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Weapons of Leiria #1
A Sharpened Axe
A cursed nation. An unlikely heroine. Deadly stakes. This love could kill...
A jaded fae princess and a few words whispered in the dark...that’s all it took for the prosperous country of Leiria to fall under a curse. Disease, famine and calamity followed. Fifteen years later, Samiris is one of the Chosen, a group of young women brought to the palace to try and break the curse. But if they fail, one of them will die.
Unlike the rest of the girls, who see living in the palace with the Crown Prince as an exciting privilege, Samiris is indifferent to the social whirl and offended by the sumptuous wealth present in the capital. She just wants to go home to take care of her sick father and younger sister.
Can Samiris survive the social intrigue at court, deadly plots against the Chosen, a seemingly unloveable Crown Prince, and a stubborn adversary to break the curse?
A Sharpened Axe is a stand-alone, young adult fairy tale retelling with intrigue and romance, for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and Brigid Kemmerer. If you like a strong female lead, fast paced action, and slow burn romance, then you’ll love this exciting book!
A jaded fae princess and a few words whispered in the dark...that’s all it took for the prosperous country of Leiria to fall under a curse. Disease, famine and calamity followed. Fifteen years later, Samiris is one of the Chosen, a group of young women brought to the palace to try and break the curse. But if they fail, one of them will die.
Unlike the rest of the girls, who see living in the palace with the Crown Prince as an exciting privilege, Samiris is indifferent to the social whirl and offended by the sumptuous wealth present in the capital. She just wants to go home to take care of her sick father and younger sister.
Can Samiris survive the social intrigue at court, deadly plots against the Chosen, a seemingly unloveable Crown Prince, and a stubborn adversary to break the curse?
A Sharpened Axe is a stand-alone, young adult fairy tale retelling with intrigue and romance, for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and Brigid Kemmerer. If you like a strong female lead, fast paced action, and slow burn romance, then you’ll love this exciting book!
530 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2018
479 people are currently reading
3043 people want to read
About the author
Jill M. Beene
15 books203 followersBe sure to follow me on Goodreads to get every update! I live in sunny California with my handsome husband and my slobbery English Mastiff, Rupert. I've always loved stories and wanted to write novels. When I'm not getting words on the page, I'm walking my dog or cooking something (hopefully) delicious. Feel free to ask me a question or connect with me here, but you can also find me on Instagram or my website, JillMBeene.com. I so appreciate my readers! Thank you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 775 reviews
February 22, 2023
One of the absolute worst retellings of "Beauty and the Beast" I've encountered, and that's saying a lot. Not only did it miss the point of the fairy tale but also managed to create the most annoying Beauty figure in recent memory.
Samiris alone ruins the entire story by herself, with her extreme rudeness, her uncouth ways, her superiority complex, her inability to admit to mistakes even when shown the error she is in, her anger issues, and her absolutely appalling tendency to belittle others, especially women. She's a walking embodiment of the "not like other girls" trope, a woman who thinks being a better woman is not wearing dresses, mocking femininity and women who are feminine, always snorting and rolling her eyes at everyone, and thinking that wearing breeches is the epitome of cool. She's downright unlikable, and dumb no matter how much the author tries to paint her as intelligent. She complains about the gold of the court not being used to solve the country's starvation, counter her by asking how she'd use it, and she's unable to propose anything but "where it's needed." She berates the cursed prince for being unable to do anything about the curse by himself, and when the captain of the guard tells her the prince's curse came about from his refusal to reciprocate the fae who cursed him, she callously says he should've acceded to her blackmail and bedded her. In other words, he should've let himself be raped. She's just awful, awful, awful.
It was rather a cop-out, therefore, that she'd be able to break the curse. To do anything about that, in fact. And it's so very convenient that, to make it possible for her to break the curse, a contrived twist had to be written in, in which . And it's so poorly plotted it's annoying. Everyone has to be rid of for her to be in position to do anything, then the Big Reveal if pulled out of somebody's butt, then there's a convenient flashback to 15 years before that infodumps what happened that caused the curse, then back to the present for one chapter, then on to two months later again without a breather. And, on top of this mess, the Epilogue is, wait for it, a line about the awful Samaris' happily ever after and another line of the author begging for a review.
Goodness, what a waste of time and money. Well, here's the review, and I'll add a recommendation to stay away from this book. It's not worth your while.
Samiris alone ruins the entire story by herself, with her extreme rudeness, her uncouth ways, her superiority complex, her inability to admit to mistakes even when shown the error she is in, her anger issues, and her absolutely appalling tendency to belittle others, especially women. She's a walking embodiment of the "not like other girls" trope, a woman who thinks being a better woman is not wearing dresses, mocking femininity and women who are feminine, always snorting and rolling her eyes at everyone, and thinking that wearing breeches is the epitome of cool. She's downright unlikable, and dumb no matter how much the author tries to paint her as intelligent. She complains about the gold of the court not being used to solve the country's starvation, counter her by asking how she'd use it, and she's unable to propose anything but "where it's needed." She berates the cursed prince for being unable to do anything about the curse by himself, and when the captain of the guard tells her the prince's curse came about from his refusal to reciprocate the fae who cursed him, she callously says he should've acceded to her blackmail and bedded her. In other words, he should've let himself be raped. She's just awful, awful, awful.
It was rather a cop-out, therefore, that she'd be able to break the curse. To do anything about that, in fact. And it's so very convenient that, to make it possible for her to break the curse, a contrived twist had to be written in, in which . And it's so poorly plotted it's annoying. Everyone has to be rid of for her to be in position to do anything, then the Big Reveal if pulled out of somebody's butt, then there's a convenient flashback to 15 years before that infodumps what happened that caused the curse, then back to the present for one chapter, then on to two months later again without a breather. And, on top of this mess, the Epilogue is, wait for it, a line about the awful Samaris' happily ever after and another line of the author begging for a review.
Goodness, what a waste of time and money. Well, here's the review, and I'll add a recommendation to stay away from this book. It's not worth your while.
November 21, 2024
Imagine if on The Bachelor, once the final contestant is declared the winner, she then gets questioned on the reality of her being truly “in love”, with an infallible lie detector test.
If she is imagining, lying, exaggerating or wishfully thinking that her love is real for the Bachie, but the reality is it’s not actually true love... she gets burnt alive and everyone is forced to watch.
Sadly, this is what has been happening for 15 years in the cursed nation of Leiria and unfortunately, our main character Samiris has been called up as one of the contestants, known as “The Chosen.”
