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ryan_isreading's Reviews (195)
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Thorns is an intriguing, haunting story that kept me coming back. There were absolutely brutal scenes that were important to the story, but I had to step away and take breaks.
I had some moments of feeling like the writing style was taking me out of the story, particularly the use of “you” when the main character was thinking about or interacting with her childhood friend. But this is just personal preference!
I had some moments of feeling like the writing style was taking me out of the story, particularly the use of “you” when the main character was thinking about or interacting with her childhood friend. But this is just personal preference!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
REVIEW
I received this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for my honest review.
So I am so pleased to report that I LOVED this story. I love a book with games and/or trials and this tournament, The Crucible, is so interesting and well done. I live for the slow burn, banter, and vulnerability.
Book one is out March 11, 2025 and I am already impatiently awaiting book two. I have theories about this one so please yap with me about it when you finish!
ABOUT
The land has (literally) shattered, causing tension and an imbalance of resources. Kingdoms must put forth champions to The Crucible, a tournament in which the prize is a Crown with unimaginable power. Power that each Kingdom believes they need most.
We have mysterious celestial beings, deadly trials, and some really great characters in this first book in a series. This burn is so slow you’ll have to wait for book two for a full pepper, but the foundation is delicious.
In this one SHE is the long living fae shadow MOMMY and HE is the helpless human knight. I absolutely adore our badass FMC and every single side character!
I received this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for my honest review.
So I am so pleased to report that I LOVED this story. I love a book with games and/or trials and this tournament, The Crucible, is so interesting and well done. I live for the slow burn, banter, and vulnerability.
Book one is out March 11, 2025 and I am already impatiently awaiting book two. I have theories about this one so please yap with me about it when you finish!
ABOUT
The land has (literally) shattered, causing tension and an imbalance of resources. Kingdoms must put forth champions to The Crucible, a tournament in which the prize is a Crown with unimaginable power. Power that each Kingdom believes they need most.
We have mysterious celestial beings, deadly trials, and some really great characters in this first book in a series. This burn is so slow you’ll have to wait for book two for a full pepper, but the foundation is delicious.
In this one SHE is the long living fae shadow MOMMY and HE is the helpless human knight. I absolutely adore our badass FMC and every single side character!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I got annoyed with some of the colloquial/modern language used. I am putting a lot of faith in the hope that things that feel like loose ends now get tied up later. I can’t deny that this book is still on my mind many days later and I love yapping about theories. And for all that mind space rent free, it gets 5 stars. Becky is 3/3 on the empyrean series for me.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
ABOUT
Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a continuation from book one, The House in the Cerulean Sea, but we also get a bit of background on Arthur.
We get more of our favorite characters we already know and love, and new characters, too. Some cute, some horrid.
This story is about resistance, holding governmental entities accountable, found family, and going to great lengths to fight the good fight. I laughed; I cried, and I fumed.
It is a good time to read this.
REVIEW
I cried no less than six times during this book.
If you read and loved the first, but then don’t love the second book, I am questioning you with a long side eye glance.
This sequel takes us even deeper into the world of Marsyas as well as the moral pitfall that governments can be.
The transformation of the characters and the people of the village is such a worthy story.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a continuation from book one, The House in the Cerulean Sea, but we also get a bit of background on Arthur.
We get more of our favorite characters we already know and love, and new characters, too. Some cute, some horrid.
This story is about resistance, holding governmental entities accountable, found family, and going to great lengths to fight the good fight. I laughed; I cried, and I fumed.
It is a good time to read this.
REVIEW
I cried no less than six times during this book.
If you read and loved the first, but then don’t love the second book, I am questioning you with a long side eye glance.
This sequel takes us even deeper into the world of Marsyas as well as the moral pitfall that governments can be.
The transformation of the characters and the people of the village is such a worthy story.