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Curses of VIII #1
Inherited: Volume 1 (The Curses of VIII) by Freedom Matthews
If saying 'I love you' meant death, would you still say it?The Wilted Rose, of faery-tale and folklore, is a pirate ship filled with unfortunate souls-each forbidden to love. One such soul is Valencia 'Lennie' Roux. Raised in a brothel and an heir to a curse; Lennie never expected to pique the interest of any man. Yet with the arrival of vivid-eyed Nathaniel, she is torn between wanting to know him better and fearing what that knowledge would mean. With Nathaniel bringing the crew's total to six, the Wilted Rose sets off in search of the remaining two heirs. They hope that in reuniting, they will convince the faery Sorceress responsible for the curse, to end it. However lurking beneath the water is a long standing enemy of the Wilted Rose; who is determined to thwart their quest and bring down its leaders.Together the eight heirs fight for survival, friendship and love.
Paperback
First published July 12, 2016
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830 people want to read
About the author
Freedom Matthews
3 books64 followersFreedom grew up around storytellers. Men and women of Romany origin, who would tell tales of people and traditions long since lost to time. It was only natural for her to weave tales as well, but she would write them down with paper and ink instead of passing them through the spoken word.
She lives in rural Hampshire, UK with a hotchpotch of family, animals and wonky bookshelves. When she's not curled up with a good book and a cup of tea, she enjoys visits to stately homes and watching fantasy TV shows.
She lives in rural Hampshire, UK with a hotchpotch of family, animals and wonky bookshelves. When she's not curled up with a good book and a cup of tea, she enjoys visits to stately homes and watching fantasy TV shows.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 13, 2016
A novel filled with fantasy, romance and magic. Following a group of cursed Pirates working together to bring down the curse that stops them from loving.
Filled with sea witches, fae, pirates and more.
A haunting, beautiful and whimsical story
Filled with sea witches, fae, pirates and more.
A haunting, beautiful and whimsical story
July 15, 2016
**Spoilers**
As my first pirate themed booked I really enjoyed the magic behind the story and the feel of the world that Freedom has created. I loved that each of the eight main characters had a different role and skill that made them a crucial part of the Wilted Rose.
However it did become a blur as to which character has which skill, as I would have liked a bit more description and time on each character to understand them better. Which I believe could have been brought out in a number of other books in the series. As a whole I believe that this book could have been split into or maybe even prolonged into three, as the whole story felt rushed in many places - were at times I couldn't place the connection from one moment to the next. I would have liked to have spent more time on finding the crew mates at the beginning as I really felt that this was skipped over and as a first book alone this would have created a lot of mystery and made the story more intriguing.
Also I was confused with the time span as what I believed was a course of a few months, turned out to be a year maybe even two. This again could have been made easier by splitting the story into multiple books so that as a reader we can understand the length of the journey and grow with the characters. I really think that a novella would be great on Hadnaloy to find out about her past and the traumatic story of her, Colt and Rosa.
I loved how confident Lennie was and she definitely allowed for a great, action pack adventure. I enjoyed the bond that she created with Nathaniel, but again the relationship was very rushed at the end, especially with the engagement and marriage. I would have liked to this to be prolonged to be able to enjoy it longer and make it feel real. I also really hoped that Nathaniel would come back alive, as the Sorceress stated that there would be near death and I was really surprised that he didn't come back alive.
Overall I really enjoyed the story and it has intrigued me to read more of this type of book in the future. Especially more about Fairies as I really enjoyed Into the Forest.
May 28, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 22%
It is with a heavy heart I am DNF-ing this book. I enjoyed the novella, Into the Forest, well enough and signed up to review Inherited because of it. However, this book is not working for me. The pacing is awkward and it seems as though there are two stories in here that are trying to merge but can't do so seamlessly. The cursed storyline seems like the one that should be followed because, well, it seems more relevant to the summary and the lives of the characters. But instead we are following more of the day-to-day lives of the crew as "pirates." Which is fine, I like pirates, but it feels awkward when there is so much more at stake than just being pirates.
As well, the story starts off really quickly and seems like there will be a lot of action and progress in finding a solution for the curse. But after chapter one it is as though the curse piece is forgotten. And the relationships move so quickly. Lennie is the "tough girl" but then two seconds after meeting Nathaniel, she is crying in front of him and kissing him? It seemed like a complete 180 in minimal time. I feel like that is something that should have taken at least 150-200 pages to do. But what do I know.
Also I had a hard time connecting to Lennie. It seemed like she was trying to be one thing but was another. And this would have been fine if the switch in her personality wasn't sudden and on every other page. It seemed like sometimes she was the tough girl and sometimes she ... wasn't but without warning. I couldn't find a happy-medium there to really hold onto that made me want to read more about her and her story.
The last straw for me was the convenience of the other two heirs being found and being on the "opposite" side but having a "soft spot" for them. It just didn't really fit in with how things had been progressing and I feel like a lot of this book has been convenience rather than natural progression of plot. It was as though there were things that had to happen but instead of getting there in a way that made sense to the plot, we were forced there instead.
Overall this one just wasn't for me. I wanted more focus on the curse breaking and the romance to be more of a build up since it is so taboo (SHOCKINGLY, I wanted more romance. Weird, eh?). But instead I was given a book about quasi-pirates who conveniently were able to find things they were looking for.
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DNF @ 22%
It is with a heavy heart I am DNF-ing this book. I enjoyed the novella, Into the Forest, well enough and signed up to review Inherited because of it. However, this book is not working for me. The pacing is awkward and it seems as though there are two stories in here that are trying to merge but can't do so seamlessly. The cursed storyline seems like the one that should be followed because, well, it seems more relevant to the summary and the lives of the characters. But instead we are following more of the day-to-day lives of the crew as "pirates." Which is fine, I like pirates, but it feels awkward when there is so much more at stake than just being pirates.
As well, the story starts off really quickly and seems like there will be a lot of action and progress in finding a solution for the curse. But after chapter one it is as though the curse piece is forgotten. And the relationships move so quickly. Lennie is the "tough girl" but then two seconds after meeting Nathaniel, she is crying in front of him and kissing him? It seemed like a complete 180 in minimal time. I feel like that is something that should have taken at least 150-200 pages to do. But what do I know.
Also I had a hard time connecting to Lennie. It seemed like she was trying to be one thing but was another. And this would have been fine if the switch in her personality wasn't sudden and on every other page. It seemed like sometimes she was the tough girl and sometimes she ... wasn't but without warning. I couldn't find a happy-medium there to really hold onto that made me want to read more about her and her story.
The last straw for me was the convenience of the other two heirs being found and being on the "opposite" side but having a "soft spot" for them. It just didn't really fit in with how things had been progressing and I feel like a lot of this book has been convenience rather than natural progression of plot. It was as though there were things that had to happen but instead of getting there in a way that made sense to the plot, we were forced there instead.
Overall this one just wasn't for me. I wanted more focus on the curse breaking and the romance to be more of a build up since it is so taboo (SHOCKINGLY, I wanted more romance. Weird, eh?). But instead I was given a book about quasi-pirates who conveniently were able to find things they were looking for.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
July 14, 2016
3.75/5 Stars.
**I received an eARC provided by OfTomes in exchange for an honest review.**
Review originally posted at Miss Phi's Bookshelf.
Pirate books are not something I look for but Inherited's summary got my attention so I decided to apply for an ARC since I wanted to give the "genre" a try, also because it involved faeries and curses and that itself sounded pretty amazing.
The writing style was very fluid so it got me engaged since page 1, it was an easy read however, the rhythm was inconsistent throughout the whole book, sometimes it would slow down and feel as if nothing was happening then the next chapter it would pick up again making me want to skip a couple of pages every time this would happen. There was also lots of action every few chapters with sword fights because that is what pirates do.
The story itself was very appealing, the idea of a curse where you are forbidden to love let alone tell the person you love how you feel about them, which might not seem too drastic at the beginning but then it got me thinking this is not something easy to avoid when the feelings are too real, then why must such little word mean the death of the ones that are the source of your affection? As if love by itself wasn't hard enough already now add a little curse and complicate things further.
The pirate crew was very likable, especially because of their dynamics with Lennie -the main character- they all accept her past and respect her because they know that what she did does not define who she is. Lennie is a very flawed character, she has a very dense past yet didn't let it dictate her life, and even though she has her moments of weakness she also fights to become her better self. I liked Lennie a lot since I don't get to read about characters overcoming what she did often, especially on the YA genre. She is a fighter.
The romance was too fast too soon for my taste, it felt a little bit forced and I just couldn't understand why Nathaniel -the newest crew member- and Lennie were so attracted to each other when they barely knew one another, however, they way Nathaniel respects Lennie flaws and all only demonstrates he actually loves her.
