BOOKS | Review: Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

Name: Ten Thousand Stitches (Regency Faerie Tales series #2)

Author: Olivia Atwater

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: July 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, historical, fantasy, fairy tales

Pages: 245

Rating: 5/5

Regency housemaid Euphemia Reeves has acquired a faerie godfather. Unfortunately, he has no idea what he's doing.
Effie has most inconveniently fallen in love with the dashing Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. There's only one problem; Effie is a housemaid, and a housemaid cannot marry a gentleman. It seems that Effie is out of luck until she stumbles into the faerie realm of Lord Blackthorn, who is only too eager to help Effie win Mr Ashbrooke's heart. All he asks in return is that Effie sew ten thousand stitches onto his favourite jacket.
Effie has heard rumours about what happens to those who accept help from faeries, but life as a maid at Hartfield is so awful that she is willing to risk even her immortal soul for a chance at something better. Now, she has one hundred days - and ten thousand stitches - to make Mr Ashbrooke fall in love and propose... if Lord Blackthorn doesn't wreck things by accident, that is. For Effie's greatest obstacle might well prove to be Lord Blackthorn's overwhelmingly good intentions.

- From Goodreads.

Ten Thousand Stitches had the same heartwarming, whimsical, and humourous writing style as Half a Soul, with similar messaging that was both emotional, meaningful and hopeful while having a realistic, thoughtful, and sometimes quite serious undercurrent, all while still managing to have a different plot and distinct characters.

Lord Blackthorn was quite a unique character, who still to had the dangerous element of being a faerie while also being very sweet and loveable and endearing and I loved seeing him learn and change over the course of the story. His romance with Effie was so heartwarming and made me so happy to read.

Effie was a wonderful main character, I loved how she learnt more about herself and how she discovered the effect she had on people around her and how she could help them.

The author still writes female friendships very well, I loved Effie and Lydia's friendship and how they cared about each other so much.

I still found the world to be inventive and I enjoyed learning more about it and seeing it from a different perspective than we did in Half a Soul. It felt both realistic and whimsical, and all the descriptions were lovely to read, especially whenever we went into Faerie and saw the magical home of Lord Blackthorn.

I will definitely continue to read more books in this series and anything else the author writes. I really enjoy her writing style and everything I have read from her so far has just made me so delighted.

BOOKS | Review: Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan

Name: Heart of the Sun Warrior (The Celestial Kingdom duology #2)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Publisher: HarperVoyager

Date published: November 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, adventure, romance, mythology, retellings

Pages: 465

Rating: 4/5

This review contains moderate spoilers.

After winning her mother’s freedom from the Celestial Emperor, Xingyin thrives in the enchanting tranquility of her home. But her fragile peace is threatened by the discovery of a strange magic on the moon, and the unsettling changes in the Celestial Kingdom as the emperor tightens his grip on power.
While Xingyin is determined to keep clear of the rising danger, the discovery of a shocking truth spurs her into a perilous confrontation. Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would.
As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation - to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love... even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.

- From Goodreads.

I did enjoy this book, but there were a few things that meant I did not love it as much as Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Some of the events that set the plot of Heart of the Sun Warrior in motion did not seem that plausible to me, I could easily believe that the Celestial Emperor would use any excuse to punish Xingyin and her mother, but her mother's actions that lead to them being unjustly punished did seem a little out of character for her, a little more naive than I expected her to be since she was mostly quite a wise character.

I definitely still felt attached to the characters, I felt very emotional when they did, and felt their pain and worry and heartbreak, some parts of the story even made me cry.

Wenzhi was a character that I found a little more frustrating in this book. I still liked him and found the dynamic between him and Xingyin interesting, especially as they became allies, but there were a few times I did not enoy reading scenes with him in. Mostly it was because it seemed like he was not always listening when Xingyin told him what she wanted or he would push a little too much against her boundaries. He never went too far but it was enough to be annoying when it did happen.

