So many stars. This was a great duology. I loved the first book and this second book was even better. The unique and complicated magic system and the So many stars. This was a great duology. I loved the first book and this second book was even better. The unique and complicated magic system and the interesting and engaging characters are so well done. The world building is amazing. I can’t say enough about this series. I couldn’t stop reading but I didn’t want it to end. There is mystery, tension, surprise, intrigue, danger, family, love, darkness�.on and on. Excellent books! These will definitely be a re-read and high on my favorites list. ...more
That was surprisingly good! I went into this not expecting a lot but it turned out to be an enjoyable read. Imagine The Bachelor with a Survivor formaThat was surprisingly good! I went into this not expecting a lot but it turned out to be an enjoyable read. Imagine The Bachelor with a Survivor format set in a Fae realm and you’ve pretty much landed it. The book definitely grew on me and started to build momentum once the games in the Trial began.
The FMC is tough and scrappy, surviving situations that stretch believability on her quest to save her family and understand her destiny. The MMCs are big, strong, striking and broody. There isn’t a whole lot that is new here but it was a lot of fun to read. I always struggle when modern items are placed in fantasy realms - like coffee and hairspray - but I didn’t even mind those dabbled in here. It’s a good time and I’ve already moved on to the next book in the series. ...more
It’s a DNF for me. I really like the premise but the execution is just not working for me. There needs to be so much more to these stories. The oversiIt’s a DNF for me. I really like the premise but the execution is just not working for me. There needs to be so much more to these stories. The oversimplification of the plot lines along with the choppy writing style make this a miss for me. I started skim reading the first story and didn’t feel like I had missed anything so I skimmed the second and third stories and felt the same way. As I started the same approach to the final story it came to a full stop for me. I understood the intention of pulling at the heart strings but, nope, that was a cop out way to get there. Too convenient and too unrealistic. Just not the book for me. ...more
Worth all of the hype! I couldn’t put this one down. While there isn’t much in the way of world building or backstory, the plot and the characters makWorth all of the hype! I couldn’t put this one down. While there isn’t much in the way of world building or backstory, the plot and the characters make it an exciting read. You’re thrown right into the fray and the pace carries you quickly along.
Rune and Gideon were nicely developed and destined for tragedy. Their tormented lives and equally tormented evolving relationship were nicely tense and believably conflicted. The war between witches and the rest is interesting and left me wanting more information. Why is it okay to be a witch on the mainland yet on their island witches are hunted and put to death? More of that missing world build and backstory. I’d have liked more of the witches and witchcraft. I’m anticipating that will come in the next book.
You’re left with a nice little cliffhanger so it’s a good thing the second book will arrive soon!
Wow, that was soooo good! What a great book. The magic system is complex and so different. I wasn’t sure how the monster in her head would play out buWow, that was soooo good! What a great book. The magic system is complex and so different. I wasn’t sure how the monster in her head would play out but it really was well done. The world building is great and there is plenty of backstory and explanation to understand the what’s and whys of everything. The characters are interesting and diverse (I love Elm) and the theme of family and going to any length to protect someone you love is very believably executed.
This book is absolutely worth all of the hype. I couldn’t put it down except when I wanted to delay finishing it. The writing is very good and the author brings the magic and the ambience to life in such a satisfying and believable way. Loved it. It’s going on the favorites list. I will read this one again. ...more
The first half of the book was good - built tension in the plot, drew me in and I wanted to know so mUnfortunately, this book fell very short for me.
The first half of the book was good - built tension in the plot, drew me in and I wanted to know so much more. What happened, where did the boys go? And just about the mid-way point is when everything fell apart.
The writing style, the dialogue and the relationships were all awkward and contrived. I had a hard time believing these characters were in their 20s and 30s. They spoke and acted like they were in their early teens. Plus there was no scene or mood setting at all. It was all tell and the characters all just presented as flat. There was one scene where the author included a line to tell readers the character was afraid and it’s a good thing because nothing about that scene conveyed fear. It was bad.
There was a nice romance with great potential that was also handled badly. Again it was contrived, awkward and unconvincing. And don’t get me started on the world building or the lack thereof. That was a total cop out.
It seems to me this book took on way too much scope for this author’s ability to handle it. Either that or she needs a new editor. Or maybe both.
