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The Fair Isle Trilogy #1
To Carve a Fae Heart
Every young woman dreams of marrying a king.
Everyone except for me.
Because the king I am to wed has razor sharp fangs and a thirst for blood. All my life I knew I’d come of age during the Hundred Year Reaping. According to the ridiculous treaty, two human girls are sent to the faelands as brides for the fearsome fae king and his devilish younger brother. Not me. I was supposed to be safe. Two girls were chosen from my village already. But when they are executed for offending the king, my sister and I are sent in their place. What a mess. Then again, maybe it’s not so bad. The younger brother I’m paired with doesn’t seem as monstrous as I’d expected. He’s delightfully handsome too. But nothing compares to the chilling, dangerous beauty of the fae king. And when my sister flees the castle and her terrifying husband-to-be, I’m left to marry him instead. If I go through with this, I might not survive my wedding night. If I don’t, no one is safe, neither human nor fae. An ancient war will return, bringing devastation we haven’t seen in a thousand years. Can I sacrifice myself for the good of my people? Or will a dangerous desire be the death of me first? If I don’t lose my heart, the king will certainly lose his. I’ll carve it out with an iron blade if I have to. To Carve a Fae Heart is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy, perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR , and Kingdom of the Wicked . If you like snarky fae, brooding royals, sizzling romance, and fierce heroines, you'll love this breathtaking fae fantasy. * This series is Upper YA/NA and contains sexual situations, moderate steam, and some violence. To Carve a Fae Heart is the first book in The Fair Isle Trilogy , set in the same world as the Entangled with Fae series. To Carve a Fae Heart takes place twenty years before the Entangled with Fae books. Journey back to Faerwyvae or start your adventure for the first time with this epic fantasy tale!
Everyone except for me.
Because the king I am to wed has razor sharp fangs and a thirst for blood. All my life I knew I’d come of age during the Hundred Year Reaping. According to the ridiculous treaty, two human girls are sent to the faelands as brides for the fearsome fae king and his devilish younger brother. Not me. I was supposed to be safe. Two girls were chosen from my village already. But when they are executed for offending the king, my sister and I are sent in their place. What a mess. Then again, maybe it’s not so bad. The younger brother I’m paired with doesn’t seem as monstrous as I’d expected. He’s delightfully handsome too. But nothing compares to the chilling, dangerous beauty of the fae king. And when my sister flees the castle and her terrifying husband-to-be, I’m left to marry him instead. If I go through with this, I might not survive my wedding night. If I don’t, no one is safe, neither human nor fae. An ancient war will return, bringing devastation we haven’t seen in a thousand years. Can I sacrifice myself for the good of my people? Or will a dangerous desire be the death of me first? If I don’t lose my heart, the king will certainly lose his. I’ll carve it out with an iron blade if I have to. To Carve a Fae Heart is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy, perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR , and Kingdom of the Wicked . If you like snarky fae, brooding royals, sizzling romance, and fierce heroines, you'll love this breathtaking fae fantasy. * This series is Upper YA/NA and contains sexual situations, moderate steam, and some violence. To Carve a Fae Heart is the first book in The Fair Isle Trilogy , set in the same world as the Entangled with Fae series. To Carve a Fae Heart takes place twenty years before the Entangled with Fae books. Journey back to Faerwyvae or start your adventure for the first time with this epic fantasy tale!
386 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2020
1946 people are currently reading
24351 people want to read
About the author
Tessonja Odette
32 books3,559 followersTessonja Odette is a Seattle-based author of fantasy romance, epic romantasy, and fairytale retellings. Her different series range from cozy fae romcoms to dark and twisty fantasy. In her books you’ll find witty banter, sizzling romance, and breathtaking magic. When she isn’t writing, she’s watching anime, squeezing her pets, or dancing to the music only she can hear.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,174 reviews
August 12, 2020
I got to 36% before throwing in the towel. When asked, I tell authors not to include any events in their cover copy that aren't in the first quarter of the book. I wish Odette had asked. At this point, we still haven't gotten to the crux of the cover copy and I'm done waiting for the story to start. Heck, Evelyn has only had two interactions with king hottypants to this point! Enemies to lovers can be fun but you have to have them actually interacting to get there...
It doesn't help that Evelyn is a brash idiot obviously misjudging pretty much everything/one because of her irrational bias against magic (when she isn't simply being gullible about Prince Cobalt, that is). Odette does some weird hand-wavy science babble that felt really odd in the Victorian-era backdrop to get there and that didn't help. The worldbuilding is weak enough that putting that much pressure on it (by making Evelyn a science-zealot outlier) seriously broke my immersion.
Anyway, a gullible science bigot with delusions of competence wasn't working for me. And having "smug" as the most common descriptor of king hottypants wasn't doing it any favors, either...
It doesn't help that Evelyn is a brash idiot obviously misjudging pretty much everything/one because of her irrational bias against magic (when she isn't simply being gullible about Prince Cobalt, that is). Odette does some weird hand-wavy science babble that felt really odd in the Victorian-era backdrop to get there and that didn't help. The worldbuilding is weak enough that putting that much pressure on it (by making Evelyn a science-zealot outlier) seriously broke my immersion.
Anyway, a gullible science bigot with delusions of competence wasn't working for me. And having "smug" as the most common descriptor of king hottypants wasn't doing it any favors, either...
March 29, 2022
Genre: Fantasy, romance
Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced marriage, fae and humans, knife to the throat
Series: The Fair Isle Trilogy #1
Cliffhanger: Yes
Rating: 4.75 ⭐
Spice: 0.5/5 🌶
For any Cruel Prince fans this is a must. For the rest of the romantic fantasy lovers, this is still a must. I swear, this trilogy needs more hype.
This book was sooooo good, I gave up sleep for it. And I love to sleep. But it got me at brooding royalty and snarky comments. It totally deserves more hype. If you liked The Cruel Prince, picking this up is a must!
"Every young woman dreams of marrying a royal. A king, a prince, it doesn’t matter, so long as he’s richer than sin and handsome enough to fake a smile at. What else could a girl ask for?
Well, a working brain, for starters. And I do suggest all young women have one of those."
》》The Plot《《
In a world where humans and Fae are kept at peace by a fragile treaty, every 100 years the Reaping must take place, when two human girls are sent to the Fae realm to marry. This year, after the two girls who were sent are executed for treason, Evelyn and her older sister, Amelie, are sent in their stead. Their soon to be husbands are King Aspen of the Autumn Court (the Stag King) and his younger brother, Prince Cobalt. I'm sure you can already sense the enemies to lovers trope forming here. Not to mention the illegally hot fae, with a love for teasing and banter. But when Amelie, who was paired with Aspen, runs away (“Well, it turns out when the Great Mother was handing out working brains, she passed you over entirely." - Evie's words, not mine), Evelyn must take her place and go through with the wedding, in an ultimate attempt to save the treaty and keep the two nations from going to war. And that's when love triangles, betrayals, challenges to the throne and plot twists come into the mix.
