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Forever Girl #1.5
Her Sweetest Downfall
Ophelia's been successful at hiding her true identity, until the mark of the serpent appears on her neck—a death sentence, should it be seen by anyone in her town. Hiding the mark might save her from falling victim to the witch hunts of her era, but the scorching sensation it carries can’t be ignored.
When the mysterious Ethan is sent to collect her for a life of something more, she learns concealing the mark is the least of her concerns. She’s destined to do a new task—to join a dark, supernatural world and protect the future of people she may never meet.
What she doesn’t know—what she learns too late—is that her initiation won’t be complete until she kills the man who’s captured her heart.
When the mysterious Ethan is sent to collect her for a life of something more, she learns concealing the mark is the least of her concerns. She’s destined to do a new task—to join a dark, supernatural world and protect the future of people she may never meet.
What she doesn’t know—what she learns too late—is that her initiation won’t be complete until she kills the man who’s captured her heart.
94 pages, ebook
First published March 1, 2012
39 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Hamilton
61 books721 followersRebecca Hamilton writes Paranormal Fantasy, Horror, and Literary Fiction. She lives in Florida with her husband and four kids, along with multiple writing personalities that range from morbid to literary. Having a child diagnosed with autism has inspired her to illuminate the world through the eyes of characters who see things differently.
Rebecca Hamilton is represented by the ever-more-amazing Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name
Rebecca Hamilton is represented by the ever-more-amazing Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
November 2, 2013
An enchanting, magical tale full of mystique, imagination and a unique twist on Romance.
Her Sweetest Downfall is a prequel to The Forever Girl series, but could be read as a standalone book. The story was structured in the traditional model, with a beginning, middle and end, so no cliffhangers here! Which was satisfying.
The story opens up with Ophelia, who wakes up one day with "Mark of the Serpent" on her neck--a painful wound that winds up being more than such. On her way to deliver a letter, she encounters a man named Ethan, who informs her that their encounter was not by chance and soon enough, Ophelia learns that the Mark of the Serpent is a sign of a calling...a call of duty, to work for the Universe! I was immediately hooked after the first few pages, and the mystery never lets up either.
Ethan guides Ophelia on her journey, who is on the brink of a new spiritual awakening and doesn''t know why. Everything is thrown on her ever so suddenly, and I felt the character struggle with her new sense of purpose as well as her newfound fears and abilities. As she embarks on a world previously unknown to her, she begins to encounter odd-worldly beings, called, Elementals, who take on the traits of Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. Rebecca Hamilton imagines characters and locales so rich, her writing is superbly detailed and I could sense the characters breathe on the page, and I could feel the atmosphere that felt straight out of a Tim Burton film.
Throughout their adventure, mistrust creeps in around the peripheral, as Ethan's true motives are uncertain; until the latter portion of the story of course. His ability to abstain from forming an emotional attachment to Ophelia contributes to this mistrust, as Ophelia is thrown into a mission, a mission that winds up being about one of the most fundamental of all our journeys in life--the mission to find ourselves, to find our purpose in life, and most of all, to find the answers to the question of all questions-- what it means to be human.
Her Sweetest Downfall is a prequel to The Forever Girl series, but could be read as a standalone book. The story was structured in the traditional model, with a beginning, middle and end, so no cliffhangers here! Which was satisfying.
The story opens up with Ophelia, who wakes up one day with "Mark of the Serpent" on her neck--a painful wound that winds up being more than such. On her way to deliver a letter, she encounters a man named Ethan, who informs her that their encounter was not by chance and soon enough, Ophelia learns that the Mark of the Serpent is a sign of a calling...a call of duty, to work for the Universe! I was immediately hooked after the first few pages, and the mystery never lets up either.
Ethan guides Ophelia on her journey, who is on the brink of a new spiritual awakening and doesn''t know why. Everything is thrown on her ever so suddenly, and I felt the character struggle with her new sense of purpose as well as her newfound fears and abilities. As she embarks on a world previously unknown to her, she begins to encounter odd-worldly beings, called, Elementals, who take on the traits of Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. Rebecca Hamilton imagines characters and locales so rich, her writing is superbly detailed and I could sense the characters breathe on the page, and I could feel the atmosphere that felt straight out of a Tim Burton film.
Throughout their adventure, mistrust creeps in around the peripheral, as Ethan's true motives are uncertain; until the latter portion of the story of course. His ability to abstain from forming an emotional attachment to Ophelia contributes to this mistrust, as Ophelia is thrown into a mission, a mission that winds up being about one of the most fundamental of all our journeys in life--the mission to find ourselves, to find our purpose in life, and most of all, to find the answers to the question of all questions-- what it means to be human.
July 23, 2012
Few months ago I've had a chance to read The Forever Girl, first book in this series. In the meantime I learned how the whole structure of this series would look like. There will be three books that will talk about Sophia and also three novels that will talk about some characters in the whole trilogy. Now this is the first novel and it's about Ophelia.
Storyline. For those of you who had read The Forever Girl you should remember Ophelia from the end of the book. There was short story about her. (don't want to put spoilers because of those who haven't read the book jet). Here we meet Ophelia and actually witness the whole story. Ophelia lived normal life as a maid until one day when mark appeared on her neck causing her pain. Soon after that she was kidnapped by mysterious man called Ethan. He was sent to help her complete her task. She has to join dark, spernatural world and protect someone from the future. Her past is also chasing her and she must decide what she is going to do.
Characters. Ophelia is really interesting character. She is not too strong nor too weak. You can easily relate with her and her doubts are something that most of us would have. Ethan is at the other hand really mysterious and even though the author doesn't give you the detail description you can imagine his tall and strong body in dark cloths, and his dark hair on his shoulders and his dark eyes. Maybe my imagination is talking through me, but that's how I imagine him. Now you say that you aren't interested! Like you would. There is one also interesting character but I won't talk about that cause, like I've already said, I don't want to put spoilers in this review.
Love-story. This is something that in opinion happened to quickly. But then again this is a novel so I guess the author couldn't develop more. I'm not saying that the love story isn't nice but I wish it had been a little bit longer. Everything beside that was great.
Conclusion. At the end I must say that now I understand this idea about writing novels in between the books and I really like it. This novel helped me to remember The Forever Girl and also gave me better idea about Ophelia and also Sophia's task. The author also reminded us of elements and the whole story behind that. Now I'm really looking forward reading Come, the Dark. I got the feeling that this is not all about Ophelia and that we're going to see her in the books to come.
I was thinking about giving it four stars because the love story could have been deeper, but considering that this is a novel and that the love story isn't in focus in this book I changed my mind.
Storyline. For those of you who had read The Forever Girl you should remember Ophelia from the end of the book. There was short story about her. (don't want to put spoilers because of those who haven't read the book jet). Here we meet Ophelia and actually witness the whole story. Ophelia lived normal life as a maid until one day when mark appeared on her neck causing her pain. Soon after that she was kidnapped by mysterious man called Ethan. He was sent to help her complete her task. She has to join dark, spernatural world and protect someone from the future. Her past is also chasing her and she must decide what she is going to do.
Characters. Ophelia is really interesting character. She is not too strong nor too weak. You can easily relate with her and her doubts are something that most of us would have. Ethan is at the other hand really mysterious and even though the author doesn't give you the detail description you can imagine his tall and strong body in dark cloths, and his dark hair on his shoulders and his dark eyes. Maybe my imagination is talking through me, but that's how I imagine him. Now you say that you aren't interested! Like you would. There is one also interesting character but I won't talk about that cause, like I've already said, I don't want to put spoilers in this review.
Love-story. This is something that in opinion happened to quickly. But then again this is a novel so I guess the author couldn't develop more. I'm not saying that the love story isn't nice but I wish it had been a little bit longer. Everything beside that was great.
Conclusion. At the end I must say that now I understand this idea about writing novels in between the books and I really like it. This novel helped me to remember The Forever Girl and also gave me better idea about Ophelia and also Sophia's task. The author also reminded us of elements and the whole story behind that. Now I'm really looking forward reading Come, the Dark. I got the feeling that this is not all about Ophelia and that we're going to see her in the books to come.
I was thinking about giving it four stars because the love story could have been deeper, but considering that this is a novel and that the love story isn't in focus in this book I changed my mind.
August 8, 2016
(Review of an ARC of Her Sweetest Downfall )
Reading this novella solidified Rebecca Hamilton on my list of top ten authors. With her debut novel, The Forever Girl: Sophia’s Journey, I had a feeling I’d enjoy reading more of Hamilton’s writing. I was right. Her Sweetest Downfall blew me away.
