What do you think?
Rate this book
Talons and Tethers #1
A Court of Crows
A young queen in peril.
A city under siege.
An elven mercenary with a dark desire.
Nineteen-year-old Eris Telari was never supposed to rule Brucia. She’s always been more interested in swordplay than courtly intrigue.
After her brother’s assassination, however, Eris has no choice but to take up the crown and defend her city against an invasion led by an undefeated elven warlord.
With Brucia’s forces decimated, and a siege looming, Eris needs help. Who better to repel the elven invaders than a band of elven mercenaries?
Their leader, Ruith, is as charming as he is deadly, and used to getting what he wants. Six thousand swords strong, his Crows have a reputation for winning against impossible odds. He won’t take a fight he can’t win, and now he has his sights set on Eris…
Is it her kingdom he wants? Or her?
With assassins and traitors still lurking around every corner, and an army nearly twenty thousand strong at her gates, Eris cannot afford to turn away the Crows’ assistance. Even with their help, the battle for Brucia will be hard-won.
And the most dangerous threat may already be inside her walls and vying for a place at her side…
A Court of Crows is the first book in the gripping Talons and Tethers Saga, a new adult fantasy romance series. Expect courtly intrigue, assassination plots, plenty of heart-pounding action sequences, and strong heroines who do their own rescuing.
NOTE: This series contains four separate slow-burn romances that unfold over several books. Ruith and his Crow commanders have varying and diverse tastes when it comes to romance, but all of them enjoy plenty of spice, so grab your copy and prepare to meet your next book boyfriend(s)!
A city under siege.
An elven mercenary with a dark desire.
Nineteen-year-old Eris Telari was never supposed to rule Brucia. She’s always been more interested in swordplay than courtly intrigue.
After her brother’s assassination, however, Eris has no choice but to take up the crown and defend her city against an invasion led by an undefeated elven warlord.
With Brucia’s forces decimated, and a siege looming, Eris needs help. Who better to repel the elven invaders than a band of elven mercenaries?
Their leader, Ruith, is as charming as he is deadly, and used to getting what he wants. Six thousand swords strong, his Crows have a reputation for winning against impossible odds. He won’t take a fight he can’t win, and now he has his sights set on Eris…
Is it her kingdom he wants? Or her?
With assassins and traitors still lurking around every corner, and an army nearly twenty thousand strong at her gates, Eris cannot afford to turn away the Crows’ assistance. Even with their help, the battle for Brucia will be hard-won.
And the most dangerous threat may already be inside her walls and vying for a place at her side…
A Court of Crows is the first book in the gripping Talons and Tethers Saga, a new adult fantasy romance series. Expect courtly intrigue, assassination plots, plenty of heart-pounding action sequences, and strong heroines who do their own rescuing.
NOTE: This series contains four separate slow-burn romances that unfold over several books. Ruith and his Crow commanders have varying and diverse tastes when it comes to romance, but all of them enjoy plenty of spice, so grab your copy and prepare to meet your next book boyfriend(s)!
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2022
204 people are currently reading
1174 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 2, 2022
How can a book be interesting and boring at the same time? I see potential, but also some glaring issues that rub me the wrong way
Where's the romantic tension? Every character pairing is love at first sight.
What's with everyone basically whisper-shouting about Vantis' affections? Let's see his actions instead of being told yet again about his obsession
The mini flashbacks are jarring. They randomly appear for half a page with no special formatting, making it confusing to read sometimes. Honestly I don't think any of the flashbacks contributed anything useful to the story
What's with the queen being such a crybaby? She's a QUEEN and she's also supposed to be a badass warrior, her bellyaching doesn't make sense
Taratheil's character is inconsistent. His actions contradict earlier statements. Why threaten to behead someone for spitting on a prisoner but then let that same person beat and torture said prisoner? Why even obsess about getting that prisoner to begin with, have a heart-to-heart with them, and then allow blood magic to happen to that prisoner
Where's the romantic tension? Every character pairing is love at first sight.
What's with everyone basically whisper-shouting about Vantis' affections? Let's see his actions instead of being told yet again about his obsession
The mini flashbacks are jarring. They randomly appear for half a page with no special formatting, making it confusing to read sometimes. Honestly I don't think any of the flashbacks contributed anything useful to the story
What's with the queen being such a crybaby? She's a QUEEN and she's also supposed to be a badass warrior, her bellyaching doesn't make sense
Taratheil's character is inconsistent. His actions contradict earlier statements. Why threaten to behead someone for spitting on a prisoner but then let that same person beat and torture said prisoner? Why even obsess about getting that prisoner to begin with, have a heart-to-heart with them, and then allow blood magic to happen to that prisoner
March 4, 2022
Copy received courtesy of netgalley!
A really solid four stars!
A Court of Crows follows a young queen with her city/state of Brucia under siege from an invading force nearly triple the size of her own army. Desperate for a chance to out last her enemies, she hires a band of mercenaries knows as the Crows, with the skill, numbers, and experience she needs to hold her city. The central cast of this story is Queen Eris, her best guard Isaac, and the four commanders of the crows: Ruith, Katyr, Ieduin, and Aryn. At the center of this story is Eris and Ruith, their romance unfolding alongside the main plot, which includes military planning, dangerous magic, court politics, and subterfuge.
