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Fortuna Sworn #4
Beautiful Nightmares
In the space of a single day, everything Fortuna thought she knew was exposed as lies and illusion. Alliances have shifted and roles are forever changed.
And she now finds herself a prisoner in the Seelie Court.
It is here that Fortuna learns the board for this game is even bigger than she believed. New players emerge from the shadows and the stakes are higher than ever before. There’s no time for pain or healing—just survival.
At least, that’s what Fortuna thinks. Then the game leads her to an opponent who doesn't fight with magic or swords. An opponent that not even she can beat.
It turns out she didn’t even know the meaning of fear... until now.
TRIGGER WARNING: This novel contains scenes or themes of torture, slavery, and PTSD.
And she now finds herself a prisoner in the Seelie Court.
It is here that Fortuna learns the board for this game is even bigger than she believed. New players emerge from the shadows and the stakes are higher than ever before. There’s no time for pain or healing—just survival.
At least, that’s what Fortuna thinks. Then the game leads her to an opponent who doesn't fight with magic or swords. An opponent that not even she can beat.
It turns out she didn’t even know the meaning of fear... until now.
TRIGGER WARNING: This novel contains scenes or themes of torture, slavery, and PTSD.
730 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2022
251 people are currently reading
9475 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Sutton
14 books1,818 followersK.J. Sutton is the Amazon bestselling author of the Fortuna Sworn Saga. Her writing has reached readers around the world and earned recognition from Kirkus Reviews.
She grew up in Minnesota and earned her master’s degree in Creative Writing from Hamline University. She now makes her home there in a plant-filled house with floor-to-ceiling windows, a piano in the corner, and a collection of bird feeders on the porch. When she isn’t writing in her favorite coffee shop, she’s likely walking her dogs with an audiobook in her ears or hunting for thrifted treasures.
She also writes young adult novels as Kelsey Sutton.
She grew up in Minnesota and earned her master’s degree in Creative Writing from Hamline University. She now makes her home there in a plant-filled house with floor-to-ceiling windows, a piano in the corner, and a collection of bird feeders on the porch. When she isn’t writing in her favorite coffee shop, she’s likely walking her dogs with an audiobook in her ears or hunting for thrifted treasures.
She also writes young adult novels as Kelsey Sutton.
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January 30, 2022
It pains me to give this 3 stars. I almost gave it 4 stars just for Laurie, but this book wronged him in so many ways, so I simply cannot.
I was willing to humor Collith’s presence this entire book ONLY for the sake of a potential throuple. I will not humor Fortuna choosing him and only him. Nope. Give me Laurie or give me death. She may be monogamous with Laurie and NO ONE ELSE.
I’m also frustrated with how long the Oliver chapters were. We learned very little during them, but they took for-freaking-ever. Also possible that the chapters just felt like forever because I’m not even close to the Oliver ship, so I wanted her to wake up and summon Laurie 24/7.
Fortuna has absolutely learned from her previous mistakes, so she’s much more cautious in this book. Her decision-making is much improved. Unfortunately, this means there’s not as much action.
There’s not much Lyari in this book either. 😭 I MISS HER. And there’s a portion of the book with a lot of Laurie, but then he’s not in it much for the last half. You’ll see Bea once (I think). And Cyrus once or twice (which is weird to me, considering they literally live 20 feet away from him). I enjoyed when Viessa made appearances, but there wasn’t much of her either. WHERE WAS EVERYONE?!
Fortuna also flip flops so much between Collith and Laurie. Girl. I get it. Trauma. Confusion. Heartbreak. But dammit. Laurie always knows what you’re thinking. He always says the right thing. He knows how to make you feel better. He’s unapologetically himself. He’s just like you. COME ON, FORTUNA. HE IS RIGHT THERE. WAKE UP.
This one also took me almost two weeks to read, which is odd for a Fortuna book. Normally I can’t put them down and get no sleep as I race through them. WHAT IS GOING ON? AM I THE PROBLEM? IS IT ME?! (Probably.)
—————————————————————————————
Pre-Reading:
All I’m saying is if Fortuna, Collith, and Laurie happen to become a throuple in this, I wouldn’t be mad about it.
I was willing to humor Collith’s presence this entire book ONLY for the sake of a potential throuple. I will not humor Fortuna choosing him and only him. Nope. Give me Laurie or give me death. She may be monogamous with Laurie and NO ONE ELSE.
I’m also frustrated with how long the Oliver chapters were. We learned very little during them, but they took for-freaking-ever. Also possible that the chapters just felt like forever because I’m not even close to the Oliver ship, so I wanted her to wake up and summon Laurie 24/7.
Fortuna has absolutely learned from her previous mistakes, so she’s much more cautious in this book. Her decision-making is much improved. Unfortunately, this means there’s not as much action.
There’s not much Lyari in this book either. 😭 I MISS HER. And there’s a portion of the book with a lot of Laurie, but then he’s not in it much for the last half. You’ll see Bea once (I think). And Cyrus once or twice (which is weird to me, considering they literally live 20 feet away from him). I enjoyed when Viessa made appearances, but there wasn’t much of her either. WHERE WAS EVERYONE?!
Fortuna also flip flops so much between Collith and Laurie. Girl. I get it. Trauma. Confusion. Heartbreak. But dammit. Laurie always knows what you’re thinking. He always says the right thing. He knows how to make you feel better. He’s unapologetically himself. He’s just like you. COME ON, FORTUNA. HE IS RIGHT THERE. WAKE UP.
This one also took me almost two weeks to read, which is odd for a Fortuna book. Normally I can’t put them down and get no sleep as I race through them. WHAT IS GOING ON? AM I THE PROBLEM? IS IT ME?! (Probably.)
—————————————————————————————
Pre-Reading:
All I’m saying is if Fortuna, Collith, and Laurie happen to become a throuple in this, I wouldn’t be mad about it.
April 26, 2025
✅✅ Laurie 💙
✅ Smut and sexual tension
✅ There is only 1 bed (and he sleeps naked 😏)
✅ Magical creatures
✅ Morally grey characters
✅ Pace and plot
✅ Scheming and politics
✅ Found family
✅ Love triangle
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅🆗 Oliver (yeah, I’m starting to like him…)
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: imprisonment, branding, psychological torture, hallucination, slight abuse of alcohol
_______________________
Third read: I am still in love with Laurie. Nothing more to say.
_______________________
*There might be some very mild spoilers in the quotes*
Also, I apologize in advance for the length of this review… (#sorrynotsorry)
What a ride!
I think this is my favorite book of the series so far. It’s the perfect balance between action, character development, steamy romance, and slower moments to give the characters some time to breathe.
This book starts right where Deadly Dreams ended. Fortuna is now a captive in the Seelie Court, and she has no idea what happened to her friends back at the hospital. Her captor needs her to be a Nightmare again, and he is ready to do whatever it takes: illusions, death threats, psychological and physical torture, looking into her mind to find her darkest secrets or deepest fears... Fortuna does not know what is real and what is not, who to trust, and who is against her, and she needs to find a way out of there before she dies or one of her friends does.
We are introduced to new characters in this book, and we can see now that there is a bigger picture that we didn’t see before. The big players are moving and getting ready for a grand finale, and the last 2 books of this series won't just be about assassination attempts against Fortuna and petty fights in the Unseelie court anymore. Fortuna is, as usual, in the middle of it all, because everyone wants to control her and her growing powers, but it’s about more than just the Seelie and Unseelie now.
This book is a wonderful mix of sexual tension action, meaningful and intense moments, and weird dreamscape shit. I wanted to squeal and scream at some points, I also laughed out loud, and I just couldn’t stop reading. The pace is good, with some breathing room, but never a dull moment, and the plot is full of scheming, fighting, and twists. Some characters are still shady, and I am honestly not sure what their endgame is and to what extent they can be trustworthy, but I can’t wait to find out. I did enjoy seeing Laurie and Collith forced to spend time together, and have a glimpse of their past, but also their complex present relationship.
Oliver is still a part of the story, but he is still the one I like the least. He is not a bad character; he’s very loyal and fiercely protective of Fortuna, but somehow I couldn't like him in books 2 and 3. He was annoying me, and I wanted Fortuna to end up with Laurie so badly that I’d rather pretend that the possibility of Fortuna and Ollie did not even exist. I spent the second and third books being annoyed by him and his jealousy, and I think because of that, I’m not ready yet to like him, even though he was much better in this fourth installment. I have to say, though, that he felt more useful in this book. He’s not just there to entertain Fortuna while she sleeps anymore; they have a mission together, and he has a purpose that helps the plot move forward, so I might yet learn how to love him…
I just love how Fortuna started as this introverted and lonely woman in the first book, and she now has her new family following and supporting her. Laurie makes fun of her because she picks up strays, but she built her own family, and we can see how she fiercely loves every member of her eclectic group, and how they love her too. I can’t wait to see how the new additions to her group will influence the dynamics in the next book and what role they will play because things are far from being over for Fortuna.
Fortuna also continues to change and grow in this book. She knows she has a dark side to her and she made some impulsive and horrible choices, but she is trying to atone and to grow into a better person. The more she discovers about her past and her powers, the more scared and confused she is, too, but she is slowly learning to accept every facet of herself in this book. She is a good person, but she can be ruthless and violent too, but that does not make her a monster.
