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The False Pawn
Anthea Clark feels trapped. Each day, her soul is chipped away, piece by piece, at her job in a PR firm. There, she's tasked with refurbishing the sullied reputations of the wealthy and loathsome. But her somewhat manageable reality is shattered when she meets a mysterious stranger who knows her by name.
In the blink of an eye, Anthea is whisked away from all she knows and plunged into the treacherous world of court politics in a realm far from her own.
Captured by two enigmatic Elven princes in a world on the brink of war, where trust is a luxury she cannot afford, Anthea must summon all her cunning and resilience to survive.
And to keep her heart intact . . .
In the blink of an eye, Anthea is whisked away from all she knows and plunged into the treacherous world of court politics in a realm far from her own.
Captured by two enigmatic Elven princes in a world on the brink of war, where trust is a luxury she cannot afford, Anthea must summon all her cunning and resilience to survive.
And to keep her heart intact . . .
384 pages, ebook
Published March 10, 2024
2 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Asavi
2 books15 followersSign up for the author's newsletter here: https://forms.gle/BDc8Lvo2fsrDmbjUA
When A. E. Asavi is not writing, she assumes the role of a professional problem solver in a medium-sized company. With a knack for tackling challenges across various domains including human resources, A. E. Asavi is the go-to person when it comes to troubleshooting and finding innovative solutions.
When she’s not immersed in the corporate world, A. E. Asavi finds solace in the quiet embrace of early mornings, cherishing those rare lazy moments.
For her, writing serves as both a stress-relief and an escape. It’s a place where she can craft worlds, characters, and narratives that transport her away from the rigors of daily life.
She delights in introducing comfort zones to her characters – and then pushing them out of it.
When A. E. Asavi is not writing, she assumes the role of a professional problem solver in a medium-sized company. With a knack for tackling challenges across various domains including human resources, A. E. Asavi is the go-to person when it comes to troubleshooting and finding innovative solutions.
When she’s not immersed in the corporate world, A. E. Asavi finds solace in the quiet embrace of early mornings, cherishing those rare lazy moments.
For her, writing serves as both a stress-relief and an escape. It’s a place where she can craft worlds, characters, and narratives that transport her away from the rigors of daily life.
She delights in introducing comfort zones to her characters – and then pushing them out of it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 17, 2024
I really don’t like to give out bad reviews but I could not continue with this story anymore.
It had all the things I love: fantasy, romance, mystery. But there was just a lot of missing details for me and the FMC was confused most of the time, which then leaves the readers confused as well.
I liked the female MC and I liked her spicy attitude; but every single male character in this book was insufferable. Poor Anthea could not catch a break. Everyone was just making decisions on her behalf and keeping her in the dark about it. The plot was so repetitive and incredibly frustrating. I made it to 70% before I called it quits. I had no desire to keep going in order to find out how everything wrapped up and that is so upsetting to me. I was really hoping to enjoy this story more.
It had all the things I love: fantasy, romance, mystery. But there was just a lot of missing details for me and the FMC was confused most of the time, which then leaves the readers confused as well.
I liked the female MC and I liked her spicy attitude; but every single male character in this book was insufferable. Poor Anthea could not catch a break. Everyone was just making decisions on her behalf and keeping her in the dark about it. The plot was so repetitive and incredibly frustrating. I made it to 70% before I called it quits. I had no desire to keep going in order to find out how everything wrapped up and that is so upsetting to me. I was really hoping to enjoy this story more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did not finish
November 11, 2025I'm afraid I had to DNF this at 11%, chapter 6.
It's a really interesting premise and though I fall within the target audience, there were a lot of aspects that immediately put me off.
I took issue with a scene early in the book where she is drinking whilst handling a work harassment case. Statistically speaking, this is very likely a sexual assault if not SA-adjacent. I don't care how 'skilled' you are at your job or how well you handle your drink, that's not okay. I don't think this is something Asavi should have written in at all; what was the point? As I DNF'd the book, maybe it was important and came back later on. However, I doubt it.
Then an on-page SA takes place and it becomes very clear that it was written to give Anthea an excuse to leave the club by herself. This scene was handled in a very irresponsible way and what happened to her comes across as being inconsequential. Furthermore, Anthea was portrayed as being incredibly drunk (literally slurring) and yet she was taking note of several occurrences that no drunk person could possibly have processed. Her recall was good. She then seemed to instantly snap out of her drunkness (remember, slurring) minutes later.
The lack of trigger warnings is also something I take issue with, considering the mention of harrasment and then an actual on-page assault right at the start.
However, I will say that I love the cover, and I also really enjoyed the little sister's sass.
Thank you to NetGalley and A. E. Asavi for providing the eARC.
It's a really interesting premise and though I fall within the target audience, there were a lot of aspects that immediately put me off.
I took issue with a scene early in the book where she is drinking whilst handling a work harassment case. Statistically speaking, this is very likely a sexual assault if not SA-adjacent. I don't care how 'skilled' you are at your job or how well you handle your drink, that's not okay. I don't think this is something Asavi should have written in at all; what was the point? As I DNF'd the book, maybe it was important and came back later on. However, I doubt it.
Then an on-page SA takes place and it becomes very clear that it was written to give Anthea an excuse to leave the club by herself. This scene was handled in a very irresponsible way and what happened to her comes across as being inconsequential. Furthermore, Anthea was portrayed as being incredibly drunk (literally slurring) and yet she was taking note of several occurrences that no drunk person could possibly have processed. Her recall was good. She then seemed to instantly snap out of her drunkness (remember, slurring) minutes later.
The lack of trigger warnings is also something I take issue with, considering the mention of harrasment and then an actual on-page assault right at the start.
However, I will say that I love the cover, and I also really enjoyed the little sister's sass.
Thank you to NetGalley and A. E. Asavi for providing the eARC.
August 8, 2024
Woefully adequate. I wanted to love this and I wanted it to be my next big, amazing fantasy read but alas it was not. I didn’t hate it and I didn’t love it.
March 7, 2024
This was a great book! It’s got fantasy, mystery, deception, betrayal, and a bit of spice. The FMC is trying to navigate her way through this new world where she is thrust into undesirable situations and unsure of others’ intentions. We get her POV as she tries to unravel the mysteries and her place in the world. The author did a wonderful job of conveying the FMC’s frustrations and desperations and allowing me to empathize those with her as a reader.
The MMC is an enigma; it initially seems like it may be one character, but I have a feeling that it may actually be a different character. I would’ve enjoyed a bit more romantic development as there is more physical versus emotional connection. However, I can understand that the FMC finds herself in a situation where she is unlikely thinking about love. This book is definitely a slow burn that you can tell will span over the course of more installments. Overall, it was enjoyable to read and I look forward to seeing where the story goes in the future!
