“Does it involve stabbing?”
I stared at him.
“Because I’d probably like that.”

Fantasy? Adventure? Fighting? Death? Great sex? Everything in between? Then this books is probably for you. Not sure? Keep reading and find out…

Thoughts?

When I first started reading this book, I never imagined how in love I would fall with both the characters, and Jennifer Armentrout’s ability to plot a phenomenal storyline. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve read this book THREE times already (and have been bugging my poor husband about the sixth in the series whose date has been pushed back to September 23rd 2025 – AARGH!)
So, what is it that makes it so blog-post-review-worthy?
It’s a mix of things: plot, characters, world-building, cliff-hangers, dialogue, relationships…I mean, the list could go on.

What is it about?

The book follows a young heroine, Poppy, who has lived an isolated life in the confines of a palace, known only to others as The Maiden. Her life is a solitary one – no friends, never allowed to be seen, touched or heard while she awaits her Ascension to the Gods. However, she longs to fight alongside the Guard and protect the innocents from the evil that plague her nightmares. But when Hawke enters into her lonely existence, he incites in her an angry passion for life and gives her a chance to protect those from the evil that killed her family as a child.

The two things that keep me coming back to this book are the characters and the plot.

The Characters

In order to draw readers in, writers need to create likable and relatable characters. They need to be pushed to the very ends of their tethers, only to be pulled back again, tested over and over in every aspect imaginable until they’re practically at death’s door. Jennifer Armentrout has done just that. The interactions between Poppy and Hawke really bring to life their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses and the lengths that each one is willing to go to to get what they want. I would like to point out that if you go on Goodreads, there are many who really dislike this book and one of the reasons noted by some are the name of the characters. Personally, I love the names – they’re unique and different. It’s a fantasy novel after all. What’s wrong with using unique names? Another thing I love about Poppy especially, is she’s a character with so many layers to her. The changes this character goes through (as any well-written character should) really resonates with me in an inspiring way. She makes me want to be stronger in myself both as a woman in a world still dominated by men and to some extent, as a mother who is a role model for her daughter.

The Plot

Of course, the most important part of any good novel is an enticing and believable plot line. On top of this, having subplots is also necessary – after all, whose life only involves one story? The thing that truly draws me in, is the way Armentrout has pulled together a complex web of lives, backgrounds, relationships and even cleverly placed foreshadowing that you don’t see coming until subsequent books! To top it all off, there’s a rich history in the world she’s created, made better and more believable by drawing on situations we’ve often witnessed in our own history (Religious fanatics, anyone?) Pull all of this together, and we have a rich plot that keeps you coming back for more.

Rating

If I were to rate this book, I’d give it a good four out of five. You might be wondering, if I have such nice things to say, why leave out a star? There’s always room for improvement and I’m yet to come across a book that has been written perfectly (nor do I think there ever will be one – perfection is subjective, after all). Some scenes might have been described a little better, some left out entirely, and some relationships I wish we could have seen more of. I won’t go into specifics, of course. I don’t want to spoil anything! I would, however, recommend this book to anyone who loves the trope, “girl meets boy, boy thinks he’s badass, girl turns out to be more badass” mixed into a fantasy genre, and topped off with some very spicy scenes. It’s definitely a young adults book and clearly not meant for under sixteens.

If you do choose to give this book a read, I would love to hear your thoughts – and if you really didn’t like it, I would love to know why! Leave a message in the comments.

HAPPY READING!