I was very pleased with the way this novella played out. For those who haven’t read book one in the series, I feel that they can still read this novella. I think that’s a great advantage Her Sweetest Downfall has. If a reader doesn’t have the time for a full length novel, but would like to check out Hamilton’s writing, this can be a great start.
The world of The Forever Girl is introduced here in a somewhat simpler way, which may even help in reading the more detailed explanations in The Forever Girl.
I am a reader who has read and loved The Forever Girl, so I already knew the overview of the creatures encountered here. I knew some of the story behind some of the characters as well…but the main character, Ophelia, I barely knew a thing about. I wanted to know. The Forever Girl made me want more. I was completely satisfied with what I learned. The reader follows along as she the mystery of her life, and destiny, unfolds in front of her eyes. Even though I know what her ultimate goal is, the journey to get there is filled with unexpected elements. I also enjoyed the new characters that came into play. Ethan was a great male lead. I admired his dedication to his job, even when his mission was threatened by the feelings of his heart.
One of the best things for me, was making connections to characters from The Forever Girl. I’m always a sucker for having “aha” moments. I’ll be reading a passage, then something clicks. It’s great when an author does Hamilton does this. In no way does it feel like she has altered or forced the story to connect in places. Some authors can attempt to make a connection work, but it just doesn’t seem natural for the story. This is not the case. I look forward to finding other connections like this throughout the series. When there is a series of seven books (plus however many novellas are to come out) it is probably difficult to create the interlocking points. From what I know this isn’t a series that follows just one main character, or even a timeline for that matter, so these points of connection will be necessary. I feel confident that I’ll have many more “aha” moments in future books.
By the end of this series, just like with this novella, Hamilton will have written a beautiful set of books. I feel confident in saying that.
Reading this novella solidified Rebecca Hamilton on my list of top ten authors. With her debut novel, The Forever Girl: Sophia’s Journey, I had a feeling I’d enjoy reading more of Hamilton’s writing. I was right. Her Sweetest Downfall blew me away.
I was very pleased with the way this novella played out. For those who haven’t read book one in the series, I feel that they can still read this novella. I think that’s a great advantage Her Sweetest Downfall has. If a reader doesn’t have the time for a full length novel, but would like to check out Hamilton’s writing, this can be a great start.
The world of The Forever Girl is introduced here in a somewhat simpler way, which may even help in reading the more detailed explanations in The Forever Girl.
I am a reader who has read and loved The Forever Girl, so I already knew the overview of the creatures encountered here. I knew some of the story behind some of the characters as well…but the main character, Ophelia, I barely knew a thing about. I wanted to know. The Forever Girl made me want more. I was completely satisfied with what I learned. The reader follows along as she the mystery of her life, and destiny, unfolds in front of her eyes. Even though I know what her ultimate goal is, the journey to get there is filled with unexpected elements. I also enjoyed the new characters that came into play. Ethan was a great male lead. I admired his dedication to his job, even when his mission was threatened by the feelings of his heart.
One of the best things for me, was making connections to characters from The Forever Girl. I’m always a sucker for having “aha” moments. I’ll be reading a passage, then something clicks. It’s great when an author does Hamilton does this. In no way does it feel like she has altered or forced the story to connect in places. Some authors can attempt to make a connection work, but it just doesn’t seem natural for the story. This is not the case. I look forward to finding other connections like this throughout the series. When there is a series of seven books (plus however many novellas are to come out) it is probably difficult to create the interlocking points. From what I know this isn’t a series that follows just one main character, or even a timeline for that matter, so these points of connection will be necessary. I feel confident that I’ll have many more “aha” moments in future books.
By the end of this series, just like with this novella, Hamilton will have written a beautiful set of books. I feel confident in saying that.
March 18, 2013
Original Romancing the Dark Side Review:
A great introduction to a new paranormal world I definitely will be revisiting!
Her Sweetest Downfall is set in Regency England, in a paranormal world of shifters, fae and immortal elementals called Cruor (who share common traits with vampires). The story introduces us to Ophelia, a ladies maid who discovers a strange mark of an ouroboros (an ancient symbol of a serpent eating its own tail) on her neck that she desperately tries to conceal, fearing persecution. Shortly after, Ophelia meets Ethan, a mysterious man who changes her life forever. When she learns the truth behind her mark and is thrown into a world she thought was only myth, Ophelia will have to make the ultimate sacrifices in order to fulfill her destiny.
This is my first time reading Rebecca Hamilton's writing and I must say I was intrigued by her elaborate world building and characters. Ophelia is a strong and determined heroine who is easy to connect with, she might be naive to the paranormal world around her but she's no shrinking violet. The leading man, Ethan was a good blend of alpha and gentleman, a real charmer.
While I wanted to learn more about these two characters, the author gave us just enough to become invested in Ophelia and Ethan's future. I'm really not a fan of an instant romance, but it's not a huge deal breaker for me when I'm reading a short story. Villains always add an element of suspense and Ms. Hamilton flawlessly weaves a sprinkle of "bad guys" into the story for an action packed plot.
Readers who are new to this series (like me) will devour this story, craving more and existing fans will get to know more of Ms. Hamilton's fantastic supernatural world!
{I received a complimentary copy of this book via Pure Textuality Blog Tour, in exchange for an honest review.}
A great introduction to a new paranormal world I definitely will be revisiting!
Her Sweetest Downfall is set in Regency England, in a paranormal world of shifters, fae and immortal elementals called Cruor (who share common traits with vampires). The story introduces us to Ophelia, a ladies maid who discovers a strange mark of an ouroboros (an ancient symbol of a serpent eating its own tail) on her neck that she desperately tries to conceal, fearing persecution. Shortly after, Ophelia meets Ethan, a mysterious man who changes her life forever. When she learns the truth behind her mark and is thrown into a world she thought was only myth, Ophelia will have to make the ultimate sacrifices in order to fulfill her destiny.
This is my first time reading Rebecca Hamilton's writing and I must say I was intrigued by her elaborate world building and characters. Ophelia is a strong and determined heroine who is easy to connect with, she might be naive to the paranormal world around her but she's no shrinking violet. The leading man, Ethan was a good blend of alpha and gentleman, a real charmer.
While I wanted to learn more about these two characters, the author gave us just enough to become invested in Ophelia and Ethan's future. I'm really not a fan of an instant romance, but it's not a huge deal breaker for me when I'm reading a short story. Villains always add an element of suspense and Ms. Hamilton flawlessly weaves a sprinkle of "bad guys" into the story for an action packed plot.
Readers who are new to this series (like me) will devour this story, craving more and existing fans will get to know more of Ms. Hamilton's fantastic supernatural world!
{I received a complimentary copy of this book via Pure Textuality Blog Tour, in exchange for an honest review.}
May 16, 2013
Her Sweetest Downfall by Rebecca Hamilton
Review by Georgianna Simpson
Her sweetest downfall is a very unusual and interesting story. Meeting Ophelia was a real treat. She’s a sweet young lady who circumstances have given a very difficult life, and this journey isn’t going to make it any better…in most ways.
The fear of having a mark come up “out of the blue” on your neck one morning, especially in a time and around people who believe all things like this are evil is unimaginable. To have your father die and your mother disappear is even more disastrous. Poor Ophelia has had all this happen in her young life.
She’s a wonderfully if somewhat reluctantly brave young lady with a great mind and keen instincts. She is kidnapped and taken far away by Ethan, a handsome young man with the same mark on his neck that has just shown up on hers. He tells her of her mission in life and that it will not be an easy one, but to save thousands or more lives, it’s one that she must agree to.
Convincing her of this mission and all the magic things…things she’s only heard of in her mother’s tales told to her as a your child is quite a mission in itself.
The attraction between Ophelia and Ethan is unique and very dramatic. To see him fight his attraction knowing he doesn’t want to hurt Ophelia and he would really love to keep her with him is heartrending. I LOVE the action and twists in this marvelous “light” read. The story is intriguing and quite compelling. It was incredibly hard to put down…so I didn’t. I’m hooked and will get the rest of the Forever Girl series as quickly as possible… I want to be ready for the next one!
Ms. Hamilton spins wonderful tales with twists and turns that are both interesting and surprising. I loved the characters, the dialect was just enough to give the “flavor” of the times and area. I found it spellbinding and I definitely need more! This one is a 5 star on my list!
Review by Georgianna Simpson
Her sweetest downfall is a very unusual and interesting story. Meeting Ophelia was a real treat. She’s a sweet young lady who circumstances have given a very difficult life, and this journey isn’t going to make it any better…in most ways.
The fear of having a mark come up “out of the blue” on your neck one morning, especially in a time and around people who believe all things like this are evil is unimaginable. To have your father die and your mother disappear is even more disastrous. Poor Ophelia has had all this happen in her young life.
She’s a wonderfully if somewhat reluctantly brave young lady with a great mind and keen instincts. She is kidnapped and taken far away by Ethan, a handsome young man with the same mark on his neck that has just shown up on hers. He tells her of her mission in life and that it will not be an easy one, but to save thousands or more lives, it’s one that she must agree to.
Convincing her of this mission and all the magic things…things she’s only heard of in her mother’s tales told to her as a your child is quite a mission in itself.
The attraction between Ophelia and Ethan is unique and very dramatic. To see him fight his attraction knowing he doesn’t want to hurt Ophelia and he would really love to keep her with him is heartrending. I LOVE the action and twists in this marvelous “light” read. The story is intriguing and quite compelling. It was incredibly hard to put down…so I didn’t. I’m hooked and will get the rest of the Forever Girl series as quickly as possible… I want to be ready for the next one!
Ms. Hamilton spins wonderful tales with twists and turns that are both interesting and surprising. I loved the characters, the dialect was just enough to give the “flavor” of the times and area. I found it spellbinding and I definitely need more! This one is a 5 star on my list!
August 1, 2014
Her sweetest downfall, indeed.
I must say that I'm ever impressed with Rebecca's writing and the way that this story, though a novella derived from The Forever Girl series, stands well enough on its own.
While fighting the ache to be with a man named Ethan, an Ankou, Ophelia learns that the stories she was told as a child were real. Even more, she's given a purpose by the Universe revealed in the ouroboros that appears on her body. A purpose that involves her becoming the very thing she despises...a Cruor.
This story weaves a delicate balance of dark and romance. This is a fast, satisfying read that I recommend to everyone who loves a good paranormal romance. I'm looking forward to more from this author, as I'm sure she won't disappoint.
This review appears on www.samanthalafantasie.com as well as Amazon.
I must say that I'm ever impressed with Rebecca's writing and the way that this story, though a novella derived from The Forever Girl series, stands well enough on its own.
While fighting the ache to be with a man named Ethan, an Ankou, Ophelia learns that the stories she was told as a child were real. Even more, she's given a purpose by the Universe revealed in the ouroboros that appears on her body. A purpose that involves her becoming the very thing she despises...a Cruor.
This story weaves a delicate balance of dark and romance. This is a fast, satisfying read that I recommend to everyone who loves a good paranormal romance. I'm looking forward to more from this author, as I'm sure she won't disappoint.
This review appears on www.samanthalafantasie.com as well as Amazon.
June 13, 2013
Her Sweetest Downfall
, by Rebecca Hamilton
Before reading: The day I finished reading ‘The Forever Girl’ I had many questions in my mind about the queen-being pure breed, about Ophelia- why is she helping Sophia and many such questions. And when Rebecca told me that some of these questions will be answered in this novella I couldn’t wait for it. Finally Her Sweetest Downfall arrived in my mail and I was so excited to read it to know more about the world that Becca created in the forever girl.
After Reading: WOW!!! It was Fantastic, Amazing and Awesome. I am glad I waited for it and too happy that I was lucky to get the e-ARC thank you very much Rebecca. It was a perfect page turner for me from the beginning and it was able to keep me awake from my night sleep till I read the last word. Even after completing the book I was deep in thoughts making connections to the incidents and characters in the forever girl.
Anyone (15+) can read this book even if you have not read The Forever Girl: Sophia's Journey (Forever Girl, #1).
The world, the setting of Forever Girl is now clearer to me. The mission towards which Sophia took her first few steps in forever girl, for which she was selected has been in making many years ago.
CHARACTERS: I was already introduced to the main character Ophelia in the forever girl. But there I didn’t knew much about her and her reasons to help Sophia but in her sweetest downfall it was all clear I was able to connect to the story and her character easily. here initially she has been shown like any ordinary girl who no longer ordinary when the serpents mark on her neck which indicated she is the chosen one.
Next lead to whom I was introduced was Ethan-the perfect male lead. Ethan is a strong character who is fully dedicated towards his mission that was given to him by Universe. He didn’t let his feelings for Ophelia sabotage his mission. He is perfect Guardian and lover. (Ophelia and Ethan have superb chemistry)
Other important characters include Robert, Queen Callista and Lenore.
STORY: Beginning depicts Ophelia like any ordinary girl who works for Lady Karina. But everything changes when the mark of an ouroboros—serpent eating its own tail appears on her neck. And then she is been kidnapped by Ethan who has taken her miles away from Great Paxton (where she lives). Ethan reveals she is ‘the chosen one’ because she has the ouroboros mark same as Ethan. She comes to know her mother is dead when she was making plans to meet her. At this point of story both Ophelia and I had many questions like why she has this mark and what does it means? Why Ethan has kidnapped her? Who Ethan really is and what does ‘the chosen one’ means?
As the story progress all these questions were answered and I met new characters who play an important part in the story building.
This story has a nice pack of budding romance and action. The story flows smoothly and again I’ll say Rebecca has amazing writing talent.
Now I am sure this series will be on my favorites. Eagerly waiting for next installment.
Before reading: The day I finished reading ‘The Forever Girl’ I had many questions in my mind about the queen-being pure breed, about Ophelia- why is she helping Sophia and many such questions. And when Rebecca told me that some of these questions will be answered in this novella I couldn’t wait for it. Finally Her Sweetest Downfall arrived in my mail and I was so excited to read it to know more about the world that Becca created in the forever girl.
After Reading: WOW!!! It was Fantastic, Amazing and Awesome. I am glad I waited for it and too happy that I was lucky to get the e-ARC thank you very much Rebecca. It was a perfect page turner for me from the beginning and it was able to keep me awake from my night sleep till I read the last word. Even after completing the book I was deep in thoughts making connections to the incidents and characters in the forever girl.
Anyone (15+) can read this book even if you have not read The Forever Girl: Sophia's Journey (Forever Girl, #1).
The world, the setting of Forever Girl is now clearer to me. The mission towards which Sophia took her first few steps in forever girl, for which she was selected has been in making many years ago.
CHARACTERS: I was already introduced to the main character Ophelia in the forever girl. But there I didn’t knew much about her and her reasons to help Sophia but in her sweetest downfall it was all clear I was able to connect to the story and her character easily. here initially she has been shown like any ordinary girl who no longer ordinary when the serpents mark on her neck which indicated she is the chosen one.
Next lead to whom I was introduced was Ethan-the perfect male lead. Ethan is a strong character who is fully dedicated towards his mission that was given to him by Universe. He didn’t let his feelings for Ophelia sabotage his mission. He is perfect Guardian and lover. (Ophelia and Ethan have superb chemistry)
Other important characters include Robert, Queen Callista and Lenore.
STORY: Beginning depicts Ophelia like any ordinary girl who works for Lady Karina. But everything changes when the mark of an ouroboros—serpent eating its own tail appears on her neck. And then she is been kidnapped by Ethan who has taken her miles away from Great Paxton (where she lives). Ethan reveals she is ‘the chosen one’ because she has the ouroboros mark same as Ethan. She comes to know her mother is dead when she was making plans to meet her. At this point of story both Ophelia and I had many questions like why she has this mark and what does it means? Why Ethan has kidnapped her? Who Ethan really is and what does ‘the chosen one’ means?
As the story progress all these questions were answered and I met new characters who play an important part in the story building.
This story has a nice pack of budding romance and action. The story flows smoothly and again I’ll say Rebecca has amazing writing talent.
Now I am sure this series will be on my favorites. Eagerly waiting for next installment.
July 26, 2013
I really loved The Forever Girl (book #1 in the series). In the first book, during a battle with the Queen of the Maltorim, Sophia is helped by one of the Queens guards. This guard, Ophelia, comes essentially out of no where and we don't get much of her back story.
Her Sweetest Downfall is Ophelia's story. How she was turned into a Cruor and why she is now helping Sophia are all explained.
There are no spoilers for the first book in this novella, so it could be read before or after reading The Forever Girl. Or really skipped all together. It is a backwards look at Ophelia's life and gives you more insight into her character. But unless she is to make more appearances in the rest of the series, it's really just character building of an otherwise secondary character.