I will certainly be looking forward to read more of Freedom Mathew's work in the future.
**I received an eARC provided by OfTomes in exchange for an honest review.**
Review originally posted at Miss Phi's Bookshelf.
Pirate books are not something I look for but Inherited's summary got my attention so I decided to apply for an ARC since I wanted to give the "genre" a try, also because it involved faeries and curses and that itself sounded pretty amazing.
The writing style was very fluid so it got me engaged since page 1, it was an easy read however, the rhythm was inconsistent throughout the whole book, sometimes it would slow down and feel as if nothing was happening then the next chapter it would pick up again making me want to skip a couple of pages every time this would happen. There was also lots of action every few chapters with sword fights because that is what pirates do.
The story itself was very appealing, the idea of a curse where you are forbidden to love let alone tell the person you love how you feel about them, which might not seem too drastic at the beginning but then it got me thinking this is not something easy to avoid when the feelings are too real, then why must such little word mean the death of the ones that are the source of your affection? As if love by itself wasn't hard enough already now add a little curse and complicate things further.
The pirate crew was very likable, especially because of their dynamics with Lennie -the main character- they all accept her past and respect her because they know that what she did does not define who she is. Lennie is a very flawed character, she has a very dense past yet didn't let it dictate her life, and even though she has her moments of weakness she also fights to become her better self. I liked Lennie a lot since I don't get to read about characters overcoming what she did often, especially on the YA genre. She is a fighter.
The romance was too fast too soon for my taste, it felt a little bit forced and I just couldn't understand why Nathaniel -the newest crew member- and Lennie were so attracted to each other when they barely knew one another, however, they way Nathaniel respects Lennie flaws and all only demonstrates he actually loves her.
I will certainly be looking forward to read more of Freedom Mathew's work in the future.
Read
June 17, 2016INHERITED was such an original story and Freedom Matthews is definitely an author to watch for! Well done.
July 29, 2019
*I received a free e-arc from the publisher Oftomes in exchange of an honest review.
Actual rating: 4.75 stars!
I remember reading the synopsis and screaming: "Yas!" over pirates, faeries, a curse, magic and romance. Since then, I've been kindly waiting for this beauty to be released into the wild, but after reading it, I'm not kindly waiting for it anymore...I'm actually dying for it! I enjoyed so much my time on the Wilted Rose with my small crew of cursed pirates that I can't wait for you guys to do so too! And I also need to see that finished version so, heh.
I found that Freedom Matthews did a great job on this debut novel. She easily managed to capture my attention from the very beginning and keep it focused on all that happened 'till the very end. Thanks to her wonderful writing, I managed to enjoy and devour the journey these cursed heirs went through in just five days! And to be able to do that, I bet she used a lot of pixie/faerie dust and magic! That, or was it because the pacing was pretty good, the settings were great, the background stories from some characters were touching and unexpected, or because Lennie's journey was a fun adventure full of magic? Hmm, I don't know, maybe all of them!
I have to admit that I felt the romance was kind of rushed at the beginning, but as things kept flowing between waves, I ended up enjoying it a lot and having too many feels. And as the story continued, I was literally like Jack Sparrow, screaming at people to stop blowing holes into his ship!
Now, let's talk about something I'm really excited about: the characters! Throughout the journey of the crew of cursed heirs aboard The Wilted Rose, we get to meet some wonderful and memorable characters. I personally found that Lennie, our main character, was a fun, strong female character with a dark past I was dying to uncover since chapter one! But don't worry, Lennie won't be the only one you'll want to keep your eyes on, you'll also want to keep them on Nathaniel, Claudette, Butch, Ned, Rosa, Hadnaloy, Macrucio, our faerie godmother (not really) and honestly, the rest of the crew! They were all great and they all have their little secrets! I have to admit that my personal favorites were: Lennie, Ned, Claudette, and surprisingly, Macrucio. Why? Because they all managed to come together and fill this story with magic, secrets, touching background stories or moments and something they weren't able to mention: love.
In the end, my hype for this book wasn't let down. I completely enjoyed the way things unraveled through Lennie's eyes and how she and her fellow crew mates dealt with them and tried their best to break the curse that was ruining their lives. Even though sometimes things felt a little confusing or rushed, believe me, the ending makes it up for it! The only sad thing I have to say is that I would've loved to know more about the characters and what happened to them before that wonderful epilogue! Now I'll have to read Into the Forest (the prequel) to fill my empty heart with more magic, faeries and pirates!
Actual rating: 4.75 stars!
I remember reading the synopsis and screaming: "Yas!" over pirates, faeries, a curse, magic and romance. Since then, I've been kindly waiting for this beauty to be released into the wild, but after reading it, I'm not kindly waiting for it anymore...I'm actually dying for it! I enjoyed so much my time on the Wilted Rose with my small crew of cursed pirates that I can't wait for you guys to do so too! And I also need to see that finished version so, heh.
I found that Freedom Matthews did a great job on this debut novel. She easily managed to capture my attention from the very beginning and keep it focused on all that happened 'till the very end. Thanks to her wonderful writing, I managed to enjoy and devour the journey these cursed heirs went through in just five days! And to be able to do that, I bet she used a lot of pixie/faerie dust and magic! That, or was it because the pacing was pretty good, the settings were great, the background stories from some characters were touching and unexpected, or because Lennie's journey was a fun adventure full of magic? Hmm, I don't know, maybe all of them!
I have to admit that I felt the romance was kind of rushed at the beginning, but as things kept flowing between waves, I ended up enjoying it a lot and having too many feels. And as the story continued, I was literally like Jack Sparrow, screaming at people to stop blowing holes into his ship!
Now, let's talk about something I'm really excited about: the characters! Throughout the journey of the crew of cursed heirs aboard The Wilted Rose, we get to meet some wonderful and memorable characters. I personally found that Lennie, our main character, was a fun, strong female character with a dark past I was dying to uncover since chapter one! But don't worry, Lennie won't be the only one you'll want to keep your eyes on, you'll also want to keep them on Nathaniel, Claudette, Butch, Ned, Rosa, Hadnaloy, Macrucio, our faerie godmother (not really) and honestly, the rest of the crew! They were all great and they all have their little secrets! I have to admit that my personal favorites were: Lennie, Ned, Claudette, and surprisingly, Macrucio. Why? Because they all managed to come together and fill this story with magic, secrets, touching background stories or moments and something they weren't able to mention: love.
In the end, my hype for this book wasn't let down. I completely enjoyed the way things unraveled through Lennie's eyes and how she and her fellow crew mates dealt with them and tried their best to break the curse that was ruining their lives. Even though sometimes things felt a little confusing or rushed, believe me, the ending makes it up for it! The only sad thing I have to say is that I would've loved to know more about the characters and what happened to them before that wonderful epilogue! Now I'll have to read Into the Forest (the prequel) to fill my empty heart with more magic, faeries and pirates!
June 25, 2016
Originally posted on: https://thebooklandia.wordpress.com/2...
Okay, first of all, I just want to let you guys know that I received an eARC of this book from Oftomes in exchange of an honest review of the book. Since the book is yet to be released, the review is going to be spoiler free.
Inherited by Freedom Matthews is one amazing, one-hell-of-an-adventure, and romantic read. I love the world of the book and the characters too! The book is told in first person point of view (except the Prologue) which is Lennie’s. It has its set of remarkable characters, the crew of Wilted Rose, they all have a very good deal of character development. The world building is pretty good too though it took me a while to get through the prologue of the book cause I have to put it down and pick it up for like three times and when I got through the prologue, everything started picking up and I found myself reading the book at three in the morning. The back stories of each character made me feel connected to them more, everybody’s got their own story to tell and one is worse than the other and how that brought them together and made a family or a band of misfits.
My favourite characters would be Nathaniel (he’s bae), Butch, Ned, and of course Lennie. I like the connection of the characters between each other and the kind of restraint they have on keeping themselves from saying the three cursed words, I admire these characters so much especially Ned. I also love Lennie so much because after all that she’ve been through she still has the strength to go on and fight for the people that she loved, she’s so tough and badass. Honestly, the best parts of the book is when they go to the land and all action happens. That’s when the Pirates of the Caribbean theme started playing at the back of my mind while reading those fight scenes of the book. I love the idea of other worldy magic surrounding the story and how it just take you in and immerse you in the wonderful world of Inherited.
Freedom Matthews writing style is amazing. I love the twists that she put in the book and how she knows how to torture her readers (hah!). The book is perfectly written, I was heartbroken (in a good way, Booklanders, in a good way) and I can’t wait to read more of her work. I really hope that there will be a lil’ novella after this, it doesn’t need to be a full throttle novel. Just a little peek on what happened to my beloved band of misfit.