》》The characters《《
- Evelyn "Evie" Fairfield
The MC who is a total badass. She's one of the most rational characters ever, with deep passion for surgery and anything that can be explained with science.
“It isn’t magic. There’s a perfectly logical—”
“—explanation for all of it,” she finishes with me. “I know, but you don’t have the slightest idea what that explanation could be, do you?”
I think it's funny how she keeps using hormones, pheromones and other science terms as explanation for magical things, even after she joins the Fae realm. And I totally love the way she keeps her iron dagger strapped to her thigh. I think she's a mixture of Jude Duarte, Mare Barrow and maybe a touch of Nesta ?
- Amelie Fairfield
She's Evelyn's older sister, by two years, but she couldn't be more different. If you've read the Cruel Prince, you can pretty much picture the relationship between the two sisters the same way things were with Jude and Taryn.
- Aspen, the Stag King
“You didn’t check my bandages this morning.” This time he turns his head toward me. “Do you neglect all your patients like that?”
“You were obviously feeling well enough to manage on your own.”
“Oh, but I much prefer to be managed by you.”
He's the morraly-grey, brooding royal fae, with dark hair, snarky comments and a delight for teasing we fall instantly in love with. Sorry, but there's no avoiding it, not that I'd want to avoid that. He's the king of the Autumn Court and plays a dangerous game to keep things balanced between the seelies and unseelies and I just love the way you just know there's more to him and you keep waiting to discover it. Plus, his flirting and teasing and his banter with Evelyn is golden.
- Prince Cobalt
He's Aspen’s younger brother, with amazing blue eyes and dark hair ( Maven Calore, is that you?), who is really tentative and caring and, obviously, hot.
“I’m not lost,” I say. “Looking isn’t necessarily lost. I’m simply on my way somewhere that I have yet to find.”
》》Highlights《《
If what I've written so far hasn't convinced you yet to pick this up, here are 10 more reasons to read this first installment of a trilogy that needs more recognition.
1️⃣ It's everything it has promised and more
2️⃣ awesome side characters ( trust me, we love Foxglove and we need a fabulous fanclub for him)
3️⃣ strong, smart female lead
4️⃣ enemies to lovers and knife to the throat trope
“Beautiful Evie,” he says.
“Dangerous Aspen,” I whisper.
5️⃣ the cave scene, worthy of Jon Snow and Ygritte - because we love a little spice every now and then
6️⃣ Aspen and Cobalt - you see 'em, you love 'em (also, big Cal and Maven vibes here, so any Red Queen fans will be thrilled)
7️⃣ magic and fae and human world and Fae world and courts and mates and ahhhhhh.... an amazing choice for every Cruel Prince and ACOTAR fan
8️⃣ did I mention snarky comments and brooding handsome Faes?
9️⃣ Foxglove again - he really is amazing and I swear he and the Suriel have tea together in some crossover universe
🔟 the kingdom size is the new wingspan
Amelie’s eyes go wide. “I have to marry the Stag King?”
“You do!” Foxglove says. “You’re so lucky. The Stag King is quite yummy to look at. Plus, he has a huge…kingdom, as rumor would have it.” He waggles his brows, his grin wide enough to show his slightly pointed teeth.
Fangs. I knew it—wait. Did he just make an innuendo? “Huge kingdom?”
He winks. “So I’ve heard. Prince Cobalt, on the other hand, has remained much more of a mystery. If he’s taken many lovers, neither he nor they brag about it. Quite a shame. You’ll have to let me know about his…kingdom yourself.”
So please please please do me and yourselves a favor and read it, I totally need to fangirl over it and you totally need to be introduced to Aspen and Cobalt ( I mean, hello, it should be illegal to keep these babes a mystery). You won't be sorry!!
The Fair Isle Trilogy
0.5 To Rule A Fae Throne - 3.75 ⭐
1 To Carve a Fae Heart - 4.75 ⭐
2 To Wear a Fae Crown - 4.75 ⭐
2.5 To Kill a Fae King - 3.5 ⭐
3 To Spark a Fae War - 4.5 ⭐
Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced marriage, fae and humans, knife to the throat
Series: The Fair Isle Trilogy #1
Cliffhanger: Yes
Rating: 4.75 ⭐
Spice: 0.5/5 🌶
For any Cruel Prince fans this is a must. For the rest of the romantic fantasy lovers, this is still a must. I swear, this trilogy needs more hype.
This book was sooooo good, I gave up sleep for it. And I love to sleep. But it got me at brooding royalty and snarky comments. It totally deserves more hype. If you liked The Cruel Prince, picking this up is a must!
"Every young woman dreams of marrying a royal. A king, a prince, it doesn’t matter, so long as he’s richer than sin and handsome enough to fake a smile at. What else could a girl ask for?
Well, a working brain, for starters. And I do suggest all young women have one of those."
》》The Plot《《
In a world where humans and Fae are kept at peace by a fragile treaty, every 100 years the Reaping must take place, when two human girls are sent to the Fae realm to marry. This year, after the two girls who were sent are executed for treason, Evelyn and her older sister, Amelie, are sent in their stead. Their soon to be husbands are King Aspen of the Autumn Court (the Stag King) and his younger brother, Prince Cobalt. I'm sure you can already sense the enemies to lovers trope forming here. Not to mention the illegally hot fae, with a love for teasing and banter. But when Amelie, who was paired with Aspen, runs away (“Well, it turns out when the Great Mother was handing out working brains, she passed you over entirely." - Evie's words, not mine), Evelyn must take her place and go through with the wedding, in an ultimate attempt to save the treaty and keep the two nations from going to war. And that's when love triangles, betrayals, challenges to the throne and plot twists come into the mix.
》》The characters《《
- Evelyn "Evie" Fairfield
The MC who is a total badass. She's one of the most rational characters ever, with deep passion for surgery and anything that can be explained with science.
“It isn’t magic. There’s a perfectly logical—”
“—explanation for all of it,” she finishes with me. “I know, but you don’t have the slightest idea what that explanation could be, do you?”
I think it's funny how she keeps using hormones, pheromones and other science terms as explanation for magical things, even after she joins the Fae realm. And I totally love the way she keeps her iron dagger strapped to her thigh. I think she's a mixture of Jude Duarte, Mare Barrow and maybe a touch of Nesta ?
- Amelie Fairfield
She's Evelyn's older sister, by two years, but she couldn't be more different. If you've read the Cruel Prince, you can pretty much picture the relationship between the two sisters the same way things were with Jude and Taryn.
- Aspen, the Stag King
“You didn’t check my bandages this morning.” This time he turns his head toward me. “Do you neglect all your patients like that?”
“You were obviously feeling well enough to manage on your own.”
“Oh, but I much prefer to be managed by you.”
