crownedaimee's reviews
386 reviews

“If you stare long enough into the darkness of the forest, eventually something will stare right back.”

The Wolf and the Woodsman follows Evike who is an outcast in her village due to her lack of magic. When the Holy Order of the Woodsman comes to take pagan girl as a sacrifice, her village is quick to betray her and volunteer her to be taken. But on the journey to the palace, the Woodsman and Evike are attacked, only leaving her and the captain alive. But he isn't who she originally thought he was. The two are forced to rely on each other to survive and soon realise they have something in common as they journey together.

I was really hoping to like this book because of all the hype but I just kinda got annoyed with it? I felt like parts were so choppy. Without going into too much detail and spoilers, there was a part towards the end where Evike and the Woodsman was doing something and in the next moment, there was a bunch of people with no explanation on how they got there? I don't know if it was just me and my mind completely skipped a whole scene because let's me honest, it happened a lot in this book or whether it actually happened like this. And don't get me started on how much stories was in this book. I swear it was like every chapter, I was so done with it.

The start of this book almost had me dnfing it straight away. It felt like such an information dump with all these names and places that I couldn't read because my head couldn't wrap around the names. Can we make it a rule where the pronunciation guide is at the start to avoid these confusions? It did hook me in at the start once I got over this but it got lengthy and I was struggling to push through it.

I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style and the pacing was off. I couldn't really connect to it. or once, I couldn't really find a likeable character. They didn't have much personality and it pained me. Plus we're supposed to fall in love with them as Evike constantly makes fun of the Woodsman and makes terrible decisions?

If you do plan to read this book then please check the trigger warnings, some include: magic requiring self harm, torture, animal death, antisemitism, child abuse and more.

Would I read anymore books by Ava Reid? Possibly. This is the debut novel afterall and I do like to give other books by authors another chance but if it's anything like this then perhaps not.

“Stories are supposed to live longer than people.”

"Home is where I don't need to light to feel warm. It's with you, your brothers, and your father."

This was the first book I have read by Elizabeth Lim and it did not disappointment. I need the next book in my hands right now. It's a really beautiful, whimsical story. I love the aesthetics, I love the characters and the plot. Six Crimson Cranes follows Princess Shiori and her six brothers who eventually get cursed by their stepmother, Raikama. Shiori finds herself exiled to a father village and is forbidden to talk or write anything about her situation, if she did then her brothers would die one b one.

I really didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. I was torn between a 4.5 and 5 stars before settling on the latter. The plot twists, while predictable, were still so well written and I enjoyed reading every moment of this book and reading the development of Shiori's character development and her relationships with not only Takken but her brothers. I can't wait to see more of that in the second book.

I do wish we got to see more of Seryu, though I am guessing we will see him more in The Dragon Promise... at least I hope. He cares for Shiori so much and it was making me ship them in the beginning and while I still kinda ship them, I think my heart is with Shiori and Takken at the moment.

I really don't know how I'm gonna be able to wait until the 30th of August, so if anyone sees then possibly send me an arc lol.

“Don't teach a dragon history, Princess, especially not magic history.”

This book, oh my god! Vikings? Check. Worldbuilding? Check. Enemies to lovers? Check. I went in not wanting to get my hopes up but boy did it deliver and blow my mind. I was not expecting to enjoy this much as I did. I could not put this down at all. I can't wait to read more books by Adrienne Young.

Sky In The Deep is a debut, standalone young adult fantasy that focuses on two different Viking clans. The Aska and the Riki have been fighting since the beginning of time. Every five years they meet on the battlefield to fight a war that has been fuelled with hatred through the centuries. Their children have been raised to hate their opponents and are taught to fight and prepare for battle. Eelyn is an Aska and had lost her brother, Iri on the battlefield years ago. But during the fight at the immediately takes place at the beginning of the story, she believed she had saw her brother and in her shock, she was then captured by the Riki. It is a story about betrayal, survival and choice.

I immediately loved Eelyn. Despite being raised to kill and fight, she only ever saw it as her duty as an Aska warrior. And I loved when she opened up to enough to let the Riki family she was staying with take care of her and she saw the love that her brother had and the family he called his own. She is fierce and independent but also vulnerable and broken. Adrienne Young wrote Eelyn so beautifully, you could feel every emotion that she went through, her every thought and the conflict that raged inside her. Especially, when it came to the hurt and betrayal she felt she she realised she lost her brother to the enemy. She quickly became one of my favourite heroines.

I love the relationships within this book: the family, the friends and the romance. Firstly, I love the romance between the two characters. I won't say who to avoid spoilers but slow burn and enemies to lovers? What more could you ask for? Then the whole aspect with family. I loved that Adrienne showed that family isn't just the blood that we share but also that family can be chosen. It's unconditional love, trust, respect and acceptance. It was so lovely to see the two clans come together and bridge the gap that existed between them.

I know that there are many mixed reviews for this book, but I absolutely recommend to everyone, especially if Vikings is something that interests you. As well as a badass heroine and a story about love and strength of family.

Content/Trigger Warnings: loss of loved one, violence, murder, gore, sexual assault(s), physical abuse, slavery, talk of suicide, rape threats and war themes.

“To this world. To the next. To the people we meet between and the bonds we share.”

A Deal With The Elf King follows the story of Luella who is a mortal with an undiscovered power deep within her. Eldas, the Elf King, returns to the mortal world to claim his Human Queen as his homelands are slowly dying and can only be rejuvenated by the power of the Human Queen. This has been a tradition for thousand of years and of course, Luella is found to be his queen and is whisked away.

I went into this book without any expectations and found myself enjoying it more that I thought I would. And to also realise I the books in this series are actually written as standalones??? Even better. At least I don't have to worry about forgetting what happened and to try and remember the characters and the plots that happened with the previous book when starting the next book. It has many tropes that I love with Hades and Persephone vibes as well with a touch of Beauty and the Beast. Also Elves and Faeries?? What more could you want?

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series and by Elise Kova if they are anything like this book is.

It's such a quick read and it doesn't lag on unnecessary cliche plot points that everyone sees coming, It grabs your attention from the beginning and the characters are actually likeable though I do want to see more of Hallow, whether that actually happens I do not know. It is well paced and will take you to the chapter quickly. You'll be able to fly through this book. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy and romance lovers who are looking for a quick and easy read, and one that they can't put down.

“I am not made for dreams. I am made to rule.”
“I think you’re made for whatever you want to be.”