This book centered a little more on Laurie and Fortuna, with Finn and some new allies making appearances. While I live for any scrap of Laurelis Dondarte I can have, I missed the rest of the gang. We see them a few times only and for short scenes. Finn is there in the first part of the book, but I also wanted more of him. That being said, I absolutely adored every Laurie moment in this book, so I can’t complain either because more of the others probably would have meant less of Laurie, and I don’t want that.
Collith is also part of the story, because love is not just a switch that you can turn off, and Fortuna has a lot of conflicting feelings when it comes to him. He is more of a secondary character in Beautiful Nightmares, though, so he was not too boring or annoying (because he was annoying me in Deadly Dreams, honestly). He still has some groveling to do though, and while I don't know if Fortuna will ultimately end up with him, I do hope that he gets his act straight because while she is not perfect and she made many impulsive mistakes, she tries to atone for her mistakes, and she still deserves someone who respects her and does not lie to her or take advantage of her powers (who am I kidding, I am just rooting for Laurie here… To hell with Collith!).
I said in my reviews of the previous books that I was hoping for more Laurie in this series because he was my favorite character. Well, my wish has been granted! Laurie takes so much more room in this book than in the previous books, and it is awesome and perfect. I love him even more than I did before. He is kind and caring (even though he tries to hide it), but he is also ruthless and cunning while keeping his aloof and snarky persona. There is also heavy sexual tension between Fortuna and him, and even some between Collith and him, so while I need him and Fortuna to end up together, I am still not opposed to a throuple. As long as Laurie and Fortuna end up together, they can have as many side pieces as they want.
Honestly, I just can’t get enough of Laurelis Dondarte, and it killed me how Fortuna was still unsure about her choices when it came to him and Collith. That being said, I like the fact that the author did not magically erase his desire to be King again, and how this is a conflict with what Fortuna wishes for her future. Laurie did not just forget about his ambition because he finally got closer to Fortuna. But still, he is so much more in sync with her than Collith is! She said so many times how he always seems to understand her and knows what she thinks, he always knows the right thing to say, and he makes her feel safe, despite his lies and scheming.
I present Exhibit A:
And I rest my case.
1. Fortuna Sworn ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Restless Slumber ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
3. Deadly Dreams ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Smut and sexual tension
✅ There is only 1 bed (and he sleeps naked 😏)
✅ Magical creatures
✅ Morally grey characters
✅ Pace and plot
✅ Scheming and politics
✅ Found family
✅ Love triangle
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅🆗 Oliver (yeah, I’m starting to like him…)
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: imprisonment, branding, psychological torture, hallucination, slight abuse of alcohol
_______________________
Third read: I am still in love with Laurie. Nothing more to say.
_______________________
*There might be some very mild spoilers in the quotes*
Also, I apologize in advance for the length of this review… (#sorrynotsorry)
What a ride!
I think this is my favorite book of the series so far. It’s the perfect balance between action, character development, steamy romance, and slower moments to give the characters some time to breathe.
This book starts right where Deadly Dreams ended. Fortuna is now a captive in the Seelie Court, and she has no idea what happened to her friends back at the hospital. Her captor needs her to be a Nightmare again, and he is ready to do whatever it takes: illusions, death threats, psychological and physical torture, looking into her mind to find her darkest secrets or deepest fears... Fortuna does not know what is real and what is not, who to trust, and who is against her, and she needs to find a way out of there before she dies or one of her friends does.
We are introduced to new characters in this book, and we can see now that there is a bigger picture that we didn’t see before. The big players are moving and getting ready for a grand finale, and the last 2 books of this series won't just be about assassination attempts against Fortuna and petty fights in the Unseelie court anymore. Fortuna is, as usual, in the middle of it all, because everyone wants to control her and her growing powers, but it’s about more than just the Seelie and Unseelie now.
At that moment, Lyari appeared on the other side of Finn, and she spoke before Laurie could. “I went to the loft first, because that’s where I was summoned,” my Right Hand said. She gave the males a scathing look. “Then I heard the sound of two squabbling faerie kings, and I followed that. I knew wherever I found them, I would find you, Your Majesty.”
This book is a wonderful mix of sexual tension action, meaningful and intense moments, and weird dreamscape shit. I wanted to squeal and scream at some points, I also laughed out loud, and I just couldn’t stop reading. The pace is good, with some breathing room, but never a dull moment, and the plot is full of scheming, fighting, and twists. Some characters are still shady, and I am honestly not sure what their endgame is and to what extent they can be trustworthy, but I can’t wait to find out. I did enjoy seeing Laurie and Collith forced to spend time together, and have a glimpse of their past, but also their complex present relationship.
“Bet those lightsabers are looking pretty great now, huh?” I said under my breath.
“If we survive this, I’ll make you a green one, and I’ll also get a tattoo that says Fortuna was right on my ass. What do we know about minotaurs?”
Oliver is still a part of the story, but he is still the one I like the least. He is not a bad character; he’s very loyal and fiercely protective of Fortuna, but somehow I couldn't like him in books 2 and 3. He was annoying me, and I wanted Fortuna to end up with Laurie so badly that I’d rather pretend that the possibility of Fortuna and Ollie did not even exist. I spent the second and third books being annoyed by him and his jealousy, and I think because of that, I’m not ready yet to like him, even though he was much better in this fourth installment. I have to say, though, that he felt more useful in this book. He’s not just there to entertain Fortuna while she sleeps anymore; they have a mission together, and he has a purpose that helps the plot move forward, so I might yet learn how to love him…
“And why are you following me, Seth of the bloodline Arthion, formerly of the Seelie Court?” I asked, genuine curiosity stirring in my chest.
“Because there are rumors about you,” the goblin answered. “Rumors that you protect people. When you saved me at the black market, I knew it to be true.”
“We’ve never talked about it, you know,” I ventured gently. “About what you want to do after this, I mean. Damon is going back to school, and Emma is thinking about opening a dispensary, God help us all. But what about you, Finn? What are your dreams?”
“You,” he whispered, his eyes closing. “Just you.”
I just love how Fortuna started as this introverted and lonely woman in the first book, and she now has her new family following and supporting her. Laurie makes fun of her because she picks up strays, but she built her own family, and we can see how she fiercely loves every member of her eclectic group, and how they love her too. I can’t wait to see how the new additions to her group will influence the dynamics in the next book and what role they will play because things are far from being over for Fortuna.
Fortuna also continues to change and grow in this book. She knows she has a dark side to her and she made some impulsive and horrible choices, but she is trying to atone and to grow into a better person. The more she discovers about her past and her powers, the more scared and confused she is, too, but she is slowly learning to accept every facet of herself in this book. She is a good person, but she can be ruthless and violent too, but that does not make her a monster.
This book centered a little more on Laurie and Fortuna, with Finn and some new allies making appearances. While I live for any scrap of Laurelis Dondarte I can have, I missed the rest of the gang. We see them a few times only and for short scenes. Finn is there in the first part of the book, but I also wanted more of him. That being said, I absolutely adored every Laurie moment in this book, so I can’t complain either because more of the others probably would have meant less of Laurie, and I don’t want that.
So many lies and half-truths. Had we finally reached the end of them? Or was this how it would be for as long as I allowed these males to be in my life?
Collith is also part of the story, because love is not just a switch that you can turn off, and Fortuna has a lot of conflicting feelings when it comes to him. He is more of a secondary character in Beautiful Nightmares, though, so he was not too boring or annoying (because he was annoying me in Deadly Dreams, honestly). He still has some groveling to do though, and while I don't know if Fortuna will ultimately end up with him, I do hope that he gets his act straight because while she is not perfect and she made many impulsive mistakes, she tries to atone for her mistakes, and she still deserves someone who respects her and does not lie to her or take advantage of her powers (who am I kidding, I am just rooting for Laurie here… To hell with Collith!).
“I never thanked you, either,” he murmured.
I tilted my head. “Which part are you grateful for? How meeting me led to the loss of your throne?”
His hand tightened around mine. “How meeting you reminded me that there’s more to live for than revenge or power.” Anxiety and confusion beat at my heart like the tips of flapping wings. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I longed to ask. Instead, I leaned forward and rested my cheek on Laurie’s chest.
It had become second nature to spar with this faerie prince, but it also served another purpose—it kept things between us predictable. Distant. Safe. He was Laurie, my friend, my backup, my warmth. The one I could depend on for amusing commentary or a pithy remark that was sure to piss everyone off.
I said in my reviews of the previous books that I was hoping for more Laurie in this series because he was my favorite character. Well, my wish has been granted! Laurie takes so much more room in this book than in the previous books, and it is awesome and perfect. I love him even more than I did before. He is kind and caring (even though he tries to hide it), but he is also ruthless and cunning while keeping his aloof and snarky persona. There is also heavy sexual tension between Fortuna and him, and even some between Collith and him, so while I need him and Fortuna to end up together, I am still not opposed to a throuple. As long as Laurie and Fortuna end up together, they can have as many side pieces as they want.
