Interesting

The story overall was rather enjoyable, despite the constant over the top descriptions and the awful narrator. The narrator seemed to get stuck after every few words and would pause too long on commas.
There was some repetitiveness in the beginning (They would mask their face with a mask.)
I enjoyed most of the characters, though wasn't fond of Haven's "I'm not like other girls" mentality where she would look down on other women for liking the current fashions, dresses, and so on. It would have been fine if she just had her reasons for not liking those things for herself (which she does) but her looking down on others just made me dislike her a bit, as well as her over the top anger at the smallest infractions-It just didn't fit the situation a lot of the time.
I was left confused by the love interests as both seem to be married which made that part of the book hard to like.
I did enjoy the world overall, and am interested in finding out what will happen once Haven breaks the curse.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A gripping dark fantasy that is ripe with magic!

This audiobook. I don't even know how to accurately put into words how this book stole my every thought and brain cell. I was enraptured within the first 2 chapters and I couldn't stop listening until there was no more left.
I always feel skeptical when someone compares their book to SJM or Holly Black, but this story warrants ALL THE ATTENTION AND PRAISE! It got me out of a reading slump and I was absorbed entirely. I became one with the story and I'm #sorrynotsorry to my family for ignoring them.
The world building is incredible. I felt like I could actively see each scene unfold and the more that was explored, the more I wanted to be transported into the world. These are some of the most fleshed out characters I've ever listened to and they're not just fleshed out, they're COMPLEX. As the story unfolds, dynamics stir and change and it feels effortless.
I'm a super fan of Beauty and the Beast retellings, and this has to be my fave by far. It's gender-swapped and the MC, Haven, is Prince Bell's royal companion guard. A girl guarding a dude. YES PLEASE.
Haven has been put through the ringer in her life, but she her wants are simple: protect Bell and find out where she came from. The first one trumps all others in her mind which makes her the most loyal friend ever. She's lived with hardship and endured discrimination at every turn, but she lets it drip off her like rain water.
Prince Bell is taken by the Shadow Queen and Haven must fight tooth and nail to find him and bring him back. She has to wade the waters with a band of immortal Solis to break the curse that ravages the land and IT IS AMAZING!
I wish I could give this story 10 stars. It will forever be a favorite and I'm salivating for book 2 like whoa. You'd be a fool to pass this up!
The narrator had a knack for capturing exactly how I imagined each character to sound and feel like! Fantastic job all around. This series will be one of my go-to's for a long time to come!

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Boring.

This book seemed to be leading up to some point of closure or excitement, but that is all. I felt that it was just one long build up to the second book. I like the world though.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great for fans of Sara J Maas

I was given an free audiobook for my fair and unbiased review.

First off - I love the cover art of this book. It’s beautifully done. I also love the narrator that they got to do the audiobook. She’s a perfect match for the story.

More importantly - this book is a SOLID match for those who liked the Throne of Glass series and ACOTAR series by Sara J Maas. I can definitely see heavy influence from both series within this story and the characters that it follows.

I feel like we could have gotten a little more history of the world and mythology that built it, but overall, I enjoyed the pieces of the world we saw.

The main character is very akin to both Aelin and Feyre in the way that she happens to have a rough past and winds up somehow being “the chosen one” (although I think it’s unfair to call it a trope because no one really I’m likes to read fantasy novels about the not chosen one). She is likable and determined.

The supporting characters - I enjoyed the Solis (I think that’s right, audiobook, remember?) women a lot more than any of the other characters. I can see two potential “major love interests” for our main character, outside of the best friend prince - who proves to be entirely useless throughout the book - and I’m not thrilled with the idea of either of them, really.


All in all, I think it’s a solid first book in the series and I look forward to seeing where it goes. I hope to see more history of the world, more character development in the supporting cast and maybe something to surprise me with the love interests!

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Feels too familiar but still entertaining

The story is good but a little unoriginal. I didn’t like the narrators voice in my personal opinion but what can you do? I got used to it. Overall, I still found myself frantically googling when the next book will be released. Would definitely recommend to people who are fans of Sara J Maas.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ehhh.. okay

I feel exactly “okay” about this book. There was nothing that stood out as terribly interesting to me, the characters lack.. character and are under developed. I was irritated by the main character more than I cheered for her. The overall idea and world are interesting enough that I kept listening, but I often found myself bored and spacing out. I’ll try the second book to see where the story is going, but this purchase doesn’t seem like an overall win to me.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good Solid Story

While this is not my cup of tea it was a very good story. It started out with a bang, but after a few chapters it kind of dragged a bit. It was a very good way to get through my day at work. The narrator was very good and I enjoyed her performance of the story. I would recommend this audiobook to my friends and family.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

great, but could be a little better

I really like the story line, but some of the characters to me were lackluster. I enjoy the banter between Archeron and his companions but when Havem shows up it's just like children bickering and nothing important happens. a lot of Haven's pov is her bickering about Archeron doing this or that and it got draining for me. I'm hoping book 2 is better but it was an overall good book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Lacking details.

There were several points in the book where I was wondering what was going on and how they got from one place to another. I felt like there was a good storyline however there wasn’t enough detail to complete the story.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Series in audio?

I enjoyed this book but am disappointed that the following books in the series don’t seem to be in audio.