I still really loved Liwei and worried for him, and wanted him and Xingyin to be able to work things and out and end the book at a good place together.

I also still loved Xingin's character, she struggled a lot and faced a lot of difficulties, but she still managed to be brave and tried to be kind and made the choice to be caring and take the better path even when it was not easy. I really liked that the author showed how difficult it was for her to be brave and keep going, to be heroic even when it was really hard and terrifying, even when she did not want to do something because she was scared, she did it anyway because she knew she needed to.

I did begin to miss the plot of the first book, the episodic storytelling style that slowly built to the more thrilling climax. This book in comparison had a more fast paced plot throughout, which was not really a fault of the book as it was a sequel that followed on from the first book, so it was propelled forward by the events of that book and could not slow back down. It was still well-plotted and the lovely writing style was still there, but the plot of the first book was just something I really enjoyed so I did miss it while I was reading this one.

I felt a bit conflicted about the ending, I was definitely happpy with some of it, I think the villain was defeated in a satisfying way and I was glad some of the characters I loved survived and found peace, but other parts of it were not as satisfying and I am still not sure how I feel about them. I was glad we saw Xingyin taking time to heal and recover at the end, as it felt realistic that she would be so effected by everything and even if I was not sure how I felt about how it all wrapped up, I was glad to see Xingyin finding happiness.

BOOKS | Review: Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

Name: Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom duology #1)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Publisher: HarperVoyager

Date published: January 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, retellings, mythology, adventure

Pages: 512

Rating: 5/5

This review contains mild spoilers.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream - striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

- From Goodreads.

I had a really enjoyable time reading this book. The writing style and pacing really fit with the retelling genre as it really felt like being told an old story from mythology. I liked how at first we were told smaller stories of the journey that Xingyin was on and then these smaller parts all started to build together towards a larger epic climax that was so exhilarating to read.

It was wonderful to follow Xingyin as the main character, she was so kind-hearted and thoughtful. I liked how she always tried to learn from every experience she went through and was aware of herself and both her her flaws and her strengths. She never wanted to hurt someone just because they had hurt her and I admired her strength and determination for getting through to the end.

The other characters were well written too, they were all interesting and multi-dimensional, Liwei was especially a favourite. He had a lot of heart and charm and I loved his relationship with Xingyin and how tender their feelings for each other were.

Captain Wenzhi was also an interesting character that was introduced a little later on. I do not usually like love triangles but I felt it was done well here because it was still focused on Xingyin and her story and what each person meant to her and it was always about her choices and what it would mean for her journey. I also liked how it resolved, it was a surprising twist but it worked well and still gave the characters plenty of depth.

The plot in general had quite a few surprises and was exciting to read. The action scenes were all gripping and the emotional ones really had me feeling for the characters. I felt very immersed in the world and there were a lot of beautiful descriptions of some really incredible places.

Overall, I had a really lovely time reading this book, it made me feel nostalgic for reading myths when I was younger and I really felt connected to the characters. I will definitely be reading the sequel and more from the author in general.

BOOKS | Most Anticipated New Books of 2023

 There are a lot of amazing books being released next year, but I have managed to narrow down all the ones I am excited about to a list of ten! So these are the books I am most looking forward to that are being released in 2023. These release dates are from Goodreads and they could change.

1. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

Expected publication 3rd January 2023

Elfhame #4, The Stolen Heir Duology #1

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.
Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.
Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

- Goodreads.

I really loved The Folk of the Air series, it's now one of my favourites, so I am very intrigued about this continuation and what the future will hold for the characters!

2. A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

Expected publication 28th February 2023

The Roots of Chaos #0

Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory's purpose.
To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be.
The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber. Now someone from her mother's past is coming to upend her fate.
When the Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat. 

- Goodreads.

The Priory of the Orange Tree was such an impressive and creative epic fantasy novel, I know this prequel will be just as, if not more, fascinating to dive into.

3. Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran

Expected publication September 2023

Queen of Coin and Whispers #2

Daughter of Winter and Twilight, sequel to Queen of Coin and Whispers, which picks up fourteen years after the original, with a princess navigating her place in a politically incendiary realm, where the bonds of history and family grow increasingly frayed, especially when old magic returns to the land.

- Goodreads.

I really loved Queen of Coin and Whispers and thought it was such a unique and lovely story, so I was of course very excited when I found out there was going to be a sequel! I'm looking forward to having more details about what will happen in this book and finding out what the cover will look like.

4. Mysteries of Thorn Manner by Margaret Rogerson

Expected publication 17th January 2023

Sorcery of Thorns #1.5 

Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city's most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate's wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor's occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another...
With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas - along with their new maid Mercy - will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they're due to host the city's Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel's ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.

- Goodreads.

Sorcery of Thorns was such a wonderful story with the most loveable characters, it makes me so happy that we are going to see more of those characters in this novella!

5. Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Expected publication 10th January 2023

(Emily Wilde #1)

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party - or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones - the most elusive of all faeries - lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all - her own heart.

- Goodreads.

 I have never read anything from this author before but this book just sounds so perfect and delightful, I can never resist a good faerie story!

6. Untitled by V.E. Schwab

Expected publication October 2023

Shades of Magic #4, Threads of Power #1

 The start of a brand-new trilogy called the Threads of Power, which will be set in the same world as the Shades of Magic series, featuring new leads, plus the entire cast from Conjuring of Light.

- Goodreads.

There might not be many details about what this new trilogy in the Shades of Magic world will contain, but I loved the first trilogy and thought it was so inventive and clever, so I am definitely excited for more, and I am always happy to read more from V.E. Schwab in general.

7. A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand

Expected publication 9th May 2023

The Middlemist Trilogy #1

Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She's young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin - embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family - often forget Gemma exists.
Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.
Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d'Astier. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She'll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families' blood feud - slay the demon, end the feud.
But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her - or show her the true strength of her power at last. 

- Goodreads.

This is another author I have not read from before but the story sounds so compelling and like it could be really thrilling, so I am intrigued to see what this one will be like!

8. Lore Olympus: Volume Four by Rachel Smythe

Expected publication 6th June 2023

Lore Olympus Volumes #4 

The rumour mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first.
But that's easier said than done.

- Goodreads.

I have really adored every volume of Lore Olympus I have read so far, it is such an enjoyable story with such a delightful art style, I am really looking forward to the release of the next volume!

9. A Duet with the Siren Duke by Elise Kova

Expected publication 15th August 2023

Married to Magic #4

In water as cold as death, the duet began. With it, she gained five years of freedom. But, her time is up. And now she will go beneath the waves and into the hands of the enchanting siren who claimed her as his sacrifice.

- Goodreads.

Although I had mixed feelings about the most recent book in this series, overall I think each installment has been an enjoyable romance and I am curious to see what a siren romance in this world will be like!

10. The Bone Season 10th Anniversay Edition by Samantha Shannon

Expected publication Summer 2023

The Bone Season #1, revised

This is not a completely new story, but I am still quite excited about this as Samantha Shannon has revised The Bone Season for this anniversary and I am very curious to see what this updated version will be like, what changes she has made and how the reading experience will be different. I am also excited to see what this anniversary edition will look like and if the cover will be similar or changed!

BOOKS | Review: Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston

Name: Among the Beasts & Briars

Author: Ashley Poston

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Date published: October 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, fairy tales

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5

Cerys is safe in the kingdom of Aloriya.
Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse - the magic - in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything. The most danger she faces now, as a gardener’s daughter, is the annoying fox who stalks the royal gardens and won’t leave her alone.
As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions the small fox from the garden, a strange and powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home. But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive.

- From Goodreads.