I recommend reading this if you’re into the idea of getting lost in an imaginative, indie, standalone fairytale-ish book that defies conventions without having to read an entire series.
If she is imagining, lying, exaggerating or wishfully thinking that her love is real for the Bachie, but the reality is it’s not actually true love... she gets burnt alive and everyone is forced to watch.
Sadly, this is what has been happening for 15 years in the cursed nation of Leiria and unfortunately, our main character Samiris has been called up as one of the contestants, known as “The Chosen.”
I recommend reading this if you’re into the idea of getting lost in an imaginative, indie, standalone fairytale-ish book that defies conventions without having to read an entire series.
December 28, 2020
*SPOILER ALERT* *SPOILER ALERT*
This book was good. It was. Jill built an incredible world with great imagery and analogies. Her vernacular was refined and descriptive and SO much better than other indie writers who rely on writing YA novels so they can speak casually and with immaturity. Jill rises to the challenge of broadening young minds with a more refined vocabulary and excellent descriptive illustrations.
She is SO good in fact, that I expected MORE from her. The plot...was lacking..... specifically the ending. It was SO lack-luster and felt rushed. So much so that it cheapened the book and the characters that she worked to build.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The curse did NOT MAKE SENSE. The "choosing" was totally nullified by the explanation of what happened to the fae princess. Like, what? The prince is a scholar and his guard is the prince? (Suspected, but I reasoned it was for a good story twist). Nope. The fae princess just switched everyone's minds around and had them convinced the scholar was the prince and the prince was a guard. That meant all the girls were falling in love with the wrong man. Meaning all those girls died for NOTHING. Meaning the scholar's true love was KILLED! The fae princess said it was so she could have control of the kingdom. But.....she didn't.....she was an aid to the queen, and even though they SAID she was really powerful, almost more powerful than the queen, her influence wasn't talked about! How was she ruling from the position she made? If she wanted to rule she should have tricked everyone's minds into thinking SHE was queen. She was BARELY a side character in the book despite her being the big bad villain in the end because despite SAYING as the queen's aid that she was powerful, they didn't SHOW how.
So let's break this down. The curse. In the end the fae princess wants control of the kingdom, so she wants the prince to bed her so she can control him. He knows this and says no. He says he'd rather have a scholar be the ruler than she be the ruler. She says fine and curses the land so they think the scholar is the crowned prince like I mentioned before. Ok, cool. Makes sense . But then the curse includes the castle people not aging.... um okkkaaaay? And it includes the choosing.....um...that doesn't really coorelate....and it includes the land and animals being cursed so the capital absorbes all the fertility and stuff. So things grow in abundance, and FAST. Um.....don't really see what that has to do with the fae princess's vendetta either ...
Then the prince (now the guard) after years of failed attempts to break the curse focuses on weird girly traditions and gives Samiris a hard time about her being different.....what? The fact that this is repeated agnosium makes Artem look dumb. His obsession with Samiris being a lady because he promised her dad he'd take care of her just doesn't make sense. It MENTIONS he was obsessed with tradition because the whole palace is clinging to SOMETHING to be "normal" kinda....but it seemed like a stretch for him to care so bad about what she did. Not when there were potentially 19 other women who could break the curse. And it says he didn't fall in love with her until WAY later so his obsession wasn't made clear.
That brings up another thing. The 19 other girls. She opened the possibilities SO much with these women and it went NOWHERE! Cyra? Ugh, so anticlimactic! They built up so much suspense about her motives and past and then within 1 chapter she's tried to kill the king, is part of a moon cult and then is taken to a different city to live out her days.....um WHAT!? So much potential for a cool side story about this girl and her religion and her friendship with Samiris and it just ENDS within 1 chapter....
And what about the other girls? She describes them. Talks about them, but then nothing happens with them. We don't even learn more than 3 girls' names!
There's also this plot that Samiris overheard about people wanting certain chosen girls to die so the curse stays and NOTHING happens with it. Literally. Samiris forgets about it! The men talk about a girl who paid to get in, and it's never confirmed which girl that was. This was SUCH a cool part of the story that could have explained all the wonkiness with the curse and it came to basically nothing! This could have been some type of trick, that someone had orchestrated and that the bad guy didn't want to age so he caused the agelessness and people thought that was connected to the curse. Or Beatrice really HAD broken the curse and they made it seem like the curse was still on because they wanted to profit from it. Or maybe there was no curse and it WAS broken when the fae princess was killed and the chosen and all these land problems was something else! There was just SO MUCH potential with this curse and the twisting of plots with how the different motives and characters could've woven and it amounted to nothing!
I thought the girls were secretly alive. That the "burning" was a façade and the girls were just moved elsewhere because just like magic couldn't create I thought it couldn't kill too. How DEPRESSING that SO many died!!! And in the end the only person that it tortures is the SCHOLAR because it's HIS love that dies. HIS "failed attempts" that haunt him. The fae princess was torturing the scholar more than the prince with the choosing....I mean, the fae princess made it seem like the scholar would run the kingdom into the ground and that was the punishment for the prince not marrying her. But the curse made it out that people didn't really blame the scholar for their problems. They knew the land failing was because of the curse. It would have made more sense if the scholar was stupid or vicious and evil and WANTED power and for the kingdom to fail. But because Artem kept defending his character and helped make decisions for the kingdom as his advisor of sorts, that nullified the "punishment" for the prince threatening that a scholar would be a better ruler than the fae princess....
I could seriously go on and on about how the author created SO much potential with this book. She built up SO many cool story plots and different facets of the many characters and then they didn't go anywhere....the ending was just kinda.....lame .....🤷🏼♀️
Totally think she's a good author. TOTALLY would read another book by her. I just wish she could republish this with some tweaks to the plot. Because it wouldn't take much to improve the plot drastically since she already set up it up so well.
This book was good. It was. Jill built an incredible world with great imagery and analogies. Her vernacular was refined and descriptive and SO much better than other indie writers who rely on writing YA novels so they can speak casually and with immaturity. Jill rises to the challenge of broadening young minds with a more refined vocabulary and excellent descriptive illustrations.