Okay, first of all, I just want to let you guys know that I received an eARC of this book from Oftomes in exchange of an honest review of the book. Since the book is yet to be released, the review is going to be spoiler free.
Inherited by Freedom Matthews is one amazing, one-hell-of-an-adventure, and romantic read. I love the world of the book and the characters too! The book is told in first person point of view (except the Prologue) which is Lennie’s. It has its set of remarkable characters, the crew of Wilted Rose, they all have a very good deal of character development. The world building is pretty good too though it took me a while to get through the prologue of the book cause I have to put it down and pick it up for like three times and when I got through the prologue, everything started picking up and I found myself reading the book at three in the morning. The back stories of each character made me feel connected to them more, everybody’s got their own story to tell and one is worse than the other and how that brought them together and made a family or a band of misfits.
My favourite characters would be Nathaniel (he’s bae), Butch, Ned, and of course Lennie. I like the connection of the characters between each other and the kind of restraint they have on keeping themselves from saying the three cursed words, I admire these characters so much especially Ned. I also love Lennie so much because after all that she’ve been through she still has the strength to go on and fight for the people that she loved, she’s so tough and badass. Honestly, the best parts of the book is when they go to the land and all action happens. That’s when the Pirates of the Caribbean theme started playing at the back of my mind while reading those fight scenes of the book. I love the idea of other worldy magic surrounding the story and how it just take you in and immerse you in the wonderful world of Inherited.
Freedom Matthews writing style is amazing. I love the twists that she put in the book and how she knows how to torture her readers (hah!). The book is perfectly written, I was heartbroken (in a good way, Booklanders, in a good way) and I can’t wait to read more of her work. I really hope that there will be a lil’ novella after this, it doesn’t need to be a full throttle novel. Just a little peek on what happened to my beloved band of misfit.
July 9, 2016
I was wary when starting Inherited, I had read the synopsis and found it to be absolutely enticing. However I didn't quite know how I would take to the whole Pirates and faeries idea combined. I believe Inherited from the very beginning pulled readers in and made them want to conintue. I know that for a fact, it had this effect on me. The story was well versed, and the characters were clearly illustrated throughout. Inherited by Freedom Matthews clearly deserves a 5 star rating.
The thing that hugely impacted my reading experience was the story line. It was like nothing I had read before. This book in a way I believe had two main focal points or possible story ideas and I believe Freedom did a brilliant job at combining both. She orchestrated scenes that could potentially clash, however with planning nothing did. We follow a crew of pirates who are aboard the Wilted Rose. They are cursed looking for the rest of their crew to free them of this very curse. Right away we are pulled into the action and the finding of a crew member. From that point on the action and adventure continues to rise. I liked that the curse had to do with love. To love someone in this book basically put you in a torturous situation, and countless times it was shown that loving wasn't something to be taken lightly. I liked that no one was safe as well. In this book we witness the death of some characters, and as much as I loved them, I understood why thinks had to happen. These characters were also quite crucial to the story itself. No one was safe basically.
Another thing I had to hugely applaud Freedom for were the villains in this story. Not only was love itself was practically a villain, but there was a physical character to play the role of the villain as well. She was created in a way that you could potentially feel sorry for her, but in a way still want to kill her yourself. Another aspect about this villain and her motivates that I really enjoyed was the way we could identify if she was near the Wilted Rose. It was unique and a very cool premise.
The thing that hugely impacted my reading experience was the story line. It was like nothing I had read before. This book in a way I believe had two main focal points or possible story ideas and I believe Freedom did a brilliant job at combining both. She orchestrated scenes that could potentially clash, however with planning nothing did. We follow a crew of pirates who are aboard the Wilted Rose. They are cursed looking for the rest of their crew to free them of this very curse. Right away we are pulled into the action and the finding of a crew member. From that point on the action and adventure continues to rise. I liked that the curse had to do with love. To love someone in this book basically put you in a torturous situation, and countless times it was shown that loving wasn't something to be taken lightly. I liked that no one was safe as well. In this book we witness the death of some characters, and as much as I loved them, I understood why thinks had to happen. These characters were also quite crucial to the story itself. No one was safe basically.
Another thing I had to hugely applaud Freedom for were the villains in this story. Not only was love itself was practically a villain, but there was a physical character to play the role of the villain as well. She was created in a way that you could potentially feel sorry for her, but in a way still want to kill her yourself. Another aspect about this villain and her motivates that I really enjoyed was the way we could identify if she was near the Wilted Rose. It was unique and a very cool premise.
June 24, 2016
www.bookworm221.tumblr.com
The crew about the Wilted Rose has been cursed since they were born and they want to break the curse but for that they need to find the last 2 crew members missing from their ship to finally be free.
Lennie is one of those cursed by a Sorceress, she and the rest of the crew go through many adventures, most of them really dangerous, in their quest for freedom. Aboard the ship Lennie has found a family, she has also found love and companionship.
The book is thrilling; there are many twist and turns! Most of them I didn’t see coming, in her writing Freedom Matthews transports us to this sort of magical world were anything can happen, where magic and fantastic beings are possible and were adventures are the order of the day.
I’m not sure if this is going to be the only book we get from these compelling characters but I sure hope not! That ending left me wanting more!
Keep Calm and Read On
Instagram and Twitter @bookquotes221
The crew about the Wilted Rose has been cursed since they were born and they want to break the curse but for that they need to find the last 2 crew members missing from their ship to finally be free.
Lennie is one of those cursed by a Sorceress, she and the rest of the crew go through many adventures, most of them really dangerous, in their quest for freedom. Aboard the ship Lennie has found a family, she has also found love and companionship.
The book is thrilling; there are many twist and turns! Most of them I didn’t see coming, in her writing Freedom Matthews transports us to this sort of magical world were anything can happen, where magic and fantastic beings are possible and were adventures are the order of the day.
I’m not sure if this is going to be the only book we get from these compelling characters but I sure hope not! That ending left me wanting more!
Keep Calm and Read On
Instagram and Twitter @bookquotes221
July 2, 2017
(4.95)
First of all, about The Thing at the End: HOW DARE YOU?? WHY???? (But it was totally unexpected so A+ for that.)
So this good-pirates story is kind of trope-ish, but it works really, really well. Nothing's out of character and nothing is annoying. The charaters are all different, amazing, and they feel real. The romance was on-point and Nathaniel is the sweetest gentleman ever.
I did feel like one or two things were a little close to the Pirates of the Carribean (and that would also cut about 15 pages out of this), but it's more of a personal preference.
This book is one now one of my favorites and I love it and if there's a sequel, I need it ASAP.
Recommended 15+ for mentions of prostitution and child prostitution (not graphic at all), language, magic, and violence (also not that graphic).
First of all, about The Thing at the End: HOW DARE YOU?? WHY???? (But it was totally unexpected so A+ for that.)
So this good-pirates story is kind of trope-ish, but it works really, really well. Nothing's out of character and nothing is annoying. The charaters are all different, amazing, and they feel real. The romance was on-point and Nathaniel is the sweetest gentleman ever.
I did feel like one or two things were a little close to the Pirates of the Carribean (and that would also cut about 15 pages out of this), but it's more of a personal preference.
This book is one now one of my favorites and I love it and if there's a sequel, I need it ASAP.
Recommended 15+ for mentions of prostitution and child prostitution (not graphic at all), language, magic, and violence (also not that graphic).
August 18, 2016
while reading I tried really hard to not drop the rating down this low but in the end there were just too many things that bothered me. full review to come.
October 12, 2017
When i saw that this book had only received 3 stars overall I was worried that wouldn't be as good as the blurb made out but I'm glad I read it as I really enjoyed the story. I did find a few problems with the story and how people would react in situations; I find it very hard to believe that a pirate ship would turn up and you would just get on it without asking questions especially when your not being made to get on-board and given your own choice whether to join or not. Otherwise I really liked the story, i was disappointed to find there isn't another one out yet other than a kindle short story.
Not sure if anyone else had this problem but my copy of this book was printed really badly in places with spelling mistakes and words duplicated. I did find 2 pages which were completely unreadable as the print had not been done correctly. Very disappointed in that as this was a book I had received with my fairyloot order and is a signed copy so would have liked it to be perfect.
Not sure if anyone else had this problem but my copy of this book was printed really badly in places with spelling mistakes and words duplicated. I did find 2 pages which were completely unreadable as the print had not been done correctly. Very disappointed in that as this was a book I had received with my fairyloot order and is a signed copy so would have liked it to be perfect.
June 21, 2016
*2.5 stars
Review originally posted on my blog: http://aideensbookobsession.blogspot....
