#kingdoms of shadow and ash

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update Catch-Up (04/29/24-05/20/24)

The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic (8/10)

As I've made very clear, I have a complicated relationship with the All for the Game series. Part of that has to do with the fact that the original trilogy, while incredibly entertaining and with some super interesting characters, is not very well-written. However, reading The Sunshine Court, I can see how much Sakavic's writing has improved. While this book is on the slower side, the pacing is much better, there's less awkward wording, and the way she addresses trauma and mental health is astronomically better. There's a great build-up with Jean's character, Sakavic has maintained her strongest suit (groups of characters that are close friends with good chemistry), and it's great to see some diversity in her LGBTQ+ rep (this book introduces our first sapphic relationship and trans character). Like I said, it's on the slower side, and I wish we'd gotten a bit more about Jeremy--I kept forgetting he has a past since it was only hinted at a couple of times. This was a great continuation to the series that improved a ton without losing its unique charm.

More reviews under the cut

The Sacrifice by Emily Shore (18+, 4/10)

This started off fun, the sort of thing I enjoy in a fantasy romance, but it quickly devolved. A lot of books pitched as 'smutty' are usually highly exaggerated with a couple of scenes, but not this one. In fact, I don't think there's a single stint of twenty pages that doesn't have a sex scene. It got to the point of ridiculousness, especially since this book was still trying to execute a semblance of a plot. Surely this can wait until after the looming threat is dealt with? Also, a lot of this smut involves things I'm not personally into, so I ended up skimming a lot of the scenes (~70% of the book). There was some interesting stuff going on with the main character and her shadow, but very little of it is explored in favor of making the characters bang...again.

The 100 by Kass Morgan (8/10)

This is a reread, and to be completely honest, I don't actually think this book is a full four stars in terms of quality. However, I have so much fun reading this book, and I am so insanely attached to Clarke and Bellamy that it boosts the rating a bit. This is a pretty typical YA dystopia, and it really scratches that itch for stories of teenage survival. It is very different from the show, so don't go into this expecting that. The main cast is different, those who are the same have slightly altered personalities, and only the most basic premise is shared in terms of plot. I always enjoy this read, but I must admit that way too much time is spent in flashbacks when things like power dynamics, side characters, and general detail shmould be getting way more attention.

Alpha Inmate by Liliana Carlisle (18+, 6/10)

This was a very quick read in my Unhinged Romance Marathon, and it honestly wasn't that bad. There's a lot of consensual non-consent vibes, but that's mostly in the dirty talk. While the main character, Ellie, is constantly talking about how she shouldn't be doing this, how bad it is, it's made very clear that she does want this. It's built to be a darker story with a serial killer love interest, a physical power imbalance, and Alpha Influence, this thing where alphas can just make their mate do...whatever they want. But when it actually comes down to it, the male lead is very insistent that he needs the main character's consent before doing anything. The Influence thing is used to make her open up about her trauma and nothing else. I feel like this reflects a lot of the psychology around sexual assault fantasies with women feeling they must be pure but still craving sex so they construct a fantasy where they are 'forced' to do something. It's really not that dark. The couple is very insta-love, or just insta-attraction, but this book is only 174 pages long. Overall, a vaguely entertaining read and pretty much just smut.

Brutal Prince by Sophie Lark (18+, 8/10)

This was actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be! A lot of contemporary romances are pitched as enemies to lovers when they would be better suited to the rivals or just annoyance label, but these were true enemies. After all, they attempt to kill each other on their wedding night. The banter was a lot of fun, and I really liked how Aida and Callum played off each other. There are three major things stopping this from being a 9 or 10 for me. First, it kind of loses momentum two-thirds of the way through, moving through the "to lovers" part a little too quickly for me. Second, despite the title being Brutal Prince, Callum honestly isn't that brutal. If anything, Aida is far more prone to violence. Third, this book comes with illustrations and they are god awful. I'm sorry to the illustrator, but the art was so weird, like caricatures of what "sexy" people should be, and I had to ignore it to get through the book. Still, this book honestly made me laugh at some points, and there's sizzling chemistry, so it stays up there for me.

Empire of Storms/Tower of Dawn Tandem Read by Sarah J. Maas (8/10, 6/10)

This took a lot of work to get through, partially because of the sheer length (~1300 pages) and partially because of the Tower of Dawn parts. Starting with EoS, it had a lot more action than I typically see from SJM novels. I also really enjoyed a lot of the romance, mainly between Aelin and Rowan, who are probably the characters I care the most about. I liked how much plot development there was, and it finally felt like there were actual consequences toward the end. However, there were a few plot threads that felt like padding instead of necessary information, often ending in last-minute deus ex machinas. Also, SJM has chronic pair-everyone-up-itis, regardless of whether that romance has any merit or chemistry (looking at you, Aedion and Lysandra).

