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discoverelysian's reviews
386 reviews
Court by Tracy Wolff
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
4.0
EPIC.
loved the Impossible Trial. loved the way the argue and fight and make up because that’s what friends do. loved Eden’s attitude in dealing with Grace. loved the stunt the gargoyles put at the end.
loved the Impossible Trial. loved the way the argue and fight and make up because that’s what friends do. loved Eden’s attitude in dealing with Grace. loved the stunt the gargoyles put at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny
Covet by Tracy Wolff
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
3.5
the prison sequence bored me at the end but overall it was as exciting as the previous books
Crush by Tracy Wolff
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
i don’t know what to say other than finished reading Crush feels like i just rode a rollercoaster, tossed and flipped in the air, lost most of my sanity and my breath, but i survived all the craziness. i concluded that it was a spectacular ride.
i won’t write this too long because i just want to lost myself in the next book. but i just want to mention that i loved every second i read every word on every chapter of Crush. the dangerous but fun Ludares tournament, Hudson’s snipy comments, the characters’ banters, their teamwork and dynamic, the end of The Trial (because The Trial itself pissed me off), THE PLOT TWIST, and so many more!
i’m amazed by Grace as she was embracing her gargoyle, showing people of her amazing ability, and i loved her persistence to go through any challenges that were coming after her. as for Hudson, he’s my new obsession. sassy and powerful but also hilarious and a great emotional support. i also loved Eden and Xavier, and even Nuri—Flint’s mom and a part of the Circle—though I didn’t know where she stand.
and what i’m crazy is that my gut was right and Grace x Hudson = mates. sure, Jaxon was nice and i applauded him for the dance amongst the aurora borealis but i wasn’t 100% invested in Grace x Jaxon. then Hudson showed up, and throughout his interaction with Grace it just clicked to me that he was the one. and it’s true so i can’t wait devouring the next book!
my heart was broken when they met the Unkillable Beast and he tapped his chest for the heartstone. he must be freed or i’ll throw a fit and my kindle. but my soul sang when Grace passed The Trial and was showing everyone that she did it all by herself (and some of Hudson’s power, love him) then mocked the Vampire King in public.
overall, Crush surprised me with lots of tense life-or-death-by-a-supernatural moments, hilarious and witty banters, adventurous hours exploring supernatural places with a supernatural gang, and the characters that i want to protect from all the harm and hurt. okay, that’s all, i’m signing off because Covet is waiting for me.
i won’t write this too long because i just want to lost myself in the next book. but i just want to mention that i loved every second i read every word on every chapter of Crush. the dangerous but fun Ludares tournament, Hudson’s snipy comments, the characters’ banters, their teamwork and dynamic, the end of The Trial (because The Trial itself pissed me off), THE PLOT TWIST, and so many more!
i’m amazed by Grace as she was embracing her gargoyle, showing people of her amazing ability, and i loved her persistence to go through any challenges that were coming after her. as for Hudson, he’s my new obsession. sassy and powerful but also hilarious and a great emotional support. i also loved Eden and Xavier, and even Nuri—Flint’s mom and a part of the Circle—though I didn’t know where she stand.
my heart was broken when they met the Unkillable Beast and he tapped his chest for the heartstone. he must be freed or i’ll throw a fit and my kindle. but my soul sang when Grace passed The Trial and was showing everyone that she did it all by herself (and some of Hudson’s power, love him) then mocked the Vampire King in public.
overall, Crush surprised me with lots of tense life-or-death-by-a-supernatural moments, hilarious and witty banters, adventurous hours exploring supernatural places with a supernatural gang, and the characters that i want to protect from all the harm and hurt. okay, that’s all, i’m signing off because Covet is waiting for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Violence
Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
Crave by Tracy Wolff
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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? No
3.5
i thought i past the age of reading YA fantasy/supernatural—which fortunately i’m not—but i know i’ll never get tired of reading about supernatural beings. so here i am.
i needed some time to get used to Crave, partly because it has been a while since i’m surrounding myself with YA books/dramas and partly because the first few chapters were predictable and screamed Twilight. but then it sprinkled some humor that were right up my alley and some of the chapter’s title were interesting, so i decided to read on.
imo it got better as the story goes. the way Wolff’s dropped the puzzle pieces slowly and let me piece them back one at the time were what got me hooked. “i knew there’s something going on but i didn’t know what it is exactly but i’m going to find out” was what i felt while gobbling this book in one day.
also, the dynamic (read: tension) of the characters was intriguing! every time an accident happened that could cause an all out war between cliques—as Grace first called it—i never let my eyes wandered off of my kindle because who doesn’t love some drama or fights that will include fangs, fire, howls, and magic?
