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kmherkes's review against another edition
4.0
Let’s take a detailed look at what kind of delights you’ll find on a visit to The Bazaar
A gentle but determined woman facing hard choices everywhere she turns. Devany Miller is thrown into a violent, initially-incomprehensible world, but unlike most unflappable, indestructible fantasy heroes, she does not take it all in stride. She struggles.
A family. It isn’t often that a woman involved in complex personal relationships takes center stage in contemporary fantasy. It should happen more often. Devany does not turn her back on her old life without a second glance. She is a mother, and a wife, and a professional. She fights for her loves and honors her obligations. She has principles, and she clings to them.
Emotional drama that neither overshadows nor undercuts the fantasy. Devany’s fight to juggle existing family and job responsibilities in the midst of a personal crisis is presented with brutal emotional honesty. The crisis happens to involve magic, but the agonizing decisions are moral ones, not magical. Devany’s universe gets bigger, and her problems get bigger, but even in the depths of the insanity and , she still worries about the things that matter to ordinary people. Realism in fantasy? Fantastic!
A refreshing lack of angst. There’s anguish, there are traumas, and the conflicts have depth and a solid grounding in emotion, but there’s no endless wishy-washy indecisiveness or inexplicable, inappropriate attractions. If anything, I thought some of the development seemed rushed, and some reactions a little too blasé.
Magic, mystery and mayhem aplenty. Explanations of all the fantasy systems and creatures carried enough detail to satisfy, without dwelling on description. Important facts were laced into dialogue rather than dumped in narrative, and the conversations never sounded like infomercials.
A supporting cast of characters whose purpose in the story extends well beyond being plot devices. Each one has a past, an agenda, and flaws that drive their decisions. Their actions arise from their personal needs and those actions drive the story. Even the villains—with one exception--act out of self-interest, not malicious caprice.
It was a fun read, and I’m looking forward to the next installment of Devany Miller’s adventures. All the ingredients are here for a great story, and it’s a good one. It didn’t move me to tell everyone I know to read it immediately, and I did feel the urge to shake a box of commas over the text more than once, but I give it a solid thumbs-up. I'd say 3.5, and that rounds to 4.
A gentle but determined woman facing hard choices everywhere she turns. Devany Miller is thrown into a violent, initially-incomprehensible world, but unlike most unflappable, indestructible fantasy heroes, she does not take it all in stride. She struggles.
A family. It isn’t often that a woman involved in complex personal relationships takes center stage in contemporary fantasy. It should happen more often. Devany does not turn her back on her old life without a second glance. She is a mother, and a wife, and a professional. She fights for her loves and honors her obligations. She has principles, and she clings to them.
Emotional drama that neither overshadows nor undercuts the fantasy. Devany’s fight to juggle existing family and job responsibilities in the midst of a personal crisis is presented with brutal emotional honesty. The crisis happens to involve magic, but the agonizing decisions are moral ones, not magical. Devany’s universe gets bigger, and her problems get bigger, but even in the depths of the insanity and , she still worries about the things that matter to ordinary people. Realism in fantasy? Fantastic!
A refreshing lack of angst. There’s anguish, there are traumas, and the conflicts have depth and a solid grounding in emotion, but there’s no endless wishy-washy indecisiveness or inexplicable, inappropriate attractions. If anything, I thought some of the development seemed rushed, and some reactions a little too blasé.
Magic, mystery and mayhem aplenty. Explanations of all the fantasy systems and creatures carried enough detail to satisfy, without dwelling on description. Important facts were laced into dialogue rather than dumped in narrative, and the conversations never sounded like infomercials.
A supporting cast of characters whose purpose in the story extends well beyond being plot devices. Each one has a past, an agenda, and flaws that drive their decisions. Their actions arise from their personal needs and those actions drive the story. Even the villains—with one exception--act out of self-interest, not malicious caprice.
It was a fun read, and I’m looking forward to the next installment of Devany Miller’s adventures. All the ingredients are here for a great story, and it’s a good one. It didn’t move me to tell everyone I know to read it immediately, and I did feel the urge to shake a box of commas over the text more than once, but I give it a solid thumbs-up. I'd say 3.5, and that rounds to 4.
jennasis's review against another edition
3.0
I almost DNF'ed it at 73% because of how Ty and the MC's relationship was handled. Every interaction between them was Devany fighting what ever Ty wanted, then they would threaten each other, and Devany would refuse to do what Ty wanted until he threatened her, her kids or her husband enough. then all of the sudden when Dev is in trouble Ty is sacrificing himself, letting himself be tortured in Dev's place. There were literally NO kind or gentle or lighthearted/fun interactions between them before this. So what made Ty so loyal and self sacrificing? Literally nothing. That pissed me off and I really wanted to stop reading all together, but I wanted to see it through seeing as I enjoyed the story ok thus far and I was so close to finishing the book.