Series: Curses of VIII,#1
Publications:July 12th 2016 by Oftomes Publishing
Goodreads description:
If saying 'I love you' meant death, would you still say it?
The Wilted Rose, of faery-tale and folklore, is a pirate ship filled with unfortunate souls-each forbidden to love. One such soul is Valencia 'Lennie' Roux. Raised in a brothel and an heir to a curse; Lennie never expected to pique the interest of any man. Yet with the arrival of vivid-eyed Nathaniel, she is torn between wanting to know him better and fearing what that knowledge would mean.
With Nathaniel bringing the crew's total to six, the Wilted Rose sets off in search of the remaining two heirs. They hope that in reuniting, they will convince the faery Sorceress responsible for the curse, to end it. However lurking beneath the water is a long standing enemy of the Wilted Rose; who is determined to thwart their quest and bring down its leaders.
Together the eight heirs fight for survival, friendship and love.
My thoughts:
Unfortunately I didn't love Inherited like I thought I would. I had a lot of problems with it and it just wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be this epic quest of pirates fighting fantastical creatures while looking for the two lost heirs but it wasn't so I was kind of disappointed.
The author created a lovely whimsical tone and atmosphere in the first few chapter while introducing the characters and the boat but I felt like this whimsical tone got lost as the story went on.
I think one of the strong points in Inherited is Lennie's character development. She definitely goes through a lot of growth in the story and I think it was portrayed very well. Unfortunately I didn't feel connected in anyway to Lennie. Her character is built up to be this tough girl who has suffered terrible hardships, which is true, but I felt like these hardships were used to define her. Even after spending 500+ pages in her head I still feel like I know very little about her.
I really liked reading about Lennie's different friendships with the other crew members, in particular her relationships with Claudette and Butch. I felt like these where the two characters/relationships that were developed the most.
The plot was engaging at times and boring at others. At some parts it felt like too much was happening and at other times it felt like nothing was happening that was relevant to the what I thought was the whole point of the story which was getting rid of the curse. The pacing was a bit all over the place to be honest.
I thought the antagonist of Hadnaloy could have been developed a lot more. I felt like she wasn't built up to be that threatening in my eyes.
Lennie and Nathaniel's relationship is definitely a big part of the story. Unfortunately I wasn't the biggest fan of it. It was too insta- lovey for my liking but if you don't mind insta-love than this aspect of the novel wouldn't bother you.
Sometime I thought the dialogue wasn't great. The only I can think to describe it is choppy. It didn't flowing right and sounded a bit unnatural to me. Every time I picked up the book it would take a few pages for this to stop bothering me.
I think the world was very underdeveloped. I have a lot of questions about it that were never answered. It's built up to be a fantasy world with curses and witches and faeries. We are on a magical boat and we visit magical forests and then smack bang in the middle there's a section of the book that takes place in England. It's was kind of jarring to me to have a real place in the midst of what I previously thought was a fantasy setting.
It sounds like I didn't like this book but I did. I guess my expectations where just too high. I wouldn't not recommend this book to people because I can see why some people who love it but I just wasn't for me.
My rating: 2.5
Thank you to Oftomes Publishing for sending me an eARC of Inherited in exchange for a review. As always all opinion are my own!
Thanks for reading,
A :)
Review originally posted on my blog: http://aideensbookobsession.blogspot....
Series: Curses of VIII,#1
Publications:July 12th 2016 by Oftomes Publishing
Goodreads description:
If saying 'I love you' meant death, would you still say it?
The Wilted Rose, of faery-tale and folklore, is a pirate ship filled with unfortunate souls-each forbidden to love. One such soul is Valencia 'Lennie' Roux. Raised in a brothel and an heir to a curse; Lennie never expected to pique the interest of any man. Yet with the arrival of vivid-eyed Nathaniel, she is torn between wanting to know him better and fearing what that knowledge would mean.
With Nathaniel bringing the crew's total to six, the Wilted Rose sets off in search of the remaining two heirs. They hope that in reuniting, they will convince the faery Sorceress responsible for the curse, to end it. However lurking beneath the water is a long standing enemy of the Wilted Rose; who is determined to thwart their quest and bring down its leaders.
Together the eight heirs fight for survival, friendship and love.
My thoughts:
Unfortunately I didn't love Inherited like I thought I would. I had a lot of problems with it and it just wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be this epic quest of pirates fighting fantastical creatures while looking for the two lost heirs but it wasn't so I was kind of disappointed.
The author created a lovely whimsical tone and atmosphere in the first few chapter while introducing the characters and the boat but I felt like this whimsical tone got lost as the story went on.
I think one of the strong points in Inherited is Lennie's character development. She definitely goes through a lot of growth in the story and I think it was portrayed very well. Unfortunately I didn't feel connected in anyway to Lennie. Her character is built up to be this tough girl who has suffered terrible hardships, which is true, but I felt like these hardships were used to define her. Even after spending 500+ pages in her head I still feel like I know very little about her.
I really liked reading about Lennie's different friendships with the other crew members, in particular her relationships with Claudette and Butch. I felt like these where the two characters/relationships that were developed the most.
The plot was engaging at times and boring at others. At some parts it felt like too much was happening and at other times it felt like nothing was happening that was relevant to the what I thought was the whole point of the story which was getting rid of the curse. The pacing was a bit all over the place to be honest.
I thought the antagonist of Hadnaloy could have been developed a lot more. I felt like she wasn't built up to be that threatening in my eyes.
Lennie and Nathaniel's relationship is definitely a big part of the story. Unfortunately I wasn't the biggest fan of it. It was too insta- lovey for my liking but if you don't mind insta-love than this aspect of the novel wouldn't bother you.
Sometime I thought the dialogue wasn't great. The only I can think to describe it is choppy. It didn't flowing right and sounded a bit unnatural to me. Every time I picked up the book it would take a few pages for this to stop bothering me.
I think the world was very underdeveloped. I have a lot of questions about it that were never answered. It's built up to be a fantasy world with curses and witches and faeries. We are on a magical boat and we visit magical forests and then smack bang in the middle there's a section of the book that takes place in England. It's was kind of jarring to me to have a real place in the midst of what I previously thought was a fantasy setting.
It sounds like I didn't like this book but I did. I guess my expectations where just too high. I wouldn't not recommend this book to people because I can see why some people who love it but I just wasn't for me.
My rating: 2.5
Thank you to Oftomes Publishing for sending me an eARC of Inherited in exchange for a review. As always all opinion are my own!
Thanks for reading,
A :)
June 15, 2016
ARC provided by the editor in exchange for a honest review.
I absolutely loved this book!
First of all, one of the things I really liked is the fact that the story was really unpredictable. It is always more enjoyable to read such books, in my opinion, and that one was full of unexpected plot twists which kept putting me on edge… And it was awesome.
I also really liked the fact that the characters are all very unique and very different. And at the same time, they have their weaknesses, and all feel human: it’s just perfect. I like each member of the crew. They complete one another, and bond to create a second family, it’s really great.
The main character, Lennie, already went through a lot, and that made her who she is. And yet, with the curse, and the sea witch, and her life as a pirate, she knows she will still have to go through more, and just accepts it. She appears strong and independant, but she is also really caring, and protective of her crew mates. Nathaniel first appears as the perfect guy: handsome, rich, knows how to fight, etc. but there is more to him. He is also really sweet and caring, and will quickly find his place on board.
As for the other characters, they all have a special place in my heart. Butch has a special place in my heart because he’s so cute, but I can’t really choose a favourite, they’re all different, and awesome in their own way.
Another thing that made this book even better is the writing style. I just enjoyed it so much, it was really pleasant to read.
What else can I add? This is a bit different from what I usually read, but the story had gotten me curious, and it was totally worth it. Really, it has everything: a curse, pirates, faerys, impossible romance, battles… A great story and a great writer, what could I ask for more?
The only thing I regretted is that it got a bit repetitive in the end, but that’s all. (And it also broke my heart, but again, it was totally worth it!)
Full review on my blog: https://clemisbookishworld.wordpress....
I absolutely loved this book!
First of all, one of the things I really liked is the fact that the story was really unpredictable. It is always more enjoyable to read such books, in my opinion, and that one was full of unexpected plot twists which kept putting me on edge… And it was awesome.
I also really liked the fact that the characters are all very unique and very different. And at the same time, they have their weaknesses, and all feel human: it’s just perfect. I like each member of the crew. They complete one another, and bond to create a second family, it’s really great.