She is SO good in fact, that I expected MORE from her. The plot...was lacking..... specifically the ending. It was SO lack-luster and felt rushed. So much so that it cheapened the book and the characters that she worked to build.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The curse did NOT MAKE SENSE. The "choosing" was totally nullified by the explanation of what happened to the fae princess. Like, what? The prince is a scholar and his guard is the prince? (Suspected, but I reasoned it was for a good story twist). Nope. The fae princess just switched everyone's minds around and had them convinced the scholar was the prince and the prince was a guard. That meant all the girls were falling in love with the wrong man. Meaning all those girls died for NOTHING. Meaning the scholar's true love was KILLED! The fae princess said it was so she could have control of the kingdom. But.....she didn't.....she was an aid to the queen, and even though they SAID she was really powerful, almost more powerful than the queen, her influence wasn't talked about! How was she ruling from the position she made? If she wanted to rule she should have tricked everyone's minds into thinking SHE was queen. She was BARELY a side character in the book despite her being the big bad villain in the end because despite SAYING as the queen's aid that she was powerful, they didn't SHOW how.
So let's break this down. The curse. In the end the fae princess wants control of the kingdom, so she wants the prince to bed her so she can control him. He knows this and says no. He says he'd rather have a scholar be the ruler than she be the ruler. She says fine and curses the land so they think the scholar is the crowned prince like I mentioned before. Ok, cool. Makes sense . But then the curse includes the castle people not aging.... um okkkaaaay? And it includes the choosing.....um...that doesn't really coorelate....and it includes the land and animals being cursed so the capital absorbes all the fertility and stuff. So things grow in abundance, and FAST. Um.....don't really see what that has to do with the fae princess's vendetta either ...
Then the prince (now the guard) after years of failed attempts to break the curse focuses on weird girly traditions and gives Samiris a hard time about her being different.....what? The fact that this is repeated agnosium makes Artem look dumb. His obsession with Samiris being a lady because he promised her dad he'd take care of her just doesn't make sense. It MENTIONS he was obsessed with tradition because the whole palace is clinging to SOMETHING to be "normal" kinda....but it seemed like a stretch for him to care so bad about what she did. Not when there were potentially 19 other women who could break the curse. And it says he didn't fall in love with her until WAY later so his obsession wasn't made clear.
That brings up another thing. The 19 other girls. She opened the possibilities SO much with these women and it went NOWHERE! Cyra? Ugh, so anticlimactic! They built up so much suspense about her motives and past and then within 1 chapter she's tried to kill the king, is part of a moon cult and then is taken to a different city to live out her days.....um WHAT!? So much potential for a cool side story about this girl and her religion and her friendship with Samiris and it just ENDS within 1 chapter....
And what about the other girls? She describes them. Talks about them, but then nothing happens with them. We don't even learn more than 3 girls' names!
There's also this plot that Samiris overheard about people wanting certain chosen girls to die so the curse stays and NOTHING happens with it. Literally. Samiris forgets about it! The men talk about a girl who paid to get in, and it's never confirmed which girl that was. This was SUCH a cool part of the story that could have explained all the wonkiness with the curse and it came to basically nothing! This could have been some type of trick, that someone had orchestrated and that the bad guy didn't want to age so he caused the agelessness and people thought that was connected to the curse. Or Beatrice really HAD broken the curse and they made it seem like the curse was still on because they wanted to profit from it. Or maybe there was no curse and it WAS broken when the fae princess was killed and the chosen and all these land problems was something else! There was just SO MUCH potential with this curse and the twisting of plots with how the different motives and characters could've woven and it amounted to nothing!
I thought the girls were secretly alive. That the "burning" was a façade and the girls were just moved elsewhere because just like magic couldn't create I thought it couldn't kill too. How DEPRESSING that SO many died!!! And in the end the only person that it tortures is the SCHOLAR because it's HIS love that dies. HIS "failed attempts" that haunt him. The fae princess was torturing the scholar more than the prince with the choosing....I mean, the fae princess made it seem like the scholar would run the kingdom into the ground and that was the punishment for the prince not marrying her. But the curse made it out that people didn't really blame the scholar for their problems. They knew the land failing was because of the curse. It would have made more sense if the scholar was stupid or vicious and evil and WANTED power and for the kingdom to fail. But because Artem kept defending his character and helped make decisions for the kingdom as his advisor of sorts, that nullified the "punishment" for the prince threatening that a scholar would be a better ruler than the fae princess....
I could seriously go on and on about how the author created SO much potential with this book. She built up SO many cool story plots and different facets of the many characters and then they didn't go anywhere....the ending was just kinda.....lame .....🤷🏼♀️
Totally think she's a good author. TOTALLY would read another book by her. I just wish she could republish this with some tweaks to the plot. Because it wouldn't take much to improve the plot drastically since she already set up it up so well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
on-hold
September 24, 2021~ currently reading ~
.........................................
“A Sharpened Axe is a stand-alone, young adult fairy tale retelling with intrigue and romance, for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and Brigid Kemmerer.” ~The blurb
Not a fan of Sarah J. Maas, but Holly Black and Brigid Kemmerer had me sold!
And this cover is gorgeous 🥰
.........................................
“A Sharpened Axe is a stand-alone, young adult fairy tale retelling with intrigue and romance, for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and Brigid Kemmerer.” ~The blurb
Not a fan of Sarah J. Maas, but Holly Black and Brigid Kemmerer had me sold!
And this cover is gorgeous 🥰
January 1, 2021
This was such a FUN and original YA Fantasy. I truly enjoyed the book - the author delivered a fairy tale that kept me happy for hours. I get tired of the duos and series - this is a FULL, complete, perfect love story in one beautiful book. I really enjoyed Samiris and Artem, I loved the twists and turns the story took, and there were several genuine surprises along the way.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
Read
September 1, 2025DNF
May 2, 2022
I have been seeing this book recommended in many of the clean romantic fantasy Facebook groups, and once it released in audiobook, I knew it was time to finally pick it up and read it!
This was not at all what I was expecting, yet it was so much more! A noble girl-turned-farmgirl is pulled into a deadly marriage contest where the "winner" is burned alive in the end thanks to a curse inflicting the whole kingdom. The prince is a bumbling, yet sweet oaf who she can never like. Instead, she finds herself falling for the prince's guard.
I guessed the big twist in the end, but that didn't make it any less amazing!
If you like clean romantic fantasy with the marriage contest trope, then you'll love this book!
This was not at all what I was expecting, yet it was so much more! A noble girl-turned-farmgirl is pulled into a deadly marriage contest where the "winner" is burned alive in the end thanks to a curse inflicting the whole kingdom. The prince is a bumbling, yet sweet oaf who she can never like. Instead, she finds herself falling for the prince's guard.
I guessed the big twist in the end, but that didn't make it any less amazing!
If you like clean romantic fantasy with the marriage contest trope, then you'll love this book!
