This dual timeline format does not work for this story

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marmikie Avatar

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** spoiler alert ** DNF @ 75%
Some spoilers ahead! From the beginning I wasn’t really connecting with this book. I actually do like the main characters enough but don’t really feel much from the side characters. I just can’t really understand the motivation of a lot of the characters (like how the brother switches from being angry at his sister for years to suddenly being super sweet? Or why Simon doesn’t tell Eliana he knows she’s one of the queens? Especially considering Eliana doesn’t even know herself why she heals so quickly. Or even how Rielle says she *loves* Audric and then flirts non stop with Corien. I just don’t get it.)
But the main reason I DNFed is because I don’t like dual storylines in which we already know how one of the storylines end. It’s almost like a spoiler. And knowing it’s an ending I don’t like, I don’t want to watch it happen. Like through Eliana’s story I found out such major plot points for Rielle: that she becomes Queen, kills Audric (why?! He’s so kind), and then gets with Corien who turns out to be the evil emperor?! Why would I want to watch that train wreck?? Not me!
Some good things- I like the cursing, female sex positivity, and representation with different sexual orientations. I also do think it’s interesting that the Angels are bad guys in this book and they have black eyes. The plot twist with Corien being the bad guy did really shock me and was a cool unexpected thing- that being said it made me not like him. But he was showing those bad tendencies from the beginning so I am including this in the pros paragraph.
Finally, I HAD to mention this scene. It is a pretty big spoiler I guess so be forewarned. But wtf was the scene in which Rielle mind speaks with Corien, gets turned on while she’s asleep, wakes up MOANING into her pillow with HER HAND BETWEEN HER LEGS ONLY TO FIND THE ATTEMPTED MURDERS IN HER ROOM TRYING TO DRUG AND KILL HER. IS NOBODY GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS?! So they were in her room while she was doin her business while she was asleep?! And then they try to kill her?! I can’t with this book.