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Mortal Memories
A mortal woman missing her memory.
A fae lord held captive by his.
When Carra is discovered in the fae Quarter alone, a transgression punishable by death, she’s given a choice: marry her savior, or run for her life. Missing all memories from before that night, she agrees to the marriage and turns her focus toward rediscovering who she is, and why she was in the Quarter in the first place.
When his fiancée died fifty years ago, Straid withdrew from society. But after impulsively marrying a mortal woman to save her life, there are some things he cannot ignore: his feelings for his new wife, the growing list of people going missing in the Quarter–and the possibility that the disappearances may be connected to the woman he loves.
Mortal Memories is a slow-burn, spicy fae romance perfect for fans of K. F. Breene and Sarah J Maas.
A fae lord held captive by his.
When Carra is discovered in the fae Quarter alone, a transgression punishable by death, she’s given a choice: marry her savior, or run for her life. Missing all memories from before that night, she agrees to the marriage and turns her focus toward rediscovering who she is, and why she was in the Quarter in the first place.
When his fiancée died fifty years ago, Straid withdrew from society. But after impulsively marrying a mortal woman to save her life, there are some things he cannot ignore: his feelings for his new wife, the growing list of people going missing in the Quarter–and the possibility that the disappearances may be connected to the woman he loves.
Mortal Memories is a slow-burn, spicy fae romance perfect for fans of K. F. Breene and Sarah J Maas.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2024
4 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
December 8, 2024
This book had such an interesting premise but the execution wasn't done well (in my personal opinion). First of all, I was very intrigued by the amnesia trauma that the fmc deals with but the mystery element felt weak throughout the book. Just like that the worldbuilding was very lackluster. I really couldn't imagine the fantasy world in which this book was set. Plus I just didn't feel like there was a whole lot of depth throughout. The beginning of the novel immediately hooks you but soon after the first scene it just drags (on & on). For me this book was just pretty messy overall (plot inconsistensies, ect.).
I did relatively enjoy the way the author built the relationship between Carra and Straid. It was somewhat a highlight of the book. The dialogue wasn't too bad between the characters either. Besides these two things there wasn't a whole lot that I really enjoyed or that stuck out/with me.
I also was not aware before I started this book that it was the first in a series. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up because I'd thought that this book was a standalone. It does leave on a pretty intriguing cliffhanger but I don't neccessarily think I'll pick up the next ones in this series due to my rating on this one.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.
I did relatively enjoy the way the author built the relationship between Carra and Straid. It was somewhat a highlight of the book. The dialogue wasn't too bad between the characters either. Besides these two things there wasn't a whole lot that I really enjoyed or that stuck out/with me.
I also was not aware before I started this book that it was the first in a series. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up because I'd thought that this book was a standalone. It does leave on a pretty intriguing cliffhanger but I don't neccessarily think I'll pick up the next ones in this series due to my rating on this one.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.
July 20, 2024
Ahhh my first ever NetGalley Arc 🤭 Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for an early access for this book! And thanks to ♥︎ Heather ⚔ who helped me figure out how to send books to my kindle 😆
This book had a very interesting premise and I was looking forward to reading about an FMC who suffered post trauma amnesia.
This book read somewhat very easily and you’re thrown into the action right at the start. However - I did feel there weren’t any world building at all and the plots needed a little more working on (there were a few plot holes).
As for the characters - I did find that Carra was difficult with Straid… considering he saved her life and all. I would expect a little more respect and mercy 😅. When she remembered she was a prostitute - I was surprised at how fast she wanted to get back to it. She didn’t remember who she was but she wanted to get back to her job right away… that didn’t really make sense to me?
I also wish their relationship would’ve been more platonic as I didn’t believe in the romance.
The reveal at the end was a little predictable but I’m left with more unanswered questions.
This book had a very interesting premise and I was looking forward to reading about an FMC who suffered post trauma amnesia.
This book read somewhat very easily and you’re thrown into the action right at the start. However - I did feel there weren’t any world building at all and the plots needed a little more working on (there were a few plot holes).
As for the characters - I did find that Carra was difficult with Straid… considering he saved her life and all. I would expect a little more respect and mercy 😅. When she remembered she was a prostitute - I was surprised at how fast she wanted to get back to it. She didn’t remember who she was but she wanted to get back to her job right away… that didn’t really make sense to me?
I also wish their relationship would’ve been more platonic as I didn’t believe in the romance.
The reveal at the end was a little predictable but I’m left with more unanswered questions.
January 30, 2025
2.5 stars
Mortal Memories is a slow burn, marriage of convenience, fantasy romance, following the perspectives of Carra and Striad. I was excited for this book, it has some of my favorite tropes, plus magic and Fae. Introduction was very attention grabbing, but as I got more into the story and other things came to light, the less I became invested in the main characters' romance and development. The plot still had me interested enough to continue until about halfway and then it really tapered off for me. I ended up not liking Striad that much, he was very cold and did not warm up all that much and Carra was not around much for a solid relationship to develop between them as well as other obstacles she keeps introducing.This is not a book that I would recommend.
I received an ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
Mortal Memories is a slow burn, marriage of convenience, fantasy romance, following the perspectives of Carra and Striad. I was excited for this book, it has some of my favorite tropes, plus magic and Fae. Introduction was very attention grabbing, but as I got more into the story and other things came to light, the less I became invested in the main characters' romance and development. The plot still had me interested enough to continue until about halfway and then it really tapered off for me. I ended up not liking Striad that much, he was very cold and did not warm up all that much and Carra was not around much for a solid relationship to develop between them as well as other obstacles she keeps introducing.This is not a book that I would recommend.
I received an ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
September 9, 2024
Summarized
A human woman stumbles in the fae quarters that are off limits to all mortals. Before a disaster occurs, she’s rescued by a fae lord that claims her as his wife in order for nothing bad to fall upon her. However, she doesn’t know who she is, nor how she stumbled into the quarters. How can she marry someone if she doesn’t even know her own name? Mortal Memories is a spicy fae romantasy that follows Carra, a mortal who’s cursed by memory loss. And her temporary husband Straid, who does everything to help her get her memories back before the person that stole them finds her again.
Thoughts
Cliffhangerrrrrrr, WE END THE BOOK ON A FREAKING CLIFFHANGER!! It took forever for me to get into reading this book at first. I can’t tell if it just seemed super slow in the beginning or if my current reading slump is just messing up my head. But the second this book comes out this needs to be at the top of your tbr. Like I actually need the sequel to this right now. Tomorrow, in a few hours actually because that cliffhanger is insane. I’m not going to spoil a thing about this book but I strongly recommend you read this asap.
Thank you Netgally for this advance copy for an honest review!
A human woman stumbles in the fae quarters that are off limits to all mortals. Before a disaster occurs, she’s rescued by a fae lord that claims her as his wife in order for nothing bad to fall upon her. However, she doesn’t know who she is, nor how she stumbled into the quarters. How can she marry someone if she doesn’t even know her own name? Mortal Memories is a spicy fae romantasy that follows Carra, a mortal who’s cursed by memory loss. And her temporary husband Straid, who does everything to help her get her memories back before the person that stole them finds her again.
Thoughts
Cliffhangerrrrrrr, WE END THE BOOK ON A FREAKING CLIFFHANGER!! It took forever for me to get into reading this book at first. I can’t tell if it just seemed super slow in the beginning or if my current reading slump is just messing up my head. But the second this book comes out this needs to be at the top of your tbr. Like I actually need the sequel to this right now. Tomorrow, in a few hours actually because that cliffhanger is insane. I’m not going to spoil a thing about this book but I strongly recommend you read this asap.
Thank you Netgally for this advance copy for an honest review!
July 16, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley, I got an early read of this book before its October 10th, 2024 release. The ending was a standout—creative and shocking, leaving a cliffhanger that promises something wild. However in truth, it took me a while to get into the story.
The growing relationship between Carra and Straid was a highlight. I enjoyed seeing their connections develop and appreciated the normalcy of their interactions. While the world-building was minimal and I would have liked more, Straid's family and history added depth.
Carra's character left me wanting more. She is portrayed as a human prostitute who lost her memory. One moment she doesn’t know who she is, and the next, she’s eager to return to her work despite her amnesia. This felt inconsistent and hard to believe. Her profession played a significant role in the story, often feeling as if the plot would unnecessarily centre around it. Almost all spicy scenes focused on her work rather than her relationship with Straid, robbing the chance to further strengthen their relationship.
The book, still in its final stages, sometimes lacked the ability to keep the reader interested and felt as if it needed further background development and maybe even character and world building. Despite these issues, the book had a decent flow and an exciting ending. I'm curious to see how this will be adapted and really believe it has potential for a thrilling series, especially after the amazing cliffhanger.
The growing relationship between Carra and Straid was a highlight. I enjoyed seeing their connections develop and appreciated the normalcy of their interactions. While the world-building was minimal and I would have liked more, Straid's family and history added depth.
Carra's character left me wanting more. She is portrayed as a human prostitute who lost her memory. One moment she doesn’t know who she is, and the next, she’s eager to return to her work despite her amnesia. This felt inconsistent and hard to believe. Her profession played a significant role in the story, often feeling as if the plot would unnecessarily centre around it. Almost all spicy scenes focused on her work rather than her relationship with Straid, robbing the chance to further strengthen their relationship.
The book, still in its final stages, sometimes lacked the ability to keep the reader interested and felt as if it needed further background development and maybe even character and world building. Despite these issues, the book had a decent flow and an exciting ending. I'm curious to see how this will be adapted and really believe it has potential for a thrilling series, especially after the amazing cliffhanger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC ahead of this book’s August 10, 2024 release date.
A quick TLDR for those of you who would prefer a spoiler free review:
What I liked:
- Male main character respects the female main character’s decisions about her mind, her body, and her profession.
- Natural flow of dialogue.
- Good pacing (With a caveat that the book just sort of ended. There was no conclusion to any plot lines, so pacing is just a guess.)
What I did not like:
- All major story reveals happen off page with the reader being caught up afterward.
- The author left many plotlines without conclusion, while I understand that this is part of a trilogy, so much is left unanswered that rather than a cliffhanger, it feels like a mistake.
- Minimal world building
- Plot inconsistency
- Unclear character motivations
I read this book not knowing it was the first in a trilogy, it took reading through other reviews and seeing comments from the author to find even a hint that this story will be continuing. Had I known that this was a series, I still would have been put off by the ending. This book came to no natural conclusion, and due to the way it was plotted, it brought very little of the story forward. We ended where we began.
I’d love to check out this story once it is complete and has been through both creative and line editing.
A quick TLDR for those of you who would prefer a spoiler free review:
What I liked:
- Male main character respects the female main character’s decisions about her mind, her body, and her profession.
- Natural flow of dialogue.
- Good pacing (With a caveat that the book just sort of ended. There was no conclusion to any plot lines, so pacing is just a guess.)
What I did not like:
- All major story reveals happen off page with the reader being caught up afterward.