The main character, Lennie, already went through a lot, and that made her who she is. And yet, with the curse, and the sea witch, and her life as a pirate, she knows she will still have to go through more, and just accepts it. She appears strong and independant, but she is also really caring, and protective of her crew mates. Nathaniel first appears as the perfect guy: handsome, rich, knows how to fight, etc. but there is more to him. He is also really sweet and caring, and will quickly find his place on board.
As for the other characters, they all have a special place in my heart. Butch has a special place in my heart because he’s so cute, but I can’t really choose a favourite, they’re all different, and awesome in their own way.
Another thing that made this book even better is the writing style. I just enjoyed it so much, it was really pleasant to read.
What else can I add? This is a bit different from what I usually read, but the story had gotten me curious, and it was totally worth it. Really, it has everything: a curse, pirates, faerys, impossible romance, battles… A great story and a great writer, what could I ask for more?
The only thing I regretted is that it got a bit repetitive in the end, but that’s all. (And it also broke my heart, but again, it was totally worth it!)
Full review on my blog: https://clemisbookishworld.wordpress....
May 30, 2016
Originally post @ Miranda's Book Blog
Otherworldly magic and curses run rampant, making this story unforgettable. I literally just finished this book and I’m still overcome with it’s magic!
The theme of this story is love. The story revolves around a band of motley pirates teaming up to break a curse. A curse that makes every crew member forbidden to love.
The protagonist is Lennie, let’s just say she’s one tough cookie! She’s been through so much in life but she hasn’t let her experiences jade her, if anything what she’s been through has made her stronger!
I really enjoyed the love between her and Nathaniel. I must admit, it happened fairly quickly, however I feel that it fit the story superbly! Lennie and Nathaniel’s love was endearing and heartbreakingly beautiful, they teach us that true love has no limits!
I only wish that the pacing would have been a bit more consistent. At times the story seemed to speed up then all of a sudden slow down. I felt that certain parts of the story were a bit too long, I started losing interest here and there. If a few scenes would have been cut out I feel like the pacing would be greatly improved and would help move along the story to keep the reader’s interest piqued.
Inherited is a charming, unique story centered around forbidden romance and finding family in the most unexpected of places. Oh and I can’t forget about the magic, the pages are aplenty with it! I am rating this one 2 1/2 stars. I loved the storyline but the pacing + the fact that there were a few too many unneeded scenes bogged down the story too much for me.
Otherworldly magic and curses run rampant, making this story unforgettable. I literally just finished this book and I’m still overcome with it’s magic!
The theme of this story is love. The story revolves around a band of motley pirates teaming up to break a curse. A curse that makes every crew member forbidden to love.
The protagonist is Lennie, let’s just say she’s one tough cookie! She’s been through so much in life but she hasn’t let her experiences jade her, if anything what she’s been through has made her stronger!
I really enjoyed the love between her and Nathaniel. I must admit, it happened fairly quickly, however I feel that it fit the story superbly! Lennie and Nathaniel’s love was endearing and heartbreakingly beautiful, they teach us that true love has no limits!
I only wish that the pacing would have been a bit more consistent. At times the story seemed to speed up then all of a sudden slow down. I felt that certain parts of the story were a bit too long, I started losing interest here and there. If a few scenes would have been cut out I feel like the pacing would be greatly improved and would help move along the story to keep the reader’s interest piqued.
Inherited is a charming, unique story centered around forbidden romance and finding family in the most unexpected of places. Oh and I can’t forget about the magic, the pages are aplenty with it! I am rating this one 2 1/2 stars. I loved the storyline but the pacing + the fact that there were a few too many unneeded scenes bogged down the story too much for me.
October 31, 2016
DNF at page 120.
I never ever EVER quit on books so it really pains me to do this- especially as Freedom is such a sweet person. However, I just cannot waste any more time on this.
Was this book even proof-read? There were so many mistakes that it was incredibly frustrating to read and I could not get invested in the story as I was constantly correcting the errors.
Below are just some of the reasons why I feel unable to continue with this book.
-Spelling mistakes
-Missing words
-Punctuation marks used interchangeably, incorrectly or not at all (especially frustrating when commas and semi-colons were used the wrong way around)
-Half sentences followed by fullstops (for example, a dependent clause without the necessary independent clause)
-Three or four FULL sentences strung together just with commas
-Words used that were clearly wrong in the context and didn't mean what they were supposed to mean
-'Banter' felt very forced
-Too many characters introduced at once with nothing to distinguish one from another
-Too much telling and not enough showing
-INSTA-LOVE!
It is a real shame because this book had a lot of promise and I feel like it could have been a fun story, but the execution made it a very fragmented and frustrating reading experience. I wish someone had beta-read this for Freedom as it could have been so much better without all the mistakes.
I may try to come back to this at some point in the future but I currently have too much on my TBR to waste time on something I'm not enjoying. Very disappointed.
I never ever EVER quit on books so it really pains me to do this- especially as Freedom is such a sweet person. However, I just cannot waste any more time on this.
Was this book even proof-read? There were so many mistakes that it was incredibly frustrating to read and I could not get invested in the story as I was constantly correcting the errors.
Below are just some of the reasons why I feel unable to continue with this book.
-Spelling mistakes
-Missing words
-Punctuation marks used interchangeably, incorrectly or not at all (especially frustrating when commas and semi-colons were used the wrong way around)
-Half sentences followed by fullstops (for example, a dependent clause without the necessary independent clause)
-Three or four FULL sentences strung together just with commas
-Words used that were clearly wrong in the context and didn't mean what they were supposed to mean
-'Banter' felt very forced
-Too many characters introduced at once with nothing to distinguish one from another
-Too much telling and not enough showing
-INSTA-LOVE!
It is a real shame because this book had a lot of promise and I feel like it could have been a fun story, but the execution made it a very fragmented and frustrating reading experience. I wish someone had beta-read this for Freedom as it could have been so much better without all the mistakes.
I may try to come back to this at some point in the future but I currently have too much on my TBR to waste time on something I'm not enjoying. Very disappointed.
June 5, 2017
THIS BOOK!!! Okay, guys... I need to calm down for a second. There was SO MUCH packed into this book, I was so surprised that it didn't feel rushed or clunky or bogged down. The narrative was filled to the brim, but it was smooth and interesting and hardly a slow moment in sight. I really enjoyed Freedom's writing and the way each member of the crew felt like their own, singular person. I loved the friendship between Lennie and Claudette. You don't see too many good female friendships in books, so having one here was refreshing to say the least. I really loved the romance as well and didn't feel like it took away from the swashbuckling. There was a good balance of pirates and romance. There are some things I wished had been slightly more fleshed out, but overall I felt truly immersed into the story and the world. If you're looking for a magical, fun, gripping pirate story, Inherited is the book for you!
July 8, 2016
Finished it before publication day! Yay!
Thanks Oftomes Publishing and Freedom Matthews for the eArc.
Full review can be found here: https://sherlockianbooklover.wordpres...
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this book, the crew of the pirate ship were all individual with their own stories which I enjoyed following and learning more about them as the book moved on. Lennie, the main character, is both a typical girl and YA heroine, as well as being bad ass, emotional and well, like her crew mates, cursed. It's a mix of Pirates of the Caribbean crossed with LOTR and Pride and Prejudice. But it works.
Give this a read when it's released on July 12th. You won't be disappointed. I'm keeping my review here short and spoiler free so go to the link above if you want to know what I thought about Inherited in more detail :)
Thanks Oftomes Publishing and Freedom Matthews for the eArc.
Full review can be found here: https://sherlockianbooklover.wordpres...
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this book, the crew of the pirate ship were all individual with their own stories which I enjoyed following and learning more about them as the book moved on. Lennie, the main character, is both a typical girl and YA heroine, as well as being bad ass, emotional and well, like her crew mates, cursed. It's a mix of Pirates of the Caribbean crossed with LOTR and Pride and Prejudice. But it works.
Give this a read when it's released on July 12th. You won't be disappointed. I'm keeping my review here short and spoiler free so go to the link above if you want to know what I thought about Inherited in more detail :)
May 2, 2017
I got this book in a box and it's been sitting there for months. Then, came the day I had nothing else to read. Well, let me tell you that I'd rather stop wasting my time!!
The idea was okay, I guess, although when I first got it, it didn't exactly interested me but I guess I realized there was something to do with it when I also realized that the author completely missed out on it. I think there was a plot, at first and then she started to write and whatever she would think of, she would put it in and it soon became really difficult to keep track on what the real deal was. I seriously think a kid wrote that or a person with barely no experience as a writer. It was fun, when I was 13 and we would write stories with my friends and pass it on so we could judge who wrote the best story. It is less fun when you know an editor approved of that and you paid for it.
DNF.