Honestly, I just can’t get enough of Laurelis Dondarte, and it killed me how Fortuna was still unsure about her choices when it came to him and Collith. That being said, I like the fact that the author did not magically erase his desire to be King again, and how this is a conflict with what Fortuna wishes for her future. Laurie did not just forget about his ambition because he finally got closer to Fortuna. But still, he is so much more in sync with her than Collith is! She said so many times how he always seems to understand her and knows what she thinks, he always knows the right thing to say, and he makes her feel safe, despite his lies and scheming.
I present Exhibit A:
From the beginning, it had been Laurie who came through when I needed someone most.
So many emotions went through me that they felt like a flock of birds flapping across a wide expanse of sky—fear, gratitude, more guilt. I held the edge of the pillow tighter, and my voice was soft as I said, “Thank you, Laurie. For coming for me.”
He either heard my sincerity or sensed the shift within me, because his eyes burned like silver fire. He looked over at me, and suddenly the distance I’d put between us felt like nothing. “I will always come for you,” he said.
If it were Collith on my arm, he would have encouraged restraint and control. It felt good to be with someone who didn’t judge or condemn that part of me—that had been admiration I’d seen in Laurie’s face. Admiration and such wicked desire that it was difficult to breathe.
And I rest my case.
1. Fortuna Sworn ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Restless Slumber ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
3. Deadly Dreams ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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March 12, 2022
This is a 4 or 4.5 star. I just don’t know. I love my characters so much and this book is great. The problem is me. I love big books so much, but they are starting to wear on me. It could be that with so many books I have that I’m reading and wanting to reread (including big books) the time it takes to get through them doesn’t leave me time to get through anything. Sigh, the life of a book lover right?! And other life things that are getting to me.
I still love the book and that ending …. I mean what the!!????
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I still love the book and that ending …. I mean what the!!????
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
January 14, 2022
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of this series, so I knew I was going to love this one - especially when it turned out to be a 700 page behemoth!
I'm not exaggerating when I say this is my favourite instalment in the series to date!
I've had some minor issues with pacing in the last installments and feeling like there is a bit too much plot for the size of book, but with Beautiful Nightmares I feel like Kelsey has hit her stride, delivering the perfect balance of action to keep the book moving whilst also bringing us the slow moments in-between to level out the character development and delicious romantic moments.
As a Collith fan, I was very surprised that Laurie had me by the throat in Beautiful Nightmares. It's very rare for me to find a love triangle where I'm truly torn between love interests but the Fortuna Sworn series definitely delivers that (although I'll always be #TeamCollith, just saying)
Kelsey also delivers truly morally gray and sometimes frustrating characters that you can't help but root for despite them being deeply flawed - one of my favourite things.
In this book, I finally started to see how intricate the plotting has been throughout the series and I can now envision how everything is starting to come together for the epic conclusion which is all very exciting.
Also just as a parting note - the villains are hot and I appreciate it.
I'm not exaggerating when I say this is my favourite instalment in the series to date!
I've had some minor issues with pacing in the last installments and feeling like there is a bit too much plot for the size of book, but with Beautiful Nightmares I feel like Kelsey has hit her stride, delivering the perfect balance of action to keep the book moving whilst also bringing us the slow moments in-between to level out the character development and delicious romantic moments.
As a Collith fan, I was very surprised that Laurie had me by the throat in Beautiful Nightmares. It's very rare for me to find a love triangle where I'm truly torn between love interests but the Fortuna Sworn series definitely delivers that (although I'll always be #TeamCollith, just saying)
Kelsey also delivers truly morally gray and sometimes frustrating characters that you can't help but root for despite them being deeply flawed - one of my favourite things.
In this book, I finally started to see how intricate the plotting has been throughout the series and I can now envision how everything is starting to come together for the epic conclusion which is all very exciting.
Also just as a parting note - the villains are hot and I appreciate it.
January 29, 2023
I'm just so relieved the cliffhanger was not as bad as that of book 2 (or does that mean its a good cliffhanger ?) While it was intriguing its not the same, because I would have criiiiied
The villains in the books and their being hot is such a bonus . Pretty much every character is complex and a good number are morally grey . Making tough decisions with consequences and having numerous and sometimes unexpected sides gave them so much more depth. I especially enjoyed Viessa's appearances and I'm very intrigued by her development in the later books . Yes I am 100% finishing this series when the books come out and excited for it too. the improvement as time goes continuesss
"Thank god", Laurie muttered ."I was worried you were about to pickup another stray"
"Its probably for the best, considering I'm pretty busy with the ones I already have" , I shot him a pointed glance and pulled free .
Laurie sniffed ,"I am not a stray, you petty creature . I am magnificent"
Can I just say she has fabulous taste when picking her strays because I love them all : shoutout to franks wife especially and wolfyyy (I cannot remember her name . This is what happens when u wait a long time to review the book . so if someone does know , please help me out and spare me the embarrassment thanks) . They're all such a mixture of personalities . It gives found family vibes and the dynamic is just lovely
The chapters with Ollie were pretty long and boring and I certainly do not ship them , I just wanted her to wake upand find Collith or something (oops- did i reveal myself early ?) so I skimmed most of that , its disappointing because I liked Ollie in the first books . I'm surprised he still hasn't been made real after all this time, but lets keep it that way maybe .
When Laurie spoke , I discovered that the smile tucked itself inside his voice "We (he and Collith) can see your face my queen , because there are some people in the world who perceive authenticity as true beauty", he said
For a while I was Hella confused on who to ship this girl with !! In the beginning I was getting some Laurie vibes and was wondering whether the author would pull a Rhys and tam tam on us but after a while I picked my side . I think you can guess
Laurie blinked out of sight, then he re-appeared inside the shop and opened the door for me "welcome to my shop" , he said with a brilliant smile . "what kind of tattoo would you like today ? the face of the previous Seelie king perhaps (him) ? I heard he has a face of legend"
"oh he does " , I replied "The legend of Hephaestus to be more specific . Its said that he was so ugly his own mother pitched him off the highest mountain in Greece"
Laurie released a long suffering sigh
Laurie and Fortuna have very amusing scenes , filled with Fortuna's annoyance as Laurie continues to crack his jokes and them constantly squabbling . I love our comic relief but I just see him as more of best friend material . Furthermore the jokes and sometimes heat between the two of them just isn't enough , we all know our boy Collith can crack em too . yes I'm biased
"For me you were never a nightmare , Fortuna Sworn . you were a dream come to life . There are many things I cannot promise you because we live in a world of variables (in these books , oh so many). Anything I can promise though , I do so gladly . my home , my life , my heart . I will never tell you goodbye because I will never leave you . I will give you a life of hellos , Fortuna "
------------------
Laurie's scent arrived a moment later , familiar in its allure.
I wish I could talk to Colllith.
The thought came out of nowhere; and suddenly I found myself comparing them again . If he were here , the faerie id loved (correction: she LOVES ) would have some wise words to comfort me ,to lend me strength . somehow , like a storm rolling in , a slow drizzle giving way to relentless torrents , he'd become the one who made it easy face my fears . It was different from how I felt when I was with Laurie
I'm sticking with Collith . They are just perfffect for each other and balance each other out so well while being able to understand the other. plus her thinking of him while she's with another male and giving supporting points . its pretty obvious ppl ! I also just LOVE colliths character if you couldn't tell from all my other reviews . Though Iv got to admit Laurie+Colllith was probably the hottest relationship EVER 🔥🔥🔥🚒 . I see a chance of a throuple happening but I have no idea how to feel about it since I haven't read any books with that in them . Honestly I think the authors writing is pretty convincing and she could probably sway me with whatever choices she makes
"No . its just obvious to anyone who cares to see it that youre in love with collith sylvyre "
And it better stay that way ! hbu? are u team collith or team laurie (or are u something totally different ?)
The villains in the books and their being hot is such a bonus . Pretty much every character is complex and a good number are morally grey . Making tough decisions with consequences and having numerous and sometimes unexpected sides gave them so much more depth. I especially enjoyed Viessa's appearances and I'm very intrigued by her development in the later books . Yes I am 100% finishing this series when the books come out and excited for it too. the improvement as time goes continuesss
"Thank god", Laurie muttered ."I was worried you were about to pickup another stray"
"Its probably for the best, considering I'm pretty busy with the ones I already have" , I shot him a pointed glance and pulled free .
Laurie sniffed ,"I am not a stray, you petty creature . I am magnificent"
Can I just say she has fabulous taste when picking her strays because I love them all : shoutout to franks wife especially and wolfyyy (I cannot remember her name . This is what happens when u wait a long time to review the book . so if someone does know , please help me out and spare me the embarrassment thanks) . They're all such a mixture of personalities . It gives found family vibes and the dynamic is just lovely
The chapters with Ollie were pretty long and boring and I certainly do not ship them , I just wanted her to wake up
When Laurie spoke , I discovered that the smile tucked itself inside his voice "We (he and Collith) can see your face my queen , because there are some people in the world who perceive authenticity as true beauty", he said
For a while I was Hella confused on who to ship this girl with !! In the beginning I was getting some Laurie vibes and was wondering whether the author would pull a Rhys and tam tam on us but after a while I picked my side . I think you can guess
Laurie blinked out of sight, then he re-appeared inside the shop and opened the door for me "welcome to my shop" , he said with a brilliant smile . "what kind of tattoo would you like today ? the face of the previous Seelie king perhaps (him) ? I heard he has a face of legend"
"oh he does " , I replied "The legend of Hephaestus to be more specific . Its said that he was so ugly his own mother pitched him off the highest mountain in Greece"
Laurie released a long suffering sigh
Laurie and Fortuna have very amusing scenes , filled with Fortuna's annoyance as Laurie continues to crack his jokes and them constantly squabbling . I love our comic relief but I just see him as more of best friend material . Furthermore the jokes and sometimes heat between the two of them just isn't enough , we all know our boy Collith can crack em too . yes I'm biased
"For me you were never a nightmare , Fortuna Sworn . you were a dream come to life . There are many things I cannot promise you because we live in a world of variables (in these books , oh so many). Anything I can promise though , I do so gladly . my home , my life , my heart . I will never tell you goodbye because I will never leave you . I will give you a life of hellos , Fortuna "
------------------
Laurie's scent arrived a moment later , familiar in its allure.