He's the morraly-grey, brooding royal fae, with dark hair, snarky comments and a delight for teasing we fall instantly in love with. Sorry, but there's no avoiding it, not that I'd want to avoid that. He's the king of the Autumn Court and plays a dangerous game to keep things balanced between the seelies and unseelies and I just love the way you just know there's more to him and you keep waiting to discover it. Plus, his flirting and teasing and his banter with Evelyn is golden.
- Prince Cobalt
He's Aspen’s younger brother, with amazing blue eyes and dark hair ( Maven Calore, is that you?), who is really tentative and caring and, obviously, hot.
“I’m not lost,” I say. “Looking isn’t necessarily lost. I’m simply on my way somewhere that I have yet to find.”
》》Highlights《《
If what I've written so far hasn't convinced you yet to pick this up, here are 10 more reasons to read this first installment of a trilogy that needs more recognition.
1️⃣ It's everything it has promised and more
2️⃣ awesome side characters ( trust me, we love Foxglove and we need a fabulous fanclub for him)
3️⃣ strong, smart female lead
4️⃣ enemies to lovers and knife to the throat trope
“Beautiful Evie,” he says.
“Dangerous Aspen,” I whisper.
5️⃣ the cave scene, worthy of Jon Snow and Ygritte - because we love a little spice every now and then
6️⃣ Aspen and Cobalt - you see 'em, you love 'em (also, big Cal and Maven vibes here, so any Red Queen fans will be thrilled)
7️⃣ magic and fae and human world and Fae world and courts and mates and ahhhhhh.... an amazing choice for every Cruel Prince and ACOTAR fan
8️⃣ did I mention snarky comments and brooding handsome Faes?
9️⃣ Foxglove again - he really is amazing and I swear he and the Suriel have tea together in some crossover universe
🔟 the kingdom size is the new wingspan
Amelie’s eyes go wide. “I have to marry the Stag King?”
“You do!” Foxglove says. “You’re so lucky. The Stag King is quite yummy to look at. Plus, he has a huge…kingdom, as rumor would have it.” He waggles his brows, his grin wide enough to show his slightly pointed teeth.
Fangs. I knew it—wait. Did he just make an innuendo? “Huge kingdom?”
He winks. “So I’ve heard. Prince Cobalt, on the other hand, has remained much more of a mystery. If he’s taken many lovers, neither he nor they brag about it. Quite a shame. You’ll have to let me know about his…kingdom yourself.”
So please please please do me and yourselves a favor and read it, I totally need to fangirl over it and you totally need to be introduced to Aspen and Cobalt ( I mean, hello, it should be illegal to keep these babes a mystery). You won't be sorry!!
The Fair Isle Trilogy
0.5 To Rule A Fae Throne - 3.75 ⭐
1 To Carve a Fae Heart - 4.75 ⭐
2 To Wear a Fae Crown - 4.75 ⭐
2.5 To Kill a Fae King - 3.5 ⭐
3 To Spark a Fae War - 4.5 ⭐
October 3, 2023
i thought this book was going to eat, and it did. it ate my brain cells.
August 24, 2024
✅ Cruel Prince vibes
✅ Faes and magic
✅ Arranged marriage
✅ Pace
✅ Some politics and scheming
✅🆗 hate-to-love (kinda)
✅🆗 Plot
🆗 Twists and betrayal that were not so unexpected
🆗 A little bit cliché
3.5 stars
In this world, peace between humans and Faes is kept only because of a fragile treaty. According to this treaty, the Reaping must take place every 100 years. During the Reaping, two human girls are sent beyond the wall to marry two Faes, but after the execution of the two girls who were sent this year for an unknown act of treason, Evelyn and her older sister, Amelie, are forced to go in their stead. In the Autumn court, they meet their husbands-to-be, stern (and paranoid) King Aspen and his dashing younger brother, Prince Cobalt. Where Amelie is trying to make the best of her situation and enjoys the lavish food and gorgeous dresses, Evie is suspicious of everyone, especially the King whom she'd had the displeasure to meet only once before.
Parts of this book reminded me of so many other YA fantasy books/series (ACOTAR, Cruel Prince, Red Queen) and I don't know if it's a good thing or not. 😅 I also need to say that the blurb kinda spoils the first half of the book. If you've read the summary, you know exactly what will happen in the first 50% of the book, so I was anxious to get past that point so I would have some unexpected events to read about.
There is, of course, a hate-to-love trope in this book, it is not the most intense hate to love romance I've read, but it is not bad either. The "hate" part is there, but it is not burning hatred, it's more because of the fact that Aspen is a fae and Evie wants nothing to do with faes in general and does not trust them. They also do not interact that much before their relationship starts to change so the whole "relationship development" part could have been more and better developed. Still, I was happy with the way their relationship evolved overall. Their snarky conversations mixed with their obvious attraction to each other and their lack of control over their temper whenever they would interact reminded me a little of Jude and Cardan in The Cruel Prince series (but it was not as good).
Add to that romance some betrayals, a few twists, and a challenge for the right to the Autumn throne, and you've got a pretty decent book. Some twists I did see coming, others I didn't so at least there were some surprises, but I have to say that the "big betrayal" was not a surprise at all for me. I was suspicious of this character from the start and I fully expected them to betray Aspen or at least to have a hand in orchestrating the betrayal. The pace is still good and the plot is interesting enough for me to still be invested even though I kinda knew what to expect for the romance and also for the politics/betrayal.
The world-building reminded me a little of A Court of Thorns and Roses at first. The humans are living on one side of the wall, the faes on the other. The Seelie and Unseelie faes are living in different courts such as Autumn, Wind, Stars, or Summer (there are 11 courts in total). Honestly, we don't know much about the courts and that's something that I hope will be more developed in the next book. The fact that every fae has a Seelie and an Unseelie side and that they could switch from one to another as they please is interesting. The Seelie and Unseelie sides are not only physical (the Unseelie appearance is more animalistic), but it also reflects a political belief. Seelies want to remain at peace with the humans, while the Unseelies want the humans gone from their land, so it also adds a political dimension to the book because both sides are trying to get the upper hand in the royal council so they can push their agenda forward.
Evie is a nice main character... her passion for logical explanations and surgery reminded me a little bit of Audrey-Rose Wadsworth in Stalking Jack the Ripper. She is super-rational and tries to explain everything the faes do with hormones and chemical reactions instead of believing that it truly is magic... It was funny at first, but when one witnesses physical metamorphosis or bathtubs that magically fill, one has to let go of science and rationality at some point and accept that magic exists. In comparison, Amelie is a bland, boring, and infuriating side character, and her choices in this book made it so that she reminded me of Taryn in the Cruel Prince series, which is not a good thing because I really dislike Taryn.
I love Aspen. He seems to be morally grey at first, we're not really sure of his motivations and his long-term plans. He seems to be a paranoid jerk, but I just love how he kept on teasing Evie and how he made her so angry with only a few words. I said it before, but it really reminded me of Jude and Cardan at some point. He's also so different from Cobalt, who's the perfect smiling, caring, and funny prince that everyone loves... I'm getting Maven and Cal vibes here. As I said, many elements of this book reminded me of other YA books.