In comparison to EoS, ToD is astonishingly boring. Half the book is Chaol walking around, moping about his oh-so-terrible conditions (which I have no sympathy for considering I was seeing this right after reading about Aelin and the others fighting for their lives). Most of the time I forgot about the main mystery at hand, because very little happened with it overall, and I was practically skimming toward the end. This book still gets a decent score on three accounts. One, I like Yrene. Two, I'm so glad Nesryn gets to be with her hot prince and not boring Chaol. Three, there is a reveal in this book that actually shocked me, so points for that.

The Sea Witch by Rebecca F. Kenney (4/10)

This one is just way too drawn out and contrived. While not exactly instalove, there is instant attraction, and everything past around the midpoint feels like desperate attempts to prolong the plot and keep the main characters from getting together. For example, the Sea Witch's motivations for leaving Averil a human forever are so stupid. Oh, it's part of his revenge--surely taking over the kingdom is plenty revenge. Also, it was so predictable that the prince would end up being an asshole. It would have introduced so much more emotional conflict if he had been just a regular person but Averil ends up falling in love with someone else. Or, to adhere to the original tale, it would have been a moment of heartbreak for her to realize he was in love with someone else, rather than the anger and revenge it's played for. There are just a lot of lost opportunities in this book, playing into overdone tropes instead of creating something new.

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas (6/10)

It's a bit unfortunate that a story with such a long build-up would end as disappointingly as it does. First of all, as is standard with SJM books, this could easily have been 200 pages shorter. The constant back-and-forth, particularly in Aedion and Lysandra's perspectives, of preparing for death, then it's prolonged for an extra day, but it's not quite enough, was exhausting. Dorian's whole interlude with Maeve was so weird, making no sense character-wise for Maeve, who has been utterly ruthless up until this point, and most of the relationships read as rushed and forced, particularly Aedion/Lysandra and Lorcan/Elide, which have pretty much the exact same story going on. I enjoyed Aelin's escape and her healing process, and her and Rowan's relationship is always entertaining to read. However, my biggest critique is a major one. MAJOR SPOILER If you're going to introduce magical items that the characters spend no less than four books hunting down and collecting that are supposed to be a solution to their problems and then have them finally use them only for it to result in the main character losing her magical abilities and it not even doing the one thing it was supposed to do? That's bad writing, and incredibly unsatisfying for your audience. MAJOR SPOILER END Overall, I didn't get the sense of closure that I wanted from this book, and the series as a whole was mediocre, with my average rating across all the books being a 6.5 or 3.25 stars.

Kingdoms of Shadow and Ash by H. R. Moore (DNF @ 11%)

I DNF'd this so astonishingly quick because of one major issue, and that is the main character. Something that is a plague upon particularly fantasy romances are characters with shockingly modern sensibilities--despite no backstory or explanation as to why their outlook would be so different from everyone else. This book opens on a queen who has just finished conquering five kingdoms, and she promptly begins ordering people to hire women, pay income-adjusted taxes, and all sorts of progressive reform. Lovely sentiment, but why does the medieval-land queen have these sorts of ideals? And then there's the issue that these orders lose some of their appeal when you realize that as morally correct as they are, they are still issued by an absolute monarch who just finished a bloody military campaign to secure power for herself. Sometimes you can just let your main character be shitty.

Island of Graves by Lisa McMann (DNF @ 34%)

I've been working through The Unwanteds, and I must unfortunately say that I've lot interest in this series. I love a good middle grade series, and I understand that they are, of course, a bit more simple. However, I still expect a modicum of character development over the course of four books. Alex and his friends have stagnated for multiple books with any potential moral dilemmas (the seaweed, redeeming Aaron, or even just the trolley problem in a different format) either skirted around or just never presented to them. I feel like I've been reading the same story for at least four books, and Alex has become less of an awkward teenager trying to carry a community on his back and more of a flawless leader who seems to only have superficial problems. The morals are all out of whack (it's okay to kill someone in an ambush but not when they're unconscious, even if the person in question in canonically killing multiple people a day), and I just have no more motivation to work through these books anymore.

Captivate by E. J. Lawson (CR, 53%)

This isn't even a part of my romance marathon, it's just something I picked up on a whim, and it's sort of boring. There's obviously good chemistry between all the main characters, they've even had sex, and yet the most inane, stupid reason is given to keep them from getting together. I can see how this particular issue (a fatal, uncurable disease) might affect their choices, but that's not even the problem! The problem is that the female lead is refusing to tell anyone about it, despite having basically no reason to keep it from them. Utter nonsense.

365 Days by Blanka Lipinska (18+, CR, 14%)

Rest assured, I am not reading this book of my own free will and will likely be DNFing at my self-imposed 20% threshold. I cannot imagine someone writing this and thinking that this was how real life people behaved. 40 pages in and the main character is already intensely unlikable with seemingly no personality outside her permanent makeup and bold fashion choices (which far too much description is given to), and the love interest has some sort of stupid mystical connection to her, which he deals with by fucking other women in highly coercive situations.

