Jo > Recent Status Updates

Nothing about the emotional progression between the MMC and FMC feels natural. It feels like the author had a couple of vague ideas and tropes, write some quotable passages, and then molded the story around it. The romance is horrendous and the leads are insufferable when they’re around each other

Unfortunately, the FMC is utterly too stupid and makes mistakes too grave for her to be as smart and witty as she is supposed to be. (Also - of course Noe is the dude who took the book from the library and Ophelia’s correspondence. Please put two and two together as quickly as you catch feeling for a man you don’t know)

The banter is good but the romance is coming too fast. We need more pining, something more to base their feelings on. These people don’t know each other, they haven’t spent much time together, and since arriving at the palace, only 3 days have passed. The few fleeting interactions they do have don’t support any romantic feelings.
It’s too fast too soon!

So what is the color of his eyes? Gold? Green? Hazel? Which one is it? Or are we going to rotate through the color wheel and the reader can just pick whichever one they like the best like we’re at build a bear?

While I like the concept of the story and the writing, this book reads really slow. I fight for every sentence. It’s not as engaging as it should be.

Also, if Eliot is supposed to be the FMCs LI, then he’ll need to have a ton to make up. He’s not left a single good impression yet

Her father’s murderer is out on bail? How much do you want to bet he’s going to hunt down Bree and then archer has to save her

This man needs a therapist. Not a girlfriend

““Well he doesn’t exactly speak,” I said.
“Huh?” she and Jordan both said at the same time.
I told him about archer and how he had been raised, a little bit about his uncle and what I knew about his accident even though he hadn’t told me anything personally about it.”

WHY WOULD SHE SPREAD GOSSIP ABOUT ARCHER TO HER BFFS??? I hate Bree omfg

It’s soooooo corny and cringeeeee omfg get me out of here

It’s kind of wild how often they spend their time together in silence because the author didn’t know what they would potentially talk about that wasn’t big or emotional

Why are they always grinning ??? Calm tf down

“Of course not Hazan.” “She’d been decided by the devil” no. She simply jumped to conclusions. For supposedly being so smart, Alizeh is pretty dumb

I’m sorry but why are they kissing? ㅠㅠ none of the emotions hit tbh because it’s been… what - 2 days? They don’t know each other.
I think this romance isn’t endgame anyway but it should at least spin a believable illusion ;-;

What’s with the lack of urgency on her part here? She knows the prince, knows he sent people to kill her, now he’s in her room and she’s just… talking? Asking him to leave to go back to her duties? Thinking about attending the ball? I don’t understand what’s the standing in the way of just fleeing as she’s always done?

OH MY GOD ???? I DID NOY SEE TBAT COMING OMFG

This book is sort of slow and I’m still a little confused about Alizeh’s character. I understand where’s she’s coming from but it’s still a little puzzling at times (i.e. she’s putting her survival first at all times but then agrees to attending a party/ball because she wants to look at pretty gowns and speak to people? Idkkkk)

the writing feels a little overbearing at times .. I didn’t connect with the prose in shatter me either - although this is better despite still being immensely flowery which takes me out of the story a bit tbh

See this is where u lose me.
Girly has always done anything to survive and to keep her friend safe. No matter how brave or compassionate she is, she would have NEVER given herself up if it meant danger for her or for Grady.
It’s kind of insane how JLA doesn’t know her own characters. She’s always been a guilty pleasure author of mine but this is bewildering

How am I already 63% in ?? NOTHING HAS HAPPENED

“You would go to war against your brother to claim the throne for yourself?”
She should absolutely not do that. No matter what anyone is trying to convince me of, she’d make a terrible, terrible queen

I’m tired of the “Jory doesn’t notice but WE do”. It makes her seem inadequate in every way, it makes her childish and ignorant and I hate that the FMC suffers so much in this story only for the MMCs to have their moments. It’s repetitive and annoying, especially since Jory doesn’t get an arc besides getting sexually experienced

I know Jory is faulty but she hasn’t really grown. Both male characters are changing and healing each other (on Jory’s expense) but she remains incapable and they only emotions she seems capable of is pity - which tbh is just empathy or sympathy but no character ever seems to realize that. I’m getting really tired of her. she should kill everyone and lead a happy life with someone else

Why is it always Asher or Ky putting Jory into place even when she’s right? I don’t like the way they have each other’s backs. By implying the romance between them, they’re dumbing her down, making her annoying or an inconvenience or seemingly stepping out of line. Her character is suffering to build something between Asher and Ky and it’s agitating the FMC has to suffer for it

I need girly to go through an arc like yesterday. How are we over halfway in and you’re still like that

It’s kind of wild to me how Asher kept her sheltered and innocent by not telling her what’s been done to him and now he’s throwing her innocence and incapability into her face. You are what you know. She’s sheltered because you did that. She could have become a fighter, fierce and smart, a force for change that would have to outsmart her brother but you prevented that change.

I’m getting really tired of this back and forth - even though it’s understandable.
But give Asher the silver from Ky so he can flee the country and stay hidden and girly pop and Ky go back to the palace to find out who was behind the killing order.
But like…. do something lol

I don’t care for anything

The romance is awful. There is no tension. Neither character is interesting or executed well. It’s lame. I don’t care about either of them

Girl is presented not only with the Captain - her biggest “enemy” - but also another guard AND a physician and she just sit there and is complacent ?? She’s much stupider than I had assumed. Of course, it’s not going to bite her in the ass but it’s just so…. unrealistic. Despite her fear and having put up a little bit of a fight, that girl has the survival instincts of a goldfish.

One “shit” was funny. But we’re saying “fuck” now? How very unbecoming

The writing is also terribly non-descriptive. I can’t see anything in my mind’s eye because we’re not given anything. It’s not even about the details - we’re not being given any significant descriptors to settings. We barely know what Elspeth looks like.