I wish I could talk to Colllith.
The thought came out of nowhere; and suddenly I found myself comparing them again . If he were here , the faerie id loved (correction: she LOVES ) would have some wise words to comfort me ,to lend me strength . somehow , like a storm rolling in , a slow drizzle giving way to relentless torrents , he'd become the one who made it easy face my fears . It was different from how I felt when I was with Laurie
I'm sticking with Collith . They are just perfffect for each other and balance each other out so well while being able to understand the other. plus her thinking of him while she's with another male and giving supporting points . its pretty obvious ppl ! I also just LOVE colliths character if you couldn't tell from all my other reviews . Though Iv got to admit Laurie+Colllith was probably the hottest relationship EVER 🔥🔥🔥🚒 . I see a chance of a throuple happening but I have no idea how to feel about it since I haven't read any books with that in them . Honestly I think the authors writing is pretty convincing and she could probably sway me with whatever choices she makes
"No . its just obvious to anyone who cares to see it that youre in love with collith sylvyre "
And it better stay that way ! hbu? are u team collith or team laurie (or are u something totally different ?)
January 10, 2022
I AM NOT HAPPY. Don't make the stars fool you.
As I said before. Collith is a very lovable nice guy but she needs to be with Laurie.
I'm SURPRISED I'm the only one that feels this way.
We don't always have to be with our first love (that includes imaginary) LOL
And sometimes love is not enough. We need love and compatibility. Especially with leaders and royalty.
And I get it. Collith is the one that "balances" her dark side and is portrayed as nice although he makes mistakes and betrays others like everyone else while Laurie is the unapologetic bad one.
I hate when a hotter, more interesting "love interest" (although there was never really any other love interests since we all knew from the start she would always end up with Collith) comes along and I'm just irritated the whole book. If we are going to have a slow burn, just please don't give us better options disguised as friends.
That is all.
We already know she is going to end up with Collith no matter this guy does to her because he is "suffering" and is sooooooooooo "nice". He's SO innocent. I am exhausted. Just let us know if the Seelie and Unseelie are going to be one court at the end up book 6 because we already know who she is going to choose and I'm tired. She would forgive this guy if he killed her mother because he makes her coffee and knows how to saw wood. I just cannot deal.
This series stresses me out LOL
I know that no matter what, even if she MATES with Laurie to SAVE people or Collith becomes a goblin and eats her brother she's going to choose the guy. Who tricked her into marriage and was too weak to defend his own mate. I don't know why everything he does is so forgivable LOL but I guess since he's "the nice guy" and "no one is perfect"... This is why the romance is a bore to me.
This is going to be one of those rare moments that the author chooses the guy that I don't like and I'll have to finish the series in anger because I am invested. I won't even be able to reread this series.
Either way the series is good enough to be whining about and to finish because although her choice of men is so annoying that I feel sick to my stomach (being with boring, weak, lying, conniving but nice Collith for centuries gives me a headache)
(Don't know how much more of Collith I can take though. This may be my last book.)
He's soooo boring. And any attempt to give him some grit NOW (through all the pain he's endured now and killing him for NO REASON) will be even more annoying.
And all the author keeps doing is make sad things happen to him so that we feel sorry for him and justify why she needs to stay with him. I honestly feel like I've been GUILTED into liking Collith. You know when someone appears to be a good person or cries all the time and you HAVE to like them because society says you're supposed. Sorry just being honest.
"Have faith in him". Reminds me when my ex's mom tried to guilt me into staying with my ex. LMAO. BYE! And he hasn't sacrificed a damn thing for her. Laurie has been doing things for her from the start. He didn't even have the backbone to prevent his people from whipping his MATE. Mr. "nice guy". Wow he loves her SOOO much. (Don't worry I know he's going to do something to "redeem" himself so that they can have their baby and marriage)
#TEAMLAURIE
Since I cannot stomach the thought of the thruple (because I don't like Collith the Clown) this will be my last book of the series.
I understand that no one is perfect and this book is about "forgiveness" but no... The romance with Collith and Fortuna wasn't built on friendship or convenience or whatever. And I get being tricked into marriage by the fae. Cool. But It was orchestrated.. by torturing her brother for years.... and then he let her get whipped... and we can go on for days... (I'm just not attracted to Collith and his characteristics) I have empathy for people with trauma and pain but it doesn't mean I don't deserve be treated well...
Again Fortuna accidentally "killing" Collith was just put there to even the playing field.....and make us feel bad for Collith. It wasn't even necessary.
Listen I'm an extremely non-judgemental forgiving person... but for my soul.. there are just lines.. there has to be. A man getting a psychopath to capture my parents or sibling to torture them for years so that I can MARRY him. By force. Because he "knew" he wanted to be with me is just wild and "unforgivable" to me.
I can look past Fortuna and the Fallen losing control and killing randoms and doing whatever faeries do because it's in their nature. But family I love is off limits. And Collith just doesn't tickle my fancy.
Also, tbh I'm not really into Reverse Harem or thruple romances (in books not in real life LMAO) because I fall in love with one person (Laurie *cough*) and then annoyed and irritated with the others. So I wish I knew this before starting this series. I wouldn't have started it. Now I understand why it's so important to know beforehand.
If Fortuna ended up being a queen, and chose Laurie, Collith became a friend or sidepiece and this wasn't thruple vibes this book would definitely be in my top 20 favourite fantasy-romances of all time.
I always finish series. I'm actually mourning the fact that I won't be finishing this series...It is amazing... but I just can't and I guess it's not my version of a HEA.
This series is amazing but it just comes down to personal preference.
As I said before. Collith is a very lovable nice guy but she needs to be with Laurie.
I'm SURPRISED I'm the only one that feels this way.
We don't always have to be with our first love (that includes imaginary) LOL
And sometimes love is not enough. We need love and compatibility. Especially with leaders and royalty.
And I get it. Collith is the one that "balances" her dark side and is portrayed as nice although he makes mistakes and betrays others like everyone else while Laurie is the unapologetic bad one.
I hate when a hotter, more interesting "love interest" (although there was never really any other love interests since we all knew from the start she would always end up with Collith) comes along and I'm just irritated the whole book. If we are going to have a slow burn, just please don't give us better options disguised as friends.
That is all.
We already know she is going to end up with Collith no matter this guy does to her because he is "suffering" and is sooooooooooo "nice". He's SO innocent. I am exhausted. Just let us know if the Seelie and Unseelie are going to be one court at the end up book 6 because we already know who she is going to choose and I'm tired. She would forgive this guy if he killed her mother because he makes her coffee and knows how to saw wood. I just cannot deal.
This series stresses me out LOL
I know that no matter what, even if she MATES with Laurie to SAVE people or Collith becomes a goblin and eats her brother she's going to choose the guy. Who tricked her into marriage and was too weak to defend his own mate. I don't know why everything he does is so forgivable LOL but I guess since he's "the nice guy" and "no one is perfect"... This is why the romance is a bore to me.
This is going to be one of those rare moments that the author chooses the guy that I don't like and I'll have to finish the series in anger because I am invested. I won't even be able to reread this series.
Either way the series is good enough to be whining about and to finish because although her choice of men is so annoying that I feel sick to my stomach (being with boring, weak, lying, conniving but nice Collith for centuries gives me a headache)
(Don't know how much more of Collith I can take though. This may be my last book.)
He's soooo boring. And any attempt to give him some grit NOW (through all the pain he's endured now and killing him for NO REASON) will be even more annoying.
And all the author keeps doing is make sad things happen to him so that we feel sorry for him and justify why she needs to stay with him. I honestly feel like I've been GUILTED into liking Collith. You know when someone appears to be a good person or cries all the time and you HAVE to like them because society says you're supposed. Sorry just being honest.
"Have faith in him". Reminds me when my ex's mom tried to guilt me into staying with my ex. LMAO. BYE! And he hasn't sacrificed a damn thing for her. Laurie has been doing things for her from the start. He didn't even have the backbone to prevent his people from whipping his MATE. Mr. "nice guy". Wow he loves her SOOO much. (Don't worry I know he's going to do something to "redeem" himself so that they can have their baby and marriage)
#TEAMLAURIE
Since I cannot stomach the thought of the thruple (because I don't like Collith the Clown) this will be my last book of the series.