March 24, 2021
I didn't think I could hate a protagonist in a Bachelor-esque story as much as I did America Singer.
I was wrong.
Samiris is supposed to have a nice character arc, but the only thing that changes about her is when she learns to like two other characters.
THAT'S IT.
She learns a little bit about not judging people, but not enough to stretch beyond just the two I've mentioned. Instead, she is rude, mean, and hostile to everyone in the book. I know, she's supposed to be a "rebel" character who brings reality to the palace, but Samiris is 100% anger ALL. THE. TIME. It never shuts off. She snaps at everyone she comes across, but people still think she's a savior - it's barbaric. Just because someone has truth doesn't mean they should stamp their foot and screech it at everyone. Only some people stood up to her, but when they did, she snarled back and acted hurt, even though they were only trying to help.
Is kindness no longer a thing for heroines? We have failed a generation of girls if this is the case.
Plot-wise, the story was decent. The curse was well thought out, and I liked the dark reality of how the country can operate under a prince that can't gain control. There were definitely moments that weighed the reality of citizens versus the fault and reality of the prince, which I thought was handled well. However, at least 40% of the book was useless. So much time was given to banter or random scenes that didn't play into the overall plot. This book could be way, way shorter without all the fluff.
The writing also feels like a beginner's attempt at a novel. Not bad, but not good, either. Time sequences ran willy-nilly, until I didn't know if it was the next day, next hour, or next second. I'm also convinced that this half this book is metaphors. They were so prolific they made me doubt her ability to write without them. They were also not nearly descriptive enough.
Not to mention, transitions were used between paragraphs and chapters only 50% of the time.
Is this a problem if there is still reader clarity? No. Was there reader clarity? Also no.
There was also too much telling and not enough showing. Roughly 50% of this was decent writing, but only 50%.
As for characters, so many felt like a caricature. For a plot like this, I'd expect there to be more depth to the characters, but only 3 were given the real attention they deserved, with only two character arcs. Everyone else just stayed the same, give or take. (And again, SAMIRIS IS AWFUL. Do not give me a rebel character that can't learn from the other side or act with basic kindness.)
The twist was...what I expected but also not. It took a turn I fully expected from the minute I met the Crown Prince, but almost hinted at a clever little wordplay that would have changed the story. Alas, it did not do as I wished and missed a great opportunity to prove my intuition wrong. The trope lives on (although I won't tell you which one, that'd be spoiling.) ;
Lastly, this book is NOT as clean as it should be. The ribald jokes and vulgar language add nothing to the story; they only serve to make Samiris come off as crusty as a sailor. Granted, that might have its purpose, but there was far too much of it to achieve that purpose without going overboard. As for gore, don't read this if you have a sensitive stomach. There's enough blood here to fill a suspense movie (but not a slasher, thank goodness).
Overall, two stars for creativity and overall vision, but I'd only give it 1/3 of a star if the reviews was based on Samiris alone. (Although I'd give 5 for the sweet Fitzhumphrey, bless him.) I don't know why everyone else seemed to love this book, but I will admit it's got some good points.
I was wrong.
Samiris is supposed to have a nice character arc, but the only thing that changes about her is when she learns to like two other characters.
THAT'S IT.
She learns a little bit about not judging people, but not enough to stretch beyond just the two I've mentioned. Instead, she is rude, mean, and hostile to everyone in the book. I know, she's supposed to be a "rebel" character who brings reality to the palace, but Samiris is 100% anger ALL. THE. TIME. It never shuts off. She snaps at everyone she comes across, but people still think she's a savior - it's barbaric. Just because someone has truth doesn't mean they should stamp their foot and screech it at everyone. Only some people stood up to her, but when they did, she snarled back and acted hurt, even though they were only trying to help.
Is kindness no longer a thing for heroines? We have failed a generation of girls if this is the case.
Plot-wise, the story was decent. The curse was well thought out, and I liked the dark reality of how the country can operate under a prince that can't gain control. There were definitely moments that weighed the reality of citizens versus the fault and reality of the prince, which I thought was handled well. However, at least 40% of the book was useless. So much time was given to banter or random scenes that didn't play into the overall plot. This book could be way, way shorter without all the fluff.
The writing also feels like a beginner's attempt at a novel. Not bad, but not good, either. Time sequences ran willy-nilly, until I didn't know if it was the next day, next hour, or next second. I'm also convinced that this half this book is metaphors. They were so prolific they made me doubt her ability to write without them. They were also not nearly descriptive enough.
Not to mention, transitions were used between paragraphs and chapters only 50% of the time.
Is this a problem if there is still reader clarity? No. Was there reader clarity? Also no.
There was also too much telling and not enough showing. Roughly 50% of this was decent writing, but only 50%.
As for characters, so many felt like a caricature. For a plot like this, I'd expect there to be more depth to the characters, but only 3 were given the real attention they deserved, with only two character arcs. Everyone else just stayed the same, give or take. (And again, SAMIRIS IS AWFUL. Do not give me a rebel character that can't learn from the other side or act with basic kindness.)
The twist was...what I expected but also not. It took a turn I fully expected from the minute I met the Crown Prince, but almost hinted at a clever little wordplay that would have changed the story. Alas, it did not do as I wished and missed a great opportunity to prove my intuition wrong. The trope lives on (although I won't tell you which one, that'd be spoiling.) ;
Lastly, this book is NOT as clean as it should be. The ribald jokes and vulgar language add nothing to the story; they only serve to make Samiris come off as crusty as a sailor. Granted, that might have its purpose, but there was far too much of it to achieve that purpose without going overboard. As for gore, don't read this if you have a sensitive stomach. There's enough blood here to fill a suspense movie (but not a slasher, thank goodness).
Overall, two stars for creativity and overall vision, but I'd only give it 1/3 of a star if the reviews was based on Samiris alone. (Although I'd give 5 for the sweet Fitzhumphrey, bless him.) I don't know why everyone else seemed to love this book, but I will admit it's got some good points.
October 15, 2025
Oct, 2025
I did a 3rd reading with the audiobook. This book is like coming home, its a comfort. 5 years later and I still love it. I adore Samaris and her growth throughout the story. She challenges everything she can't understand. Because what she does understand is hungry and sickness. She can't go along with the gowns and riches when the people are suffering. She pushes Artem to see it and when he does they change together. I get Samaris, I think I would be like her in the book. She knows she is out of place but is doing everything to be who she is and because of that, goodness wins. I love the twist at the end. This book will forever have a special place in my heart.