Overall, after reading this book twice, I have to admit that it's not an AMAZING read, and there is nothing really new about the plot, the romance, or the world-building, but I liked it enough to continue with this series the first time, and I am still enjoying it enough this second time enough to continue. I also remember that I enjoyed the second and third books more than the first one.
0.5 To Rule a Fae Throne ⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Faes and magic
✅ Arranged marriage
✅ Pace
✅ Some politics and scheming
✅🆗 hate-to-love (kinda)
✅🆗 Plot
🆗 Twists and betrayal that were not so unexpected
🆗 A little bit cliché
3.5 stars
A shiver crawls up my spine as I approach the wall. There’s no mistaking the danger radiating from between each pair of stones and the mist beckoning behind them. Each between is an entrance to Faerwyvae, the place humans never go on purpose and never return from when they do.
In this world, peace between humans and Faes is kept only because of a fragile treaty. According to this treaty, the Reaping must take place every 100 years. During the Reaping, two human girls are sent beyond the wall to marry two Faes, but after the execution of the two girls who were sent this year for an unknown act of treason, Evelyn and her older sister, Amelie, are forced to go in their stead. In the Autumn court, they meet their husbands-to-be, stern (and paranoid) King Aspen and his dashing younger brother, Prince Cobalt. Where Amelie is trying to make the best of her situation and enjoys the lavish food and gorgeous dresses, Evie is suspicious of everyone, especially the King whom she'd had the displeasure to meet only once before.
Fury roars through me, making my limbs tremble with rage. “I hate you.”
His face twists into something between a glower and a menacing smile. “So much that you can’t fathom marrying me for the sake of your people?”
I lean toward him. “So much that I will carve out your heart if you try to take me to your bed. I’ll marry you. I’ll sign the contract. But don’t think for a moment we’ll be anything more than cold allies.”
Parts of this book reminded me of so many other YA fantasy books/series (ACOTAR, Cruel Prince, Red Queen) and I don't know if it's a good thing or not. 😅 I also need to say that the blurb kinda spoils the first half of the book. If you've read the summary, you know exactly what will happen in the first 50% of the book, so I was anxious to get past that point so I would have some unexpected events to read about.
There is, of course, a hate-to-love trope in this book, it is not the most intense hate to love romance I've read, but it is not bad either. The "hate" part is there, but it is not burning hatred, it's more because of the fact that Aspen is a fae and Evie wants nothing to do with faes in general and does not trust them. They also do not interact that much before their relationship starts to change so the whole "relationship development" part could have been more and better developed. Still, I was happy with the way their relationship evolved overall. Their snarky conversations mixed with their obvious attraction to each other and their lack of control over their temper whenever they would interact reminded me a little of Jude and Cardan in The Cruel Prince series (but it was not as good).
Add to that romance some betrayals, a few twists, and a challenge for the right to the Autumn throne, and you've got a pretty decent book. Some twists I did see coming, others I didn't so at least there were some surprises, but I have to say that the "big betrayal" was not a surprise at all for me. I was suspicious of this character from the start and I fully expected them to betray Aspen or at least to have a hand in orchestrating the betrayal. The pace is still good and the plot is interesting enough for me to still be invested even though I kinda knew what to expect for the romance and also for the politics/betrayal.
The world-building reminded me a little of A Court of Thorns and Roses at first. The humans are living on one side of the wall, the faes on the other. The Seelie and Unseelie faes are living in different courts such as Autumn, Wind, Stars, or Summer (there are 11 courts in total). Honestly, we don't know much about the courts and that's something that I hope will be more developed in the next book. The fact that every fae has a Seelie and an Unseelie side and that they could switch from one to another as they please is interesting. The Seelie and Unseelie sides are not only physical (the Unseelie appearance is more animalistic), but it also reflects a political belief. Seelies want to remain at peace with the humans, while the Unseelies want the humans gone from their land, so it also adds a political dimension to the book because both sides are trying to get the upper hand in the royal council so they can push their agenda forward.
“It isn’t magic. There’s a perfectly logical—”
“—explanation for all of it,” she finishes with me. “I know, but you don’t have the slightest idea what that explanation could be, do you?”
Evie is a nice main character... her passion for logical explanations and surgery reminded me a little bit of Audrey-Rose Wadsworth in Stalking Jack the Ripper. She is super-rational and tries to explain everything the faes do with hormones and chemical reactions instead of believing that it truly is magic... It was funny at first, but when one witnesses physical metamorphosis or bathtubs that magically fill, one has to let go of science and rationality at some point and accept that magic exists. In comparison, Amelie is a bland, boring, and infuriating side character, and her choices in this book made it so that she reminded me of Taryn in the Cruel Prince series, which is not a good thing because I really dislike Taryn.
I wanted you even after you burned me with your scorn, rejected every flirtation I threw your way. I wanted you every time we were together in a room, regardless of who else was there. I wanted you then and I want you now, and it infuriates me that you feel nothing in return.”
I love Aspen. He seems to be morally grey at first, we're not really sure of his motivations and his long-term plans. He seems to be a paranoid jerk, but I just love how he kept on teasing Evie and how he made her so angry with only a few words. I said it before, but it really reminded me of Jude and Cardan at some point. He's also so different from Cobalt, who's the perfect smiling, caring, and funny prince that everyone loves... I'm getting Maven and Cal vibes here. As I said, many elements of this book reminded me of other YA books.
Overall, after reading this book twice, I have to admit that it's not an AMAZING read, and there is nothing really new about the plot, the romance, or the world-building, but I liked it enough to continue with this series the first time, and I am still enjoying it enough this second time enough to continue. I also remember that I enjoyed the second and third books more than the first one.
0.5 To Rule a Fae Throne ⭐⭐⭐
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March 8, 2023
It's a bit hard to rate this book because I quite liked it, but at the same time, there were a few things I felt didn't work too well for me.
November 13, 2023
Rating: 3.5/5 To Carve a Fae Heart is the first book in The Fair Isle Trilogy by Tessonja Odette. The story surrounds a peace treaty between humans and Fae where every 100 years two human women must be sent to the Fae realm to be wives for Fae royalty. There eleven Fae courts and each court takes turns. Nobody involved likes it but it has kept the peace for 1000 years. This practice is called "The Reaping". Evelyn and her sister Amelie are selected as Chosen and sent to marry the King and Prince of the Autumn Court.
Book Details:
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Narration Type: 1st Person POV (Evelyn)
Steam: 2/5
Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity
Reading Age: 13+
I loved the worldbuilding which felt both familiar and fresh. The various Fae courts were in line with many other fantasy novels but making the Seelie and Unseelie opposing political factions was new and I really enjoyed it. The idea of mates is really common in Fae stories but this book's twist on mates vs bonded pairs was new to me and I liked it a lot. Most mating bonds are an instalove situation completely outside of the characters control. However, the bonding ritual in this series is all about choice. In my humble opinion, choice is always more romantic than fate.
