Laura Flanagan > Recent Status Updates

I don’t think I’ve ever said this… but the first 75% of this book was WAY better than what I’m currently reading. There’s typos, inconsistencies in the character development, plot holes, etc. I have so many questions. It’s like the characters got to shore and the author forgot how to write. The beginning was BEAUTIFUL!

Maybe it’s just me, but the word “panties” should never used in a new adult romantasy. I feel like the author disliked writing the smut scenes as much as I disliked reading them. They felt out of place, jarring and almost like AI wrote them.

Absolutely loving this book! Tiny issue with the FMC’s inconsistency in decision making when it comes to sharing information. But otherwise I’m on the edge of my extremely comfy and large reading chair…

Beautiful expansion of the world

Definitely slow in its progress because of how it details the days, but honestly I don’t mind. The characters and relationship are so fun.

Listening to the audiobook and clearly the male narrator had to redo the dogs name cause every time you can hear the insert. Otherwise, so far a delight! Great mix of character and political plot.

There’s a lot of exposition and FMC inner thoughts that I don’t need. I have read enough romantasy to know that the MMC is talking about her when he says things like “only you”

Setting: Hogwarts. Magic System: One Dark Window. Lore: Last Airbender. World Building: Mistborn. And somehow the author makes it MORE complicated with her story timeline and order of info reveals.

This timeline makes no sense to me and I feel extremely disoriented. The academy has only been around for four years? And the FMC was in jail for the last year - while her sister completed her first year of school - so how could she have been smuggling supplies out to our FMC? Also, if this has only been the system for the last year - what was it like before for Arcanists? How was their mother marked?

While I understand the appeal of having a rag tag team of underdogs, I think the story would have been better served with our FMC serving as both tamer AND winger so she has more of a pivotal role during the races and a stronger adversarial relationship with our MMC.

Bjorn POV. Chefs kiss.

The FMC and MMC are not “enemies” enough for me. And I truly do not care about Oscar. The world is beautiful and interesting, but the characters are letting me down at the moment.

While I appreciate an average, flawed FMC, the “I want to do the right thing, and train and learn and spy and fight, but I’m helpless” act is getting old. Other than her attitude towards monsters, she’s had no personal growth or agency this entire book so far. Everything is happening to her or around her. It’s becoming boring.

All the FMC does is hide. I thought she’d be better than this - just letting everything happen to her. She’s becoming very boring.

FMC and her naivety is starting to get annoying. I thought she’d be more badass with the cliff jumping, pushing back verbally and wanting to train. But now she’s doing absolutely nothing other than complaining.

Beautifully written

The FMC is naive and childish. Some disjointed, quick transitions that leave me feeling whiplash. Desperately needed a better editor to give the story better flow. I’m enjoying it, but it could have been great!

Divergent / Throne of Glass / Hurricane Wars… but written by a romantasy novice. Perhaps a romcom writer? Anyway, so far enjoying but there are definitely some gaps in logic and our FMC has no agency. While she’s capable of being bad ass… she’s doing nothing for herself or cause.

I don’t like Annie

Really loving the writing, world, characters and intrigue. I can sort of already see where the mystery, lies, twists are leading (that could just be me) but I’m super into it and cautiously optimistic it’ll build up and not be a let down.

I’m conflicted about Annie. And I’m just WAITING for the turn…. And for a swoon worthy Lee moment. Super fun politicking and world building. Similar enough to Fourth Wing but different enough as well for fans to enjoy.

“As above, so below” … after just reading Kingdom of the Wicked where that’s ALSO the prophecy… authors clearly need to come up with some new prophetic phrases lol