Although I really loved The Forever Girl, Her Sweetest Downfall irked me at times. Ophelia is working as a maid circa 1808 and is told by her Lady to deliver a letter right before downfall. She is captured by a man, Ethan, and taken through the in between to his cabin in Damascus. She hates this man, loathes him, and is trying to plot her escape from him with every fiber of her being. After deciding that she cannot run from him without knowing where she is and how to get away, she decides to go to sleep and determine a way to escape during the day when he is helpless to follow her. However, when she awakens...she's suddenly in Love with him....
Once I was able to get over this sudden love interest and let the story grow, I was able to enjoy the story behind the mysterious Ophelia and how she was meant to play a part in Sophia's life. We also get more back story on the Queen Castilla as Ophelia's fate leads her to join the Maltorim as a maid to the Queen.
But this story is more about the love interest between Ophelia and Ethan and how it shaped Ophelia's place in the Maltorim. It was a nice short read, but the instant love attraction left me a little confused. If you have read The Forever Girl and are looking for a more developed character from Ophelia, this is the book for you. Otherwise, it could be skipped without losing any of the greatness from the first book.
**I received a copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review**
Check out this and all my other reviews at Reviewing Wonderland.
Her Sweetest Downfall is Ophelia's story. How she was turned into a Cruor and why she is now helping Sophia are all explained.
There are no spoilers for the first book in this novella, so it could be read before or after reading The Forever Girl. Or really skipped all together. It is a backwards look at Ophelia's life and gives you more insight into her character. But unless she is to make more appearances in the rest of the series, it's really just character building of an otherwise secondary character.
Although I really loved The Forever Girl, Her Sweetest Downfall irked me at times. Ophelia is working as a maid circa 1808 and is told by her Lady to deliver a letter right before downfall. She is captured by a man, Ethan, and taken through the in between to his cabin in Damascus. She hates this man, loathes him, and is trying to plot her escape from him with every fiber of her being. After deciding that she cannot run from him without knowing where she is and how to get away, she decides to go to sleep and determine a way to escape during the day when he is helpless to follow her. However, when she awakens...she's suddenly in Love with him....
Once I was able to get over this sudden love interest and let the story grow, I was able to enjoy the story behind the mysterious Ophelia and how she was meant to play a part in Sophia's life. We also get more back story on the Queen Castilla as Ophelia's fate leads her to join the Maltorim as a maid to the Queen.
But this story is more about the love interest between Ophelia and Ethan and how it shaped Ophelia's place in the Maltorim. It was a nice short read, but the instant love attraction left me a little confused. If you have read The Forever Girl and are looking for a more developed character from Ophelia, this is the book for you. Otherwise, it could be skipped without losing any of the greatness from the first book.
**I received a copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review**
Check out this and all my other reviews at Reviewing Wonderland.
May 28, 2013
Ophelia’s is a young woman who has been successful at hiding her true identity when keeping low profile at a mansion with some rich lady to find out what happens to her mother. Until one day she looked in the mirror and discovering the mark of the serpent on her neck. A death sentence in this time of year (1880) before you know it the people think you're a witch and hang you. When she is send out by her mistress to deliver a letter late in the evening she find trouble. Rescued by the hands of the mysterious Ethan is soon finds out there is more about Ethan than meets the eye. This is the start of the story and the FOREVER GIRL SERIES. Ophelia discovers there is not only more about Ethan but she as well is not hundred percent human.
Her Sweetest Downfall is a sweet short introduction to this series. although some part felt a little tight and cramped with all the explaining about the types of paranormal beings that exist in this series. To many to name and way to many for me to even repeat one, or even know how to write the difficult names of the species even tho I just finished this book yesterday.
It almost felt like Rebecca tried to explain the whole scenario before the readers begin the first book of this series and was checking off a list with the families, names and paranormal beings she liked to mention in this Novella.
I also had a little trouble with the main character. Although I liked her and the story and world building are phenomenal I still had problems with determining the age of Ophelia. First I thought she was a teen (virgin maybe, immature behavior about keeping her mark secret) but after meeting Ethan she didn't hesitate to jump in bed with him. But with all the talk about her mother and murder of her father I found it a little confusing.
But I think we will soon find it out with the first book of the Forever Girl series.
This book is in an alternate Regency England, “”Her Sweetest Downfall”" is a standalone novella in the “”Forever Girl”" series, written as a gift to fans of the Forever Girl series.
Her Sweetest Downfall is a sweet short introduction to this series. although some part felt a little tight and cramped with all the explaining about the types of paranormal beings that exist in this series. To many to name and way to many for me to even repeat one, or even know how to write the difficult names of the species even tho I just finished this book yesterday.
It almost felt like Rebecca tried to explain the whole scenario before the readers begin the first book of this series and was checking off a list with the families, names and paranormal beings she liked to mention in this Novella.
I also had a little trouble with the main character. Although I liked her and the story and world building are phenomenal I still had problems with determining the age of Ophelia. First I thought she was a teen (virgin maybe, immature behavior about keeping her mark secret) but after meeting Ethan she didn't hesitate to jump in bed with him. But with all the talk about her mother and murder of her father I found it a little confusing.
But I think we will soon find it out with the first book of the Forever Girl series.
This book is in an alternate Regency England, “”Her Sweetest Downfall”" is a standalone novella in the “”Forever Girl”" series, written as a gift to fans of the Forever Girl series.
August 2, 2012
Rebecca Hamilton has once again wowed me with her writing in her latest release, Her Sweetest Downfall. I fell in love with Hamilton's characters in The Forever Girl
, so I wasn't too surprised when I found Ophelia's story enthralling.
We drop into Ophelia's life as she heads off to run an errand for her employer. But on her journey into the woods she hears a violin playing. Her experience turns to terror when she is chased by a stranger who whisks her away from her ordinary world. The man informs Ophelia that she has been chosen for a higher calling.
Once again, I was engrossed in the mythology of the Crurors, and Shifters, and Fae. I found Ethan a fantastic hero, and Ophelia a wonderful protagonist. Even though the story was relatively short, it felt natural and not rushed at all. I thoroughly enjoyed stepping into this world, and I can't wait for the continuation of Sophia's story in 2013.
Can't come soon enough for me =0D
, so I wasn't too surprised when I found Ophelia's story enthralling.We drop into Ophelia's life as she heads off to run an errand for her employer. But on her journey into the woods she hears a violin playing. Her experience turns to terror when she is chased by a stranger who whisks her away from her ordinary world. The man informs Ophelia that she has been chosen for a higher calling.
Once again, I was engrossed in the mythology of the Crurors, and Shifters, and Fae. I found Ethan a fantastic hero, and Ophelia a wonderful protagonist. Even though the story was relatively short, it felt natural and not rushed at all. I thoroughly enjoyed stepping into this world, and I can't wait for the continuation of Sophia's story in 2013.
Can't come soon enough for me =0D
February 10, 2023
This novella is a nice addition to the first novel in the Forever Girl series. It fills in some history and mythology while also providing an interesting and entertaining story unto itself. Rebecca Hamilton has a flair for creating a tale that grabs the reader and keeps their interest from start to finish.
If I had to pick something that I didn't particularly care for in this story, I'd have to say that the romance element was a bit much for my taste at times, but only a bit. Of course, since I'm not exactly in the target audience for this series (or the genre for that matter) and I still rather enjoyed the story and writing style, I'd consider that a very minor quibble indeed.
I would recommend this to any fans of paranormal fantasy or those who would like to give the genre or this author s first try. I think that this novella would stand up fairly well on its own without giving too much of the first one away if the reader so chose to go that route.
If I had to pick something that I didn't particularly care for in this story, I'd have to say that the romance element was a bit much for my taste at times, but only a bit. Of course, since I'm not exactly in the target audience for this series (or the genre for that matter) and I still rather enjoyed the story and writing style, I'd consider that a very minor quibble indeed.
I would recommend this to any fans of paranormal fantasy or those who would like to give the genre or this author s first try. I think that this novella would stand up fairly well on its own without giving too much of the first one away if the reader so chose to go that route.
March 25, 2013
Although I wished I had read the preceding book in this series ( I did feel like I was missing something)I still really liked this book. This was a fresh take on the paranormal. Ms. Hamilton has a poetic, easy style that had me reading this novella in almost one sitting. Ethan and Ophelia are engaging beautifully developed characters. I plan to check out the other book in this series.
June 9, 2014
Awesome writing! I immediately downloaded The Forever Girl after reading the novella.
