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I find it concerning that at 58% the plot has been largely resolved, and yet there's half a book left. Even at 58 I think we've explored all we're going to explore here except for the sex. And that can't be that good to be half the book right? Certain elements of the narration and characters are beginning to become repetitive and frankly annoying. Not sure I'm going to finish this one

delightfully silly, this is a really fun read. However, I can see why it doesn't have the best of reviews. There are some leaps in logic that feel a little too convenient for plot, as though the author didn't know how to get the characters to the conclusions needed to continue the mystery. Still, it's done in a way that doesn't ruin the overall magical nature of the story

I'm confused, but delighted on all fronts

WHAAAAAAAT

I'm enjoying this. It's a quick travel-sequence quest/heist fantasy. Turner is doing an excellent job of weaving character exposition and worldbuilding lore/myth in tandem along the walk.

For real though, POVs switch in the middle of conversations! WTF. From speaker A one paragraph to speaker B. It's very confusing. -1 star for this alone

Too many quick POV changes, jesus. It's hard to follow whose eyes we're looking through at any given moment.

Like Thunderhead, this book would benefit from a later monster reveal. The hook would be stronger if there was an air of mystery about what happened on the ship, instead of revealing it right from the start. It would increase the suspense, and would lend credence to the "quack scientists" feeling out of place if even the audience questioned their insistence that mermaids do in fact exist.

This was a bit of a disappointment. I had such high hopes! But the polyamory really didn't earn its place in the plot. Ursula wasn't introduced until far too late, and the connection between her and the boys was tenuous at best. We didn't get enough of their relationships before they started flirting for me to feel anything but apathetic toward their connections.

This is not a problem unique to this book. It's like the romance scenes are from an entirely different novel, set in a different time with different language. So far this book has been in a regency era-like setting, but hearing one of the main characters call their love interest "Baby" like they're in a contemporary romance just takes me right out of the fiction. I cannot suspend my disbelief enough to reconcile this

Ah beans. Things were just getting hot and then they had to go and do my least favorite thing: explaining BDSM in a fantasy setting. God forbid people just DO THINGS with each other. When books do this, it feels more like they're justifying the fetish content to the reader and not exploring the relationship between characters genuinely. People don't talk like this. It's too clinical. I hate it.

I'm bored. The curiosity surrounding the atrocities these children have faced is not enough to keep me slogging through this.

First off, this has no business being 603 pages.

Second, it's a slow start like many epic fantasies. I was worried we were going into a very long cookie-cutter chosen one situation and wasn't too excited. And then that thing with Ash happened in like chapter 4 or whatever and everything changed. Now I'm desperately curious.

This is one of my husband's favorite books, so we're doing a buddy read! Harry Lloyd is a fantastic narrator and brings a lot of life to the stories. I love Dunk and all his thick headed chivalry. Excited to keep going!

I've sped my audiobook up to 1.70x speed because I just need this to be over now. But here's another complaint: all the mini climaxes for the arcs are too lackluster. Literally anticlimactic. Dalius' death should have taken so much more time and had consequences that were more significant to Aelis' character and motivation.

"Nath betrayed you. I saved you."
Aelis is quick to paint herself the hero here, even though she has admitted that she uses mind-altering magics. This comes right after her lecturing someone about how Enchanters don't mess with the mind itself, but rather just suggestions. Seems an awful blurry line to be walking.

This book is basically just a collection of wandering tangents and interruptions rather than a cohesive plot. I really hope some of these ends are tied up, otherwise we're losing stars with every new obstacle introduced in the middle of a different issue

Aelis' arrogance is getting on my nerves. It's not fun and quirky anymore. Thing is, she's not entirely *wrong*. She has certain rights and commandments afforded to her by her position as Warden... the way she goes about explaining those to other people is aloof, elitist, and very very childish.

I'm waiting for the ethics of Aelis' enchantments and messing with people's minds to be addressed.... and I'm starting to worry it won't be. I've never been totally comfy with DND spells like "friends" or "command" because they strip characters of their agency. Aelis has shown no qualms with using these methods to get people to do what she wants, even to their own detriment... Her intents are good. For now.

There's so much happening all at once. Aelis is struggling to keep her head above water as her attention is called in every direction, but I think that's the point. Something is happening in this tiny village that may (or may not idk) be trying to get her on her back foot. After all, there's a reason she was called to serve here. I'm really hoping for some good character growth at some point

I have too many thoughts for this tiny text box so I'll paraphrase: Aelis is a very compelling character, but also a bit of a bitch. I like that about her. Her sense of duty fits well with her sense of personal importance, but that causes issues for the people around her. Also I like how the classic dnd-style fantasy rules have been fiddled with to fit the world here. cool

DNF -might come back later

XD So glad Din is living his best slut life

Here we go again....

👀

Paused halfway through a much more serious fantasy to read this ABSOLUTELY UNHINGED DELIGHT of an erotica. These people are insane.