thaisasaurusrekt's Reviews (115)

An eye opening insight on not just the many ways to experience  being ace but also on how much sexuality plays a role in our society today. Ive learned a lot more about myself and i think its an inspiration to anyone wanting to know more about what ace means, but also how it impacts the people that are and how society views them.

Awesome to see King Meric's story come to an end, devastating to see Alistair deal with the fallout

A very sweet and cozy romantasy adventure about Sol, a trans mage trying to find acceptance for his true self and healing from abuse in his past and Yohan, a cursed knight yearning for freedom from servitude to both his king and a darkness. 

It’s purely character driven which usually isn’t something I enjoy much, but the way this romance was just the most tender and loving thing. It was really organic and sweet though, and seeing the two men get to know eachother and grow to want more, they also support eachother. It’s a happy ending for both, despite the magical realism they both grow towards self acceptance and they lovingly start their new life together. I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for a couple more (that wasn’t fandom based that is). 

The only thing that might have made the book better was a bit more of a fleshed out world, but seeing as it’s just a backdrop to Yohan and Sols character growth, it didn’t bother me too much. Definitely a new comfort read of mine. 

Fae, elves, and humans at war at behest of the gods for eons, a unique drum magic system, hidden worlds, African and Arab mythology and influences and queer love, this book really should have been an automatic banger for me. And yet it came short on all of these fronts somehow.

I don’t know if the world wasn’t fleshed out enough, the characters weren’t likable enough or maybe it was the fact that the sisters who should be well into adulthood often acted like teenagers, but the story just wasn’t doing it for me. Whatever plot twists were written I had figured out well before they played out, and everything just felt very cookie cutter and predictable to me story wise. I wish the descriptions made up for everything, because the world created sounded very beautiful, but the scope of the world and the characters minds was somehow still so small that it just wasn’t the read for me.

I wish this book had more of everything. The themes of dark academia, magical creaturesc oppression and xenophobia and politics intrigue between childhood friends representing different nations was a banger in theory, but the execution had me wanting.

I did enjoy the rivals to lovers sapphic romance, but even there I wish the angst was more and the action was more, though the angry pining was done quite well. 

Whatever plot there was really wasn’t enough to be much of a story for me idk, this book completely relied on vibes (which it did do well I suppose).

Amazing book, going in I was expecting mythical sea creatures in a city living together with humans but instead  I got a political powder keg of a city mirroring our real world  qualms of oppression that comes with immigration, prejudice and racism and the hard road from distrust to tolerance to integration, and that laws are setup to benefit those in power and often cause injustice on the powerless and innocent lower down on the rungs.

The difference in castes of the fathomfolk that look more human to those that take a more animal shape exposes the inner prejuces amongst aone homogenous group which adds a whole other layer of complexity in the mix. And the question of being mixed and being forced to choose a side or constantly live in between being judged by both is one I too have struggled with, so it was familliar to see that play out in a more intensive setting. All in all a read that will have me thinking about it for quite a while more, the story was very pulling and I’m looking forward to the continuation of it.