- The author left many plotlines without conclusion, while I understand that this is part of a trilogy, so much is left unanswered that rather than a cliffhanger, it feels like a mistake.
- Minimal world building
- Plot inconsistency
- Unclear character motivations
I read this book not knowing it was the first in a trilogy, it took reading through other reviews and seeing comments from the author to find even a hint that this story will be continuing. Had I known that this was a series, I still would have been put off by the ending. This book came to no natural conclusion, and due to the way it was plotted, it brought very little of the story forward. We ended where we began.
I’d love to check out this story once it is complete and has been through both creative and line editing.
October 12, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and F.A. Eden for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 10/10/2024. Here we have a mortal woman Carra who can't remember her past rescued by a fae lord Straid avoiding his own past. A by-chance rescue leads to a marriage of convenience which, of course, gets complicated. Not just by the participants, of course. The author also has decided to give us a magical mystery, possibly some murders, definitely Big Problems.
When you open a romantasy, you tend to expect certain things. Magic, romance, probably some kind of decently high stakes mixed in, some level of spice. I would never have said to expect respect for sex workers or rigorous adherence to consent and boundaries but I am DOWN with that. It's refreshing and should definitely show up more. In this case, too, it also adds a level of extra depth to Straid, the hero. A clearly powerful, rich, stunning fae lord who has clearly defined boundaries to what he will and won't do? Yes, please. He does have some emotional hang-ups, what with losing his mortal fiancé 50 years ago and still mourning, plus a Very Complicated Family Situation, but there is noticeable growth in his character through the book. He feels almost too good to be true in places but Eden puts in those little imperfections that feel natural, given his history and that baggage.
Carra almost suffers in comparison, to be honest! She is still well handled and has layers to her, even as she tries to uncover her past, but she feels strangely less human than the actual fae around her. I can't put my finger on it but it probably has something to do with still missing entire chunks of her history even three quarters through the book. (It's a growing process). She is likeable and sympathetic but Straid is just so very well done that the poor woman fluctuates more than she should.
The only real quibble with the book that I can put my finger on is at the very end. Warning, it's a very VERY slow burn kind of romance despite the frequent sex (but not between the main characters!) and then the mystery rightfully eats up a good chunk of real estate... But then you get a fantastic cliff-hanger and you're ready to close the book... But there is another chapter? That is another cliff-hanger and feels like it probably should have opened the next book in the series. So the actual last chapter does this strange backwards dilution thing to the second to last chapter and, oh, I wish we ended on that second to last one because it was extremely Just Right.
When you open a romantasy, you tend to expect certain things. Magic, romance, probably some kind of decently high stakes mixed in, some level of spice. I would never have said to expect respect for sex workers or rigorous adherence to consent and boundaries but I am DOWN with that. It's refreshing and should definitely show up more. In this case, too, it also adds a level of extra depth to Straid, the hero. A clearly powerful, rich, stunning fae lord who has clearly defined boundaries to what he will and won't do? Yes, please. He does have some emotional hang-ups, what with losing his mortal fiancé 50 years ago and still mourning, plus a Very Complicated Family Situation, but there is noticeable growth in his character through the book. He feels almost too good to be true in places but Eden puts in those little imperfections that feel natural, given his history and that baggage.
Carra almost suffers in comparison, to be honest! She is still well handled and has layers to her, even as she tries to uncover her past, but she feels strangely less human than the actual fae around her. I can't put my finger on it but it probably has something to do with still missing entire chunks of her history even three quarters through the book. (It's a growing process). She is likeable and sympathetic but Straid is just so very well done that the poor woman fluctuates more than she should.
The only real quibble with the book that I can put my finger on is at the very end. Warning, it's a very VERY slow burn kind of romance despite the frequent sex (but not between the main characters!) and then the mystery rightfully eats up a good chunk of real estate... But then you get a fantastic cliff-hanger and you're ready to close the book... But there is another chapter? That is another cliff-hanger and feels like it probably should have opened the next book in the series. So the actual last chapter does this strange backwards dilution thing to the second to last chapter and, oh, I wish we ended on that second to last one because it was extremely Just Right.
August 2, 2024
3 stars
Mortal Memories by F.A Eden follows Carra, a sex-worker with amnesia who is found in the fae Quarter alone and nearly put to death, but luck is on her side as a fae male named Straid claims her as his fiancé and saves her life. The two are quickly married and little by little Carra’s memory returns…one sexual encounter at a time. Straid is a fae still in mourning after his mortal fiancé died half a century earlier - he believes that saving the mortal Carra is an act that honors his past love.
This is definitely a case where the story is a bit rough and I’m hopeful that there will be many edits done before this hits the shelves in October. The premise of this story is exciting - if you’re a fan of A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor I think that this story will intrigue you. The story is a bit confusing, but I think that it does a good job setting us up for the next book in the series — as soon as this one ended I immediately wanted to have the sequel in my hands. I am invested in this mystery! I am hopeful that the second book will help us better understand the world & we’ll get satisfaction from the romance presented to us.
Thank you so much to BooksGoSocial & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more from F.A Eden.
Mortal Memories by F.A Eden follows Carra, a sex-worker with amnesia who is found in the fae Quarter alone and nearly put to death, but luck is on her side as a fae male named Straid claims her as his fiancé and saves her life. The two are quickly married and little by little Carra’s memory returns…one sexual encounter at a time. Straid is a fae still in mourning after his mortal fiancé died half a century earlier - he believes that saving the mortal Carra is an act that honors his past love.
This is definitely a case where the story is a bit rough and I’m hopeful that there will be many edits done before this hits the shelves in October. The premise of this story is exciting - if you’re a fan of A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor I think that this story will intrigue you. The story is a bit confusing, but I think that it does a good job setting us up for the next book in the series — as soon as this one ended I immediately wanted to have the sequel in my hands. I am invested in this mystery! I am hopeful that the second book will help us better understand the world & we’ll get satisfaction from the romance presented to us.
Thank you so much to BooksGoSocial & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more from F.A Eden.
August 18, 2024
2🌟
(I received an e-arc from netgalley and am voluntarily leaving this review)
This was just not it.
The synopsis sounded fun. The theme sounded interesting. The beginning of the book was really good but it went downhill.
I didn't connect to the characters. I didn't Love the setting. It just wasn't it for me.
(I received an e-arc from netgalley and am voluntarily leaving this review)
This was just not it.
The synopsis sounded fun. The theme sounded interesting. The beginning of the book was really good but it went downhill.
I didn't connect to the characters. I didn't Love the setting. It just wasn't it for me.
October 13, 2024
This book sounded great just going off of the synopsis but honestly, I was a bit disappointed with this book. The world building was basically non-existent and needed a lot more details added. The plot didn't actually grab me at all, and there were quite a bit of plot holes, and I found myself not really caring about what happened at all and at some point I definitely started skimming just to get through it. The main romance was also a bit bland and most of the spice was due to the main character's profession as a sex worker. The ending of the book was also very weird to me with the direction that it went with Carra, and I can't say that I was a fan of this cliffhanger.
July 23, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
The premise of this book sounded interesting and the story wastes no time diving right in. Anna is injured while fleeing - from who or what we don’t know because she has amnesia. Straid is in the right place at the right time and helps Anna. This leads to them having an abrupt marriage in order to further protect her. All of this happens pretty quickly in the beginning, but I didn’t mind because I was interested in Anna uncovering who she is and what lead to her memory loss.
When she remembered her profession as a prostitute, I was surprised that she wanted to start working again so quickly. It seems like a very vulnerable and potentially dangerous situation to put herself in, considering she doesn’t remember herself or if whoever she was running from was a client or not. A lot of the spicy scenes were with her clients and I just didn’t feel invested in those characters with her.
There is a lack of world building that is hard to ignore. While Anna’s missing memories could be a justification for this at the beginning of the story, I would expect her to learn more from Straid or from books in his possession (so we as readers could learn as well). There are the fae Quarters, the mortal world, and a town surrounded by iron - that’s the extent of the world building. There’s no explanation of the fae magic system either. I don’t expect the same detail as high fantasy books, but there needed to be more to pull me into this story.
Errors happen, and there were a couple that stuck out for me. Anna’s real name (Carra) is written before she remembers it. Straid also calls her Carra before she shares the name with him.
Near the end of the book, we learn a little about the mysterious disappearances and how they relate to Carra. Straid’s formerly deceased fiancee, Lyenna, is responsible for these abductions. She needs sacrifices that fit certain requirements (ex. someone loved by a powerful fae, which is Carra). How Lyenna came back to life, why she didn’t let Straid know she was alive, and why she needs these sacrifices, is not addressed at all. The involvement of Umbra (Straid’s brother) is also unclear. The last chapter cuts to Carra fleeing, Umbra catching up to her, and bringing her home to Straid. She remembers Straid, and he recognizes her as Carra, but it seems like she thinks she’s Lyenna? Does she have her memories while being in Carra’s body? I know this is a cliffhanger, but I have never been so confused at the end of a book before.
The premise of this book sounded interesting and the story wastes no time diving right in. Anna is injured while fleeing - from who or what we don’t know because she has amnesia. Straid is in the right place at the right time and helps Anna. This leads to them having an abrupt marriage in order to further protect her. All of this happens pretty quickly in the beginning, but I didn’t mind because I was interested in Anna uncovering who she is and what lead to her memory loss.
When she remembered her profession as a prostitute, I was surprised that she wanted to start working again so quickly. It seems like a very vulnerable and potentially dangerous situation to put herself in, considering she doesn’t remember herself or if whoever she was running from was a client or not. A lot of the spicy scenes were with her clients and I just didn’t feel invested in those characters with her.
There is a lack of world building that is hard to ignore. While Anna’s missing memories could be a justification for this at the beginning of the story, I would expect her to learn more from Straid or from books in his possession (so we as readers could learn as well). There are the fae Quarters, the mortal world, and a town surrounded by iron - that’s the extent of the world building. There’s no explanation of the fae magic system either. I don’t expect the same detail as high fantasy books, but there needed to be more to pull me into this story.
Errors happen, and there were a couple that stuck out for me. Anna’s real name (Carra) is written before she remembers it. Straid also calls her Carra before she shares the name with him.
Near the end of the book, we learn a little about the mysterious disappearances and how they relate to Carra. Straid’s formerly deceased fiancee, Lyenna, is responsible for these abductions. She needs sacrifices that fit certain requirements (ex. someone loved by a powerful fae, which is Carra). How Lyenna came back to life, why she didn’t let Straid know she was alive, and why she needs these sacrifices, is not addressed at all. The involvement of Umbra (Straid’s brother) is also unclear. The last chapter cuts to Carra fleeing, Umbra catching up to her, and bringing her home to Straid. She remembers Straid, and he recognizes her as Carra, but it seems like she thinks she’s Lyenna? Does she have her memories while being in Carra’s body? I know this is a cliffhanger, but I have never been so confused at the end of a book before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2024
I have a lot of thoughts about this book. I was actually pretty interested in the story itself, but there were a lot of issues that were hard to look past. While grammatical errors can be overlooked in ARCs, there were things such as characters being referred to by the wrong name which just made things confusing.
