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Cursed Kingdoms #1
Ruin and Roses
A dark and spicy fantasy romance that follows Jane as she delves into the shadows, secrets, and curses that bind her world.
“I will never understand why women let men decide if they get to be the villain or the victim in their story.”
In a world of talisman powers and magical rivalry, Jane finds herself playing many roles—depending on the situation, she is either as soft as a rose petal or as lethal as the thorn. Swept deeper into a world of shadows and lies when her mentor, Baltazar sends her on a seemingly simple mission–donning the mask of dainty again, she finds herself fighting to maintain who she is beyond her pretty, painted exterior. The series of events to follow rip her in and out of her past, as she tries to move on from the unimaginable pain that led her to this life. Stealing from your soon-to-be fiancé is one hell of a wedding gift, but let’s hope he never discovers she is dodging eyes, lies, and daggers—while ensuring that not a hair is out of place for her royal obligations.
But…what if half-truths can’t prepare her for this life? And when the mission’s cost is more than she bargained for—her freedom and her life—what if she doesn’t want to pay the price? At least she still carries the favor of her loyal mare. And though her luck in love is not great, it is never hard for her to find some way to quench her thirst in her droughted kingdom. When her fiancé isn’t lurking over his newest possession, she is easily entertained with her ex-lover and unwanted keeper. Entangled with a lost love, whose secrets threaten to undo everything she’s worked towards, she has to manage the most daunting mission yet. An unfit marriage to the Mad King’s son. Will the Cursed King’s daughter survive?
“Looking into his eyes—the same ones I pictured every time mine closed—I wondered if things would have been different, if my mother had told me stories about great loves instead of tragic loss. But she hadn’t. And though I lived in a world of royals, I knew that princes weren’t noble, and that love didn’t prevail.”
//CW: Violence (Graphic), Death, Mature Content, Mature Language, Sexual Content, Mental Abuse, Physical Abuse, Misogyny, Suicide (Mentioned), Sexual Assault (Mentioned), Death of a Parent, Child Abuse, Animal Death//
“I will never understand why women let men decide if they get to be the villain or the victim in their story.”
In a world of talisman powers and magical rivalry, Jane finds herself playing many roles—depending on the situation, she is either as soft as a rose petal or as lethal as the thorn. Swept deeper into a world of shadows and lies when her mentor, Baltazar sends her on a seemingly simple mission–donning the mask of dainty again, she finds herself fighting to maintain who she is beyond her pretty, painted exterior. The series of events to follow rip her in and out of her past, as she tries to move on from the unimaginable pain that led her to this life. Stealing from your soon-to-be fiancé is one hell of a wedding gift, but let’s hope he never discovers she is dodging eyes, lies, and daggers—while ensuring that not a hair is out of place for her royal obligations.
But…what if half-truths can’t prepare her for this life? And when the mission’s cost is more than she bargained for—her freedom and her life—what if she doesn’t want to pay the price? At least she still carries the favor of her loyal mare. And though her luck in love is not great, it is never hard for her to find some way to quench her thirst in her droughted kingdom. When her fiancé isn’t lurking over his newest possession, she is easily entertained with her ex-lover and unwanted keeper. Entangled with a lost love, whose secrets threaten to undo everything she’s worked towards, she has to manage the most daunting mission yet. An unfit marriage to the Mad King’s son. Will the Cursed King’s daughter survive?
“Looking into his eyes—the same ones I pictured every time mine closed—I wondered if things would have been different, if my mother had told me stories about great loves instead of tragic loss. But she hadn’t. And though I lived in a world of royals, I knew that princes weren’t noble, and that love didn’t prevail.”
//CW: Violence (Graphic), Death, Mature Content, Mature Language, Sexual Content, Mental Abuse, Physical Abuse, Misogyny, Suicide (Mentioned), Sexual Assault (Mentioned), Death of a Parent, Child Abuse, Animal Death//
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2022
300 people are currently reading
7652 people want to read
About the author
Deanna Ortega
5 books783 followersI'm just your local sewage rat writing about love in a world that makes it hard to believe in it.
I've been married for nine years to a man who is every bit a girl's girl. We love to stay up and gossip - by which I mean I babble, and he dozes off while snoring. We have two daughters, two dogs, and two cats who spend their time making me question my remaining threads of sanity while also keeping them intact.
Before becoming the gutter rodent you know and tolerate, I grew up in a small town outside of Tampa, Florida, where the librarians knew me by name. Getting lost in the worlds between pages saved me more times than I could count, and I'm hopeful that my books and the worlds I’ve created, inspire other people's journeys and vivid imaginations.
Connect with me here:
https://beacons.ai/deannaortega
I've been married for nine years to a man who is every bit a girl's girl. We love to stay up and gossip - by which I mean I babble, and he dozes off while snoring. We have two daughters, two dogs, and two cats who spend their time making me question my remaining threads of sanity while also keeping them intact.
