Jenna WolfhartRecensioni

This Romantasy book starts off similar to a YA novel: “I’d been born to fulfill a promise to the fae king. It was an ancient promise, bound in powerful magic. I was sworn to serve his every need, smile and laugh at his jokes, be silent when commanded, and offer myself up as his next mortal bride.

Instead of all that, I leapt into a chasm where monsters lived.”

Wow, who can resist that?

The novel then starts in media res, first person present tense, as the FMC, Tessa, mines gemstones from the side of said chasm with her best friend Val for “a rebel leader.” Mixed in with this labor is a very confusing backstory about her, and her village’s, present circumstances: humans live under the thumb of the fae of The Kingdom of Light (is that the same place tokusatsu hero Ultraman lives?) who, since they saved the humans from the armies of the Kingdom of Mist, treat as combination serfs and brood mares, since the war rendered the fae women sterile. The Kingdom of Light is sealed off from the rest of the world with magic, the chasm, and a wall of mist where monsters are said to dwell. Though the humans are granted long lifespans and healing powers they live in a gilded cage of sorts, subject to rages and propaganda from the Light King about the wickedness of the opposing empire. The name of this Kim Jung-On-like nasty? OBERON! Ta-da!

Which might have amusing if the story had any parallels to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but it didn’t. How uncreative can a writer be to crib a fae name that’s so obvious and done to death?

Unfortunately King Oberon bumps into the FMC as she is leaving the chasm, takes her gems, and glints and preens wickedly at her showing off just what a baddy he is, and though it’s fun, it goes on and on until I felt like saying, “Ohhh-kay, Captain Obvious, we get it, you’re bad. Let’s get on with things, all right?”

He comes back into the story later when it’s revealed he will be taking a fresh human wife (remember the fae women are sterile) to give him more heirs, and that wife will be… Tessa! Because he’s a baddie and wants to toy with her some more. The book goes on and on, again broadly and unsubtly, that marriage to the fae king is a fate worth worse than death, that though living in luxury she will be brainwashed with magic, unable to speak unless spoken to, and saddled with impossible restrictions, eventually being discarded to “The Tower of Crones” when the king tires of her.

The story might have been saved at this point for me if it continued with Tessa’s marriage and how she resists and eventually rebels; harem stories are a secret favorite of mine. Surely all the setup for this leeringly evil and decadent court was for them to be eventually defeated and punished from within? But instead she’s busted out by the rebel leader she’s been helping, for unclear reasons, and spirited away to join him in the mists. And… he turns out to be the evil King of the Mist! Except he’s not, he’s a nice, normal guy who’s been unfairly maligned by the real villain. But Tessa doesn’t think so and so a game of “enemies to lovers” begins.

Which is rather stupid and tiresome, as the reader can clearly see Mist King isn’t a bad guy, because his first-person chapters alternate with Tessa’s. Which makes Tessa come across as dim for holding on to her prejudices, as there’s absolutely nothing to back them up. A bad choice by the writer; it would have been better to stick to Tessa’s POV and make the love interest more ambiguous.

I stopped reading at that point as it seemed they would be doing nothing but running around in the mists from then on which, let’s face it, is boring no matter how many monsters there are.

This writer, again, feels like she’s pulling inspiration from A Court of Thorns and Roses as well as the Grisha YA series by Leigh Bardugo which has a kingdom separated from the world by a misty wall. This isn’t bad in itself, but since nothing else about the characters, prose, or setting was outstanding or original, the sources that were cribbed tend to stick out.

As with An Heir Comes to Rise, which I reviewed here, there were anachronistic boners, such as this speech Tessa gives to her royal husband-to-be: “The only thing I see when I look at your castle is gaudy wealth. You’re showing off. Probably to overcome an inferiority complex or something pathetic like that.” Then there’s “a muscled fae with a buzz cut appeared.” (Do they have electric shavers in this Medieval world?) There were more, but I didn’t bother to bookmark them. I do give the writer props, though, for (mostly) avoiding the Maasian “male.”

In the end, the book felt cookie-cutter and like the writer was merely checking story elements off on a list. There wasn’t any real passion or novelty in it. I checked the writer’s webpage, and so far she’s written around 94 (!) self-published books, mostly in series, starting with urban fantasy romance years ago, then magic school fantasy, and so forth through all the popular money-making genres, until Fae Court Romantasy began a few years ago. I salute her business model and sheer moxie, but, still, the product isn’t great. I can’t call it bad, because it’s acceptable to a certain audience and the fact it’s still around means that it sells. But it’s dull.

All around meh.
The story couldn't be more predictable and clichée and there are a number of huge plot holes.
But the writing was decent at least in narrated form.

Shallow.
It's a book written for adults but with the depth and complexity of a children's book.
The characters are simple to the point of stupidity.
Everything complex enough to require more than a simple step of basic reasoning is painfully explained to the reader step by step.

The classic mistake of underestimating the intelligence of your audience maybe?

Edit: Look, I am not comparing this to something like "Malazan Book of the Fallen" or something crazy like that. This criticism is meant in the context of basic fantasy romance and related genres.

I was super excited for this book. I have been wanting more cozy fantasy novels with a central romance, since that’s what I write. The author includes a note that explains that she doesn’t consider the book cozy because of the hint of danger and the explicit love scenes, but in my mind those don’t prevent it from being a cozy fantasy. I know different people define the genre different ways, though!

I thought it was cute! It has an evil emperor who exerts control over the heroine, but almost the entire story is set on an island that is magically protected from him, to some extent. The action involves the main characters entering a non-threatening local competition that will enable them to protect the island, with a lot of trust issues between them. My favorite part was how charming the village and villagers were. I’m looking forward to more in this series.

Forged by Magic by Jenna Wolfhart is book one of the Falling by Fables series, which will be standalone novels set in the same world. FMC Daella is a half-orc woman that is trapped in a tower by the King. This time, the King promises Daella her freedom if the mission is completed. A brutal storm forces her onto an island and with no money & no way to leave, she is forced to accept blacksmith Rivelin’s offer of shelter in exchange for her assistance. But, there are multiple mysteries on the island, some that scare Daella.

The Lovely: I was impressed by the plot and tension of this book. Fitting everything (world building, characters, plot) into a single book is hard to do, and hard to do well. In this case, it was written well and the tension kept me reading. So much so I finished the book in one evening.

The Mundane: The world building is focused on the dragons and dragon/orc lore as compared to magic. This isn’t a bad thing, because I really like the dragon storyline/concept in this book, but I found it unexpected given the title of the book. I’m thinking the dragon part is considered to be magic?

The Dreadful: While I felt Daella as a character was fleshed out and develops during the book, Rivelin comes across as not as developed. Basically, he is grumpy and a loner because of his past. He does develop some during the book but is quick to suspect Daella when something bad happens.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Recommendation: After reading a five book dark romantic series that was gut-wrenching I needed something a bit gentler. I wouldn’t quite label this “cozy fantasy” (like Legends and Lattes) because there is mystery and tension. But it’s more like a small town cozy mystery than epic/high fantasy. This was a great read and if you’re in the mood for something more cheerful fantasy, you’ll love this. Tropes included enemies to lovers, banter, tending to injuries and includes explicit spice.

I really enjoyed this book. Instantly, I was transported into this story and world that author, Jenna Wolfhart created. It was as if I was Daella. Which is not a bad thing as Daella is a strong female. It is nice to see a strong female in a male dominated world. I could feel the chemistry building between Daella and Rivelin. Yet, it was a slow burn type of romance. Luckily, there is some humor spread throughout this book to keep the pacing moving along.

There is something about Rivelin that I really liked. While he was cautious of Daella, he is kind. I thought that he and Daella worked well together. Overall, this was a quick read for me. I look forward to reading the next book.

Of Night and Chaos by Jenna Wolfhart is book three of The Mist King series. After the stabbing of Oberon and Andromeda’s release, Tessa worries what this will mean for Kalen and his vow to his mother to kill the person who causes the release of the Gods. Within her grows a power that could be dangerous if she cannot learn to control it.

The Lovely: There was more character development for Tessa in this book, especially around her changing powers, and I love her relationship with her love interest. Their relationship isn’t linear and they have their bumps, which makes this believable.

The Mundane: The world building improved in this book as we learn more about the lore. It feels like they know a lot of what they need to know now Lore-wise but they (Kalen, Tessa and the Mist Guard) need to figure out what to do about it.

The Dreadful: The plot/tension felt different in this book, more like a series of small events that I didn’t feel overly invested in. It just didn’t have the same pacing as the first two books, which I missed.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Recommendation: Still an excellent, excellent book but this one didn’t hit me in the feels the same way the first two books did. A lot of things happened but it was more of a gentle rolling tension than building to a main event. I also suspected how the ending would go this time (finally) and the book did end on a cliffhanger. Still in love with this series and am anxiously awaiting the release of book four in the fall. Tropes included enemies to lovers (again), found family, and banter.

Of Ash and Embers by Jenna Wolfhart is book two of The Mist King series. After the failed stabbing of King Oberon Tessa is stuck in the dungeons. The Mist King (Kalen) comes to her in her dreams after her stabbing of him also failed. The mists start to creep into King Oberon’s lands, causing panic. But Tessa is uncertain of why the Mist King is coming for her.

The Lovely: The plot and tension were excellent and steady all the way through the end. Again, the events toward the ending shocked me, even though I was waiting for the author to try to pull a twist. There was more character development for Tessa in this book, and I love her relationship with her love interest. Their relationship isn’t linear and they have their bumps, which makes this believable.

The Mundane: The world building improved in this book as we finally start to learn who was telling the truth (or are they). There is still a good amount of lore pieces going on and you don’t find out how they all fit together in this book.

The Dreadful: Nothing

Rating: 5/5 stars

Recommendation: Ok, how did the author pull one over on me again? Eek! I’m even mor in love with this series. The author’s storytelling is phenomenal and I’ve added her other Fae series to me #tbr. This book ended on a cliffhanger. Tropes included enemies to lovers (again), found family, and banter.

Of Mist and Shadow by Jenna Wolfhart is book one of The Mist King series. The evil Light Fae King catches Tessa stealing and her punishment requires she become his human bride. She escapes but is found by the far worse Mist King. He offers her a deal but, as her family’s lives hang in the balances, she will be forced to choose between the two evil Kings.

The Lovely: The plot and tension were excellent and steady all the way through the back. The ending was just WOW and ultimately what bumped this from a four to a five star. It’s rare that I’m entirely caught off guard by a plot twist but I wasn’t ANY of what happened in the last 60 pages. in addition, I love the relationship between Tessa and The Mist King.

The Mundane: The world building was detailed and very visual but the lore/background is a bit confusing at times. Tessa has been told conflicting stories by the two kings and it’s not clear who is ‘right’. In addition to the different Fae groups/types there are also gods in the mix. So, at this point in the story it’s still a bit complicated.

The Dreadful: Nothing

Rating: 5/5 stars

Recommendation: I honestly thought this would be a four star - a good read but nothing especially special. Then I hit the last 60 pages and my heart stayed in my throat for the rest of the book. I’m angry, I’m worried - all the emotions. This book ended on a cliffhanger so I was glad I had already ordered book two. Tropes included enemies to (almost) lovers, found family, banter, one horse, one bed, who did this and he falls first.

Book Review…Of Mist and Shadow by Jenna Wolfhart

This was a great read! This is one of my first books by Jenna Wolfhart and I ended up finishing it in about thirteen hours!

When the vicious fae king catches Tessa stealing his powerful gemstones, he demands a cruel punishment. She must leave her family and friends behind and become his future human bride. But when she escapes, someone far worse finds her. The lethal Mist King, the enemy fae who trapped her people beneath the reign of King Oberon in the first place. The one who destroyed human cities and watched them burn. He takes her captive and then offers her a deal. Become the first mortal to kill a fae king, and he will free her people.