I enjoyed the slow burn between Carra and Straid and I appreciate that the author is taking the time to develop the relationship. We find out early on that Carra was a prostitute prior to losing her memories - while it was nice that Straid was so respectful of her profession, I found it a little strange that getting back to work was her top priority despite almost being kidnapped and/or murdered, having to marry a fae stranger for her safety, and having no idea who she even is.
I was also interested in the mystery of what happened to Carra and the other missing people, and I am still interested in seeing how it unfolds further. However it seems like the ending was supposed to be shocking, but it left me more confused than anything. I feel like this is the sort of series that you don’t necessarily love but keep reading to find out what happens anyway.
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for the ARC!
I enjoyed the slow burn between Carra and Straid and I appreciate that the author is taking the time to develop the relationship. We find out early on that Carra was a prostitute prior to losing her memories - while it was nice that Straid was so respectful of her profession, I found it a little strange that getting back to work was her top priority despite almost being kidnapped and/or murdered, having to marry a fae stranger for her safety, and having no idea who she even is.
I was also interested in the mystery of what happened to Carra and the other missing people, and I am still interested in seeing how it unfolds further. However it seems like the ending was supposed to be shocking, but it left me more confused than anything. I feel like this is the sort of series that you don’t necessarily love but keep reading to find out what happens anyway.
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for the ARC!
August 16, 2024
The beginning of this novel starts with a woman named Carra who can't remember who she is or anything about her life for that matter. She is found in an area where humans are killed and a fae named Straid saves her life by claiming they are to be married in the morning to the guard who is trying to kill her.
Later due to some magical fragrance, Carra remembers some parts of her life. Mainly that she is a prostitute. Still wanting to find out more about herself, she starts engaging with her clients again. During this time, several people have disappeared. To learn more information she sleeps with her clients more and they seem to give her whatever she wants.
The two main characters don't start to develop any kind of feelings for each other until very late into the book. Then it kind of seems very fast paced at that point. I do wish that there was more focus on their relationship growing rather than focusing on her prostitution and clients.
The ending left me a bit confused, but also interested enough to read the sequel when there is one.
Thank you #Netgalley, F.A. Eden, and publishers for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Later due to some magical fragrance, Carra remembers some parts of her life. Mainly that she is a prostitute. Still wanting to find out more about herself, she starts engaging with her clients again. During this time, several people have disappeared. To learn more information she sleeps with her clients more and they seem to give her whatever she wants.
The two main characters don't start to develop any kind of feelings for each other until very late into the book. Then it kind of seems very fast paced at that point. I do wish that there was more focus on their relationship growing rather than focusing on her prostitution and clients.
The ending left me a bit confused, but also interested enough to read the sequel when there is one.
Thank you #Netgalley, F.A. Eden, and publishers for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
October 4, 2024
Oh my god, the ending!! Literally the last line of the book killed me, I need the next one. It ends on a major cliffhanger. This is a fae and human romance story like no other. Carra is a human female who has lost her memories and ends up married to a fae lord. She slowly regains her memories, and she’s a prostitute. Straid, the fae lord, is ok with her continuing to work while he is searching for a friend who has disappeared. Due to the nature of her job, there is a lot of spice, very detailed with different species of fae. Straid is falling for her as the story continues, and just as he’s about to tell her, she disappears. I read this as a NetGalley arc, these are my opinions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2024
I am so irritated. This book has such incredible potential, but it has a long way to go. I was struggling to read it when I first started because of how many errors there are throughout the book. The grammar was a huge problem for me, and occasionally the author swapped characters names (which is hard to follow considering the protagonist doesn’t know her own name). I also thought this book was missing so much plot. I’m glad they fall in love and take that time, but the mystery within the story fell short. This book has a long way to go if it wants to be good.
August 4, 2024
"That's how I'll survive this next year, isn't it? Careful, clever words that don't speak to the whole truth? I'll be surrounded by slippery words; I might as well use a few of my own."
2.5 rounded up to 3, I think.
Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Story & Characters
While I found the first almost half of the book slow to settle into, by halfway, I found my groove with the story and found that I was having an easier time committing to multiple chapters at a time.
Mortal Memories boasts a surprisingly complex mystery with the promise of some familial, royal and perhaps political intrigue that I did not expect. The two main characters were both likable and believable enough to buy in to their story, despite the fact that the opening scene of the book demands a high buy in price. The FMC in particular brings in some refreshing representation that overall made me feel more invested.
Carra, our FMC, is fiery and quick-witted. She is occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. In one particular scene, when she is being followed by a guard for her safety, This surprisingly fresh scene helped to highlight her wittiness and take-no-nonsense nature.
Straid is aloof, formal (an old soul), and stoic. He felt a little less believable to me. A fae lord of some particular standing who marries a woman in need for her safety, who At the end of the book, Straid narrates, and I wanted to see more of this more consistently.
I did observe some out-of-character moments for each of them, Carra's in the form of her surprising verbal aggressions that baffle and Straid's threat of power paired with a diminutive nickname ("little one"?) towards his new wife.
One of the things that took me out of the story the most was Carra's line of work. I'll spoiler tag this whole section.
Lastly, some other pieces I enjoyed included:
~ the bargains/debts with words like "please", "thank you" and "sorry" (this may be common in fae lore, but it was new to me)
~ some surprising reveals in the end, one of which almost made me yell, lol
~ this precise line by
I did not realize going into this book that this is meant to be, I assume, a series, so the ending didn't satisfy me in the way I expected. Instead, I got a pretty interesting cliffhanger. I would probably read the next book just to figure out what on earth that epilogue set us up for.
========
Grammar/writing/editing
Overall, the story is the victor of this book. You will find some rather stylistically and grammatical simple language throughout. This book also needs a very heavy edit. There were multiple instances of missing words, wrong words, sentences that were repeated, and the wrong names being used in dialogue. We also see a couple of instances of the character's real name being used before it has been revealed.
Carra took the dress Niana offered and decided... (loc 543)
"Carra." He sounded pained. "You cannot leave the Quarters for the first year of our marriage." (loc 847)
In the beginning of the book, the bargain was established as one day a month after the first year, but at the end of the book, it's referred to as one day a year.
I did not factor these much into my rating, since this is not officially published. Hopefully the team will have a chance to do a thorough edit before it gets released.
========
Overall, a surprisingly interesting but stylistically simple mystery fae romance with some likable but occasionally unreliable characters, some heavy-handed commentary about sex work, a nice, steady slow burn and a sequel that I had no idea to expect.
And now... for some random highlights that I made and enjoyed <3
His next breath fortified him. It tasted of honey and orange, of stone and silver and the deep dark of sleep.
"You are the best husband I've ever had," she said, rising from her chair.
"As far as you are aware," he countered.
"Can I guess what it was?"
"No."
"My question was rhetorical."
"My answer was not."
"I swore I would not hurt you."
"But you didn't swear that you hadn't already."
2.5 rounded up to 3, I think.
Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Story & Characters
While I found the first almost half of the book slow to settle into, by halfway, I found my groove with the story and found that I was having an easier time committing to multiple chapters at a time.
Mortal Memories boasts a surprisingly complex mystery with the promise of some familial, royal and perhaps political intrigue that I did not expect. The two main characters were both likable and believable enough to buy in to their story, despite the fact that the opening scene of the book demands a high buy in price. The FMC in particular brings in some refreshing representation that overall made me feel more invested.
Carra, our FMC, is fiery and quick-witted. She is occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. In one particular scene, when she is being followed by a guard for her safety, This surprisingly fresh scene helped to highlight her wittiness and take-no-nonsense nature.
Straid is aloof, formal (an old soul), and stoic. He felt a little less believable to me. A fae lord of some particular standing who marries a woman in need for her safety, who At the end of the book, Straid narrates, and I wanted to see more of this more consistently.
I did observe some out-of-character moments for each of them, Carra's in the form of her surprising verbal aggressions that baffle and Straid's threat of power paired with a diminutive nickname ("little one"?) towards his new wife.
One of the things that took me out of the story the most was Carra's line of work. I'll spoiler tag this whole section.
Lastly, some other pieces I enjoyed included:
~ the bargains/debts with words like "please", "thank you" and "sorry" (this may be common in fae lore, but it was new to me)
~ some surprising reveals in the end, one of which almost made me yell, lol
~ this precise line by
I did not realize going into this book that this is meant to be, I assume, a series, so the ending didn't satisfy me in the way I expected. Instead, I got a pretty interesting cliffhanger. I would probably read the next book just to figure out what on earth that epilogue set us up for.
========
Grammar/writing/editing
Overall, the story is the victor of this book. You will find some rather stylistically and grammatical simple language throughout. This book also needs a very heavy edit. There were multiple instances of missing words, wrong words, sentences that were repeated, and the wrong names being used in dialogue. We also see a couple of instances of the character's real name being used before it has been revealed.
Carra took the dress Niana offered and decided... (loc 543)
"Carra." He sounded pained. "You cannot leave the Quarters for the first year of our marriage." (loc 847)
In the beginning of the book, the bargain was established as one day a month after the first year, but at the end of the book, it's referred to as one day a year.
I did not factor these much into my rating, since this is not officially published. Hopefully the team will have a chance to do a thorough edit before it gets released.
========
Overall, a surprisingly interesting but stylistically simple mystery fae romance with some likable but occasionally unreliable characters, some heavy-handed commentary about sex work, a nice, steady slow burn and a sequel that I had no idea to expect.
And now... for some random highlights that I made and enjoyed <3
His next breath fortified him. It tasted of honey and orange, of stone and silver and the deep dark of sleep.
"You are the best husband I've ever had," she said, rising from her chair.
"As far as you are aware," he countered.
"Can I guess what it was?"
"No."
"My question was rhetorical."
"My answer was not."
"I swore I would not hurt you."
"But you didn't swear that you hadn't already."
July 23, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to enjoy this one (the premise sounded great to me) it wasn't executed well enough for me to enjoy it.
My issues with this really boiled down to:
1) Character Motivations
2) Inconsistencies
3) Lack of world building
Character Motivations
The reasons for why the characters behaved the way they did simply didn't feel realistic to me and felt like the reasons were just whatever the author came up with to get the plot to go where she wanted it to go, even if it didn't make sense.
For example:
Corlan only asks for Straid's help after Straid has asked Corlan to marry him and Anna. I'm sorry - but if the person I'm in love with has gone missing I wouldn't wait to ask my BFF / to help?? Like sir, you clearly don't love her that much if you've waited until it was convenient to ask for help and also aren't completely wrecked by her disappearance. It would be much more believable if they'd just been friends.
Straid says he doesn't know who his father is and when asked if he curious about him, he explains that he was surrounded by so many people that he wouldn't have noticed one more? Again, entirely unbelievable. Sorry, but you've never been curious about the man who donated half your DNA? Because you had too many servants? What.
