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pagepixie's reviews
166 reviews
Shadow Heart by Morgan B. Lee
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book really surprised me. I was just looking for a quick break from the tumultuous and traumatizing experience of Zodiac Academy when I picked up Blood Oath. I wanted a fast easy romantasy.
Book one was alright. The ending made me want to read book two. But I’m so pleased that Shadow Heart was better!
The relationships and character development in this book were very enjoyable. Where before I didn’t feel like the boys had enough individualism I felt that change in this book.
Obviously, Maven is kind of the highlight here. I love seeing her emotions come to the surface and her slow healing from the love her quintent.
I’m honestly starting to struggle with which boy I like the best. Baelfire might be my favorite but Crypt is deliciously deviant lmao.
Anyway with the ending being a cliffhanger (which I love in books) I will most likely continue this series!
While this series isn’t necessarily something new for fantasy romance, I’m still enjoying it a lot.
If you like Zodiac Academy, the Bonds that Tie, or Blood and Steel you might like this series as a little side quest!
Book one was alright. The ending made me want to read book two. But I’m so pleased that Shadow Heart was better!
The relationships and character development in this book were very enjoyable. Where before I didn’t feel like the boys had enough individualism I felt that change in this book.
Obviously, Maven is kind of the highlight here. I love seeing her emotions come to the surface and her slow healing from the love her quintent.
I’m honestly starting to struggle with which boy I like the best. Baelfire might be my favorite but Crypt is deliciously deviant lmao.
Anyway with the ending being a cliffhanger (which I love in books) I will most likely continue this series!
While this series isn’t necessarily something new for fantasy romance, I’m still enjoying it a lot.
If you like Zodiac Academy, the Bonds that Tie, or Blood and Steel you might like this series as a little side quest!
Cursed Fates by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I have very mixed feelings about this book.
I really enjoy these characters and think the relationships, both romance, friendships, and siblings, make this series so great.
However, I’m really struggling with enjoying the plot. While I’m definitely invested, the constant setbacks and terrible things that happen to the main characters is super draining and the good isn’t outweighing that for me. I don’t know if I’m too empathetic for this or what.
The main problem I have is that so many of these setbacks are just poorly done. When you’re reading 800 pages, you should feel like you understand why things are happening besides to simply torture the reader. Except, particularly in book 5, I felt that the plot twist and cliff hanger at the end was not well set up in the rest of the book and basically occurs out of nowhere.
I’m going to keep reading because I need to know that certain people get the horrible terrible deaths they deserve by the end of this series, but it’s just not a pleasant experience at this point.
I really enjoy these characters and think the relationships, both romance, friendships, and siblings, make this series so great.
However, I’m really struggling with enjoying the plot. While I’m definitely invested, the constant setbacks and terrible things that happen to the main characters is super draining and the good isn’t outweighing that for me. I don’t know if I’m too empathetic for this or what.
The main problem I have is that so many of these setbacks are just poorly done. When you’re reading 800 pages, you should feel like you understand why things are happening besides to simply torture the reader. Except, particularly in book 5, I felt that the plot twist and cliff hanger at the end was not well set up in the rest of the book and basically occurs out of nowhere.
I’m going to keep reading because I need to know that certain people get the horrible terrible deaths they deserve by the end of this series, but it’s just not a pleasant experience at this point.
Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Officially moving this to dnf.
I found this too be too cringy and full of too many pop culture references. Some were even incorrect lmao.
I found this too be too cringy and full of too many pop culture references. Some were even incorrect lmao.
The Awakening by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I totally get the hype here.
This was definitely cringy, but also fun. I’m not sure I really like any of the characters besides Darcy. I like Tory but she can grate on me because of her internal monologues and the hating on other women. You can be confident in yourself without putting others down. ANYWAY that’s small and subtle and maybe I’m being to picky?
The world building is kind of silly (Faebook?) and while I could see people not liking the zodiac magic system, I like it because I like astrology!
Im excited about the girls characters growing and their powers emerging. But I’m mostly hesitant about the romance because I don’t like any of the men in this story qnd I don’t see how that could change or how they could redeem themselves.
Mostly I’m hoping the girls get revenge and kick ass in the next book. Starting with Heirs and ending with literally everyone else.
This was definitely cringy, but also fun. I’m not sure I really like any of the characters besides Darcy. I like Tory but she can grate on me because of her internal monologues and the hating on other women. You can be confident in yourself without putting others down. ANYWAY that’s small and subtle and maybe I’m being to picky?
The world building is kind of silly (Faebook?) and while I could see people not liking the zodiac magic system, I like it because I like astrology!
Im excited about the girls characters growing and their powers emerging. But I’m mostly hesitant about the romance because I don’t like any of the men in this story qnd I don’t see how that could change or how they could redeem themselves.
Mostly I’m hoping the girls get revenge and kick ass in the next book. Starting with Heirs and ending with literally everyone else.
Destiny of Ashes by Tessa Hale
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I’m really on the fence about this one.
I’ve read 9 books by Tessa Hale this week. They are all pretty much the same. I did like this one better than her elemental series, but not as much as Twilight of Embers.
Leighton’s character wasn’t bad, but she was pretty much the same as the other FMC’s in Tessa’s books. I did really LOVE Trace’s character. He was my favorite out of the guys and I really wish we got more of him. I also really wish Colt and Leighton’s childhood friendship was given more background and spotlight. Their relationship didn’t really stick out to me and I wanted more from that connection.
Overall there wasn’t a lot new here after reading her other two trilogies. The incessant bullying and jealous Mean Girl themes were present. Honestly if these weren’t present I think I would have enjoyed this SO much more.
The other thing is that Leighton is 17 and this book is VERY spicy. I just found that pretty uncomfortable and skipped a lot of those scenes. I don’t think I missed much either because they were repetitive and kind of boring.