I understand that no one is perfect and this book is about "forgiveness" but no... The romance with Collith and Fortuna wasn't built on friendship or convenience or whatever. And I get being tricked into marriage by the fae. Cool. But It was orchestrated.. by torturing her brother for years.... and then he let her get whipped... and we can go on for days... (I'm just not attracted to Collith and his characteristics) I have empathy for people with trauma and pain but it doesn't mean I don't deserve be treated well...
Again Fortuna accidentally "killing" Collith was just put there to even the playing field.....and make us feel bad for Collith. It wasn't even necessary.
Listen I'm an extremely non-judgemental forgiving person... but for my soul.. there are just lines.. there has to be. A man getting a psychopath to capture my parents or sibling to torture them for years so that I can MARRY him. By force. Because he "knew" he wanted to be with me is just wild and "unforgivable" to me.
I can look past Fortuna and the Fallen losing control and killing randoms and doing whatever faeries do because it's in their nature. But family I love is off limits. And Collith just doesn't tickle my fancy.
Also, tbh I'm not really into Reverse Harem or thruple romances (in books not in real life LMAO) because I fall in love with one person (Laurie *cough*) and then annoyed and irritated with the others. So I wish I knew this before starting this series. I wouldn't have started it. Now I understand why it's so important to know beforehand.
If Fortuna ended up being a queen, and chose Laurie, Collith became a friend or sidepiece and this wasn't thruple vibes this book would definitely be in my top 20 favourite fantasy-romances of all time.
I always finish series. I'm actually mourning the fact that I won't be finishing this series...It is amazing... but I just can't and I guess it's not my version of a HEA.
This series is amazing but it just comes down to personal preference.
December 30, 2024
Not pulling any punches on this one, this was awful.
The only way I can make any sense of the current 4 star rating is that I think only super fans are making it this far. Finishing this was pure torture. I began this book mistakenly thinking that it was the final book in the series and that I could finish it out, but it turns out there are at least two more and I NEED to stop myself from going any further.
Fortuna has terrible instincts and zero forethought but the author tries to sell her as a badass. Everybody and their mom is out to kill her and she just tramps around without backup or telling anyone where she’s going on the regular. It’s no surprise that she is captured (sometimes multiple times) in literally every book. 🙄 Main characters in captivity is my LEAST favorite fantasy plot point by a mile. It is so boring and pretty much guarantees that nothing interesting will happen for like 200+ pages.
Fortuna seems much more interested in choosing a love interest than in solving any of her literal life or death problems. She collects men like they’re Pokemon in pretty much every paranormal variety. We have not one, but two former Fae Kings that were directly or indirectly dethroned because of her, a vampire and a wolf shifter that are bound to her (just friends, but still - where are the gal pals?), and my personal favorite, a man who is a literal figment of her imagination. Homegirl is unhinged. The only females in this series are either barely mentioned or the “bad guys” and then of course we have Gwen who is also now bound to her that Fortuna felt the need to kiss because three love interests just weren’t enough.
I think what it comes down to is that I just hate Fortuna. Her powers are likely headed in an interesting direction, but the author should have gotten there like 2 books ago because she has lost my interest.
Someone yell at me if I start book 5.
The only way I can make any sense of the current 4 star rating is that I think only super fans are making it this far. Finishing this was pure torture. I began this book mistakenly thinking that it was the final book in the series and that I could finish it out, but it turns out there are at least two more and I NEED to stop myself from going any further.
Fortuna has terrible instincts and zero forethought but the author tries to sell her as a badass. Everybody and their mom is out to kill her and she just tramps around without backup or telling anyone where she’s going on the regular. It’s no surprise that she is captured (sometimes multiple times) in literally every book. 🙄 Main characters in captivity is my LEAST favorite fantasy plot point by a mile. It is so boring and pretty much guarantees that nothing interesting will happen for like 200+ pages.
Fortuna seems much more interested in choosing a love interest than in solving any of her literal life or death problems. She collects men like they’re Pokemon in pretty much every paranormal variety. We have not one, but two former Fae Kings that were directly or indirectly dethroned because of her, a vampire and a wolf shifter that are bound to her (just friends, but still - where are the gal pals?), and my personal favorite, a man who is a literal figment of her imagination. Homegirl is unhinged. The only females in this series are either barely mentioned or the “bad guys” and then of course we have Gwen who is also now bound to her that Fortuna felt the need to kiss because three love interests just weren’t enough.
I think what it comes down to is that I just hate Fortuna. Her powers are likely headed in an interesting direction, but the author should have gotten there like 2 books ago because she has lost my interest.
Someone yell at me if I start book 5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2022
It feels like so much happened in this book and I definitely enjoyed buddy reading it with the lovely Yeganeh 💕 Although this isn't my favorite series ever,
it's definitely a very memorable one
and I'm fully invested in these characters and their story at this point 🥰 I just want them all to be happy!
🆗 THESE BOOKS ARE SO LONG and so complicated, they're honestly a little hard to read as they're published 😪 On one hand, I like the complexity because it makes the story better overall, but on the other hand, there's so much going on that it's hard to keep up without completely rereading the books. I wish there was a recap of key events/characters at the beginning of each book!
✅ I REALLY LIKE HOW COMPLEX all of the characters are. I feel like all of the main characters are morally grey - all of them have to make tough decisions with consequences and aren't afraid to get their hands dirty if it's for a good reason (with *a good reason* being open to interpretation lol). I feel like it makes them way more believable and interesting
✅ THE PACING WAS GREAT in this book, especially in the beginning! So many interesting and exciting things were happening that I was constantly on the edge of my seat. There was a much-needed reprieve in the middle, but overall it was a very fast-paced book.
❌ OLIVER AND THE DREAMSCAPE are still my least favorite things about this series 😫 I admit that the dreamscape is super creative and well written, but I think it takes a bit too much away from the primary story. I honestly started heavily skimming over the dreamscape fights and skipping right to the memories because that's all that really mattered. Overall, I feel bad for Oliver, I really do... I want him to get his moment and become real. But I don't want Fortuna and Oliver to be anything more than friends
✅ WE ARE FINALLY getting to some steamier moments in the romance 😍 What a slow burn! The last book had some moments too, but I felt like they were just better in this one
❌ LOSS OF POWER trope is my least favorite thing ever. I hate it so much. Especially when it serves no long term purpose because the person manages to get their power back easily with little to no consequences, ughh
---------------------------------
⚠️ This section has some light spoilers for character backstories and the direction of the romance in this series ⚠️
✅ THE RELATIONSHIP DRAMA is pretty juicy for a fantasy series and I'm finding it very entertaining.
↪ Fortuna+Collith: Collith is the brooding nice guy with a rough past that we're supposed to feel sorry for, even though he's been kind of a dick. Honestly, I do feel sorry for him and want him to end up happy even though he's betrayed pretty much everyone at least once
↪ Fortuna+Laurie: Laurie is the comedic relief who also happens to be the bad boy with a soft spot for Fortuna. It's hard to tell when he's serious or not but he's pretty much always been there for Fortuna. Honestly, if she were smart then he would be the obvious end game choice
↪ Collith+Laurie: The OG couple and they by far the most baggage out of the three. Honestly, they're kind of the ones I'm rooting for the most because in all the flashbacks it seemed like they were truly in love with each other 😥
↪ Fortuna+Oliver:
(We're just going to pretend like this ship doesn't exist)
Normally, Fortuna is the poster-child for the "act first then think later" mentality but with her romantic relationships, she is being incredibly indecisive for once. Laurie... or Collith??
But then that got me thinking... does she?? Does she have to pick only one?? I mean this trio is giving off major throuple vibes. They've literally all slept with each other and are obviously all still pining for one another, so why can't she be with both of them?
I've decided I'm definitely shipping all three of them as a throuple. I feel like this is unconventional so I'll probably be disappointed when it doesn't happen, but it's the only ending that makes sense to me. Obviously, Collith still has more groveling to do to make up for his betrayal, but I'm always down for a groveling love interest!
---------------------------------
Overall, I like the direction that this series is taking. The books could be a bit shorter because sometimes there are characters and plotlines introduced that don't seem to go anywhere, but hopefully, everything will come together in the end.
I recommend this if you're looking for a new adult fantasy romance with an incredibly intricate world and magic system, complex and morally grey characters, and a slow-burn romance that takes a while to build but becomes quite sexy 💕 Just be prepared to wait a while for the series to be complete! 😅
🆗 THESE BOOKS ARE SO LONG and so complicated, they're honestly a little hard to read as they're published 😪 On one hand, I like the complexity because it makes the story better overall, but on the other hand, there's so much going on that it's hard to keep up without completely rereading the books. I wish there was a recap of key events/characters at the beginning of each book!
✅ I REALLY LIKE HOW COMPLEX all of the characters are. I feel like all of the main characters are morally grey - all of them have to make tough decisions with consequences and aren't afraid to get their hands dirty if it's for a good reason (with *a good reason* being open to interpretation lol). I feel like it makes them way more believable and interesting
✅ THE PACING WAS GREAT in this book, especially in the beginning! So many interesting and exciting things were happening that I was constantly on the edge of my seat. There was a much-needed reprieve in the middle, but overall it was a very fast-paced book.