Before becoming the gutter rodent you know and tolerate, I grew up in a small town outside of Tampa, Florida, where the librarians knew me by name. Getting lost in the worlds between pages saved me more times than I could count, and I'm hopeful that my books and the worlds I’ve created, inspire other people's journeys and vivid imaginations.
Connect with me here:
https://beacons.ai/deannaortega
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
March 22, 2022
Please read the trigger warnings, although I personally did not have issue with anything in the book.
I was given an ARC copy for an honest review.
I don’t want to post any spoilers, but I adored so many of the characters and I know you will too. This story is well written and captivated me from almost the first page, I was so engrossed in the story I literally skipped cleaning my house to finish reading. I have so many questions that I know will be answered in the next book, I can NOT wait to see where the story goes. That cliffhanger though….I have so many questions.
I really hope that this book blows up for this author because she has talent and deserves the love for her book. I can not wait to read additional books she writes.
I was given an ARC copy for an honest review.
I don’t want to post any spoilers, but I adored so many of the characters and I know you will too. This story is well written and captivated me from almost the first page, I was so engrossed in the story I literally skipped cleaning my house to finish reading. I have so many questions that I know will be answered in the next book, I can NOT wait to see where the story goes. That cliffhanger though….I have so many questions.
I really hope that this book blows up for this author because she has talent and deserves the love for her book. I can not wait to read additional books she writes.
August 5, 2022
I made it to 65% and had to DNF. This was so bad. I can’t even give spoilers because there was no plot. I didn’t like any of the characters and the story kept moving nowhere. I feel like that far in I should’ve had an idea way the book was about. I really tried.
I saw the author make a tiktok about it and was so excited to read it but it was a let down. It seemed like or was just trying too hard to hit certain “tropes” so there was never any plot to go with it.
It also has so many grammar errors, it’s like it wasn’t edited at all. Bad punctuation, capitalized letters were missed in almost half the pages and the time tense mixed up.
I saw the author make a tiktok about it and was so excited to read it but it was a let down. It seemed like or was just trying too hard to hit certain “tropes” so there was never any plot to go with it.
It also has so many grammar errors, it’s like it wasn’t edited at all. Bad punctuation, capitalized letters were missed in almost half the pages and the time tense mixed up.
May 2, 2022
OMG I LOVED THIS. I want more of these characters.
July 29, 2022
Wow! I was not ready for what this book was going to do to me!!!! I absolutely loved the characters as the story unfolded. The way Liam had me squealing… So many good and heart breaking moments. The rage is real for my dislike of certain characters (insert eye roll). I was hooked from the very start with a few things thrown at me that I was not expecting in the slightest. I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW. I am UNWELL!!! So many questions still lingering, and I am so ready to learn more.
May 20, 2022
Got the book off KU. DNF @ 50%
I'm so confused. The writing style's nice, but the flow of the story just doesn't make sense & there's just too many things that ain't explained.
The story begins with our FMC, Jane, who steals a crown off her future father-in-law. She gets distracted by Liam, her childhood crush and her mentor, Balthazar's younger brother. She overhears a conversation between Liam and Balthazar later on whilst about the report to Balthazar that Liam was supposed to distract her and ensure she doesn't complete her mission. Balthazar breaks Liam's hand.
Jane was aptly named cause her mum wants her to be 'plain'. She's half human, half witch (?) and has 5 siblings as well as a king for a father. The rest of them are witches/wizards. As she's half human, the rest of her family believes that she is unable to do magic, but she is able to. Something Balthazar, the King's advisor knows. He has been training her on how to use her magic for years since she was a kid for 'the good of the kingdom' or something. She is engaged/betrothed to Arius, the Prince of a neighbouring kingdom, as part of a arranged marriage.
Jane gifts gold (that she steals from her kingdom's coffers) to a bartender, Lou to help the Kingdom's impoverished citizens. The Kingdom is in dire straits and it is implied that this is the work of her father, the king, who wanted to be immortal, which he did, but at a cost of the Kingdom - the air & water quality going bad for example.
Anyways, continuing on to the pre martial feast, Arius seems like an asshole, controlling but still generally okay. Jane has already decided not to give Arius a chance from the start. Balthazar gives Jane another mission to plant the crown on another King's ship, Blair and frame him for it. Except, Jane gets caught with Liam, who poof! Just shows up.
Jane, Blair and Liam has a threesome which I honestly don't understand. Blair caught them, implies that he is going to punish them, and tells Liam that he can save Jane by kissing her... Which then devolves into a threesome that Jane is very eager to have. Like how?!
Later it is again implied that Blair is part of this scheme with Liam, which Balthazar doesn't know of?
Balthazar also takes Jane on a field trip through a portal, which Jane later describes Balthazar as the King of Thieves or something. So Balthazar now has a criminal empire... Yet working as the King's advisor? Not improbable, yet one has to wonder why Jane doesn't just tell her family that she has magic and what is Balthazar even trying to accomplish? A coup? Remember, the King has no idea of what Balthazar is planning.