[rainingriversofyou]

Dorian, Manon & Abraxos - TOG 🩶 Artist: andieburky

[tothestarsinvelaris]

Dorian "I'll bleed whatever color you tell me to" Havilliard

Dorian "he'd make her beg for the first time in her long life" Havilliard

Dorian "willing to let a little cruelty into the bedroom" Havilliard

Dorian "invisible fingers down her neck" Havilliard

Dorian "as tempting as seeing you naked and chained might be" Havilliard

Dorian "I don't think you can handle the sort of things I need, witchling" Havilliard

Dorian "I am never begging for anything again in my life" Havilliard

Dorian "I want to taste every inch of you." Havilliard

Dorian "magic gently pinning her wrists to the mattress" Havilliard

Dorian "I need to hear you say yes" Havilliard

Dorian "I suggest you listen" Havilliard

[i-only-see-daylight]

Aelin: If I died-

Rowan, sharpening his knives: Death will not get you out of this relationship.

[ashuribbon]

Dirty Night Clowns

[ Reblogs > Likes /nm ]

[acourtofquestions]

“If you were to ask me what Throne of Glass is about…

I’d say it’s about the epic journey of a teenage assassin in a corrupt kingdom.

But if you were to ask me on a deeper level, I’d say…

It’s about how small acts of kindness can change the outcome of the world.

Money to a barmaid, waiting an extra minute to shoot, a warning in a competition, a cloak in a cold dungeon, a message on a wall, sharing your lavender soap.”

[throughstarlitfields]

𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮…

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐠𝐨𝐰𝐧.

🎨: @spearthymint

Commissioned by me

𝑷𝑳𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑬 𝑫𝑶 𝑵𝑶𝑻 𝑹𝑬𝑷𝑶𝑺𝑻. 𝑶𝑵𝑳𝒀 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑬 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑹𝑬𝑫𝑰𝑻 ��𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑵.

[shadowhandss60]

“Dorian lingered longer, graceful and steady, even as Rowan found himself struggling to speak past the tightness in his throat.”

*

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There’s not much art of Dorian/Rowan, so I had to get these scene from KoA. Look at them 😩🖤

Commission by @Badeyart

[shadqw-milk]

I'm partially active partially not, I apologize for this lull while Shadow Milk I only drew in this meme! (Last one it's true, by the way)

[mysterylilycheeta]

Aelin: Hey Rowan, can you help me with this zipper?

Rowan: Sure thing, fireheart

Aelin:

Aelin: Up, Rowan

Rowan: Right of course

[jennastokesart]

🩸Manorian Burdened ⛓️

These are 2 beautifully written characters who I’ve admired since I first read them. Though they have very different personalities, they have the same journey in the books. They are 2 people who learn to rise above the toxic environment they were groomed in and find themselves in their found family, where they learn to feel love. I really wish we got more on them, their stories felt a door left open.

Thank you to @shadowhandss60 for commissioning me to draw Manorian🖤 this was such a beautiful concept that represents them as individuals in a poetic lense.

When I was drawing these pieces, I wanted to really drive home their own traumas and how they respond to it. Dorian is reflecting in anger and disgust, hating his loss of autonomy and the pain he inflicted. Manon is mourning, regretting all that’s she has done and lost, her sisterhood being the cost.

I hope you all enjoy my first Throne of Glass pieces. It’s quite an emotional opener 😆

[rainingriversofyou]

“Like a roaring star, he thundered down the long shoot, and Manon moved with him, meeting each gallop of his powerful body, each step in time with the beat of the wyverns locked in the belly of the mountain. Abraxos flapped his wings open, pounding them once, twice, gathering speed, fearless, unrelenting, ready…

Fast as lightning arcing across the sky, he plummeted toward the Gap floor…

Down into hell, into eternity, into that world where, for a moment, she could have sworn that something tightened in her chest. She did not shut her eyes, not as the moon-illuminated stones of the Gap became closer, clearer. She did not need to. Like the sails of a mighty ship, Abraxos’s wings unfurled, snapping tight. He tilted them upward, pulling against the death trying to drag them down. And it was those wings, covered in glimmering patches of Spidersilk, that stayed strong and sturdy, sending them soaring clean up the side of the Omega and into the starry sky beyond.”

—Heir Of Fire

“First Flight” Artist: @madschofield

[morgana0anagrom]

this artwork was commissioned by @fairyloot character is Aelin from the Throne of Glass book series by @sjmaas hope yall will like it xoxo

[i-only-see-daylight]

Aelin: The real treasure was the memories we made along the way.

Lorcan: I almost died. 

Aelin: That... was my favorite memory.

[ashuribbon]

Some fast doodles of the Born Evil AU, both being some angst (and one of them being a concept headshot)!

I imagine that when he was still young, nobody knew why Pure Vanilla Cookie always kept doing that eerie laugh, one that shows signs of sinister intentions... Even he, himself, didn't know why until much later...

Since he becomes Shadow Milk Cookie 2.0, I felt his name would be Wilted Vanilla Cookie!

[queen-aelin-of-terrasen]

Manon: Why should I lend my army to Terrasen?

Aelin, who is rusty on her royal training: Um, you really like me??

Manon:

Manon, who also does not have much royal training: yeah why the fuck not