This was a truly wonderful fairy tale style fantasy. I was really invested in the storyline and what happened to the characters and felt like it all lead to a satisfying conclusion that really was the perfect ending.

The world building was really fascinating and well written, I easily understood how the kingdom worked and its history, and how more of that history was revealed as the story went of was a very intriguing part of the story. The forest was written to be a very ominous presence throughout the book and was very creepy and sinister and the monsters were truly scary.

The characters were well written as well, all of them were interesting. Both the side and main characters kept my attention and there were some morally grey characters that were exciting to follow and were complex enough that you were not sure what they would do next.

The two main characters were wonderful and I really enjoyed following both of them. They each had flaws but were still so loveable and I really grew attached to them. Their romance was so sweet and lovely and I really felt their emotions and wanted things to end happily for them.

This was just a perfect book for me, with dark and enchanting magic and a really heartwarming romance. I would recommend this if you enjoy stories like Uprooted by Naomi Novik and The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid.

BOOKS | Review: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Name: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Author: Sangu Mandanna

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Date published: August 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, contemporary, paranormal

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules... With one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and… Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for....

- From Goodreads.

This was a very sweet, heartwarming book that really got to my emotions and made me very happy to read. It had a good balance of lighthearted and serious moments and had a really joyful conclusion.

The descriptions of the setting, atmosphere and magic were all wonderful to read. I could really picture everything and felt really immersed in every scene. I loved how the magic was described, it was really exciting and fun and the author really showed how much Mika loved her magic and her joy of sharing her magic with other characters was so lovely and sweet.

I loved Mika as a main character, she had a great way of thinking about the world and she was so thoughtful and sensitive towards other people. Her relationships with the other characters were all interesting, and all of the other characters felt realistic and well rounded. Her romantic relationship with Jamie and the way everything developed between them was so perfect and I thought the way they communicated and how they treated each other with kindness was so nice to read and I really believed the feelings between them.

I really enjoyed the plot, there was a lot of room for character development and plenty of moments that helped build the relationships between the characters. There were some great funny moments as well as some really emotional and heartfelt ones. Overall it was a great story and everything I could want from a cosy fantasy romance.

BOOKS | Review: A Duel with the Vampire Lord by Elise Kova

Name: A Duel with the Vampire Lord (Married to Magic series #3)

Author: Elise Kova

Publisher: Silver Wing Press

Date published: August 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, retellings, fairy tales

Pages: 421

Rating: 3/5

This review contains mild spoilers.

 

On the night of the blood moon, the Vampire Lord must die.
Floriane's position as the forge maiden of Hunter's Hamlet is one of reverence, for it is her skill that arms and protects the vampire hunters. She knows her place and is a faithful servant to the Master Hunter and her community... until the night of the blood moon. Until her brother is dying at the hands of the Vampire Lord Ruvan.
Wanting to defend her home at all costs, Floriane fights the vampire lord, ready to give her life if it means taking his. But Ruvan doesn't want to take her life... he wants her.
Kidnapped and brought to the vampire castle, Floriane is now blood sworn to the vampire lord. She is bound in mind and body to her worst enemy. But Ruvan isn't the fiend she thought he was. She learns the truth of the vampires: They are not mindless monsters, but a proud people, twisted and tortured by an ancient curse.
Ruvan believes that Floriane might be the key to ending his people's suffering. All Floriane wants is to defend her home. Loyalties are tested and the lines between truth and lie, hate and passion, are blurred.
When her dagger is at his chest, will she be able to take the heart of the man who has claimed hers?

- From Goodreads.

The way that A Duel with the Vampire Lord expanded the world of the Married to Magic series was interesting. The concept for the vampires in this world was fascinating, how they used blood for magic, each had unique abilities and were also under a curse. It was a different twist on vampires, but I felt it was not always executed smoothly and the explanations could be a little confusing.

The rules for the magic were also occasionally inconsistent, it was only a few small times but it was obvious enough that I noticed straight away so it seemed like the book could have used another round of edits to catch those kind of world building details.