Thank you so much to A.E. Asavi and BookSirens for providing this eARC book for review! I received this advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own. 💖
The MMC is an enigma; it initially seems like it may be one character, but I have a feeling that it may actually be a different character. I would’ve enjoyed a bit more romantic development as there is more physical versus emotional connection. However, I can understand that the FMC finds herself in a situation where she is unlikely thinking about love. This book is definitely a slow burn that you can tell will span over the course of more installments. Overall, it was enjoyable to read and I look forward to seeing where the story goes in the future!
Thank you so much to A.E. Asavi and BookSirens for providing this eARC book for review! I received this advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own. 💖
August 3, 2024
This books follows a woman from modern day who is thrust into world filled with magic, but the elves she encounters are intrigued by her because magic does not affect her. All she wants is to return to her world and her family, but the elves don't know how to return her there and they would rather test and use her immunity to magic for their plans.
This is definitely not going to be the book for everyone - the characters are not very loveable and some aspects of the story might be disturbing to readers, such as torture, death, and mentions of sexual assault. Despite this, I enjoyed this story and am am 100% looking forward to the next book in the series, which is set to release in early 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley and A.E. Asavi for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review!
This is definitely not going to be the book for everyone - the characters are not very loveable and some aspects of the story might be disturbing to readers, such as torture, death, and mentions of sexual assault. Despite this, I enjoyed this story and am am 100% looking forward to the next book in the series, which is set to release in early 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley and A.E. Asavi for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review!
March 12, 2024
4.5⭐
WHAT. A. DEBUT!!!!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I feel like it is SO rare to come across a debut that is genuinely unique yet has some similar aspects to other books I love!
I'm currently reading the ACOTAR series rn and I'm obsessedddddd and reading this book with it just makes me so giddy lmao. While most fantasy books you have fae, this one specifically revolves around elves. Now I'm no fantasy expert in the slightest (I've only recently dipped my toes into the Fae-verse) but there is a clear distinction between the two races I believe. Not quite sure yet but it feels important to keep that in mind imo given there is still so much left of this story that has yet to be uncovered.
But enough about that.. but uhm EXCUSE ME😭 There are three males in this book that I ABSOLUTELY love😩 One of them I'm slowly starting to be like "eh" towards but the other two if you know.. YOU KNOW🙈 Well maybe not the second one but if you know the first one.. THAT'S THE ONLY HINT🥰🥰
I refuse to spoil anything for this book simply because I want people to read this book and fall in love with this world the same way I have. I have no words to describe my absolute love for this book, this world, this new author. I seriously don't know how to describe other than all the smooshy feelings I get when thinking about it.
Now I will not lie. There is a reason (actually a couple) that have made me ultimately decide to rate this 4.5 stars and not a full 5. Tbh later down the line I may just end up giving it a full 5 stars simply because I love this book but rn in my heart 4.5 is what feels right for me personally.
1. The overuse of exclamation marks. Now this obviously minor but it did effect my reading. I think that these were used as an emphasis to commands given but I always interpreted it as the character shouting and being kind of obnoxious. I tried very hard to keep in mind that (in my personal opinion) these were just an emphasis on commands and not them actually shouting given the specific responses and descriptions afterwards. However it was kind of hard since I got so emerged in the story that I would often forget😅 But yes, this did slightly hinder my reading experience and I feel like this contributed to why I do not feel this is a full 5 stars for me.
2. The overuse of "auburn hair". It wasn't even used that much but when a description like this is used a lot, it stands out and it gets annoying (to me specifically). I'm not a big fan of repetition in describing a characters features. Especially when it's something more "uncommon". Don't ask why cause idk. All I know was it became enough that I made a special note about it.
3. Another thing was the amount of time skips. There were times where time skips weren't often and others where it was back to back to back all in just one chapter and it felt like too much happening that sometimes I couldn't keep up. This would definitely have to be the thing that most disrupted my reading.
4. Lastly, I'm not gonna give anything away regarding this character, but their introduction and further interactions with the main character suggested they would be very important in the future books. But when we first met this character, they did not portray the personality I would have expected so early on into getting to know them (for the time that we saw them interacting with the main character). I feel like the only way to truly justify this odd behavior is that they know something we don't. Like I said, I don't want to spoil anything so I'm trying to purposely be vague but for those who felt (or will feel) the same way, I'm sure you will understand why I think they will be important and why I think we need to pay extra careful attention to them.
But yeah, other than these few minor things, I absolutely gobbled up this book and cannot wait for the day to add it to my bookshelf!! Please give this author a chance, I doubt you will be disappointed!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
WHAT. A. DEBUT!!!!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I feel like it is SO rare to come across a debut that is genuinely unique yet has some similar aspects to other books I love!
I'm currently reading the ACOTAR series rn and I'm obsessedddddd and reading this book with it just makes me so giddy lmao. While most fantasy books you have fae, this one specifically revolves around elves. Now I'm no fantasy expert in the slightest (I've only recently dipped my toes into the Fae-verse) but there is a clear distinction between the two races I believe. Not quite sure yet but it feels important to keep that in mind imo given there is still so much left of this story that has yet to be uncovered.
But enough about that.. but uhm EXCUSE ME😭 There are three males in this book that I ABSOLUTELY love😩 One of them I'm slowly starting to be like "eh" towards but the other two if you know.. YOU KNOW🙈 Well maybe not the second one but if you know the first one.. THAT'S THE ONLY HINT🥰🥰
I refuse to spoil anything for this book simply because I want people to read this book and fall in love with this world the same way I have. I have no words to describe my absolute love for this book, this world, this new author. I seriously don't know how to describe other than all the smooshy feelings I get when thinking about it.
Now I will not lie. There is a reason (actually a couple) that have made me ultimately decide to rate this 4.5 stars and not a full 5. Tbh later down the line I may just end up giving it a full 5 stars simply because I love this book but rn in my heart 4.5 is what feels right for me personally.
1. The overuse of exclamation marks. Now this obviously minor but it did effect my reading. I think that these were used as an emphasis to commands given but I always interpreted it as the character shouting and being kind of obnoxious. I tried very hard to keep in mind that (in my personal opinion) these were just an emphasis on commands and not them actually shouting given the specific responses and descriptions afterwards. However it was kind of hard since I got so emerged in the story that I would often forget😅 But yes, this did slightly hinder my reading experience and I feel like this contributed to why I do not feel this is a full 5 stars for me.
2. The overuse of "auburn hair". It wasn't even used that much but when a description like this is used a lot, it stands out and it gets annoying (to me specifically). I'm not a big fan of repetition in describing a characters features. Especially when it's something more "uncommon". Don't ask why cause idk. All I know was it became enough that I made a special note about it.
