Reviews
La première partie plus lente mais ensuite très bien
1 chapter of spicy scene, and lots of teasing. But at the end plot twist after plot twist! So Good !!!!!!!!
Loved the plot and the worldbuilding. The beasts and the cities? Splendid.
The characters? Not so much, especially Raker (sorry) and Aris. But I might find a liking toward Zane, the only zane character (see what I did there? lol) lowkey curious what his journey might have been.
Even though Aris was a little bit insufferable, she redeemed herself in the end. She stuck to her goal. That's what I liked about her even when she was a lot more frustrating in most parts of the book.
I liked how it finished with them in a chase. The enemies to lovers trope was great at the start until it felt so off right at the middle, and in the end, I loved how it was emphasized who they are to each other.
Overall, it was just less than what I expected. But still. Looking forward to what will happen in Stormside.
Aris really annoyed me in this one. She was constantly having to be rescued by Raker. I don't mind a female character needing help every now and then, but I can't stand a perpetual damsel in distress. I much prefer a badass heroine who can handle herself. If a man helps her occasionally, great, but she shouldn't need saving every other chapter.The story also felt incredibly repetitive. It was basically walking, avoiding beasts, fighting beasts, sleeping in caves, and dealing with Cadoc every so often. It felt like 500 pages went by without much actual plot progression.I will say I genuinely didn't see the twist coming with Raker being the God of Death. That was probably my favorite part of the book.I also hated that we only got a couple of chapters with Aris's dragon before she just...left her behind at the end. What was the point? It felt like such a wasted opportunity.Another thing that frustrated me was that Aris could never catch a break. Every chapter was another horrible thing happening to her. At some point, you have to balance the suffering with some wins. Who wants to read 500 pages of nonstop misery?And don't even get me started on the romance. There was basically no foreplay, yet after Raker spent most of the book treating her terribly, she's suddenly wildly attracted to him? Please. Then, of course, he has an enormous penis and it's magically the best sex of her life. Cue the eye roll. Their chemistry just wasn't convincing because he spent the majority of the book being awful to her.Then he leaves her without any clothes...why? That made no sense.The pacing at the end also felt off. It took nearly 500 pages to reach the Land of the Gods, but somehow they're back at the gates within a couple of days? Even with a dragon, that felt rushed. And how did Raker get there in the first place? He didn't even have a dragon.Finally, the ending with him suddenly grabbing her ankle just didn't work for me. It felt like a last second cliffhanger that wasn't earned. Overall, this book had a few interesting ideas, but the repetitive plot, frustrating romance, and inconsistent pacing made it a disappointing read.
I thought this book was absolutely brilliant. The ending? Chief's kiss. Honestly I'd been avoiding reading the book, the idea of trials bored me - but it's NOT a book about a trial, it's a journey, a quest!I loved that the FMC wasn't ultra-wow-powerful - I felt that at first she was going to be that, but actually she spends most of the book going "oh fuck, run" and then scrambling to live. The MMC also wasn't OTT "I'm the moody dark one", with good come backs and banter whilst constantly rolling his eyes.And also I thought some of the humour was great, when the immortal wrote "SUFFERS WITH VISION PROBLEMS" when she described his looks as "not revolting", absolutely loved it. I felt like I'd been in a real reading slump, and this book I devoured in a whole day.
я наконец-то успокоилась и могу написать адекватный отзыв на эту книгу 🥺
моя первая книга на английском за долгое время, и что я могу сказать…это было очень круто!!!
я так хотела почитать что-то, что завлечёт меня в свою вселенную, с хорошей любовной линией, интересным миром, сюжетом — и здесь это всё есть!
аудиокнига — это отдельный вид искусства ❤️
с этой книгой я практиковала иммерсивное чтение (читать и слушать книгу одновременно) и это восторг!! да, возможно я читала яе медленнее обычного из-за этого, но я ни о чём не жалею
насчёт любовной линии: тут у нас enemies to lovers, и ООО МАААЙ ГААААД, как хорошо они здесь прописаны!!!!!
я клянусь, они 90% книги друг друга на дух не переносили, а потом каааак понеслось!!! я давно так не визжала и уже забыла, что такое бабочки в животе, но эта книга мне напомнила…
ну и самое главное, из-за чего вчера я сидела и смотрела в стену — концовка
на последних 10% книги автор решила покатать меня на грёбаных американских горках, и когда я думала, что главный сюжетный поворот уже повернулся, потом произошёл ещё один, и ещё, и я просто 😰
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Your greatest enemy lives within you. It’s fear. Kill it before it kills you.”There aren’t enough words for the way Starside made me feel. It’s the kind of book that runs like a current through your veins—the kind you can’t put down, the kind that leaves you craving more long after you’ve turned the last page. 512 pages somehow still wasn’t enough.The setting is rich and immersive, split between two realms: Stormside, where mortals live without magic and suffer under relentless blights, and Starside, where gods rule and magic thrives. Every detail felt vivid and intentional. The characters, though, are what truly brought this story to life—their emotions raw, human, and impossible not to feel.Aris is fierce, sarcastic, and indomitable—jaded, yet still searching for beauty in the most unlikely places. Harlan is sharp-edged and dangerous, full of mystery, barbed words, and violence, yet threaded with moments of reluctant kindness that make him impossible to ignore.The romance is everything I want in a slow burn—tense, drawn-out, and absolutely worth the wait. And when it finally hits… it hits.I loved everything about this book: the atmosphere, the intricate houses and creatures, the supporting cast—and that devastating cliffhanger that has me desperate for book two. I could go on, but if it’s not clear already, this is 100% worth picking up—especially if you love romantasy with layered characters and an immersive, captivating world.Tropes: slow burn, revenge arc, magic swords, deadly trials, enemies to lovers to ??, animal companion, secrets & betrayals, spice, morally gray characters, indomitable FMC, gods & immortals
A great book! Loved the two main characters and how their relationship changes through the course of the book. Looking forward to reading the next in the series when it’s released in November.