My overall thoughts ....
I really enjoyed this book! While I was reading I didn't want to put it down, it was only a "please go to sleep" headache that prevented me from powering through the whole book in one night! Eris and Rhuith are the most prominent characters, as this is their book, but the rest of the cast and POVs were balanced really well.
Something I really enjoyed about this book was the attention to the planning and preparedness aspects of being a city under siege, maybe some readers would find discussions of curfews and rations dry, but they were brief, and I feel that type of content is something missing from a lot of stories with a military focus, and I really appreciated the presence of those more realistic considerations. Eris isn't just a queen with a sword, she also has tot think about food rations and taxes and the more boring but really important things, that affect her people- and I really liked those details. I sometimes find that stories that have a romance focus can let their more action driven plotlines go by the wayside, but that was not the case here.
This review is spoiler free, so I won't say specifics. But I was not really surprised by the twists or revelations that come throughout the story is terms of the more political "someone is trying to sabotage the throne" plotline- but mind blowing plot twists is not something that I look for in fantasy, and I did not find any of the reveals contrived or irritating or GLARINGLY obvious, despite that fact that maybe they weren't so secret or surprising.
I found the pace, writing, and overall storytelling to be very on par with the genre that this book is in, fantasy-romance, and this book is actually a bit heavier on the non-romance plot and fantasy elements than I had expected, which is something that I certainly don't mind. I think the two plots were balanced and woven together very well. If you are looking to be blown away by prose, this is generally speaking not the genre where that would happen. But Eveland's writing flows well, and is very effective for the story. Never once was I rolling my eyes at purple prose or terrible cliches.
Strongest points ...
Definitely Eris and Rhuith, which makes sense, and should be that way, since they are the center of this book. What I really enjoyed about their romance was the mutual respect and goal from the beginning- saving Brucia. I have little patience for romances that start with a dark and brooding man who belittles the heroine, and to whom she has to prove herself- the shallow sort of enemies to lovers that is really just people sniping at each other for no reason until they fall into bed- it's not my thing. Instead Eris and Rhuith have an attraction and flirty push and pull from the start. And their relationship deepens naturally, there were no sudden declarations that threw me for a loop. The only thing is that I know the next book will belong to a different couple- but just like other character's and couples had their moments to develop in this book, I need just a bit more closure for Eris and Ruith, and I'm sure it will come.
Weakest points ...
The weakest part of this book for me is the worldbuilding. Not in a distractingly bad way- but I did wish for a bit more information and context for what was happening in the story. Are the eleves looking to conquer just to conquer? Even if that is Tarathiel's (I forget the exact spelling, sorry) reason- it doesn't explain a long history of human and elven conflict, which I would have loved a bit more background on. Also I love a map, even a simple one, really helps me orient how things are working in a story. But regardless, none of this was a big problem for me, just something I would love to see more added to in the coming books.
Would I recommend this book?
Yep! If you're looking for a fun fantasy read with enjoyable characters, and yes, some spice- this is totally the book for you. Particularly, I think this could really appeal to fans of The Cruel Prince, or Throne of Glass that are looking for something with more ~adult~ appeal- not just because of sexual content but the significance of politics and other heavier topics you don't find in YA.
Well that's it! Like I said, I really had fun with this book, and I'm looking forward to reading book 2 when it comes out in April!
A really solid four stars!
A Court of Crows follows a young queen with her city/state of Brucia under siege from an invading force nearly triple the size of her own army. Desperate for a chance to out last her enemies, she hires a band of mercenaries knows as the Crows, with the skill, numbers, and experience she needs to hold her city. The central cast of this story is Queen Eris, her best guard Isaac, and the four commanders of the crows: Ruith, Katyr, Ieduin, and Aryn. At the center of this story is Eris and Ruith, their romance unfolding alongside the main plot, which includes military planning, dangerous magic, court politics, and subterfuge.
My overall thoughts ....
I really enjoyed this book! While I was reading I didn't want to put it down, it was only a "please go to sleep" headache that prevented me from powering through the whole book in one night! Eris and Rhuith are the most prominent characters, as this is their book, but the rest of the cast and POVs were balanced really well.
Something I really enjoyed about this book was the attention to the planning and preparedness aspects of being a city under siege, maybe some readers would find discussions of curfews and rations dry, but they were brief, and I feel that type of content is something missing from a lot of stories with a military focus, and I really appreciated the presence of those more realistic considerations. Eris isn't just a queen with a sword, she also has tot think about food rations and taxes and the more boring but really important things, that affect her people- and I really liked those details. I sometimes find that stories that have a romance focus can let their more action driven plotlines go by the wayside, but that was not the case here.
This review is spoiler free, so I won't say specifics. But I was not really surprised by the twists or revelations that come throughout the story is terms of the more political "someone is trying to sabotage the throne" plotline- but mind blowing plot twists is not something that I look for in fantasy, and I did not find any of the reveals contrived or irritating or GLARINGLY obvious, despite that fact that maybe they weren't so secret or surprising.
I found the pace, writing, and overall storytelling to be very on par with the genre that this book is in, fantasy-romance, and this book is actually a bit heavier on the non-romance plot and fantasy elements than I had expected, which is something that I certainly don't mind. I think the two plots were balanced and woven together very well. If you are looking to be blown away by prose, this is generally speaking not the genre where that would happen. But Eveland's writing flows well, and is very effective for the story. Never once was I rolling my eyes at purple prose or terrible cliches.
Strongest points ...
Definitely Eris and Rhuith, which makes sense, and should be that way, since they are the center of this book. What I really enjoyed about their romance was the mutual respect and goal from the beginning- saving Brucia. I have little patience for romances that start with a dark and brooding man who belittles the heroine, and to whom she has to prove herself- the shallow sort of enemies to lovers that is really just people sniping at each other for no reason until they fall into bed- it's not my thing. Instead Eris and Rhuith have an attraction and flirty push and pull from the start. And their relationship deepens naturally, there were no sudden declarations that threw me for a loop. The only thing is that I know the next book will belong to a different couple- but just like other character's and couples had their moments to develop in this book, I need just a bit more closure for Eris and Ruith, and I'm sure it will come.
Weakest points ...
The weakest part of this book for me is the worldbuilding. Not in a distractingly bad way- but I did wish for a bit more information and context for what was happening in the story. Are the eleves looking to conquer just to conquer? Even if that is Tarathiel's (I forget the exact spelling, sorry) reason- it doesn't explain a long history of human and elven conflict, which I would have loved a bit more background on. Also I love a map, even a simple one, really helps me orient how things are working in a story. But regardless, none of this was a big problem for me, just something I would love to see more added to in the coming books.
Would I recommend this book?
Yep! If you're looking for a fun fantasy read with enjoyable characters, and yes, some spice- this is totally the book for you. Particularly, I think this could really appeal to fans of The Cruel Prince, or Throne of Glass that are looking for something with more ~adult~ appeal- not just because of sexual content but the significance of politics and other heavier topics you don't find in YA.
Well that's it! Like I said, I really had fun with this book, and I'm looking forward to reading book 2 when it comes out in April!
March 1, 2022
I totally got sucked into this story, enough that I was reading even when I had other things I should have been doing.
This story has a good mix of romance, battles, magic, and some interesting worldbuilding. I loved the cast of characters. Eris and Ruith are the main characters, a desperate, badass human queen and a mercenary elf. Two strong characters that have a mutual respect and attraction to one another. They had both great chemistry and a sweet affection for each other that I loved.
And there's a war hound, which is always awesome.
I liked the supporting characters and their backstories and issues, which was woven very deftly through the action and tension and conflict of a siege.
The story had a little bit of everything, and I practically consumed it whole!
This story has a good mix of romance, battles, magic, and some interesting worldbuilding. I loved the cast of characters. Eris and Ruith are the main characters, a desperate, badass human queen and a mercenary elf. Two strong characters that have a mutual respect and attraction to one another. They had both great chemistry and a sweet affection for each other that I loved.
And there's a war hound, which is always awesome.
I liked the supporting characters and their backstories and issues, which was woven very deftly through the action and tension and conflict of a siege.
The story had a little bit of everything, and I practically consumed it whole!
April 13, 2023
*inhales the deepest of breaths* STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY!!
I can't believe that this book hasn't blown up more because it's phenomenal and absolutely deserves it. I don't want to summarize the book because I think the blurb does a beautiful job, so I'll just focus on what I liked.
Let's start off with how magnificently well-rounded it is. Most books that usually follow this type of plot are heavily character-driven, with the majority of the narrative focusing on the main characters and their interpersonal relationships. Which, by the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with - sometimes that's all you need. But this book has that and more! There are action-packed fighting scenes, tactical war meetings that make you feel like you're there and have you stopping to think, "wow, that's an impressive strategy!" and a complex magical system that enchants you until the very last page - not to mention the spicier scenes! Omg, and the humor!! OMG, AND THE DOG!! There's just so much substance that makes the story vividly colorful and abundant.
Another massive plus is that A Court of Crows is a triumph of representation and inclusivity! There's so much queer, and I adored every moment of it. And because it's multiple-POV, we get a lot more access to those characters and their perspectives than we usually would - which I so fucking appreciate because it removes any possible tokenization. It bothers the hell out of me when authors only add a whisper of queerness to their books for the sake of appearing inclusive, but our Crows are shouting "We're here, and we're queer!" from the proverbial mountaintop. And yes, the queer relationships are more in the sub-plot of this one, but the remaining books in the series promise more of a spotlight for those connections - I'm stupidly excited for one in particular.
More than the actual representation of these characters, and what I think is a shining achievement in Eliza's writing - is the predominant ideology of openmindedness. Not just for the queer rep - for everyone. It's shown primarily through our leading man Ruith, this concept that one should only be judged by what they do versus who or what they are. The narrative brings awareness to the societal frameworks of class, gender, sex, race, etc., in a subtle but revealing way, and it's refreshing to see in a fantasy novel.
While few, there are still elements to the book that I think could have been more polished. For one, I noticed tiny plot holes - small enough that I could easily fill in the blanks in my mind, but I can see how others might not want to do that. However, they could be quickly rectified in any of the upcoming sequels, so I don't see it as a huge offense. On top of that, while there were no apparent cliffhangers at the end, there was a bit of a lack of closure and anticipated conversations that didn't happen - but again, easily fixed by the fact that there will be more books to come. There were other chinks in the metaphorical armor, but honestly, the positive elements of this book were so plentiful that I couldn't care less about a few minor imperfections.