3. Another thing was the amount of time skips. There were times where time skips weren't often and others where it was back to back to back all in just one chapter and it felt like too much happening that sometimes I couldn't keep up. This would definitely have to be the thing that most disrupted my reading.
4. Lastly, I'm not gonna give anything away regarding this character, but their introduction and further interactions with the main character suggested they would be very important in the future books. But when we first met this character, they did not portray the personality I would have expected so early on into getting to know them (for the time that we saw them interacting with the main character). I feel like the only way to truly justify this odd behavior is that they know something we don't. Like I said, I don't want to spoil anything so I'm trying to purposely be vague but for those who felt (or will feel) the same way, I'm sure you will understand why I think they will be important and why I think we need to pay extra careful attention to them.
But yeah, other than these few minor things, I absolutely gobbled up this book and cannot wait for the day to add it to my bookshelf!! Please give this author a chance, I doubt you will be disappointed!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 11, 2024
The False Pawn is a fantasy slow-burn romance that has a lot of political aspects in it. The romance took a backseat to the political plot and it was rather refreshing with books nowadays. The storyline was decent and the characters were interesting enough. The book is set up well to span over multiple books and I can’t wait to see where book 2 takes us. The FMC was easy to connect and empathize with, but she is a tad annoying at the beginning of the book. With politics playing a big part in the book, I didn’t find myself trusting anyone. The twist in the book took me completely by surprise which I loved because I can usually guess the twists and turns of books. Altogether The False Pawn is a great debut book and I can’t wait for the next in the series.
August 16, 2024
Did I devour this book or did this book devour me?
Let me say, I was hooked from page 1 and could not put this book down, reading until the wee hours of dawn. I loved the pacing of the book; each bit of new information had me forming theories, questioning characters, and eagerly turning the page to learn more. I found the plot fascinating and intriguing and after that ending cliffhanger, I am desperate for the next book in the series.
Overall, I LOVED this book and couldn't get enough :)
*I want to give a big thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book!
Let me say, I was hooked from page 1 and could not put this book down, reading until the wee hours of dawn. I loved the pacing of the book; each bit of new information had me forming theories, questioning characters, and eagerly turning the page to learn more. I found the plot fascinating and intriguing and after that ending cliffhanger, I am desperate for the next book in the series.
Overall, I LOVED this book and couldn't get enough :)
*I want to give a big thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book!
November 21, 2024
I genuinely enjoyed The False Pawn, a promising debut novel by A.E. Asavi. The story kicks off with Athena, the FMC from a modern time period, crossing paths with multiple Far courts in conflict—a premise that gets interesting quickly. The intrigue and tension between the courts pulled me in right away.
While the overall story was engaging, the pacing felt a bit uneven. Some parts, like the initial romance and the time spent in the first court, felt rushed, leaving me wanting more depth. On the other hand, certain sections leaned heavily into political machinations, which slowed things down for me. I also found the mix of modern language with the fantastical world and mythical creatures slightly jarring at times, though not enough to detract from the experience.
Despite these minor critiques, I really enjoyed the direction the story took. A.E. Asavi crafted a unique blend of modern and mythical that I’m curious to see developed further in book 2. If you’re looking for a fresh take on fantasy with compelling courtly drama, give this one a go—I’ll definitely be following the series!—There will be dragons!🐉
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this title.
While the overall story was engaging, the pacing felt a bit uneven. Some parts, like the initial romance and the time spent in the first court, felt rushed, leaving me wanting more depth. On the other hand, certain sections leaned heavily into political machinations, which slowed things down for me. I also found the mix of modern language with the fantastical world and mythical creatures slightly jarring at times, though not enough to detract from the experience.
Despite these minor critiques, I really enjoyed the direction the story took. A.E. Asavi crafted a unique blend of modern and mythical that I’m curious to see developed further in book 2. If you’re looking for a fresh take on fantasy with compelling courtly drama, give this one a go—I’ll definitely be following the series!—There will be dragons!🐉
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this title.
June 27, 2024
Anthea gets swept up by another world mistakenly and has to save the world. Can she survive.
If you liked court of thorns and roses this book is for you.
It has a very similar vibes to the story. Girl ends up in a world of elves. She’s different than them and has to save them.
We have two love interest. Where immediately 50% in you have to start hating the first one because you can’t have two decent love interest. (Which I hate)
Anthea was fine I guess. Not my favorite character ever written but she was fine. One thing that pissed me off near the end of the book was the self doubt. Like in the beginning of the book okay, but then end no. That’s like a main character in a horror film crying at the last 15 minutes just standing there. At that point you have to keep fighting. Also, I saw in one review someone mentioned that she was too forgiving and I have to agree but also why did all the characters need to do something that made her either angry or need to be forgiven. Like I just want one character that I don’t have to hate for 5-10 pages
I was also upset she spent so much talking about her sisters but after the first 20ish pages we never see them in the book again. we just have to listen to the main character miss them
But I do want to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
If you liked court of thorns and roses this book is for you.
It has a very similar vibes to the story. Girl ends up in a world of elves. She’s different than them and has to save them.
We have two love interest. Where immediately 50% in you have to start hating the first one because you can’t have two decent love interest. (Which I hate)
Anthea was fine I guess. Not my favorite character ever written but she was fine. One thing that pissed me off near the end of the book was the self doubt. Like in the beginning of the book okay, but then end no. That’s like a main character in a horror film crying at the last 15 minutes just standing there. At that point you have to keep fighting. Also, I saw in one review someone mentioned that she was too forgiving and I have to agree but also why did all the characters need to do something that made her either angry or need to be forgiven. Like I just want one character that I don’t have to hate for 5-10 pages
I was also upset she spent so much talking about her sisters but after the first 20ish pages we never see them in the book again. we just have to listen to the main character miss them
But I do want to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
It was a decent debut novel. The FMC spends a great deal in this book not being aware as to what is happening around her and so naturally we don't get many answers until very later in the book. She goes through a lot, being thrust in a different world, held as a prisoner then used as a pawn and being manipulated and lied to. The romance was... well i felt like the FMC was too forgiving. I'm more interested to know how the story progresses in the sequel books as the book feels like good setup to the future ones.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2025
I loved this book and I am beyond excited to read book 2!! It had me hooked right from the beginning. I loved the world Asavi created, as well as the characters in it. I really enjoy how most of the main characters have morally grey elements to them, it makes them feel more realistic and relatable. There is also a little love triangle action going on which I am always a sucker for. I’m praying book 2 comes out soon!
