Title: Crown of Blood and Glass
Author: Lucinda Dark and Rebecca Grey
Series: Awakened Fates #1
not a bad premise but bad execution
Thank you to Lucinda Dark and Rebecca Grey, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an ARC eaudiobook in exchange for an honest review.
DNF 60%. I stuck with it until the hero forced himself on the heroine just to prove that she did want him, despite her protests. I assume he didn’t complete the act, though admittedly I didn’t finish the scene, so I don’t truly know. Regardless, it made me sick and was the death blow to my interest in the tale. No means no. Pinning her to the ground and browbeating her into admitting she’s attracted to you doesn’t change that, you arrogant jackass.
And it wasn’t very good before that point. Because the blurb is awful, here’s a more accurate one: On the night Devonry comes of age, her best friend, the younger prince of a neighboring kingdom, kills her father the king and frames the captain of the royal guard. Devonry was betrothed to BFF’s older brother, but BFF (I don’t remember his name) wants to marry her himself and rule. She, sensibly, wants nothing to do with his psycho ass, and with the help of the framed guard, Solomon Winett, she flees.
She and Solomon have known each other since they were children. He’s been in love with her since then, but the king told Solomon he and Devonry could never be together. So he’s been stewing in hormones and resentment most of his life, wanting what he can’t have. He began treating Devonry as if he hated her to ensure no relationship would develop. But now they’re in constant close quarters, running for their lives, and he’s finding his feelings harder and harder to fight. Devonry, for her part, remembers the boy she used to play with, and against her better judgment finds herself feeling affection for her once despised guard.
With her psycho ex-BFF (or rather, his goons) hot on their trail, Devonry and Solomon have to figure out how to stay alive, take back her kingdom, and reconcile their feelings for each other. Also throw in some supernatural flavor—Solomon’s some kind of blood-drinking beast, and “awakened” people have powers.
Not the most eloquent blurb, but now you have a better idea what’s going on.
So anyway—the beginning was okay, I enjoyed the political intrigue, the murder of the king, the escape. Psycho BFF was pretty mustache-twirling, but whatevs. From there, though, we sank deeper and deeper into the redundant, angsty inner monologue of Solomon and Devonry (god, I hate that name. Not sure why, but it’s nails on a chalkboard every time I hear it). Devonry was mostly in shock and like a fawn taking her first steps—she’d never been outside the castle or some such. Very naive and doesn’t know what to do with herself. But Solomon—omg he became so annoying. All he did was mentally whine about how much he loved her, lusted for her, felt bound to her, but boo hoo he could never be with her. His sexual frustration was palpable and made me uncomfortable.
Then they finally get somewhere safe and have to slog through the cliche don’t-tell-me-to-stay-I’m-coming-with-you argument. Not long after that was the point where I stopped, so I don’t know how it ended.
It’s frustrating because the premise wasn’t necessarily bad, it just wasn’t well executed. Less angst, please, more mature and charming characters, and more getting things done plot-wise.
Overall it had potential, but the execution was not to my taste.
