Status Updates From The Court of Lightning

I'm enjoying this, but I'm a little afraid of how much worldbuilding and plot have been put out there, but I've only got 26% to go. This could probably have used a high word count to do it justice.

So far, so good. Very plotty, but interesting.

“Because I am an adult woman capable of making my own decisions,” she said tartly, “not a walking womb, whatever delusions you and my husband seem to be suffering.”

This is Queen Arellia, sister of one of the protagonists just after she announces she's pregnant. I really like her. I mean the protags are great, but we do love a woman telling men to get over it.

Hmm...too much invested on the traveling for my liking. but I love the slow burn nature of the relationship. Kills me when I think about how they regard each other in the past decade.

“She didn’t say whether that would be enough to make the mission succeed,” the king grumbled, “because why be useful when there’s an opportunity to be cryptic?"


Lol, how did she know my little sister's catchphrase.

I'm finding the world-building laborious, the story too dry lacking personality.

So much tell and not nearly enough show. Completely bored even though the premise was promising. DNF.

These characters are tridimensional and I'm loving it. Shan being hotblooded and Tir being an ice king just makes this better.

Cute.

Wow this is soooooo good!!! I love the world and the characters. I'm really enjoying this...

Oh! I made an erroneous assumption: this story *stayed* minimal physical intimacy! The denouement was just that, everything that should be in it was. Still, disappointing because, although I prioritize plot and character growth and hate PWP sex stories, I do like me the clichéd m/m convention of "biggest" sex act for commitment.

Wonderful story! But a big boo-boo, in my opinion, to have the final, biggest physical intimacy (one of the conventions of the m/m genre) after the final conflict and as part of the denouement. The story is already done. The reader is not committed to stick around--the tension is gone. All is well. Thus the impact of emotion for what should be an incredibly emotional scene is almost nonexistent.

Still having a sensational time with this book, but I do find it hard to believe that MCs haven't the chance over ten--ten!--years to share their secret love for each other. lol. Seriously dudes?

*claps hands delightedly; eyes sparkle; grin spreads* Finally, a story with engaging, believable characters who speak winning dialogue and have a fascinating quest in a brilliantly and creatively described world. And sexual tension!

It's fantastically insane that a story this creative and well written is free.

This is fantastic. I'm having so much fun reading this! The world is wonderfully built, the dialogue natural and action that keeps things moving at a great pace.