Ps. Only reason didn’t give 5 stars was just for grammatical errors! Besides that the story and the world has me in a chokehold
Editing to add that I just found out this is the authors Debut!! So proud of them!!👏🏼
Ps. Only reason didn’t give 5 stars was just for grammatical errors! Besides that the story and the world has me in a chokehold
Editing to add that I just found out this is the authors Debut!! So proud of them!!👏🏼
April 16, 2024
Exciting. Thrilling. Breathtaking.
We have everything we can fall for: slowborn love story, love triangle, a beautifully carved fantasy worldbuilding and strong characters.
Anthea is a strong woman with an harsh job. She has to clear bad reputations. She doesn't like to do so, but she's forced to: she has two younger sisters to take care of. After an argument with her younger sister she goes out to enjoy herself(like her sister suggested her) and with a creeping encounter her life will change. She ends up in another world where humans are considered as mere slaves, whose elves disposed off.
Anthea has to carve her road through the Crimson Court, with which she finds herself entangled. The two stunning princes, Aegonar and Endreth, test her singularity, a power that can make Anthea become more than a pawn in the cruel game of the courts.
Torture, betrayal, scars, humiliation and degradation: Anthea witness it all. But she finds someone who cares deeply for her, too… and maybe she would experience even good things. She only has to find the strenght to remember who she is: a strong and independent woman, who stand up for herself and used to dictate conditions. She will be not a pawn but the key to fulfill the mysterious prophecy: this world is for her to change, NEEDS her to change. Will Anthea put her life at stake for it?
I loved this book so deeply. First of all for its heroine, Anthea. At first I struggle to like her but then I realized how she's very different from other female characters we find painted in this type of fantasy books. She's strong, stubborn. She even lies to take advantage of the elves, as little as it could be. She is so human. I like it.
And I love how well depicted and explored is the worldbuilding. I yearn to jump in this world, I swear! So please, I'll be happy and honoured to read and review the second book, too!
Last but not least: thank you for making me fall in love with Eldrion. He's so strong, deepcaring, and with such a beautiful heart. Thank you for giving him life. I'd be glad to you always.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
We have everything we can fall for: slowborn love story, love triangle, a beautifully carved fantasy worldbuilding and strong characters.
Anthea is a strong woman with an harsh job. She has to clear bad reputations. She doesn't like to do so, but she's forced to: she has two younger sisters to take care of. After an argument with her younger sister she goes out to enjoy herself(like her sister suggested her) and with a creeping encounter her life will change. She ends up in another world where humans are considered as mere slaves, whose elves disposed off.
Anthea has to carve her road through the Crimson Court, with which she finds herself entangled. The two stunning princes, Aegonar and Endreth, test her singularity, a power that can make Anthea become more than a pawn in the cruel game of the courts.
Torture, betrayal, scars, humiliation and degradation: Anthea witness it all. But she finds someone who cares deeply for her, too… and maybe she would experience even good things. She only has to find the strenght to remember who she is: a strong and independent woman, who stand up for herself and used to dictate conditions. She will be not a pawn but the key to fulfill the mysterious prophecy: this world is for her to change, NEEDS her to change. Will Anthea put her life at stake for it?
I loved this book so deeply. First of all for its heroine, Anthea. At first I struggle to like her but then I realized how she's very different from other female characters we find painted in this type of fantasy books. She's strong, stubborn. She even lies to take advantage of the elves, as little as it could be. She is so human. I like it.
And I love how well depicted and explored is the worldbuilding. I yearn to jump in this world, I swear! So please, I'll be happy and honoured to read and review the second book, too!
Last but not least: thank you for making me fall in love with Eldrion. He's so strong, deepcaring, and with such a beautiful heart. Thank you for giving him life. I'd be glad to you always.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 1, 2024
Okay, where do I even begin?
I absolutely LOVED this read. When I read the book description, I was intrigued, but didn’t know what to expect. The first half of the book was good, but I was expecting it to go in a very predictable direction, and boy oh boy was I wrong! Without giving anything away, the change in direction halfway through this book caught me off guard in the best way. This is where I went from being interested and enjoying it just enough to literally not being able to put it down.
I finished this book in a day, which is very rare for me, and even stayed up until 2AM to finish because I couldn’t stop!!!
This book is action-packed, intense and fast-moving. If you are an SJM fan, this book is for you.
Anthea is a very strong FMC who is stubborn, witty and brave, while also at times being insecure, afraid and even lying. She is extremely multifaceted, which made her so interesting to read and so relatable. Her character development over the course of this book is top notch. The other characters in this book are just as multifaceted as Anthea, and it was so fun that the reader has no idea who to trust, and we got to take that ride with Anthea while we pieced everything together alongside her. Most characters in this book have morally grey aspects, and you will be suspicious of every character and every interaction!
The world building was great, and I loved that the story was very plot-forward with romance spattered throughout and a great slow burn! Sometimes books in this genre don’t have a good plot to romance ratio, but this was perfect and left the reader wanting to see more of the characters in the next book, rather than laying it all out there in book one and not having anywhere for the romance to go from there.
I have the biggest book hangover now and am genuinely upset I can’t know what happens next until the next book comes out. The ending wrapped up a lot of questions, but left so much unanswered and set everything up really well for book 2.
Thank you to booksirens for the arc, I left this review voluntarily and received a free arc copy, but loved it so much I just purchased my own physical copy for a re-read in the near future! I’m so excited about this new author and can’t wait to see what comes next.
I absolutely LOVED this read. When I read the book description, I was intrigued, but didn’t know what to expect. The first half of the book was good, but I was expecting it to go in a very predictable direction, and boy oh boy was I wrong! Without giving anything away, the change in direction halfway through this book caught me off guard in the best way. This is where I went from being interested and enjoying it just enough to literally not being able to put it down.
I finished this book in a day, which is very rare for me, and even stayed up until 2AM to finish because I couldn’t stop!!!
This book is action-packed, intense and fast-moving. If you are an SJM fan, this book is for you.
Anthea is a very strong FMC who is stubborn, witty and brave, while also at times being insecure, afraid and even lying. She is extremely multifaceted, which made her so interesting to read and so relatable. Her character development over the course of this book is top notch. The other characters in this book are just as multifaceted as Anthea, and it was so fun that the reader has no idea who to trust, and we got to take that ride with Anthea while we pieced everything together alongside her. Most characters in this book have morally grey aspects, and you will be suspicious of every character and every interaction!
The world building was great, and I loved that the story was very plot-forward with romance spattered throughout and a great slow burn! Sometimes books in this genre don’t have a good plot to romance ratio, but this was perfect and left the reader wanting to see more of the characters in the next book, rather than laying it all out there in book one and not having anywhere for the romance to go from there.
I have the biggest book hangover now and am genuinely upset I can’t know what happens next until the next book comes out. The ending wrapped up a lot of questions, but left so much unanswered and set everything up really well for book 2.
Thank you to booksirens for the arc, I left this review voluntarily and received a free arc copy, but loved it so much I just purchased my own physical copy for a re-read in the near future! I’m so excited about this new author and can’t wait to see what comes next.
March 15, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
who do I need to bribe to have the next one like… right now??
First of all, I got the arc thanks to book siren, and I like to just get the random books with a cover that caught my eye. I am always in for a ride, and sometimes, the books are far from good. Anyway, sometimes I find some hidden gems.
This book, ladies and gentlemen, is absolutely one of them.
I loved the fact that it was not just like every fantasy romance that are released lately. In fact, I do really enjoy an overpowered FMC, but sometimes it can get a little boring. I loved Anthea growth throughout the book, and I love how she is a full human, with struggles, fears, and plenty of weakness (I find the humans in a lot of fantasy books to be way too strong and controlled to actually be called humans). I loved how the author kept it real.
🚨little spoiler in this paragraph🚨
The only reason I did not give it 5 full stars, is because I was not convinced by the whole “first I torture you, than you fall for me”. I’m not saying that is was made poorly, and the love interest is absolutely not one of that horrific “man” that are sometimes glorified in romance novels. However, it didn’t particularly sit right with me. And again, even if the love interest is justified, still her friendship to Beldor did not feel so right to me. I think he should have been on his knees to beg for forgiveness, instead of brushing off with a smile the fact that he whipped her(??).
🚨End spoilers🚨
To end this review, I found the writing to be quite good (though i’m not really reliable on the matter, since english is not my first language -I take the opportunity to apologize for eventual mistakes in this review), the pace not too slow neither too fast, and the plot to be captivating.
If you look for me, I’ll probably be sitting somewhere hoping and waiting for a second book.😔🤘🏼
who do I need to bribe to have the next one like… right now??
First of all, I got the arc thanks to book siren, and I like to just get the random books with a cover that caught my eye. I am always in for a ride, and sometimes, the books are far from good. Anyway, sometimes I find some hidden gems.
This book, ladies and gentlemen, is absolutely one of them.
I loved the fact that it was not just like every fantasy romance that are released lately. In fact, I do really enjoy an overpowered FMC, but sometimes it can get a little boring. I loved Anthea growth throughout the book, and I love how she is a full human, with struggles, fears, and plenty of weakness (I find the humans in a lot of fantasy books to be way too strong and controlled to actually be called humans). I loved how the author kept it real.
🚨little spoiler in this paragraph🚨
The only reason I did not give it 5 full stars, is because I was not convinced by the whole “first I torture you, than you fall for me”. I’m not saying that is was made poorly, and the love interest is absolutely not one of that horrific “man” that are sometimes glorified in romance novels. However, it didn’t particularly sit right with me. And again, even if the love interest is justified, still her friendship to Beldor did not feel so right to me. I think he should have been on his knees to beg for forgiveness, instead of brushing off with a smile the fact that he whipped her(??).
🚨End spoilers🚨
To end this review, I found the writing to be quite good (though i’m not really reliable on the matter, since english is not my first language -I take the opportunity to apologize for eventual mistakes in this review), the pace not too slow neither too fast, and the plot to be captivating.
If you look for me, I’ll probably be sitting somewhere hoping and waiting for a second book.😔🤘🏼
March 12, 2024
thank you so much to BookSirens for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!!🥰
ok wow, this was a great debut novel! the writing could use some work as all new authors can, but my arc copy had very few grammar/formatting errors so that was nice. the beginning was a lil slow but in the grand scheme of things I see why it was necessary. then new characters and settings were introduced around the midpoint, and I realized this was going to be better than I thought. I really enjoy how everything is set up in this first book; I have a few theories on where things could go but I’m not 100% sure on any in particular - and I think that’s what makes this so interesting. it’s fresh and new while also having familiar elements from classic fantasy stories we love. I was so pleasantly surprised by this, I can’t wait to read the next books when they come out!
ok wow, this was a great debut novel! the writing could use some work as all new authors can, but my arc copy had very few grammar/formatting errors so that was nice. the beginning was a lil slow but in the grand scheme of things I see why it was necessary. then new characters and settings were introduced around the midpoint, and I realized this was going to be better than I thought. I really enjoy how everything is set up in this first book; I have a few theories on where things could go but I’m not 100% sure on any in particular - and I think that’s what makes this so interesting. it’s fresh and new while also having familiar elements from classic fantasy stories we love. I was so pleasantly surprised by this, I can’t wait to read the next books when they come out!
March 30, 2024
I need book two!! The afterword promises there will be more to come and I absolutely cannot wait to continue this story. The story starts off a little slow, but you soon realize this is because not all things are as they seem. By the time I got to the second half of this book, I was so enthralled that I was dreading the book coming to an end because I could tell the story was still far from over. This is a fantastic, original storyline about a human who is spontaneously thrust into a magical world with no idea of who to trust or what to believe. She soon learns that her role in this world is far different from anything she ever expected and must accept a fate that she never dreamed of. The FMC is cunning, sharp-witted, and resilient. There’s spice and multiple MMCs, one of which is the reason I cannot wait for book two! This is the beginning of what I expect will be an absolutely amazing series. If you want to read a fantastic debut fantasy novel that promises more goodness to come, read this.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 25, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. Yes some parts are a little cheesy and I personally think Anthea is a little whiny but that was ok with me.
Imagine after a night out you falling and somehow landing into a princes bed. You have no idea what’s going on or how you got there. You left your world for an unknown that you didn’t even know existed. All you want to do is get home to your sisters. That’s what happens to Anthea (Thea). This book is filled with lots of feelings, lots of masks, prophecy and perseverance. It was exciting to read and also I loved that I was feeling what she was feeling. It was quite the journey.
Imagine after a night out you falling and somehow landing into a princes bed. You have no idea what’s going on or how you got there. You left your world for an unknown that you didn’t even know existed. All you want to do is get home to your sisters. That’s what happens to Anthea (Thea). This book is filled with lots of feelings, lots of masks, prophecy and perseverance. It was exciting to read and also I loved that I was feeling what she was feeling. It was quite the journey.
March 10, 2024
This was my first ARC review since I’ve signed up with BookSirens! Overall, I think this was a decent debut novel and it was set up well to be the first book in a series.
At first, the romance aspect of the book didn’t seem natural, but then in the second half of the book I COMPLETELY understood why…and I liked the little twist in direction! This is definitely a slow burn for the romance aspect, and it was set up to traverse multiple books which I love!
In the first book, the FMC is thrust into a magical world separate from earth. We see her come to the understanding that humans in this realm are slaves, meet some elvish royalty, go on mini heists, and travel through multiple courts…all in attempts to discover how she fits into an old, mysterious prophecy.
At times, I will say that the writing style read like a YA novel and was a bit repetitive, but the contents of the book were mature/new adult…which was a little strange to me. It also took me awhile to form a connection to the characters, but as I said before, the story was set up well for a second book!
At first, the romance aspect of the book didn’t seem natural, but then in the second half of the book I COMPLETELY understood why…and I liked the little twist in direction! This is definitely a slow burn for the romance aspect, and it was set up to traverse multiple books which I love!
In the first book, the FMC is thrust into a magical world separate from earth. We see her come to the understanding that humans in this realm are slaves, meet some elvish royalty, go on mini heists, and travel through multiple courts…all in attempts to discover how she fits into an old, mysterious prophecy.
At times, I will say that the writing style read like a YA novel and was a bit repetitive, but the contents of the book were mature/new adult…which was a little strange to me. It also took me awhile to form a connection to the characters, but as I said before, the story was set up well for a second book!
June 11, 2024
I was hooked since chapter one! FMC makes sense! I was searching for a book where the FMC is actually older than 25!
The love interests are actually interesting. At times you will hate them but fall in love with them later on.
Definitely made me go through a roller coaster of emotions!
Thank you netgalley and author A. E. Asavi for copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The love interests are actually interesting. At times you will hate them but fall in love with them later on.
Definitely made me go through a roller coaster of emotions!
Thank you netgalley and author A. E. Asavi for copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
I enjoyed many things about this book. I found the main human character who adjusts and adapts to the elven world that she is thrust into to be very engaging. I liked the rich world that was created and that is there in the background of every scene. I liked that the elves felt distinctly different to humans, and that they too had to adjust to a strange human. As well, the story immersed me in that world, and had lots of character development, action and unexpected twists in the plot. The best elven story that I have read for a while. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 23, 2024
The main character falls into a fae relam with attractive hunks. I enjoyed the premise and how the author described things, but the dialogue didn't make the characters very likeable. I think this book has a lot of potential. The in-between moments were captivating.
I would recommend people that enjoy portal fantasy to give it a go.
I would recommend people that enjoy portal fantasy to give it a go.
August 11, 2024
This was an amazing fantasy debut novel! The story follows Anthea, who is transported from modern day into a world of elves. The FMC is multifaceted and relatable. I liked that she was able to use skills from her real life employment to navigate relationships and court politics in an unfamiliar setting. The plot and world building were intriguing. As a reader, you don’t know who to trust, which keeps you on your toes. The romance was more of a side plot and didn’t really pull me in. It seems like the intention may be to continue the slow-burn into the next book. There was some spice. However, it didn’t add to or negate anything from the book. I felt impartial about it. The naming of the characters was somewhat difficult to follow. There was a Fyrlion and a Fyralin??? It would be helpful to have a list of characters and their role as a reference in book two.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook. Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I am looking forward to continuing this series to see where the story goes!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook. Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I am looking forward to continuing this series to see where the story goes!
July 19, 2024
THANK YOU to NetGalley & the Publisher for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Holy cow, I was actually pretty blown away by how invested I was in this book. I think honestly, its a solid 4 start read. There's some parts that lag a little, some parts I didn't like the direction of, etc. but overall I couldn't put it down, and I'm craving to read the second book!!
I think the first and most important part to discuss is how similar this feels to ACOTAR. I think this is mirrored most within the theme of Courts, Setting (mountains), Elves/higher beings/princes/kings, 2 sisters, enemy to lover, lover to enemy, playing a role, pacing, etc. These are all really basic things in my opinion. All fantasy books have some sort of combination of these things so to me it wasn't that distracting. I'm not a fan of how YA Sarah J Maas's writing is, so with this novel being much darker with more believable spice, I was a lot more invested than I was with ACOTAR. Also, lets be real here, even if she was directly inspired by Maas, it was no more so than Maas was inspired from Hunger Games and Twilight 🤷♀️
With that out of the way... I mostly enjoyed these characters. They all felt different enough, though the names got a little confusing all kind of starting with the same few characters. Even if I found myself being like, which one is that again? Once the characters talked, it resolved itself pretty quickly. I wasn't a fan of how the characters came together, for instance the relationship between our MFC & both males the author chose to be closest to her. The CHEMISTRY was there. But the lead up and eventual escalation of relationships weren't paced well. It would be really slow going, a ton of little moments, then BOOM something big. It just felt off. Also, I really disliked the introduction. The sister stuff didn't feel like it fit, and our FMC came off as a horrible person. Not how you want to introduce a FMC you're then going to put through turmoil and expect us to care.
I also didn't like the MMC/group's reasoning for their treatment towards her.
Lets talk about the spice/darker aspects --
Okay, okay, I'll stop gushing my feelings about the book lol. I was honestly super invested in this novel and I'm sad I'll have to wait a couple years for the 2nd book to come out! I need it NOW! lol. Overall a really solid debut novel & very excited to see more in the future!
Holy cow, I was actually pretty blown away by how invested I was in this book. I think honestly, its a solid 4 start read. There's some parts that lag a little, some parts I didn't like the direction of, etc. but overall I couldn't put it down, and I'm craving to read the second book!!
I think the first and most important part to discuss is how similar this feels to ACOTAR. I think this is mirrored most within the theme of Courts, Setting (mountains), Elves/higher beings/princes/kings, 2 sisters, enemy to lover, lover to enemy, playing a role, pacing, etc. These are all really basic things in my opinion. All fantasy books have some sort of combination of these things so to me it wasn't that distracting. I'm not a fan of how YA Sarah J Maas's writing is, so with this novel being much darker with more believable spice, I was a lot more invested than I was with ACOTAR. Also, lets be real here, even if she was directly inspired by Maas, it was no more so than Maas was inspired from Hunger Games and Twilight 🤷♀️
With that out of the way... I mostly enjoyed these characters. They all felt different enough, though the names got a little confusing all kind of starting with the same few characters. Even if I found myself being like, which one is that again? Once the characters talked, it resolved itself pretty quickly. I wasn't a fan of how the characters came together, for instance the relationship between our MFC & both males the author chose to be closest to her. The CHEMISTRY was there. But the lead up and eventual escalation of relationships weren't paced well. It would be really slow going, a ton of little moments, then BOOM something big. It just felt off. Also, I really disliked the introduction. The sister stuff didn't feel like it fit, and our FMC came off as a horrible person. Not how you want to introduce a FMC you're then going to put through turmoil and expect us to care.