The idea was okay, I guess, although when I first got it, it didn't exactly interested me but I guess I realized there was something to do with it when I also realized that the author completely missed out on it. I think there was a plot, at first and then she started to write and whatever she would think of, she would put it in and it soon became really difficult to keep track on what the real deal was. I seriously think a kid wrote that or a person with barely no experience as a writer. It was fun, when I was 13 and we would write stories with my friends and pass it on so we could judge who wrote the best story. It is less fun when you know an editor approved of that and you paid for it.
DNF.
July 26, 2016
I've never not finished a book before but I couldn't bring myself to finish this. I stopped at 60%
My problem with this book is that it says it's about cursed pirates when in all actuality there is very little "pirating" going on. The curse part didn't even feel like a big deal because characters were going around kissing people without any consequences. Basically they couldn't say "I love you" because their lover would drop dead. That was the curse! That's it. It felt extremely underwhelming. Then everything was easily found by the crew. Looking for another cursed heir...bam they'd showed up out of no where. My copy of the book was 500+ pages which it didn't need to be. Too much extra stuff that had nothing to do with the plot. The book could've been 300pgs.
My problem with this book is that it says it's about cursed pirates when in all actuality there is very little "pirating" going on. The curse part didn't even feel like a big deal because characters were going around kissing people without any consequences. Basically they couldn't say "I love you" because their lover would drop dead. That was the curse! That's it. It felt extremely underwhelming. Then everything was easily found by the crew. Looking for another cursed heir...bam they'd showed up out of no where. My copy of the book was 500+ pages which it didn't need to be. Too much extra stuff that had nothing to do with the plot. The book could've been 300pgs.
August 8, 2016
"A fantastic tale about pirates, curses, love, friendship and survival. This book has made me want to read more pirate tales." - My thoughts on Inherited.
July 26, 2016
loved it. lovely story, fierce female lead and amazing characters
March 20, 2017
Review in Italian: https://lalibreriadij.wordpress.com/2...
My dear you can not understand my agony as I write this review. This is one of the worst books I've read in my life.
I was so confident of being able to find another wonderful book to read but instead I found myself reading this mush of words ...
I've read in English for years now, but as for all languages if one does not use it in the every day life like it or not some mistakes are made, after all, there are those who still misses the subjunctive in Italian (and this is saying something)! So, as I read in English more often than not I find myself with words that I have never used, phrases I would write differently or ambiguous meanings from words used in strange contexts. But in this book I was able to find so many of those grammatical errors, batting, omissions of words, etc. that would dwarf even a novice with the language. Never found so many errors in any book (typos like missing the final s and instead of a plural noun we have a singular one are okay, but once in a blue moon not for each chapter!). What does this tell me? That the book was not treated fairly, not only by the author but also by the publisher!
Improper grammar aside, the real problem is thet the plot does not make sense. These eight (but sometimes are less, other times more) "pirates" are cursed: they can not proclaim their love, or if more simply not say the words "I love you" to someone because the latter would be destined to die. And the doubts begin already: just to anyone (even to their family) or just the person (of the opposite sex, because other sexual orientation in this book are not covered) that they love? However, I was the one having doubts, obviously, because these pirates have been told that they were cursed and have taken all for good.
Our protagonist is Lennie (actually Valencia but the author has felt the need to give her a man's nickname because it is the only woman in the crew, and she might have felt left out) and we follow everything from her point of view. She is not a bad character but, of course, as soon as she sees the new crew member, Nathaniel, I heard the kdrama The Heirs soundtrack "Love is the moment" starst and it all went downhill. We discover something of Lennie's past that at the beginning keeps her away from the newcomer and his so blue eyes but not even half a second later she is there kissing him ... consistency is obviously not her forte.
I personally think he is an intellectual doting: beautiful as the sun, intelligent and passionate about books and stories to tell but with a not well-developed character. Whenever he should have asked himself some questions (like when he joined the crew) he kept quiet, and then when he had in fact intelligent questions the others kept silent, or they didn't even adknowledge him ... I still have to understand this thing.
So in addition to this love-you-that-should'nt-even-exist in the plot what is there? The right question is what is not there? In this book we talk about pirates, curses, fae, search for treasures, escapes from buildings, basically the only thingsmissing are the dragons, and we're good. The world is not well defined: we are in a realm of fantasy or in the real world? And in what time? No, because I understand the history of the pirates with the brothels and taverns, but the magic is not part of the real world and therefore I'm a bit confused.
Among other things the whole story of the cause of the curse does not make sense! SPOILER Why did the big boss (the name is so because she always commands all) curse pirates forcing them to not be able to declare their love? Because she has suffered for love and therefore she wants to save them from that pain ... come on, really ?? They can fall in love but they can not say their love to their beloved without letting them die ... what is the point? What to do with the fact that you suffered and especially how this could prevent them from suffering? Rather prevent them from loving at all, so not even have the temptation, and definitely do not suffer! END SPOILER
Don't even bring up the author's way of telling old stories or facts as legends that I would definitely have avoided. (The only time I wanted to hear the story that Nathaniel was telling the author stopped everything with an ellipsis ... thanks.)
Do we want to talk about the end ?? (SPOILER how many times Lennie almost died in the plot? Too many to count! And then what happens? he dies??? END SPOILER )
As you have seen from my rant about it, I did not appreciate this book.
Recommended? I'm sorry but I'd say no. From the plot this book seemed to have a lot of potential and the two stars are for that, but the whole operation was not up to my expectations. Pity!
Ps The cover was so beautiful !!!
My dear you can not understand my agony as I write this review. This is one of the worst books I've read in my life.
I was so confident of being able to find another wonderful book to read but instead I found myself reading this mush of words ...
I've read in English for years now, but as for all languages if one does not use it in the every day life like it or not some mistakes are made, after all, there are those who still misses the subjunctive in Italian (and this is saying something)! So, as I read in English more often than not I find myself with words that I have never used, phrases I would write differently or ambiguous meanings from words used in strange contexts. But in this book I was able to find so many of those grammatical errors, batting, omissions of words, etc. that would dwarf even a novice with the language. Never found so many errors in any book (typos like missing the final s and instead of a plural noun we have a singular one are okay, but once in a blue moon not for each chapter!). What does this tell me? That the book was not treated fairly, not only by the author but also by the publisher!
Improper grammar aside, the real problem is thet the plot does not make sense. These eight (but sometimes are less, other times more) "pirates" are cursed: they can not proclaim their love, or if more simply not say the words "I love you" to someone because the latter would be destined to die. And the doubts begin already: just to anyone (even to their family) or just the person (of the opposite sex, because other sexual orientation in this book are not covered) that they love? However, I was the one having doubts, obviously, because these pirates have been told that they were cursed and have taken all for good.
Our protagonist is Lennie (actually Valencia but the author has felt the need to give her a man's nickname because it is the only woman in the crew, and she might have felt left out) and we follow everything from her point of view. She is not a bad character but, of course, as soon as she sees the new crew member, Nathaniel, I heard the kdrama The Heirs soundtrack "Love is the moment" starst and it all went downhill. We discover something of Lennie's past that at the beginning keeps her away from the newcomer and his so blue eyes but not even half a second later she is there kissing him ... consistency is obviously not her forte.
I personally think he is an intellectual doting: beautiful as the sun, intelligent and passionate about books and stories to tell but with a not well-developed character. Whenever he should have asked himself some questions (like when he joined the crew) he kept quiet, and then when he had in fact intelligent questions the others kept silent, or they didn't even adknowledge him ... I still have to understand this thing.
So in addition to this love-you-that-should'nt-even-exist in the plot what is there? The right question is what is not there? In this book we talk about pirates, curses, fae, search for treasures, escapes from buildings, basically the only thingsmissing are the dragons, and we're good. The world is not well defined: we are in a realm of fantasy or in the real world? And in what time? No, because I understand the history of the pirates with the brothels and taverns, but the magic is not part of the real world and therefore I'm a bit confused.
Among other things the whole story of the cause of the curse does not make sense! SPOILER Why did the big boss (the name is so because she always commands all) curse pirates forcing them to not be able to declare their love? Because she has suffered for love and therefore she wants to save them from that pain ... come on, really ?? They can fall in love but they can not say their love to their beloved without letting them die ... what is the point? What to do with the fact that you suffered and especially how this could prevent them from suffering? Rather prevent them from loving at all, so not even have the temptation, and definitely do not suffer! END SPOILER
Don't even bring up the author's way of telling old stories or facts as legends that I would definitely have avoided. (The only time I wanted to hear the story that Nathaniel was telling the author stopped everything with an ellipsis ... thanks.)
Do we want to talk about the end ?? (SPOILER how many times Lennie almost died in the plot? Too many to count! And then what happens? he dies??? END SPOILER )
As you have seen from my rant about it, I did not appreciate this book.