Suffice it to say, I am enamored with this universe, and I can't fucking wait to see more of it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grim Cat Press LLC, for the e-book!
I can't believe that this book hasn't blown up more because it's phenomenal and absolutely deserves it. I don't want to summarize the book because I think the blurb does a beautiful job, so I'll just focus on what I liked.
Let's start off with how magnificently well-rounded it is. Most books that usually follow this type of plot are heavily character-driven, with the majority of the narrative focusing on the main characters and their interpersonal relationships. Which, by the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with - sometimes that's all you need. But this book has that and more! There are action-packed fighting scenes, tactical war meetings that make you feel like you're there and have you stopping to think, "wow, that's an impressive strategy!" and a complex magical system that enchants you until the very last page - not to mention the spicier scenes! Omg, and the humor!! OMG, AND THE DOG!! There's just so much substance that makes the story vividly colorful and abundant.
Another massive plus is that A Court of Crows is a triumph of representation and inclusivity! There's so much queer, and I adored every moment of it. And because it's multiple-POV, we get a lot more access to those characters and their perspectives than we usually would - which I so fucking appreciate because it removes any possible tokenization. It bothers the hell out of me when authors only add a whisper of queerness to their books for the sake of appearing inclusive, but our Crows are shouting "We're here, and we're queer!" from the proverbial mountaintop. And yes, the queer relationships are more in the sub-plot of this one, but the remaining books in the series promise more of a spotlight for those connections - I'm stupidly excited for one in particular.
More than the actual representation of these characters, and what I think is a shining achievement in Eliza's writing - is the predominant ideology of openmindedness. Not just for the queer rep - for everyone. It's shown primarily through our leading man Ruith, this concept that one should only be judged by what they do versus who or what they are. The narrative brings awareness to the societal frameworks of class, gender, sex, race, etc., in a subtle but revealing way, and it's refreshing to see in a fantasy novel.
While few, there are still elements to the book that I think could have been more polished. For one, I noticed tiny plot holes - small enough that I could easily fill in the blanks in my mind, but I can see how others might not want to do that. However, they could be quickly rectified in any of the upcoming sequels, so I don't see it as a huge offense. On top of that, while there were no apparent cliffhangers at the end, there was a bit of a lack of closure and anticipated conversations that didn't happen - but again, easily fixed by the fact that there will be more books to come. There were other chinks in the metaphorical armor, but honestly, the positive elements of this book were so plentiful that I couldn't care less about a few minor imperfections.
Suffice it to say, I am enamored with this universe, and I can't fucking wait to see more of it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grim Cat Press LLC, for the e-book!
May 1, 2022
Okay, I feel like this is about to be a really hated review, so here we go. First, let me start by saying, this book isn't awful. Though it certainly wasn't good; not for me.
Eveland's writing style was painstakingly boring for me. I had to fight for my life to finish this book. Every fantasy book nowadays just seems to follow the same exact storyline: A war, with a hint of romance, and some magic. Fantasy has always been my favorite genre but I do not know how many more war books I can read, I'm starting to go a little insane. None of the characters in this novel are exciting. The main character is a women, yay for that, but she is the worst kind. There is this idea formulated that she's wicked strong and independent; she's the only female Queen around so she's got to have some kind of reputation, right? While this is an admirable trope, I found her dry as a saltine cracker. Seriously, I never once read about her and was filled with butterflies and awe, my heart never raced and I never tore through the chapters with fervor. I didn't look up to her. When I hear about a female main character who is supposedly strong and does what no one else can, I want to look up to her. I want to feel like a little girl with a hero. I never felt that in A Court of Crows.
The worst part was the way the main character completely unraveled as soon as she felt the touch of the incredibly 'unassuming' male character. God you'd think she was a little girl and not a Queen. She was fighting an entire war but barely helped her country, like ever, she spent most of the story laying around weeping. Additionally, the romance in this book is built off attraction alone. I want to foam at the mouth when the couple takes over the book for a few pages. Yet here, it was the same thing every time. "Wow, you're so strong and hot. I love you". ?????
I wasn't impressed by A Court of Crows and I'll be very surprised if this series makes it far. Pick it up, make what you will of it, but don't go expecting anything earth-shattering.
Eveland's writing style was painstakingly boring for me. I had to fight for my life to finish this book. Every fantasy book nowadays just seems to follow the same exact storyline: A war, with a hint of romance, and some magic. Fantasy has always been my favorite genre but I do not know how many more war books I can read, I'm starting to go a little insane. None of the characters in this novel are exciting. The main character is a women, yay for that, but she is the worst kind. There is this idea formulated that she's wicked strong and independent; she's the only female Queen around so she's got to have some kind of reputation, right? While this is an admirable trope, I found her dry as a saltine cracker. Seriously, I never once read about her and was filled with butterflies and awe, my heart never raced and I never tore through the chapters with fervor. I didn't look up to her. When I hear about a female main character who is supposedly strong and does what no one else can, I want to look up to her. I want to feel like a little girl with a hero. I never felt that in A Court of Crows.