I'll be giving book 2 another chance, hopefully the relationship building will feel more real in that one?
I'll be giving book 2 another chance, hopefully the relationship building will feel more real in that one?
silverdire's review against another edition
5.0
If I could give this book ten stars, I would. I don't even remember how the sample ended up on my Kindle but once I started reading, I was completely hooked and had to buy it. The plot description is already on Goodreads and Amazon so I won't rehash that. What I can add is that it's been a really long time since I've read such an original book with such a fully realized female protagonist. Every reaction to what was thrown at her felt believable to me. And, man, did she have to deal with a lot of s**t. I read this book in one sitting and can't wait to read the next one.
miroen's review
4.0
Let’s take a detailed look at what kind of delights you’ll find on a visit to The Bazaar
A gentle but determined woman facing hard choices everywhere she turns. Devany Miller is thrown into a violent, initially-incomprehensible world, but unlike most unflappable, indestructible fantasy heroes, she does not take it all in stride. She struggles.
A family. It isn’t often that a woman involved in complex personal relationships takes center stage in contemporary fantasy. It should happen more often. Devany does not turn her back on her old life without a second glance. She is a mother, and a wife, and a professional. She fights for her loves and honors her obligations. She has principles, and she clings to them.
Emotional drama that neither overshadows nor undercuts the fantasy. Devany’s fight to juggle existing family and job responsibilities in the midst of a personal crisis is presented with brutal emotional honesty. The crisis happens to involve magic, but the agonizing decisions are moral ones, not magical. Devany’s universe gets bigger, and her problems get bigger, but even in the depths of the insanity and , she still worries about the things that matter to ordinary people. Realism in fantasy? Fantastic!
A refreshing lack of angst. There’s anguish, there are traumas, and the conflicts have depth and a solid grounding in emotion, but there’s no endless wishy-washy indecisiveness or inexplicable, inappropriate attractions. If anything, I thought some of the development seemed rushed, and some reactions a little too blasé.
Magic, mystery and mayhem aplenty. Explanations of all the fantasy systems and creatures carried enough detail to satisfy, without dwelling on description. Important facts were laced into dialogue rather than dumped in narrative, and the conversations never sounded like infomercials.
A supporting cast of characters whose purpose in the story extends well beyond being plot devices. Each one has a past, an agenda, and flaws that drive their decisions. Their actions arise from their personal needs and those actions drive the story. Even the villains—with one exception--act out of self-interest, not malicious caprice.
It was a fun read, and I’m looking forward to the next installment of Devany Miller’s adventures. All the ingredients are here for a great story, and it’s a good one. It didn’t move me to tell everyone I know to read it immediately, and I did feel the urge to shake a box of commas over the text more than once, but I give it a solid thumbs-up. I'd say 3.5, and that rounds to 4.
A gentle but determined woman facing hard choices everywhere she turns. Devany Miller is thrown into a violent, initially-incomprehensible world, but unlike most unflappable, indestructible fantasy heroes, she does not take it all in stride. She struggles.
A family. It isn’t often that a woman involved in complex personal relationships takes center stage in contemporary fantasy. It should happen more often. Devany does not turn her back on her old life without a second glance. She is a mother, and a wife, and a professional. She fights for her loves and honors her obligations. She has principles, and she clings to them.
Emotional drama that neither overshadows nor undercuts the fantasy. Devany’s fight to juggle existing family and job responsibilities in the midst of a personal crisis is presented with brutal emotional honesty. The crisis happens to involve magic, but the agonizing decisions are moral ones, not magical. Devany’s universe gets bigger, and her problems get bigger, but even in the depths of the insanity and , she still worries about the things that matter to ordinary people. Realism in fantasy? Fantastic!
A refreshing lack of angst. There’s anguish, there are traumas, and the conflicts have depth and a solid grounding in emotion, but there’s no endless wishy-washy indecisiveness or inexplicable, inappropriate attractions. If anything, I thought some of the development seemed rushed, and some reactions a little too blasé.
Magic, mystery and mayhem aplenty. Explanations of all the fantasy systems and creatures carried enough detail to satisfy, without dwelling on description. Important facts were laced into dialogue rather than dumped in narrative, and the conversations never sounded like infomercials.
A supporting cast of characters whose purpose in the story extends well beyond being plot devices. Each one has a past, an agenda, and flaws that drive their decisions. Their actions arise from their personal needs and those actions drive the story. Even the villains—with one exception--act out of self-interest, not malicious caprice.
It was a fun read, and I’m looking forward to the next installment of Devany Miller’s adventures. All the ingredients are here for a great story, and it’s a good one. It didn’t move me to tell everyone I know to read it immediately, and I did feel the urge to shake a box of commas over the text more than once, but I give it a solid thumbs-up. I'd say 3.5, and that rounds to 4.
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