Balthazar later recruits Jane's sister, Drista. Once again, I'm confused as hell. Like why didn't Drista tell her father that Jane has magic? Or what Balthazar is planning?
I DNFed after that so maybe my questions are explained later on but nope, too many questions and not enough explanations.
Oh, Liam also has sex with someone else after the threesome. And Jane STILL pines after him. And Balthazar arranged the marriage between Jane and Arius. To what end? I have no bloody clue.
I'm so confused. The writing style's nice, but the flow of the story just doesn't make sense & there's just too many things that ain't explained.
The story begins with our FMC, Jane, who steals a crown off her future father-in-law. She gets distracted by Liam, her childhood crush and her mentor, Balthazar's younger brother. She overhears a conversation between Liam and Balthazar later on whilst about the report to Balthazar that Liam was supposed to distract her and ensure she doesn't complete her mission. Balthazar breaks Liam's hand.
Jane was aptly named cause her mum wants her to be 'plain'. She's half human, half witch (?) and has 5 siblings as well as a king for a father. The rest of them are witches/wizards. As she's half human, the rest of her family believes that she is unable to do magic, but she is able to. Something Balthazar, the King's advisor knows. He has been training her on how to use her magic for years since she was a kid for 'the good of the kingdom' or something. She is engaged/betrothed to Arius, the Prince of a neighbouring kingdom, as part of a arranged marriage.
Jane gifts gold (that she steals from her kingdom's coffers) to a bartender, Lou to help the Kingdom's impoverished citizens. The Kingdom is in dire straits and it is implied that this is the work of her father, the king, who wanted to be immortal, which he did, but at a cost of the Kingdom - the air & water quality going bad for example.
Anyways, continuing on to the pre martial feast, Arius seems like an asshole, controlling but still generally okay. Jane has already decided not to give Arius a chance from the start. Balthazar gives Jane another mission to plant the crown on another King's ship, Blair and frame him for it. Except, Jane gets caught with Liam, who poof! Just shows up.
Jane, Blair and Liam has a threesome which I honestly don't understand. Blair caught them, implies that he is going to punish them, and tells Liam that he can save Jane by kissing her... Which then devolves into a threesome that Jane is very eager to have. Like how?!
Later it is again implied that Blair is part of this scheme with Liam, which Balthazar doesn't know of?
Balthazar also takes Jane on a field trip through a portal, which Jane later describes Balthazar as the King of Thieves or something. So Balthazar now has a criminal empire... Yet working as the King's advisor? Not improbable, yet one has to wonder why Jane doesn't just tell her family that she has magic and what is Balthazar even trying to accomplish? A coup? Remember, the King has no idea of what Balthazar is planning.
Balthazar later recruits Jane's sister, Drista. Once again, I'm confused as hell. Like why didn't Drista tell her father that Jane has magic? Or what Balthazar is planning?
I DNFed after that so maybe my questions are explained later on but nope, too many questions and not enough explanations.
Oh, Liam also has sex with someone else after the threesome. And Jane STILL pines after him. And Balthazar arranged the marriage between Jane and Arius. To what end? I have no bloody clue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2022
DNF at 40%. This was just not it for me. I couldn’t connect to the characters and I just couldn’t get through it.
July 17, 2022
I don’t even know where to begin here. There was no plot. Like what was all of this for? What was the purpose? It was all over the place with wish-washy characters. I couldn’t DNF it cus my brain just doesn’t allow me to and OF COURSE it ends with a cliffhanger so I will for sure be suffering through the next one to figure out what this “little chat” is about. Only reason it gets 2 stars is because she gave us a “who did this to you” within the first couple chapters and the 2 sex scenes were hot. That’s it.
If I don’t hear “gooseflesh” or “bit my cheek hard enough to draw blood” every again, it’ll be too soon.
If I don’t hear “gooseflesh” or “bit my cheek hard enough to draw blood” every again, it’ll be too soon.
July 14, 2022
I was waiting for this book to make sense and come together but it never really did, I felt as if I missed the first book, not sure if I will continue the series 2/5
August 21, 2022
I am not exaggerating when I say this may be the worst book I've ever read.
I had to pause within the first three pages to check which publisher would allow something with so many typos and grammatical errors to pass inspection. SELF-PUBLISHED. Someone needs to let Ortega know Grammarly has a free version of their software. It is clear there was no editor at any point prior to publication. It reads like a coffee-fueled final paper you started four hours before the deadline.
1- There is no decernable plot. No world-building. No character development (or depth).
2- There is no motivation for Jane's character. In chapter one, it is established that Jane has a different mother than her siblings and her father favors her, yet she actively works against the crown and seems to despise her father. It's nonsensical at best.