as for the characters, i like Grace just fine but the one who grew on me the most is Jaxon. i thought he was the regular cold, unfeeling, mean, and stuck up vamp but turned out his past is worth to he explore and his take on the events happened were interesting for me. i hope to see more of the Order, Macy, and Flint on the second book!
my favorite moments has got to be when Jaxon gave a Twilight book to Grace, dancing between the lights of aurora borealis, and every time Grace and Macy hung out with the Order.
read Crave if you’re craving for a fast-paced YA—which the FMC goes into an elite supernatural boarding school in the middle of a freezing Alaska—that is filled with tensions that could blow up in nasty brawls, some funny and heartwarming moments, gothic boarding school, mentions of delicious food, and more. it may seems a lot like every other supernatural book you’ve come across but the last few chapters will have you thinking otherwise.
i needed some time to get used to Crave, partly because it has been a while since i’m surrounding myself with YA books/dramas and partly because the first few chapters were predictable and screamed Twilight. but then it sprinkled some humor that were right up my alley and some of the chapter’s title were interesting, so i decided to read on.
imo it got better as the story goes. the way Wolff’s dropped the puzzle pieces slowly and let me piece them back one at the time were what got me hooked. “i knew there’s something going on but i didn’t know what it is exactly but i’m going to find out” was what i felt while gobbling this book in one day.
also, the dynamic (read: tension) of the characters was intriguing! every time an accident happened that could cause an all out war between cliques—as Grace first called it—i never let my eyes wandered off of my kindle because who doesn’t love some drama or fights that will include fangs, fire, howls, and magic?
as for the characters, i like Grace just fine but the one who grew on me the most is Jaxon. i thought he was the regular cold, unfeeling, mean, and stuck up vamp but turned out his past is worth to he explore and his take on the events happened were interesting for me. i hope to see more of the Order, Macy, and Flint on the second book!
read Crave if you’re craving for a fast-paced YA—which the FMC goes into an elite supernatural boarding school in the middle of a freezing Alaska—that is filled with tensions that could blow up in nasty brawls, some funny and heartwarming moments, gothic boarding school, mentions of delicious food, and more. it may seems a lot like every other supernatural book you’ve come across but the last few chapters will have you thinking otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Blood
The Vampire Oath by Ali Winters
adventurous
fast-paced
3.0
Cassius is growing on me. Loved him in every scene!
The Vampire Court by Ali Winters
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Vampire Debt by Ali Winters
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Stray Prince by Ella Fields
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
i remembered enjoying the first book—A King So Cold—so that's why I picked up this book. Either because I get older or my taste changed, i found The Stray Prince to be tiresome.
the pace itself isn't bad. there were no parts that were dragged or rushed. things escalated quickly from the beginning. but I think the pace is a no for me since it's combined with the plot. i felt like being strapped down on a never-ending rollercoaster ride. problem A solved, came problem B. the characters solved B, problem C already came knocking at their door. the cost of this is that each problem was resolved too clumsily for my liking.
what's more unbearable for me was the characters. i didn't find any major character development in any of them. Audra, our FMC, kept being her proud, i'm-very-cruel self. while Zad was still territorial and a fool for love. all the drama could be avoided if only these two would just lower their ego, sit down, and communicate. at some point, even Kash has had enough of them. the only character I'm intrigued by is Ryle. yes, he's a villain but his moves kept me interested enough to keep reading.
also, what was "the war" at the end? i don't understand why is it there at all. well, it had a hand in fixing Audra and Zad's relationship, as well as Este and Kole's but it was so unnecessary. another thing, why must everything have to be about sex in this world? the land is dying because the ruler needs to have an orgie?? the fae ruler will have a headache because they absorb too much power from the land, thus they need to climax—or in their word, release themselves?? *scream into the void*
all in all, The Stray Prince clearly wasn't written for me. don't get me wrong, i enjoy fantasy stories that have a dark nuance to them with characters that aren't saints or heroes. alas, this book was a miss. i give the 0.5 star for the epilogue because it was sweet and a much-needed cure after the previous 25 chapters.
but i think this book might be for you if you like:
the pace itself isn't bad. there were no parts that were dragged or rushed. things escalated quickly from the beginning. but I think the pace is a no for me since it's combined with the plot. i felt like being strapped down on a never-ending rollercoaster ride. problem A solved, came problem B. the characters solved B, problem C already came knocking at their door. the cost of this is that each problem was resolved too clumsily for my liking.
what's more unbearable for me was the characters. i didn't find any major character development in any of them. Audra, our FMC, kept being her proud, i'm-very-cruel self. while Zad was still territorial and a fool for love. all the drama could be avoided if only these two would just lower their ego, sit down, and communicate. at some point, even Kash has had enough of them. the only character I'm intrigued by is Ryle. yes, he's a villain but his moves kept me interested enough to keep reading.
all in all, The Stray Prince clearly wasn't written for me. don't get me wrong, i enjoy fantasy stories that have a dark nuance to them with characters that aren't saints or heroes. alas, this book was a miss. i give the 0.5 star for the epilogue because it was sweet and a much-needed cure after the previous 25 chapters.
but i think this book might be for you if you like:
- NA fantasy
- fae court and magic
- the concept of mate: no one should touch or even look at my mate or i shall end them
- cunning and prideful FMC
- territorial royal male as the love interest
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
To Poison a King by S.G. Prince
i discovered To Poison a King by accident. i was searching for a next read, and suddenly this book came out of nowhere, caught my attention, and willed me to read it. the premise of a failed assassination attempt, a blooming romance between the king and his murderess, as well as the author’s warning that this is a character-driven story, won me over completely.
this book is indeed character-driven, and as such, it’s slow-paced. up until chapter 14, nothing was thrilling. the previous chapters only laid the foundation of the characters and their relationship. i did not mind a bit and engulfed each moment with rapt interest. i witnessed Selene grow and own up to her power with confidence. i saw Elias stumbled and crawled out of his shell to become the king he’s meant to be and proud of.
it was such a wonder to follow their journey every step of the way. not just to their character development but also to their grown feelings towards each other. it baffled me initially to know the 9 years gap between them because it started when Selene was only 14. but watching them, that feeling melted slowly. their interactions in the king’s library, the discussions and banters, warmed my heart and made me wish the best for them.
i love how the side characters were written. they are fleshed out with strong characterization that made it hard to forget about them. i just wished for a different ending for Persaphe, a more severe one. i could see where she was coming from. her life had not been easy, and her scars forever haunted her. call me ruthless, but i still think after what her greed had done, she did not deserve such a quick end.
as for the plot, i could guess what the ending would be from the beginning. the way this book was written, Selene’s narration always left clues and glimpses of the future. but my eyes were still glued to each chapter, and i was desperate to know how things led up to that ending. if you are looking for the adventurous side of a fantasy tale, this book does not have many. even if there were some, they were not focusing on world-building, instead they focused on the characters.
all in all, To Poison a King was a story that enthralled me with its character development. it is a fairytale that does not shy away from the gruesome parts, yet it lays them down and lets the characters embrace them—their pasts, weaknesses, and scars—with grace. that being said, through Selene’s development, this book has a hopeful note to it that left me reflecting deep into my own heart and managed to steal a few tears from me. cannot wait for the next installment in the series!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
it’s 4 am, and i just finished this book. the fatigue came as soon as i closed my ipad, but i want to write the review asap. so, please, don’t be too harsh on me if you see any nonsense sentences.
i would recommend this book to those who love:
i would recommend this book to those who love:
- a character-driven fantasy
- slow burn romance
- healing craft from the plants. magic or talent or both, you decide
- characters that you want to hug and protect with all your heart
- trust bonded over books and discussions over stories
i discovered To Poison a King by accident. i was searching for a next read, and suddenly this book came out of nowhere, caught my attention, and willed me to read it. the premise of a failed assassination attempt, a blooming romance between the king and his murderess, as well as the author’s warning that this is a character-driven story, won me over completely.
this book is indeed character-driven, and as such, it’s slow-paced. up until chapter 14, nothing was thrilling. the previous chapters only laid the foundation of the characters and their relationship. i did not mind a bit and engulfed each moment with rapt interest. i witnessed Selene grow and own up to her power with confidence. i saw Elias stumbled and crawled out of his shell to become the king he’s meant to be and proud of.
it was such a wonder to follow their journey every step of the way. not just to their character development but also to their grown feelings towards each other. it baffled me initially to know the 9 years gap between them because it started when Selene was only 14. but watching them, that feeling melted slowly. their interactions in the king’s library, the discussions and banters, warmed my heart and made me wish the best for them.
i love how the side characters were written. they are fleshed out with strong characterization that made it hard to forget about them. i just wished for a different ending for Persaphe, a more severe one. i could see where she was coming from. her life had not been easy, and her scars forever haunted her. call me ruthless, but i still think after what her greed had done, she did not deserve such a quick end.
as for the plot, i could guess what the ending would be from the beginning. the way this book was written, Selene’s narration always left clues and glimpses of the future. but my eyes were still glued to each chapter, and i was desperate to know how things led up to that ending. if you are looking for the adventurous side of a fantasy tale, this book does not have many. even if there were some, they were not focusing on world-building, instead they focused on the characters.
all in all, To Poison a King was a story that enthralled me with its character development. it is a fairytale that does not shy away from the gruesome parts, yet it lays them down and lets the characters embrace them—their pasts, weaknesses, and scars—with grace. that being said, through Selene’s development, this book has a hopeful note to it that left me reflecting deep into my own heart and managed to steal a few tears from me. cannot wait for the next installment in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Murder