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Iris

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Iris is Currently Reading

Iris is currently reading

The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2)

by Stephanie Garber (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in December 2022

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Iris said: " I think I just wen thought the seven stages of grief while reading Part III of this book. This was so good, but so so good. And also extremely heartbreaking, but any situation involving Jacks seems to end that way, so this was entirely my own fault I I think I just wen thought the seven stages of grief while reading Part III of this book. This was so good, but so so good. And also extremely heartbreaking, but any situation involving Jacks seems to end that way, so this was entirely my own fault I guess...

"The Ballad of Never After" starts with a lot unfinished issues that Evangeline has to try and take care of. Be it Apollo's condition, her prophecy or even her feelings for Jacks, everything is thrown at our protagonist almost at once and in this book, we see her struggle through it all, while maintaining her hopeful and gentle nature. Evangeline is a character that I really love. Her ingenuity always came from a good place, a good heart and she could have lost that, due to everything she went through, but she doesn't and I think that's admirable! It is one of her characteristics that I love most. Her curiosity and wits help her a lot in this book and she finds a lot of clues about the history of the Magnificent North, as well as Jacks's past. Those were some of my favorite moments throughout the narrative, finding more about the lore and the pieces that are at play and that are involved with Evangeline's prophecy.

I also really loved Jacks (but who doesn't right XD) and while he can be frustrating to read sometimes, it's a part of who he is and how he behaves has a Fate. He is still shredded in mystery, even though many pieces of his story have been revealed throughout the events of the book and his motivations aren't yet too clear, so I can't wait to figure him out better! He's a really well written character *cough cough villain cough cough*

All of the shared moments between him and Evangeline are emotion heavy and very intense, their chemistry went up by 100% in the second book, but their struggles to deal with their feelings also became harder and more dangerous. I think the emotional aspect of the narrative was very well achieved, I was on the edge of my seat reading a lot of these scenes.

As always, the author gifts us with an absolutely fantastical and magical atmosphere. Every page feels like entering a whole new fairytale and I love it, it's immersive and engaging and a part of why this books series is so strong: the combination of a well thought and extremely well written set of characters, in a very well developed and special universe. I love the imagery, the amount of magic we get in each sentence and the twits and turns proper of a true epic tale of magical proportions.
I think this story will only get better and I am eternally grateful that we're getting a third book because this ending? This cliffhanger? The state of Evangeline? Please. I need to know. And I need it solved, because if stories can have infinite endings, this is one I definitely need changed!! I can't wait for more!!

P.S. Jacks, stop lurking in the shadows and please come help Evangeline, okay? Thank you. Stop lying to yourself while you're at it. Double thank you. ...more "

Jan 09, 2026 04:16PM · see review

Iris’s Quotes

“An extraordinary amount of intimacy lay in exchanging art. Not for critique and not for class. Just to look. To feel. To understand each other.”
― C.G. Drews, Don't Let the Forest In

45 likes

“To write something nice, he’d need something nice to say. But his ribs were a cage for monsters and they cut their teeth on his bones.”
― C.G. drews, Don't Let the Forest In

37 likes

“I know from experience that grief rides alone.”
― Richard Osman, The Last Devil to Die

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“I fear I might be barking up the wrong tree with this one. I just hope I can bark up the right tree one of these days. Before I run out of trees. Or before I stop barking altogether.”
― Richard Osman, The Last Devil to Die

6 likes

“Everything inside me is in ruins," Thomas said. "For you.”
― C.G. Drews, Don't Let the Forest In

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