3- It's nearly impossible to tell who is talking with the misuse of quotation marks, paragraph spacing, and blatantly leaving out the character's name half the time.
The author appears to have a large following on TikTok (where I had the misfortune of learning of this book) which has to be the explanation for why there are multiple five-star reviews. Or the "spicy" threesome in chapter ten, which once again, serves no purpose within the already non-existent plot, and happens for no logical reason aside from selling books.
This whole thing was an absolute dumpster fire and an insult to literature.
I had to pause within the first three pages to check which publisher would allow something with so many typos and grammatical errors to pass inspection. SELF-PUBLISHED. Someone needs to let Ortega know Grammarly has a free version of their software. It is clear there was no editor at any point prior to publication. It reads like a coffee-fueled final paper you started four hours before the deadline.
1- There is no decernable plot. No world-building. No character development (or depth).
2- There is no motivation for Jane's character. In chapter one, it is established that Jane has a different mother than her siblings and her father favors her, yet she actively works against the crown and seems to despise her father. It's nonsensical at best.
3- It's nearly impossible to tell who is talking with the misuse of quotation marks, paragraph spacing, and blatantly leaving out the character's name half the time.
The author appears to have a large following on TikTok (where I had the misfortune of learning of this book) which has to be the explanation for why there are multiple five-star reviews. Or the "spicy" threesome in chapter ten, which once again, serves no purpose within the already non-existent plot, and happens for no logical reason aside from selling books.
This whole thing was an absolute dumpster fire and an insult to literature.
March 22, 2022
This is a fantasy book with a mystery I was excited to unravel. WHO is the bad guy?!
Everyone seems a little evil and I was always trying to hunt for any Easter eggs to show me the true villain! Peeling back the layers to discover what’s really happening was so fun and had me not wanting to put the book down!
With this being a series, of course I have MANY questions still unanswered but THE ENDING! Madness in the best way!
I cannot wait for book two!!!!!!!!
Everyone seems a little evil and I was always trying to hunt for any Easter eggs to show me the true villain! Peeling back the layers to discover what’s really happening was so fun and had me not wanting to put the book down!
With this being a series, of course I have MANY questions still unanswered but THE ENDING! Madness in the best way!
I cannot wait for book two!!!!!!!!
May 30, 2022
Confusing AF
I have no idea what was going on in much of this book. Between conversations that made little sense and poorly worded or unrelated sentences, I found myself having to re-read a lot. Add in the missing punctuation and misspelled words and it was just a mess. Pass.
I have no idea what was going on in much of this book. Between conversations that made little sense and poorly worded or unrelated sentences, I found myself having to re-read a lot. Add in the missing punctuation and misspelled words and it was just a mess. Pass.
July 1, 2023
RUIN AND ROSES By Deanna Ortega
Rating: 1/5 stars
I want to preface this review by saying I have known plenty of other readers who have come to love this book and its subsequent series - it just wasn't for me.
I think the plot itself held a lot of promise. Our protagonist, Jane, was strong, unique, and really drove the story line.
I do think stylistically and grammatically, this book suffered a lot and could have benefited from a more attentive editor. The pacing was a mess and the pages were riddled with so many grammatical errors that it became difficult to ignore. The plot itself felt nonsensical and was extremely difficult to follow. I think the author had a lot of great ideas and just struggled to bring them all together.
Ruin & Roses also falls victim to the typical cliches of self-published romantasy - it is written for the sake of trope (hello, weird and unnecessary threesome?)
Unfortunately, its a no for me - I will not be moving forward with the series.
Rating: 1/5 stars
I want to preface this review by saying I have known plenty of other readers who have come to love this book and its subsequent series - it just wasn't for me.
I think the plot itself held a lot of promise. Our protagonist, Jane, was strong, unique, and really drove the story line.
I do think stylistically and grammatically, this book suffered a lot and could have benefited from a more attentive editor. The pacing was a mess and the pages were riddled with so many grammatical errors that it became difficult to ignore. The plot itself felt nonsensical and was extremely difficult to follow. I think the author had a lot of great ideas and just struggled to bring them all together.
Ruin & Roses also falls victim to the typical cliches of self-published romantasy - it is written for the sake of trope (hello, weird and unnecessary threesome?)
Unfortunately, its a no for me - I will not be moving forward with the series.
July 13, 2022
DNF at 50% I tried because I head so many good things but I just could not get into this book. Nothing really made sense or felt real to me and I’m not sure if it’s a lack of world development or the characters. The books jumps right in the middle of the story, which is fine, but the does an inadequate job of filling in the holes as the story develops. I’m not invested in a single character and and feel like I have no idea what’s going on half the time.
December 27, 2023
Terrible day to have eyes
April 4, 2022
Jane is the youngest daughter of a weak and spacey king. Her siblings are just as bad, if not worse, as they often mock her for her lack of magic. But Jane is more than just a pretty face, as she spends her days training and going on missions for her mentor, Baltazar. The only problem is that she must do this in secret, as her father and siblings must never find out.
