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Mille battements de cœur
Tout les sépare et les oppose, mais comment résister à l'écho entêtant de mille battements de coeur ?
La princesse Annika a vécu sa vie entière dans le confort et le luxe, mais elle n'est pas maîtresse de sa destinée. Le roi son père a prévu de la marier à un homme qu'elle n'aime pas.
À des milliers de kilomètres de là, Lennox mène une existence rude. Il a voué sa vie à l'armée dahrainienne, animé par l'espoir de parvenir un jour à récupérer le trône qui a été volé aux siens.
Mais quand, contre toute attente, l'amour vient frapper à leur porte, Annika et Lennox ne peuvent que suivre son appel...
La princesse Annika a vécu sa vie entière dans le confort et le luxe, mais elle n'est pas maîtresse de sa destinée. Le roi son père a prévu de la marier à un homme qu'elle n'aime pas.
À des milliers de kilomètres de là, Lennox mène une existence rude. Il a voué sa vie à l'armée dahrainienne, animé par l'espoir de parvenir un jour à récupérer le trône qui a été volé aux siens.
Mais quand, contre toute attente, l'amour vient frapper à leur porte, Annika et Lennox ne peuvent que suivre son appel...
539 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2022
2926 people are currently reading
52329 people want to read
About the author
Kiera Cass
43 books66.2k followers100 Things I Love:
Being married. Cake. The smell of Autumn. Motherhood. Books. Elephants. Back rubs. On demand movies. Actually going out to movies. Faith. Cinnamon rolls. My family. Butterflies. When my kitchen is clean. Crayons. Pink. Tote bags. Dancing. Organizing via color coordination. That my wedding dress was tea length, not floor. Baking. My house. Writing utensils. Paper. India. The sound of water. Making videos. Buttons. The word Episcopalian. Making people laugh. Layering clothes. British accents. Pinterest. Animation. Fireworks. The smell of the Ocean. My wedding rings. Aprons. Reasons to get dressed up. Sex. Pop music. Stars. Taking walks. Daydreaming. Stickers. School Spirit. My friends. Living in a small town. Japan. Singing. Painting my toenails. Pranks/ practical jokes. Painting. Stretch canvas. Costumes. Dipping my fingers in melted wax. Style. Soda. Spending an hour typing at a coffee shop. Musicals. Back to school season. Mopeds. Good hair days. Naps. Not walking up but looking at a beautiful staircase. Driving alone. My ankles. Playlists. Spending entire days in pajamas. Holidays. Telling stories. Spontaneity. Theme parks. Bookshelves. The word copacetic. Boxes. Empty journals. Surprises. Doing things in groups. Doing things alone. Getting real mail. Decorating. Small forks. A good hug. Gift cards. New Years Goals. Going out to dinner. When someone else remembers some great story about me/us that I’ve forgotten. Toy stores. Fireplaces. Breakfast foods. Journaling. Crying for a good reason. Doorbells. Pointless adventures. Voting. My birthday. Reasons to make wishes. Recycling.
Being married. Cake. The smell of Autumn. Motherhood. Books. Elephants. Back rubs. On demand movies. Actually going out to movies. Faith. Cinnamon rolls. My family. Butterflies. When my kitchen is clean. Crayons. Pink. Tote bags. Dancing. Organizing via color coordination. That my wedding dress was tea length, not floor. Baking. My house. Writing utensils. Paper. India. The sound of water. Making videos. Buttons. The word Episcopalian. Making people laugh. Layering clothes. British accents. Pinterest. Animation. Fireworks. The smell of the Ocean. My wedding rings. Aprons. Reasons to get dressed up. Sex. Pop music. Stars. Taking walks. Daydreaming. Stickers. School Spirit. My friends. Living in a small town. Japan. Singing. Painting my toenails. Pranks/ practical jokes. Painting. Stretch canvas. Costumes. Dipping my fingers in melted wax. Style. Soda. Spending an hour typing at a coffee shop. Musicals. Back to school season. Mopeds. Good hair days. Naps. Not walking up but looking at a beautiful staircase. Driving alone. My ankles. Playlists. Spending entire days in pajamas. Holidays. Telling stories. Spontaneity. Theme parks. Bookshelves. The word copacetic. Boxes. Empty journals. Surprises. Doing things in groups. Doing things alone. Getting real mail. Decorating. Small forks. A good hug. Gift cards. New Years Goals. Going out to dinner. When someone else remembers some great story about me/us that I’ve forgotten. Toy stores. Fireplaces. Breakfast foods. Journaling. Crying for a good reason. Doorbells. Pointless adventures. Voting. My birthday. Reasons to make wishes. Recycling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,194 reviews
September 1, 2024
As a fan of The Selection series, I did a few cartwheels when I received the ARC and dove into the story without even glancing at the blurb!
The enemies-to-lovers trope combined with a heroic fantasy theme immediately grabbed my attention. The characterization was well-done! Both main characters struggle with dysfunctional family dynamics, deep resentments, and the desire to do what’s best for their country, even if it means sacrificing themselves for the greater good. But when their paths cross, they begin to realize that their perceptions may be skewed, and that they might have been believing a distorted version of their country’s history.
Annika is a strong character—loyal to the king and willing to marry a man she barely knows for the sake of duty. Lennox, on the other hand, is a fighter, dealing with the mistreatment of his stepfather and ready to shed blood to seize control of the land he believes is rightfully his.
Annika finds herself kidnapped by warriors from a neighboring country, led by Lennox. They insist that the land Annika’s family rules belongs to them. As they journey together, both Annika and Lennox come to understand that the truth is multifaceted. They begin to question everything they’ve been taught over the years.
While this book is a bit long and slow-burning, the pacing of the romance moves quickly. Annika and Lennox’s love story could be described as insta-love—they don’t spend much time getting to know each other or forming a deep bond. As a result, the enemies phase ends abruptly, without giving us enough time to fully absorb the shift in their relationship. They turn into lovers quite suddenly.
The world-building could also have used a bit more detail; it felt somewhat flat at times.
However, overall, it was still an engaging read with action-packed, exciting chapters and a character-driven, heroic storyline. It certainly didn’t bore me! I’m rounding up my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars. I’m a big fan of the author and can’t wait to read more of her future work!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books/ Harper’s Teen for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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The enemies-to-lovers trope combined with a heroic fantasy theme immediately grabbed my attention. The characterization was well-done! Both main characters struggle with dysfunctional family dynamics, deep resentments, and the desire to do what’s best for their country, even if it means sacrificing themselves for the greater good. But when their paths cross, they begin to realize that their perceptions may be skewed, and that they might have been believing a distorted version of their country’s history.
Annika is a strong character—loyal to the king and willing to marry a man she barely knows for the sake of duty. Lennox, on the other hand, is a fighter, dealing with the mistreatment of his stepfather and ready to shed blood to seize control of the land he believes is rightfully his.
Annika finds herself kidnapped by warriors from a neighboring country, led by Lennox. They insist that the land Annika’s family rules belongs to them. As they journey together, both Annika and Lennox come to understand that the truth is multifaceted. They begin to question everything they’ve been taught over the years.
While this book is a bit long and slow-burning, the pacing of the romance moves quickly. Annika and Lennox’s love story could be described as insta-love—they don’t spend much time getting to know each other or forming a deep bond. As a result, the enemies phase ends abruptly, without giving us enough time to fully absorb the shift in their relationship. They turn into lovers quite suddenly.