The worst part was the way the main character completely unraveled as soon as she felt the touch of the incredibly 'unassuming' male character. God you'd think she was a little girl and not a Queen. She was fighting an entire war but barely helped her country, like ever, she spent most of the story laying around weeping. Additionally, the romance in this book is built off attraction alone. I want to foam at the mouth when the couple takes over the book for a few pages. Yet here, it was the same thing every time. "Wow, you're so strong and hot. I love you". ?????
I wasn't impressed by A Court of Crows and I'll be very surprised if this series makes it far. Pick it up, make what you will of it, but don't go expecting anything earth-shattering.
May 27, 2022
A 3.5 stars read that I really enjoyed!
A Court of Crows follows Queen Eris, a young heir to the throne whom no one expected to take charge of the city/state of Brucia. After the city is threaten and sieged by an ancient enemey she is forced to hire a band of mercenaries, the Crows, to help defeat this threat.
As the political intrigue and war unfolds, we find ourselves following not only the storyline of our Queen but also of some fellow crows and side characters that made the story even more intriguing and coloful.
I really enjoyed that the central conflict is based on the state being seiged by this big army, usually you encounter stories where the conlfict is on open field or even a quest, this however felt very original and fresh. You can see the strategy and thought that has to go into planning rationing, managing crowds and even managing the counsel of the queen itself. Plently of mystery and betrayels are also sprinkled over the novel.
While the pacing and the writing was very good for the most part, I do have to confess that I felt it dragged slightly in the middle making me loose interest a tiny bit, it picked up by the end so everything was ok. If you are looking for a fantasy romance that has more romance than fantasy this might not be the book for you, the actual non-romance plot was very heavy and I think it was the perfect balance so that the book felt like it has substance.
Would I recommend this book?
If you are looking for a fun read with a lot of political intrigue, with a strong main character and some spice... Yep! this could be for you. This could be really appealing for lovers of books like: A deal with the Elf King / A dance with the Elf Prince - Elise Kova, Throne of Glass - SJM, Bridge Kingdom - Danielle L Jensen.
I actually look forward to book 2
Thank you netgally for the opportunity to read this on advance! This thoughts an opinions are my own.
A Court of Crows follows Queen Eris, a young heir to the throne whom no one expected to take charge of the city/state of Brucia. After the city is threaten and sieged by an ancient enemey she is forced to hire a band of mercenaries, the Crows, to help defeat this threat.
As the political intrigue and war unfolds, we find ourselves following not only the storyline of our Queen but also of some fellow crows and side characters that made the story even more intriguing and coloful.
I really enjoyed that the central conflict is based on the state being seiged by this big army, usually you encounter stories where the conlfict is on open field or even a quest, this however felt very original and fresh. You can see the strategy and thought that has to go into planning rationing, managing crowds and even managing the counsel of the queen itself. Plently of mystery and betrayels are also sprinkled over the novel.
While the pacing and the writing was very good for the most part, I do have to confess that I felt it dragged slightly in the middle making me loose interest a tiny bit, it picked up by the end so everything was ok. If you are looking for a fantasy romance that has more romance than fantasy this might not be the book for you, the actual non-romance plot was very heavy and I think it was the perfect balance so that the book felt like it has substance.
Would I recommend this book?
If you are looking for a fun read with a lot of political intrigue, with a strong main character and some spice... Yep! this could be for you. This could be really appealing for lovers of books like: A deal with the Elf King / A dance with the Elf Prince - Elise Kova, Throne of Glass - SJM, Bridge Kingdom - Danielle L Jensen.
I actually look forward to book 2
Thank you netgally for the opportunity to read this on advance! This thoughts an opinions are my own.
February 24, 2022
Did not know what to expect going into it but i have to see im intrigued! The pace was great , there were some areas that felt like they dragged a bit but overall i definitely enjoyed reading.
Love how each character had a chapter to focus on then and we got to know more about each of the Crows which just made me apprecuate each of them a little more
The romance of the mains did seem a little too quick for my taste and it there could've been a bit more teasing/tension between them before they got serious it would have been perfect. I kind of lost interest on the love aspect after they got together and tried to focus more on the plot.
NOW FOR KAT AN ISSAC!!!!! *screams internally*
I LOVE THEM!! I CANNOT wait to see how they evolve and honestly needed more of them. All their interactions were beautifully written and i could feel the tension between them!
Overall great read and amazing writting from Eliza.
Looking forward to Book 2!
Love how each character had a chapter to focus on then and we got to know more about each of the Crows which just made me apprecuate each of them a little more
The romance of the mains did seem a little too quick for my taste and it there could've been a bit more teasing/tension between them before they got serious it would have been perfect. I kind of lost interest on the love aspect after they got together and tried to focus more on the plot.
NOW FOR KAT AN ISSAC!!!!! *screams internally*
I LOVE THEM!! I CANNOT wait to see how they evolve and honestly needed more of them. All their interactions were beautifully written and i could feel the tension between them!
Overall great read and amazing writting from Eliza.
Looking forward to Book 2!
February 27, 2022
I recieved a ARC from Netgalley. I have read 40 books so far this year (February 27, 2022), and this is easily in my top 3 favorites of the year. This book has everything you could want in a book. There's mystery, battles, romance, plot twist, treachery, and everything is so well crafted. The world building is A+, the story itself is fantastic. The characters are rich, and well developed. I can't gush about my love for this book enough. Thank you so much for this story. It was truly a privilege to read.