Let's not even get started on him offering to marry her - and conveniently forgetting that he's a FAE who CANNOT LIE - to save her life because of her own poor decisions. Like, sir. You just lied? But you supposedly can't lie? Does that rule just not apply to you like wards don't? Also, seems a bit extreme to force some chick to marry you in order to save her life because she broke the law? And his reasoning is "because she's human" and reminds him of his dead lover who was also human?
It just makes no sense, especially because he says he feels like he betrayed his first love. I could maybe buy into it if we didn't have any Straid POV chapters, because I would feel like oh, there's something I'm missing. But we do and I'm not.
Inconsistencies
Oh my gourd, the inconsistencies. They are littered throughout the book and drove me wild. Straid calls her by her real name before he knows it (based on both her POV chapters and his). At first I thought, ooooh the author is slipping in a clue that Straid knows more than she thinks he does, but no, that is most assuredly not the case.
The rules for humans marrying fae - in the beginning it's explained that she HAS to stay for a year and then HAS to come back at least once a month. At the end of the book it's suddenly that she has to LEAVE at the end of the year and must come back once a YEAR. Which is it? Also, it makes no sense that a human who married a fae would be forced to leave their spouse? Again, probably just a mistake, but a frustrating one.
The chef is told at the end of the book that she was hired the day before her abduction, but I'm pretty sure she'd been there at least long enough to have a routine down with the pastry chef so that doesn't make since. Again, probably just a sloppy continuity mistake, but they add up to frustrate the reader.
Then there's the "missing scenes" as I've been calling them. It feels like the book was edited to shorten it and scene were taken out - but the rest wasn't edited to reflect those scenes taken out. For example, the first time Jax is mentioned I stopped reading and did a search because I was sure I'd forgotten him.
I had not. But clearly both Straid and Carra knew who he was/had talked about him/met him, yet that scene was never showed or mentioned. It was incredibly jarring and anytime I'm forced to stop reading to search for something like that it makes me not want to continue reading.
The same thing happened with Traveling - initially she doesn't want to and chooses to walk. Then suddenly it's mentioned that her guard and Straid have been Traveling her. Again, it seems like the scene where she first Travels (or mentions her first time Traveling) has been cut, leaving the reader to ask when tf did she start being okay with Traveling? One line mentions the "few times she's walked home" yet to the reader she always walks home. There's simply too many inconsistencies like this.
Lastly, the lack of world building was really frustrating. What are the Quarters? Why is it a death sentence for a human to be found wandering alone? What's the world like, what are the magic rules, why are humans segregated from the fae? If humans are so segregated, why do they have so many cautionary tales/rules regarding the fae? Very little about this world made sense and a lot of it was because there was utterly no world building. For a book with no world building, it also incredibly NOT character driven?
Overall, great premise, but the execution made it an unenjoyable read. It probably needs several more rounds of editing to clear up the typos/misspellings and inconsistencies too.
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to enjoy this one (the premise sounded great to me) it wasn't executed well enough for me to enjoy it.
My issues with this really boiled down to:
1) Character Motivations
2) Inconsistencies
3) Lack of world building
Character Motivations
The reasons for why the characters behaved the way they did simply didn't feel realistic to me and felt like the reasons were just whatever the author came up with to get the plot to go where she wanted it to go, even if it didn't make sense.
For example:
Corlan only asks for Straid's help after Straid has asked Corlan to marry him and Anna. I'm sorry - but if the person I'm in love with has gone missing I wouldn't wait to ask my BFF / to help?? Like sir, you clearly don't love her that much if you've waited until it was convenient to ask for help and also aren't completely wrecked by her disappearance. It would be much more believable if they'd just been friends.
Straid says he doesn't know who his father is and when asked if he curious about him, he explains that he was surrounded by so many people that he wouldn't have noticed one more? Again, entirely unbelievable. Sorry, but you've never been curious about the man who donated half your DNA? Because you had too many servants? What.
Let's not even get started on him offering to marry her - and conveniently forgetting that he's a FAE who CANNOT LIE - to save her life because of her own poor decisions. Like, sir. You just lied? But you supposedly can't lie? Does that rule just not apply to you like wards don't? Also, seems a bit extreme to force some chick to marry you in order to save her life because she broke the law? And his reasoning is "because she's human" and reminds him of his dead lover who was also human?
It just makes no sense, especially because he says he feels like he betrayed his first love. I could maybe buy into it if we didn't have any Straid POV chapters, because I would feel like oh, there's something I'm missing. But we do and I'm not.
Inconsistencies
Oh my gourd, the inconsistencies. They are littered throughout the book and drove me wild. Straid calls her by her real name before he knows it (based on both her POV chapters and his). At first I thought, ooooh the author is slipping in a clue that Straid knows more than she thinks he does, but no, that is most assuredly not the case.
The rules for humans marrying fae - in the beginning it's explained that she HAS to stay for a year and then HAS to come back at least once a month. At the end of the book it's suddenly that she has to LEAVE at the end of the year and must come back once a YEAR. Which is it? Also, it makes no sense that a human who married a fae would be forced to leave their spouse? Again, probably just a mistake, but a frustrating one.
The chef is told at the end of the book that she was hired the day before her abduction, but I'm pretty sure she'd been there at least long enough to have a routine down with the pastry chef so that doesn't make since. Again, probably just a sloppy continuity mistake, but they add up to frustrate the reader.
Then there's the "missing scenes" as I've been calling them. It feels like the book was edited to shorten it and scene were taken out - but the rest wasn't edited to reflect those scenes taken out. For example, the first time Jax is mentioned I stopped reading and did a search because I was sure I'd forgotten him.
I had not. But clearly both Straid and Carra knew who he was/had talked about him/met him, yet that scene was never showed or mentioned. It was incredibly jarring and anytime I'm forced to stop reading to search for something like that it makes me not want to continue reading.
The same thing happened with Traveling - initially she doesn't want to and chooses to walk. Then suddenly it's mentioned that her guard and Straid have been Traveling her. Again, it seems like the scene where she first Travels (or mentions her first time Traveling) has been cut, leaving the reader to ask when tf did she start being okay with Traveling? One line mentions the "few times she's walked home" yet to the reader she always walks home. There's simply too many inconsistencies like this.
Lastly, the lack of world building was really frustrating. What are the Quarters? Why is it a death sentence for a human to be found wandering alone? What's the world like, what are the magic rules, why are humans segregated from the fae? If humans are so segregated, why do they have so many cautionary tales/rules regarding the fae? Very little about this world made sense and a lot of it was because there was utterly no world building. For a book with no world building, it also incredibly NOT character driven?
Overall, great premise, but the execution made it an unenjoyable read. It probably needs several more rounds of editing to clear up the typos/misspellings and inconsistencies too.
August 1, 2024
First of all: Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC copy.
Tropes:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Forced Proximity
- Slow Burn
-Amnesia
Trigger Warnings:
-Prostitution
-Sleeping with people NOT your spouse (but also status of marriage is complicated)
- On Page Spice with people OTHER THAN spouse
- Death of a love (off page)
- Death of a child (Referenced)
It begins with a human fleeing something. She doesn't remember who she is or anything really (though she chooses to go by the name Anna). When she is saved from the guard arresting her for being in the Quarter without a fae escort by a fae male using magic to threaten (aka choke) the guard, I really appreciated that she was paying attention to how her savior worded his assurance that he wouldn't harm her. I have to say, she did better than me. I don’t know if I could have not interrupted when he said I was going to marry him. Straid is offering marriage on paper only, and maybe one day friendship. Why? He’s got a savior-complex and is traumatized by a wedding that never happened, sent all the servants away, and hides away in a house. Two rooms are off limits, his study and his bedroom. (There were multiple times I got Beauty and the Beast vibes if Belle was a prostitute...)
Straid feels awkward but in a “I am way older than you” kind of way. At one point I had the thought “he’s giving Tamlin without Lucian to help him communicate”. (Full disclosure I don’t hate Tamlin so that did not feel super negative, just his way of speaking to Anna/Carra reminded me of him). He was giving the immortal who doesn’t know how to interact with mortals vibes., which I liked. If more time had passed in the book I would have liked to have seen the way he talks to het shift as he got feelings for more though. I now want to know what deep dark sleep tastes like. I also want to know why Straid knows what stones taste like. Anyway, they get married and after two days Anna wants to get out of the house but Straid doesn’t want her to go alone. Multiple fae, and a few mortals, have gone missing in the Quarter.
She does go out searching for her lost memories with Straid in tow. He is such a gentleman waiting OUTSIDE the lingerie store… She figures out her name is Carra and she has another memory. 2 out of 4 memories have been men she slept with (maybe 3 out of 4 not sure about the woman yet…). The fae comes and talks to her. This is where I started to get annoyed with the MFC. She alludes to wanting to see him as a client again and to continue being a “consummate professional” even though her husband values privacy and has enough status to call the fae lord his name without a title. While yes, this is her life to live as she wishes she has bound her soul to this fae male, who did say she could have a lover, to see if the getting paid portion would be an issue. Because he did save her life and even the fae lord seemed hesitant to agree to that. I felt like she was jumping head first into something she doesn't even remember much less considering that her situation has changed from what it was even a few days ago. Especially since she shared her job info with him but not her real name. He does agree to let her continue with her job as long as she has an escort. One thing I wish I had seen was more character development in Carra over the story.
There was also a weird moment where Straid knew her as Carra but she never told him her name that I remembered… (Going back I didn't find it at least). The next chapter he was back to calling her Anna. So it may have just been an inconsistency. It did feel kind of weird she trusted him with one thing and not the other. Also, she sent him to get info in town and he was still calling her Anna.. There was another time that I thought Straid had said she had to visit every month but then it became once a year, which was confusing.
Also, in the background there is a mystery of fae that are going missing. Most of the characters seem to have a gag order about details. Which is completely necessary when the only person able to lie is Carra because she is mortal, which felt like it was commented on a lot. I do think the story picked up and got better, though I was far more interested in the murder mystery than whatever was happening between Straid and Carra.
The ending felt rushed. Chapter 38 (or epilogue? Both were labeled as the last chapter in the ARC) seemed like a huge jump without getting from point a to b. I did like the twist though at the end and how it ended, I just wanted a little more connection. There was great potential, and I did enjoy parts of it.
Tropes:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Forced Proximity
- Slow Burn
-Amnesia
Trigger Warnings:
-Prostitution
-Sleeping with people NOT your spouse (but also status of marriage is complicated)
- On Page Spice with people OTHER THAN spouse
- Death of a love (off page)
- Death of a child (Referenced)
It begins with a human fleeing something. She doesn't remember who she is or anything really (though she chooses to go by the name Anna). When she is saved from the guard arresting her for being in the Quarter without a fae escort by a fae male using magic to threaten (aka choke) the guard, I really appreciated that she was paying attention to how her savior worded his assurance that he wouldn't harm her. I have to say, she did better than me. I don’t know if I could have not interrupted when he said I was going to marry him. Straid is offering marriage on paper only, and maybe one day friendship. Why? He’s got a savior-complex and is traumatized by a wedding that never happened, sent all the servants away, and hides away in a house. Two rooms are off limits, his study and his bedroom. (There were multiple times I got Beauty and the Beast vibes if Belle was a prostitute...)