The world-building could also have used a bit more detail; it felt somewhat flat at times.
However, overall, it was still an engaging read with action-packed, exciting chapters and a character-driven, heroic storyline. It certainly didn’t bore me! I’m rounding up my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars. I’m a big fan of the author and can’t wait to read more of her future work!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books/ Harper’s Teen for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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dnf
May 22, 2023kiera cass, i owe it to my 7th grade self to give you one last chance (especially after the mess that was the betrothed)
update: i owe my 7th grade self nothing now. i can at least say "i tried". i literally could not make it through this. i tried, i really did.
update: i owe my 7th grade self nothing now. i can at least say "i tried". i literally could not make it through this. i tried, i really did.
February 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this!
An easy fantasy that focuses on characters, romance, and politics - my favourite kind!
Totally clean and no language. Would recommend!
An easy fantasy that focuses on characters, romance, and politics - my favourite kind!
Totally clean and no language. Would recommend!
November 29, 2022
LOVE LOVE LOVE
Now I'm not going to lie... It did take me about 120 pages to actually get into this, but once I got past the world/character building I WAS HOOKED. I fell in love with this book.
I adored Lennox and Annika and their backstories and their passion. Even though this was an enemies-to-lovers romance, I always love when they begin to protect each other *even though they are supposed to hate each other*. The slow burn was the perfect pace and had me kicking my feet in happiness the whole time. There is also a kidnapping and a battle scene between the two and I WAS HERE FOR IT.
Don't let the 500+ pages scare you!! I am not the biggest fan of long books, but you will literally fly through this one. It's so fast-paced and addicting, I could not put it down.
I honestly wish this was a series cause I loved the storyline and the characters <3
5/5 Stars :)
Now I'm not going to lie... It did take me about 120 pages to actually get into this, but once I got past the world/character building I WAS HOOKED. I fell in love with this book.
I adored Lennox and Annika and their backstories and their passion. Even though this was an enemies-to-lovers romance, I always love when they begin to protect each other *even though they are supposed to hate each other*. The slow burn was the perfect pace and had me kicking my feet in happiness the whole time. There is also a kidnapping and a battle scene between the two and I WAS HERE FOR IT.
Don't let the 500+ pages scare you!! I am not the biggest fan of long books, but you will literally fly through this one. It's so fast-paced and addicting, I could not put it down.
I honestly wish this was a series cause I loved the storyline and the characters <3
5/5 Stars :)
January 22, 2023
I think I’m too old for this book
August 29, 2024
After randomly buying this book on Book Outlet and then hearing a bunch of my BookTube friends rave about this book (y'all don't hate me 😭), I finally decided to read it—my first book by this author.
I think it may have been totally me, but I did struggle with the first part of this book. It was building the stage and introducing us to these characters, but it felt slow to me. I didn’t really like either Annika or Lennox (I liked her brother the most). It started picking up about 25% in and I started to become more interested in the book as the actual plot entered in. And then a spoiler is revealed and I don’t understand why I’m supposed to like him?? Y’all, I have concerns. The Lennox we see in his POV is completely different from the Lennox in her POV?
This was legit enemies to lovers, which, I’ve said is my second least favorite trope (first would be marriage of convenience—I know, I know, those are both very unpopular opinions). I’m used to Christian Fiction where this trope is super mild and no one has killed anyone, so this book ended up being super out of my confront zone and honestly, not really my thing. They dropped their hatred for the other about 60% in, but I apparently hold fictional grudges and am petty than either of them because I kept thinking “what about *this*?!” It’s great and good that forgiveness happened a lot in this book, but I struggled with that element regardless. 🤷🏻♀️
Her brother is great, I adored their relationship and how he cared for her. He was really the only character I cared about and planned to riot if something happened to him.
The ending of this book made this book better—despite the fact I felt like I was holding my breath in anxiety for the last hundred pages. The ending was good, but I wished the happiness had gone on longer…I mean this book is 566 pages, why not just go ahead and make it an even 600 pages with more happiness? This might be why I’m not a writer—-happy ending for everyone and the reader will be overwhelmed with goodness! 😉
Main Content
The author is a Christian and thanks God in her acknowledgments, but there is no Christian content in this book. Both Annika and Lennox mention praying (but it's not said to Who); Mentions of stars, mythology, & Orion being the "guard of heaven"; A few mentions of people worshiping their royal family (probably not literally); A couple mentions of stories of witches; A couple mentions of church weddings; A mention of hoping that someone who has dies being in "the other world, a world where I assumed there were no questions and endless answers"; A mention of a talisman; A mention of religion; A mention of "the universe" helping Annika & Lennox; A mention of a monastery.
Lennox has killed many people as the executioner/only-one-who-gets-his-hands-dirty in his group and while we do not actually see those scenes (except one in a battle), there's a lot of mentions of it, recalling them, details about it, & Lennox's emotions on it (there's only one he was haunted to have to do) (easily semi-detailed); There's a lot of fighting, battles, deaths, seeing others die, dead bodies, blood/bleeding, injuries & many mentions of all of it (easily semi-detailed); Annika's father majorly injured her and he's been unstable and mean since her mother's disappearance (both prior to the book); Guards choose to commit suicide rather than be captive by the enemy; Killing, Seeing deaths, fighting/battles, pain, blood/bleeding, injuries, & passing out (semi-detailed); Both Annika & Lennox are slapped by others; For the first half of the book, Lennox & Annika hate each other and are serious in their threats of killing the other (he nearly does a few times and threats snapping her neck, all up to semi-detailed); Annika is kidnapped by Lennox (prior to them liking each other); Mentions of assassins, attempts, & an assassin being caught and killed into pieces.
A defenseless animal is killed and eaten by a cruel man as a warning to Lennox & Lennox throws up (up to semi-detailed).
Language wise: 'hell' is used to describe what someone has gone through (trice) and used as a curse once ("sure as hell", else-wise the only other language is 'stupid' and 'idiot'.
Lots of kisses & kissing sessions (making out) (including forced kisses, recalling kisses, almost kisses, and seeing a couple kiss as well, all easily up to semi-detailed and some lasting a couple paragraphs); Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, cuddling, etc. (semi-detailed); Lennox & Annika notice the other's physical appearance (but it honestly wasn't over the top in my honest opinion...no mentions of curves or muscles, but he is shirtless once and she notices his scars over his abs); The main couple also cuddle (for warmth and when they figure out their feelings), take off they other's clothing (because it's wet), & fall into her bed while kissing and sleep in the same bed (despite the fact she's engaged to another) and while there's no actual intimacy implied, they are very touchy and near to the other because they love the other (semi-detailed); A guy is unhealthy obsessed with Annika; Mentions of Lennox's mom being a man's mistress and her "pouring herself" over him (Annika would call it "indecent" at home); Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a wife taking her anger out on her husband's mistress (star mythology); A mention of a wedding night.
I think it may have been totally me, but I did struggle with the first part of this book. It was building the stage and introducing us to these characters, but it felt slow to me. I didn’t really like either Annika or Lennox (I liked her brother the most). It started picking up about 25% in and I started to become more interested in the book as the actual plot entered in. And then a spoiler is revealed and I don’t understand why I’m supposed to like him?? Y’all, I have concerns. The Lennox we see in his POV is completely different from the Lennox in her POV?
This was legit enemies to lovers, which, I’ve said is my second least favorite trope (first would be marriage of convenience—I know, I know, those are both very unpopular opinions). I’m used to Christian Fiction where this trope is super mild and no one has killed anyone, so this book ended up being super out of my confront zone and honestly, not really my thing. They dropped their hatred for the other about 60% in, but I apparently hold fictional grudges and am petty than either of them because I kept thinking “what about *this*?!” It’s great and good that forgiveness happened a lot in this book, but I struggled with that element regardless. 🤷🏻♀️
Her brother is great, I adored their relationship and how he cared for her. He was really the only character I cared about and planned to riot if something happened to him.
The ending of this book made this book better—despite the fact I felt like I was holding my breath in anxiety for the last hundred pages. The ending was good, but I wished the happiness had gone on longer…I mean this book is 566 pages, why not just go ahead and make it an even 600 pages with more happiness? This might be why I’m not a writer—-happy ending for everyone and the reader will be overwhelmed with goodness! 😉
Main Content
The author is a Christian and thanks God in her acknowledgments, but there is no Christian content in this book. Both Annika and Lennox mention praying (but it's not said to Who); Mentions of stars, mythology, & Orion being the "guard of heaven"; A few mentions of people worshiping their royal family (probably not literally); A couple mentions of stories of witches; A couple mentions of church weddings; A mention of hoping that someone who has dies being in "the other world, a world where I assumed there were no questions and endless answers"; A mention of a talisman; A mention of religion; A mention of "the universe" helping Annika & Lennox; A mention of a monastery.
Lennox has killed many people as the executioner/only-one-who-gets-his-hands-dirty in his group and while we do not actually see those scenes (except one in a battle), there's a lot of mentions of it, recalling them, details about it, & Lennox's emotions on it (there's only one he was haunted to have to do) (easily semi-detailed); There's a lot of fighting, battles, deaths, seeing others die, dead bodies, blood/bleeding, injuries & many mentions of all of it (easily semi-detailed); Annika's father majorly injured her and he's been unstable and mean since her mother's disappearance (both prior to the book); Guards choose to commit suicide rather than be captive by the enemy; Killing, Seeing deaths, fighting/battles, pain, blood/bleeding, injuries, & passing out (semi-detailed); Both Annika & Lennox are slapped by others; For the first half of the book, Lennox & Annika hate each other and are serious in their threats of killing the other (he nearly does a few times and threats snapping her neck, all up to semi-detailed); Annika is kidnapped by Lennox (prior to them liking each other); Mentions of assassins, attempts, & an assassin being caught and killed into pieces.
A defenseless animal is killed and eaten by a cruel man as a warning to Lennox & Lennox throws up (up to semi-detailed).
Language wise: 'hell' is used to describe what someone has gone through (trice) and used as a curse once ("sure as hell", else-wise the only other language is 'stupid' and 'idiot'.
Lots of kisses & kissing sessions (making out) (including forced kisses, recalling kisses, almost kisses, and seeing a couple kiss as well, all easily up to semi-detailed and some lasting a couple paragraphs); Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, cuddling, etc. (semi-detailed); Lennox & Annika notice the other's physical appearance (but it honestly wasn't over the top in my honest opinion...no mentions of curves or muscles, but he is shirtless once and she notices his scars over his abs); The main couple also cuddle (for warmth and when they figure out their feelings), take off they other's clothing (because it's wet), & fall into her bed while kissing and sleep in the same bed (despite the fact she's engaged to another) and while there's no actual intimacy implied, they are very touchy and near to the other because they love the other (semi-detailed); A guy is unhealthy obsessed with Annika; Mentions of Lennox's mom being a man's mistress and her "pouring herself" over him (Annika would call it "indecent" at home); Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a wife taking her anger out on her husband's mistress (star mythology); A mention of a wedding night.
December 26, 2022
3.5⭐️
Aside from the unfortunate cringy romances, this was actually a fun read. I enjoyed the characters with my favorite being princess Annika. She was kind and sweet, yet still bold and strong, especially when it comes to doing what was right.
The plot is set in a fictional world with warring kingdoms which was usually emphasized more. This was great since I wasn’t a fan of the romances anyway.
I would recommend with caution.
Aside from the unfortunate cringy romances, this was actually a fun read. I enjoyed the characters with my favorite being princess Annika. She was kind and sweet, yet still bold and strong, especially when it comes to doing what was right.
The plot is set in a fictional world with warring kingdoms which was usually emphasized more. This was great since I wasn’t a fan of the romances anyway.
I would recommend with caution.
November 26, 2022
I felt like I was reading a fairytale and I can't say I hated it, in fact, I loved the contrast between the fluffy princess in a dreamy castle and a gruff warrior that lives in a gloomy and abandoned one.
The story is slow at the beginning but once the MCs met it gets a lot better and I liked the characters immediately specially Lennox. Finally, finally a male hero that CRIES. People, there's nothing wrong with men crying. We love tough and sometimes grumpy heroes but give them a vulnerable side and I'm a goner.
Annika too, was surprising. She's all fluff and princess-y manners but she's as kind and forgiving as fierce and dangerous when need be.
The side characters had a big part of the story. I liked Lennox's found family, Indigo and Blythe the most, as well as Annika's brother and maid and let's not leave cute little Thistle out, who needs a dog when you can have a little fox as a pet. (Let's all forget that Thistle scene and act like it never happened, ok?)
Overall, I found A Thousand Heartbeats an entertaining and enjoyable read with just the right amount of action and wholesome moments.
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own.
The story is slow at the beginning but once the MCs met it gets a lot better and I liked the characters immediately specially Lennox. Finally, finally a male hero that CRIES. People, there's nothing wrong with men crying. We love tough and sometimes grumpy heroes but give them a vulnerable side and I'm a goner.
Annika too, was surprising. She's all fluff and princess-y manners but she's as kind and forgiving as fierce and dangerous when need be.
The side characters had a big part of the story. I liked Lennox's found family, Indigo and Blythe the most, as well as Annika's brother and maid and let's not leave cute little Thistle out, who needs a dog when you can have a little fox as a pet. (Let's all forget that Thistle scene and act like it never happened, ok?)
Overall, I found A Thousand Heartbeats an entertaining and enjoyable read with just the right amount of action and wholesome moments.
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own.
January 11, 2025
Preread:
As if I'm not already reading 4 other books, let's add another onto it!
So excited for this reread, it has been too long!
As if I'm not already reading 4 other books, let's add another onto it!
So excited for this reread, it has been too long!
October 25, 2022
I enjoyed reading this story, I quite literally couldn't put it down. There was action, romance, and adventure. I was sucked in by the pages at night and finished reading as the sun came up.
An enemies to lovers between two people who can't be together but the moment they have will make your heart race, how can someone fall in love and be heartbroken in the same moment.
“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.
An enemies to lovers between two people who can't be together but the moment they have will make your heart race, how can someone fall in love and be heartbroken in the same moment.
“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.
March 16, 2023
Another review from the lady of few words ~ aka my teenage daughter
Featuring ~ dual 1st person POV, YA, fantasy, short chapters, some violence, enemies to lovers, kissing only
The main characters are Annika & Lennox. While she liked them well enough she felt that they fell in love too quickly.
All side characters were okay, except Nicholas and Kawan. She guesses she liked the setting. The cover is pretty.
That is all she has to offer.
Featuring ~ dual 1st person POV, YA, fantasy, short chapters, some violence, enemies to lovers, kissing only
The main characters are Annika & Lennox. While she liked them well enough she felt that they fell in love too quickly.
All side characters were okay, except Nicholas and Kawan. She guesses she liked the setting. The cover is pretty.
That is all she has to offer.
December 30, 2022
This book is a mess.
It felt like I was reading a first draft rather than a completed novel. So many things didn't make sense and came out of nowhere, and that ending...
To start, the positives:
-I liked Palmer. He was cool.
-There were some genuinely good plot twists/revelations.
-The cover is pretty.
Here are the main problems I had with this book:
-The first 120 pages definitely could have been cut and any information contained therein could have been added as backstory later on.
-The world felt so empty. We only see a few people within the castles, but we never see the country or people Annika cares so much about. Even the castle is empty most of the time as she can wander empty hallways. It just felt so bare. I think this comes down to poor worldbuilding. Kiera Cass still hasn't learned how to do that it seems.
-The storm that came out of frickin' nowhere in the middle of the book just because she needed a way to get the two characters alone with each other long enough to fall in love (which felt sudden, even for me - someone who likes love at first sight sort of stories) It was almost literally a Deus Ex Machina.
-I literally could not figure out character motivations. I thought maybe some big reveal would come that would explain the king's actions (especially in taking BOTH HIS HEIRS TO BATTLE) or Nikolas's or literally our main characters. I still don't understand Lennox's desire to get 'his' country back. Which brings me to a major problem:
-I never felt like we were getting any real feelings from the characters. We were just told how they felt about any given situation. I had no idea how Annika felt towards other characters until she specifically stated it. There were just no visceral reactions or descriptors of what was going on internally. At least not nearly enough to feel connected to the characters.
-Introduced characters specifically to kill them off for emotional shock (Thistle, Griffin, Rami)
- The words used, especially the dialogue, felt way too modern. And even the interactions felt modern. There was no fantasy flair, I think mostly due to the non-existent world building
-The insistence at the end that they couldn't be together - literally made no sense. They clearly stated in the last 40 pages or so that they couldn't have both the kingdom and each other. Only one or the other and I was like 'wouldn't marriage solve everything because it would unite you?' It was like such a contrived problem I seriously don't get it.
-THE BROTHER LEAVING WHEN HE KNEW ATTACK WAS IMMINENT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO MARRY HIS SISTERS MAID. FREAKING WHAT?
-The level of description (pace) was in all the wrong parts and missing from all the others.
-Honestly, I think a love story between Annika and Nikolas would have been more interesting and had more chemistry than Lennox and Annika.
-Kiera Cass has no idea how to write male characters. I thought at the beginning Lennox would be this hardened soldier who wouldn't let anyone into his heart, but it turns out he lets everyone walk right in (except Blythe lol) and he cries more than Annika. The amount of times tears came to his eyes was ridiculous. Yes, men can cry, but it just came across like a woman feeling sorry for herself.
-Annika and Lennox sounded like the same person.
-I could go on and on.
In conclusion, I think the author just isn't a very good writer. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the Selection series. She makes fun stories, but this ambitious novel clearly shows her craft skills aren't there. Or her editors have just given up and let her publish whatever because they know it will sell. That's entirely possible.
It felt like I was reading a first draft rather than a completed novel. So many things didn't make sense and came out of nowhere, and that ending...
To start, the positives:
-I liked Palmer. He was cool.
-There were some genuinely good plot twists/revelations.
-The cover is pretty.
Here are the main problems I had with this book:
-The first 120 pages definitely could have been cut and any information contained therein could have been added as backstory later on.
-The world felt so empty. We only see a few people within the castles, but we never see the country or people Annika cares so much about. Even the castle is empty most of the time as she can wander empty hallways. It just felt so bare. I think this comes down to poor worldbuilding. Kiera Cass still hasn't learned how to do that it seems.
-The storm that came out of frickin' nowhere in the middle of the book just because she needed a way to get the two characters alone with each other long enough to fall in love (which felt sudden, even for me - someone who likes love at first sight sort of stories) It was almost literally a Deus Ex Machina.
-I literally could not figure out character motivations. I thought maybe some big reveal would come that would explain the king's actions (especially in taking BOTH HIS HEIRS TO BATTLE) or Nikolas's or literally our main characters. I still don't understand Lennox's desire to get 'his' country back. Which brings me to a major problem:
-I never felt like we were getting any real feelings from the characters. We were just told how they felt about any given situation. I had no idea how Annika felt towards other characters until she specifically stated it. There were just no visceral reactions or descriptors of what was going on internally. At least not nearly enough to feel connected to the characters.
-Introduced characters specifically to kill them off for emotional shock (Thistle, Griffin, Rami)
- The words used, especially the dialogue, felt way too modern. And even the interactions felt modern. There was no fantasy flair, I think mostly due to the non-existent world building
-The insistence at the end that they couldn't be together - literally made no sense. They clearly stated in the last 40 pages or so that they couldn't have both the kingdom and each other. Only one or the other and I was like 'wouldn't marriage solve everything because it would unite you?' It was like such a contrived problem I seriously don't get it.
-THE BROTHER LEAVING WHEN HE KNEW ATTACK WAS IMMINENT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO MARRY HIS SISTERS MAID. FREAKING WHAT?
-The level of description (pace) was in all the wrong parts and missing from all the others.
-Honestly, I think a love story between Annika and Nikolas would have been more interesting and had more chemistry than Lennox and Annika.
-Kiera Cass has no idea how to write male characters. I thought at the beginning Lennox would be this hardened soldier who wouldn't let anyone into his heart, but it turns out he lets everyone walk right in (except Blythe lol) and he cries more than Annika. The amount of times tears came to his eyes was ridiculous. Yes, men can cry, but it just came across like a woman feeling sorry for herself.
-Annika and Lennox sounded like the same person.
-I could go on and on.
In conclusion, I think the author just isn't a very good writer. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the Selection series. She makes fun stories, but this ambitious novel clearly shows her craft skills aren't there. Or her editors have just given up and let her publish whatever because they know it will sell. That's entirely possible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2023
2½ stars 🌟
This book was not for me. I didn't care for pretty much any of the characters, and I felt the most disconnected from Lennox. But the worst part for me was the romance. I have a lot I could say, but to put it simply, it happened way too quickly and didn't feel realistic, considering all the surrounding circumstances and past happenings. I liked a lot of the ideas and tropes in this book, I think it had a lot of potential, but I didn't like the way it was executed.
Content warning: one use of the h-word
This book was not for me. I didn't care for pretty much any of the characters, and I felt the most disconnected from Lennox. But the worst part for me was the romance. I have a lot I could say, but to put it simply, it happened way too quickly and didn't feel realistic, considering all the surrounding circumstances and past happenings. I liked a lot of the ideas and tropes in this book, I think it had a lot of potential, but I didn't like the way it was executed.
Content warning: one use of the h-word
Want to read
October 9, 2022AH. An enemies to lovers book. Written by the author of the Selection.
Sure, The Betrothed might have been the worst book I've ever read, but the Selection series is my guilty pleasure.
But that cover looks like I could've pulled a picture off of the internet and slapped some text on it.
Sure, The Betrothed might have been the worst book I've ever read, but the Selection series is my guilty pleasure.
But that cover looks like I could've pulled a picture off of the internet and slapped some text on it.
May 16, 2023
"Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time. It sounds like the rush of a waterfall or the still of the world at daybreak. You can hear it at night, lulling you to sleep, and, in the middle of your darkest days, it breaks through like a laugh."
I am definitely in love with this book, because I hear something every time I think about it or look at the cover, and said sound is totally not the rain pounding on my roof but is the sound of 💖love💖
Annika is a princess, girlboss, secret swordswoman, and most importantly a bookworm... of course I absolutely adore her. Lennox is a murderer, guy with a secret soft spot, traumatized character, and most importantly a simp for Annika... I mean, he's not my favorite but what's not to like about him, people?
The romance?? TO DIE FOR. There were sparks the second they laid eyes on each other (and nearly killed each other) and it ONLY GOT BETTER FROM THERE. They spend one night in a cave together, determined to hate each other, and emerge head over heels in lurve. Their banter was cute while it lasted but their undying love for each other was cuterrrr 😍😍😍😍
It's a swoony, gorgeous, action-packed romance standalone and if you're a hopeless romantic like myself I strongly recommend loosing yourself in this story for a few days (or hours, I'm a fast reader but some of ya'll are just... I don't even know). Have a blessed day 😘
I am definitely in love with this book, because I hear something every time I think about it or look at the cover, and said sound is totally not the rain pounding on my roof but is the sound of 💖love💖
Annika is a princess, girlboss, secret swordswoman, and most importantly a bookworm... of course I absolutely adore her. Lennox is a murderer, guy with a secret soft spot, traumatized character, and most importantly a simp for Annika... I mean, he's not my favorite but what's not to like about him, people?
The romance?? TO DIE FOR. There were sparks the second they laid eyes on each other (and nearly killed each other) and it ONLY GOT BETTER FROM THERE. They spend one night in a cave together, determined to hate each other, and emerge head over heels in lurve. Their banter was cute while it lasted but their undying love for each other was cuterrrr 😍😍😍😍
It's a swoony, gorgeous, action-packed romance standalone and if you're a hopeless romantic like myself I strongly recommend loosing yourself in this story for a few days (or hours, I'm a fast reader but some of ya'll are just... I don't even know). Have a blessed day 😘
April 15, 2023
4 out of 5 stars.
How can I describe this book: 'The Bridge Kingdom' meets 'The Winner's Trilogy' with a sprinkle of 'Stain'.
A Thousand Heartbeats is a must read if you love fairytales.
Confession time:
Kiera Cass's 'The Selection' series will always and forever be one of my favorite guilty pleasure book series. Along the way I lost interest in her 'The Betrothed' duology, and I have no interest in picking it up.
However, this book's synopsis sounds very interesting and since it's only standalone I want to give this one a try and hopefully I won't be let down by it.
How can I describe this book: 'The Bridge Kingdom' meets 'The Winner's Trilogy' with a sprinkle of 'Stain'.
A Thousand Heartbeats is a must read if you love fairytales.
Confession time:
Kiera Cass's 'The Selection' series will always and forever be one of my favorite guilty pleasure book series. Along the way I lost interest in her 'The Betrothed' duology, and I have no interest in picking it up.
However, this book's synopsis sounds very interesting and since it's only standalone I want to give this one a try and hopefully I won't be let down by it.
December 12, 2024
5★
I absolutely loved this book and am immediately going to read Kiera Cass' other stories! I held off reading this because I thought her writing be too juvenile for me... I was SO wrong — thankfully.
This is one of the most beautiful romance books I've ever read, and I'm *so* confused at why it has a lower rating on Goodreads?!
I will say that the romance is a SUPER slow burn, and doesn't really start until halfway through the book (about 300 pages in). However, I appreciate it when looking back, because it helped me focus on the other elements and themes of the story.
This isn't just a romance novel, it's a story about family, honor, forgiveness, and laying yourself down for the people you love.
I annotated the LIFE out of this book & will definitely be going back to read my favorite quotes for years to come.
READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO FEEL LIKE A PRETTY PRINCESS (& loved the Barbie movies growing up) 👑!
I absolutely loved this book and am immediately going to read Kiera Cass' other stories! I held off reading this because I thought her writing be too juvenile for me... I was SO wrong — thankfully.
This is one of the most beautiful romance books I've ever read, and I'm *so* confused at why it has a lower rating on Goodreads?!
I will say that the romance is a SUPER slow burn, and doesn't really start until halfway through the book (about 300 pages in). However, I appreciate it when looking back, because it helped me focus on the other elements and themes of the story.
This isn't just a romance novel, it's a story about family, honor, forgiveness, and laying yourself down for the people you love.
I annotated the LIFE out of this book & will definitely be going back to read my favorite quotes for years to come.
READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO FEEL LIKE A PRETTY PRINCESS (& loved the Barbie movies growing up) 👑!
December 30, 2022
Sillier than the silliest silly in the entire universe
January 20, 2023
Umm...this book was a bit of a mess. From a very forced romance to decisions that didn't make any sense. Well...let's just get into it, shall we?
1) I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone could ever fall in love with the man that killed their mother. Annika was benevolent to unrealistic standards. I just don't see how you could fall in love with someone who took your family member away. Even if they didn't know who it was.
2) Why would a King bring his only heirs to an island and not tell them he's going to attack some people? I would think you'd want to prepare everyone as much as possible. Also, shouldn't you leave at least one of your heirs at home in case you die??? One key example of a decision that made 0 sense.
3) What the hell was that cave scene? Annika was literally a captive for a few hours, then dueling for a few minutes and suddenly a hurricane forces them in love??? I don't think so. First the hurricane that went on for forever is ridiculous and then an earthquake that follows? Like I get what she was doing but there was not enough time to move from sworn enemies to lovers. It just didn't make any sense.
4) Why would you give away your throne so easily? Even if it's "not technically your throne" it still doesn't make sense. This guy hasn't been trained to be a King. And if the idea was that Annika loved her people so much she was willing to marry a jerk to help keep the peace, then why would she give over the throne with the knowledge her people could be kicked out?
Overall I give this book 1.5 stars. (The half because i was at least able to finish it).
1) I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone could ever fall in love with the man that killed their mother. Annika was benevolent to unrealistic standards. I just don't see how you could fall in love with someone who took your family member away. Even if they didn't know who it was.
2) Why would a King bring his only heirs to an island and not tell them he's going to attack some people? I would think you'd want to prepare everyone as much as possible. Also, shouldn't you leave at least one of your heirs at home in case you die??? One key example of a decision that made 0 sense.
3) What the hell was that cave scene? Annika was literally a captive for a few hours, then dueling for a few minutes and suddenly a hurricane forces them in love??? I don't think so. First the hurricane that went on for forever is ridiculous and then an earthquake that follows? Like I get what she was doing but there was not enough time to move from sworn enemies to lovers. It just didn't make any sense.
4) Why would you give away your throne so easily? Even if it's "not technically your throne" it still doesn't make sense. This guy hasn't been trained to be a King. And if the idea was that Annika loved her people so much she was willing to marry a jerk to help keep the peace, then why would she give over the throne with the knowledge her people could be kicked out?
Overall I give this book 1.5 stars. (The half because i was at least able to finish it).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2023
Kiera Cass really came through with this one after her last 2 books. I actually really enjoyed this and honestly think it’s her best book by far. The writing was significantly better than anything she’s written previously and the characters and plot were pretty good.
However, there were some problems. The romance was super rushed and even though this was a true enemies to lovers I felt like there was no in between. Half of the book they were enemies and then all of the sudden they were lovers. They go into a cave hating each other but are forced to keep each other alive for survival and end up having a heart to heart so then they make out and don’t want to leave. Yep, I’m thinking the same thing you are.
The world building was also just bad. There was virtually no substance to it whatsoever and it was all basic. Nothing on this front was original at all.
All in all, I really enjoyed A Thousand Heartbeats but there were still some problems. It has been my favorite Kiera Cass book thus far. 3 stars.
However, there were some problems. The romance was super rushed and even though this was a true enemies to lovers I felt like there was no in between. Half of the book they were enemies and then all of the sudden they were lovers. They go into a cave hating each other but are forced to keep each other alive for survival and end up having a heart to heart so then they make out and don’t want to leave. Yep, I’m thinking the same thing you are.
The world building was also just bad. There was virtually no substance to it whatsoever and it was all basic. Nothing on this front was original at all.
All in all, I really enjoyed A Thousand Heartbeats but there were still some problems. It has been my favorite Kiera Cass book thus far. 3 stars.
February 10, 2023
Great story, less than great execution /:
January 6, 2024
2.5⭐️
A bit boring and long for the plot but cute.
A bit boring and long for the plot but cute.
November 7, 2023
ཻུ۪۪♡."Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time."ཻུ۪۪♡.
A solid 3.5 star read.
Kiera Cass is an author I pick up for entertainment, when I need something more lighthearted and easier to read. Her books are as light and fluffy as an angel food cake. This one, however, was more like an angel food cake that didn't rise all the way. It had fluff, but it also had more brutality than I was expecting.
જ⁀➴ My favorite parts of the book were the moments between Annika and Lennox. If the other parts of her books are weak, I do think Kiera Cass can write a good love story. Their trope was literal enemies to lovers, though I don't think they ever really hated each other. They seemed to have a strong magnetic pull, though. Within seconds after Lennox first laid eyes on Annika, he was trying to kidnap her. Cute, right? But I loved the scene it the cave, it was so adorable! They love each other so much, and it made me feel really single lol.
જ⁀➴ I thought the plot was pretty solid, if not a little cliche. It started out slow but managed to pick up pace about one-third of the way through. There was quite a bit of bloodshed, especially in the ending climax. Several people got stabbed within five chapters, and most of them died. Violence doesn't really bother me, but I it was more than I was expecting from Kiera Cass.
જ⁀➴ The one thing that really annoyed me was the writing. I absolutely hate when authors use the word 'giggled' (don't ask me why) and it seemed to appear every other page. Sometimes I felt like the writing was cheesy, and the some of the chapter endings seemed abrupt. It wasn't bad enough to ruin the book for me, but it still got on my nerves.
Overall, I enjoyed A Thousand Heartbeats. It was a cute little fairytale read, and I absolutely love the cover 💜 tysm to Izzy for getting me this for my birthday!!! Also this review is so bad but its ok lol 🫣
Happy reading <3
A solid 3.5 star read.
Kiera Cass is an author I pick up for entertainment, when I need something more lighthearted and easier to read. Her books are as light and fluffy as an angel food cake. This one, however, was more like an angel food cake that didn't rise all the way. It had fluff, but it also had more brutality than I was expecting.
જ⁀➴ My favorite parts of the book were the moments between Annika and Lennox. If the other parts of her books are weak, I do think Kiera Cass can write a good love story. Their trope was literal enemies to lovers, though I don't think they ever really hated each other. They seemed to have a strong magnetic pull, though. Within seconds after Lennox first laid eyes on Annika, he was trying to kidnap her. Cute, right? But I loved the scene it the cave, it was so adorable! They love each other so much, and it made me feel really single lol.
જ⁀➴ I thought the plot was pretty solid, if not a little cliche. It started out slow but managed to pick up pace about one-third of the way through. There was quite a bit of bloodshed, especially in the ending climax. Several people got stabbed within five chapters, and most of them died. Violence doesn't really bother me, but I it was more than I was expecting from Kiera Cass.
જ⁀➴ The one thing that really annoyed me was the writing. I absolutely hate when authors use the word 'giggled' (don't ask me why) and it seemed to appear every other page. Sometimes I felt like the writing was cheesy, and the some of the chapter endings seemed abrupt. It wasn't bad enough to ruin the book for me, but it still got on my nerves.
Overall, I enjoyed A Thousand Heartbeats. It was a cute little fairytale read, and I absolutely love the cover 💜 tysm to Izzy for getting me this for my birthday!!! Also this review is so bad but its ok lol 🫣
Happy reading <3
February 18, 2023
3✨
La verdad es que la última bilogía de la autora me decepcionó en cierta manera (así como su libro "La Sirena"), pero como en su momentos me gustó TANTO la selección creo que siempre la voy a seguir leyendo sus novelas a ver si alguna me llega de esa manera...
Y, desgraciadamente, no ha sido el caso con este libro. Sin embargo, tampoco ha sido un gran fiasco. En mi opinión, tiene cosas positivas y negativas.
Positivas:
🌷 Tiene una trama súper atrayente, con conflictos entre reinos y un romance aparentemente imposible.
🌷 La pluma de la autora es muy fresca, haciendo el libro liguero e ideal para pasar un buen rato. Los capítulos se alternan entre la perspectiva de Annika y Lennox y eso lo hace todavía más entretenido.
Negativas:
🌷 Los protagonistas no fueron de mi agrado :(. A Lennox le veía muy contradictorio, creo que podría haber estado más trabajado para que fuera más creíble su actitud (o tal vez sea que personalmente no me gustan los chicos así). Y Annika, aunque se nota el esfuerzo por hacerla una protagonista no tan superficial (recordemos que, yo creo, la autora ha pecado de ello anteriormente)... tenía momentos que no me terminaban de convencer.
🌷 La novela es bastante previsible: el final se veía venir desde el primer momento y la solución me parecía demasiado obvia. Aunque es cierto que había cosas en la trama que no me esperaba y que me sorprendieron.
¡Y eso es todo por hoy!
✨¿Has leído esta novela o a la autora? ¡Te leo!
La verdad es que la última bilogía de la autora me decepcionó en cierta manera (así como su libro "La Sirena"), pero como en su momentos me gustó TANTO la selección creo que siempre la voy a seguir leyendo sus novelas a ver si alguna me llega de esa manera...
Y, desgraciadamente, no ha sido el caso con este libro. Sin embargo, tampoco ha sido un gran fiasco. En mi opinión, tiene cosas positivas y negativas.
Positivas:
🌷 Tiene una trama súper atrayente, con conflictos entre reinos y un romance aparentemente imposible.
🌷 La pluma de la autora es muy fresca, haciendo el libro liguero e ideal para pasar un buen rato. Los capítulos se alternan entre la perspectiva de Annika y Lennox y eso lo hace todavía más entretenido.
Negativas:
🌷 Los protagonistas no fueron de mi agrado :(. A Lennox le veía muy contradictorio, creo que podría haber estado más trabajado para que fuera más creíble su actitud (o tal vez sea que personalmente no me gustan los chicos así). Y Annika, aunque se nota el esfuerzo por hacerla una protagonista no tan superficial (recordemos que, yo creo, la autora ha pecado de ello anteriormente)... tenía momentos que no me terminaban de convencer.
🌷 La novela es bastante previsible: el final se veía venir desde el primer momento y la solución me parecía demasiado obvia. Aunque es cierto que había cosas en la trama que no me esperaba y que me sorprendieron.
¡Y eso es todo por hoy!
✨¿Has leído esta novela o a la autora? ¡Te leo!
April 27, 2023
This is what I would call a 6 ⭐ book.
I don't even have words to describe how much I loved it. It had me hooked from the very beginning and I literally could not put it down. When I had to put it down it was all I could think about until I picked it up again.
It gave me so many feelings😍
Lennox and Annika are now one of my favorite couples ever. And I absolutely loved all the side characters.
This is most likely going to be my favorite book of 2023 and one of my favorite books of all time.
Highly highly recommend,please do yourself a favor and read this book you will not regret it🥰
I don't even have words to describe how much I loved it. It had me hooked from the very beginning and I literally could not put it down. When I had to put it down it was all I could think about until I picked it up again.
It gave me so many feelings😍
Lennox and Annika are now one of my favorite couples ever. And I absolutely loved all the side characters.
This is most likely going to be my favorite book of 2023 and one of my favorite books of all time.
Highly highly recommend,please do yourself a favor and read this book you will not regret it🥰
April 20, 2023
Did I just read a 561-page book in one day? Yes. Yes, I did.
this felt like a fairytale and i loved it.
this felt like a fairytale and i loved it.
October 17, 2023
i’m very much heartbroken but so happy at the same time GIVE ME A SECOND OKAY
rtc
SPOILERS!!!!!
infinite stars. read this now.
"I knew what recognition felt like. I wondered idly what it would be like to actually be known. Then a deeper ache came to the surface, and I wondered what it would be like to be forgiven."
gather 'round the campfire, let's sing a campfire song (but in this case the song is about me and this book because this book made me feel literally every emotion possible).
hey losers. i've missed you. did you miss me? i sure as hell hope so because i'm back biatches. i'm going to tell you a story. this story is about a girl named anabel, who is utterly obsessed with arctic monkeys. anabel went to an arctic monkeys concert in mexico city and cried the whole time. one goal of her trip was to find a bookstore that contained english books and buy a shit load. no such luck UNTIL she was leaving and stumbled upon a bookstore in the airport, where she purchased not just any book. no, no. she purchased this book.
"You know, even places that are dark, even in the midst of war, sometimes, people find light in each other."
princess annika has lived a life of comfort-but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn't her own to control. the king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain. miles away, small comforts are few nad far between for lennox. he has devoted his life to helping his people take back the throne that was stolen from them long ago. for lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction-nothing will stand in the way of his fight. but when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. they can't possibly be together-but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won't let them stay apart.
YOU GUYS I SWEAR TO GOD. this book is everything i'll ever need. like ever. quickly, this book became a five-star, and then became one of my all time favourites. kiera cass is obviously a very talented author, especially for those of the younger audience, but i loved every chapter, page, paragraph, sentence, word, letter, space in between the letter... you get it. y'all should see the amount of tabs. like good golly gosh, there's a lot.
If I couldn't be known or forgiven, perhaps it was enough to be feared.
-> LENNOX
this man is broken. so so utterly broken that i literally feel the need to pick up the pieces of him off the floor and put him back together. his character felt so raw and real and the things he would say would either leave me in stitches, smiling like a dumbass, or nearly in tears. you can tell throughout the entire book how much he craves acknowledgement. how much he craves to be seen, to be loved. yes, he did murder annika's mother which was completely jaw-dropping in and of itself, but he also went to her grave whenever he could and talk to her. apologize to her. like, come on. i'm in love
"Talking with her, even arguing with her, left him feeling seen in ways no one else in his life had managed."
"He didn't want to destory her. But he would."
"She might also love me. But here's what she doesn't know," I confessed with a smile. "Even if she did, she couldn't love me half as much as I love her. I'm willing to rip the world in two for her."
"My Annika, my Queen. Shall I stand and bow to you?"
"You can rest," I told her. "You're safe." that one makes me cry i swear to god this needs to stop. but like don't actually stop.
-> ANNIKA
this girl has gone through it all. her mother went missing, her brother ran off with her maid (whom of which i both love to death), her father is an asshole and then died, and then she got appointed queen, rhett had an unhealthy obsession with her, she was engaged to a psychopath. like this girl couldn't catch a break. i love her character so much; she's so strong and smart, and incredibly quick. escaping by getting out of the window? smart. picking the lock to your own room when your stupid fiancee trapped you in there? smart. snatching the key from rhett's pocket? SMART.
"If his laughter brought on a thousand heartbeats at once, this kiss was a thousand goodbyes."
"You're insane." I told him. "You're perfect." He replied."
"There was a boy, and he held me through the rain and the cold. He told me the truth, and he brought me peace."
"My mother was gone. My father was gone. My brother was gone. I was queen. And all I could think was, 'You said you were still here.'"
-> OTHERS
i was lucky to pick up a book with so many likeable side characters. except for fucking nickolas or however you spell his ugly name and the king and briefly blythe and kawan and for the most part lennox's mom, everyone was really great. now I KNOW it seems like i hated literally every side character in the book but trust me when i say that there were like 20 different characters in this book.
"Annika Vedette, will you do me the extraordinary honour of accepting my hand?"
"Lennox Au Sucrit," she began. I didn't realize how much my name meant to me until she said it. "I want nothing in the world but to be yours."
rtc
SPOILERS!!!!!
infinite stars. read this now.
"I knew what recognition felt like. I wondered idly what it would be like to actually be known. Then a deeper ache came to the surface, and I wondered what it would be like to be forgiven."
gather 'round the campfire, let's sing a campfire song (but in this case the song is about me and this book because this book made me feel literally every emotion possible).
hey losers. i've missed you. did you miss me? i sure as hell hope so because i'm back biatches. i'm going to tell you a story. this story is about a girl named anabel, who is utterly obsessed with arctic monkeys. anabel went to an arctic monkeys concert in mexico city and cried the whole time. one goal of her trip was to find a bookstore that contained english books and buy a shit load. no such luck UNTIL she was leaving and stumbled upon a bookstore in the airport, where she purchased not just any book. no, no. she purchased this book.
"You know, even places that are dark, even in the midst of war, sometimes, people find light in each other."
princess annika has lived a life of comfort-but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn't her own to control. the king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain. miles away, small comforts are few nad far between for lennox. he has devoted his life to helping his people take back the throne that was stolen from them long ago. for lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction-nothing will stand in the way of his fight. but when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. they can't possibly be together-but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won't let them stay apart.
YOU GUYS I SWEAR TO GOD. this book is everything i'll ever need. like ever. quickly, this book became a five-star, and then became one of my all time favourites. kiera cass is obviously a very talented author, especially for those of the younger audience, but i loved every chapter, page, paragraph, sentence, word, letter, space in between the letter... you get it. y'all should see the amount of tabs. like good golly gosh, there's a lot.