Second reread through! This book was even better a 2nd time. It was still a page turner and I still LOVED the banter. I love Samaris, I enjoyed how she changed and grew through the story. I love everything about this book.
This book was a complete surprise and I enjoyed every chapter. It was a page turner for me. It was a fun and exciting read. The characters were great and I loved the banter. I adored the ending. I definitely recommend this book. review from 2021
I did a 3rd reading with the audiobook. This book is like coming home, its a comfort. 5 years later and I still love it. I adore Samaris and her growth throughout the story. She challenges everything she can't understand. Because what she does understand is hungry and sickness. She can't go along with the gowns and riches when the people are suffering. She pushes Artem to see it and when he does they change together. I get Samaris, I think I would be like her in the book. She knows she is out of place but is doing everything to be who she is and because of that, goodness wins. I love the twist at the end. This book will forever have a special place in my heart.
Second reread through! This book was even better a 2nd time. It was still a page turner and I still LOVED the banter. I love Samaris, I enjoyed how she changed and grew through the story. I love everything about this book.
This book was a complete surprise and I enjoyed every chapter. It was a page turner for me. It was a fun and exciting read. The characters were great and I loved the banter. I adored the ending. I definitely recommend this book. review from 2021
June 22, 2021
5 Stars
I really, really enjoyed this story of Samiris and Artem. I know this supposed to be a retelling of a fairy tale but I can't place it. Loved the world building and the character development but I think what really sticks with me the most is the snarky relationship between Sarisis and Artem!
I really, really enjoyed this story of Samiris and Artem. I know this supposed to be a retelling of a fairy tale but I can't place it. Loved the world building and the character development but I think what really sticks with me the most is the snarky relationship between Sarisis and Artem!
April 11, 2021
A Kindle Unlimited winner! I hated The Selection (and The Bachelor btw), but I loved this. Same idea, but 100% better.
In a cursed kingdom, the Crown Prince chooses eligible young women from all over in hope of finding a match. On the night of the Questioning, the last girl standing must declare her love for the prince, and faerie magic tests the truth of her words. If she really loves him, she'll break the curse and heal the land, but if she lies, she dies a fiery death immediately - and the entire court is forced to watch without turning away. So far, nobody has truthfully claimed to love the Crown Prince.
When Samiris is Chosen in the fifteenth year of the curse, nobody is more surprised than her. She's a bumpkin from the outlands, concerned with gardening and hunting to feed her little sister and sickened father ever since the blight. Although her lineage is noble and she's eligible for the contest, she's been too busy surviving to train in etiquette or *shudder* ballroom dancing.
Yes, okay - you've heard this story before. But what makes this book stand way out is Samiris. This girl is not a princess; she's tough, lippy, independent, and she doesn't even want the prince! She blows into the capital like a force of nature, busting up conventions and shows when a situation is overwhelmingly huge, it doesn't mean you shouldn't fix the smaller problems that are right in front of you. I loved this girl and every tsunami wave she makes at this horrible, gossipy court!
Not perfect - there are some inconsistencies and a couple of storylines that tie up too neatly, but these didn't diminish my reading pleasure. Give A Sharpened Axe a try, I recommend it.
In a cursed kingdom, the Crown Prince chooses eligible young women from all over in hope of finding a match. On the night of the Questioning, the last girl standing must declare her love for the prince, and faerie magic tests the truth of her words. If she really loves him, she'll break the curse and heal the land, but if she lies, she dies a fiery death immediately - and the entire court is forced to watch without turning away. So far, nobody has truthfully claimed to love the Crown Prince.
When Samiris is Chosen in the fifteenth year of the curse, nobody is more surprised than her. She's a bumpkin from the outlands, concerned with gardening and hunting to feed her little sister and sickened father ever since the blight. Although her lineage is noble and she's eligible for the contest, she's been too busy surviving to train in etiquette or *shudder* ballroom dancing.
Yes, okay - you've heard this story before. But what makes this book stand way out is Samiris. This girl is not a princess; she's tough, lippy, independent, and she doesn't even want the prince! She blows into the capital like a force of nature, busting up conventions and shows when a situation is overwhelmingly huge, it doesn't mean you shouldn't fix the smaller problems that are right in front of you. I loved this girl and every tsunami wave she makes at this horrible, gossipy court!
Not perfect - there are some inconsistencies and a couple of storylines that tie up too neatly, but these didn't diminish my reading pleasure. Give A Sharpened Axe a try, I recommend it.
August 2, 2021
I've got to say, this book has so many elements that I typically love, and it is well written, but I really didn't like it. The problem was the way women are treated in the book. Samaris is presented as this pinnacle of perfection. She sacrifices herself for her family! She's not swallow! She can ride horses! She's clever!
Though Samaris actually struck me as awfully judgmental and completely lacking basic skills in emotional intelligence, I could look past these flaws if it weren't for the fact that so many other female characters were dragged through the mud to make it clear how super special Samaris is. There are literally lines about her judging women for wearing dresses instead of pants, and how all the other girls are just silly, vapid creatures just looking to marry a prince. This never lets up. No other women is able to redeem themselves.
Aren't we past these cartoonish characterizations in fantasy? Haven't we moved on from "traditional feminism = bad." I appreciate a good tomboy, but not when the message is that any female character but the tomboy essentially deserves death.
Another point that irked me to no end is the amount of fat shaming in this book. Dear Lord, this author seems to really hate overweight people. Samaris frequently waxes on about the girth of SEVERAL characters (not just 1 or 3- I think it's like 6 by the end of the novel), and openly makes fun of a few of them. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find that clever or endearing. It's cringe inducing and just made Samaris even less likable to me.
I'll give this book 2 stars for the good writing. However, I find myself now desperate to find a novel with a female narrator I do like ASAP. I got to wash away the bad taste this book left behind.
Though Samaris actually struck me as awfully judgmental and completely lacking basic skills in emotional intelligence, I could look past these flaws if it weren't for the fact that so many other female characters were dragged through the mud to make it clear how super special Samaris is. There are literally lines about her judging women for wearing dresses instead of pants, and how all the other girls are just silly, vapid creatures just looking to marry a prince. This never lets up. No other women is able to redeem themselves.
Aren't we past these cartoonish characterizations in fantasy? Haven't we moved on from "traditional feminism = bad." I appreciate a good tomboy, but not when the message is that any female character but the tomboy essentially deserves death.