Straid feels awkward but in a “I am way older than you” kind of way. At one point I had the thought “he’s giving Tamlin without Lucian to help him communicate”. (Full disclosure I don’t hate Tamlin so that did not feel super negative, just his way of speaking to Anna/Carra reminded me of him). He was giving the immortal who doesn’t know how to interact with mortals vibes., which I liked. If more time had passed in the book I would have liked to have seen the way he talks to het shift as he got feelings for more though. I now want to know what deep dark sleep tastes like. I also want to know why Straid knows what stones taste like. Anyway, they get married and after two days Anna wants to get out of the house but Straid doesn’t want her to go alone. Multiple fae, and a few mortals, have gone missing in the Quarter.
She does go out searching for her lost memories with Straid in tow. He is such a gentleman waiting OUTSIDE the lingerie store… She figures out her name is Carra and she has another memory. 2 out of 4 memories have been men she slept with (maybe 3 out of 4 not sure about the woman yet…). The fae comes and talks to her. This is where I started to get annoyed with the MFC. She alludes to wanting to see him as a client again and to continue being a “consummate professional” even though her husband values privacy and has enough status to call the fae lord his name without a title. While yes, this is her life to live as she wishes she has bound her soul to this fae male, who did say she could have a lover, to see if the getting paid portion would be an issue. Because he did save her life and even the fae lord seemed hesitant to agree to that. I felt like she was jumping head first into something she doesn't even remember much less considering that her situation has changed from what it was even a few days ago. Especially since she shared her job info with him but not her real name. He does agree to let her continue with her job as long as she has an escort. One thing I wish I had seen was more character development in Carra over the story.
There was also a weird moment where Straid knew her as Carra but she never told him her name that I remembered… (Going back I didn't find it at least). The next chapter he was back to calling her Anna. So it may have just been an inconsistency. It did feel kind of weird she trusted him with one thing and not the other. Also, she sent him to get info in town and he was still calling her Anna.. There was another time that I thought Straid had said she had to visit every month but then it became once a year, which was confusing.
Also, in the background there is a mystery of fae that are going missing. Most of the characters seem to have a gag order about details. Which is completely necessary when the only person able to lie is Carra because she is mortal, which felt like it was commented on a lot. I do think the story picked up and got better, though I was far more interested in the murder mystery than whatever was happening between Straid and Carra.
The ending felt rushed. Chapter 38 (or epilogue? Both were labeled as the last chapter in the ARC) seemed like a huge jump without getting from point a to b. I did like the twist though at the end and how it ended, I just wanted a little more connection. There was great potential, and I did enjoy parts of it.
August 2, 2024
2.5*, rounded up to 3*
I read an ARC of this book through NetGalley, so thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this.
This is a book about a young human woman (named Carra) who finds herself in the quarry, a place where humans are not supposed to be. The punishment for a person being here unlawfully is death. The first chapter throws us into the action, with the woman having lost her memories and fleeing from a guard. A fae man (named Straid) finds himself in the quarry at the same moment and rescues Carra by saying they are to be married the next day. After this they get legally married and begin to grow closer together. She wants to regain her memories and remembers she's a prostitute (which isnt really a spoiler as it happens quite quickly in the book) + they realize people are going missing which brings a mystery element into the book. This is the first book in a series (I assume as it ended in a cliff hanger).
What i liked:
I liked the little fae lore that was sprinkled in, like the house being tied to Straid's magic, the asteroid and the contract thats made when you say 'please' and 'thank you'
I thought the characters had potential, as i did get more invested in them as the book went on (although more on this later)
I liked the mystery element and the ending
The dual POV was a nice touch, as this also sets it apart more from ACOTAR
That being said there were also many things that could be improved for a better reading experience. For example, I thought the pacing throughout the book wasn't always the best. It's a rather short book (on goodreads its 290 pages but my ebook said only 210 pages) for everything it wants to do. I think the book should have more scenes building up the relationship between Straid and Carra. I also think there maybe should have been more time between her arriving and remembering that she's a prostitute, and definitely more time before she actively starts that job again. Personally, I don't love that she goes back to being a prostitute while we're also supposed to want Carra and Straid to be together, but if the author wants to put some prostitution representation in her book that's definitely valid. I just think that her going into prostitution again felt a bit rushed, as she just had a very traumatic experience and still doesn't remember much at that point.
The pacing also shows a bigger problem with the book, which is that it really needs to be edited and proofread. There are many mistakes in this book (like accidentally using a different name or the wrong pronoun) which can be confusing or just take you out of the story. I know this is an ARC, so I won't be too hard on the book for this, but it was definitely quite noticeable.
Another thing that could be fixed with an editor is the fact that some of the dialogue is a bit awkward. I know that Straid is supposed to talk formal, but even with that in mind I think there are definitely parts of the dialogue that could be improved. Reading the dialogue out loud could also be a way to improve this.
Lastly, I mentioned that I liked the faerie lore that was sprinkled in. I think if the book focused a bit more on worldbuilding and description this could definitely enhance the reading experience, as now I was left feeling a bit wanting. If you choose to set your book in a completely different world, especially a faerie world, I think many people also want to delve more deeply into that world. This is another way in which you could make the first half of the book feel less rushed. Again, my ebook was only 210 pages, so you could easily add another 100 pages to this book and it would still be a very good length. I think the story definitely has a lot of potential and I could see that while reading, but it just has to be flushed out a lot and edited. I look forward to what this author could do with some more writing experience.
I read an ARC of this book through NetGalley, so thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this.
This is a book about a young human woman (named Carra) who finds herself in the quarry, a place where humans are not supposed to be. The punishment for a person being here unlawfully is death. The first chapter throws us into the action, with the woman having lost her memories and fleeing from a guard. A fae man (named Straid) finds himself in the quarry at the same moment and rescues Carra by saying they are to be married the next day. After this they get legally married and begin to grow closer together. She wants to regain her memories and remembers she's a prostitute (which isnt really a spoiler as it happens quite quickly in the book) + they realize people are going missing which brings a mystery element into the book. This is the first book in a series (I assume as it ended in a cliff hanger).
What i liked:
I liked the little fae lore that was sprinkled in, like the house being tied to Straid's magic, the asteroid and the contract thats made when you say 'please' and 'thank you'
I thought the characters had potential, as i did get more invested in them as the book went on (although more on this later)
I liked the mystery element and the ending
The dual POV was a nice touch, as this also sets it apart more from ACOTAR
That being said there were also many things that could be improved for a better reading experience. For example, I thought the pacing throughout the book wasn't always the best. It's a rather short book (on goodreads its 290 pages but my ebook said only 210 pages) for everything it wants to do. I think the book should have more scenes building up the relationship between Straid and Carra. I also think there maybe should have been more time between her arriving and remembering that she's a prostitute, and definitely more time before she actively starts that job again. Personally, I don't love that she goes back to being a prostitute while we're also supposed to want Carra and Straid to be together, but if the author wants to put some prostitution representation in her book that's definitely valid. I just think that her going into prostitution again felt a bit rushed, as she just had a very traumatic experience and still doesn't remember much at that point.
The pacing also shows a bigger problem with the book, which is that it really needs to be edited and proofread. There are many mistakes in this book (like accidentally using a different name or the wrong pronoun) which can be confusing or just take you out of the story. I know this is an ARC, so I won't be too hard on the book for this, but it was definitely quite noticeable.
Another thing that could be fixed with an editor is the fact that some of the dialogue is a bit awkward. I know that Straid is supposed to talk formal, but even with that in mind I think there are definitely parts of the dialogue that could be improved. Reading the dialogue out loud could also be a way to improve this.
Lastly, I mentioned that I liked the faerie lore that was sprinkled in. I think if the book focused a bit more on worldbuilding and description this could definitely enhance the reading experience, as now I was left feeling a bit wanting. If you choose to set your book in a completely different world, especially a faerie world, I think many people also want to delve more deeply into that world. This is another way in which you could make the first half of the book feel less rushed. Again, my ebook was only 210 pages, so you could easily add another 100 pages to this book and it would still be a very good length. I think the story definitely has a lot of potential and I could see that while reading, but it just has to be flushed out a lot and edited. I look forward to what this author could do with some more writing experience.
July 4, 2024
Mortal Memories by F. A. Eden
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 10 October 2024
In a world where mortals and fae coexist uneasily, Carra finds herself in a perilous situation. Discovered alone in the forbidden fae Quarter with no memory of her past, she faces certain death. Her only options: marry her rescuer or flee for her life. Choosing marriage, Carra embarks on a journey to uncover her lost identity and the reasons behind her dangerous presence in the Quarter.
Straid, a fae lord who has lived in seclusion for fifty years following his fiancée's death, finds his world upended when he impulsively marries Carra to save her life. As he grows closer to his new wife, Straid becomes entangled in a web of mystery. People are disappearing from the Quarter at an alarming rate, and he suspects a connection to Carra's past.
As Carra and Straid navigate their unexpected union, they must confront not only their growing feelings for each other but also the dark forces at play in the fae world. Their quest for answers could unveil secrets that threaten both their relationship and the delicate balance between mortal and fae realms.
"Mortal Memories" offers a captivating blend of romance, mystery, and fantasy that will enchant readers from the first page. This slow-burn fae romance skilfully weaves together elements of amnesia, forbidden love, and political intrigue into a compelling narrative.
The author excels in world-building, creating a rich and complex universe where the uneasy coexistence of mortals and fae provides a fertile ground for conflict and drama. The fae Quarter, with its air of danger and mystery, serves as a perfect backdrop for the unfolding story.
Carra and Straid are well-developed protagonists, their individual struggles and gradual attraction to each other forming the heart of the novel. Carra's quest to recover her memories adds an element of suspense that complements the romantic plot, while Straid's journey from isolation to emotional engagement is particularly poignant.
The pacing of the romance is expertly handled, with the slow-burn approach allowing for a deep exploration of the characters' evolving relationship. The promise of spicier content will appeal to readers who enjoy their romance with a dash of heat.
The mystery surrounding the disappearances in the Quarter adds depth to the plot, intertwining personal and political stakes in a way that keeps readers guessing. This subplot provides a nice balance to the romantic elements, ensuring the story remains engaging on multiple levels.
While the amnesia trope is familiar in romance novels, the author brings fresh elements to it through the fae setting and the larger mystery at play. The potential connections between Carra's past and the current events in the Quarter create an intriguing narrative thread that will likely carry through future instalments.
"Mortal Memories" will certainly appeal to fans of K.F. Breene and Sarah J. Maas, offering a similar blend of fantasy world-building and romantic tension. However, it also stands on its own merits, with unique elements that set it apart in the crowded field of fae romance.