This book utilizes 1st person POV. I wish it were multi-POV like some of the author's other books have been. This is more of a personal preference than a complaint of the book. It's told from Evelyn's perspective. She is a good gateway for the reader to learn about the world of Faerwyvae but there is so much information she isn't privy to. I would have enjoyed getting more insight into Aspen and Amelie's thoughts.
My single biggest issue with this story is the initial pairing of Aspen/Amelie and Cobalt/Evelyn. It just felt unnecessary. The prequel short story details Aspen meeting Evie. When the first Chosen did not work out he asked for Evelyn by name. Why wouldn't the King want the woman he asked for by name? And why wouldn't Aspen immediately correct it and state his intentions?
Because of all the time Evie spends with Cobalt, she doesn't have many all that many meaningful interactions with Aspen. Their relationship didn't develop as organically as I think it could have without the initial mixed-up pairings. I struggle with how to classify their romance. Is there such a thing as slow burn instalove? That's kind of what this was... Aspen was all in on Evelyn from go. She sort of was towards him too but she spends nearly 3/4 of the book in denial over her feelings.
Evelyn is a character that mostly works for me. She is smart, brave, and selfless although her skepticism towards magic borders on willful ignorance. She prides herself on her logic and intelligence but fails to see when she's too close to a situation to be objective. Truthfully, she has a lot in common with Elizabeth Bennett from Pride & Prejudice. She makes assumptions and judgements based on limited information. She's flawed but I like her. I would love to see her grow and mature as the series progresses.
The plot was predictable at times. I figured out a couple major reveals earlier than I hoped I might. Despite that, there were plenty of elements of the story that took me completely by surprise, including the ending which ends on a cliffhanger. On to the next one...immediately ;)
Prior Reviews in Series:
To Rule a Fae Throne - Review (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Book Details:
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Narration Type: 1st Person POV (Evelyn)
Steam: 2/5
Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity
Reading Age: 13+
I loved the worldbuilding which felt both familiar and fresh. The various Fae courts were in line with many other fantasy novels but making the Seelie and Unseelie opposing political factions was new and I really enjoyed it. The idea of mates is really common in Fae stories but this book's twist on mates vs bonded pairs was new to me and I liked it a lot. Most mating bonds are an instalove situation completely outside of the characters control. However, the bonding ritual in this series is all about choice. In my humble opinion, choice is always more romantic than fate.
This book utilizes 1st person POV. I wish it were multi-POV like some of the author's other books have been. This is more of a personal preference than a complaint of the book. It's told from Evelyn's perspective. She is a good gateway for the reader to learn about the world of Faerwyvae but there is so much information she isn't privy to. I would have enjoyed getting more insight into Aspen and Amelie's thoughts.
My single biggest issue with this story is the initial pairing of Aspen/Amelie and Cobalt/Evelyn. It just felt unnecessary. The prequel short story details Aspen meeting Evie. When the first Chosen did not work out he asked for Evelyn by name. Why wouldn't the King want the woman he asked for by name? And why wouldn't Aspen immediately correct it and state his intentions?
Because of all the time Evie spends with Cobalt, she doesn't have many all that many meaningful interactions with Aspen. Their relationship didn't develop as organically as I think it could have without the initial mixed-up pairings. I struggle with how to classify their romance. Is there such a thing as slow burn instalove? That's kind of what this was... Aspen was all in on Evelyn from go. She sort of was towards him too but she spends nearly 3/4 of the book in denial over her feelings.
Evelyn is a character that mostly works for me. She is smart, brave, and selfless although her skepticism towards magic borders on willful ignorance. She prides herself on her logic and intelligence but fails to see when she's too close to a situation to be objective. Truthfully, she has a lot in common with Elizabeth Bennett from Pride & Prejudice. She makes assumptions and judgements based on limited information. She's flawed but I like her. I would love to see her grow and mature as the series progresses.
The plot was predictable at times. I figured out a couple major reveals earlier than I hoped I might. Despite that, there were plenty of elements of the story that took me completely by surprise, including the ending which ends on a cliffhanger. On to the next one...immediately ;)
Prior Reviews in Series:
To Rule a Fae Throne - Review (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Read
June 11, 2022AUTHOR'S NOTE 1.) Big thank you and shout out to all my readers enjoying To Carve a Fae Heart! I'm so grateful for all the support this book has gotten. The series is now complete! Get your fix for steamy tension, snarky fae, and sassy heroines.
You can find To Carve a Fae Heart here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087TDRH1T
To Wear a Fae Crown here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088KQYN4W
To Spark a Fae War here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GHCJFYX
Or the Complete Series Collection here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09753J8XS
AUTHOR'S NOTE 2.) The Fair Isle Trilogy books got major cover makeovers! I illustrated these new covers to better match my Entangled with Fae covers (which I also illustrate myself), which is important since these two series are related! The Fair Isle Trilogy is set 20 years before Entangled with Fae. And now the covers better express how these two series are connected! I hope you like them!
You can find To Carve a Fae Heart here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087TDRH1T
To Wear a Fae Crown here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088KQYN4W
To Spark a Fae War here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GHCJFYX
Or the Complete Series Collection here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09753J8XS
AUTHOR'S NOTE 2.) The Fair Isle Trilogy books got major cover makeovers! I illustrated these new covers to better match my Entangled with Fae covers (which I also illustrate myself), which is important since these two series are related! The Fair Isle Trilogy is set 20 years before Entangled with Fae. And now the covers better express how these two series are connected! I hope you like them!
May 17, 2021
I was addicted to this book from the start to the finish. I greedily read it in two days! 🤪 😝
September 3, 2021
This has fae like The Cruel Prince but a setting like A Deal with the Elf King. Need I say more?
Well, this was a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting much based on the cover - it's pretty but not the kind I've come to associate with high quality books. But wow, it really was a charming read.
Evelyn is a strong main character that values logic above all else. She's smart and determined to keep herself and her sister safe. It was a bit weird reading about a character who doesn't believe in magic WHILE LIVING WITH FAE but I didn't have any real issue with the her.
The story was good. I liked the world, the characters, the romance, etc. There are some great supporting characters, a sister that isn't much better than the dreaded Taryn 🤢, and of course a broody fae king that ignites a hidden passion in our MC - but for those of you undoubtedly wondering, there's no on-screen smut 👀
I thought the voice sounded very weird and stilted for the first few pages (I don’t know why I kept thinking it sounded like a fairy godmother was narrating 😂) but it became much more natural.
My biggest issue with the book is the blurb. It spoils the first half of the story. I honestly never thought I'd have to tell an author not to spoil her own book. The way it is here, we know exactly what's going to happen and that creates an impatience as we wait to get to that part. My other issue is that the 'villain' is really, really obvious, so don't go into this expecting plot twists. Oh, and be warned: it ends on a cliffhanger.
Overall, I really really enjoyed this. It was definitely one I couldn't put down and I'd even argue that it's a better version of A Deal with the Elf King...