Jane‘s life comes to a screeching halt when she is sold off to the Mad King’s son. Desperate to escape her fate, Jane is willing to do anything to get out of her upcoming marriage. But as secrets are revealed and the stakes are raised, Jane begins to question everything she’s ever known.
Okay, so this book had a bit of a slow start, but when it picked up? Oh my gosh!!! I love that even though Jane is a princess who is used to material luxuries, she isn’t some simpering, damsel in distress. No, Jane can definitely hold her own, as is shown in several instances throughout the novel. I loved the political aspects of this book as well, especially the complex relationships between the kingdoms.
I also really liked watching Jane’s relationship with her ex lover and thorn in her side, Liam (who just happens to be Baltazar’s brother.) I hope that their relationship will be explored further in book two!!! Finally, I do want to mention that this book is a little on the heavy side with the triggers, and even though I personally wasn’t affected, I would definitely read them before starting this novel. But all in all, I would say I enjoyed reading this!
Jane‘s life comes to a screeching halt when she is sold off to the Mad King’s son. Desperate to escape her fate, Jane is willing to do anything to get out of her upcoming marriage. But as secrets are revealed and the stakes are raised, Jane begins to question everything she’s ever known.
Okay, so this book had a bit of a slow start, but when it picked up? Oh my gosh!!! I love that even though Jane is a princess who is used to material luxuries, she isn’t some simpering, damsel in distress. No, Jane can definitely hold her own, as is shown in several instances throughout the novel. I loved the political aspects of this book as well, especially the complex relationships between the kingdoms.
I also really liked watching Jane’s relationship with her ex lover and thorn in her side, Liam (who just happens to be Baltazar’s brother.) I hope that their relationship will be explored further in book two!!! Finally, I do want to mention that this book is a little on the heavy side with the triggers, and even though I personally wasn’t affected, I would definitely read them before starting this novel. But all in all, I would say I enjoyed reading this!
April 5, 2022
Jane is the youngest daughter to a weak king and a family who makes fun of her for her lack of magic. Her life is turned upside down when she is sold to the Mad King's son, and she slowly begins seeing that everything she's ever known may not be real.
MIND YOUR TRIGGERS
I cannot emphasis how impressed I was with this book. The author gave a thrilling story that had you guessing every step of the way. Jane is pretty and well trained from her mentor Baltazar, and is incredibly smart as she begins unraveling the life she's lived. Her relationship with her mentor's brother, Liam, is interesting and I hope we see more of it in future books.
The book has a lot of triggers, and while I wasn't affected, these are heavy triggers that can affect a lot of people. Make sure you read them before diving into this story.
MIND YOUR TRIGGERS
I cannot emphasis how impressed I was with this book. The author gave a thrilling story that had you guessing every step of the way. Jane is pretty and well trained from her mentor Baltazar, and is incredibly smart as she begins unraveling the life she's lived. Her relationship with her mentor's brother, Liam, is interesting and I hope we see more of it in future books.
The book has a lot of triggers, and while I wasn't affected, these are heavy triggers that can affect a lot of people. Make sure you read them before diving into this story.
June 10, 2022
Came for Ch 10 stayed for the plot.
October 3, 2022
I kept waiting for this book to make sense, come together, or have a coherent plot, but it never did. I read the Kindle version, though, so maybe it’s accidentally a version from the middle of the editing process? My main issues were:
1. The writing is almost incomprehensible. About once a chapter I’d have a “that word doesn’t mean what you think it means” moment and have to guess what the author meant. Almost every third paragraph the sentence structure was so abysmal I couldn’t parse its meaning after multiple read-throughs (at least to start, it got a bit better later but still happened often enough to be distracting); some examples below.
2. The character development and motivation was almost nonexistent and didn’t make sense when the author tried to show some growth. For example, our MC Jane hates all her siblings, including a sister who doesn’t seem to do anything but support Jane— where’s the motivation for her hatred? Then later when the author tries to show Jane coming to like/understand said sister, it’s all told and not shown, and the “development,” if it could be called that, feels unmotivated and trite.
3. There’s very little plot or action. It feels haphazardly thrown together.
4. The author tells a lot instead of showing.
5. The relationships were unconvincing and lacked chemistry except for during sex (for the romantic relationship(s)). I just didn’t believe Jane could meet a stranger in a terse situation and instantly trust them and become their friend, or that Jane and her sister were so adversarial, or even the tension the author tried to write between Jane and Liam.
The only scene I truly enjoyed was the singular spicy scene that seemed like it had gone through more rounds of editing than the rest of the book, as it was better written and even seemed to introduce some mystery (that was then left unaddressed for the rest of the book).
