ARC review

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC copy of this book.

I have very mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the writing style—it made me feel like I flew through the pages. The story unfolded nicely, and the main character gradually grew into her role. On the other hand, I often felt completely lost when it came to the historical setting and timeline.

Whenever I pick up a historical fantasy, I expect at least a brief author’s note or some kind of introduction to help place the story within its historical context. Unfortunately, there was nothing like that here, and I spent much of the book feeling confused. Some of the names seemed vaguely familiar, which only added to my uncertainty.

This is a small nitpick, but it genuinely bothered me. In one of the first chapters, the FMC mentions reading books hidden by  housemaids. 🤣 In a medieval-inspired setting, the idea that maids could read felt rather unrealistic to me. (And I won’t even comment on the fact that the books mentioned were apparently smutty.) This definitely reminded me that the book is historical fiction.

As for the plot, I found it somewhat boring, unfortunately. I started the book feeling optimistic and excited, hoping to watch a naïve girl grow into a strong woman—and I guess, I did get that character development. However, I also felt that the story lacked action overall. If you enjoy court politics and intrigue, you’ll probably find this much more engaging than I did. Personally, I was hoping for a bit more adventure.

The final reveal didn’t surprise me, but it did make me curious about what will happen in book two. Still, I don’t think this series is ultimately for me.

5/10