April 25, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Grim Cat Press LLC for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This book was so much fun to read! It had everything I could have asked for in a fantasy story, including a slow-burn romance, assassins and spies, courtly and political intrigue, a murder mystery and so much more!
The main character, Eris, is portrayed as an independent woman who’s not afraid to take up arms and defend her kingdom with her very life, which is a part of Eris’ personality that the author managed to convey very well without going into the “not like other girls” trope, which is always a plus. Still, I really think Eris as a character would have benefited from a little more depth. Since she is very much focused on defending her city (something I totally understand for obvious reasons), other parts of her personality were totally left out in this book. That’s why I like her enough as one of the MCs, but don’t love her entirely.
The romance subplot was also a great aspect of this book, because while it is very much present in the story, it doesn’t take the focus off of the other events portrayed. In this first entry in the Talons and Tethers series, the reader mainly follows the romance between Eris and one of the other main characters, but there’s also some other pairings that are already forming that are also very very interesting, including a m/m romance. Concerning the first one mentioned, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the pairing and was rooting for them from the start, although that instant attraction wasn’t entirely to my liking, but that’s something that was compensated by the slow-burn romance that unfolded from there.
As for the other characters, I LOVED the banter between the Crows, they were my favourite element in the story since I adore the “Found Family” trope to death! The bad guys, however, were kind of stereotypical and definitely could have been portrayed in a more nuanced way.
Considering Brucia is under siege throughout the duration of the story, there were some moments where the action wasn’t really present and in which the plot could have stalled. To compensate for that the author introduced a murder mystery as another plot line, something I really appreciated, seeing as it was a really clever way to break the monotony of the siege between more action-packed sequences.
Overall, this was a great first book in a fantasy romance series and I 100% look forward to continuing it!
This book was so much fun to read! It had everything I could have asked for in a fantasy story, including a slow-burn romance, assassins and spies, courtly and political intrigue, a murder mystery and so much more!
The main character, Eris, is portrayed as an independent woman who’s not afraid to take up arms and defend her kingdom with her very life, which is a part of Eris’ personality that the author managed to convey very well without going into the “not like other girls” trope, which is always a plus. Still, I really think Eris as a character would have benefited from a little more depth. Since she is very much focused on defending her city (something I totally understand for obvious reasons), other parts of her personality were totally left out in this book. That’s why I like her enough as one of the MCs, but don’t love her entirely.
The romance subplot was also a great aspect of this book, because while it is very much present in the story, it doesn’t take the focus off of the other events portrayed. In this first entry in the Talons and Tethers series, the reader mainly follows the romance between Eris and one of the other main characters, but there’s also some other pairings that are already forming that are also very very interesting, including a m/m romance. Concerning the first one mentioned, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the pairing and was rooting for them from the start, although that instant attraction wasn’t entirely to my liking, but that’s something that was compensated by the slow-burn romance that unfolded from there.
As for the other characters, I LOVED the banter between the Crows, they were my favourite element in the story since I adore the “Found Family” trope to death! The bad guys, however, were kind of stereotypical and definitely could have been portrayed in a more nuanced way.
Considering Brucia is under siege throughout the duration of the story, there were some moments where the action wasn’t really present and in which the plot could have stalled. To compensate for that the author introduced a murder mystery as another plot line, something I really appreciated, seeing as it was a really clever way to break the monotony of the siege between more action-packed sequences.
Overall, this was a great first book in a fantasy romance series and I 100% look forward to continuing it!
March 19, 2022
4☆
This was so good. When I started this, I didn't expect to like it as much as I did.
Funny
I laughed several times, mostly because of Ieduin. I loved the humor in this so much.
Characters
I loved the main characters, especially the Crow commanders. All the characters were really well developed and felt real (and there was a lot of different representation). Multiple POV's added to the characters and I was never annoyed that the POV changed (unlike some books). My favourite character might've been Ieduin (I think I have a bias towards funny characters) but I honestly can't choose. Eris was cool as a female main character: she's strong, fights for her people, and is horny for Ruith (which understandable). Also, Isaac was an amazing character, so wholesome.
Worldbuilding and Plot
I really liked that the plot wasn't solely romance. The mix of politics, war, and romance was perfect and I was interested throughout the novel.
When it comes to world-building, I would've liked there to e some more development. I have a lot of unanswered questions: why are the elves invading? Why do the humans have 8 gods?
Romance
I was happy that this wasn't the usual "brooding man who hates woman. She proves herself and suddenly man is in love."I liked that they had mutual respect and especially Ruith was immediately honest with what he wanted. Their flirty banter was *chefs kiss* and the smut was 2/5 in terms of spice. Their relationship was good, overall, and although I prefer slow burns, theirs was still cute.
One thing that I could've skipped was the "we can't be together because everyone will judge us" moment. I kind of hate it, though I (kind of) get it. Also, I want more closure, hopefully, book 2 will help.
As for the side romance, I kind of liked it more...
Predictable and Confusing-ish
Several of the plot twists/points were predictable, . And at some points, I was confused, mostly in the beginning.