P.S. I don't know why I really struggled with this review so please let me know what you think!
Well, this was a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting much based on the cover - it's pretty but not the kind I've come to associate with high quality books. But wow, it really was a charming read.
"Some might call it superstition to leave gifts for the fae. If fae weren't real, I'd agree. Unfortunately for the residents of Eisleigh, they are real. Dangerously, terrifyingly, blood curdlingly real."
Evelyn is a strong main character that values logic above all else. She's smart and determined to keep herself and her sister safe. It was a bit weird reading about a character who doesn't believe in magic WHILE LIVING WITH FAE but I didn't have any real issue with the her.
The story was good. I liked the world, the characters, the romance, etc. There are some great supporting characters, a sister that isn't much better than the dreaded Taryn 🤢, and of course a broody fae king that ignites a hidden passion in our MC - but for those of you undoubtedly wondering, there's no on-screen smut 👀
“I don’t need to glamour you to make you do what I want. If I wanted, I could make you fear me. Crave me. Love me.”
I thought the voice sounded very weird and stilted for the first few pages (I don’t know why I kept thinking it sounded like a fairy godmother was narrating 😂) but it became much more natural.
My biggest issue with the book is the blurb. It spoils the first half of the story. I honestly never thought I'd have to tell an author not to spoil her own book. The way it is here, we know exactly what's going to happen and that creates an impatience as we wait to get to that part. My other issue is that the 'villain' is really, really obvious, so don't go into this expecting plot twists. Oh, and be warned: it ends on a cliffhanger.
Overall, I really really enjoyed this. It was definitely one I couldn't put down and I'd even argue that it's a better version of A Deal with the Elf King...
P.S. I don't know why I really struggled with this review so please let me know what you think!
September 20, 2024
“Every young woman dreams of marrying a royal. A king, a prince, it doesn’t matter, so long as he’s richer than sin and handsome enough to fake a smile at. What else could a girl ask for? Well, a working brain, for starters. And I do suggest all young women have one of those.”
rating: 3.5★
i got through this so quickly. having read the 2 other series that take place further in the future from the setting of this book, it's interesting to see human x fae interactions before they've really been properly enmeshed with each other. certainly stronger prejudices on both sides.
though i could predict the twist, i had a lot of fun reading and will def finish this trilogy.
rating: 3.5★
i got through this so quickly. having read the 2 other series that take place further in the future from the setting of this book, it's interesting to see human x fae interactions before they've really been properly enmeshed with each other. certainly stronger prejudices on both sides.
though i could predict the twist, i had a lot of fun reading and will def finish this trilogy.
November 16, 2020
I read a lot of this genre and I have a lot of patience for protagonists being stupid. I just couldn't handle it here though. Evelyn and her sister are chosen to be the human diplomats to the fae courts, secured every hundred years through marriage. She's mad about it, she's determined that she won't be misused or abused and that her fate will ultimately remain her own.
When a character makes the most unfounded accusations at the start of a book, you'd hope that she would realize that maybe she isn't as smart or educated as she thought she was. That's the whole reason I read books, for character growth. Evelyn is stupid from start to finish, with a weak romance thrown in as an attempt to justify her stupid actions. I know that I have the benefit of omniscience when I'm reading, but she had to know how bad some of these choices were and yet she continued. I'm fine with characters making bad choices, I'm not fine when they do it over and over.
It was interesting enough to keep me reading till the end but not to make me want to read the sequels all that much. To each their own but I just couldn't handle anyone's personality.
This review and all my others can be found at: https://aworldshapedbybooks.blogspot....
May 31, 2022
3.5⭐️ I had no idea what to rate this book. I really enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. There are some great plot points and I love the FMC. I just felt like there wasn't really a basis for the romantic relationship. I just felt like it went straight from hate to love and I needed some time in the middle. I do love the captured trope though, it makes a great enemies to lovers!
August 10, 2020
3.5 Stars.
An enjoyable read. Though I feel like I have read books with similar plots many times over, was still good enough to keep me invested.
An enjoyable read. Though I feel like I have read books with similar plots many times over, was still good enough to keep me invested.
September 8, 2020
To Carve a Fae Heart is an enemies to lovers fantasy story of court politics and intrigue, where human and fae customs & mentalities collide.
Fair Isle is quite unique. It is divided in half by the faewall. On one side, stands Eisleigh the human lands, on the other, Faerwyvae the fae lands.
In the past the two people were at war, until a treaty was created, ensuring peace. The 100 Year Reaping comes as part of keeping the "good relations" by sending two human girls as brides for fae nobility. And that's how our protagonist Evelyn Fairfield finds herself in the middle of all this life threatening mess, alongside her sister Amelie, having to deal with infuriating King Aspen and his nicer-but-cold-to-the-touch younger brother Prince Cobalt. That's all you're getting from me, it's fun not knowing a lot of anything going in, so you can be scared like Evie. Muahahah!
On the story, I enjoyed the world building and exploration of the seelie and unseelie, it is quite creative. I was eager to know more about their history and ways.
I like Evelyn as an mc. She is tough and fiery, passionate, definitely not a doormat. Her beliefs make everything more amusing to watch (you'll get it later), while I appreciate her gluttony for knowledge and sharp wits and tongue. Have an hilarious example:
Let him wander the halls or sleep in a closet, or whatever it is brooding fae do when their pride is wounded. Let me get a good night’s sleep for once.
And I do.
She does not take your bs.
Surprisingly, I loved secondary characters faeries Foxglove and Lorelei the most?
Foxglove is hella gay and gives me life, what a breath of fresh air in this sullen palace! Lorelei is a perfect companion for Evie, she also takes no crap and has an attitude problem of sorts I love, yet holds more empathy and softness than these ignorant humans would ever imagine.
I have read all of Odette's books and the conclusion is: I like how she writes. The writing is accessible, but not basic. It is fluid and organic. There is balance in the narration between description, inner thoughts/reactions, world building, etc; so that we know both the characters and the world. And there is coherence - very important. Odette shows, she doesn't just tell. And I can see growth since Shadows of Lela. Very good.
I can't wait for the next book after that ending!! *gasp* How dare?!
Thank you to the author and Booksprout for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Fair Isle is quite unique. It is divided in half by the faewall. On one side, stands Eisleigh the human lands, on the other, Faerwyvae the fae lands.
In the past the two people were at war, until a treaty was created, ensuring peace. The 100 Year Reaping comes as part of keeping the "good relations" by sending two human girls as brides for fae nobility. And that's how our protagonist Evelyn Fairfield finds herself in the middle of all this life threatening mess, alongside her sister Amelie, having to deal with infuriating King Aspen and his nicer-but-cold-to-the-touch younger brother Prince Cobalt. That's all you're getting from me, it's fun not knowing a lot of anything going in, so you can be scared like Evie. Muahahah!
On the story, I enjoyed the world building and exploration of the seelie and unseelie, it is quite creative. I was eager to know more about their history and ways.
