Ahhh!! Yess!! Finally!! I feel like I finally got the love story I have been waiting for all this time with this series.
I never quite m|| 4.0 stars ||
Ahhh!! Yess!! Finally!! I feel like I finally got the love story I have been waiting for all this time with this series.
I never quite managed to see Jacks feelings for Evangeline in the previous book, but I could definitely see it now. Not only did it obviously help a lot to actually get his POV for the first time, but I also feel like his actions in this book actually made sense and were in line with him caring deeply for her. He truly did choose her above everything and anything this time around, even above himself. She was his number one priority and he would do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant keeping her away from him. I could finally see the guy every reader has been obsessed with all this time in him!
”I am a monster, but whether you remember it or not, I’m your monster, Evangeline.”
I also quite liked the plot in this one.
The memory loss really added something, especially as we kind of got to see Evangeline fall in love with Jacks all over again, only now with Jacks actually acting like he loved her too. Even more so, it also gave Evangeline a little more to do and think about other than simple pine after and lust over Jacks like a lovesick schoolgirl. After all, she couldn’t even remember him, so she certainly couldn’t remember to be like that either. Of course, she still thought about him quite a lot, but not as obsessively or borderline pathetically as before. It felt more natural and organic now.
Additionally, although I obviously hate him, Apollo definitely brought out a lot of real obstacles into the mix that I found very entertaining and fun to read about!
This was really disappointing. Everyone always raves about this book as if it’s absolutely amazing, especially due to the romance, but || 3.0 stars ||
This was really disappointing. Everyone always raves about this book as if it’s absolutely amazing, especially due to the romance, but that was exactly what was not really working for me.
The way people talk about Evangeline and Jacks, I honestly expected something really different. I knew he would be cold and unfeeling, but I also expected her to be the exception to that. I thought he would be obsessed with her, choosing her above everything and anyone, only having eyes for her, being protective, and basically just being really in love with her, despite him not wanting to be. I didn’t get that, though. Instead, he just constantly lied to her, betrayed her, left her, mocked her, and just overall treated her like she didn’t matter. This was not the guy I was promised and neither was this romance.
Speaking of the romance, it also ruined Evangeline’s character for me. She was so charming and endearing in book 1, but now her whole personality was reduced to her pathetic longing for Jacks. She only ever thought about him and how he felt about her, nothing else mattered. No matter how badly he treated her or how often he betrayed her, she never got angry, she never held him accountable, and it never changed her feelings for him. He could do whatever, and it would never change anything. She would still be the lovesick girl, pining after a guy who never gives her the time of day. That’s the opposite of romantic for me.
That said, the plotline was still pretty interesting. It certainly wasn’t as charming or magical as the first book, but I was still intrigued to find out how everything would turn out. I wanted to know where the story would lead, what the secrets would reveal, and who everyone’s true identity was. Obviously, I did not get all the answers here yet, but enough was answered for this book to not feel like filler (as so many middle books in trilogies do tend to be).
'Once Upon a Broken Heart' trilogy: 1. Once Upon a Broken Heart - 4.5 stars 2. The Ballad of Never After - 3.0 stars
This kind of reminded me of a fairytale, but it also had that little bit of extra oomph t|| 4.5 stars ||
What an utterly charming and fun little book!
This kind of reminded me of a fairytale, but it also had that little bit of extra oomph that made it more intense and dramatic than a classic fairytale would be.
The plot was one you easily get lost in as it pretty much hooks you from the very first page. It was not too elaborate or intricate, but also not simple or shallow. It was just right for making you thoroughly invested, while also not making it so complicated that it almost feels like a chore to read it. No, instead this was a total breeze to get through. There was never really a dull moment as the setting, premise, and storyline were all very entertaing and engaging. The drama and the progression of the story all had me completely sucked in. Some things were predictable, but certainly not all of it. And even those things you did anticipate were still revealed or played out in a way that felt somehow surprising.
Another important thing is that the main character was also very easy to root for. Evangeline was honestly adorable with a true heart of gold. Still, she wasn’t a total stereotype as she also had her own wishes and desires, ones she did not always ignore so others would feel better. Sometimes she did choose herself, but… never when it would truly harm another person. She always knew right from wrong and was never afraid to fight for what was right, even when it would cost her. In other words, she was a total sweetheart, but not a doormat. And, most importantly, she actually grows in this book. She starts out naive and too trusting, but she learns to become a little smarter and a little more thoughtful, without ever losing her loving spirit or sunshiny attitude.
Because Evangeline was such an easy to like character, it made the juxtaposition between her and Jacks all the more fun and interesting. Evangeline was never afraid to embrace her feelings, her hope, her love, and her faith, whereas Jacks did nothing but run from them. They were a total ‘black cat x golden retriever’ duo, and I loved to see it. It’s why I cannot wait to find out how their relationship develops and how or why Jacks will eventually start to truly care for Evangeline. I have a feeling that seeing this man in love would be a true sight to behold.
'Once Upon a Broken Heart' trilogy: 1. Once Upon a Broken Heart - 4.5 stars 2. The Ballad of Never After - 3.0 stars
This genuinely bored me to tears. It seems that any semblance of a plot had just vanished in this book, and it didn’t leave much in its|| 2.0 stars ||
This genuinely bored me to tears. It seems that any semblance of a plot had just vanished in this book, and it didn’t leave much in its wake. Without the presence of Caraval, all the magic and intrigue of this series just drained away… Instead of a climax, this finale mostly just felt like it dragged the story out into something it never should have been. It transformed the story into something unoriginal, uneventful and uninteresting. There were still a few twists and turns, but they all felt so anticlimactic and unimportant somehow; it just didn’t hit.