Overall, super fun fantasy book, I'm 100% going to read book 2.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was so good. When I started this, I didn't expect to like it as much as I did.
Funny
I laughed several times, mostly because of Ieduin. I loved the humor in this so much.
"You want to trap a fox before she makes off with the henhouse, what do you do?"
"Gods below, please don't say it," Ruith groaned. "I will pay you not to."
Ieduin grinned and winked at the room. "You bring in a cock."
Characters
I loved the main characters, especially the Crow commanders. All the characters were really well developed and felt real (and there was a lot of different representation). Multiple POV's added to the characters and I was never annoyed that the POV changed (unlike some books). My favourite character might've been Ieduin (I think I have a bias towards funny characters) but I honestly can't choose. Eris was cool as a female main character: she's strong, fights for her people, and is horny for Ruith (which understandable). Also, Isaac was an amazing character, so wholesome.
Worldbuilding and Plot
I really liked that the plot wasn't solely romance. The mix of politics, war, and romance was perfect and I was interested throughout the novel.
When it comes to world-building, I would've liked there to e some more development. I have a lot of unanswered questions: why are the elves invading? Why do the humans have 8 gods?
Romance
I was happy that this wasn't the usual "brooding man who hates woman. She proves herself and suddenly man is in love."I liked that they had mutual respect and especially Ruith was immediately honest with what he wanted. Their flirty banter was *chefs kiss* and the smut was 2/5 in terms of spice. Their relationship was good, overall, and although I prefer slow burns, theirs was still cute.
One thing that I could've skipped was the "we can't be together because everyone will judge us" moment. I kind of hate it, though I (kind of) get it. Also, I want more closure, hopefully, book 2 will help.
"Do not expect me to faint in your arms. I'm not some damsel in need of rescue."
"If you were, I would not be interested." *SWOON*
As for the side romance, I kind of liked it more...
Predictable and Confusing-ish
Several of the plot twists/points were predictable, . And at some points, I was confused, mostly in the beginning.
Overall, super fun fantasy book, I'm 100% going to read book 2.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2022
Definitely stole my heart.
This story was such a balanced mix of battle, magic, war, and romance. Nothing felt like there was too much, and while the world/magic system was slow to build it was still completely digestible. A whole cast of unique individuals, a siege, an unwilling queen, found family? Delicious.
What I liked:
-Pretty much every MC. Honestly, my favorites were definitely Ieduin and Katyr, they both had such distinct personalities. Ieduin had no business being as funny as he was and I like the part that he played for the Crows in the last few chapters. Katyr, the fact that they literally dug up a ley line.
-Maybe I'm fucked in the head, but Taratheil was funny as hell. His interactions with Ruith were fucking hilarious
-Eris and her slew of queenly responsibilities
-How to conduct a siege. honestly, Ruith was teaching Eris AND me.
-The magic. mostly explained at the end during an interaction between characters, but I'm still a fan. I want Katyr's story.
-The "red string of destiny", my Asian ass loved pretty much any reference to this
-How Eris dealt with that whole Vantis situation. you know what I'm talking about.
-There was so much reference to inbreeding among the mages. I need to know more about the magic systems and the politics
-On that same note, the brotherhood. I'm assuming something is being set up?
-There were so many "he's your brother??", literally everyone is related lol
-Eris and Ruith and definitely giving mom and dad, super direct romance, they knew what they wanted and they went for it.
Things I didn't like:
-The whole assassination plot line. It was very open and shut, which I found a little disappointing since it was an assassination.
Overall:
I will be reading next one.
This story was such a balanced mix of battle, magic, war, and romance. Nothing felt like there was too much, and while the world/magic system was slow to build it was still completely digestible. A whole cast of unique individuals, a siege, an unwilling queen, found family? Delicious.
What I liked:
-Pretty much every MC. Honestly, my favorites were definitely Ieduin and Katyr, they both had such distinct personalities. Ieduin had no business being as funny as he was and I like the part that he played for the Crows in the last few chapters. Katyr, the fact that they literally dug up a ley line.
-Maybe I'm fucked in the head, but Taratheil was funny as hell. His interactions with Ruith were fucking hilarious
-Eris and her slew of queenly responsibilities
-How to conduct a siege. honestly, Ruith was teaching Eris AND me.
-The magic. mostly explained at the end during an interaction between characters, but I'm still a fan. I want Katyr's story.
-The "red string of destiny", my Asian ass loved pretty much any reference to this
-How Eris dealt with that whole Vantis situation. you know what I'm talking about.
-There was so much reference to inbreeding among the mages. I need to know more about the magic systems and the politics
-On that same note, the brotherhood. I'm assuming something is being set up?
-There were so many "he's your brother??", literally everyone is related lol
-Eris and Ruith and definitely giving mom and dad, super direct romance, they knew what they wanted and they went for it.
Things I didn't like:
-The whole assassination plot line. It was very open and shut, which I found a little disappointing since it was an assassination.
Overall:
I will be reading next one.
February 11, 2022
So... A Court of Crows! Ladies and gents and non-binaries and everyone in between, this does one of my favorite things ever: it follows multiple storylines that each have their own romantic subplot! [Well, some of the romances haven't started yet, but I love getting into different people's brains anyway. No, I'm not weird at all.]