Another point that irked me to no end is the amount of fat shaming in this book. Dear Lord, this author seems to really hate overweight people. Samaris frequently waxes on about the girth of SEVERAL characters (not just 1 or 3- I think it's like 6 by the end of the novel), and openly makes fun of a few of them. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find that clever or endearing. It's cringe inducing and just made Samaris even less likable to me.
I'll give this book 2 stars for the good writing. However, I find myself now desperate to find a novel with a female narrator I do like ASAP. I got to wash away the bad taste this book left behind.
January 4, 2021
Loved this one from a brand new to me author!
August 23, 2022
This beauty remind me of one of my favorite book from last year and probably one of my favorite book in general : " The shadows between us" by Tricia Levenseller (I can't praise this book enough, it's MARVELOUS).
It was quite complicated for me to not draw comparisons between the two, because they both are kind of like a retelling of beauty and the beast (but with fae and a curse in this one).
Both are standalones that featured strong-willed, smart and not like the other girl type of fmc.
Both relationship start from enemies-to-lover to a beautiful friendship and then to an actual relationship (and the blooming trust/ friendship being absolutely my favorite part *swoon*).
I really enjoyed A sharpened axe and I laughed so hard at the banter of the two MCs.
The writing was superb and I read it in one sitting.
The weakest part ? The ending.
I dont get it, why does it felt rushed ? why does the main event leading to the end of the novel take place at 94% of the novel? I'm not even kidding, the third and final act was at 92/94%!!
What happened to the side characters ? What happened AFTER the revelation? Where's my epilogue ? Why didn't we had maybe an extended ending?
I was SO confuse about the ending, the loose ends have been kind of explained but the important part was brushed off.
The ending was CONVENIENT and it didn't mesh well with the rest of the book in my humble opinion.
3.8 stars (could've been EASILY EASILY a 5 stars but that rushed ending? hell..)
It was quite complicated for me to not draw comparisons between the two, because they both are kind of like a retelling of beauty and the beast (but with fae and a curse in this one).
Both are standalones that featured strong-willed, smart and not like the other girl type of fmc.
Both relationship start from enemies-to-lover to a beautiful friendship and then to an actual relationship (and the blooming trust/ friendship being absolutely my favorite part *swoon*).
I really enjoyed A sharpened axe and I laughed so hard at the banter of the two MCs.
The writing was superb and I read it in one sitting.
The weakest part ? The ending.
I dont get it, why does it felt rushed ? why does the main event leading to the end of the novel take place at 94% of the novel? I'm not even kidding, the third and final act was at 92/94%!!
What happened to the side characters ? What happened AFTER the revelation? Where's my epilogue ? Why didn't we had maybe an extended ending?
I was SO confuse about the ending, the loose ends have been kind of explained but the important part was brushed off.
The ending was CONVENIENT and it didn't mesh well with the rest of the book in my humble opinion.
3.8 stars (could've been EASILY EASILY a 5 stars but that rushed ending? hell..)
November 3, 2021
3.5 stars
This book contains many plot threads that individually work, but never entirely come together. Partially I blame the passage of time. Time very clearly passes but it means that when the story focuses on one plot point and spends several weeks on it, it ignores the others and as the reader I was distracted from the romance wondering what happened to the Crown Prince's Championship or the daily breakfasts.
But there is also just a lot happening. There is a fae curse draining the land of resources, a Bachelor-style showdown that annually ends in a woman burning to death, a curse-connected illness killing off the population, a never-aging court, the Crown Prince's Championship, courting season, sexist inheritance laws, starving refugees, balls, tea parties, dramatic hats, an enemies-to-lovers romance, a magic garden, kind servants, evil special interest group, a murder conspiracy, girl power, axe-throwing, giant wolves, obedient war horses, and so much more.
I did like the romance and I will say it kept me caring about the story. It is what made me lean towards bumping it up to 4 stars. But that ending...it was so predictable. I had higher hopes.
The final blow to this story, though, is probably the heroine who is too cool for fashion because all she wants to do is end world hunger. She's Not Like Other Girls. (Well, she throws axes.) She does save herself several times which I really enjoyed. And despite being a super strong character, her love interest was not (just) eye candy. He actually played an important role in her character growth. But her character growth feels relatively useless considering the ending.
Lots of potential but needed more focus.
This book contains many plot threads that individually work, but never entirely come together. Partially I blame the passage of time. Time very clearly passes but it means that when the story focuses on one plot point and spends several weeks on it, it ignores the others and as the reader I was distracted from the romance wondering what happened to the Crown Prince's Championship or the daily breakfasts.
But there is also just a lot happening. There is a fae curse draining the land of resources, a Bachelor-style showdown that annually ends in a woman burning to death, a curse-connected illness killing off the population, a never-aging court, the Crown Prince's Championship, courting season, sexist inheritance laws, starving refugees, balls, tea parties, dramatic hats, an enemies-to-lovers romance, a magic garden, kind servants, evil special interest group, a murder conspiracy, girl power, axe-throwing, giant wolves, obedient war horses, and so much more.
I did like the romance and I will say it kept me caring about the story. It is what made me lean towards bumping it up to 4 stars. But that ending...it was so predictable. I had higher hopes.
The final blow to this story, though, is probably the heroine who is too cool for fashion because all she wants to do is end world hunger. She's Not Like Other Girls. (Well, she throws axes.) She does save herself several times which I really enjoyed. And despite being a super strong character, her love interest was not (just) eye candy. He actually played an important role in her character growth. But her character growth feels relatively useless considering the ending.
Lots of potential but needed more focus.
December 7, 2020
Best book of this genera I’ve read in a while
I honestly and just so impressed with this book. When I read books like this I just want to kind of skip to the ending, but with this book it kept me entertained and just overall happy. It’s truly a good book when it can make you feel for each character even the evil ones. I was able to guess the general ending based off the genera but I didn’t guess what happened or anything like that it was so amazing to see how the characters grew and developed. Honestly I just loved loved this book🧡. Thank you
I honestly and just so impressed with this book. When I read books like this I just want to kind of skip to the ending, but with this book it kept me entertained and just overall happy. It’s truly a good book when it can make you feel for each character even the evil ones. I was able to guess the general ending based off the genera but I didn’t guess what happened or anything like that it was so amazing to see how the characters grew and developed. Honestly I just loved loved this book🧡. Thank you
July 25, 2021
For some reason I wasn’t impressed with this book like everyone else. There's nothing wrong with it. It was super original with lots of likable characters and great friendships. But also, I thought the book couldn’t have been shorter? I'd have enjoyed this book way more if it was written within 300 something pages since I thought the author was dragging the story for no reason.