June 17, 2020
Knowing this was just a portion of a larger story, I was worried it might end on a cliffhanger. Thankfully, it did not. Of course, I still want to read more of this series, but I don't’ feel like I was left hanging.
This isn’t the first book from Rebecca Hamilton that I have read, but I get so wrapped up in the various ARCs from various authors that I forget how good she is. In this book, she has created a world that is vivid and formidable with sympathetic characters who evoke compassion in the reader. Sure, it’s weird that Evan and Ophelia fall in love within hours of meeting one another, but this is a paranormal fantasy, so it’s fine. Considering all other aspects of the book, falling in love so quickly may be the least unbelievable aspect of the plot. That said, I think the plot is great. I’m intrigued and I want to read more about Ophelia and her quest.
This isn’t the first book from Rebecca Hamilton that I have read, but I get so wrapped up in the various ARCs from various authors that I forget how good she is. In this book, she has created a world that is vivid and formidable with sympathetic characters who evoke compassion in the reader. Sure, it’s weird that Evan and Ophelia fall in love within hours of meeting one another, but this is a paranormal fantasy, so it’s fine. Considering all other aspects of the book, falling in love so quickly may be the least unbelievable aspect of the plot. That said, I think the plot is great. I’m intrigued and I want to read more about Ophelia and her quest.
November 19, 2016
Pretty good short story
Interesting introduction to the Forever Girl series. Without giving away too much of the series, it tells the story of someone who will have a role in the coming books. (I have not yet read the series) Set in the 1800's, this is the story of a young girl who has lost her family and has taken the job as a maid in the hope to find what has become of her mother. It is about her journey into what she had always considered fairy tales told too her by her mother when she was small. Well written and accomplish its purpose in making the reader want too read the series to find answers raised by this story.
Interesting introduction to the Forever Girl series. Without giving away too much of the series, it tells the story of someone who will have a role in the coming books. (I have not yet read the series) Set in the 1800's, this is the story of a young girl who has lost her family and has taken the job as a maid in the hope to find what has become of her mother. It is about her journey into what she had always considered fairy tales told too her by her mother when she was small. Well written and accomplish its purpose in making the reader want too read the series to find answers raised by this story.
July 7, 2019
Ophelia is working as a maid for Lady Karina. She is trying to find out what happened to her mother. A mark shows up on Ophelia’s shoulder and her journey to her destiny begins.
She meets Ethan Forrester on her way to deliver a letter for Lady Karina.
This is a book of fate and destiny and I really enjoyed this book.
She meets Ethan Forrester on her way to deliver a letter for Lady Karina.
This is a book of fate and destiny and I really enjoyed this book.
April 27, 2022
It's 1808 in England when when Ophelia discovers a mark on her neck that could lead to being declared a witch and killed. Then she is kidnapped and told her fate is to become a Cruor (vampire) and wait to save a girl who will be the savior of human kind. This plot was so convoluted that none of the characters developed enough of a personality to route for them.
June 24, 2018
A great companion to the Forever Girl serie. Really loved this novella.
May 14, 2020
Loved this prequel to the Forever Girl Series. A great intro to Ophelia beginnings.
Looking forward to the rest of the series
Looking forward to the rest of the series
June 30, 2012
The task that Sophia Parsons (from the first book The Forever Girl) is destined to fulfill has been hundreds of years in the making, with pieces of the puzzles strategically placed for their turn in Sophia’s journey.
We’re first introduced to Ophelia nearing the end of The Forever Girl, as she plays an instrumental role in Sophia’s escape. Now in the novella Her Sweetest Downfall we travel back in time to see a glimpse into the inner workings of this intricate story.
I love these covers oh so much! This one especially with the dramatic ice blue eyes that are so startling, and reflect perfectly on the character of Ophelia.
Ophelia came into The Forever Girl at a very tense moment, where I was definitely more concerned about the main characters and how they were going to get out of that situation than who this random helpful stranger was. In my rush, I didn’t really give her a second thought. In Her Sweetest Downfall we get to see who she was before, and how she ended up in such an important moment later on.
But here’s the trouble with novella’s, they’re usually a short quick information filler to tide over fan’s while waiting for the next full length novel. As such, it’s difficult to develop characters and relationships to a fully engaging level.
With the character of Ophelia, while she’s admirable in her determination and passion in dangerous witch hunting times, her character kind of fell flat for me. I just felt like she was going through fated motions (and in a way she really was), and I didn’t feel as interested in her as I wanted to be.
The character of Ethan was intriguing, he had a straight forward goal from the get-go. He's got this incredible devotion to his duty, but it gets a bit muddled when he meets Ophelia and it was enthralling to see him struggle between his responsibilities and love.
Ophelia and Ethan’s romance is a bit iffy in that it was like Stockholm syndrome on steroids. It felt like their entire romance was based on just getting to the physical aspect of it all because that’s how their relationship developed - on looks. But while going through some very difficult situations together, I could see that they were growing closer together, and Hamilton manages to tie their romance up in a very neat sensual bow.
However, the secondary characters take the cake. I loved seeing Lenore again! She’s primal and fierce - you’re never really sure of what she’s going to do. For the briefest moments when we’re introduced to the Queen, she’s definitely a character that stood out firmly in my mind, and the tidbits of crucial information revealed about her left me more curious about her story than any other character so far.
Hamilton doesn’t disappoint in her writing style, if anything she’s managed to hone it. She crafts amazing lilts to character voices, and fluidly rich descriptions of surroundings and action sequences. Having read The Forever Girl, I knew where this was ultimately headed, but I still enjoyed watching this path unfold with self discovery, forbidden love and tense decisions that can alter the course of the future.
Her Sweetest Downfall acts as a “sequel-prequel” book. You can read it before The Forever Girl because Hamilton does rehash the elemental creature mythology. But there’s subtle moments where characters are revealed and the major plot, I feel cannot be fully appreciated without reading The Forever Girl first.
Overall, it’s a quick light read, and serves its purpose by opening up more backstory for The Forever Girl, but with it’s 128 page length, it was hard to really feel fully enveloped by the story.
We’re first introduced to Ophelia nearing the end of The Forever Girl, as she plays an instrumental role in Sophia’s escape. Now in the novella Her Sweetest Downfall we travel back in time to see a glimpse into the inner workings of this intricate story.
I love these covers oh so much! This one especially with the dramatic ice blue eyes that are so startling, and reflect perfectly on the character of Ophelia.
Ophelia came into The Forever Girl at a very tense moment, where I was definitely more concerned about the main characters and how they were going to get out of that situation than who this random helpful stranger was. In my rush, I didn’t really give her a second thought. In Her Sweetest Downfall we get to see who she was before, and how she ended up in such an important moment later on.
But here’s the trouble with novella’s, they’re usually a short quick information filler to tide over fan’s while waiting for the next full length novel. As such, it’s difficult to develop characters and relationships to a fully engaging level.
With the character of Ophelia, while she’s admirable in her determination and passion in dangerous witch hunting times, her character kind of fell flat for me. I just felt like she was going through fated motions (and in a way she really was), and I didn’t feel as interested in her as I wanted to be.
The character of Ethan was intriguing, he had a straight forward goal from the get-go. He's got this incredible devotion to his duty, but it gets a bit muddled when he meets Ophelia and it was enthralling to see him struggle between his responsibilities and love.
Ophelia and Ethan’s romance is a bit iffy in that it was like Stockholm syndrome on steroids. It felt like their entire romance was based on just getting to the physical aspect of it all because that’s how their relationship developed - on looks. But while going through some very difficult situations together, I could see that they were growing closer together, and Hamilton manages to tie their romance up in a very neat sensual bow.
However, the secondary characters take the cake. I loved seeing Lenore again! She’s primal and fierce - you’re never really sure of what she’s going to do. For the briefest moments when we’re introduced to the Queen, she’s definitely a character that stood out firmly in my mind, and the tidbits of crucial information revealed about her left me more curious about her story than any other character so far.
Hamilton doesn’t disappoint in her writing style, if anything she’s managed to hone it. She crafts amazing lilts to character voices, and fluidly rich descriptions of surroundings and action sequences. Having read The Forever Girl, I knew where this was ultimately headed, but I still enjoyed watching this path unfold with self discovery, forbidden love and tense decisions that can alter the course of the future.
Her Sweetest Downfall acts as a “sequel-prequel” book. You can read it before The Forever Girl because Hamilton does rehash the elemental creature mythology. But there’s subtle moments where characters are revealed and the major plot, I feel cannot be fully appreciated without reading The Forever Girl first.
