Ashley Bearrows > Recent Status Updates

Oranges being used as a weapon is my favorite micro trope, and the fact that this book now has used it twice is just cracking me up. I’m living for this.

Definitely finishing this today. SO GOOD.

I’m struggling because the audio and the published physical copy don’t match. They must have recorded the Indie edition script then did a ton of line editing on the actual book before it went to trade publishing. The sentence structures are so different making it challenging to immersive read. I may have to switch my method of reading and pick either physical or audio because the togetherness is not togathering.

This book is wild. I’m almost annoyed I waited so long to read it. Perfect summer read. It gives ocean meets severe trauma with a dash of regency for good measure. Perfect 👌

Did her writing get better?! I feel like her writing definitely reached a new level in this book. So glad to be back in this world again ❤️

Physical read of the week

My audio read of the week! I do have the bookish box SE but I have another physical copy on the roster this week.

I’m living for this magic system and family drama. I suppose the only thing not really clicking is what exactly these obelisks are /do. I’m probably just being impatient. Just wrapped up nearly two full chapters of flashbacks. I like the info we got although a little repetitive at times. Not my favorite way to get a backstory but it was well executed.

Still obsessed with this book. Still obsessed with Helen’s writing. Still obsessed with all these characters. I’m living for the series. Definitely one of my top all-time rates. I just love everything about this world. They’re all family at this point. ❤️

I was meant to finish this book today but chaos ensued. This has become a guilty pleasure series for me. I definitely like this book more than the first one although I still fear our FMC is a little bit annoying but a little less so. she’s starting to grow on me. Is this a literary masterpiece? absolutely not. Is it a good time? I did enjoy myself.

Running a little behind on reading this week 😥 so far the writing is good. The pacing is nice. Every chapter is pushing the plot forward. There’s no redundancy. The foreshadowing is well executed. I especially like the throwback journal entries slowly revealing the beginning of this world and how it came to be. Interesting magic. Definitely a good time.

There’s something so magical about Helen’s writing. It’s one of those things where I can be cognitively reading and then all of a sudden I’m fully immersed in the world like I have completely left this reality and entirely entered her world. I can’t put my finger on what crack she’s sprinkling in these books, but I am addicted. Forever an auto-buy author for me.

My immersive read of the week! Determined to finish this series before bookish box delivers my special edition set

Something I really like about this physical fairyloot edition is that the annotated chapter is bound into the exact place in the book. I don’t have to find out later that there was an annotated chapter at the end of the book and have to re-read it after I’ve already finished the book. I get to experience it as part of the reading and I really *really* enjoyed that!

This is my physical read of the week!

You have to break, accept there’s no way out, no way around. Once you’re broken you can learn how to just exist, and that the only way is to go through it. And then, if you do come out the other side… you’ll never be the person you were; you had to give that person up to survive. But you might make a new person who’s just as worthy.

“It’s a bunch of old men in a house on an island, desperate to validate their own lives by indoctrinating another generation of youngsters to make the same choices they made. Why would I ever want their approval? It’s a gateway to wealth and power, but you have to sell your soul to get it.” Chef’s kiss. No notes.

Ohhh we have a serious love triangle. Yessss pleaseeee.

This is my Audio listen for the week. I have this edition coming in the Arcane Society subscription box and the ocean vibes and mermen are exactly what this summer is calling for ❤️ 🌊 🧜‍♀️

Re-reading because this book is amazing, H.M Wolfe is a queen, and the audio finally dropped and our MMC IS TEDDY FREAKING HAMILTON. Fan girling so hard over here!!

I love the point at which the title makes sense. Not at all where I thought that was going but totally here for it!

This is my physical read of the week. The Fairyloot edition is stunning and I have high hopes for this one! 🐉

Initial thoughts: writing is a bit immature and could use some line editing. There are some cringy moments but it’s giving a monster captive/captor romance vibe so I suppose cringy moments are just the name of the game. I’m having a good time though so I’m not mad about it.

I’ve had this Bookish Box edition on my shelf for a year and the reminder of the series is being delivered today soooo here we go!

I did not have Cal becoming a man-whore on my Ashes of Thezmarr bingo card 😂

“Hope is like a serpent; it sheds its skin with promise, while silently seeping venom into your veins”