Not really. Does the love interest treat the main character like literal shit for the first 75% of the book? Yes, but I had a decent time. I'm not proud lol. This was a quick read and got me out of a slump, what can I say. Plus, (although it took him forever), I loved that the guy actually atoned for his (MANY) mistakes and grovelled for a solid end chunk of this book. So yah, I don't know. 3 confused stars it is...more
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