I noticed the main character, Floriane, had a few similar personality traits to the main characters from the other books in this world, and her relationship journey with the love interest, Ruvan, felt similar to the way that the relationships in those other books developed too. It was different enough that I could still enjoy it as its own story, and I knew from the summary that it would be an enemies to lovers story, so I was not disappointed by that trope appearing again, and I think if you have not read any of the other books in this world yet it will not feel too similar to anything else, but it does feel like a pattern is beginning to develop with these books and if they continue with the same type of relationship it could get repetitive. As I said, I could still like the characters and relationship in this one, but I hope in the next one we get something a little different with a change in the dynamic between the characters.

I understood why Floriane was keeping things from Ruvan during the first part of the book because she could not trust him enough to open up to him and she thought she could protect her home that way, but I did not understand why Ruvan was not telling her more sooner since he wanted to persuade her over to his point of view and make her understand the vampire's side of the story, and yet he was not explaining everything. I understand it is best to slowly give out pieces of information rather than tell it to us all at once, but from the vampire's point of view I could not see why he was not explaining as much as he could.

This may be a strange comment but it was distracting that for a while at the beginning of the book, several days seemed to pass without any mention of Floriane washing or changing her clothes or even taking off her amour. I know some people do not mind those kind of details but I always find I notice them and this made me think again that the book could have done with more editing and including even just one mention of her taking a moment to freshen up would have stopped me wondering if she was just wearing the same clothes for several days. It is true that they were in dangerous situations a lot but there were enough opportunites where she could have taken a moment to safely change. She was covered in blood from fighting at one point and it was never so much as implied that she ever washed the blood off at any time.

I did like the setting and atmosphere of the book, it was good to read at the beginning of October when the weather was getting colder and the nights were turning darker. Everything was described well and the vampires' castle felt very grand and imposing and sinister. That was all certainly a highlight of the book.

The dialogue did not always flow easily or feel natural, and I think that was one of the things that lead to me not feeling the emotions in the relationship as much as I would have liked to and it did not have as much impact as it could have had. I still liked the relationship overall but did not not really feel the chemistry between them that strongly. The strongest emotion I felt between them was when they were angry at each other and then I just got frustrated that they were not communicating well.

There were a few things set up at the start that felt like the beginning of a plot thread or like it was sending the plot in one direction or something that would be picked up later but never was, or was not seen through in a satisfying way. For example the plot point of Floriane being a forge maiden who was supposed to have an arranged marriage so she could have children to be future forge maidens and how this would secure the future and safety of the village, how she was not supposed to be with other men because of this, how she felt guilt and pressure around that, this was included from the beginning but not built up or developed throughout the story well enough to feel like a satisfying theme, it was only mentioned every so often. Some plot points in general were hard to follow, to remember where details came from or how characters had come to certain conclusions. Some of the conflict felt forced, as the plot points seemed to be added in because they needed to be, not because it was a natural progression of the story.

There was also not a lot of groundwork or foreshadowing or hints laid for the reveals towards the end of the book, they seemed to come out of nowhere. I also felt the plot was paced quite strangely, it felt like quite a long book, especially compared to the previous two, but the climax seemed to come on suddenly and sooner than expected. The conclusion after the climax could have been longer, it wrapped up everything pretty quickly and it would have been nice to just have a bit more time with the characters once everything was resolved. After seeing Ruvan and Floriane spending so much time in conflict and dealing with obstacles, we hardly got to see them together happily.

I was excited for this book, it had a lot of great ideas and I thought adding vampires to this world would be really exciting but unfortunately the ideas did not land very well in most cases. There was a lot of potential but it was not quite reached. I could still see myself rereading it at some point in the future as I may understand the plot better on a second read and perhaps I would like the book better then, and I will still be reading the next book in the world, as I am curious about what might happen in that one and how else this world might expand.