I also didn't like the MMC/group's reasoning for their treatment towards her.
Lets talk about the spice/darker aspects --
Okay, okay, I'll stop gushing my feelings about the book lol. I was honestly super invested in this novel and I'm sad I'll have to wait a couple years for the 2nd book to come out! I need it NOW! lol. Overall a really solid debut novel & very excited to see more in the future!
December 30, 2024
I found this book through Goodreads, and I was actually not looking for an arc, but then I read that this book was about elves, and I ended up with an arc anyways. I believe that elves are the same as “elver”, so this book reminds me of when I was younger and ONLY read Danish books about mermaids and elevens. Back then I simply refused to read anything else, so I just had to give this a try.
(I received this book some time ago but only recently finished it, so I wanted to update my review.)
First of all, I liked the plot, which kept me from giving up on the book. The idea and world-building were interesting, especially the concept of humans being slaves. It made me think a lot about the book. Even though I don't agree with slavery, reading this made me wonder how I might see it differently if I lived in Isluma or another place where it was normal. This book stayed on my mind even when I was reading other books.
Now, about the characters: I think Anthea could have been a great and powerful character in a contemporary setting, but she didn’t seem that interesting in this book. I know the main character doesn't have to be strong, but I didn't like reading about a protagonist who felt weak (though 'weak' might not be the right word here).
When I read a book, I want to feel smart, but Anthea often seemed naive, which frustrated me. Whenever she gained some knowledge or an advantage, other characters would reveal secrets that made her look foolish.
Even though Anthea frustrated me, I enjoyed figuring out the book's secrets before she did. Some people might prefer more unpredictable plots, but I like the feeling of solving the mysteries myself.
So, even though Anthea wasn't my favorite type of main character, I still enjoyed the book. Feeling anger is still a strong emotion, and in my opinion, any strong feeling is important in fiction.
3 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
(I received this book some time ago but only recently finished it, so I wanted to update my review.)
First of all, I liked the plot, which kept me from giving up on the book. The idea and world-building were interesting, especially the concept of humans being slaves. It made me think a lot about the book. Even though I don't agree with slavery, reading this made me wonder how I might see it differently if I lived in Isluma or another place where it was normal. This book stayed on my mind even when I was reading other books.
Now, about the characters: I think Anthea could have been a great and powerful character in a contemporary setting, but she didn’t seem that interesting in this book. I know the main character doesn't have to be strong, but I didn't like reading about a protagonist who felt weak (though 'weak' might not be the right word here).
When I read a book, I want to feel smart, but Anthea often seemed naive, which frustrated me. Whenever she gained some knowledge or an advantage, other characters would reveal secrets that made her look foolish.
Even though Anthea frustrated me, I enjoyed figuring out the book's secrets before she did. Some people might prefer more unpredictable plots, but I like the feeling of solving the mysteries myself.
So, even though Anthea wasn't my favorite type of main character, I still enjoyed the book. Feeling anger is still a strong emotion, and in my opinion, any strong feeling is important in fiction.
3 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 8, 2024
A strong FMC that will resonate with readers. The POV is great as the readers are able connect with and feel for themselves the frustration she feels as she is navigating the world she is thrust into.
This is an excellent debut novel and so worth the read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is an excellent debut novel and so worth the read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 5, 2024
It is a wonderful, exciting and captivating story that has good world building. I loved the characters, especially Anthea. She is a strong, lovable, but above all a relatable character, with good character development. It's incredible that this is a debut novel. I'm really looking forward to the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 8, 2024
“Sometimes changing the set ways can have a price too high to pay.”
“The False Pawn,” by A. E. Asavi
Anthea struggles to keep in control of her mundane life; job, caring for her sisters, lack of a dating life, etc. When a stranger stumbles into her life one day and knows her, she is whisked away to an Elven land and captured the Elven Prince’s. in a world where the humans are treated like slaves, she is just trying to get back to her world while everyone else is using her as a pawn.
The False Pawn has a lot of political intrigue. Any romance or smut feels overshadowed by the political intrigue of the plot which I liked because most books have the plot take the backseat to the smut recently. The story line was really good and most of the characters were interesting. The FMC made me super annoyed because she is smart and then really not, and then she’s brave and then really not. It made her more human like but kinda got on my nerves after a while of how she was so whishy washy all the time. I liked the fact that I did not trust anyone but the FMC practically the entire book. 4 out of 5 stars.
-Elves X Human
-Alternative Dimensions
-Magic
-Dragons
-Slave X Master
Thank you for the ARC, Booksirens.
“The False Pawn,” by A. E. Asavi
Anthea struggles to keep in control of her mundane life; job, caring for her sisters, lack of a dating life, etc. When a stranger stumbles into her life one day and knows her, she is whisked away to an Elven land and captured the Elven Prince’s. in a world where the humans are treated like slaves, she is just trying to get back to her world while everyone else is using her as a pawn.
The False Pawn has a lot of political intrigue. Any romance or smut feels overshadowed by the political intrigue of the plot which I liked because most books have the plot take the backseat to the smut recently. The story line was really good and most of the characters were interesting. The FMC made me super annoyed because she is smart and then really not, and then she’s brave and then really not. It made her more human like but kinda got on my nerves after a while of how she was so whishy washy all the time. I liked the fact that I did not trust anyone but the FMC practically the entire book. 4 out of 5 stars.
-Elves X Human
-Alternative Dimensions
-Magic
-Dragons
-Slave X Master
Thank you for the ARC, Booksirens.
September 22, 2024
Absolutely LOVED this debut novel by A.E. Asavi. The False Pawn had me gripped from the get go. Great world building with mild spice.
Finally an FMC that isn’t completely inept or self deprecating. I need to know what happens to Anthea, does she make it home?!… is the next book ready to be published yet?!?
If you’re an ACOTAR fan (check!), a Fourth Wing Fan (check!), then this book is for you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Finally an FMC that isn’t completely inept or self deprecating. I need to know what happens to Anthea, does she make it home?!… is the next book ready to be published yet?!?
If you’re an ACOTAR fan (check!), a Fourth Wing Fan (check!), then this book is for you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
August 30, 2024
I started reading this book feeling like it had potential, and I got engrossed in the story rather easily with how her writing style and what goes on. Overall, I love the premise of the story of a human falling into another realm and becomes a useful pawn in Elven politics. I would love to read the second book whenever it is available to read! I am interested in seeing where it will go.
The story follows Anthea, a 30 year old human working in a PR firm... until one day she, drunkenly, wrestles with a prophecy-crazed man in the street and moments later finds herself in the bed of an Elven Prince, from a different realm. How did she end up there, I hear you say? Maybe we will find out in the 2nd book. Oh also, the Elven Prince quickly finds out she's immune to magic, otherwise I'm pretty sure the book would've ended there and she would've been dead due to his spell casting. Thank goodness she's immune to it, phew.