Also, there are no answers given or even bread-crumbed to the few mysteries we are given. I feel like the author needs to give us something by the end of book one, like the answer to a smaller mystery that could feed into a bigger one in book two, rather than making it feel like book one is just unfinished.
Writing style examples:
-“If my father noticed my sister’s act from the erected dais to the side of the vaulted room, he didn’t show it. Which showed me he didn’t. Otherwise, he did and couldn’t care.” - clunky phrasing typical of this book’s writing style.
-“The gesture showed how little he meant his statements but also proved he might.” - how is this a full sentence??
-“Blair’s simple structures appeared to have never had much time in the sea or too much.” - what??
-“As my blood dripped into my fur-lined slipper” - When did she get cut?? I reread the chapter and it’s never mentioned. I can guess when it happens, but it’s never mentioned before this, not how or where she was cut.
-“childish and evident as it was to pretend I didn’t know…” - evident?? Wrong word choice, probably meant “petty” or “common” (as a synonym for the slang “basic”)— “unimaginative.”
1. The writing is almost incomprehensible. About once a chapter I’d have a “that word doesn’t mean what you think it means” moment and have to guess what the author meant. Almost every third paragraph the sentence structure was so abysmal I couldn’t parse its meaning after multiple read-throughs (at least to start, it got a bit better later but still happened often enough to be distracting); some examples below.
2. The character development and motivation was almost nonexistent and didn’t make sense when the author tried to show some growth. For example, our MC Jane hates all her siblings, including a sister who doesn’t seem to do anything but support Jane— where’s the motivation for her hatred? Then later when the author tries to show Jane coming to like/understand said sister, it’s all told and not shown, and the “development,” if it could be called that, feels unmotivated and trite.
3. There’s very little plot or action. It feels haphazardly thrown together.
4. The author tells a lot instead of showing.
5. The relationships were unconvincing and lacked chemistry except for during sex (for the romantic relationship(s)). I just didn’t believe Jane could meet a stranger in a terse situation and instantly trust them and become their friend, or that Jane and her sister were so adversarial, or even the tension the author tried to write between Jane and Liam.
The only scene I truly enjoyed was the singular spicy scene that seemed like it had gone through more rounds of editing than the rest of the book, as it was better written and even seemed to introduce some mystery (that was then left unaddressed for the rest of the book).
Also, there are no answers given or even bread-crumbed to the few mysteries we are given. I feel like the author needs to give us something by the end of book one, like the answer to a smaller mystery that could feed into a bigger one in book two, rather than making it feel like book one is just unfinished.
Writing style examples:
-“If my father noticed my sister’s act from the erected dais to the side of the vaulted room, he didn’t show it. Which showed me he didn’t. Otherwise, he did and couldn’t care.” - clunky phrasing typical of this book’s writing style.
-“The gesture showed how little he meant his statements but also proved he might.” - how is this a full sentence??
-“Blair’s simple structures appeared to have never had much time in the sea or too much.” - what??
-“As my blood dripped into my fur-lined slipper” - When did she get cut?? I reread the chapter and it’s never mentioned. I can guess when it happens, but it’s never mentioned before this, not how or where she was cut.
-“childish and evident as it was to pretend I didn’t know…” - evident?? Wrong word choice, probably meant “petty” or “common” (as a synonym for the slang “basic”)— “unimaginative.”
May 30, 2023
Reread 8/08/2022
I've been too soft with my review. My attention span was not the problem and this reread has been painful. I don't know what posessed me to make me write "I loved the character personalities and their development through the story" because if one thing is certain, is the fact that the characters make poor decisions throughout the whole story, with no development whatsoever. Also, I wrote "the mystery was just too mysterious" but actually, there is no mistery, the story just doesn't make sense, and as I'm reading the second book... yeah still doesn't.
.
.
3.00⭐️
I’m very conflicted about the star rating but I don’t feel like I can give more than 3 stars. I had a lot of fun reading this book, because the writing style is very engaging, the humour is fun, the dynamics of the action scenes are beautifully written, but I found the story didn't really make any sense I think? Maybe I didn't read it with due attention? I didn’t understand why anyone did anything, what their motives were, but I went with it hoping that things would start making sense. It felt like a patchwork of scenes sewn together, and they were fun scenes, but the mystery was just…too mysterious? I don’t know, I’m clearly the minority here. I loved the character personalities and their development through the story, especially the improvement of the relationship between Jane and her sister Driata. I would have liked to know more about Baltazar, but I can tell he’s going to be more prevalent in the future. Overall I think the author has an extremely wonderful style, which is unusual in a debut novel, and I am actually curious to see how the story will evolve.
I was given an ARC by the author and this is my honest opinion.
I've been too soft with my review. My attention span was not the problem and this reread has been painful. I don't know what posessed me to make me write "I loved the character personalities and their development through the story" because if one thing is certain, is the fact that the characters make poor decisions throughout the whole story, with no development whatsoever. Also, I wrote "the mystery was just too mysterious" but actually, there is no mistery, the story just doesn't make sense, and as I'm reading the second book... yeah still doesn't.
