✨Bookmarked✨ discussion

Book two here we come.

I hope you enjoy it!

Yay! I am visiting a friend but I'll start asap

Here I am! I can start now.
How are you Erica?

I read the prologue. I like the new prophecy that Neve spotted in the book. No idea what it will mean but oh well.

I agree, the prophecy is interesting

I'm at chapter three (view spoiler)[ looks like a fight is brewing between Eammon and Redarys, I hope he understands how important Neve is to her sister and let her make her choices. If not, I fear all of the Wilderwood could be at risk. (hide spoiler)]

I've read past chapter 3 and I'm hopeful that Neve will have more of a personality/perspective this time around. Last book she just agreed with junk she knew was not a good idea and worried about her sister. I'm also wondering if Neve is a portal now for the shadowlands.

Solmir wants to kill the kings that means himself too right?

I'm also enjoying some of the Snow White bits the glass coffin and a kiss to revive, bitten apple with blood. Mostly I'm bored of reading beauty and the beast or cinderella retellings.

I like Neve more in this book. Her character is better than in the first book.

While reading this I kept forgetting Solmir was part of the kinds as well. He seems different than the others.

I like beauty and the beast retellings. There is one told from the perspective of the beast. That one was good. Did you read it? Though maybe not for you if you are tired of that story. The Beast's Heart

I'll check it out Lusie! I'm always down for a good retelling, regardless of the source.

Solmir keeps saying he's not a King anymore, so I guess it doesn't apply? I think he has a lot left to say and show us. (view spoiler)[ The bit with the Seamstress was so sad, and the lines between "monster" and, well, everything else, are blurring more and more.
The Shadpwland power works in a more interesting way than the Wilderwood, in my opinion. Both needs anchor, but the fact that Solmir can act as vessel for Neve is intriguing. It also looks painful.
Redarys and Neve are clearly the way to each other, both need a tree and a kye. What will be the role of Solmir in this? He is the Traitor King, probabily thanks to Gaia. Ah, love! (hide spoiler)]

On to chapter eight for me.

Neve = dark apple
Red = golden apple
? = blood apple (I guess it has to be Raffe cause he gets the third POV)

So the sisters have to mirror each other and get keys for the tree. They also have to have matching love so Red/Eammon Neve/? Solmir or Raffe. I'm wondering if the 'he will decide right in the end' refers to Raffe and self sacrifice hence the blood apple too.

I quite like Solmir as a character so far. His tattoo is interesting about what bargain he made.

Lusie wrote: "I like Neve more in this book. Her character is better than in the first book.

While reading this I kept forgetting Solmir was part of the kinds as well. He seems different than the others.

I lik..."


Thanks Lusie. I didn't know about The Beast's Heart it's added to the tbr.

Funny side note I just finished That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human and at the end it had the first chapter of For the Wolf.

Saved a Human is book three of a series that is kinda riddiculous. I don't understand the logic of recommending For The Wolf after finishing it.

You are welcome! I've read lots of books based on fairytales,

Erica, that's funny it had the first chapter of for the wolf at the end. It doesn't sound like a logical choice

It really isn’t. Yes they’re both fantasy but that’s about all they have in common.

Lol Erica what publishers will do to try to sell! At least make it make sense.

I also like Solmir, he is by far the more interesting character in the second book. And he and Neve are well suited, to be honest. They both know their dark side pretty well, and they have plenty of guilt and regret. Who knows if the once-King will redeem himself in the end? Raffe is a good man, but I don't think he can understand what Neve has been through.

Now POVs are reversed and I'm almost annoyed at Red's ones since I want to know what's going on in the Shadowland. But I'm glad she and Eammon are staying strong.

I'm actually quite far in the book, maybe ch 25? Couldn't sleep last night (again).

Fabitha wrote: "Now POVs are reversed and I'm almost annoyed at Red's ones since I want to know what's going on in the Shadowland. "

lol I felt that way too.

@Lusie, right? It's the funniest thing because I didn't expect it, and also testament that the author is very good, in my opinion.

Fabitha wrote: "@Lusie, right? It's the funniest thing because I didn't expect it, and also testament that the author is very good, in my opinion."

I second that.

I too am liking Neve chapters more than Red chapters this go round.

I finished the book! I enjoyed it even more the second time around, I have to say.

I'll save my thoughts for later!

That’s great you enjoyed the second time around more. Did you have an Italian copy as well? I’m much slower reading this, I’m up to chapter 15. I’ve been in a reading slump this month and have struggled to read.

I'm sorry to hear that Erica! I already read this so I went faster.

They didn't translate For the Throne yet, so I reread my english digital copy. Fun facts, I'm not one for preorders, but I bought this in advance. Also, I don't think For the Wolf made a big impression here, sadly.