❌ OLIVER AND THE DREAMSCAPE are still my least favorite things about this series 😫 I admit that the dreamscape is super creative and well written, but I think it takes a bit too much away from the primary story. I honestly started heavily skimming over the dreamscape fights and skipping right to the memories because that's all that really mattered. Overall, I feel bad for Oliver, I really do... I want him to get his moment and become real. But I don't want Fortuna and Oliver to be anything more than friends
✅ WE ARE FINALLY getting to some steamier moments in the romance 😍 What a slow burn! The last book had some moments too, but I felt like they were just better in this one
❌ LOSS OF POWER trope is my least favorite thing ever. I hate it so much. Especially when it serves no long term purpose because the person manages to get their power back easily with little to no consequences, ughh
---------------------------------
⚠️ This section has some light spoilers for character backstories and the direction of the romance in this series ⚠️
✅ THE RELATIONSHIP DRAMA is pretty juicy for a fantasy series and I'm finding it very entertaining.
↪ Fortuna+Collith: Collith is the brooding nice guy with a rough past that we're supposed to feel sorry for, even though he's been kind of a dick. Honestly, I do feel sorry for him and want him to end up happy even though he's betrayed pretty much everyone at least once
↪ Fortuna+Laurie: Laurie is the comedic relief who also happens to be the bad boy with a soft spot for Fortuna. It's hard to tell when he's serious or not but he's pretty much always been there for Fortuna. Honestly, if she were smart then he would be the obvious end game choice
↪ Collith+Laurie: The OG couple and they by far the most baggage out of the three. Honestly, they're kind of the ones I'm rooting for the most because in all the flashbacks it seemed like they were truly in love with each other 😥
Normally, Fortuna is the poster-child for the "act first then think later" mentality but with her romantic relationships, she is being incredibly indecisive for once. Laurie... or Collith??
But then that got me thinking... does she?? Does she have to pick only one?? I mean this trio is giving off major throuple vibes. They've literally all slept with each other and are obviously all still pining for one another, so why can't she be with both of them?
I've decided I'm definitely shipping all three of them as a throuple. I feel like this is unconventional so I'll probably be disappointed when it doesn't happen, but it's the only ending that makes sense to me. Obviously, Collith still has more groveling to do to make up for his betrayal, but I'm always down for a groveling love interest!
---------------------------------
Overall, I like the direction that this series is taking. The books could be a bit shorter because sometimes there are characters and plotlines introduced that don't seem to go anywhere, but hopefully, everything will come together in the end.
I recommend this if you're looking for a new adult fantasy romance with an incredibly intricate world and magic system, complex and morally grey characters, and a slow-burn romance that takes a while to build but becomes quite sexy 💕 Just be prepared to wait a while for the series to be complete! 😅
Want to read
July 23, 2021Fan theory - When are we going to find out that Ollie is Olriel, the fairy they throw the three day festival for and can create/walk between worlds...
January 11, 2022
I'm saying this now, If team Laurie doesn't win and that other asshole will end up with Fortuna I'm gona flip. Always team villains and so team Laurie ❤❤❤❤
Second live interests are always the best ones 👌🏻👌🏻
SPOILERs ahead
EDIT:
If Lucifer becomes one of the main love interests this series officially became my all time favorite. Just give me supernatural villains as love interests and I'm hooked. Pretty please???
Second live interests are always the best ones 👌🏻👌🏻
SPOILERs ahead
EDIT:
If Lucifer becomes one of the main love interests this series officially became my all time favorite. Just give me supernatural villains as love interests and I'm hooked. Pretty please???
May 2, 2024
★2.5 stars, rounded down
The ONLY reason why this gets .5 stars more than the rest is bc of Laurie–the one character worth reading about in this entire long-winded series. Gimme a devious fae prince with no morals and cares for nothing but his woman ANY DAY 😮💨 But after the 50% mark, it goes right back into rambling territory–no clear purpose and more idiotic decisions made by Fortuna.
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Previous rating: ★4 stars
The ONLY reason why this gets .5 stars more than the rest is bc of Laurie–the one character worth reading about in this entire long-winded series. Gimme a devious fae prince with no morals and cares for nothing but his woman ANY DAY 😮💨 But after the 50% mark, it goes right back into rambling territory–no clear purpose and more idiotic decisions made by Fortuna.
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Previous rating: ★4 stars
February 8, 2022
buddy read with dear paige!
~3.5 stars~
I have to admit, this went to a direction I Absolutely didn't expect( and the fact that I really have no idea what to expect from this whole series, isn't a big case😏)
🛑 SPOIILERS BELLOW 🛑
First things first, I thought she was to be laurie's sort of slave but instead we got LAURIE'S BROTHER??? And what a bullshit villain 😕😒. his death was stupid as jassin( whom i get goosebumps every time he unnecessarily gets mentioned. which brings me to the fact that this series lacks a good VILLAIN. They are all lackluster and meh.
ALSO, I'm glad we didn't get Tamlin Affected by Collith 😂. I'm glad he is good though, even though There was no good explanation about his power and why he takes his lovers power, which i assure you, it's a GROSS power andI HATED IT 🙄
And what I didn't expect as well, Is the Polymorous relationship between Collith, Laurie and fortuna. There is a lot of heavy sexual tension between Fortuna and laurie, and even some between Collith and him, and also between Collith and Fortuna, and my point is that but it was really the back and forth of fortuna between these two, and by the end i really can't think of any better relationship but accepting this 3 together.
yeah, Oliver is still a part of the story and I JUST CAN NOT CARE ABOUT HIM. I don't really know what's the point of his story-line in this series and it keeps getting random capter that took a lot of the plot in this book tbh, and I have to say He’s just there to entertain Fortuna while she sleeps, 🤷♀️🙄🙄 He is not a bad character, he’s actually very loyal and fiercely protective of Fortune, but somehow I couldn't like him in books 2 and 3.
that annoys me because, for one thing, Oliver has sexual feeling toward fortuna(he mentioned it times and times) and fortuna is already between two man, one a husband and the other, I don't know a friend?? a lover??? and she has her dreams occupied with Oliver as well, not to mention more other guys are bond to her by reasons and that's all about her and dudes entering her life.
Overall, a solid sequel the series is getting slowly andpainfully better , that could have been cut short, really, with Oliver's chapter and some random plot coincidences. i still think the series lacks a good villain or plot that keeps going on, or maybe the 6 books are too much but as of right now, I'm leaving it for some time.
~3.5 stars~
I have to admit, this went to a direction I Absolutely didn't expect( and the fact that I really have no idea what to expect from this whole series, isn't a big case😏)
🛑 SPOIILERS BELLOW 🛑
First things first, I thought she was to be laurie's sort of slave but instead we got LAURIE'S BROTHER??? And what a bullshit villain 😕😒. his death was stupid as jassin( whom i get goosebumps every time he unnecessarily gets mentioned. which brings me to the fact that this series lacks a good VILLAIN. They are all lackluster and meh.
ALSO, I'm glad we didn't get Tamlin Affected by Collith 😂. I'm glad he is good though, even though There was no good explanation about his power and why he takes his lovers power, which i assure you, it's a GROSS power and
And what I didn't expect as well, Is the Polymorous relationship between Collith, Laurie and fortuna. There is a lot of heavy sexual tension between Fortuna and laurie, and even some between Collith and him, and also between Collith and Fortuna, and my point is that but it was really the back and forth of fortuna between these two, and by the end i really can't think of any better relationship but accepting this 3 together.
yeah, Oliver is still a part of the story and I JUST CAN NOT CARE ABOUT HIM. I don't really know what's the point of his story-line in this series and it keeps getting random capter that took a lot of the plot in this book tbh, and I have to say He’s just there to entertain Fortuna while she sleeps, 🤷♀️🙄🙄 He is not a bad character, he’s actually very loyal and fiercely protective of Fortune, but somehow I couldn't like him in books 2 and 3.
that annoys me because, for one thing, Oliver has sexual feeling toward fortuna(he mentioned it times and times) and fortuna is already between two man, one a husband and the other, I don't know a friend?? a lover??? and she has her dreams occupied with Oliver as well, not to mention more other guys are bond to her by reasons and that's all about her and dudes entering her life.
Overall, a solid sequel the series is getting slowly and
April 5, 2022
I started this back when the book came out left it for a couple of months and now have been reading it for the last week or so.
I still LOVE OLLIE my day 1, my no. 1❤️
i really enjoyed the two different worlds going on and the secrets we got to uncover. Loved the sassy laurie moments!
My big thing that I was pressed about is the fact that fortuna is out her playing with all 3 boys and I can’t! I need her to pick one! like PLEASE! and i know it’s not gonna be my babes OLLIE! but pick one of these sad boys.
There’s so much going on that at times I can’t keep up and I really should’ve done a reread because names kept popping up and I was like huhhh who? lol
I still don’t really like collith lol or his relationship with fortuna…but the side characters are really my faves (after ollie)
I liked the storyline of this one as well and im excited to see what’s next!
3.75/5⭐️
I still LOVE OLLIE my day 1, my no. 1❤️
i really enjoyed the two different worlds going on and the secrets we got to uncover. Loved the sassy laurie moments!