Overall, it’s a quick light read, and serves its purpose by opening up more backstory for The Forever Girl, but with it’s 128 page length, it was hard to really feel fully enveloped by the story.
Read
March 8, 2013Her Sweetest Downfall is a short story/ novella in The Forever girl series by Rebecca Hamilton. Although this story is a precursor to Ms. Hamilton’s debut novel, The Forever Girl-I feel can be read as a stand alone. This book is more of a companion novella and not necessarily a prequel. However, being that I have read The Forever Girl, I found that a few questions that had cropped up through out that novel became much clearer after reading Her Sweetest Downfall.
I will be honest and say that normally I don’t read novella’s. I’m a lover of long and lengthy novels and series’. But (and here’s the caveat), when an Author does come along that I absolutely adore then I won’t stop at nothing to read any and all of their work. And that’s just what happened here. I was floored when I read The Forever; and that was her debut novel!!! So you bet your bottom dollar I was all over Her Sweetest Downfall.
Ms. Hamilton is very creative when it come to world building. She doesn’t skimp on the details which richly enhances the experience of becoming invested in the characters. With that said, the main protagonists in this story, Ophelia and Ethan, are very three dimensional. So much so that I was left wanting to know more of their story; especially Ethan, which isn’t a bad thing in this circumstance. Sometimes if I am left wanting to know more than the author has been willing to give then that has set things up nicely for the reader to come back. There will be more books added to this series and I have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg in The Forever Girl world.
Also, I want to point out that a lot of information is given in this book concerning the Forever Girl world. I moves along quickly forcing one to pay close attention the the finer points the author is trying to make. I did feel some things were a bit rushed, like the relationship between Ethan and Ophelia. I think a little more time could have been spent developing their relationship and thus wouldn’t have felt as stilted. I would have loved to see a little more character development in regards to Robert and Lenore. But hey, this is a short story and well, who knows what Ms. Hamilton has in her bag of tricks when the rest of the series hits the shelves. The Forever Girl transcends space and time, so I have no doubt I will be getting answers to my burning questions in the near future.
This read will wet the appetite of anyone who is a fan of PnR/Fantasy and wants to become familiar with Ms. Hamilton’s work. A talented young Author well on her way to very successful future.
I give Her Sweetest Downfall 4.5 stars!
I will be honest and say that normally I don’t read novella’s. I’m a lover of long and lengthy novels and series’. But (and here’s the caveat), when an Author does come along that I absolutely adore then I won’t stop at nothing to read any and all of their work. And that’s just what happened here. I was floored when I read The Forever; and that was her debut novel!!! So you bet your bottom dollar I was all over Her Sweetest Downfall.
Ms. Hamilton is very creative when it come to world building. She doesn’t skimp on the details which richly enhances the experience of becoming invested in the characters. With that said, the main protagonists in this story, Ophelia and Ethan, are very three dimensional. So much so that I was left wanting to know more of their story; especially Ethan, which isn’t a bad thing in this circumstance. Sometimes if I am left wanting to know more than the author has been willing to give then that has set things up nicely for the reader to come back. There will be more books added to this series and I have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg in The Forever Girl world.
Also, I want to point out that a lot of information is given in this book concerning the Forever Girl world. I moves along quickly forcing one to pay close attention the the finer points the author is trying to make. I did feel some things were a bit rushed, like the relationship between Ethan and Ophelia. I think a little more time could have been spent developing their relationship and thus wouldn’t have felt as stilted. I would have loved to see a little more character development in regards to Robert and Lenore. But hey, this is a short story and well, who knows what Ms. Hamilton has in her bag of tricks when the rest of the series hits the shelves. The Forever Girl transcends space and time, so I have no doubt I will be getting answers to my burning questions in the near future.
This read will wet the appetite of anyone who is a fan of PnR/Fantasy and wants to become familiar with Ms. Hamilton’s work. A talented young Author well on her way to very successful future.
I give Her Sweetest Downfall 4.5 stars!
July 23, 2012
(Review of an ARC )
This would be my first time receiving an ARC, and I was beyond excited. A fan of The Forever Girl since I first read it last Feb, like any other fan of any awesome book series.. I was just waiting for the next. Thanks to the novella - I'll survive the wait till the next in the series is out.
It's short and you will be able to finish it in one sitting. In book #1, when you meet this mysterious woman Ophelia who helps Sophia, you begin to have this strong urge to know more about her- who is this stranger who comes and help Sophia at the near end, what’s her story? And why did she help Sophia?, and grabbing 'Her Sweetest Downfall' is a perfect way to know this lady.
The story begins with Ophelia, an ordinary girl working for Lady Karina and then as if discovering the ouroboros mark wasn’t something to be worried about, she gets kidnapped by a stranger while on her way to deliver a letter for Lady Karina. The stranger introduces himself as Ethan, a man who would tell her she is no ordinary and what that serpent mark on her really means and what her mission should be, little did he know that his bound SO strong towards his duty would come in conflict with the matter of his heart. I loved how he is strongly determined on his duty/mission and not letting love come in between. So is Ophelia once her mind is set. Aww.. I don’t wanna say more and spoil the fun for other readers. Just GO, grab it !!
Her Sweetest Downfall takes you to another side of the world of The Forever Girl… here you get to learn more of the dual-breeds. It was a pleasure to meet Lenore and Queen Callista again…. I could never get enough of them. That’s the thing about Rebecca’s writing- you fall in love with EVERY character. Learning more about the world of the elementals through the eyes of Ophelia, and how each dual-bred has to be what they are, was so fun. I absolutely enjoyed reading Her Sweetest Downfall, it just kept me wanting for more, how I wish it was a full-length one instead of a novella.
And yes, just like the other reviewers mention, if you want to have a glimpse of the world of The Forever Girl and still not ready for a full-length novel, this novella is just the right one for you.
All I can say right now is – I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT and marking the dates on my calendar.
(Note: It is true that I own an ARC, but it doesn’t affect my review in any ways. The thoughts are my own)
This would be my first time receiving an ARC, and I was beyond excited. A fan of The Forever Girl since I first read it last Feb, like any other fan of any awesome book series.. I was just waiting for the next. Thanks to the novella - I'll survive the wait till the next in the series is out.
It's short and you will be able to finish it in one sitting. In book #1, when you meet this mysterious woman Ophelia who helps Sophia, you begin to have this strong urge to know more about her- who is this stranger who comes and help Sophia at the near end, what’s her story? And why did she help Sophia?, and grabbing 'Her Sweetest Downfall' is a perfect way to know this lady.
The story begins with Ophelia, an ordinary girl working for Lady Karina and then as if discovering the ouroboros mark wasn’t something to be worried about, she gets kidnapped by a stranger while on her way to deliver a letter for Lady Karina. The stranger introduces himself as Ethan, a man who would tell her she is no ordinary and what that serpent mark on her really means and what her mission should be, little did he know that his bound SO strong towards his duty would come in conflict with the matter of his heart. I loved how he is strongly determined on his duty/mission and not letting love come in between. So is Ophelia once her mind is set. Aww.. I don’t wanna say more and spoil the fun for other readers. Just GO, grab it !!
Her Sweetest Downfall takes you to another side of the world of The Forever Girl… here you get to learn more of the dual-breeds. It was a pleasure to meet Lenore and Queen Callista again…. I could never get enough of them. That’s the thing about Rebecca’s writing- you fall in love with EVERY character. Learning more about the world of the elementals through the eyes of Ophelia, and how each dual-bred has to be what they are, was so fun. I absolutely enjoyed reading Her Sweetest Downfall, it just kept me wanting for more, how I wish it was a full-length one instead of a novella.
And yes, just like the other reviewers mention, if you want to have a glimpse of the world of The Forever Girl and still not ready for a full-length novel, this novella is just the right one for you.
All I can say right now is – I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT and marking the dates on my calendar.
(Note: It is true that I own an ARC, but it doesn’t affect my review in any ways. The thoughts are my own)
August 7, 2012
I love the cover of this short 94 page novella. It’s gorgeous! So yes, I do judge a book by its cover and I did like this book. It was exciting and romantic.
It begins with Ophelia in the service of the Lady Karina as a maid. She’s sent on an errand and ends up in the hands of Ethan. He helps her understand that the mark her bears is the sign that she is a member of an elite race. This race is meant to save the world from a cruel faction who is hellbent on genocide.
Ophelia was very likable despite being so guarded. In fact, I liked her because she was so guarded. She was tough and, except for one glaring moment, she had all her wits about her. The one glaring moment came towards the end. She decided to lead Queen Callista away from Ethan and Lenore despite the fact that the Cruor have heightened senses? How could she forget that? I can only suppose it’s because she was a newborn.