Other than the fact that there was little to no plot left here, the characters and romances gave me nothing of note either. Everyone and everything felt bland. The romances were so simple, meaningless, forced, and instant. It’s like… the book tries to convince me there is some sort of conflict going on between the couples, but both Scarlett and Tella do nothing but pine for their lovers who never really give them what they want. The girls don’t know how to stand on business and it makes them both seem really pathetic when they continue to pine for men who don’t know how to behave like true gentlemen who love them; Julian and Legend constantly abandon them or lie straight in their faces, but all is forgiven when the girls look at their handsome faces, leading them to once again turn into a giant puddle of love. Riiiight… It sucks too because Jacks was actually a lot more interesting, but Tella never gave him the time of day because she was obsessed with Legend for whatever reason, and Scarlett literally strung that poor count, Nicholas, along and destroyed his whole life, and for what?? She knew she wanted Julian. Why mess with the poor guy’s feelings like that? It’s just cruel.
Finally, the sister bond was also just as weak as ever. Tella and Scarlett have no chemistry or genuine love between them; they each seem like they view the other more like a nuisance they cannot get rid of than a true piece of their heart they love more than anything in the world. Meanwhile, the series continues to try to gaslight me into thinking these two care deeply for each other, but they just truly do not. Sorry not sorry…
Finally, we got a main character with an actual personality! I can’t quite say I loved Tella with all my heart, but she was at least in|| 3.5 stars ||
Finally, we got a main character with an actual personality! I can’t quite say I loved Tella with all my heart, but she was at least interesting (unlike Scarlett); she was fiery, passionate, fearless, determined, confident and able to actually use her brain from time to time.
The romance was okay, but I somehow expected a little more. I do like it when a man who has never felt love before finally meets his match, making his heart thaw and beat again, but… when that happens, I find it important that we get to see why that man suddenly starts to have feelings again; what makes the girl so special? what happened between them that meant so much to him? how did those feelings start to grow? In this case, however, I didn’t really get to see that. It seems he just decided he cared about her for no real reason and that was that. I don’t like that. I want more depth.
The plotline of this book still held a lot of intrigue and mystery, but it didn’t quite hold my attention as much as the first book did. I think it’s because it didn’t feel as unique due to it not focusing as much on “the game”; it didn’t have as many twists and neither did it seemed to contain as much magic. It felt more like a story I had read before. Still, I remained invested enough in the story to want to find out what was going to happen in the future, what had happened in the past, and what was happening in the present.
All in all, I think the plot, setting and mystery were definitely less strong than they were in the first book, but I did not feel a lot less invested since I did feel a much stronger connection to Tella than I did to Scarlett.
This is one of those books where I can see why some people love it and why some people don’t. My feelings are lingering somewhere in th|| 3.5 stars ||
This is one of those books where I can see why some people love it and why some people don’t. My feelings are lingering somewhere in the middle; I was not wowed or blown away by anything this book had to offer, but I did have a good time and was enjoying myself during most of the book.
I think what was dragging the book down for me, though, is the lack of character development and depth we got. It’s what stopped me from ever veering into love territory when it comes to this book.
Scarlett is a semi-likeable character, but that’s about it. She doesn’t really shine in any particular way and she stayed the very same from beginning to end. I would describe her as a rather… flat character. I think I can best describe her character like this: It constantly felt like the story was happening to Scarlett rather than her truly living the story and actually acting like an important player within it. She was just kind of… useless.
In a way, Scarlett’s only real personality trait was that she thinks her sister is a moron who is in constant need of her help (even though we learn Tella is anything but stupid and has actually been twenty steps ahead this whole time, which makes her seem a whole lot more interesting in my eyes, but that’s beside the point). I mean, I do adore sibling love, but their relationship felt more like an obligation to Scarlett than it did actual love. Most of her inner monologue mentioned Tella in a very negative light and she did not seem to actually like her sister all that much; she just loves her because she thinks she has to… Which is not great. Especially not when her enire story in this book was based on that supposed love for her sister. It took away the emotion and weight out of that part of the story quite a bit.
That said, her relationship with Julian was better. Still not amazing, but definitely better. I wish I could have seen why and how they fell in love a little bit clearer, because it did feel pretty random now, but I do believe they each cared for each other, and they also had semi-decent chemistry. When we saw hints of Julian’s protectiveness, that was when he shined the most.
Now, as has probably become quite clear, neither the characters nor the relationships did all that much for me here, and I think the best part about the book was something entirely different: the mystery. We knew that everything the main character saw and heard in this book could be a lie and so it definitely kept you guessing what was real, what everything meant, what you could trust, and what would eventually happen. Thus, it was mostly my drive to see the mystery uncover that was driving me forward to keep reading with relish. It was what kept me on my toes and intrigued to find out what came next. In other words, it is what made me feel invested in this book despite my lack of character investment.
All in all, the book had its pros and its cons, and although it failed to give me the character and relationship depth I would prefer in a book, it did capture me with its mystery and twists-and-turns. The story was definitely unique in its own way.