My big thing that I was pressed about is the fact that fortuna is out her playing with all 3 boys and I can’t! I need her to pick one! like PLEASE! and i know it’s not gonna be my babes OLLIE! but pick one of these sad boys.
There’s so much going on that at times I can’t keep up and I really should’ve done a reread because names kept popping up and I was like huhhh who? lol
I still don’t really like collith lol or his relationship with fortuna…but the side characters are really my faves (after ollie)
I liked the storyline of this one as well and im excited to see what’s next!
3.75/5⭐️
April 11, 2024
I got to 13%, which was quite a few chapters in as this is a very long book but found myself frustrated that we were already going around in "filler" circles and not making any headway on the actual plot. The storytelling in many ways is awesome, the word crafting holds me spellbound, the imagery and descriptions are vivid and captivating.
Increasingly this feels like a good story, one that would have filled 3 or 4 books, being stretched out into 6. Why? I can only stomach fluff, filler and flipping going nowhere for so long, sadly this tipped me over the edge. To be fair I came in having been annoyed by the slow pace and redundant scenes in book #3, so I perhaps bailed on this a little early but life's too short and there are too many other books out there, ya know.
I may come back and give this a second go because the first two books slew me.
19th Jan 2022
Increasingly this feels like a good story, one that would have filled 3 or 4 books, being stretched out into 6. Why? I can only stomach fluff, filler and flipping going nowhere for so long, sadly this tipped me over the edge. To be fair I came in having been annoyed by the slow pace and redundant scenes in book #3, so I perhaps bailed on this a little early but life's too short and there are too many other books out there, ya know.
I may come back and give this a second go because the first two books slew me.
19th Jan 2022
April 10, 2023
That ending was... wild and honestly I WANT MORE GIVE ME THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW
I still don't know which love interest she is going to end up with but istg if it's Collith, i'm out 💀 I was such a big fan of him in book 3, but nah, he is such a shitty man YOU CAN DO BETTER FORTUNA
Honestly, I loved this book, there was so much going on i never got bored, it was actually super fast paced and omg yeah no too much information for my little brain i'm about to combust
Loved loved loved it, love Ollie, love Lauris... love
I still don't know which love interest she is going to end up with but istg if it's Collith, i'm out 💀 I was such a big fan of him in book 3, but nah, he is such a shitty man YOU CAN DO BETTER FORTUNA
Honestly, I loved this book, there was so much going on i never got bored, it was actually super fast paced and omg yeah no too much information for my little brain i'm about to combust
Loved loved loved it, love Ollie, love Lauris... love
Want to read
December 23, 2020i can't wait to have my heart broken for the fourth time!!!!
January 26, 2023
Love this series
to-read-i-own
October 6, 2021 ☁︎ 23rd March ☁︎
Ahhh there’s a cover and pre-order!!! Lemme scream into the void until December!!!!!
Fortuna Sworn series:
☁︎ Fortuna Sworn: ★★★★
☁︎ Deadly Dreams: ★★★★★
☁︎ Restless Slumber: ★★★★★
☁︎ Beautiful Nightmares: 4th January release date (pre-ordered)
☁︎ Endless Terrors: expected publication 2023
☁︎ Violent Awakening: expected publication 2023
Ahhh there’s a cover and pre-order!!! Lemme scream into the void until December!!!!!
Fortuna Sworn series:
☁︎ Fortuna Sworn: ★★★★
☁︎ Deadly Dreams: ★★★★★
☁︎ Restless Slumber: ★★★★★
☁︎ Beautiful Nightmares: 4th January release date (pre-ordered)
☁︎ Endless Terrors: expected publication 2023
☁︎ Violent Awakening: expected publication 2023
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Want to read
May 7, 2020The author made an Instragram post saying that some parts of this are already written and it got me thinking about this book and this series and I'm just here in May 2020, dreaming of the days when more of this series is available...
August 24, 2023
UPDATE AFTER REREAD: Phew, I forgot just how dark this book (and honestly the series in general) is! SO MUCH happens in Beautiful Nightmares. There are tons of side plots, tons of reveals about Fortuna's past, and a LOT of character development. Though Fortuna is still a mess in this book, she's finally starting to think a little more clearly after all of the awful betrayals, disappointments, and self-loathing she's had in the past. Beautiful Nightmares also reminded me how much I absolutely LOVE Laurie - I'm pretty sure this is the book where I decided I was Team Laurie, though Collith does redeem himself a little bit.
The HUGE reveal at the end is INSANE. The biggest reason I was so thrilled to get the ARC of Endless Terrors was so I could find out what happens after the final moment of Beautiful Nightmares. I cannot wait to review that one - and I cannot wait for all of my fellow Fortuna fans to read it too!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Beautiful Nightmares was AMAZING. My emotions reading this one were all over the place. I loved that Fortuna started thinking more about what she was doing and really trying to delve into her past and her powers. I am still absolutely torn over Laurie and Collith. Laurie is amazing in Beautiful Nightmares, and I definitely shed some tears over him. However, I kind of love Collith's vulnerability and his absolute devotion to Fortuna, despite his betrayal. Gil might be my favorite side character besides Finn, he was an excellent addition. I initially liked Oliver in the first book, but I am SO over him at this point. I feel like I can see some directions his character could go in, and I'm not sure I'm going to like them. There is a cliffhanger at the end, but I somewhat expected it, so I'm not TOO worried that I have to wait until spring for book 5 (just don't back up that date K. J. Sutton, I don't think I can wait longer than that!).
The HUGE reveal at the end is INSANE. The biggest reason I was so thrilled to get the ARC of Endless Terrors was so I could find out what happens after the final moment of Beautiful Nightmares. I cannot wait to review that one - and I cannot wait for all of my fellow Fortuna fans to read it too!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Beautiful Nightmares was AMAZING. My emotions reading this one were all over the place. I loved that Fortuna started thinking more about what she was doing and really trying to delve into her past and her powers. I am still absolutely torn over Laurie and Collith. Laurie is amazing in Beautiful Nightmares, and I definitely shed some tears over him. However, I kind of love Collith's vulnerability and his absolute devotion to Fortuna, despite his betrayal. Gil might be my favorite side character besides Finn, he was an excellent addition. I initially liked Oliver in the first book, but I am SO over him at this point. I feel like I can see some directions his character could go in, and I'm not sure I'm going to like them. There is a cliffhanger at the end, but I somewhat expected it, so I'm not TOO worried that I have to wait until spring for book 5 (just don't back up that date K. J. Sutton, I don't think I can wait longer than that!).
January 6, 2022
**mild spoilers ahead**
WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!
I honestly thought it was going to end with Oliver becoming real. I was not expecting THAT ending.
For the most part, Fortuna is on the run and fighting battle after battle. I really like the mental health rep in this book and the lack of stigma.
There were some lulls in this book (IT’S SO LONG). The love triangle is still not resolved. I have no idea who I want her to end up with at this point.
For the most part, this book was good. The last few pages are all the bread crumbs finally leading up to the big villain reveal, even thought we don’t know what he wants.
Solid story, some boring parts, but with a book that long it’s to be expected. Can’t wait for the next one!
WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!
I honestly thought it was going to end with Oliver becoming real. I was not expecting THAT ending.
For the most part, Fortuna is on the run and fighting battle after battle. I really like the mental health rep in this book and the lack of stigma.
There were some lulls in this book (IT’S SO LONG). The love triangle is still not resolved. I have no idea who I want her to end up with at this point.
For the most part, this book was good. The last few pages are all the bread crumbs finally leading up to the big villain reveal, even thought we don’t know what he wants.
Solid story, some boring parts, but with a book that long it’s to be expected. Can’t wait for the next one!
January 5, 2022
I am absolutely obsessed with this world. This story and the characters are so unique and well thought out. Book 4 in the series did not disappoint with so many twists I wasn’t expecting. I can’t believe I have to wait to see what happens to all these amazing character!!!
This is an new adult fantasy romance. There is mature content and yes, there is just the right amount of spice.
If you like stories with a strong female main character who is coming into her powers and would stop at nothing to protect her family, action and spice, and swoon worthy Fae Kings… then this series is a must read!
This is an new adult fantasy romance. There is mature content and yes, there is just the right amount of spice.
If you like stories with a strong female main character who is coming into her powers and would stop at nothing to protect her family, action and spice, and swoon worthy Fae Kings… then this series is a must read!
January 16, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶.5/5
Oh... my... god.
I am in love with this series, so I had high expectations going into book 4.
When I tell you, Beautiful Nightmares, went ABOVE and BEYOND- it was incredible, and is definitely tied with Restless Slumber as my favourites in the series so far.
A badass female MC with incredible powers, a wholesome found family trope, a tricky love triangle with two love interests that I absolutely adore and a high energy plot with SO MANY twists and turns.
My only issue is that there was very little of my boy Collith in this instalment, but Laurie with his silk robes, BDE and humour definitely made up for it.
If you’re a fan of NA fantasy with a large sprinkle of romance, this series is for you. READ IT.
ps: Team Collith forever, but pro-throuple 🤪
Oh... my... god.
I am in love with this series, so I had high expectations going into book 4.
When I tell you, Beautiful Nightmares, went ABOVE and BEYOND- it was incredible, and is definitely tied with Restless Slumber as my favourites in the series so far.
