Reviews, quotes & stuff

Currently reading : A Heart So Fierce and Broken

Three words

What
the hell

That was my first thought when I've decided to finally read ahsfab like 4 moth after It released and I've downloanded it.

Why? Because I was afraid. I'm at the half of it and I still afraid and pretty much confused with every single page.

This ongoing review will be full of spoilers about both acsdal and ahsfab, so if you haven't read them, better get you out of here, but if you are that kind of people who likes some juice spoilers before starting to read (my type), please stay because I'll give you some usefull recommendation on this saga.

First, if you've come this far, it is because you are willing to read the books or you have read them, so I'll give a brief plot summary (not to detail) just to settle things up and not get us bored.

Then let's begin.

A curse so dark and lonely works as a sort of reteling of one of our beloved and most reteiled? Fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. As matter of fact, now that I've write it down, Rhen surely fits the beast. Harper, the female lead character is a seventeen high school girl from D.C. One day waiting for her brother to finish one of his "works", she is kidnaped or taking by Grey, Commander of the royal guard of Emberfall, to a new world, to a castle and to Rhen, a prince very much under a curse. The curse is likely the same as beauty and the beast
but here Rhen turns into the beast just for a moment and he is most of time looking like the crowned prince he is. Rhen's curse didn't hurt himself only but his people. So, when Grey jumped up with Harper, he saw her as a new hope. Of course this explanaition is super plain because they faced each other at first and not really get along ( as usual) until she shown a real bond with Emberfall's people, so they worked together to try to bring peace to the kingdom and stopped the mess the curse and the beast has been doing to them for five years. I would not deny it, I love how Kemmer developed their relationship, like we've been known Rhen is a calculator and even a pompous dude but Harper make him trusted her, so he really did. He opened up to her, and she to him. They were really a thing, at least at first book. But what's the problem?

First, she never admit she loves him. Second, he is so hurt and mental inestable that things would't seem well for both of them and finally, Grey.

At this point I have to admit I was team Rhen, actually I'm still are, but I've always feel Grey was destined to bigger things. So yeah, I shipped Rhen and Harper super hard but when Kenner wrote like two lines of Harper and Grey having sort of a connection, I went like OMG, I'm so ready. Not because I don't like Rhen anymore but because indeed they have a connection so vivedly that my mind when wild.

But again, one bigger problem. Lia Mara.

I know I'm just in the middle of the book but I don't like her, and I surely have tryed. First, I dislike the way she was just trown up, without a backgroud or a hit of her existence in the previous book, she just appeard and Grey fall for her. Yeah right, they are not in love yet and that but we all know they will be, and they will end up together ( if they makes it to the end) So, I don't know how to say this without making myself a bitch but I'm jelows. I'm jelaws because I really felt for Harper and she deserves better. When I'm reading Lia Mara's pov, I feel like I'm reading as an outsider, as if she is not talking or it does not touch me, and I think it is because Harper grew up depper in my feelings so I want her to be the lead female character. Disgusting but it's true. It doesn't feel the same when I read Grey's povs because I like him, I know him and I care for him. But even if I try hard to feel the way he feels for or sees Lia Mara, I can't, which is kind of an issue.

Again, this has nothing to do with Lia Mara itself. She is a kind girl, full of wisdom and she really cares for Grey, and I really want him to be loved, but I think this is not how I pictured it. At some part of the book, I've even felt betraid by them, by the whole situation, even though I know Rhen really fuck the things up. I'm just saying that Lia Mara character kind of steal the attention of one of my favorite character and I'm possesive so this doesn't feels right. Ok, keep going.

I would like to say that I'm still into Rhen + Harper's boat, but I'm not sure anymore. Maybe not in Emberfall. I think they will do great at DC, and Rhen will finally be the hell way out of magic and dangers, and safe for good. But Rhen so obsessed with the crown? That's not the right way, and even though he may think he does everything to keep harper safe, he might be the only one actually hurting her. If things follow that path, like with Lilith resurface at the epiloge, I guess they would not ended up together. In fact, she is surely hurted deeper with the events of ahsfab, so I'm sure she's watching him diffrently.

I do really belive Grey will be a great King, even better than Rhen. He has the heart, the constance and the mind of a ruler, things Rhen may lack. But Rhen could be part of that dream too. They could rule together, as the family they always have been and never accept it. I know Rhen has done horrible things to Grey, but we should put on his shoes. He is traumatised for God's sake and now the only hope in his life is to keep his people and harper safe, so he went mad and that hurt him even deeper than anyone else. I can understand it, because I've hurted others and then I had felt horrible for like ages.

Indeed, I will like to get deeper in this issue. Kenner plays a tricky card by turning Rhen into a Villain, mostly because he was the voice we've been sharing with for since the first book. So, she turned him from a careless character into the honey he was at first and then, the second book happend. I have to admit that at first, I feel angry about it, for the same reason that I don't completly like Lia Mara, because Rhen deserves better. But Grey too, so I accepted it and even get exited about it, but what was the necessity to make him done so despisfull things, to returned to that dark place he was even before the curse. It's like we are reading a complete new character and old Rhen has never exited. I mean, as I said before, I completly understand Rhen's actions and fears but I trully believe the author could have been done things different. Maybe not force us so hard to be on Grey's team, it feel less value and even fake.

My wishes are few, I just want them to be happy, one way or a other. I don't care if they end up alone or in love. At emberfall or at DC. I just want them to have a decent end being the same character I felt for and not changing them again and again into others.

I will give some recommendations then.

First, read ahsfab like an standalone, and not just after readed acsdal, you'll be a feelings mess like me and it's not funny.

Second, put on each character's shoes and please do not close yourself on first impresions. This book is a long character development journey, so you has to be prepared for fast changes, do not feel angry about it, like I did.

Third, enjoy the war game and the side characters. Even to the romance is not the first theme here, many focus on it and there's so much to tell about friendship, honour, hope, war, history, it's a long list. Those where the things that keeps me reading till the end even tho I was about to quit at some point.

And finally, hope for the best. I'm waiting the next book with high hopes even if I'm not trully convicend by this sequel. I may not like Lia Mara or how things turned up for Rhen and Harper, but I really loved acsfab, so if you like it, just wait.