I like Evelyn as an mc. She is tough and fiery, passionate, definitely not a doormat. Her beliefs make everything more amusing to watch (you'll get it later), while I appreciate her gluttony for knowledge and sharp wits and tongue. Have an hilarious example:
Let him wander the halls or sleep in a closet, or whatever it is brooding fae do when their pride is wounded. Let me get a good night’s sleep for once.
And I do.
She does not take your bs.
Surprisingly, I loved secondary characters faeries Foxglove and Lorelei the most?
Foxglove is hella gay and gives me life, what a breath of fresh air in this sullen palace! Lorelei is a perfect companion for Evie, she also takes no crap and has an attitude problem of sorts I love, yet holds more empathy and softness than these ignorant humans would ever imagine.
I have read all of Odette's books and the conclusion is: I like how she writes. The writing is accessible, but not basic. It is fluid and organic. There is balance in the narration between description, inner thoughts/reactions, world building, etc; so that we know both the characters and the world. And there is coherence - very important. Odette shows, she doesn't just tell. And I can see growth since Shadows of Lela. Very good.
I can't wait for the next book after that ending!! *gasp* How dare?!
Thank you to the author and Booksprout for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
May 7, 2024
4.5 stars! I absolutely love Tessonja Odette's books. They're so easy to get into and have such a magical aura about them. The aesthetic is very cottagecore and has a cozy spring vibe, which I love. This was a great high(ish) stakes fantasy romance with political intrigue.
Every 100 years, two human girls are reaped and sent to the fae lands to become brides. And our main character Evelyn, of course, and her sister are chosen to marry the autumn court king & his younger brother. However, there is unrest growing in the kingdom, and Evelyn finds herself at the center of a brewing battle.
This reminded me a lot of ACOTAR, with the three main characters having the same dynamic as Mare, Cal, and Maven from Red Queen. It was definitely more YA feeling than adult. The enemies to lovers was perfect, and the cave scene was SO romantic. I loved the fae lore in this book, and I loved how it went into the political dynamics of the fae courts. I also loved how Evelyn was a surgeon and was able to use her skills throughout the book.
TLDR: it felt like a classic fantasy romance.
Every 100 years, two human girls are reaped and sent to the fae lands to become brides. And our main character Evelyn, of course, and her sister are chosen to marry the autumn court king & his younger brother. However, there is unrest growing in the kingdom, and Evelyn finds herself at the center of a brewing battle.
This reminded me a lot of ACOTAR, with the three main characters having the same dynamic as Mare, Cal, and Maven from Red Queen. It was definitely more YA feeling than adult. The enemies to lovers was perfect, and the cave scene was SO romantic. I loved the fae lore in this book, and I loved how it went into the political dynamics of the fae courts. I also loved how Evelyn was a surgeon and was able to use her skills throughout the book.
TLDR: it felt like a classic fantasy romance.
February 1, 2022
“Every young woman dreams of marrying a king. Everyone except for me. Because the king I am to wed has razor sharp fangs and a thirst for blood."
I was so amazed about how much I liked this book. I found this book on Storytel (audiobook format, in the Netherlands) and I thought why not, this one is just between a few books to lighten the mood since I read Empire of Storms before this one.
But I was stunned and so happy to actually find that I loved this book and bought the books immediately after finishing the book.
You follow the story of Evie and her sister Amelie when they are forced to wed 2 Fae lords for a treaty between the two countries. And when they arrive at faerie territory, things are about to go down. Where Amelie is trying to make the best out of the situation, Evie is not amused with the situation and sceptical about everything, and well why won't you be when your living with mischievous faeries with some who have not your best interest by heart!
If you like stories as The Cruel Prince and The Iron Fae series this a nice way to go to adult version. Also for the fantasy romance lovers this is a wonderful book to read. This book and hopefully also the rest of the series deserves a lot more hype!
I was so amazed about how much I liked this book. I found this book on Storytel (audiobook format, in the Netherlands) and I thought why not, this one is just between a few books to lighten the mood since I read Empire of Storms before this one.
But I was stunned and so happy to actually find that I loved this book and bought the books immediately after finishing the book.
You follow the story of Evie and her sister Amelie when they are forced to wed 2 Fae lords for a treaty between the two countries. And when they arrive at faerie territory, things are about to go down. Where Amelie is trying to make the best out of the situation, Evie is not amused with the situation and sceptical about everything, and well why won't you be when your living with mischievous faeries with some who have not your best interest by heart!
If you like stories as The Cruel Prince and The Iron Fae series this a nice way to go to adult version. Also for the fantasy romance lovers this is a wonderful book to read. This book and hopefully also the rest of the series deserves a lot more hype!
May 1, 2020
This was the fae book I needed in my life! It has all the fae elements I adore, but used them in a unique and fascinating way.
First off, Evie is the best. I absolutely loved how she was pragmatic and intelligent. And I loved how much she loved science. But my favorite thing was how she refused to believe in magic even when she was surrounded by it. ;) Now that's a girl I can understand.
Aspen and Cobalt were both awesome. They had unique personalities, and it was fun getting to know both of them. I had a preference for one (I won't say who) right from the beginning. But it was still fun to see how Evie interacted with both of them.
Also, I loved the realm of faery in this book. It was interesting, with its own set of rules. I'm pretty excited for book two. It can't get here soon enough!
First off, Evie is the best. I absolutely loved how she was pragmatic and intelligent. And I loved how much she loved science. But my favorite thing was how she refused to believe in magic even when she was surrounded by it. ;) Now that's a girl I can understand.
Aspen and Cobalt were both awesome. They had unique personalities, and it was fun getting to know both of them. I had a preference for one (I won't say who) right from the beginning. But it was still fun to see how Evie interacted with both of them.
Also, I loved the realm of faery in this book. It was interesting, with its own set of rules. I'm pretty excited for book two. It can't get here soon enough!
August 2, 2024
Benim için ne iyi ne de kötü diyebileceğim bir kitaptı. Evie ve Aspen arasındaki ilişki duygusal olarak pek yansıtılmadı. Evie'nin davranışları, olduğu kişiyi kabullenmemesi (ki hâlâ kabullenmiş değil) yeter ama bu kadar da önyargılı olunmaz ki dedirtti. Aspen için pek bir şey diyemiyorum çünkü yazar Aspen'i bana hissettiremedi. Adam var ama aynı zamanda yok gibiydi. Onun bakış açısından okuyabilseydik belki daha iyi olabilirdi diye düşünüyorum.
December 20, 2023
Tessonja Odette: *writes book*
Me: *SQUEEEEEEEEEEE*
Me: *SQUEEEEEEEEEEE*
February 22, 2022
I enjoyed book one. But it became too insta-love-ish too soon & my interest waned toward the end. I kept going and the action held my interest despite the disappointment of the insta-love (seriously, how do go from arranged marriage to a strange fae king, too googly-heart-eyes-oh-my-dear-love in one month or less, and you only spoke to each other a few times?) *sigh*
Anyway I’m on to book two and it’s holding my attention pretty well.