This entire book felt like one giant love letter to the magical power of imagination.
I honestly think the true purpose of this story i|| 4.0 stars ||
This entire book felt like one giant love letter to the magical power of imagination.
I honestly think the true purpose of this story is to show the beauty and strength of creativity by bringing things to life on the page that can normally only vaguely exist in someone’s own head, things that most people are unable to ever give a true shape or express in words.
While reading this book, you are made to feel things not so much because of characters, plot, or relationships, but more so because of the penetrating depth that is used to imagine and describe the most elaborate ideas, images, and, as a consequence, their accompanying emotions.
We get to experience this magical “circus” as if we were a guest and walking amongst the enchanting tents ourselves, which leads to us being thoroughly captivated and awed by its pervasive elegance, beauty, and charm.
I find I think of myself not as a writer so much as someone who provides a gateway, a tangential route for readers to reach the circus. To visit the circus again, if only in their minds, when they are unable to attend it physically. I relay it through printed words on crumpled newsprint, words that they can read again and again, returning to the circus whenever they wish, regardless of time of day or physical location. Transporting them at will. When put that way, it sounds rather like magic, doesn’t it?
Moreover, the manner in which the book is written almost feels like it is part of the magical experience itself due to the delicately flowing, uniquely structured, intricately interwoven, greatly detailed, and deeply striking writing style that makes everything appear so much more impactful, meaningful, and penetrating than it would have otherwise.
And so, despite the slower pacing, lack of much plot, and absence of real romantic or interpersonal development, it was still incredibly (and perhaps surprisingly) easy to fall in love with this book based on its atmosphere and beautiful writing alone.
In other words, the book itself feels like it is part of the very same magic it is portaying on the pages....more
This was truly incredibly repetitive and painfully slow-paced. I’m serious, almost every page is the exact same, and I’m sure you could|| 1.5 stars ||
This was truly incredibly repetitive and painfully slow-paced. I’m serious, almost every page is the exact same, and I’m sure you could skip chapters upon chapters without any issue. So much so, I’d even argue there wasn’t much of a real plot to speak of here. Sure, the premise was really cool and the potential could have been off the charts, but the lack of anything ever really happening kept this from being anything of the sort. There’s also little to no interaction outside of one single room and between four one-dimensional characters. It’s supposed to be a story about a prison, yet we never set foot outside of the infirmary where the main character works, thus it never actually felt like a story that took place in an actual prison. It could have been anywhere. Therefore, there’s never any real suspense or even sadness about the horrific conditions of the place since we simply don’t get to see it. It’s vaguely mentioned once or twice, but not really. You definitely don’t get to actually experience or feel it. It’s mostly just a whole lot of inner monologue, which got old and boring sooo quickly.
Also, I don’t know what everyone is on about when it comes to the ending being so rad and shocking, because I found the plottwists to be extremely predictable. It was about as cliche as it could possibly be, not to mention incredibly stupid since it leads to three very important (and unfortunate) things as a result: 1) It negates the entire, never-ending inner monologue we have sat through this entire book, since it’s clear the main character has been lying and withholding truth this entire time, but since we’re reading from inside her head, I guess she’s been constantly hiding the truth from… herself?? Is she mentally insane? Like, nothing even remotely logical could explain her inner monologue when you consider the truth. It makes no sense. Genuinely, no sense. 2) The reveal makes all of the main character’s emotions entirely invalid. We have been led to believe a lot of things to explain her situation and her feelings on matters, but it turns out it was all untrue, so her feelings and emotions during this entire book are now completely null and void. 3) The plottwist also changes her from someone we previously viewed as incredibly compassionate and selfless to someone I’d personally call heartless. We now know she could have done plenty to save many many people, including her father and her mother, but she simply chose not to. It changes our view of her entire character from someone who constantly tries her hardest to save as many people as she can because she cares deeply about everyone around her to someone not even willing to help the people she supposedly loves most with minimal effort. I mean, I’d dare say she is approaching psychopath territory with that: You have to have no compassion at all to just sit by and watch people (your parents included) die when you had the power to save them. Crazy.
So, those three things combined really just lead me to question what on earth I’ve spent all this time even reading? It seems I’ve literally just read the most mind-numbingly slow story, narrated by a girl who is lying to herself for no reason other than to give us, as readers, a gotcha moment. Which means I basically read… nothing. What a waste of time.
That said, I do have to admit that I had a little bit of a soft spot for Tipp. The stuttering, vibrant 11-year old really managed to pull on my heart strings once or twice as the boy was simply too precious. But really, he was my one highlight, and he was far from enough to save this book for me....more
Wait, is this the end?? I genuinely can’t tell. It definitely felt like a happy-ending, like it’s done now. But then… some minor things|| 4.0 stars ||
Wait, is this the end?? I genuinely can’t tell. It definitely felt like a happy-ending, like it’s done now. But then… some minor things did leave room for a next book, I guess? I’m really curious now if something is coming next and if so, what it will be…
Anyway, enough about the possible sequel, let’s talk about this book. Honestly, I loved it. Truly. Maybe not quite as much as the first two books, but it doesn’t really matter: At this point I’m just hooked, line and sinker, when it comes to these characters, so I knew I would likely love this book no matter what. Which, in a way, is exactly what this book proved to be true, because, in all honesty, it didn’t always have the best plot or even enough character depth, yet I still cared enough to somehow not actually be too bothered by that. Nonetheless, I did notice, of course, as I clearly saw that the action or the preparation for action seemed to take over a bit. I would have preferred to see more relationship developments or character explorations rather than just seeing everyone trying to come up with ways to defeat the Asteri. But, you know, that’s a personal preference, which I’m sure not everyone will share; it’s simply that I’m normally a character-driven type of girl, so I go feral for deeper character studies or a lot of detail into all kinds of relationships (romantic, platonic, familial, you name it). So yea, I felt like the previous two books had a lot of that, and this one was missing a little bit of it. It still had some, don’t get me wrong, just not quite as much as I would have liked.
