blewballoon's Reviews (763)

 Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
 
 I've never read any R. A. Salvatore, but I had head of them as a prolific fantasy writer and was interested in giving them a try. Unfortunately, I don't think this is for me. Since this was a new trilogy, it seemed like it would be an okay place to dive in, but I found myself quickly overwhelmed with the terminology. The start of the book is fairly exposition heavy, but I felt like I didn't have the context for the exposition to stick to, so I struggled to make sense of it. The writing style to me also feels a little more fable-like and removed rather than getting deeply into character's thoughts, and the dialog is similarly more folk-tale like rather than sounding like modern speech. I think this book would be better suited to someone who is more familiar with R. A. Salvatore's work and enjoys high fantasy with intricate names and world-building. I think the adventure is there and this would be a good time for the right kind of reader. 

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

I will start with the positives, of which there are many! The story is gripping, with fairly high stakes at every turn and a deft handling of worldbuilding as you go, so that you are never bogged down with too much exposition at any given time but always have the information you need to understand the significance of what's happening in a scene. The book never stagnates, either. Just when our main character Lore settles into one location, she finds she has to move onto the next. I never felt like we were in one situation for too little or too long. Lore herself is established in her introduction as someone who is hard working, quick thinking, and highly compassionate, and she carries these traits throughout the story. The other characters she knows and comes across are also compelling and intriguing, some more mysterious than others.

I absolutely loved the twist at the end! It's the perfect kind of twist where I knew something was up, but didn't expect THAT, and yet it does fit in with the rest of the story and make sense looking back.

Now for the negatives, of which there's really only one. I would be swept along with the prose of the book, really immersed in the story, and every now and then there would be a little speed bump where it felt like a character (usually Lore) said or did something that didn't fit the context/setting. Usually it was some phrasing that felt too modern or crass compared to the rest of the text. If I had to guess, I would say these were moments to establish Lore as "sassy" or "feisty" but I think the way it was done feels anachronistic. I do hope this book gets another round of editing to address some typos I found as well as these passages that feel a little out of place. 

Another note, this is meant to be YA, but I feel like some language and events might push the book more into adult territory.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for fans of romantasy, especially if they like fae romances and diverse representation. 

This was my first time reading an ARC, and now I can see the drawback because I am so eager for the next book in the series and the first book isn't even out yet! 

Really happy with this series so far. I will admit that the mystery/plot going on in this one wasn't my favorite.

I knew the uncle was probably going to come back, but I didn't care for him the first time around and I didn't care for him the second.

Overall, my biggest criticism of this entry is that too many elements feel like a bit of a re-hash rather than new content. I think the strongest element of the story was the interaction between

Veronica and her half-brother.

I learned a lot from the author's note at the end, it re-contextualized aspects of the book with historical facts I had forgotten.

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the first book in this series. When I started this one, I was pleasantly sucked in and found it hard to put down. The writing walks a careful tightrope of trying to imitate the style of Jane Austen's writing and settings, while also appealing to modern readers without triggering values dissonance due to how much our society has changed. There are times where the balance tips in one direction or the other, usually in favor of preserving the sensibilities of the setting rather than on anachronistic ideas. This didn't bother me much, but I can see how it might bother some. If you enjoyed the last book, you're in for another good time I think. I am eager to see where the relationship between Juliet and Jonathan goes from here!

As cozy as a murder mystery in a war rattled small town with a spy and country doctor can be. There are touches of Christmas here and there, so this made for a decently festive read, sort of like a BBC Christmas special. I enjoyed getting to meet the quirky residents of this little town and see how their secrets tangled into the murder case. I loved the romance between Leo and James. It had to be rushed a little due to the length of the story, but I think it still worked and felt natural. 

This book is not gripping me at all. I feel like I'm forcing myself through it, and I have too many books on my TBR to wade through a slow one like this. If I was invested in the characters I wouldn't mind the slow plot as much, but they feel too flat to me. I don't care about them or anything that's happening. I had high hopes for this one, maybe I'll try again another time.

I highly recommend the audiobook of this, if you like audiobooks. All of the narrators were excellent, and having a variety of narrators does help a lot with an epistolary novel to help you keep track of who wrote the letter you're reading. If you enjoyed this, I would also recommend the audiobook of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which is another story told via an exchange of letters, but just after WWII. I did cry while listening to this and wrapping Christmas gifts

after the death of Will, when his letter to Evie is read

, so be aware this is a more somber Christmas read. Many of the tragedies and horrors of WWI are touched on. If you watched Downton Abbey season 2 (or similar media about that period) you will already be aware of some of them. Despite the surrounding darkness, the characters try so hard to keep seeking beauty and connection in their lives. The romance is slowly unfolded across many letters, but the friendships are always clear and strong. 

my roommate bought this, so it's on my shelf, but I'm not gonna read it most likely.

My roommate bought this and I have no intention of reading it.

Damn. If you want a holiday friends-to-lovers romance, this will be hard to beat. I loved all of the characters, I loved all of the festive descriptions of the tree farm and Stella's cozy cottage. The friendships and found family felt real. The romance had the right balance of physical and emotional chemistry and intimacy. I loved the little town we got to feel the presence of throughout the story. I listened to this on audiobook, and the spicy scenes had me so pleasantly flustered I would just stare into space for a bit. My only critique is that

at the end there's a bit of a hiccup in the romance that feels a little forced to make some drama, but it's resolved quickly. I can see how the author may have wanted a moment that would bring some tension, since the rest of the relationship was so smooth.