From here on out, Anthea has to survive in this new world through an array of challenges: imprisonment, torture, harassment, being deceived and lied to, manipulated, and even having to play the part of a human sex slave in order to prevent suspicion from other Elves and their courts. Anthea is told, time and time again, to obey the royalty of the court and the Elves who are deemed a higher being than her own race, and to "learn [her] place" as a human. I find this does get a bit repetitive in the book, where the same conversation happens over and over, and both parties are just as stubborn as each other. So she is not going to concede. She is not going to back down. She is NOT going to lose hope of somehow returning home; of returning to her sisters she misses so dearly. She is going to stand her ground and demand to be treated with respect and dignity; as an EQUAL. Let's say it doesn't make her life easy. There are harsh consequences for those who don't comply, and Anthea learns that the hard way.
During her time in the Crimson Court in which she first finds herself in, the Elven Princes' carry out a duty to protect her from harm (despite inflicting harm on her themselves, the hypocrites), to determine how she is immune to magic (and why), and to train and task her in dangerous quests that could leave her dead if she isn't careful. Anthea doesn't really get many questions out of the Princes' of what the heck this is all about until later on in the story, which got me a little impatient when all I want is for someone to answer her simple questions. Throughout the book, the Elves drop nuggets of information and answers, in which (only sometimes) are mixed with lies and twists that are later on revealed as just that. She soon discovers she is useful to the Elves, but in what way? Why are they so interested in her immunity to magic? How would that even benefit them? These questions will be answered eventually.
I found the characters interesting yet the Elven men are mostly controlling and deceitful towards the FMC, and there is some repetitive back and forth arguments between them like I said, regarding how she should behave, speak, and respect those "above" her and to know her place in the world.. I have read reviews that say the FMC isn't all that likeable, but I think she's a realistic character. I'd be wanting to stand my ground if a bunch of ridiculously handsome men told me to obey them. Well, they should at least pay me first.
There is some slight romance in this book, though more of a hint of it than anything, and there definitely is a couple of spicy scenes. This doesn't play a big role in the plot, but politics does play a crucial part in it. There is a reason as to why the growing bond between herself and an Elven man is a bit confusing, and it will become obvious over time. I'm hoping there'll be romance in the second book, but not all books need romance, and I am happy enough to just reading the rest of the tale. Also, Andrea eventually becomes forgiving toward those who have horrendously harmed her, but it definitely takes a while for anyone to earn back her trust after they just shatter it so many times.
I was hoping for more of an adrenaline rush at the end of this book, but it only spiked a little. The ending, I find, isn't too exciting, and I wouldn't consider it as a cliff hanger, but rather a "the adventure will be continued...".
Overall, I recommend it if you like handsome Elves manhandling you and tell you what to do, and saying it's for your own good when really, is it? Is it for your own good? Or are these Elves just misogynistic and racist towards humans? I'd say the latter. They can and do get sweet though. Don't be fooled, some do have hearts.
I'd like to thank the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book freely! I enjoyed it, and I am looking forward to the next book!
The story follows Anthea, a 30 year old human working in a PR firm... until one day she, drunkenly, wrestles with a prophecy-crazed man in the street and moments later finds herself in the bed of an Elven Prince, from a different realm. How did she end up there, I hear you say? Maybe we will find out in the 2nd book. Oh also, the Elven Prince quickly finds out she's immune to magic, otherwise I'm pretty sure the book would've ended there and she would've been dead due to his spell casting. Thank goodness she's immune to it, phew.
From here on out, Anthea has to survive in this new world through an array of challenges: imprisonment, torture, harassment, being deceived and lied to, manipulated, and even having to play the part of a human sex slave in order to prevent suspicion from other Elves and their courts. Anthea is told, time and time again, to obey the royalty of the court and the Elves who are deemed a higher being than her own race, and to "learn [her] place" as a human. I find this does get a bit repetitive in the book, where the same conversation happens over and over, and both parties are just as stubborn as each other. So she is not going to concede. She is not going to back down. She is NOT going to lose hope of somehow returning home; of returning to her sisters she misses so dearly. She is going to stand her ground and demand to be treated with respect and dignity; as an EQUAL. Let's say it doesn't make her life easy. There are harsh consequences for those who don't comply, and Anthea learns that the hard way.
During her time in the Crimson Court in which she first finds herself in, the Elven Princes' carry out a duty to protect her from harm (despite inflicting harm on her themselves, the hypocrites), to determine how she is immune to magic (and why), and to train and task her in dangerous quests that could leave her dead if she isn't careful. Anthea doesn't really get many questions out of the Princes' of what the heck this is all about until later on in the story, which got me a little impatient when all I want is for someone to answer her simple questions. Throughout the book, the Elves drop nuggets of information and answers, in which (only sometimes) are mixed with lies and twists that are later on revealed as just that. She soon discovers she is useful to the Elves, but in what way? Why are they so interested in her immunity to magic? How would that even benefit them? These questions will be answered eventually.
I found the characters interesting yet the Elven men are mostly controlling and deceitful towards the FMC, and there is some repetitive back and forth arguments between them like I said, regarding how she should behave, speak, and respect those "above" her and to know her place in the world.. I have read reviews that say the FMC isn't all that likeable, but I think she's a realistic character. I'd be wanting to stand my ground if a bunch of ridiculously handsome men told me to obey them. Well, they should at least pay me first.
There is some slight romance in this book, though more of a hint of it than anything, and there definitely is a couple of spicy scenes. This doesn't play a big role in the plot, but politics does play a crucial part in it. There is a reason as to why the growing bond between herself and an Elven man is a bit confusing, and it will become obvious over time. I'm hoping there'll be romance in the second book, but not all books need romance, and I am happy enough to just reading the rest of the tale. Also, Andrea eventually becomes forgiving toward those who have horrendously harmed her, but it definitely takes a while for anyone to earn back her trust after they just shatter it so many times.
I was hoping for more of an adrenaline rush at the end of this book, but it only spiked a little. The ending, I find, isn't too exciting, and I wouldn't consider it as a cliff hanger, but rather a "the adventure will be continued...".
Overall, I recommend it if you like handsome Elves manhandling you and tell you what to do, and saying it's for your own good when really, is it? Is it for your own good? Or are these Elves just misogynistic and racist towards humans? I'd say the latter. They can and do get sweet though. Don't be fooled, some do have hearts.
I'd like to thank the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book freely! I enjoyed it, and I am looking forward to the next book!
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