Honestly, though, I feel like in each of my reviews for these books I’ve really zoned in on how much I love these characters, yet I’ve yet to actually talk about any of them individually. Seeing how this might be the end(??), I feel like I might do that now. So here I go. I’ll try to keep it short:
Bryce… Well, where to begin? She’s the main character for a reason as it’s exactly the kind of behaviour and attitude she exudes. If you hear the phrase “main character,” this is the girl you’re gonna think of. She had confidence in spades, but she also backs it up with some serious smarts, bravery and willingness to sacrifice herself for the greater good. She also never fails to bring the sass and banter to any given situation, which livens everything up in such a fun way! That’s not to mean she can’t be annoying or tiring at time, though, because she certainly can. Like a true main character, she sometimes seems to think the world revolves around her and she’s not always very kind to others. Hunt, for example, kind of suffers from how much of the stage Bryce takes up, because I personally feel like he never becomes anything more than her sidekick. His whole drive and his entire being is wrapped up in her, and he never does much of anything that doesn’t include following her around. And that’s not to say that I don’t like him, because I do. He’s a very kind and, in a way, even soft individual, who, most of the time, just seems like someone who needs a hug.
Lidia is my icon, forever and always. She’s a momma bear ready to burn the whole world down for the very select few people she loves with a fire that burns brighter than anyone else’s. That said, I do feel like her romance with Ruhn suffered from the revelation of her being a mother; not only did it diminish the idea that Ruhn was the only person she loved (since clearly he was not, she doesn’t even love him most), but it also made her children her number one priority, taking her focus away from the developing romance. The minute her kids were introduced into the narrative was the same moment Ruhn was no longer really on her radar. They were together, and that was that; all her worry and protectiveness was now on her kids. As it should be, of course, but I think I was just disappointed considering how much I loved the blossoming romance of these two in the previous book. I had higher expectations of it, and it couldn’t be made a reality because of the ‘mom plot’ that suddenly jumped in here. I think my assessment of Ruhn also completely ties in with what I’ve just said. His development and characterization took a major backseat in this book as he no longer felt like a real priority. Not only in relation to his romance with Lidia, but his sibling bond with Bryce also seemed to be a very minor consideration.
Of course there were a ton of side characters, who don’t get to shine as much as they could have, and of whom I’d loved to have seen more. Marc and Declan’s relationship seemed so healthy and stable and loving, yet we sadly get to see little of it. Same thing with Juniper and Fury; I would have killed to see more of them. They are the literal embodiment of a ‘black cat x golden retriever’ duo, and I know their journey to getting together could have been something amazing to behold! Even Hypaxia and Celestina felt like they could have been so interesting, if only we could have seen more of them; I mean, the angst and drama that could have come out of Celetina’s betrayal, leading to Hyphaxia dumping her, would have had me feral! Alas, we get to see none of it, and only get to hear about it in a few small mentions. Baxian, too, seemed like he could have been such an intriguing person with all his loyalty, strength and motivation, but we never really get to know him. So yea, I would have really liked to read from any of these people’s perspectives… Even if it hadn’t been often, I just wanted to get to know them, get a feel of their relationships. Now it was all left feeling a little vague, especially since everyone was constantly split up, so we no longer got to hear their stories through the POVs of others; they were kind of just ignored now…
Speaking of, there were really only two characters I simply did not like whatsoever, and somehow both of them got to have a recurring POV I could have gladly gone without! One of them was, of course, Ithan, who literally did nothing but whine and whine. “Woe is me” should be his permanent catchphrase as he’s truly the most self-pitying person I’ve come across in quite some time. The only person who could rival him for that title would be the second character I dislike, which would be Tharion. He, too, does nothing but feel sorry for himself, day in and day out. But I actually dislike him even more because he’s also incredibly selfish. He’s always looking our for number one: himself.
All in all, though, I feel like my review has sounded a little more negative than I would have liked. Overall, I genuinely did have a great time with this book! Did I feel some sense of disappointment here or there? Sure. It wasn’t as good as it could have been. But still, I never felt like I’d rather not be reading it; I constantly had a good time. I’ll also always have a special place in my heart for these characters, even if I did wish I got to see more of them in some ways.
Ummm hellooo!?!?? Why on earth did no one tell me how insanely amazing this is!?? Why the hell has it taken me this long to finally sta|| 5.0 stars ||
Ummm hellooo!?!?? Why on earth did no one tell me how insanely amazing this is!?? Why the hell has it taken me this long to finally start this series??