A badass female MC with incredible powers, a wholesome found family trope, a tricky love triangle with two love interests that I absolutely adore and a high energy plot with SO MANY twists and turns.
My only issue is that there was very little of my boy Collith in this instalment, but Laurie with his silk robes, BDE and humour definitely made up for it.
If you’re a fan of NA fantasy with a large sprinkle of romance, this series is for you. READ IT.
ps: Team Collith forever, but pro-throuple 🤪
January 16, 2022
I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FEEL. Ok so this is the fourth book in the series so this review is literally just gonna be spoilers so you've been warned. Anyways, honestly I don't know if I can write a full review for this book because my feelings are so conflicted. Its hard not to give this book less stars just because I'm not happy with what happened between the characters. But I must say that the writing was consistent, the plot was well paced and honestly it was not that different from any other book in this series. I hate when people give books a low rating because they don't like choices characters made in the book. I must say that I am struggling not to rate this book lower just because of my personal ship in this series. That being said, here are some of my thoughts that no-one asked for!
^Cloth...oops...I mean Colon...oops...I mean 'Collith'
It must be said that my rating for this book is bias because I wanted to see major progress with Laurie. Because I am disappointed with the lack of progress between Fortuna and Laurie, I have to fight the urge to rate this book lower. All progress made between Laurie and Fortuna was overshadowed by the dark, annoying cloud that is Collith. (boooooooo hissssssss) If Laurie and Fortuna aren't end game, this series will leave a bitter taste in my mouth. It felt like this whole book was just trying to get the reader to feel bad for Collith. I DONT CARE I DONT FEEL BAD FOR THAT TOAD. Fortuna honestly doesn't deserve Laurie at this point, I was so annoyed with her going back and forth. Laurie has given up EVERYTHING and has expected NOTHING back. He is very obviously the better choice for Fortuna and yet she keeps falling into bed with Collith. I was disappointed that the author chose to have Fortuna go back to Collith after everything that happened the last book, it felt like it cheapened Fortuna's character and made her loose her 'girl boss-ness'. Up until this book, Fortuna was such a strong, independent woman, who knew what she wanted and was unapologetic about it. The choices she made in this book really made her character weaker, and it frustrated me to read.
^me if Fortuna has the toad's baby
Dear one of my favorite, most talented authors, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THIS SERIES IF YOU MAKE MY GIRLBOSS FORTUNA PREGANT WITH THE STINKY MAN'S BABY. Please, I'm begging, I'm pleading, I am crawling on the ground at your feet: do not make Fortuna pregnant with 🐸's baby. I would rather her end up alone than with frog man. (I am praying on his downfall, in this house there is only 👑Laurie👑) Please give the people what they want: make Laurie end game and let Mr. Toad rot <3
Overall
⭐️3.5/5⭐️ not as good as the first three, but I'm hoping its just setting up for the next book
^Cloth...oops...I mean Colon...oops...I mean 'Collith'
It must be said that my rating for this book is bias because I wanted to see major progress with Laurie. Because I am disappointed with the lack of progress between Fortuna and Laurie, I have to fight the urge to rate this book lower. All progress made between Laurie and Fortuna was overshadowed by the dark, annoying cloud that is Collith. (boooooooo hissssssss) If Laurie and Fortuna aren't end game, this series will leave a bitter taste in my mouth. It felt like this whole book was just trying to get the reader to feel bad for Collith. I DONT CARE I DONT FEEL BAD FOR THAT TOAD. Fortuna honestly doesn't deserve Laurie at this point, I was so annoyed with her going back and forth. Laurie has given up EVERYTHING and has expected NOTHING back. He is very obviously the better choice for Fortuna and yet she keeps falling into bed with Collith. I was disappointed that the author chose to have Fortuna go back to Collith after everything that happened the last book, it felt like it cheapened Fortuna's character and made her loose her 'girl boss-ness'. Up until this book, Fortuna was such a strong, independent woman, who knew what she wanted and was unapologetic about it. The choices she made in this book really made her character weaker, and it frustrated me to read.
^me if Fortuna has the toad's baby
Dear one of my favorite, most talented authors, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THIS SERIES IF YOU MAKE MY GIRLBOSS FORTUNA PREGANT WITH THE STINKY MAN'S BABY. Please, I'm begging, I'm pleading, I am crawling on the ground at your feet: do not make Fortuna pregnant with 🐸's baby. I would rather her end up alone than with frog man. (I am praying on his downfall, in this house there is only 👑Laurie👑) Please give the people what they want: make Laurie end game and let Mr. Toad rot <3
Overall
⭐️3.5/5⭐️ not as good as the first three, but I'm hoping its just setting up for the next book
September 3, 2025
This is a bit of a mess. It pains me to say it because I loved the first book, but the further we progress into this series the more it falls apart.
To summarise:
⤑ There are too many characters
⤑ The great characters therefore suffer, as too much time is spent with ones that are unessecary
⤑ Fortuna is starting to bug me
⤑ The banter is not bantering
⤑ The pace is still all over the place in book 4
⤑ The 'reveals' seem too gimmicky for me
⤑ Everything is too easy
⤑ Way too many creatures: Faeries, Vampires, selkies, wolves, cherubim, Dracula 🙄, witches, minatour, harpy, Goblins, I cannot even remember them all...
⤑ Kind of getting tired with Fortuna being the Chosen one and everyone being in awe of her.
I want to love it, I do I really do, but the writing and progression of the story is making it really difficult.
So much filler and not much plot and the characters I once loved are starting to annoy me.
To summarise:
⤑ There are too many characters
⤑ The great characters therefore suffer, as too much time is spent with ones that are unessecary
⤑ Fortuna is starting to bug me
⤑ The banter is not bantering
⤑ The pace is still all over the place in book 4
⤑ The 'reveals' seem too gimmicky for me
⤑ Everything is too easy
⤑ Way too many creatures: Faeries, Vampires, selkies, wolves, cherubim, Dracula 🙄, witches, minatour, harpy, Goblins, I cannot even remember them all...
⤑ Kind of getting tired with Fortuna being the Chosen one and everyone being in awe of her.
I want to love it, I do I really do, but the writing and progression of the story is making it really difficult.
So much filler and not much plot and the characters I once loved are starting to annoy me.
April 6, 2023
*PRE-ORDERED and READY TO RE-READ THE SERIES UNTIL THIS ONE IS PUBLISHED*
For me, this series got better and better throughout the series. Now, I am experiencing a severe case of book hungover. I just don't even know what to expect at this point. I don't know if Laurie will break my heart or mend my heart but I embrace both ways as the only thing I want is MORE OF HIM. (and Collith can suffer in his corner for a time and eh, we will see?)
----
Update after reading: I finally read this one after a long time so reading what I wrote above vs what I read was a bit disappointing. So many things happening but most of it didn't make me *feel* (if you know you know) but ofc the cliffhanger as always in the end will make me want to read the next book. But it was nice how it finally tied up some loose ends in the end (except for the big question of WHY)
For me, this series got better and better throughout the series. Now, I am experiencing a severe case of book hungover. I just don't even know what to expect at this point. I don't know if Laurie will break my heart or mend my heart but I embrace both ways as the only thing I want is MORE OF HIM. (and Collith can suffer in his corner for a time and eh, we will see?)
----
Update after reading: I finally read this one after a long time so reading what I wrote above vs what I read was a bit disappointing. So many things happening but most of it didn't make me *feel* (if you know you know) but ofc the cliffhanger as always in the end will make me want to read the next book. But it was nice how it finally tied up some loose ends in the end (except for the big question of WHY)
December 7, 2022
4.5 Audiobook
Fortuna has developed some serious skills in her magic and in her life. This girl has grown up and makes no apologies for her choices. This girl not only eats her cake she gets in in several flavors.
She is on a mission to discover her story, her parents why and the who is after her. I'm going to say she pushed it to the very edge a few times. Crazy is happening here.
There is a lot in this book, it is pivotal don't miss it.
Omg the end
Ms Sutton you are a cruel woman. Keep it up ;P
Fortuna has developed some serious skills in her magic and in her life. This girl has grown up and makes no apologies for her choices. This girl not only eats her cake she gets in in several flavors.
She is on a mission to discover her story, her parents why and the who is after her. I'm going to say she pushed it to the very edge a few times. Crazy is happening here.
There is a lot in this book, it is pivotal don't miss it.
Omg the end
Ms Sutton you are a cruel woman. Keep it up ;P
January 21, 2022
Had the book ended by the 55% mark, it would have been my favourite in the series. However the second half of this book just felt like a lot of filler. After three books of putting up with Collith I thought we were finally rid of him, but his relevance in the second half of this book only added to my disappointment. Not sure if I’ll bother continuing with the series.
April 15, 2022
I can't wait for this book to absolutely destroy me. :)
Even though the ending of the third book kind of brutally murdered the Laurie, Collith and Fortuna throuple hopes and dreams I had. Deep down in my heart of hearts I still fucking want ittt.
Even though the ending of the third book kind of brutally murdered the Laurie, Collith and Fortuna throuple hopes and dreams I had. Deep down in my heart of hearts I still fucking want ittt.
June 16, 2023
TEAM LAURIE TEAM LAURIE TEAM LAURIE
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