Tessa is an interesting character. She's stubborn, strong and feisty! Her determination and the strength that she finds with her family is one of my favorite things about her! Kal "The Mist King" so far his character intrigues me. I don't think we have gotten the whole picture with him yet! The world and the creatures are quite interesting and you get very good descriptions so it is easy to get a clear picture! With the way the book ended it will be interesting to see what will happen in the next book and honestly I can really think of anything I didn't enjoy about the book except for the fact that I have to wait till December to read the second one! Thank you Paper Myths for sharing this book with me!

Kept me up all night.

This was such a good story that my eyes went blurry before I stopped reading just before dawn. I slept and went right back to reading it.

There are some truly wicked characters in this book and some who are a mix of both. I love it. No one is a bore.

I can't wait to see what happens next.

Short but bittersweet

This just went over everything we already knew about Lorcan.

I love Lorcan but the fact that he delivered the woman he loves into the hands of his evil father rather than die himself, makes me think a lot less of him. I don't know how he can redeem himself after this.

Do I even like Reyna Darragh?

How can I like a person who always chooses power and revenge over anything else? I ho back and forth over this question but I always root for her when she is fighting.

I was annoyed at her petty squabbling with Lorcan and wished the author wouldn't have gone there but, thankfully, it didn't last long.

I see where the story is headed and I'm not sure it will end well but I'm too curious not to read the next book. I hope it doesn't take a year to be released.

3 stars bc while I did like this open and will give book 2, it felt obvious relatively early on what the H would be which made reading up until the reveal feel kind of like filler.

Hopeful book 2 will be better because the plot shows promise.

3.5

Enjoyable enough. Wouldn’t win an award or anything. Was fast-paced to the point of oversimplifying the story but in this case it was what I was in the mood for.

I liked it, it was a quick read and not too deep. A Bone Coven witch, Zoe, untrained and conning people into paying her to eradicate demons is framed for murder. A dangerous stranger steps up to assist her. They both have their secrets but must work together to clear her name, lift a curse on her grandmother and stop an all out war between the vampires and the covens. Along the way they must fight demons to try and save their friends and the world. Overall, a fast easy read

My audio book selection has been exploring the many options of the urban fantasy domain and many I'm finding are ... not to taste. This one had a unique opening, I must say. She's a real witch, but conning normals because they don't know any better. Then gets arrested for a magical murder she didn't commit. It drew me in. The character reminds me a touch of Merit from Chicagoland Vampires. Things didn't improve from there.

Things I'm finding I dislike about UF books: if you have one supernatural creature, you HAVE to have all of them. But the author doesn't always flesh out all the different supers powers so they can shift from book to book or even chapter to chapter. Mrph. So far this series has shown magic and vampires and demons. I'm just waiting for shifters and fae to show up.

Perfect way to throw a reader out of the story. Author didn't pay attention to her description of the hallway or the character's thoughts. She's describing a battle the character claimed she couldn't see. There's no mention of a balcony or if this goes straight into the room. The whole thing just doesn't work for the opening description.

The Main Character feels so skittish, so unsure of life. Okay, yes, her world just got upended because they drew her into coven politics. However, that doesn't mean she should sound so wishy washy. Her grandmother gave her a fricking grimoire for the Shadow clan. She had all the knowledge she needs in that book. Why won't she use it?

Oh the phraseology is making me laugh. "Threw my feet up the stairs." "Relief whooshed through me." The first does not give the image the writer thinks. The second could be better written, for a better illustration, as it's more tell than show. Tack onto the bad phraseology the glitch in trying to write romance that isn't working. The writer is TRYING to build tension, both emotional and "physical" between the main characters, but her writing style and characterization of the two main characters instead make it awkward and horribly forced. It just isn't working.

So the story builds and builds and builds ... Then the reader falls off a cliff for a swift resolution and just END. Very disappointed in how it ended.
I'll consider the next in the series, after I've tried several other options first.