I was actually dreading to pick this series up quite a bit because of what I’d heard people say about it. I had pretty low expectations and I honestly thought it might be a total drag to get through. I was even reluctant to pick up this sequel, despite loving the first book, because people said it would all go downhill… But really, wow, did this end up blowing all of those assumptions away for me! It was so much better than I would have ever thought, and I am genuinely so insanely invested in it all. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but this is by far SJM’s best series in my eyes. It doesn’t even come close for me. You can really tell how much she has grown as an author over the years, and she can be very proud of the result she has gotten out of it with this series.
Honestly, though, this series, and this book in particular, just managed to hit all the right spots for me. It’s a very long book, but it never feels like it. All the pages just flew me by and I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. I think it’s also for a big part because I’ve genuinely grown to care for and enjoy all of these characters so much; I could read about them having the most mundane conversation ever and it’d probably still make me smile indulgantly at them. I mean, I honestly think the first book did have a better storyline than this one, but my love for the characters has honestly grown and grown so much that it still made this just as fun, if not more so, to read!
There is a lot to love about this book, so I could probably go on forever, but I don’t want to babble on for too long, so I’ll end this by giving a well-deserved shoutout to my favourite addition that we got with this sequel and that was: Night and Day (I’ll use their codenames, so whoever hasn’t read this book yet won’t know who I’m talking about and so won’t have the book spoiled for them). I mean, oh my god, I’m obsessed with them! The setting of all their interactions was so interesting, and I loved seeing them both find a safe place with each other amidst all the sadness, doubt and fear in their hearts. It was just so beautiful to see Day talk about how she finally found a person who truly saw her, and not the mask of cruelty and coldness she usually wore. He was the only one who ever showed her love, and it's why he also became the only person she has ever felt love towards in her whole life. Knowing how rare that love was to her made her devotion to him feel so much more special.
“In a world full of enemies, you’re my only friend.”
Honestly, the angst and impossibility of these two just truly had me in a chokehold, and I was totally held in its thrall every time a new thing happened between them or was revealed. Day, especially, intrigued me so much, and she honestly holds a very special place in my heart now. She’s so brave and selfless to have lived the life she has, doing the things she has done, knowing everyone hates her for it, in the hopes of creating a better world. That’s true sacrifice. And I hope Night will see that when it is time for him to… She certainly has my love forever.
Honestly, this whole entire series really does thrive on its easy and quick writing coupled with some genuinely fun adventures, but the || 3.0 stars |
Honestly, this whole entire series really does thrive on its easy and quick writing coupled with some genuinely fun adventures, but the lacklustre romance disappoints time and time again.
It’s one of those stories that you read without too much thought and without an intense amount of feeling, but one that will still manage to entertain you throughout and never let you feel too bored. It’s a somewhat average read that is only worth reading if a quick adventure is what you’re in the mood for.
What you should not be picking this up for, however, is a beautiful, meaningful or even vaguely developed romance, because you won’t be getting it; there is romance here, but it plays quite a minor part and it’s not very convincing due to the lack of time that is spent on it in the story. Although the romance does pretend to be important to the story, it doesn’t feel like that because of how little the love interests actually interact with each other. They supposedly understand each other like no other, but we are more so told this than shown. Additionally, I felt no chemistry or tension between them. They could have just as likely been friends instead of lovers, and even that would have been a strech since they had hardly any real friendship between them, let alone love. Honestly, the talk of romance only really comes up a couple of times, and he only confesses his feelings once at the very end, which is such a shame because I would have loved to see more of his genuine feelings:
“You don’t need my feelings and thoughts making things harder. Besides, if I showed you exactly how much I want you, you would only distance yourself further from me. This way, I could help. This way, I could be your sailing master for the voyage. Your confidant. Your friend. I couldn’t have become any of those things if you thought I wanted even more.” My knuckled turn white on the knife. “So you did lie to me.” “I said I didn’t want anything from you. And that’s true. I don’t want just anything. Sorinda, I want everything with you.”
That said, I did like both of them, although I was less intrigued by them than when I was reading about them as side characters in the previous two books. Sorinda did deliver quite a bit when it came to the expected coldness and ruthlessness, but I think I was still expecting her to be a little darker. Her over-the-top feminism and hatred for men was rather annoying as well; I feel like it made her character seem so much more shallow and cliché than what I was hoping she’d be. Kearan on the other hand was completely different from what he was like previously; sure, that could be considered a good thing, seeing how much of an unhappy drunk he used to he, but I feel like he could have still kept some of his previous characteristics or personality now that he was healthy. It’s like I was reading about an entirely new person… Which is all such a shame, because I was so excited about reading about these two and their romance when they were like their past selves…
Anyway, long story short, this has its pros and its cons, and it’s important to know what to expect here so you won’t be disappointed. If you do go in with the right expectations, this can be a quick and easy bit of fun.
It’s crazy how one book in a series can be so different from another; how book one in this duology can be my least favourite Grishavers|| 4.5 stars ||
It’s crazy how one book in a series can be so different from another; how book one in this duology can be my least favourite Grishaverse book while this sequel ended up being the one I loved the most. Isn’t that crazy? It really makes you wonder how often you might have given up on a series after being disappointed by the first book when its sequels might have brought you so much joy if you continued…
Everything I disliked about the first book was different this time around. The plot never felt like it dragged, but instead was constantly operating in full force to try and keep me on my toes. It was consistently engaging and never had me feeling a hint of boredom. Although the writing was not entirely different to most of the other Grishaverse books, I did feel like it was a little less unnecessarily descriptive and also less heavy on the inner monologues. Instead, the writing really made me feel like I was living the action, living through the story. The characters themselves were also more easy to connect to and I found it easier to feel their emotions and relationships. I felt their passion, their drive, their bravery, their energy, their loyalty, and their perseverance. There was even a moment where I had to shed a tear over someone’s loss…
All in all, I can say that I have never been happier that I did not give up on a duology after a disappointing start as I can honestly say this sequel more than made up for it. It also gave a very satisfying ending for all the main characters of the Grishaverse while also leaving the possibility open for more to come.