Ethan wasn’t my favorite male lead. He was likable enough. I just couldn’t swoon over him. Mostly because he had this big secret over Ophelia that was never revealed. Maybe that’s a lead for another story or that was something from another book, but it irritated me.
The book had plenty of action. From the moment Ophelia was sent on her errand into the woods until the very last few pages, things were constantly in motion.
There was a strange point in the book where Robert was promised something big by Ethan. This promise led to Robert’s help in Ophelia’s introduction to the Maltorim’s asylum where Queen Callista resides. The promise was very mysterious and seemed to dangle in front of the reader like a carrot to a donkey but nothing ever came of it.
The magical races in this book are inventive and creative. Among them are the Ankou that shepherd Mort’s (dead souls) and are a little like fairies. Then there are the Cruor which are like vampires. There are also the dual-breeds which the Maltorim’s are determined to annihilate.
On the whole this book was a good if not great read. I’ll definitely look for the other books in this series.
It begins with Ophelia in the service of the Lady Karina as a maid. She’s sent on an errand and ends up in the hands of Ethan. He helps her understand that the mark her bears is the sign that she is a member of an elite race. This race is meant to save the world from a cruel faction who is hellbent on genocide.
Ophelia was very likable despite being so guarded. In fact, I liked her because she was so guarded. She was tough and, except for one glaring moment, she had all her wits about her. The one glaring moment came towards the end. She decided to lead Queen Callista away from Ethan and Lenore despite the fact that the Cruor have heightened senses? How could she forget that? I can only suppose it’s because she was a newborn.
Ethan wasn’t my favorite male lead. He was likable enough. I just couldn’t swoon over him. Mostly because he had this big secret over Ophelia that was never revealed. Maybe that’s a lead for another story or that was something from another book, but it irritated me.
The book had plenty of action. From the moment Ophelia was sent on her errand into the woods until the very last few pages, things were constantly in motion.
There was a strange point in the book where Robert was promised something big by Ethan. This promise led to Robert’s help in Ophelia’s introduction to the Maltorim’s asylum where Queen Callista resides. The promise was very mysterious and seemed to dangle in front of the reader like a carrot to a donkey but nothing ever came of it.
The magical races in this book are inventive and creative. Among them are the Ankou that shepherd Mort’s (dead souls) and are a little like fairies. Then there are the Cruor which are like vampires. There are also the dual-breeds which the Maltorim’s are determined to annihilate.
On the whole this book was a good if not great read. I’ll definitely look for the other books in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2012
Like an unrepentant criminal returning to the scene of the crime, Rebecca Hamilton brazenly saunters back to the world she created in The Forever Girl: Sophia's Journey for her latest release: Her Sweetest Downfall: Ophelia’s Journey.
This time, instead of meeting a beleaguered young woman in current times, we’re introduced to a beleaguered young woman some two hundred years in the past; a dark time in which women aren’t allowed to wear pants (and men still aren’t allowed to wear dresses!) and it’s fairly standard behavior for highwaymen to waylay unsuspecting young ladies traveling alone.
As the title suggests, the story’s star is Ophelia—a vulnerable young woman who's suddenly saddled (like a wild stallion? NO! Jeesh. It’s paranormal romance … but it’s the first page, for crying out loud!) with a most inconvenient tattoo.
Now, in this case, the term “inconvenient” means “will lead to poor Ophelia being burned at the stake.”
To make matters worse, Ophelia has no idea why the tattoo is there. No, she didn’t spend the previous evening hopped up on pharmaceutical products. And, no, she isn’t pretending that she has no idea where it came from because she’s afraid of her parents—they’ve got bigger issues.
In no time at all, Ophelia is up to her neck in danger. How does the lil’ lass fare?
Read it yourself to find out. All I’ll say is that Hamilton packs a whole lotta story into this novella. It’s more than enough to satisfy her undead … er … enthusiastic army of supporters (sorry; too much horror on the mind), while also appealing to the few YA and PNR fans she hasn’t already ensnared.
BTW—rumor has it that Hamilton is going to run a contest in which one lucky contestant will win Ophelia’s tattoo. Two caveats: it has to be placed somewhere fit for public consumption (which varies by geographic location, obviously) and Hamilton herself will be the tattoo artist. She’s never done it before, but there are plenty of YouTube how-to videos for guidance. Details announced soon!
Shhh! You didn’t hear it from me.
This time, instead of meeting a beleaguered young woman in current times, we’re introduced to a beleaguered young woman some two hundred years in the past; a dark time in which women aren’t allowed to wear pants (and men still aren’t allowed to wear dresses!) and it’s fairly standard behavior for highwaymen to waylay unsuspecting young ladies traveling alone.
As the title suggests, the story’s star is Ophelia—a vulnerable young woman who's suddenly saddled (like a wild stallion? NO! Jeesh. It’s paranormal romance … but it’s the first page, for crying out loud!) with a most inconvenient tattoo.
Now, in this case, the term “inconvenient” means “will lead to poor Ophelia being burned at the stake.”
To make matters worse, Ophelia has no idea why the tattoo is there. No, she didn’t spend the previous evening hopped up on pharmaceutical products. And, no, she isn’t pretending that she has no idea where it came from because she’s afraid of her parents—they’ve got bigger issues.
In no time at all, Ophelia is up to her neck in danger. How does the lil’ lass fare?
Read it yourself to find out. All I’ll say is that Hamilton packs a whole lotta story into this novella. It’s more than enough to satisfy her undead … er … enthusiastic army of supporters (sorry; too much horror on the mind), while also appealing to the few YA and PNR fans she hasn’t already ensnared.
BTW—rumor has it that Hamilton is going to run a contest in which one lucky contestant will win Ophelia’s tattoo. Two caveats: it has to be placed somewhere fit for public consumption (which varies by geographic location, obviously) and Hamilton herself will be the tattoo artist. She’s never done it before, but there are plenty of YouTube how-to videos for guidance. Details announced soon!
Shhh! You didn’t hear it from me.
May 22, 2020
I'm confused. This book is awesome and I have nothing bad to say, however it didn't have that final touch that makes a book really deserve 5 stars.
Isn't this weird?
But I loved the book. It was delicious. Ophelia is a cool character, though my favorite character is Lenore. The Ophelia/Ethan couple is epic. Unfortunately, the end scene seemed unfit for me, but I can't say it was bad.
The ranking would be 4.5 stars
As an ending to this review, I have a note for the author: @InkMuse you are damn cool!!
update on 22/05/2020
I was 13 when I read this. I don't think I'd enjoy it now.
As I'm revamping and updating my whole Goodreads account, I can't help change some rankings around. There are many books I loved that I think I wouldn't love if I read them as adults. There are books I think I'd hate if I read them now. I don't think I'd hate this one, but certainly not love it the way I did. At the same time I feel I'd be untrue to a book, if I changed its rating now. Why? Cause books, like people, come into our lives at a certain moment, at the right moment in which reading them would make a change within us. I really believe in that. Therefore, I feel like at that point in my life I needed to read this and it happened that I really enjoyed it. I'd be untrue to deny it and I'd be a total jerk to my younger self to consider her opinions irrelevant or uncultured.
I feel different towards books. It's natural, of course. But I don't want to feel bad about the younger me.
Isn't this weird?
But I loved the book. It was delicious. Ophelia is a cool character, though my favorite character is Lenore. The Ophelia/Ethan couple is epic. Unfortunately, the end scene seemed unfit for me, but I can't say it was bad.
The ranking would be 4.5 stars
As an ending to this review, I have a note for the author: @InkMuse you are damn cool!!
update on 22/05/2020
I was 13 when I read this. I don't think I'd enjoy it now.
As I'm revamping and updating my whole Goodreads account, I can't help change some rankings around. There are many books I loved that I think I wouldn't love if I read them as adults. There are books I think I'd hate if I read them now. I don't think I'd hate this one, but certainly not love it the way I did. At the same time I feel I'd be untrue to a book, if I changed its rating now. Why? Cause books, like people, come into our lives at a certain moment, at the right moment in which reading them would make a change within us. I really believe in that. Therefore, I feel like at that point in my life I needed to read this and it happened that I really enjoyed it. I'd be untrue to deny it and I'd be a total jerk to my younger self to consider her opinions irrelevant or uncultured.
I feel different towards books. It's natural, of course. But I don't want to feel bad about the younger me.