Anyway, even though it has the same "lots girls are courting one prince" trope this book was NOTHING like The Selection. The plot twist was kind of obvious for me, I guess I'd have enjoyed it more if it was more...unpredictable?
This book is still great and pretty original. If you're looking for a Beauty and the Beast retelling with some Selection flavour give this book a chance.
Anyway, even though it has the same "lots girls are courting one prince" trope this book was NOTHING like The Selection. The plot twist was kind of obvious for me, I guess I'd have enjoyed it more if it was more...unpredictable?
This book is still great and pretty original. If you're looking for a Beauty and the Beast retelling with some Selection flavour give this book a chance.
April 11, 2021
Well-written but flawed.
This book is clean romance-wise. But, oh boy, there are some innuendos and crude remarks in this book, sprinkled with occasional profanity. All of which felt completely unnecessary to me, especially our MC flipping the bird a few times. It cheapened the experience for me as someone who doesn't really care for such language and actions.
The violence in this book is infrequent but harsh when it happens.
I enjoyed the story and how it seems to blend together elements of other fairytales in order to be its own beast. A few plot points seemed a bit predictable but not enough to make me enjoy the story any less for it. Though, some of the plot points felt unnecessary or hinted at for little reward later. I think the main reason I am giving this book three stars is because of the characters...well one character. Samiris. She sat on her high-horse all the time. She was willing to bend but only a fraction. She raved and fumed over so many things, some of which she had a right to be angry about. However, the fact that she never really learned much from her volatile attitude throughout the story is what really put a kink in my enjoyment of this book. She might repent and feel sorry, but she'll still scream in your face about something else the next day. She is compassionate and eager to help others, but her arrogance sticks out the most when I think on her as a whole. Artem butted heads with her in a similar fashion, but he was more subdued and actually willing to humble himself. I think I appreciate his arc the most out of the characters. It felt the most dynamic and satisfying. This brings me over to the Crown Prince who I wiiiish had gotten more development for all the attention given to him by the characters and people in this book.
Overall, this is a good book. I just don't think I'm the type to enjoy it as much as others.
This book is clean romance-wise. But, oh boy, there are some innuendos and crude remarks in this book, sprinkled with occasional profanity. All of which felt completely unnecessary to me, especially our MC flipping the bird a few times. It cheapened the experience for me as someone who doesn't really care for such language and actions.
The violence in this book is infrequent but harsh when it happens.
I enjoyed the story and how it seems to blend together elements of other fairytales in order to be its own beast. A few plot points seemed a bit predictable but not enough to make me enjoy the story any less for it. Though, some of the plot points felt unnecessary or hinted at for little reward later. I think the main reason I am giving this book three stars is because of the characters...well one character. Samiris. She sat on her high-horse all the time. She was willing to bend but only a fraction. She raved and fumed over so many things, some of which she had a right to be angry about. However, the fact that she never really learned much from her volatile attitude throughout the story is what really put a kink in my enjoyment of this book. She might repent and feel sorry, but she'll still scream in your face about something else the next day. She is compassionate and eager to help others, but her arrogance sticks out the most when I think on her as a whole. Artem butted heads with her in a similar fashion, but he was more subdued and actually willing to humble himself. I think I appreciate his arc the most out of the characters. It felt the most dynamic and satisfying. This brings me over to the Crown Prince who I wiiiish had gotten more development for all the attention given to him by the characters and people in this book.
Overall, this is a good book. I just don't think I'm the type to enjoy it as much as others.
October 3, 2023
No. Here’s why:
1. Can we PLEASE move on from the “I’m different from all the other girls” theme? It has been overused and just poor storytelling, especially for a young adult novel. The h can be a badass female and surround herself with other badass females. It does not take away said female’s badassery.
2. The whole premise was this curse over the crown prince and the land turned the prince from handsome to fat, ugly, and *gasp* acne-faced. Turns out the good-looking Captain/Duke was the prince the whole time and the “prince” was actually a scholar. So this poor guys is thrown into a position he doesn’t have the heart for, watches the love of his life burn alive, tries to commit suicide, lets women go free that try to murder him, and when the curse is broken we hear ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about this poor man or the great friendship between him and the real prince. The author used his looks as the basis for this novel, the least she could do was say SOMETHING.
3. Going off #2, the fact that the author equated the “beast,” from the beauty and the beast theme, to a fat and depressed man was just AWFUL.
WHY would anyone want their child to read this?! Why are most of these reviews positive?!
4. The ending was rushed and fell flat. I would have rather read about the post-curse scenes in real time instead of having them glossed over in past tense.
Right. I seriously detested this book.
1. Can we PLEASE move on from the “I’m different from all the other girls” theme? It has been overused and just poor storytelling, especially for a young adult novel. The h can be a badass female and surround herself with other badass females. It does not take away said female’s badassery.
2. The whole premise was this curse over the crown prince and the land turned the prince from handsome to fat, ugly, and *gasp* acne-faced. Turns out the good-looking Captain/Duke was the prince the whole time and the “prince” was actually a scholar. So this poor guys is thrown into a position he doesn’t have the heart for, watches the love of his life burn alive, tries to commit suicide, lets women go free that try to murder him, and when the curse is broken we hear ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about this poor man or the great friendship between him and the real prince. The author used his looks as the basis for this novel, the least she could do was say SOMETHING.
3. Going off #2, the fact that the author equated the “beast,” from the beauty and the beast theme, to a fat and depressed man was just AWFUL.
WHY would anyone want their child to read this?! Why are most of these reviews positive?!
4. The ending was rushed and fell flat. I would have rather read about the post-curse scenes in real time instead of having them glossed over in past tense.
Right. I seriously detested this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2021
Addicting
Beauty and the Beast meets the Selection in this thrilling tale! A fae curse leaves the prince deformed, the land cursed, the people suffering. Each year a group of noble girls are selecting for The Choosing. They are eliminating one by one until the last one must answer three questions correctly to break the curse. Some get the first right, but they all go up in magical flame before hearing the third.
Samaris doesn’t want to be Chosen. She wants to care for her father and sister. She doesn’t fit in at court, but in her new position she does have the power to change the kingdom.
This book was amazing! The world building, the magic, the sarcastic and antagonistic heroine. She was not content to sit by and watch other’s suffering. The romance was a sweet slow burn.
The only thing I would change was the content. There was a handful of curse words, and quite a bit of innuendo. This is a book I would have loved to share with my young teen, but those issues keep it limited to me.