I love Hunt, but no one can convince me that this wasn’t actually a true love story about the friendship between Bryce and Danika. Thos|| 4.5 stars ||
I love Hunt, but no one can convince me that this wasn’t actually a true love story about the friendship between Bryce and Danika. Those two loved each other so fiercely; their love could withstand anything and it was one in which each would sacrifice everything for the other. I can honestly say that a lot of the selfless, brave, and tragic things they did for each other genuinely brought tears to my eyes. They are the definition of ride or die, and thus, Danika’s own motto described them best:
Through love, all is possible.
For me, all of this book’s characters really came to life and I truly began to care for them. I could feel their grief, their longing, and their struggle but also their joy, bravery and perserverance (especially when it came to Bryce, of course). I became so invested in all of their feelings and in all of the complex relationships Bryce had with people; I could never, for a second, say that I got bored of it. I mean, take her relationship with her brother, Ruhn, for example; it really had me in a chokehold from beginning to end and each interaction had me completely in its grip! I just loved all the different kinds of love that Bryce was developing and grieving and slowly understanding; familial, platonic, or romantic; old or new.
In all truth, though, I do understand why some people struggled with this book because of its immense length. Its pacing isn’t always the best and it even drags at times. Nonetheless, I was completely sucked into this murder-mystery story with all its twist and turns, this brutal yet also fantastical world, and, most of all, these complex but loveable characters. Thus, I can’t deny I was fully engaged from beginning to end.
And wow, what a truly fantastic beginning and end it was!! Both had me completely shocked and at the edge of my seat! I mean, I did not see the course of the first part of this book coming at all, and so when we… lost certain people, I was completely heartbroken and shattered. I had already formed a really strong connection to a lot of those people and to then see them… suffer that fate… Damn. That really hit me unexpectedly and therefore all the more strongly. But then, of course, the last part of this book was also so strong in the way it truly felt like a culmination and climax of everything that had been building, and it didn’t fail to satisfy in a single regard.
In summary, this book is a big commitment and long journey, but one that’s worth it in my opinion.
This story is about a statue and a bird, who try to save the poor and hungry beggars in their city by providing them with money for foo|| 3.5 stars ||
This story is about a statue and a bird, who try to save the poor and hungry beggars in their city by providing them with money for food and to live out their dreams. Unfortunately, the statue and bird don’t receive that same kindness back from others, as they they both meet an unhappy end while being treated with nothing but disgust by the rich people around them.
This story somehow manages to be hopeful and depressing all at once by portraying genuine and kind souls in a world that is cruel and dark. It’s also a clear critique on the aristocracy by showing how ignorant they are of the suffering in the world, either willfully or just because they are sheltered. Either way, this story urges everyone to try to help where they can and not just live in blissful ignorance.
This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty where the sleeping girl was actually an evil changeling, who was put to sleep by a quiet, kind, || 3.5 stars ||
This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty where the sleeping girl was actually an evil changeling, who was put to sleep by a quiet, kind, clumsy and humble toad-girl. Toad-girl did this to keep everyone save from the sleeping girl’s cruelty, and as a result, she has been keeping vigil over the sleeping girl for many hundreds of years, always keeping watch, making sure to never let the sleeping girl escape lest she do harm to another person.
Meanwhile, toad-girl is extremely lonely and sad, and would want nothing more than to go back home where she was loved and cared for. Even if others would have called her family hideous monsters, she knew there was nothing more beautiful than them. They took her in when they didn’t have to, and their motherly love was the warmest feeling the toad-girl could have ever wished for.
If I am hideous, then we are hideous together. And that made it easier, because in her heart of hearts, she could not believe that her mothers were anything but beautiful.
Eventually, while keeping watch over the tower with the sleeping girl inside, toad-girl meets a not-so-handsome young knight who is awkward and stumbly and apologizes for everything, and she realises that there is, surprisingly, some kindness to be found with humans as well. Initially, the not-so-handsome young knight was only looking for the sleeping girl to free her from the tower, although he did not want to do this because of any lust or desire, but merely from pure curiosity. However, when he meets toad-girl he soon realises he has found someone more intriguing and interesting than he could have ever hoped for, and abandons that desire.
All in all, I thought this was a very charming little story. It could have had more depth and development, but I understood why that was left out to give the writing a more fairytale feeling....more
Another cautionary tale with an interesting message:
Remember that to use a thing is not to own it. And should you ever take a bride
|| 3.0 stars ||
Another cautionary tale with an interesting message:
Remember that to use a thing is not to own it. And should you ever take a bride, listen closely to her questions.
I think this was one of my least favourite short stories in the Grishaverse, only because I disliked all the characters and found them all to fall a bit flat.
Will you remain here with the father who tried to sell you, or the prince who hoped to buy you, or the man too weak to solve his riddles for himself? Or will you come with me and be bride to nothing but the shore?
