When I got this book, I initially didn’t realize that it was the second installment of the Scarred Earth Saga. I researched a little online, and most reports indicated that it was more of a stand alone book, so I decided to read it without having read the first installment. Well…. I think ultimately, that was a bad choice.
This book begins in a time and place that I just wasn’t sure of. Being the second installment, there wasn’t as much world building or setting talked about. I felt like I was dropped in a world that I just wasn’t sure of (think Claire in Outlander!!) and I had no idea what to think. While I liked Gemma, the War Monk we follow in the story, I just couldn’t really get my head wrapped around what was going on in the story. I didn’t understand the mythical creatures (centaurs can really take human form???!) and didn’t feel connected to the plot. This book is also billed as “paranormal romance” but I didn’t see a speck of romance in the portions that I read.
The author attempted to put some humor into the book, but it just fell short, for me. It seemed like the humor was trying a little too hard. Most of the quips seemed to be “mean” humor. By that, I mean making fun of someone, making cutting comments, etc. That was funny for the first few, but then it also lost it’s luster. There’s enough meanness in the world that I don’t want to constantly read about it in a fictional book, with no resolution in sight. Also, the near constant petty arguments between characters was difficult to follow (maybe without the background of the first book?) and I got tired of attempting to understand why the fights were occurring.
Now, the part that I don’t love talking about…. the LANGUAGE in this book was constant and unending. I’m not a prude when it comes to an F bomb here or there. Language that is well placed can be highly impactful and useful to show emotions of a character, etc. The language in this book was constant, and became a distraction to me. It seemed like there were F bombs several times per page, and I just got tired of it. It didn’t seem like there was a point, and it felt (to me) like it was being used like a group of middle school boys uses language (because there’s no one there to tell them no, and they can’t get in trouble…oh, and also to be “cool”.) I definitely didn’t love that, and that made my ultimate decision to not finish the book.
I hate DNFing books. I feel like I can’t give a fair review when I do that, but ultimately decided that I DO have enough information to know that I didn’t like this book at all. I read approximately 25% of this book, and decided there are SOOOO many books out there to read and share… this one is just not one of them for me.
This book got a two of five stars for me (2/5). It may trip the trigger of some hardcore fantasy lovers out there (I am more of a “Game of Thrones” fantasy lover — so not hardcore at all!) but for me, this was too much, without the background needed to fully enjoy it.
This book begins in a time and place that I just wasn’t sure of. Being the second installment, there wasn’t as much world building or setting talked about. I felt like I was dropped in a world that I just wasn’t sure of (think Claire in Outlander!!) and I had no idea what to think. While I liked Gemma, the War Monk we follow in the story, I just couldn’t really get my head wrapped around what was going on in the story. I didn’t understand the mythical creatures (centaurs can really take human form???!) and didn’t feel connected to the plot. This book is also billed as “paranormal romance” but I didn’t see a speck of romance in the portions that I read.
The author attempted to put some humor into the book, but it just fell short, for me. It seemed like the humor was trying a little too hard. Most of the quips seemed to be “mean” humor. By that, I mean making fun of someone, making cutting comments, etc. That was funny for the first few, but then it also lost it’s luster. There’s enough meanness in the world that I don’t want to constantly read about it in a fictional book, with no resolution in sight. Also, the near constant petty arguments between characters was difficult to follow (maybe without the background of the first book?) and I got tired of attempting to understand why the fights were occurring.
Now, the part that I don’t love talking about…. the LANGUAGE in this book was constant and unending. I’m not a prude when it comes to an F bomb here or there. Language that is well placed can be highly impactful and useful to show emotions of a character, etc. The language in this book was constant, and became a distraction to me. It seemed like there were F bombs several times per page, and I just got tired of it. It didn’t seem like there was a point, and it felt (to me) like it was being used like a group of middle school boys uses language (because there’s no one there to tell them no, and they can’t get in trouble…oh, and also to be “cool”.) I definitely didn’t love that, and that made my ultimate decision to not finish the book.
I hate DNFing books. I feel like I can’t give a fair review when I do that, but ultimately decided that I DO have enough information to know that I didn’t like this book at all. I read approximately 25% of this book, and decided there are SOOOO many books out there to read and share… this one is just not one of them for me.
This book got a two of five stars for me (2/5). It may trip the trigger of some hardcore fantasy lovers out there (I am more of a “Game of Thrones” fantasy lover — so not hardcore at all!) but for me, this was too much, without the background needed to fully enjoy it.