I really, really enjoyed The Wishing Game but this book was a disappointment. I struggled to finish. It looks like it will be a series so I’ll have to wait awhile for a hopeful return to the style of The Wishing Game with this author. ...more
DNF at 60%. This one just isn’t working for me. I have whiplash. There will be sections that are so well written and engaging and then I’ll hit a run DNF at 60%. This one just isn’t working for me. I have whiplash. There will be sections that are so well written and engaging and then I’ll hit a run that feels so cheesy - it got confusing. I loved the history of Harlem and Breeze’s content kept me interested. Ultimately, though, I didn’t really like Ricki much and I didn’t feel any real chemistry or connection between the two of them. It felt rushed and forced. I’m a huge fan of magic realism but this take on it didn’t work for me. Not all bad just not right enough for me right now. ...more
This was great - what an intricate and interesting story! I loved it. There are so many twists and turns here that it kept my attention lock5 big ⭐️!!
This was great - what an intricate and interesting story! I loved it. There are so many twists and turns here that it kept my attention locked in. I could not put this book down and I’m still thinking about it.
There is magic realism and time travel galore and it all centers around books as the source. There is a lovely hodgepodge of unusual characters - some of whom are endearing and heroic, some of whom are purely evil. The time travel and magic were well explained so that all of the events made sense. The friendships found was such a nice centerpiece for the story, keeping a balanced focus on the characters and their relationships. There are some big surprises, some touching moments and some mean and nasty bits all entwined in a complicated and interesting plot. Loved it!!
A great conclusion to the story. I really enjoyed this series and was very happy to find this second installment was just about as good as the first. A great conclusion to the story. I really enjoyed this series and was very happy to find this second installment was just about as good as the first. There is a lot of excitement, surprises and twists plus the world building is very well done. The main characters have so much depth and Oraya, the FMC, really grew as a character in this second book. Raihn, the MMC, is just the best. Interesting story, intriguing world, great characters, very nice relationship between the two main characters!...more
Very nice story that’s much more than a romance. This is a story about losing and then rediscovering yourself - what you’re made of and what you’re wiVery nice story that’s much more than a romance. This is a story about losing and then rediscovering yourself - what you’re made of and what you’re willing to stand for. This is very much a story of misogyny and the inappropriate yet socially acceptable behaviors that women deal with every day. What’s more is it’s about the resulting psychological conditioning of women to accept those behaviors and even blame themselves for them. Sad and true commentary that was handled well as the FMC, Sadie, recognizes and eventually refuses those behaviors in herself. There is also a nice love story that plays along the very same lines - sometimes what society, our parents, social media tell us we should want is not all what is right for us. Definitely enjoyed the writing and the story and will read more by Ms. Wiesner!...more
Love this!! This book is silly, funny, charming, touching and just so much fun. Are you kidding?? The banter alone between The Villain and his assistaLove this!! This book is silly, funny, charming, touching and just so much fun. Are you kidding?? The banter alone between The Villain and his assistant, Evie, is worth the price of admission. I loved everything about this. Great characters - all of them, supporting and main - silly but edgy fantasy story, good guys and bad guys and a lot in between, romance with so much slow burn and angst!! The world building evolves with the book and there is tension in the plot as bits of the backstory are revealed right up to the very end. Huge cliffhanger, though, so you have to be ready for that! Many questions are still unanswered but I loved every minute of it. Can’t wait for books 2 and 3!!...more
Sweet mix of regency romance, fairy tale and mystery! A very pleasant read with fun characters. I hope that Elias and Dora are revisited in the secondSweet mix of regency romance, fairy tale and mystery! A very pleasant read with fun characters. I hope that Elias and Dora are revisited in the second book in the series!...more
Sophie Cousens always delivers a thoughtful story with likable characters and I look forward to her books. In this story, twenty six year old Lucy makSophie Cousens always delivers a thoughtful story with likable characters and I look forward to her books. In this story, twenty six year old Lucy makes a hasty wish to skip past all of the struggles in her young life and just get to the good part. When she wakes up the next morning in her own future she realizes how valuable and important the living of life is - for better or worst.
I enjoyed this story and the supporting characters. I liked how Lucy’s future marriage was handled and how Sam struggled with staying connected to the “new� Lucy’s changes but stayed committed. How they rediscovered each other through Lucy’s amnesia. I also liked how well it showed how caught up in every day life’s tasks we become, forgetting to just stop and be present, have fun and prioritize being with the people we love.