The idea of the story was still really interesting, like all the others have been as well, but the execution didn’t grip me as much. I failed to really develop a connection with any of the characters, and therefore with the story as well.
Does this book have an actual plot? No. No, it does not. This was pure character-building and nothing else. The full 750 pages are fill|| 3.5 stars ||
Does this book have an actual plot? No. No, it does not. This was pure character-building and nothing else. The full 750 pages are filled with training, training and more training. You’d think that would be incredibly dull, wouldn’t you? Well, somehow it wasn’t. Somehow I started to care deeply about Nesta and I was invested in seeing every single little step of her becoming stronger and happier. I liked watching her journey into becoming a warrior, but most of all, her healing journey into starting to love and accept herself for who she is.
“Forgiveness is not that easy.” “Forgiveness is something we also grant ourselves. And I can talk to you until these mountains crumble around us, but if you don’t wish to be forgiven, if you don’t want to stop feeling this way … it won’t happen.” He cupped her cheek, calluses scraping across her overheated skin. “You don’t need to become some impossible ideal. You don’t need to become sweet and simpering. You can give everyone that I Will Slay My Enemies look — which is my favorite look, by the way. You can keep that sharpness I like so much, that boldness and fearlessness. I don’t want you to ever lose those things, to cage yourself.” “But I still don’t know how to fix myself.” “There’s nothing broken to be fixed,” he said fiercely. “You are helping yourself. Healing the parts of you that hurt too much — and perhaps hurt others, too.”
When it came to the romance between Cassian and Nesta I’m having mixed feelings. It’s weird because I truly loved both of them individually, but I didn’t really love them that much together. I mean, I did love how patient and forgiving Cassian could be with her, especially when he kept reaching out, time and time again, and never stopped caring for her so deeply. However, I would have definitely preferred more emotional affection from them throughout the book instead of having all their interactions result in sex. There was simply way too much smut. The extreme amount of smut was the biggest difference from any other SJM books I have read, and it was not a good change for me.
I also know there are people who have complained about all the other side characters in this book and blame them for how they have supposedly treated Nesta badly, but I found almost all of them to be incredibly understandable in their actions. Furthermore, I actually think the development and forgiveness she found with some of them to be a really beautiful part of her journey.
Anyway, first of all, whoever is complaining about Feyre is actually insane, because she never did anything bad to Nesta, even though she would have been justified to do so after all Nesta said and did to her over the years. But no, Feyre always remained supportive and kind to her, despite Nesta pushing her away in a harsh and cold manner. I genuinely thought it was so nice to see Feyre never give up on her, which, in turn, made Nesta realise how grateful she is to have her as a sister and also how much she truly loves her. Seeing their sister bond heal after all that time was really lovely.
Stroking Feyre’s cold hand, Nesta spoke into the timeless, frozen room, “You loved me when no one else would. You never stopped. Even when I didn’t deserve it, you loved me, and fought for me, and …” Nesta looked at Feyre’s face, Death a breath away from claiming it. She didn’t stop the tears that ran down her cheeks as she squeezed Feyre’s slender hand tighter. “I love you, Feyre.” She had never said the words aloud. To anyone. “I love you,” Nesta whispered again. “I love you.”
There’s also not a single bad thing that could be said about Azriel. He never judged Nesta or tried to punish her in any way. Instead, he continually offered his silent support and allegiance while being surprisingly sweet and gentle to her. Mor, as well, never actually did anything bad to Nesta. She wasn't particularly warm or loving, but I don't think she needed to be. Now, Rhys was harsh, I agree, but he also never actually did anything bad to Nesta. He judged her, yes, but why shouldn’t he, based on her actions and attitude? Besides, his protectiveness and love for Feyre made any dislike he had towards Nesta completely valid for me; I would lash out as well towards those who hurt the ones I love, and he actually did that surprisingly little.
The only characters I genuinely had an issue with, though, were Amren and Elain. Amren was cruel and mean for no reason, and it actually pissed me off so much. Amren’s immense ego and narcissism were definitely bugging me here and for her to drop Nesta so quickly because of one little thing she said was just awful. With that, she showed that she is not someone who truly has your back or who you can count in. Meanwhile, Elain was even worse. She was ungrateful and truly had no justification for her disdain towards her sister. Elain is actually the only person in the world who has no right to blame Nesta for anything, yet she treated Nesta the worst. She had no right to be so mean and dismissive to her when Nesta had always done anything for her, always stood by her side and defended her, willing to give up everything for her. Thus, for Elain to now be so cold and unloving towards Nesta when Nesta finally needed her most is unforgivable. Elain should have been there for her; should have shown more patience and understanding towards someone who was always her number one supporter. It made Elain appear very unsympathetic, disloyal and compassionless. And it was actually kind of satisfying to see Nesta realise how flawed her sister was.
Nesta glanced up the stairs past Feyre. Elain had again opted to remain in her room when Nesta was present, which was just fine. Absolutely, utterly fine. Elain could make her own choices. And had chosen to thoroughly shut the door on Nesta. Even as she fully embraced Feyre and her world. Nesta’s chest tightened, but she refused to think of it, acknowledge it. Elain was like a dog, loyal to whatever master kept her fed and in comfort.