Content: PG-13 (a handful of curse words, moderate innuendo, moderate violence)
Beauty and the Beast meets the Selection in this thrilling tale! A fae curse leaves the prince deformed, the land cursed, the people suffering. Each year a group of noble girls are selecting for The Choosing. They are eliminating one by one until the last one must answer three questions correctly to break the curse. Some get the first right, but they all go up in magical flame before hearing the third.
Samaris doesn’t want to be Chosen. She wants to care for her father and sister. She doesn’t fit in at court, but in her new position she does have the power to change the kingdom.
This book was amazing! The world building, the magic, the sarcastic and antagonistic heroine. She was not content to sit by and watch other’s suffering. The romance was a sweet slow burn.
The only thing I would change was the content. There was a handful of curse words, and quite a bit of innuendo. This is a book I would have loved to share with my young teen, but those issues keep it limited to me.
Content: PG-13 (a handful of curse words, moderate innuendo, moderate violence)
October 28, 2021
My absolute favorite book of the year! I love it so much that I'm going to have to read it again to write a proper review.
May 7, 2021
Picked this one up on nobody's rec. Totally deep dived on Goodreads till it just popped up. I have a few thoughts xD
1. I've never read the sentence "I'm not like those other girls" Written in so many ways. Every other sentence was some kind of jab at girls prefer dresses over "a tunic and britches".
2. I was genuinely questioning my English at certain points. For example - "Samiris let a politely interested expression glaze her face, as sweet and stupid as the chocolate ganache on the uneaten eclairs before her."
I mean I get the sweet... Why is ganache stupid?
3. I constantly felt like dnf-ing but I did actually want to know how the curse is lifted in the end so I kept going. Although the story went in so many other directions over it's course. Like I picked it up thinking it would be a little red riding Hood retelling, realised it was leaning more towards a beauty and the beast retelling and then got an unsolicited Robin Hood type story¿
4. I gave it 2 stars for 2 reasons. One- there was this one scene involving an afternoon tea party, a giant sow, and screaming ladies that was so ridiculous I was absolutely dying of laughter. (I even read it out to my sister and we both cracked up).
Two - The curse in question was actually quite complex and had me wondering how the author was going to have it broken. To say the least, I was not disappointed. Actually I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied.
That will be all for today folks.
1. I've never read the sentence "I'm not like those other girls" Written in so many ways. Every other sentence was some kind of jab at girls prefer dresses over "a tunic and britches".
2. I was genuinely questioning my English at certain points. For example - "Samiris let a politely interested expression glaze her face, as sweet and stupid as the chocolate ganache on the uneaten eclairs before her."
I mean I get the sweet... Why is ganache stupid?
3. I constantly felt like dnf-ing but I did actually want to know how the curse is lifted in the end so I kept going. Although the story went in so many other directions over it's course. Like I picked it up thinking it would be a little red riding Hood retelling, realised it was leaning more towards a beauty and the beast retelling and then got an unsolicited Robin Hood type story¿
4. I gave it 2 stars for 2 reasons. One- there was this one scene involving an afternoon tea party, a giant sow, and screaming ladies that was so ridiculous I was absolutely dying of laughter. (I even read it out to my sister and we both cracked up).
Two - The curse in question was actually quite complex and had me wondering how the author was going to have it broken. To say the least, I was not disappointed. Actually I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied.
That will be all for today folks.
January 3, 2019
Couldn’t put it down
Love the character building in this book. So many times I wanted to shake the main character and tell her to “lighten up”. This is one woman who is saddled with a ridiculous proposal and her handling of it is what makes this book so great. A tale of unfolding love turns tragedy into triumph.
A great read for all ages.
Love the character building in this book. So many times I wanted to shake the main character and tell her to “lighten up”. This is one woman who is saddled with a ridiculous proposal and her handling of it is what makes this book so great. A tale of unfolding love turns tragedy into triumph.
A great read for all ages.
May 11, 2021
This was super predictable. It was pretty good and the characters weren’t terrible but I didn’t exactly connect to any of them. I did like Kinsley though. Sometimes I like the secondary characters more than the MC’s 🤷🏻♀️
January 12, 2019
So good I was irritated my flight landed & I couldn’t finish it right then. 10 stars for imagery-style. Plus I like books with humor well woven into interesting plots. I’ll reread this one.
March 30, 2019
I was hooked right away!
The character development was superb!
I didn’t want it to end-
The character development was superb!
I didn’t want it to end-
January 16, 2021
Such a masterful beginning to the story! The hero and heroine had the best meet cute I’ve read in a long time.
The heroine is the best! The hero is wonderfully perplexed by her from the very start! I love this type of relationship dynamic. They learn from each other and change because of it. That was all great! Sadly the plot wobbled toward the end of the book.
It’s still fine but the writing lost that polish it had at the start. The worst sin was how some quite major problems got solved very very easily. Again and again. I enjoyed the book enough that I still want to give it five stars anyways.
The heroine is the best! The hero is wonderfully perplexed by her from the very start! I love this type of relationship dynamic. They learn from each other and change because of it. That was all great! Sadly the plot wobbled toward the end of the book.
It’s still fine but the writing lost that polish it had at the start. The worst sin was how some quite major problems got solved very very easily. Again and again. I enjoyed the book enough that I still want to give it five stars anyways.
April 2, 2021
3.5
I liked this, I really did, but for a kingdom with such a devastating curse nothing really happened? The story picks up around 85% in and up until then the hungriest person you meet is the fml... who’s a noble.... so how bad is the curse truly? Also the way she came in and solved all the issues overnight and somehow everything happened smoothly all kumbaya and ish? It’s just not realistic. But the ending made me emotional and happy so eh
I liked this, I really did, but for a kingdom with such a devastating curse nothing really happened? The story picks up around 85% in and up until then the hungriest person you meet is the fml... who’s a noble.... so how bad is the curse truly? Also the way she came in and solved all the issues overnight and somehow everything happened smoothly all kumbaya and ish? It’s just not realistic. But the ending made me emotional and happy so eh
September 15, 2023
I kind of feel bad giving this a lower rating than 3 because she’s an indie author, but tbh it’s more like a 2.5. I mean don’t get me wrong was fun and silly, but of course I called the “plot twist” from like 10 pages in le duhhh. Also her obsession with metaphors continued, and Lowkey became my favorite part of the book. For a fun and silly quick read to get out of a reading rut I would recommend!
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