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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Rose in Chains starts with a big character dump, and I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to the cast-who-must-not-be-named. After that, the pace is very slow with about a prologue’s worth of plot actually happening from start to finish. It felt somewhat disjointed and random - from the names, to the magic system, to the politics - which I imagine was caused by the quick shift from fanfic to trad publishing. It was a FOMO read. It was fine. Felt pretty icky. I doubt I’ll finish the series.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Rape
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it was such a thrill to get an early copy. In the end, I had mixed feelings about this book.
The dark, complicated romance of this definitely appealed to me. I loved the plot concept and the idea of the Heartsprings as magical wells. Soto has a knack for writing romantic tension, and I enjoyed the complex nature of Briony and Toven's history up against their present challenges.
I did find the world building overall lacking, the naming choices awkward and inconsistent, and the characters lacking depth. Knowing this is going to be a trilogy, I was looking for some richness to really sink my teeth into. Instead, it feels a bit superficial. The male love interest, Toven, lacks any real depth or personality at this point, which made it challenging to be truly invested in the developing relationship.
In the end, this was a very average read for me. I'm curious about what happens next in Briony's story and I think there's potential for interest, but the world of Evermore (and Moreland--yikes.) felt underdeveloped. I'm eager to read the next in the series and hopeful that as the world grows that it will become something more unique and engaging.
The dark, complicated romance of this definitely appealed to me. I loved the plot concept and the idea of the Heartsprings as magical wells. Soto has a knack for writing romantic tension, and I enjoyed the complex nature of Briony and Toven's history up against their present challenges.
I did find the world building overall lacking, the naming choices awkward and inconsistent, and the characters lacking depth. Knowing this is going to be a trilogy, I was looking for some richness to really sink my teeth into. Instead, it feels a bit superficial. The male love interest, Toven, lacks any real depth or personality at this point, which made it challenging to be truly invested in the developing relationship.
In the end, this was a very average read for me. I'm curious about what happens next in Briony's story and I think there's potential for interest, but the world of Evermore (and Moreland--yikes.) felt underdeveloped. I'm eager to read the next in the series and hopeful that as the world grows that it will become something more unique and engaging.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Possible triggers: Abusive Relationship, Assault, Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape, Bullying, Death, Decapitation, Depression, Drug Use, Emotional Abuse, Gore, Grief, Hostages, Misogyny, Murder, Physical Abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War
Overall star rating (out of 5⭐️): 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level (out of 5🌶️): 2 🌶️🌶️ (explicit scenes with lots of hints)
Content review: this was so good! It was easy to follow the story and I enjoyed the two timelines/ jump back in time. The two main characters have such good chemistry! And I enjoyed the ‘hiding secrets/not openly communicating’ (usually pisses me off because there is no solid reason for it) but here it makes sense with the mind reading! Well done! Just a so entertaining!
Narrator review: the narrator did a splendid job. No complaints! 4 out of 5 stars
Tags: dark vibes, dragons, fantasy, forced proximity, good banter, great storyline, magic, morally grey mmc, multiple timelines, parallel world/universe/portals, political intrigue, prophecy, romantasy, slow burn
Tropes: enemy to lovers, he falls first and harder
❤️ Love interest: Toven x Briony
adventurous
dark
tense
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes