sassyowlreads's Reviews (910)

 Jane Eyre meets Gone Girl!

This book hooked from the first. I don't read a lot of suspense/thriller/mystery books anymore but I read this in a day. Jane's character really appealed to me and I really liked Bea's sporadic chapters, discovering the parallels between the two women. Interestingly, not a single character in the book is likable which is not something that would appeal to me usually but I ate it up. I expected Jane's past to be the main twist in the book but I definitely missed the mark there.

You don't have to know anything about Jane Eyre to appreciate this story. The nods to Jane Eyre tickled my fancy but aren't integral to the story.

The narrators were perfect!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for the audio ARC! 

 What an intense read! I knew immediately that I was going to love this book when I heard Mozhan Marno's voice. She is the perfect narrator for Sitara and I will definitely be researching to see if she narrates any other books.

The writing is absolutely poetic! If I'd been reading an e-copy, it would have been full of highlighted sentences that caught my attention. Sitara/Aryana is wonderfully complex and haunted by the trauma of her past and it fills the story with sorrow and heartache. I enjoyed the structure of the story and was glad the past and present weren't unfolding simultaneously. This book is so well-written that it's easy to believe Sitara/Aryana, Antonia and Tilly are real people.

This is the perfect book for fans of The Kite Runner and historical cultural fiction! I've never read any of Nadia Hashimi's other books but that will be changing post-haste.

"Afghanistan’s secret weapon has always been her women."

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the audio ARC! 

 

I was a little skeptical of how I was going to like the book when Gemma says she hates snow but I knew I was going to love it when the Tomato Sauce scene happened. I laughed to myself and rolled my eyes just as I imagined Gemma did.

The world-building was quite good and I liked every character in their own little way but the banter is what won me over. Despite being a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I definitely second the Bridgerton vibes. Elliott is is the brooding royal we readers can never resist and Gemma is the independent bookworm we all see ourselves as. I also really appreciated the female empowerment Gemma embodies and that she is strong enough to carry her own giant stack of books.

Overall, it's a fast paced Beauty and the Beast retelling with some slow burn romance and I will definitely be reading more from Tessonja! Also, this cover is gorgeous!

Thanks so much to the author for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! 

This book was GREAT! The characters are well rounded and flawed and the plot is intriguing but what really sets it apart for me was the world-building and magic system. There aren't flashy spells or anything and I love how the characters use threadweaving when they're fighting. It's seamlessly integrated into the world with the added intrigue of people being able to get addicted to it. AND the cover is awesome!

Also, I would totally want to live in the Fairenwild.

I'm definitely starting the sequel, Stones of Light ASAP!

 "I’d much rather read about handsome young men than talk to them myself.”

This is the enemies to lovers with Fae I wanted Cruel Prince to be! I was completely enthralled with this book and couldn't put it down.

There's always something interesting about a plot that involves a competition for choosing a spouse from a group of strangers. I can't resist a good tricky Fae wording plot element either.

I will definitely be reading more from this author! 

I love, love, LOVE this book! The Mythology is divine, the characters are intriguing, the plot kept me on my toes, and the writing was delightful. This story is a myth retold from a woman's point of view and therefore perfect for fans of Circe and The Silence of the Girls.

This is the first book I've read by Emily R. King but it definitely isn't going to be my last! I'm so excited there's going to be a sequel!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!