Another winner from Sophie Cousens full of strong messages, humor and the strength in relationships....more
I have mixed emotions having read this followup to Divine Rivals. Unfortunately, the strongest emotion I feel is disappointment.
I really enjoyed DiviI have mixed emotions having read this followup to Divine Rivals. Unfortunately, the strongest emotion I feel is disappointment.
I really enjoyed Divine Rivals and was taken by surprise by the unusual premise of Gods living along mortals in what felt like a slightly magical 1930’s London. The main characters, Iris and Roman, were strong individually and even stronger as a pair. In Ruthless Vows, I did have many of my questions about how this unusual world came to be along with the backstory on the Gods and their relationships to each other and the mortal world. That was good! Also, Ross� writing style is very pretty and descriptive so I find that enjoyable.
However, the connection between Iris and Roman was very minimal in this book which was disappointing. Further, Roman’s character - so strong and dependable in Divine Rivals - became so weak and self-doubting in this book that I found him often foolish and cowardly. That’s not the Roman I remember. Iris and Roman spend very little time connected or together at all in this book and that was a takeaway. Also, there were times when I was simply bored. It was great to have such a seamless continuation of the first book but it felt like it lacked in plot depth and curve balls so much that certain sections just dragged.
I’m glad I read it, glad it filled in the world gaps from the first book for me but overall it was just meh compared to the first book. ...more
So that was very interesting and not exactly what I was expecting but I liked it and I want to know what happens in the next book.
This book was two sSo that was very interesting and not exactly what I was expecting but I liked it and I want to know what happens in the next book.
This book was two stories in one for me. The first felt like a 1930’s-ish (although it was actually the 1890s in the book’s world) Clark Kent and Lois Lane romance between two newspaper writers who secretly long for each other. The second is a mythological war between two gods using mortals and the towns where the story takes place to play out their dislike and anger towards each other, at the cost of human lives and worlds. Both stories are interesting with likeable and intriguing characters. What I struggled with is that the two stories didn’t really work together or connect well for me. The world building fell short and I had more questions than answers about the war, how and why it was playing out and what was happening beyond what seemed to be a very small battlefield. But, I ended up being okay with the low level confusion because I was so interested in how it would all end up and I liked the two main characters and the writing style quite a lot.
I’m counting on the second book in the series to fill in all of the gaps and missing information as well as to create more depth and connection to the mythological piece, the Gods at war and the rest of the supporting characters that were introduced, seeming significant, but who weren’t fully developed. I’ll have to wait until December if it all comes together!...more
I was not a huge fan of The Dead Romantics - it was okay. The Seven Year Slip is much better. I really enjoyed the time travel theme and th3 1/2 stars
I was not a huge fan of The Dead Romantics - it was okay. The Seven Year Slip is much better. I really enjoyed the time travel theme and the relationship between Clementine and Iwan is very special and touching. They are so sweet together and how their connection moves through time was well done. I just wish more of the book had been about them!
I struggled through the first half of the book as Clementine came to terms with the loss of her aunt and reflected so much on their history. Once I hit the half way mark and the relationship between Clementine and Iwan gained more focus and momentum, I reconnected with the story....more
I did enjoy this book. It has a wonderful premise of a family of women in the early part of the 20th century who are connected to the Fae, bargaining I did enjoy this book. It has a wonderful premise of a family of women in the early part of the 20th century who are connected to the Fae, bargaining with them to assure good crops, fine weather and finding lost things. When the marriage of one of the girls turns unhappy and abusive, the girls escalate their bargaining and the results become more dangerous and costly.
The premise and the writing are both really nice. The only problem is that there is just too much writing. There is too much detail and filling content and it made the story drag. I skim read quite a bit of the second half of the book and don’t feel I missed much. If some keen editing had shaved about 75 pages of really unnecessary content the story would have kept me constantly on edge and engaged.
It’s still a nice read but just a little too much content that caused it to stall. I will definitely try another book by this author. ...more
Oh ho, so good!! I blazed through this book, it was so good. It’s so satisfying to read a fantasy book that lands the world building and the characterOh ho, so good!! I blazed through this book, it was so good. It’s so satisfying to read a fantasy book that lands the world building and the characters, all of which was so well done here. Plus, the twists and turns and unexpected events at the end of the book had me gasping and re-reading sections just to be sure I had it straight! Couldn’t get enough of the battles and of Raihn and Oraya’s challenges and building relationship. I am moving immediately to book 2 to see where this is going now....more
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