Anyway I’m on to book two and it’s holding my attention pretty well.
May 28, 2022
I think reading this book made me realise why I missed fantasy romance so much!
This book is definitely for lovers for The Folk of Air series by Holly Black. It gives off those vibes but provides a completely new story altogether!
This book is definitely for lovers for The Folk of Air series by Holly Black. It gives off those vibes but provides a completely new story altogether!
November 10, 2023
3.5/5 but leaning towards 4👍🏻
I'm literally flying through this book. I was a little sceptical after seeing a lot of bad reviews but the story is so easy to follow and the writing style is also very good. Started reading the 2nd book right after the first. So bye I gotta continue reading that.
I'm literally flying through this book. I was a little sceptical after seeing a lot of bad reviews but the story is so easy to follow and the writing style is also very good. Started reading the 2nd book right after the first. So bye I gotta continue reading that.
February 16, 2021
This book just seemed so... unrealistic to me. Even for a book set in a magical world, there has to be some semblance of logic. On the one hand, they're wearing corsets and talking about arranged marriages and "surgeon's apprentices", on the other hand the heroine is planning to go off to a med school without any permission or even letting her mom know beforehand. The two situations doesn't really mesh well for me. If the story is really taking place in such a medieval-ish time, then how is the heroine acting so pseudo-independent? It just seems like the author is trying to have her cake and eat it too. The whole magic-explained-by-science thing is another example as well.
The heroine came off as an ungrateful asshole in like the very first chapter. The way she whined about her mom and spoke to her mom, instantly made me lose all respect for her. Also, if the reaping(bride-selection thingy) is so life changing for both her and her sister, then how on earth could she get the news of the other girls getting selected before the official announcement (hence absolving her and her sister) and not come home and immediately let her sister know? Instead she went to sleep immediately (while wearing her muddy boots to bed, might I add? That's just completely disgusting and unrealistic to me). It's like learning your sister doesn't have a terminal illness and was misdiagnosed and coming home and going to sleep without letting her know and lessening her burden immediately. Morbid example, I know.
All this didn't really point to a good heroine for me, so I decided to stop while I was ahead instead of wasting my time. I know I'm being nitpicky, but I know the signs that point to a shitty heroine when I see em, and I'd rather jump into another book than waste my time with this one.
The heroine came off as an ungrateful asshole in like the very first chapter. The way she whined about her mom and spoke to her mom, instantly made me lose all respect for her. Also, if the reaping(bride-selection thingy) is so life changing for both her and her sister, then how on earth could she get the news of the other girls getting selected before the official announcement (hence absolving her and her sister) and not come home and immediately let her sister know? Instead she went to sleep immediately (while wearing her muddy boots to bed, might I add? That's just completely disgusting and unrealistic to me). It's like learning your sister doesn't have a terminal illness and was misdiagnosed and coming home and going to sleep without letting her know and lessening her burden immediately. Morbid example, I know.
All this didn't really point to a good heroine for me, so I decided to stop while I was ahead instead of wasting my time. I know I'm being nitpicky, but I know the signs that point to a shitty heroine when I see em, and I'd rather jump into another book than waste my time with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2022
It was extremely predictable and the story took forever to finally take off, but you know what? It was a fucking great read. Screw it. 5🌟
June 9, 2021
Meh! Utterly Cliché
For all the pride the FMC took in being rational, she was awfully irrational, and even illogical. It was exhausting. And goodness she was dumb too.
Well, let me rephrase, in the process of drawing out the story and perhaps building suspense, the author sacrificed the FMC’s intelligence.
Everything about the FMC’s feelings concerning the king, the misunderstandings and the antagonist was painfully obvious.
The fact that Evie didn’t know or suspect and didn’t even question the motives of the other characters was entirely inconsistent with Evie’s character development.
Evie was supposed to be on guard, suspicious of everyone and everything, and always prepared for an attack. At least that was the picture painted, but Evie was almost immediately trusting.
She was also supposed to be this smart, careful, logical, realist who was self-sufficient and kind of a bad ass. Instead, she was whiny, high on her own self-righteousness and prejudice and just so foolishly blind to everything else.
Also that whole big reveal at the end was awful. Did I mention, the entire motive and schemes had been painfully obvious from the beginning?😖🙄
What pushed me over the edge, though, was that cliffhanger. I dislike cliffhangers on principle. But I most definitely detest this one because it felt to me like it undid the entire book.
Whatever logic there was in marketing a second book with this shoddy ending… well it’s entirely lost on me because I won’t be reading the next book.
For all the pride the FMC took in being rational, she was awfully irrational, and even illogical. It was exhausting. And goodness she was dumb too.
Well, let me rephrase, in the process of drawing out the story and perhaps building suspense, the author sacrificed the FMC’s intelligence.
Everything about the FMC’s feelings concerning the king, the misunderstandings and the antagonist was painfully obvious.
The fact that Evie didn’t know or suspect and didn’t even question the motives of the other characters was entirely inconsistent with Evie’s character development.
Evie was supposed to be on guard, suspicious of everyone and everything, and always prepared for an attack. At least that was the picture painted, but Evie was almost immediately trusting.
She was also supposed to be this smart, careful, logical, realist who was self-sufficient and kind of a bad ass. Instead, she was whiny, high on her own self-righteousness and prejudice and just so foolishly blind to everything else.
Also that whole big reveal at the end was awful. Did I mention, the entire motive and schemes had been painfully obvious from the beginning?😖🙄
What pushed me over the edge, though, was that cliffhanger. I dislike cliffhangers on principle. But I most definitely detest this one because it felt to me like it undid the entire book.
Whatever logic there was in marketing a second book with this shoddy ending… well it’s entirely lost on me because I won’t be reading the next book.
April 12, 2022
I am OUT of my reading slump thanks to this amazing book. I lovvvvveeeeeed it. The VIBES were on point, the characters great, writing wonderful, I’m high key obsessed. All the political intrigue???? SLAPS. All the Fae both seelie and unseelie? SLAPS! I’m so excited for the next book.
July 19, 2022
Mediocare at best.
As dull as the edge of a sword at the bottom of the ocean... that has been stuck there for six hundred and eleven years.
side note: am i the only one who was bothered (and thrown off) by the way characters would suddenly use very modern phrases and words? 😅
As dull as the edge of a sword at the bottom of the ocean... that has been stuck there for six hundred and eleven years.
side note: am i the only one who was bothered (and thrown off) by the way characters would suddenly use very modern phrases and words? 😅
did-not-finish
June 23, 2025DNF at 68%
the writing is very juvenile and the protagonist is annoying. don't care for the romance between the main characters. they hardly have enough interactions to form any relationship at all. maybe i'll finish it at a later date.
the writing is very juvenile and the protagonist is annoying. don't care for the romance between the main characters. they hardly have enough interactions to form any relationship at all. maybe i'll finish it at a later date.
March 18, 2024
The cover was so stunning, but the book itself was just so meh and done before.
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