In conclusion, this novel delivers a satisfying mix of romance, mystery, and fantasy. With its intriguing premise, well-developed characters, and promise of more to come, "Mortal Memories" is sure to leave readers eagerly anticipating the next instalment in the series.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and the author, F. A. Eden, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 10 October 2024
In a world where mortals and fae coexist uneasily, Carra finds herself in a perilous situation. Discovered alone in the forbidden fae Quarter with no memory of her past, she faces certain death. Her only options: marry her rescuer or flee for her life. Choosing marriage, Carra embarks on a journey to uncover her lost identity and the reasons behind her dangerous presence in the Quarter.
Straid, a fae lord who has lived in seclusion for fifty years following his fiancée's death, finds his world upended when he impulsively marries Carra to save her life. As he grows closer to his new wife, Straid becomes entangled in a web of mystery. People are disappearing from the Quarter at an alarming rate, and he suspects a connection to Carra's past.
As Carra and Straid navigate their unexpected union, they must confront not only their growing feelings for each other but also the dark forces at play in the fae world. Their quest for answers could unveil secrets that threaten both their relationship and the delicate balance between mortal and fae realms.
"Mortal Memories" offers a captivating blend of romance, mystery, and fantasy that will enchant readers from the first page. This slow-burn fae romance skilfully weaves together elements of amnesia, forbidden love, and political intrigue into a compelling narrative.
The author excels in world-building, creating a rich and complex universe where the uneasy coexistence of mortals and fae provides a fertile ground for conflict and drama. The fae Quarter, with its air of danger and mystery, serves as a perfect backdrop for the unfolding story.
Carra and Straid are well-developed protagonists, their individual struggles and gradual attraction to each other forming the heart of the novel. Carra's quest to recover her memories adds an element of suspense that complements the romantic plot, while Straid's journey from isolation to emotional engagement is particularly poignant.
The pacing of the romance is expertly handled, with the slow-burn approach allowing for a deep exploration of the characters' evolving relationship. The promise of spicier content will appeal to readers who enjoy their romance with a dash of heat.
The mystery surrounding the disappearances in the Quarter adds depth to the plot, intertwining personal and political stakes in a way that keeps readers guessing. This subplot provides a nice balance to the romantic elements, ensuring the story remains engaging on multiple levels.
While the amnesia trope is familiar in romance novels, the author brings fresh elements to it through the fae setting and the larger mystery at play. The potential connections between Carra's past and the current events in the Quarter create an intriguing narrative thread that will likely carry through future instalments.
"Mortal Memories" will certainly appeal to fans of K.F. Breene and Sarah J. Maas, offering a similar blend of fantasy world-building and romantic tension. However, it also stands on its own merits, with unique elements that set it apart in the crowded field of fae romance.
In conclusion, this novel delivers a satisfying mix of romance, mystery, and fantasy. With its intriguing premise, well-developed characters, and promise of more to come, "Mortal Memories" is sure to leave readers eagerly anticipating the next instalment in the series.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and the author, F. A. Eden, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
July 9, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book!
I wish I could give this book a better review, as the blurb initially intrigued me. Unfortunately, the actual book didn't live up to that. If anything, if you've read the blurb, then you've read about 75% of this book already!
Our main character, Carra, has lost all her memories and is found in the Fae Quarters - a fate punishable by death. She's saved by Straid, a Fae Lord who announces they will be wed in the morning. Given Fae are bound by their oaths and promises, they do just that. As a result, she can't go to the mortal lands for a year afterwards and must return one night a month forever after.
That's my first issue - all this happens within like...the first 5% of the book. I'm aware I'm reading a book about Fae, so I have to suspend my disbelief, but I found it VERY hard to do that when they're getting married so soon, especially when she can't even remember. It seems so stupid that someone as reserved and stoic as Straid would just...do something spontaneous like that. He gives a half-hearted excuse later in the book, but it's not believable. It just reads as dumb - she can't even remember her own name. And yeah, the other option is death but...come on.
The other fact is that she's a prostitute - I've got no issues with this as a career, and Carra is actually very proud of her job and her talents. She's got a loyal client list who are very good to her, which is good to see. My issue is that she has no memory of anything and immediately starts doing it again? There's nothing more vulnerable than sex, and she just throws herself back into it even though any of her clients could've been the reason for her memory loss. Straid also just...goes along with this and lets it happen in his house? This would be fine, as Fae have different standards, but it's made very clear to us that Straid isn't just a normal Fae Lord. It just felt like a weird choice.
This also fed into the fact that for most of this book, nothing happens. There's some underlying plot that only takes off later in the plot, but otherwise...it's just reading Carra renovating a room and seeing her clients? That's most of the spice - her with other men. It's boring, and whilst it's easy to read, I found myself wondering what the actual point of this story is.
On top of that, there's no world-building. All I know is that there's the Fae Quarters and the mortal world...a town with iron around it. That's it. Nothing else. The Fae are bound by oaths and promises; don't say please and thank you and have some powers. That's all you learn. Nothing about the world they inhabit. 80% of this book takes place in the house, and most of the rest is just in...other clients' houses. There's no depth to the characters, either. Straid is mourning his fiancée, but do we get to know what he loved about her or what she enjoyed? Not really. There are a few throwaway comments, but that's it. We don't get to know much about Straid either. He's just a stereotype of a brooding, introverted and grieving man.
Carra can't remember her past, so obviously, there's minimal character development there.
Overall, it was very lacklustre, and I didn't really enjoy it.
I wish I could give this book a better review, as the blurb initially intrigued me. Unfortunately, the actual book didn't live up to that. If anything, if you've read the blurb, then you've read about 75% of this book already!
Our main character, Carra, has lost all her memories and is found in the Fae Quarters - a fate punishable by death. She's saved by Straid, a Fae Lord who announces they will be wed in the morning. Given Fae are bound by their oaths and promises, they do just that. As a result, she can't go to the mortal lands for a year afterwards and must return one night a month forever after.
That's my first issue - all this happens within like...the first 5% of the book. I'm aware I'm reading a book about Fae, so I have to suspend my disbelief, but I found it VERY hard to do that when they're getting married so soon, especially when she can't even remember. It seems so stupid that someone as reserved and stoic as Straid would just...do something spontaneous like that. He gives a half-hearted excuse later in the book, but it's not believable. It just reads as dumb - she can't even remember her own name. And yeah, the other option is death but...come on.
The other fact is that she's a prostitute - I've got no issues with this as a career, and Carra is actually very proud of her job and her talents. She's got a loyal client list who are very good to her, which is good to see. My issue is that she has no memory of anything and immediately starts doing it again? There's nothing more vulnerable than sex, and she just throws herself back into it even though any of her clients could've been the reason for her memory loss. Straid also just...goes along with this and lets it happen in his house? This would be fine, as Fae have different standards, but it's made very clear to us that Straid isn't just a normal Fae Lord. It just felt like a weird choice.
This also fed into the fact that for most of this book, nothing happens. There's some underlying plot that only takes off later in the plot, but otherwise...it's just reading Carra renovating a room and seeing her clients? That's most of the spice - her with other men. It's boring, and whilst it's easy to read, I found myself wondering what the actual point of this story is.
On top of that, there's no world-building. All I know is that there's the Fae Quarters and the mortal world...a town with iron around it. That's it. Nothing else. The Fae are bound by oaths and promises; don't say please and thank you and have some powers. That's all you learn. Nothing about the world they inhabit. 80% of this book takes place in the house, and most of the rest is just in...other clients' houses. There's no depth to the characters, either. Straid is mourning his fiancée, but do we get to know what he loved about her or what she enjoyed? Not really. There are a few throwaway comments, but that's it. We don't get to know much about Straid either. He's just a stereotype of a brooding, introverted and grieving man.
Carra can't remember her past, so obviously, there's minimal character development there.
Overall, it was very lacklustre, and I didn't really enjoy it.
September 10, 2024
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🖤✨ **Mortal Memories** by F. A. Eden ✨🖤
*A haunting tale of love, loss, and memories that linger beyond life and death.*
🌟💔 **Review:** 💔🌟
*F. A. Eden’s Mortal Memories* is a gripping and beautifully written fantasy that plunges readers into a world where memories hold the power to heal—or destroy. This novel explores the depths of human emotion, weaving together a story of romance, tragedy, and the supernatural in a way that feels both haunting and deeply moving.
The protagonist is caught in a complex web of forgotten memories and painful truths that challenge their understanding of reality. As they grapple with the ghosts of their past, they are forced to confront their deepest fears and desires. Eden’s skillful world-building and emotionally charged narrative create a unique, immersive experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
At its heart, *Mortal Memories* is about the lingering effects of trauma and the lengths one will go to recover lost memories and make peace with the past. The romance is poignant, with a slow-burning intensity that perfectly complements the dark and mysterious tone of the novel. The novel balances fantasy elements with raw human emotion, making it both magical and relatable.
---
🌟 **Highlights:** 🌟
- **Haunting Atmosphere**: The eerie and mysterious tone of the novel creates a sense of intrigue and tension from start to finish.
- **Emotional Depth**: The exploration of memory, loss, and love is handled with sensitivity and depth, making the characters' journeys feel personal and raw.
- **Unique Concept**: The idea of memories playing a pivotal role in the story's magic and emotional stakes adds a fresh twist to the fantasy genre.
---
💌 **Favorite Quote:**
*"Memories are never truly forgotten. They live inside us, waiting for the moment when they will either save us—or tear us apart."* - A chilling reminder of the power of memory in shaping our lives.
---
🌟 **Rating:** 🌟
⭐️⭐️⭐️
---
*F. A. Eden’s Mortal Memories* is an emotionally charged fantasy that will captivate readers who enjoy stories filled with dark mystery, romance, and the complexity of human emotion. This novel explores the darker side of memory, loss, and the paths we take to find ourselves again.
See more reviews at:
Casla Reads
---
*I received this book through NetGalley as an ARC reader. This will not in any way affect my thoughts or opinions on the book.*
🖤✨ **Mortal Memories** by F. A. Eden ✨🖤
*A haunting tale of love, loss, and memories that linger beyond life and death.*
🌟💔 **Review:** 💔🌟
*F. A. Eden’s Mortal Memories* is a gripping and beautifully written fantasy that plunges readers into a world where memories hold the power to heal—or destroy. This novel explores the depths of human emotion, weaving together a story of romance, tragedy, and the supernatural in a way that feels both haunting and deeply moving.
The protagonist is caught in a complex web of forgotten memories and painful truths that challenge their understanding of reality. As they grapple with the ghosts of their past, they are forced to confront their deepest fears and desires. Eden’s skillful world-building and emotionally charged narrative create a unique, immersive experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
At its heart, *Mortal Memories* is about the lingering effects of trauma and the lengths one will go to recover lost memories and make peace with the past. The romance is poignant, with a slow-burning intensity that perfectly complements the dark and mysterious tone of the novel. The novel balances fantasy elements with raw human emotion, making it both magical and relatable.
---
🌟 **Highlights:** 🌟
- **Haunting Atmosphere**: The eerie and mysterious tone of the novel creates a sense of intrigue and tension from start to finish.