Recommended? I'm sorry but I'd say no. From the plot this book seemed to have a lot of potential and the two stars are for that, but the whole operation was not up to my expectations. Pity!
Ps The cover was so beautiful !!!
July 29, 2019
This book has been sitting on my kindle for 2 years and i can’t believe I waited so long to read because I devoured it!!
An otherworldly curse runs rampant on the passengers of the Wilted Rose. 5 motley pirates are aboard the ship looking for the other 3 who need to join. They are cursed by a Faerie and the crew believe getting all 8 together that maybe they could ask the Faerie sorcerer to take away the curse, that years ago killed 8 pairs of their parents. Among the crew is Lennie, the only girl who isn’t afraid to be amongst the men. She’s tough and knows how to handle a sword. Then enter Nathaniel. Lennie shouldn’t like him because with the curse loving someone kills you. But she can’t help it and as much as she resists the feelings she can’t stay away.
This book is a love story, where love can kill! Lennie an Nathaniel’s relationship is powerful. It’s poetic, enduring, and heartbreaking. They show us that true love has no limits.
As much as I love the story and relationships, the pacing just jumps around a lot and I was confused a couple times and had to re read. But other than that I loved this pirate adventure
An otherworldly curse runs rampant on the passengers of the Wilted Rose. 5 motley pirates are aboard the ship looking for the other 3 who need to join. They are cursed by a Faerie and the crew believe getting all 8 together that maybe they could ask the Faerie sorcerer to take away the curse, that years ago killed 8 pairs of their parents. Among the crew is Lennie, the only girl who isn’t afraid to be amongst the men. She’s tough and knows how to handle a sword. Then enter Nathaniel. Lennie shouldn’t like him because with the curse loving someone kills you. But she can’t help it and as much as she resists the feelings she can’t stay away.
This book is a love story, where love can kill! Lennie an Nathaniel’s relationship is powerful. It’s poetic, enduring, and heartbreaking. They show us that true love has no limits.
As much as I love the story and relationships, the pacing just jumps around a lot and I was confused a couple times and had to re read. But other than that I loved this pirate adventure
July 10, 2016
***The ARC was provided by OfTomes Publishing for review purposes. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.
What I like about it
The writing was good. It wasn't mind blowing but it was clear and I appreciate that, a lot. Sometimes with fantasy novels, the way the story is written cloud the story itself. You get what I mean? I like how the author keeps descriptions simple, and easy to understand. Which leads me to my second point.
I love, LOVE, how the places and situations were described by the author. Her descriptions are crisp and vivid, but not lacking in the entire feel of the scene. Reading, I could almost smell the salty sea air and feel the warm Caribbean sunsets.It was spot on. The pacing was good, there were moments when I felt could have gone a bit faster but it didn't make me impatient enough to just skim through them.
There was enough character development for the characters. ALL OF THEM which was good. Surprisingly, these developments weren't just thrown into the story. I could see that it was planned meticulously, and they were all woven into the plot so that you wouldn't really notice it happening. Also, I am a fan of the back stories for all the characters. I love how there was one general back story from which all branched out, but then it reconnects beautifully to the present point of view. The flashbacks were poignant. They were gritty, but still appropriate for being categorized as Young Adult.
I would say that the greater plot twist comes at its ending. There were revelations throughout the story like I said and things that were a bit shocking but it is the few last pages that I felt intrigued. And speaking of shocking things, that death though! I mean, I was reading one moment and the next... what the!
Thinking about it, the curse and the mission was very simple, though vague. And I think ultimately, that was what gave the story's impact. I think it was how it dealt with something so simple yet so powerful that it has so much impact on a person's happiness and existence. It asks the question of are actions really enough? How much can words mean or change? The mystery, the fight scenes, the dynamics between the characters is well thought out. No two relationship/interaction was the same. Especially dealing with a lot of characters with varying intensities but almost equal importance, that is hard to do.
And can we just talk about our power girl? She just rocked. She went through a lot and bossed at life!
What I didn't like
The almost insta-love. I felt iffy about it honestly. Well, let's be fair. It wasn't really insta-love but still. Iffy about how things started out.
Remember I said that the ending was what gave me the twist? Well, as it is, I don't really know how I feel about how it generally ended. I don't exactly hate it, and honestly I couldn't think of a better one, but I think it lacked mystery. There wasn't much pull from the ending.
I also have this love-hate relationship with the Sorceress/--- (not gonna spoil her 'true' identity). I just found her petty, you know, like a whiny tween who finally gets it and makes amends for her temper tantrum. At the same time, I wasn't sold on the villain. Was she too soft? Maybe. Hardcore as it may sound, I kind of wanted her to be much more evil than what she was made to look/ feel like. Sinister people, that is the goal.
Finally, and I want to say that this is all due to me being a weird human, I just felt that it lacked something. And don't even bother asking me to explain because I have tried countless times and I just can't. I tried people. There was just this feeling of disconnect with me and this story and the characters. It's not that this is a bad book, because it is not a terrible book. I think the best way I could explain it is it wasn't able to just suck me in. It wasn't able to pull me in and just envelope me and get a tight grip on me that I have to slap myself to reality. That.
So amidst all this banter. I would say give this book a go. This is my first pirate novel and I liked it.
What I like about it
The writing was good. It wasn't mind blowing but it was clear and I appreciate that, a lot. Sometimes with fantasy novels, the way the story is written cloud the story itself. You get what I mean? I like how the author keeps descriptions simple, and easy to understand. Which leads me to my second point.
I love, LOVE, how the places and situations were described by the author. Her descriptions are crisp and vivid, but not lacking in the entire feel of the scene. Reading, I could almost smell the salty sea air and feel the warm Caribbean sunsets.It was spot on. The pacing was good, there were moments when I felt could have gone a bit faster but it didn't make me impatient enough to just skim through them.
There was enough character development for the characters. ALL OF THEM which was good. Surprisingly, these developments weren't just thrown into the story. I could see that it was planned meticulously, and they were all woven into the plot so that you wouldn't really notice it happening. Also, I am a fan of the back stories for all the characters. I love how there was one general back story from which all branched out, but then it reconnects beautifully to the present point of view. The flashbacks were poignant. They were gritty, but still appropriate for being categorized as Young Adult.
I would say that the greater plot twist comes at its ending. There were revelations throughout the story like I said and things that were a bit shocking but it is the few last pages that I felt intrigued. And speaking of shocking things, that death though! I mean, I was reading one moment and the next... what the!
Thinking about it, the curse and the mission was very simple, though vague. And I think ultimately, that was what gave the story's impact. I think it was how it dealt with something so simple yet so powerful that it has so much impact on a person's happiness and existence. It asks the question of are actions really enough? How much can words mean or change? The mystery, the fight scenes, the dynamics between the characters is well thought out. No two relationship/interaction was the same. Especially dealing with a lot of characters with varying intensities but almost equal importance, that is hard to do.
And can we just talk about our power girl? She just rocked. She went through a lot and bossed at life!
What I didn't like
The almost insta-love. I felt iffy about it honestly. Well, let's be fair. It wasn't really insta-love but still. Iffy about how things started out.
Remember I said that the ending was what gave me the twist? Well, as it is, I don't really know how I feel about how it generally ended. I don't exactly hate it, and honestly I couldn't think of a better one, but I think it lacked mystery. There wasn't much pull from the ending.
I also have this love-hate relationship with the Sorceress/--- (not gonna spoil her 'true' identity). I just found her petty, you know, like a whiny tween who finally gets it and makes amends for her temper tantrum. At the same time, I wasn't sold on the villain. Was she too soft? Maybe. Hardcore as it may sound, I kind of wanted her to be much more evil than what she was made to look/ feel like. Sinister people, that is the goal.
Finally, and I want to say that this is all due to me being a weird human, I just felt that it lacked something. And don't even bother asking me to explain because I have tried countless times and I just can't. I tried people. There was just this feeling of disconnect with me and this story and the characters. It's not that this is a bad book, because it is not a terrible book. I think the best way I could explain it is it wasn't able to just suck me in. It wasn't able to pull me in and just envelope me and get a tight grip on me that I have to slap myself to reality. That.
So amidst all this banter. I would say give this book a go. This is my first pirate novel and I liked it.
July 11, 2016
You won't believe how excited I was when I started reading this huge book!
I really enjoyed the storyline filled with pirates, curses, faeries but action and romance as well. Two things had intrigued me right from the beginning: I wanted to know more about Lennie's dark past and how they would lift the curse eventually.
However, my personal problem at the beginning of the book was that too many characters were introduced at once with the result that throughout the whole book I could not connect to any characters at all except Lennie, Nathaniel and Ned.