Fingers crossed that For the Wolf does well enough they translate book two.

Thanks! I hope so too!

Well, some series still make it. They just published Nona the Ninth and I'm thrilled since the hardcovers are SO beautiful

Erica wrote: "That’s great you enjoyed the second time around more. Did you have an Italian copy as well? I’m much slower reading this, I’m up to chapter 15. I’ve been in a reading slump this month and have stru..."

I hope you get out of your reading slump soon, Erica!

Still reading slowly. Up to chapter 24. The last chapter ended with Neve seeing the heart tree.

It never occurred to me that Red would be the heart tree. What about you guys? I do think that the matched love refers to Neve/Somir and Red/Eammon has opposed to Red/Neve we'll see how that turns out.

Kayu is the third queen and I was thinking Raffe would be the third part of the prophecy. She still seems like she is already immortal though.

I could have done without the giant roaches and the rat knot. ;)

It's hard to imagine she is the heart tree. That part was just difficult to grab. But of course it;s magic lol

Whay do you think she seems immortal?

Haha yes me too. I don't like roaches and rats

At chapter 30 now.
I was thinking Kayu was immortal because of little comments here and there but mostly her conversation with Red about immortality. Since posting ive read farther and now that seems wrong. Kayu clearly never intercepted the letter from Kiri to Raffe so she has to have/still is working with the priestesses.

I’m liking this book more than the first I think.

I prefered book 1, but glad you are liking this one more

I also preferred book one but this wrapped everything up so nicely.

I loved this world Whitten created, waaay more than The Foxglove King, sad to say as it is.

I think the author could have developed Kayu's character further since as it so so far she looks more a plot prop than a person. She could be both the third queen AND Raffe's new love interest as to possibly free Neve from both the throne and her former lover? C'mon. The girl deserve better.

What do you think about Fife's new bargain? The Wilderwood has changed alongside Eammon and Red, but it looks like it still want something out of the redhead. I love his relationship with Lyra, and I love the author casually gave us an aroace character? I think? I so seldom see them represented I always fear I'm misreading things tbh. But she did stated she doesn't love like that so I'm quite certain this time.

I haven't read Foxglove king so I can't say which one is better.

I agree about Kayu. She could use a little more depth. She is important to the story, so she should get more attention.

I couldn't figure out what the Wilderwood wanted from Five while reading, not until they revealed it.
Yes I also think she is aroace. They are an interesting couple.

They are!
The cast is various so maybe the author couldn't give too much space to everyone, but it was well done.

I also despised Kiri even more in this book, she may not be an actual villain - not enough power for her to be, but is the worst kind of person. She is an Umbridge, so close and narrow minded, so blind in her conviction. She gave me the creep.

haha. i hadn't thought of that, but yes she is an umbridge lol

I’m liking this series more than the Foxglove King series.

I would like more character development for her especially if she is the third part.

I don’t understand Fife’s bargain and why Eammon or Red can’t release him from it.

The aro rep was good to see and it seemed to be fit it naturally to the story.

So far Kiri has only shown up in one chapter for me and she just relayed the Kings words to Red.

@Erica I was mostly referring to that chapter! Taunting Red (like...you know she could kill you right? You are really THAT stupid), being obnoxious. She is not even a player, barely a pawn. Her utter disregard of anyone's life, even her own, is terrifying.

I think the second book was even more clever (or cleverer? Uh) than the first. There was so much still unclear and there are some truly interesting twists.

Can't wait to share everything with you!

So I finally finished. 🥳
I'm sorry I was a bad buddy reader but I have been in a funk and could not read. I gave up trying and just grabbed some rereads and that's helped.

Anyway I'm a little disappointed with the whole ending. Why did Arick come back at all? He being the third apple makes no sense to me. The apples representing their souls the whole time was interesting though.
I was so wrong about Kayu being an immortal. haha

No problem Erica!
The part with Arick was a bit out of the blue, I agree.

But other than that, I like that Whitten didn't go for the easy happy ending. Arick is back but the sisters lost him anyway. Neve and Solmir went their separate ways - they come togheter in the end, but they made a different call.
Also I wouldn't ever have guessed the third party of the prophecy was Kayu. She didn't look so important to be honest and then what?! I thought she was just there to give Raffe an happy ending, freeing Neve for Solmir lol. I knew she would inherit the throne, but still.
The bit where they shattered their souls and free all the magic was well played, and the fact that Eammon was finally free of it was so sweet.

Yeah she tied up things well and I honestly thought that the epilogue took away from the ending. This was Neve’s book and her story was all about accepting your darker side/the things you don’t like about yourself so the happy epilogue didn’t fit.

Well, she looked like she was on her way to gain a alcohol abit, so XD

But I get what you say. Maybe the moral was that even if we don't like part of ourselves doesn't mean we're inherently all bad?