.
.
3.00⭐️
I’m very conflicted about the star rating but I don’t feel like I can give more than 3 stars. I had a lot of fun reading this book, because the writing style is very engaging, the humour is fun, the dynamics of the action scenes are beautifully written, but I found the story didn't really make any sense I think? Maybe I didn't read it with due attention? I didn’t understand why anyone did anything, what their motives were, but I went with it hoping that things would start making sense. It felt like a patchwork of scenes sewn together, and they were fun scenes, but the mystery was just…too mysterious? I don’t know, I’m clearly the minority here. I loved the character personalities and their development through the story, especially the improvement of the relationship between Jane and her sister Driata. I would have liked to know more about Baltazar, but I can tell he’s going to be more prevalent in the future. Overall I think the author has an extremely wonderful style, which is unusual in a debut novel, and I am actually curious to see how the story will evolve.
I was given an ARC by the author and this is my honest opinion.
March 11, 2022
This was SO much fun to read! I enjoyed it immensely! I see Deanna becoming a favorite author indeed! Of all the spicy Fae Fantasy I’ve read this year, this will be in my top 5 for sure & I am VERY much looking forward to the next book!
TW’s: Definitely check the TW’s on this book.
**I was nervy about a few of them when I received this ARC- but felt the were very delicately approached & not abrasive or put in for “shock value”- which I appreciated!
The world building, character development & plot was all EXCELLENT! The imagery she paints is stunning and so easy to visualize. Well done! I could not predict where anything was going the entire time, which I found thrilling! I still have no idea what is actually unfolding but it’s a mystery I am really going to enjoy unraveling! GREAT first book! The cliffhanger was a good transition to the next one, and I CANNOT WAIT!!
THE SPICE!!! 🌶🌶🌶🌶
I loved that this wasn’t a typical slow burn, where we need 3 books to get to the spice & it wasn’t FTB! I did not see that first scene coming & was like, “Oooh! Ok! THIS is unexpected!” A few fun & spicy plot twists were very satisfying! I also thought the wording was well written.
For me, this was a top tier read. It had all the things I look for in my fantasy reads: spice, strong FMC, asshole/nice guy balance, gray characters, good plot & action packed! 👏👏👏👏👏
HIGHLY recommend!
TW’s: Definitely check the TW’s on this book.
**I was nervy about a few of them when I received this ARC- but felt the were very delicately approached & not abrasive or put in for “shock value”- which I appreciated!
The world building, character development & plot was all EXCELLENT! The imagery she paints is stunning and so easy to visualize. Well done! I could not predict where anything was going the entire time, which I found thrilling! I still have no idea what is actually unfolding but it’s a mystery I am really going to enjoy unraveling! GREAT first book! The cliffhanger was a good transition to the next one, and I CANNOT WAIT!!
THE SPICE!!! 🌶🌶🌶🌶
I loved that this wasn’t a typical slow burn, where we need 3 books to get to the spice & it wasn’t FTB! I did not see that first scene coming & was like, “Oooh! Ok! THIS is unexpected!” A few fun & spicy plot twists were very satisfying! I also thought the wording was well written.
For me, this was a top tier read. It had all the things I look for in my fantasy reads: spice, strong FMC, asshole/nice guy balance, gray characters, good plot & action packed! 👏👏👏👏👏
HIGHLY recommend!
March 31, 2022
First of all please judge this book by its cover, it is gorgeous!!!!!
But the story is also amazing and you crave for more:
“I will never understand why women let men decide if they get to be the villain or the victim in their story”.
Jane is not all plain, she is a strong heroine, totally badass who starts to understand that everyone around her is not who she thought they were. In order for Jane to understand the full extent of her power she needs to confront her fears and insecurities.
Who really is Baltazar? Her mentor? Her savior? Or her greatest manipulator?
When she is forced to accept to marry Arius in order to save her kingdom, is this a step to the right direction or a trap?
And where Blair fits to all this mayhem? Lou? Dri? So many secondary characters yet so much intriguing… I need more details.
I root for Liam, I really hope that he will be the greatest ally for Jane. After all he promised her when they were younger: “I will always find my way back to you”. However this web of lies, secrets and hidden truths has shattered the bond of trust between Jane and Liam.
“You love him….It doesn’t matter……But you do……I can learn no to…..” Will she?
Finally two things:
I demand retribution for Swinston
Thank you for chapter 10.
Now I need book 2 plzzzzzz
But the story is also amazing and you crave for more:
“I will never understand why women let men decide if they get to be the villain or the victim in their story”.
Jane is not all plain, she is a strong heroine, totally badass who starts to understand that everyone around her is not who she thought they were. In order for Jane to understand the full extent of her power she needs to confront her fears and insecurities.