Knowing that the central theme of this whole curse is love I, of course, expected a romance but I felt that the romance between Lennie and Nathaniel was a bit forced in the beginning - almost a bit like an insta love. As the story progressed their relationship was more believable and real except up to one point when I thought: "What's going on?!" because the story was rushed again. I mean they are fighting their great enemy and amidst the battle they both go away into an empty room, talk about something important concerning their future as a couple and when they come back the battle is over and it is just described how everybody is physically hurt. That was the only scene I did not really enjoy.
Despite the fact that Lennie's and Nathaniel's relationship felt a bit rushed they both were adorable in the way they interacted with each other, so I was super happy for them when the curse was broken and they could finally say "I love you" to each other! <3
And speaking of them: Lennie who is a very strong, determined and brave woman and Nathaniel, a smart and caring man, were my favourite characters in the story! :)
And now moving on to the author, Freedom Matthews:
I think she is very creative ( I would've never came up with the idea of putting faeries and pirates in one book lol ) and has a fantastic writing style although it is only her debut novel yet! She managed to create an awesome debut with unique characters and very cool magic as well as a story that takes a grip of you in right from the beginning!
All in all, I really enjoyed the story and I cannot wait for more books by Freedom Matthews!
I really enjoyed the storyline filled with pirates, curses, faeries but action and romance as well. Two things had intrigued me right from the beginning: I wanted to know more about Lennie's dark past and how they would lift the curse eventually.
However, my personal problem at the beginning of the book was that too many characters were introduced at once with the result that throughout the whole book I could not connect to any characters at all except Lennie, Nathaniel and Ned.
Knowing that the central theme of this whole curse is love I, of course, expected a romance but I felt that the romance between Lennie and Nathaniel was a bit forced in the beginning - almost a bit like an insta love. As the story progressed their relationship was more believable and real except up to one point when I thought: "What's going on?!" because the story was rushed again. I mean they are fighting their great enemy and amidst the battle they both go away into an empty room, talk about something important concerning their future as a couple and when they come back the battle is over and it is just described how everybody is physically hurt. That was the only scene I did not really enjoy.
Despite the fact that Lennie's and Nathaniel's relationship felt a bit rushed they both were adorable in the way they interacted with each other, so I was super happy for them when the curse was broken and they could finally say "I love you" to each other! <3
And speaking of them: Lennie who is a very strong, determined and brave woman and Nathaniel, a smart and caring man, were my favourite characters in the story! :)
And now moving on to the author, Freedom Matthews:
I think she is very creative ( I would've never came up with the idea of putting faeries and pirates in one book lol ) and has a fantastic writing style although it is only her debut novel yet! She managed to create an awesome debut with unique characters and very cool magic as well as a story that takes a grip of you in right from the beginning!
All in all, I really enjoyed the story and I cannot wait for more books by Freedom Matthews!
January 31, 2017
I loved this book so much
Love, love, loved it!
The character development is amazing, the world building really puts you on The Wilted Rose with the crew, the story is rich and heartbreaking, the action is intense, the cliffhangers make you continue reading even when you're supposed to be in bed!
We follow Lennie (aka Valencia) aboard the Wilted Rose pirate ship, as she and her fellow crewmates try and end a curse cast on them because of their lineage. It's filled with twists and turns, and I pulled me right in!
I love the characters in this book. The crew support each other and are like a family. The friendships are fierce and loyal, and it's refreshing to see. The relationships are healthy and cultivated, and it's great to see romance where the couple don't try and change each other, but accept exactly who they are.
Lennie is such a kick ass female lead. She has a troubled past, and a questionable future (with the pirate curse and all), yet she is strong, determined and brave. She's the only female aboard The Wilted Rose, but she doesn't want to be treated as such. She can kick those boys asses, hold her own in a fight, and doesn't want anyone stepping in on her behalf.
Nathaniel is has a softer side than most of the pirates, but he's also tough, ruggedly handsome and totally swoon worthy! He comes from a higher class than the other crew mates, but never acts as such and really finds his place among the pirates. I love watching his character grow and find his way!
Claudette is wise and strong, powerful and such a wonderful aly and addition to this story! I want to say more about her but...spoilers!
This is no ordinary pirate tale! Did I mention the sorceress, the fairies, and the magic? Oh yeah, there's magic! It's woven so beautifully and I really can't say enough good things about it!
Freedom Mathews holds you captive within this story, and trust me you won't mind!
Love, love, loved it!
The character development is amazing, the world building really puts you on The Wilted Rose with the crew, the story is rich and heartbreaking, the action is intense, the cliffhangers make you continue reading even when you're supposed to be in bed!
We follow Lennie (aka Valencia) aboard the Wilted Rose pirate ship, as she and her fellow crewmates try and end a curse cast on them because of their lineage. It's filled with twists and turns, and I pulled me right in!
I love the characters in this book. The crew support each other and are like a family. The friendships are fierce and loyal, and it's refreshing to see. The relationships are healthy and cultivated, and it's great to see romance where the couple don't try and change each other, but accept exactly who they are.
Lennie is such a kick ass female lead. She has a troubled past, and a questionable future (with the pirate curse and all), yet she is strong, determined and brave. She's the only female aboard The Wilted Rose, but she doesn't want to be treated as such. She can kick those boys asses, hold her own in a fight, and doesn't want anyone stepping in on her behalf.
Nathaniel is has a softer side than most of the pirates, but he's also tough, ruggedly handsome and totally swoon worthy! He comes from a higher class than the other crew mates, but never acts as such and really finds his place among the pirates. I love watching his character grow and find his way!
Claudette is wise and strong, powerful and such a wonderful aly and addition to this story! I want to say more about her but...spoilers!
This is no ordinary pirate tale! Did I mention the sorceress, the fairies, and the magic? Oh yeah, there's magic! It's woven so beautifully and I really can't say enough good things about it!
Freedom Mathews holds you captive within this story, and trust me you won't mind!
June 30, 2022
So there was so much of this book I liked, just something hit the spot with me and I'm not sure what it is. The chapters inside were cutely designed. I really liked the relationship between Lennie and Nathanial so many cute moments like the ball where she feels a bit like cinderella enjoyed that scene. Overall it was okay.
June 23, 2019
DNF- 25%
I usually try to read to the halfway point before I actually DNF books, but I just couldn't do it with this one. I wasn't interested in anything that was going on, and there were a lot of grammatic errors that I just couldn't get over
I usually try to read to the halfway point before I actually DNF books, but I just couldn't do it with this one. I wasn't interested in anything that was going on, and there were a lot of grammatic errors that I just couldn't get over
January 7, 2017
One of the most talked about books for Oftomes the thought of pirates cursed never to be able to say the words “I love you” intrigued me.
We meet Lennie on board of the cursed ship the Wilted Rose as they pick up the latest descendent from the original cursed crew, Nathaniel. Raised by an uncle of hirer standing it takes Nathaniel time to find his place on the ship whilst Lennie watches from a distance. As they search for the final two descendants to approach the sorceress for a cure to the curse they are hunted by another witch who wishes to end the life of the Wilted Rose and the crew on board. As the crew fight off foes both human and supernatural we learn about the pasts of Lennie, Nathaniel and the rest of the crew as information about their parents and the curse is woven throughout.
I loved the depth that Matthews has put into each character and how they all each bring something to working on board the Wilted Rose. The banter between them flows and is written really well. It is easy to believe that they are all friends despite being brought together through a curse. Ned provides the fatherly advice and wisdom that would be lacking without an adult figure which is needed.
While I loved the dynamic between the characters the novel confused me and I don’t know whether it was just my interpretation of it but, the rift between Hadnaloy, the sorceress and Rosa I really didn’t understand. The writing of it seemed a jumbled to me and didn’t quite make sense until the conclusion. It seemed like a subplot which really didn’t need to be there unless Matthews was doing so to pave the way for a second novel; which it looks like it was for and that’s fine but, because of this rift it dragged the novel out longer than I felt it needed to be.
And then there was the insta-love. As I’m currently reading a lot of YA novels another insta-love really annoyed me. As a seasoned pirate it seemed very unrealistic that Lennie would fall in love instantly or have such a great attraction and affection to Nathaniel as soon as they met. I would have enjoyed this aspect of the novel more if they both gradually began to like/love one another.
All in all, the novel reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean in more than one way. A cursed ship, a cursed crew, a sorceress and a love destined for darkness; sound familiar? The novel held so much promise for me but, I wanted a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas and I just didn’t get that. I have the prequel to the novel Into the Forest and I hope this may influence my decision for this novel; failing that, I hope the next one delivers on a darker, pirate adventure.
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