- **Emotional Depth**: The exploration of memory, loss, and love is handled with sensitivity and depth, making the characters' journeys feel personal and raw.
- **Unique Concept**: The idea of memories playing a pivotal role in the story's magic and emotional stakes adds a fresh twist to the fantasy genre.
---
💌 **Favorite Quote:**
*"Memories are never truly forgotten. They live inside us, waiting for the moment when they will either save us—or tear us apart."* - A chilling reminder of the power of memory in shaping our lives.
---
🌟 **Rating:** 🌟
⭐️⭐️⭐️
---
*F. A. Eden’s Mortal Memories* is an emotionally charged fantasy that will captivate readers who enjoy stories filled with dark mystery, romance, and the complexity of human emotion. This novel explores the darker side of memory, loss, and the paths we take to find ourselves again.
See more reviews at:
Casla Reads
---
*I received this book through NetGalley as an ARC reader. This will not in any way affect my thoughts or opinions on the book.*
July 29, 2024
I’m so, so torn on this book. On the one hand, I’m totally invested in the story. I need the mystery to be solved, especially after the epilogue. I’m a little creeped out by the ending, tbh, but I need to know what happens next. On the other hand, I basically hated Carra for most of the book. She grew on me a little at the end, though. Carra is a prostitute and continues her profession after her marriage. Even though the marriage was not a live marriage, I’m just not ok with that. Unless it’s a RH situation, or a couple’s specific kink, I’m not ok with extramarital carnal relationships. I guess I didn’t even realize that until this book, though I always avoid books with MC cheating. I think readers deserve to know going in to this book that it’s not a “safe” read. The author gave a content warning about a side character having a problem with prostitution, but not about the continuation of said prostitution, which I think is outrageous. I also didn’t think Carra’s profession was necessary to the plot. I get that it added spice where there wouldn’t have been any, and afforded Carra the opportunity to glean information from her clients, but both of those things could’ve been accomplished otherwise. It really felt like it added zero value to the book.
Other than my general dislike of Carra and the seemingly unnecessary prostitution, I thought the book needed to be tightened up a bit. One of my biggest pet peeves in a book is poor editing, even at the ARC phase, assuming the author has undergone beta reads. Things like incorrect names, glaring typos, and plot inconsistencies should be corrected before getting to the ARC stage. For example, because of an incorrect name placement, I knew the FMC’s name was Carra, not Anna (plot only, I know it’s in the blurb). It kind of ruins the flow of reading when you pause and go, wait, who’s Carra? Things like that take away from my enjoyment of a book.
I received an ARC of Mortal Memories from NetGalley. This review is my own and I am leaving it voluntarily.
Other than my general dislike of Carra and the seemingly unnecessary prostitution, I thought the book needed to be tightened up a bit. One of my biggest pet peeves in a book is poor editing, even at the ARC phase, assuming the author has undergone beta reads. Things like incorrect names, glaring typos, and plot inconsistencies should be corrected before getting to the ARC stage. For example, because of an incorrect name placement, I knew the FMC’s name was Carra, not Anna (plot only, I know it’s in the blurb). It kind of ruins the flow of reading when you pause and go, wait, who’s Carra? Things like that take away from my enjoyment of a book.
I received an ARC of Mortal Memories from NetGalley. This review is my own and I am leaving it voluntarily.
July 31, 2024
A mortal woman missing her memory. A fae lord held captive by his.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Carra is a mortal and has lost her memory. She's running around in fae territory where if humans are caught they are sentenced to death. Then she's caught by a guard.
Straid is a powerful fae who was once engaged to a mortal but she died. Now, he has spent the last 50 grief filled years as recluse. He finds Carra and immediately wants to help the human girl, by telling the guard they are engaged.
Idk, this seemed like it could be an interesting story. The writing is ok, but there are a some typos and some glaring mixups with character names that can't be overlooked. Carra marries Straid, is forced to stay in fae territory for a year due to *rules.* Her biggest concern is regaining her memories and the only thing she discovers is that she was a prostitute. And a "damn good" one lol. I still couldn't get over how she was adamant that she return to work immediately and Straid was just gonna have to deal with it. Because she loved her job!! The job that she had because her family was poor and she gave them all her money to support them.
Then, Straid was just a pushover because he basically said yes, do whatever you want because I only want to take care of you and make sure you are safe.
People are going missing. He's falling in love with her every day. Of course she's attracted to him and Straid to her, but the slow burn never culminates into anything.
Needless to say, the spice comes in during Carra's meetings with her clients. Idk it just wasn't that fulfilling because they are just past clients.
There isn't a lot of world building and the magic system is a little underwhelming. It took me some time to grasp the "threads" magic.
I mostly understood the reason for the kidnappings but the "epilogue ?" chapter did not make sense to me. I didn't care for the ending and there will obvi be another book but I probably won't read it.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Carra is a mortal and has lost her memory. She's running around in fae territory where if humans are caught they are sentenced to death. Then she's caught by a guard.
Straid is a powerful fae who was once engaged to a mortal but she died. Now, he has spent the last 50 grief filled years as recluse. He finds Carra and immediately wants to help the human girl, by telling the guard they are engaged.
Idk, this seemed like it could be an interesting story. The writing is ok, but there are a some typos and some glaring mixups with character names that can't be overlooked. Carra marries Straid, is forced to stay in fae territory for a year due to *rules.* Her biggest concern is regaining her memories and the only thing she discovers is that she was a prostitute. And a "damn good" one lol. I still couldn't get over how she was adamant that she return to work immediately and Straid was just gonna have to deal with it. Because she loved her job!! The job that she had because her family was poor and she gave them all her money to support them.
Then, Straid was just a pushover because he basically said yes, do whatever you want because I only want to take care of you and make sure you are safe.
People are going missing. He's falling in love with her every day. Of course she's attracted to him and Straid to her, but the slow burn never culminates into anything.
Needless to say, the spice comes in during Carra's meetings with her clients. Idk it just wasn't that fulfilling because they are just past clients.
There isn't a lot of world building and the magic system is a little underwhelming. It took me some time to grasp the "threads" magic.
I mostly understood the reason for the kidnappings but the "epilogue ?" chapter did not make sense to me. I didn't care for the ending and there will obvi be another book but I probably won't read it.
August 19, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley and F.A. Eden for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Mortal Memories is a fun, quick read that throws you into the thick of it. Anna (Carra) finds herself running through a forbidden area of the fae quarters with amnesia until a guard catches her and threatens to kill her for her trespassing. She is miraculously saved by Straid who covers for her by saying she is his fiancee and they are to be married the following morning. They develop a rocky friendship trying to recover her memories while simultaneously investigating the disappearances of several humans and fae.
Some Vague Spoilers to Follow (nothing that will ruin the plot):
For me, the book could've used more world-building. I appreciated the immediate draw of being put into action, afterward the book slowed drastically with many opportunities to delve deeper into this world and the many types of creatures within it. It could have deepened the readers' emersion and was a lost opportunity. There were a few plot holes, some of which may be tied together in subsequent installments. My biggest issue with this novel was the believability. Carra magically remembers she's a prostitute but really nothing else. I just find it hard to believe that this woman loses all of her memories, gets one flashback of sleeping with a man, and instantly is like "aha! im a prostitute, time to get back to work!". I feel that Carra should have had more trauma to work through to get back to that profession, especially with how apprehensive she was of Straid the first half of the book. Some of the sex dialogue also felt a little forced, and more natural flow would've worked better. Specifically, the scene where she invites the new body guard to join her with Jax like 5 minutes after meeting him. It was just... strange.
Otherwise, it was a super fun read, and the last 25% of the book was great pacing, and super enthralling. I will be anxiously awaiting the second book to figure out if my guesses are correct! If you're in the mood for something that isn't the typical series of trials romantasy, this is a wonderful option.
Mortal Memories is a fun, quick read that throws you into the thick of it. Anna (Carra) finds herself running through a forbidden area of the fae quarters with amnesia until a guard catches her and threatens to kill her for her trespassing. She is miraculously saved by Straid who covers for her by saying she is his fiancee and they are to be married the following morning. They develop a rocky friendship trying to recover her memories while simultaneously investigating the disappearances of several humans and fae.
Some Vague Spoilers to Follow (nothing that will ruin the plot):
For me, the book could've used more world-building. I appreciated the immediate draw of being put into action, afterward the book slowed drastically with many opportunities to delve deeper into this world and the many types of creatures within it. It could have deepened the readers' emersion and was a lost opportunity. There were a few plot holes, some of which may be tied together in subsequent installments. My biggest issue with this novel was the believability. Carra magically remembers she's a prostitute but really nothing else. I just find it hard to believe that this woman loses all of her memories, gets one flashback of sleeping with a man, and instantly is like "aha! im a prostitute, time to get back to work!". I feel that Carra should have had more trauma to work through to get back to that profession, especially with how apprehensive she was of Straid the first half of the book. Some of the sex dialogue also felt a little forced, and more natural flow would've worked better. Specifically, the scene where she invites the new body guard to join her with Jax like 5 minutes after meeting him. It was just... strange.
Otherwise, it was a super fun read, and the last 25% of the book was great pacing, and super enthralling. I will be anxiously awaiting the second book to figure out if my guesses are correct! If you're in the mood for something that isn't the typical series of trials romantasy, this is a wonderful option.
October 16, 2024
With a few tweaks and some editing, I think this has the opportunity to be something special for sure!
We follow Carra, a mortal human who has suddenly and unexpectedly lost her memory and searching for it. She is found and saved by Straid, a grieving heartbroken fae who is avoiding his own past.
As a Romantasy, I expected the magic and the intrigue, plus a decent romantic subplot but this gave us just a little bit more with the acceptance of Sex Workers and some fantastic representation of boundaries and consent. I absolutely applaud the author for ensuring this is included. The relationship development between Carra and Straid is this books strong point, a very lengthy Slow Burn and both characters hesitation about one another result in a beautiful story of learning to trust and eventually love.
My main concern with this book is the backstory. I understand we’re not going to get much from Carra, and her background does develop as the memories come back. But we need to know more about the world, its people, its layout. The relationship between Fae and Mortals in more detail (maybe Straid should have recanted this as a reminder of the history and why it is like this as part of helping Carra return her memories).
I do not know the plan for the physical book, but the visualisation of this world would 100% be enhanced by a map. I’m not sure of the layout of the town, its closeness to the mortals and so on.
I think, if the author could put some time aside and expand on the background just a little bit more we would have a fantastic introduction to a new series.
One final, strong, opinion. The very final epilogue is unneeded. This should have been the beginning of book 2, the original ending with its cliffhanger was perfect and just enough to frustrate you to the point of needing boom 2 ASAP.
I want to thank NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and F.A Eden for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The review is my own opinion and I have given this freely.
We follow Carra, a mortal human who has suddenly and unexpectedly lost her memory and searching for it. She is found and saved by Straid, a grieving heartbroken fae who is avoiding his own past.