March 25, 2015
This book is part of the book bundle Pandora. While interesting, so far it is not one of my favorites in this bundle.
Ophelia is a servant in the same house her mother disappeared from. She is hoping to find out what happened to her. Ophelia has a mark that she was told to keep hidden. People consider it a witch's mark. She could be killed just for having it. Her mistress sends her on an errand on horseback after dark. She knows it isn't safe to travel alone. Her horse throws her and runs away. A man grabs her and transports her to Damascus with him. He treats her mark which is burning. He also explains that the strange stories her mom told her as she was growing up are all true. There are other beings in the world and she is one of them. He introduces himself as Ethan and her Guardian. Her mark identifies her as special and destined to save the world. As his guardian helped and trained him, he will now help and train her. She is to be a Cruor - a blood drinker. In their time together they fall in love, but that is not the path either is supposed to take. She is transformed into a Cruor and sent to infiltrate the Maltorim. But her heart takes her back to Ethan. He takes her to an in between world where time does not exist. There they can be together and then return to their present with no loss of time. Can she learn to be the savior they think she is? Can she keep sneaking off to be with Ethan?
Ophelia is a servant in the same house her mother disappeared from. She is hoping to find out what happened to her. Ophelia has a mark that she was told to keep hidden. People consider it a witch's mark. She could be killed just for having it. Her mistress sends her on an errand on horseback after dark. She knows it isn't safe to travel alone. Her horse throws her and runs away. A man grabs her and transports her to Damascus with him. He treats her mark which is burning. He also explains that the strange stories her mom told her as she was growing up are all true. There are other beings in the world and she is one of them. He introduces himself as Ethan and her Guardian. Her mark identifies her as special and destined to save the world. As his guardian helped and trained him, he will now help and train her. She is to be a Cruor - a blood drinker. In their time together they fall in love, but that is not the path either is supposed to take. She is transformed into a Cruor and sent to infiltrate the Maltorim. But her heart takes her back to Ethan. He takes her to an in between world where time does not exist. There they can be together and then return to their present with no loss of time. Can she learn to be the savior they think she is? Can she keep sneaking off to be with Ethan?
July 24, 2012
Ophelia wakes up to find an Ouroboros on her collarbone - this is bad news for her as it'll apparently get her branded as a witch. She gets sent on an errand by her boss and loses her horse then gets grabbed and stolen by a dude. Dude is Ethan who says he has been sent to help her, he has to make sure she fulfills her destiny. But of course they fall for each other - which is not a good thing since they won't see each other after her destiny is fulfilled. She changes as she should do and infiltrates a society that she is to (very slowly) take down from the inside until she's needed.
I didn't like this as much as Forever Girl but I think it's just 'cos I'm not a huge fan of books set in olden times - they tend to bore me. I didn't like Ophelia and Ethan as much as Sophia and Charles and Ophelia's accent just kept completely throwing me off course. Just as I was getting into the story, her accent would flare up and make me cringe. I still have no idea where she was meant to be from.
On the plus side, I did like the story, it was interesting but I just kept getting dragged from it. Also, as a small plus, look at that cover - it's GORGEOUS! I've really liked both the covers in this series and I can't wait to see what the third one looks like.
I didn't like this as much as Forever Girl but I think it's just 'cos I'm not a huge fan of books set in olden times - they tend to bore me. I didn't like Ophelia and Ethan as much as Sophia and Charles and Ophelia's accent just kept completely throwing me off course. Just as I was getting into the story, her accent would flare up and make me cringe. I still have no idea where she was meant to be from.
On the plus side, I did like the story, it was interesting but I just kept getting dragged from it. Also, as a small plus, look at that cover - it's GORGEOUS! I've really liked both the covers in this series and I can't wait to see what the third one looks like.
November 27, 2012
When Ophelia was first introduced into the story in the first book I had wished to read more about her. To know why she was helping Sophia so it was very awesome that Rebecca Hamilton brought us this book that told us Ophelia's journey how she got to the Maltorim and how she knew about Sophia.
The whole story was perfectly written from when Ophelia discovers the mark on her skin, getting send to deliver a letter that will never arrive to her destination because she was lured to where the music of her calling took her. To how Ophelia with the help of Ethan and Lenore managed to get her into the Maltorim to gain their trust and take her under their wing so she would be there for the day the girl she is to wait for arrives. One of the reasons why I read Rebecca Hamilton's books is because I love her writing style. It was a really easy to read story. Also a very enjoyable story with beautiful romance that in occasions made me cry but I am so very happy that nothing terrible happened because there was one moment I really thought something terrible was about to happen. I am happy happy it didn't. So yes I was very satisfied with this short but great book concentrated on Ophelia's story and can't wait to read the next book
The whole story was perfectly written from when Ophelia discovers the mark on her skin, getting send to deliver a letter that will never arrive to her destination because she was lured to where the music of her calling took her. To how Ophelia with the help of Ethan and Lenore managed to get her into the Maltorim to gain their trust and take her under their wing so she would be there for the day the girl she is to wait for arrives. One of the reasons why I read Rebecca Hamilton's books is because I love her writing style. It was a really easy to read story. Also a very enjoyable story with beautiful romance that in occasions made me cry but I am so very happy that nothing terrible happened because there was one moment I really thought something terrible was about to happen. I am happy happy it didn't. So yes I was very satisfied with this short but great book concentrated on Ophelia's story and can't wait to read the next book
February 14, 2016
I read this book as part of the anthology Vampire Romance Boxed Set: For the Love of the Vampire which I received an ARC copy of in exchange for my honest review.
This book ends in cliffhanger with a HFN ending (the characters are happy, but it is completely uncertain if they will remain happy). I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book, but it got better as I went along. Ophelia (Cruor) and Ethan's (Ankou) relationship is incredibly complicated. They both have a fated mission they must complete. Unfortunately, Ophelia's mission is one that tears her apart from Ethan. It was Ethan's job/mission to find her, explain her purpose, help her obtain her Cruor powers, and send her on her way into the enemy camp. There is only one sex scene at the very end of the book. It's very tame with no explicit content. Another character worth mentioning, and who I really enjoyed, is Lenore (Cruor). She is full of attitude and determination. Overall, this wasn't my favorite book, but it wasn't bad either. I give it 3 stars.
This book ends in cliffhanger with a HFN ending (the characters are happy, but it is completely uncertain if they will remain happy). I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book, but it got better as I went along. Ophelia (Cruor) and Ethan's (Ankou) relationship is incredibly complicated. They both have a fated mission they must complete. Unfortunately, Ophelia's mission is one that tears her apart from Ethan. It was Ethan's job/mission to find her, explain her purpose, help her obtain her Cruor powers, and send her on her way into the enemy camp. There is only one sex scene at the very end of the book. It's very tame with no explicit content. Another character worth mentioning, and who I really enjoyed, is Lenore (Cruor). She is full of attitude and determination. Overall, this wasn't my favorite book, but it wasn't bad either. I give it 3 stars.
July 25, 2012
Rebecca Hamilton has a talent for storytelling, especially intimate and action scenes and I will continue to read her books that she puts out.
Her Sweetest Downfall is is a novella based on a supporting character in The Forever Girl series.
My main issue with this book was Ophelia's accent. It was distracting and poorly executed. Every time she spoke, I would stop and try to figure out her accent because the only thing that indicated she had an accent was the "H" missin (ie 'ow and 'ere). Otherwise, I felt like her language was just like an American. It really bothered me the entire book.
Other than that, I thought the story was an entertaining read. I'm glad I read Forever Girl #1 first or I might not have been as forgiving on the accent issue. I do wish that Ophelia didn't trust or give in so easily, but maybe because I am a more suspicious person. Once I let go of that, everything else was really good. The characters are interesting and the storyline kept me going to the end, which I thought was well done.
Her Sweetest Downfall is is a novella based on a supporting character in The Forever Girl series.
My main issue with this book was Ophelia's accent. It was distracting and poorly executed. Every time she spoke, I would stop and try to figure out her accent because the only thing that indicated she had an accent was the "H" missin (ie 'ow and 'ere). Otherwise, I felt like her language was just like an American. It really bothered me the entire book.
Other than that, I thought the story was an entertaining read. I'm glad I read Forever Girl #1 first or I might not have been as forgiving on the accent issue. I do wish that Ophelia didn't trust or give in so easily, but maybe because I am a more suspicious person. Once I let go of that, everything else was really good. The characters are interesting and the storyline kept me going to the end, which I thought was well done.
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