Also, I’m not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or not but I personally like the Valkyries more than the Inner Circle. Their friendship seemed a lot more genuine and less toxic to me. The Inner Circle always appeared to be bound through obligation and guilt more often than not, while the Valkyries truly bonded through common interests, shared experiences, love and genuine care. Gwyn and Emerie were the exact friends that Nesta deserved and needed, and Nesta was the best friend to them out of anyone in this whole series was to anyone.
Her friends regarded her curiously, and Nesta swallowed. “Let me make a wish for all of us,” she explained, gathering the three charms. A small gift — for the friends who had become like sisters. A chosen family. Like the one Feyre had found for herself. Nesta squeezed the charms in her palm, closing her eyes, and said: “I wish for us to have the courage to go out into the world when we are ready, but to always be able to find our way back to each other. No matter what.”
Also, it might sound insane but my favourite “character” in this whole book was the House of Wind! I swear, they were so supportive, precious and sweet! They were seriously the best kind of friend a girl can have <3 The only one who rivals the House’s spot for being my favourite would be Azriel. There’s something so insanely endearing and precious about him. He’s so broody and aloof, but also so sweet and gentle at the same time. His shy and thoughtful nature really made me love him so much. Oddly enough, I also really like Eris. There’s something so mysterious and interesting about him.
All in all, I think this was an engaging book despite the lack of plot and I think that’s solely due to Nesta being a complex and intriguing character all on her own.
I know many people aren’t too fond of this novella as they deem it too uneventful, but I actually really liked that about this. I appre|| 3.5 stars ||
I know many people aren’t too fond of this novella as they deem it too uneventful, but I actually really liked that about this. I appreciated the little insight into their daily lives; I feel like we got to know the characters and their relationships a bit better in a different way. It was nice. I enjoyed the fluff!
Although we did get to see more from all the characters here, the main focus was still Feyre, and I loved her as much as always. She’s so strong, gracious and selfless; I pretty much adore everything about her. Her relationship with Rhysand is also still as perfect as ever. And although their perfection has always been a little boring to me, I can’t say they aren’t lovely together.
“I love you,” he breathed. “More than life, more than my territory, more than my crown.”
This novella definitely made me like Elain a lot more; I wasn’t a fan of her at all previously, but I could finally see the gentle, warm and sweet heart that everyone keeps talking about when it comes to her. I still despise the potential idea of a romance between her and Lucien (they clearly have no chemistry and zero interest in each other), but I’m becoming a full-blown shipper of her and Azriel. I love the combination of her soft sunshiny attitude and his stoic brooding, especially since they both have a heart of gold. Moreover, I really loved the bonding we got to see between her and Feyre. I’ve always felt like Feyre has been severely mistreated, ignored and used by her sisters, so it was nice to see Elain show some long-overdue appreciation and love towards her.
It was then that I realized what the three different tiers had been painted to look like. On the top: flowers. In the middle: flames. And on the bottom, widest layer… stars. “I asked Nuala to do it in that order,” Elain said as the others gathered round. “Because you’re the foundation, the one who lifts us. You always have been.”
Opposingly, Nesta actually got on my nerves a little now. I really started to like her in the previous book, but she was insanely difficult and unnecessarily cruel to everyone here. To Elain, to Feyre, to Cassian… They all reached out, they all tried to be there for her, and yet she just continued to treat them like trash. It made me feel quite a bit angry on their behalf. I hope she will redeem herself again in her own book.
Lastly, I want to see more of Amren and Varian; they’re so strangely adorable together!?
I know it’s a fairy tale, and should thus not be taken too seriously, but the pure and utter stupidity of Snow White really got on my n|| 2.0 stars ||
I know it’s a fairy tale, and should thus not be taken too seriously, but the pure and utter stupidity of Snow White really got on my nerves so badly. She genuinely had to have had less than a single brain cell, and her passivity and unwillingness to learn were truly astounding. I’m certain that if she didn’t have her pretty privilege, nobody would have even cared to save her either. Sure, the Queen wouldn’t have had a reason to go after her in the first place, but let’s ignore that for argument’s sake.
Oddly enough, I was actually looking forward to reading this original fairy tale (even though I was never a fan of Snow White’s story), but it was exceedingly disappointing to me due to its complete lack of intelligence and rationale. It’s hard for me to root for a character if they don’t even attempt to save themselves and honestly seem to do everything in their power to make the dumbest possible decisions.
Oh, and the fact that she eventually marries the guy who tried to take her dead corpse to his castle because she was just too damn pretty to never look at again was… disturbing, at best.
P.S. The version I read didn’t have any illustrations, so maybe those could have made this more enjoyable or charming....more
Oh… This was actually quite sad. Depressing even. Definitely tragic.
Amberly was clearly such an insecure, naive, desperate and dumb gi|| 3.0 stars ||
Oh… This was actually quite sad. Depressing even. Definitely tragic.
Amberly was clearly such an insecure, naive, desperate and dumb girl, but the most awful thing about that was that Clarkson chose her exactly because of this. He wanted someone he could control and would blindly adore him no matter what, so that’s the only reason why he decided Amberly, as the biggest doormat imaginable, was perfect for him.
It was truly heartbreaking to see Clarkson propose to her with words that only portrayed calculation and manipulation from his side, yet having Amberly receive it with nothing but heart-eyes and love.
I really just witnessed the beginning of an abusive relationship, and the most painful part about it is that Amberly was so incredibly happy and grateful to be in one.