Who really is Baltazar? Her mentor? Her savior? Or her greatest manipulator?
When she is forced to accept to marry Arius in order to save her kingdom, is this a step to the right direction or a trap?
And where Blair fits to all this mayhem? Lou? Dri? So many secondary characters yet so much intriguing… I need more details.
I root for Liam, I really hope that he will be the greatest ally for Jane. After all he promised her when they were younger: “I will always find my way back to you”. However this web of lies, secrets and hidden truths has shattered the bond of trust between Jane and Liam.
“You love him….It doesn’t matter……But you do……I can learn no to…..” Will she?
Finally two things:
I demand retribution for Swinston
Thank you for chapter 10.
Now I need book 2 plzzzzzz
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2022
Wow wow wow wow!!!! I do NOT have enough words or things to say about this book. I could honestly go on for days about this book! This is the first book I read by this author and I'm utterly and completely in love with her book! I am dying for the next book! Like I need answers lol, this book takes you on the wildest emotional roller coaster I've been on in ages! I legitimately could not put this book down and the ending HOLY COW!!!!! Like I thought Helen Hardt was the queen of cliffhangers but I think Ms. Ortega has taken that title. I love the way this story flows, and how it paints a picture. I love the characters ok I love the majority of the characters there are a few I hated and they rightfully get there's 🤣 but an absolutely amazing book and I recommend amend!!! Please read this book you are going to love it! It is a page-turner and keeps you on the edge of your seat and on your toes. There's so much I want to say but I don't want to spoil it for everyone else. BUT Read this book!! You will NOT regret it!!!
July 20, 2022
Greatish Read
Overall, I really did enjoy the story and the characters. This book has a slow build, but is worth it once you get into the story. Then sprinkle in some spicy sections and you become invested in the love story. My biggest complaint is with the editing. There are so many parts of this book where verb tense is not consistent, shifting from past to present at the drop of a hat, which makes the syntax jarring, taking me out of the story. Also, there were obvious mistakes in who Jane was speaking about at times, created by pronoun errors. I plan on reading the second book, but am keeping my fingers crossed that Ms. Ortega found a new editor.
Overall, I really did enjoy the story and the characters. This book has a slow build, but is worth it once you get into the story. Then sprinkle in some spicy sections and you become invested in the love story. My biggest complaint is with the editing. There are so many parts of this book where verb tense is not consistent, shifting from past to present at the drop of a hat, which makes the syntax jarring, taking me out of the story. Also, there were obvious mistakes in who Jane was speaking about at times, created by pronoun errors. I plan on reading the second book, but am keeping my fingers crossed that Ms. Ortega found a new editor.
June 14, 2022
First off I really loved this book and the complexity of the world the author created. It was such an enjoyable read. I love the fierceness of the main character and the romance. I feel like this book has a lot of building up for the next book however at times I was a bit lost and confused which is the only reason I’m giving this a 4. The transitions to other scenes felt a bit disjointed at times and that left me trying to piece things together. Overall it was a great read and I look forward to seeing what’s to come in the next book!
May 1, 2022
An intriguing start to a new world. I look forward to learning more about the characters.
July 20, 2022
I loved this book so so much. The ending had me on the edge of my seat it was so good. I absolutely can not wait for the next one.
This was one of the greatest books I’ve read this year. Absolutely 100% recommend!
This was one of the greatest books I’ve read this year. Absolutely 100% recommend!
July 22, 2022
3.5⭐️
1🌶
Well this was hella fun! In love with Liam, and so pumped I have the ARC of book 2 waiting for me Xo
Full review to come
1🌶
Well this was hella fun! In love with Liam, and so pumped I have the ARC of book 2 waiting for me Xo
Full review to come
Want to read
July 17, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/17/2023)! 🎁
May 14, 2022
I'm not a big fantasy reader, but really enjoyed Deannas book.
The plot was well written and detailed, to the point where I felt like in was in the world with them.
The characters and their roles were good and I loved reading about the fantasy side to them.
The dynamic of Jane and Liam and Blair had me eager to want more and I can't wait to read book 2.
The plot was well written and detailed, to the point where I felt like in was in the world with them.
The characters and their roles were good and I loved reading about the fantasy side to them.
The dynamic of Jane and Liam and Blair had me eager to want more and I can't wait to read book 2.
March 10, 2022
I freaking loved every minute of reading this book. It was so full of twists and turns that I didn't anticipate and kept me turning page after page after page. The character building in this book is by far one of my favorite parts. I felt like I got to meet each character and watch them grow in some of the most beautiful ways. Deanna did such an amazing job writing their stories in conjunction with creating a magnificent storyline. It was such a wild experience wanting to stop reading because of the WIDE range of emotions I was feeling while reading and not physically being able to put the book down to stop reading. Such a well written amazing book and I am so so eager for the next book in the series to come out!! Definitely give this book a try, you won't regret it!!
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