If I couldn't be known or forgiven, perhaps it was enough to be feared.
-> LENNOX
this man is broken. so so utterly broken that i literally feel the need to pick up the pieces of him off the floor and put him back together. his character felt so raw and real and the things he would say would either leave me in stitches, smiling like a dumbass, or nearly in tears. you can tell throughout the entire book how much he craves acknowledgement. how much he craves to be seen, to be loved. yes, he did murder annika's mother which was completely jaw-dropping in and of itself, but he also went to her grave whenever he could and talk to her. apologize to her. like, come on. i'm in love
"Talking with her, even arguing with her, left him feeling seen in ways no one else in his life had managed."
"He didn't want to destory her. But he would."
"She might also love me. But here's what she doesn't know," I confessed with a smile. "Even if she did, she couldn't love me half as much as I love her. I'm willing to rip the world in two for her."
"My Annika, my Queen. Shall I stand and bow to you?"
"You can rest," I told her. "You're safe." that one makes me cry i swear to god this needs to stop. but like don't actually stop.
-> ANNIKA
this girl has gone through it all. her mother went missing, her brother ran off with her maid (whom of which i both love to death), her father is an asshole and then died, and then she got appointed queen, rhett had an unhealthy obsession with her, she was engaged to a psychopath. like this girl couldn't catch a break. i love her character so much; she's so strong and smart, and incredibly quick. escaping by getting out of the window? smart. picking the lock to your own room when your stupid fiancee trapped you in there? smart. snatching the key from rhett's pocket? SMART.
"If his laughter brought on a thousand heartbeats at once, this kiss was a thousand goodbyes."
"You're insane." I told him. "You're perfect." He replied."
"There was a boy, and he held me through the rain and the cold. He told me the truth, and he brought me peace."
"My mother was gone. My father was gone. My brother was gone. I was queen. And all I could think was, 'You said you were still here.'"
-> OTHERS
i was lucky to pick up a book with so many likeable side characters. except for fucking nickolas or however you spell his ugly name and the king and briefly blythe and kawan and for the most part lennox's mom, everyone was really great. now I KNOW it seems like i hated literally every side character in the book but trust me when i say that there were like 20 different characters in this book.
"Annika Vedette, will you do me the extraordinary honour of accepting my hand?"
"Lennox Au Sucrit," she began. I didn't realize how much my name meant to me until she said it. "I want nothing in the world but to be yours."
May 28, 2024
Dissapointed but not surprised. One star is also for the cover because I happen to like the colors. This by no means is a worse book, It's just so boring and somethings doesn't quite click right for me. I still have faith in Mrs cass, tho.
November 3, 2024
Thousand Heartbeats is a sweet story about two people whose families and kingdoms are sworn enemies. The story focuses on family, history, and forgiveness.
If you love stories about princesses and kingdoms fighting over who’s the rightful heir, you would love this book. Unfortunately, I’ve read so many young adult books with similar plots and characters that this didn’t stand out to me. But it’s not a bad book, and I think a younger audience would really enjoy it.
Cleanliness: 4.5/5 ⭐️
There’s one use of the word hell (not in a crude way) and some kisses between the characters but this book is appropriate for 12+
If you love stories about princesses and kingdoms fighting over who’s the rightful heir, you would love this book. Unfortunately, I’ve read so many young adult books with similar plots and characters that this didn’t stand out to me. But it’s not a bad book, and I think a younger audience would really enjoy it.
Cleanliness: 4.5/5 ⭐️
There’s one use of the word hell (not in a crude way) and some kisses between the characters but this book is appropriate for 12+
June 3, 2025
*4.5*
Kiera Cass la MADRE que eres Dios mio.
Hace 5 años no leia nada de esta mujer y este me regresó inmediatamente a mis años adolescentes cuando estaba obsesionado con ella! Me gusto tanto que incluso podría decir que, técnicamente hablando, este es su mejor libro.
Es muy diferente al resto de su trabajo pero sigue manteniendo ese hilo romántico que predomina toda su obra. Tenemos a dos personajes separados por la historia que se conocen debido a las circunstancias menos indicadas. Hay un monton de capas entre ellos: historias familiares, tragedias, traiciones y mucho más. Haber escrito la historia desde los dos puntos de vista fue una excelente decisión.
Digo que es diferente al resto de su trabajo porque Kiera en esta ocasión dio mucho trabajo a su construcción de mundo. Hay muy lore, por falta de una mejor palabra, alrededor de los personajes. Me gustó conocer la historia, el pasado y como lo que está sucediendo en el presente es consecuencia de AÑOS de trabajo.
Y, por último pero no menos importante, grandes, GRANDES personajes. Annika y Lenox tienen una dinámica diferente a sus otras parejas, y hay mucha más profundidad en ellos dos. Escalus, Naomi, los amigos de Lennox, de verdad como disfruté leer a todos y cada uno de ellos. Y, obviamente, no faltó la tradición de que los nombres de Kiera Cass me fascinen.
El único pero que le pondría es que me hubiera gustado que fuera más largo. Sí, son 560 páginas, y todas son espectaculares, pero el final se sintió demasiado apresurado. Y pues digo, ya me diste casi dos libros completos, unas cuantas páginas más para cerrar de manera más concreta no hubieran estado mal.
Esperando con ansias el siguiente trabajo de esta mujer. Kiera Cass, si estas leyendo esto, por favor ponte en frente de la computadora y DAME MÁS HERMANA!!!
Kiera Cass la MADRE que eres Dios mio.
Hace 5 años no leia nada de esta mujer y este me regresó inmediatamente a mis años adolescentes cuando estaba obsesionado con ella! Me gusto tanto que incluso podría decir que, técnicamente hablando, este es su mejor libro.
Es muy diferente al resto de su trabajo pero sigue manteniendo ese hilo romántico que predomina toda su obra. Tenemos a dos personajes separados por la historia que se conocen debido a las circunstancias menos indicadas. Hay un monton de capas entre ellos: historias familiares, tragedias, traiciones y mucho más. Haber escrito la historia desde los dos puntos de vista fue una excelente decisión.
Digo que es diferente al resto de su trabajo porque Kiera en esta ocasión dio mucho trabajo a su construcción de mundo. Hay muy lore, por falta de una mejor palabra, alrededor de los personajes. Me gustó conocer la historia, el pasado y como lo que está sucediendo en el presente es consecuencia de AÑOS de trabajo.
Y, por último pero no menos importante, grandes, GRANDES personajes. Annika y Lenox tienen una dinámica diferente a sus otras parejas, y hay mucha más profundidad en ellos dos. Escalus, Naomi, los amigos de Lennox, de verdad como disfruté leer a todos y cada uno de ellos. Y, obviamente, no faltó la tradición de que los nombres de Kiera Cass me fascinen.
El único pero que le pondría es que me hubiera gustado que fuera más largo. Sí, son 560 páginas, y todas son espectaculares, pero el final se sintió demasiado apresurado. Y pues digo, ya me diste casi dos libros completos, unas cuantas páginas más para cerrar de manera más concreta no hubieran estado mal.
Esperando con ansias el siguiente trabajo de esta mujer. Kiera Cass, si estas leyendo esto, por favor ponte en frente de la computadora y DAME MÁS HERMANA!!!
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