As a Romantasy, I expected the magic and the intrigue, plus a decent romantic subplot but this gave us just a little bit more with the acceptance of Sex Workers and some fantastic representation of boundaries and consent. I absolutely applaud the author for ensuring this is included. The relationship development between Carra and Straid is this books strong point, a very lengthy Slow Burn and both characters hesitation about one another result in a beautiful story of learning to trust and eventually love.
My main concern with this book is the backstory. I understand we’re not going to get much from Carra, and her background does develop as the memories come back. But we need to know more about the world, its people, its layout. The relationship between Fae and Mortals in more detail (maybe Straid should have recanted this as a reminder of the history and why it is like this as part of helping Carra return her memories).
I do not know the plan for the physical book, but the visualisation of this world would 100% be enhanced by a map. I’m not sure of the layout of the town, its closeness to the mortals and so on.
I think, if the author could put some time aside and expand on the background just a little bit more we would have a fantastic introduction to a new series.
One final, strong, opinion. The very final epilogue is unneeded. This should have been the beginning of book 2, the original ending with its cliffhanger was perfect and just enough to frustrate you to the point of needing boom 2 ASAP.
I want to thank NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and F.A Eden for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The review is my own opinion and I have given this freely.
November 15, 2024
Firstly thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Mortal memories follows the story of Carra , a human woman who finds herself lost in the fae world with no memories and who is about to be arrested when she is rescued by Striad a fae who offers to marry her to avoid the repercussions of being found alone in the Bone quarters to which she agrees.
The premise of this book was really interesting and the idea had alot of potential however the book itself didn't resonate with me at all.
Firstly the book begins straight into an action scene which is fine except there was no world building , the reader is just told that the FMC is a human in the "Bone Quarters" which is not allowed , as to what the bone quarters is , what constitutes the fae world , how is it different from the human world - the reader is never told.
The main characters themselves were really not likeable and low key creepy. The main FMC has no memories at all but then discovers she's a prostitute and that becomes her personality for the duration of the book. She's so adamant that she wants to continue working and her supposed husband is totally okay with it and that leads to some really creepy, questionable scenes that I had to skip reading. It didn't even add anything to the book.
The plot is also almost non-existent , the reader is made aware that some people are missing and then progress is only made towards the concluding chapters.
I really don't like giving 1 star ratings , in fact I don't think I have ever given one but this was not an enjoyable read. Also I think that more trigger warnings should be added to the book especially about the FMC's profession and the content of the scenes just so that potential readers are aware especially for a book marketed as YA.
Mortal memories follows the story of Carra , a human woman who finds herself lost in the fae world with no memories and who is about to be arrested when she is rescued by Striad a fae who offers to marry her to avoid the repercussions of being found alone in the Bone quarters to which she agrees.
The premise of this book was really interesting and the idea had alot of potential however the book itself didn't resonate with me at all.
Firstly the book begins straight into an action scene which is fine except there was no world building , the reader is just told that the FMC is a human in the "Bone Quarters" which is not allowed , as to what the bone quarters is , what constitutes the fae world , how is it different from the human world - the reader is never told.
The main characters themselves were really not likeable and low key creepy. The main FMC has no memories at all but then discovers she's a prostitute and that becomes her personality for the duration of the book. She's so adamant that she wants to continue working and her supposed husband is totally okay with it and that leads to some really creepy, questionable scenes that I had to skip reading. It didn't even add anything to the book.
The plot is also almost non-existent , the reader is made aware that some people are missing and then progress is only made towards the concluding chapters.
I really don't like giving 1 star ratings , in fact I don't think I have ever given one but this was not an enjoyable read. Also I think that more trigger warnings should be added to the book especially about the FMC's profession and the content of the scenes just so that potential readers are aware especially for a book marketed as YA.
July 16, 2024
**Thanks to NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration**
Rounded up from 3.5 stars on account of the ending alone.
This read like 2 different books. The first half reminded me of a mash-up of ACOTAR and (more vanilla) Kushiel's Dart. Spoilers beware - if you aren't ready to read spicy scenes with . But the back half actually saved the book, with the threads of a mystery and the well-laid plot of a slow-burn romance twisting together into a truly shocking cliffhanger ending. When the second volume comes out, I will read it.
This book did a slow-burn romance very well, and the tropes - forced proximity/marriage - were well executed once they had been laid out. The real shining star of this book, though, is the mystery element - and you would not necessarily know this going into it, which is somewhat of a shame.
Things I did not enjoy: The *spice* in this was not really to my taste - and not just because the . Having the MC be a was actually very interesting and treated very respectfully, which I appreciated. I don't think the spice necessarily added much to the plot, and the scene
Other things that didn't quite make sense have been mentioned - the setup of the forced marriage/proximity didn't quite make sense to me given Straid's later characterization. But overall, this was an interesting read and I'll be back for round two, whenever the author writes it!
Rounded up from 3.5 stars on account of the ending alone.
This read like 2 different books. The first half reminded me of a mash-up of ACOTAR and (more vanilla) Kushiel's Dart. Spoilers beware - if you aren't ready to read spicy scenes with . But the back half actually saved the book, with the threads of a mystery and the well-laid plot of a slow-burn romance twisting together into a truly shocking cliffhanger ending. When the second volume comes out, I will read it.
This book did a slow-burn romance very well, and the tropes - forced proximity/marriage - were well executed once they had been laid out. The real shining star of this book, though, is the mystery element - and you would not necessarily know this going into it, which is somewhat of a shame.
Things I did not enjoy: The *spice* in this was not really to my taste - and not just because the . Having the MC be a was actually very interesting and treated very respectfully, which I appreciated. I don't think the spice necessarily added much to the plot, and the scene
Other things that didn't quite make sense have been mentioned - the setup of the forced marriage/proximity didn't quite make sense to me given Straid's later characterization. But overall, this was an interesting read and I'll be back for round two, whenever the author writes it!
August 17, 2024
📚Mortal Memories by F. A. Eden📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
🌶️🌶️1/2
🎉Publication Date🎉
October 10, 2024
✨Tropes✨
💜Memory loss
💜Marriage of Convenience
💜Slow burn
💜Friends to lovers
✨Summary✨
Carra is a human who has lost all of her memories, and now she is in a forbidden place in the Fae city unaccompanied. This is against Fae laws and is punishable by death. Fortunately, a fae male named Straid, steps in and saves her life by offering to marrying her. They are married that night, with the knowledge that there could never really be love between them for different reasons. Carra is still trying to recover her memories, slowly, and Straid is trying desperately to suppress his painful memories of a long deceased fiancée. Meanwhile, human and fae women are disappearing. Straid is pulled into it when two of his household employees are taken. Could the mysterious disappearances be connected to Carra’s memory loss? And when Carra and Straid’s friendship deepens into more, can they both accept it?
👩🏻My Recommendation👩🏻
This was a really great read. I loved the marriage of convenience and memory loss tropes in this book. There’s spice in it, with it also being a slow burn between the two main characters. The ending frustrated me at first, but upon deeper reflection, it actually really makes me excited for how the next book is going to pan out. I would highly recommend this book. I really enjoyed it. It’s romance focused and not world building focused, but sometimes that’s the kind of book you need in between heavy fantasy novels. It’s fun, sexy, tension filled, and with an intriguing twist at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
🌶️🌶️1/2
🎉Publication Date🎉
October 10, 2024
✨Tropes✨
💜Memory loss
💜Marriage of Convenience
💜Slow burn
💜Friends to lovers
✨Summary✨
Carra is a human who has lost all of her memories, and now she is in a forbidden place in the Fae city unaccompanied. This is against Fae laws and is punishable by death. Fortunately, a fae male named Straid, steps in and saves her life by offering to marrying her. They are married that night, with the knowledge that there could never really be love between them for different reasons. Carra is still trying to recover her memories, slowly, and Straid is trying desperately to suppress his painful memories of a long deceased fiancée. Meanwhile, human and fae women are disappearing. Straid is pulled into it when two of his household employees are taken. Could the mysterious disappearances be connected to Carra’s memory loss? And when Carra and Straid’s friendship deepens into more, can they both accept it?
👩🏻My Recommendation👩🏻
This was a really great read. I loved the marriage of convenience and memory loss tropes in this book. There’s spice in it, with it also being a slow burn between the two main characters. The ending frustrated me at first, but upon deeper reflection, it actually really makes me excited for how the next book is going to pan out. I would highly recommend this book. I really enjoyed it. It’s romance focused and not world building focused, but sometimes that’s the kind of book you need in between heavy fantasy novels. It’s fun, sexy, tension filled, and with an intriguing twist at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.
September 28, 2024
BOOK: MORTAL MEMORIES
AUTHOR: F.A EDEN
PUB DATE: OCTOBER 2O24
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To be honest, there was not much I liked in this book. I didn't even finish because I didn't like the characters or the storyline. I didn't even finish it, but I got past 50% of the book.
First of all, the storyline was just too fast. Striad practically lived as a loner and then literally offered marriage to a mortal woman. It was totally unexpected and out of character. Then, it turned out the woman he saved lost her memory.
Carra/ Anna was a character I didn't like at all. She lost her memory, then literally a few chapters into the book. She recovered some and went back to her job of being a prostitute.
If you want to be a prostitute, do so without being married to someone even if the marriage was a cover. Besides, if I lost my memory, the next thing I would do was not get back to a job when I didn't even have all of my memories.
All the talk of independence and freedom and stuff really annoyed. I believe in those things, but when you're married, both parties have to compromise and make decisions together. Carra was married, but she kept saying it won't affect her job, her job being a prostitute. And Straid didn't have any problem with that because he also believed that. So, this really set the tone for me.
50% of the book, and I didn't notice any romance or development of love in their relationship. The plot didn't deliver
That aside, I just didn't think the plot was well thought out. This was not my favorite book. There was hardly anything I liked shout it.
AUTHOR: F.A EDEN
PUB DATE: OCTOBER 2O24
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To be honest, there was not much I liked in this book. I didn't even finish because I didn't like the characters or the storyline. I didn't even finish it, but I got past 50% of the book.
First of all, the storyline was just too fast. Striad practically lived as a loner and then literally offered marriage to a mortal woman. It was totally unexpected and out of character. Then, it turned out the woman he saved lost her memory.
Carra/ Anna was a character I didn't like at all. She lost her memory, then literally a few chapters into the book. She recovered some and went back to her job of being a prostitute.
If you want to be a prostitute, do so without being married to someone even if the marriage was a cover. Besides, if I lost my memory, the next thing I would do was not get back to a job when I didn't even have all of my memories.
All the talk of independence and freedom and stuff really annoyed. I believe in those things, but when you're married, both parties have to compromise and make decisions together. Carra was married, but she kept saying it won't affect her job, her job being a prostitute. And Straid didn't have any problem with that because he also believed that. So, this really set the tone for me.
50% of the book, and I didn't notice any romance or development of love in their relationship. The plot didn't deliver
That aside, I just didn't think the plot was well thought out. This was not my favorite book. There was hardly anything I liked shout it.
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