I think there is so much potential for this author to grow if she would break out of her formula a bit more.
I’ve read 9 books by Tessa Hale this week. They are all pretty much the same. I did like this one better than her elemental series, but not as much as Twilight of Embers.
Leighton’s character wasn’t bad, but she was pretty much the same as the other FMC’s in Tessa’s books. I did really LOVE Trace’s character. He was my favorite out of the guys and I really wish we got more of him. I also really wish Colt and Leighton’s childhood friendship was given more background and spotlight. Their relationship didn’t really stick out to me and I wanted more from that connection.
Overall there wasn’t a lot new here after reading her other two trilogies. The incessant bullying and jealous Mean Girl themes were present. Honestly if these weren’t present I think I would have enjoyed this SO much more.
The other thing is that Leighton is 17 and this book is VERY spicy. I just found that pretty uncomfortable and skipped a lot of those scenes. I don’t think I missed much either because they were repetitive and kind of boring.
I think there is so much potential for this author to grow if she would break out of her formula a bit more.
The Queen of Quintessence by Tessa Hale
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I read the Dragons of Ember Hollow trilogy first and honestly I had a blast. It was so fun and while a little repetitive, it got me out a reading slump. So naturally I thought, let me keep going with this author!
Unfortunately, this fell a little flat for me compared to Dragons of Ember.
To start, this is a single POV book. We only get the FMC’s perspective. Which is from my experience, uncommon in the RH genre. Since you have so many love interests to develop, it helps their character growth to get their perspectives too. Still I’m usually totally fine with the narrative preference of the author but considering the FMC is unconscious a lot, it kind of felt like we missed… A LOT.
And with this trilogy I also realized that the author has a formula. By that I mean, this was almost identical to Dragons of Ember except everyone has elemental magic instead of dragon magic. Still, I could have looked past it if even the minor details differed. Spoiler they honestly didn’t.
The FMC had no idea about her magic at the start of the story (as usual) or that she was basically the “chosen one” (again) and is totally bamboozled as to why all these hot men want her (me too girl). Again, the chosen one trope doesn’t particularly bother me, but the way the author did it almost exactly the same as in Embers just deflated me.
Of course, if you aren’t her fated mate, everyone wants to kill or steal the FMC. At least twice every book (in both trilogies) she’s on her death bed to the point that it had no impact on me at all anymore.
Then we have the “mean girls” thing. This was something I overlooked in Dragons of Ember. Basically when the FMC starts her new school she makes basically no female friends, but not only that there is the “mean girl” who hates her and wants to steal her men. Mean Girl gets to the point where her jealousy consumers to the point of obsession and wants kill the FMC because she’s just so “obsessed” and “pathetic”. This just feels so icky to me. Don’t get me wrong, girls can be cruel and you can have a female villain, but this is just so underdeveloped as a plot and even the character, specifically Drue in this book (and Delaney in Dragons of Ember). I overlooked it in Dragons because it was (kind of) part of the over arching plot, but this book showed me it’s a cliché stereotype the author uses as a plot crutch.
I will say I DID enjoy the men in this book. There was a SLIGHT difference between them and the MMCs in Dragons. With regards to spice? I was over it. Why did the FMC just want to jump them EVERY SINGLE TIME after something BRUTALLY TRAUMATIC happened? I get everyone responds to trauma differently, but girl come on? By the end I was bored and skipping these scenes.
Honestly, I still liked Dragons of Ember. I stand by it being fun. And if I hadn’t read both of these series back to back maybe I would have liked this trilogy mor and it wouldn’t bother me so much.
I would say, if you like RH and fantasy you could give this author a shot, but pick one series. Personally, I recommend Dragons of Ember over this one.
The Last Aether by Tessa Hale
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Okay still getting more repetitive…
The Lost Elemental by Tessa Hale
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Okay yeah I had fun. Similar to Dragons, but still fun…
Dawn of Flames by Tessa Hale
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Ahh this series was just so much FUN!
I was in a bit of a reading slump recently but I devoured this trilogy! A great RH romance, with action from all angles, and delicious dragon shifter MMC that worship their girl.
I will honestly say this series could have easily been 5-6 books. It was very fast paced and while it didn’t feel overly rushed, I do think there was enough plot and potential to flesh out the characters and works in a really interesting way. And I rarely say that!
It reminded me of The Bonds That Tie series but with dragons and honestly with a LOT less plot holes. I liked it better than that series!
This was a great conclusion to the trilogy and I’m definitely going to be keeping up with this author and checking out what other works she has!
I was in a bit of a reading slump recently but I devoured this trilogy! A great RH romance, with action from all angles, and delicious dragon shifter MMC that worship their girl.
I will honestly say this series could have easily been 5-6 books. It was very fast paced and while it didn’t feel overly rushed, I do think there was enough plot and potential to flesh out the characters and works in a really interesting way. And I rarely say that!
It reminded me of The Bonds That Tie series but with dragons and honestly with a LOT less plot holes. I liked it better than that series!
This was a great conclusion to the trilogy and I’m definitely going to be keeping up with this author and checking out what other works she has!
Midnight of Ashes by Tessa Hale
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This wasn’t quite as good as the first book, but I still had a great time and devoured it.
I loved all the guys. Càel and Knox are definitely my favorite, but I’m excited to see more happen with Easton and Maddox. I wish we got more of Cill.
Once again, that ending was SO GOOD. I’m kind of a sucker for damsel in distress moments sooo yeah. Lol!
I loved all the guys. Càel and Knox are definitely my favorite, but I’m excited to see more happen with Easton and Maddox. I wish we got more of Cill.
Once again, that ending was SO GOOD. I’m kind of a sucker for damsel in distress moments sooo yeah. Lol!