The main story line is a city being besieged by invading elves and the queen of that city trying defend it. Eris wasn't actually SUPPOSED to be queen, but after her brother dies [ahem, in mysteriously abrupt circumstances, anyone? NO, THIS IS NOT A SPOILER BECAUSE YOU SHOULD *ALWAYS* BE SUSPICIOUS WHEN SOMEONE DIES UNEXPECTEDLY IN BOOKS, Y'ALL. It's a rule or something - whatever, I'm apparently in a tizzy today :-D Anyway], she's like, "Nope, I'm gonna be queen and not marry anyone, thank you very much."
A small army of elves called Crows come to help (for remuneration, naturally) and when the leader Ruith and she meet, romance explodes (well, semi-explodes... mini-explodes? I mean, they're not VOLATILE or flammable anything, but there's definitely heat, and they're not IMploding :-D) Anyway (dork tangent aside), besides the main storyline of them working to survive the city being beseiged, there's a secondary storyline (romannnnnnce!) between a Crow and what I imagine is this world's equivalent of a war monk :-D I can't give names because spoilers (maybe? Blah), but anyway, I am a guilty gal here (goin' Texan again, y'all), 'cuz I loved that sub-storyline so much, even more than the main romance - shame on me sorry not sorry :-P
As with every book that follows multiple storylines, readers tend to inevitably pick their favorites while other characters don't appeal as much, and I kept finding myself trying to get to the characters other than the main ones (I'm so bad, y'all, aren't I? No, really - tho maybe it's just me?). I think this is a testament to how well-drawn the minor characters are, though :-)
So one of my favorite parts was when a little boy appeared the wrong place, wrong time, and offered a coin to save his life - I’m super-curious what the story behind him having that coin is! I've asked the author if it's going to be told (I'll let you know if I get a reply ;-D )
Also, the details of the siege were fascinating. I'm a total nerd for this stuff, especially the curfew, the rationing, all the maneuvers, the fact that the invading army was making noise to keep those inside the city awake so they'd be tired during battle fending off any attack - I seriously loved those details!
And for you squeamish peeps, you’re good here, since the battles weren’t explicit :-D
I was also a bit giddy with: the mystery of the cloaked woman (read the book to find out, y'all), the part where Katyr had to put his life on the line to help her live and everyone’s reaction to that (read the book for it, y'all) :-D and of course meeting the little boy in the enemy camp - wonderful, wonderful! I had a lot of fun reading this, as you can tell :-)
The main story line is a city being besieged by invading elves and the queen of that city trying defend it. Eris wasn't actually SUPPOSED to be queen, but after her brother dies [ahem, in mysteriously abrupt circumstances, anyone? NO, THIS IS NOT A SPOILER BECAUSE YOU SHOULD *ALWAYS* BE SUSPICIOUS WHEN SOMEONE DIES UNEXPECTEDLY IN BOOKS, Y'ALL. It's a rule or something - whatever, I'm apparently in a tizzy today :-D Anyway], she's like, "Nope, I'm gonna be queen and not marry anyone, thank you very much."
A small army of elves called Crows come to help (for remuneration, naturally) and when the leader Ruith and she meet, romance explodes (well, semi-explodes... mini-explodes? I mean, they're not VOLATILE or flammable anything, but there's definitely heat, and they're not IMploding :-D) Anyway (dork tangent aside), besides the main storyline of them working to survive the city being beseiged, there's a secondary storyline (romannnnnnce!) between a Crow and what I imagine is this world's equivalent of a war monk :-D I can't give names because spoilers (maybe? Blah), but anyway, I am a guilty gal here (goin' Texan again, y'all), 'cuz I loved that sub-storyline so much, even more than the main romance - shame on me sorry not sorry :-P
As with every book that follows multiple storylines, readers tend to inevitably pick their favorites while other characters don't appeal as much, and I kept finding myself trying to get to the characters other than the main ones (I'm so bad, y'all, aren't I? No, really - tho maybe it's just me?). I think this is a testament to how well-drawn the minor characters are, though :-)
So one of my favorite parts was when a little boy appeared the wrong place, wrong time, and offered a coin to save his life - I’m super-curious what the story behind him having that coin is! I've asked the author if it's going to be told (I'll let you know if I get a reply ;-D )
Also, the details of the siege were fascinating. I'm a total nerd for this stuff, especially the curfew, the rationing, all the maneuvers, the fact that the invading army was making noise to keep those inside the city awake so they'd be tired during battle fending off any attack - I seriously loved those details!
And for you squeamish peeps, you’re good here, since the battles weren’t explicit :-D
I was also a bit giddy with: the mystery of the cloaked woman (read the book to find out, y'all), the part where Katyr had to put his life on the line to help her live and everyone’s reaction to that (read the book for it, y'all) :-D and of course meeting the little boy in the enemy camp - wonderful, wonderful! I had a lot of fun reading this, as you can tell :-)
August 7, 2022
Wow, this book was amazing. It has great plot lines and follows characters as they develop and change and become the protectors of a place they can now call home. It’s not a short story, but it just adds to the greatness. The book isn’t super plot heavy but relies on how each character reacts to the plot points and how they work together to achieve success. The many povs allows to really fall in love with each character and learn more about them and the choices they make. The war and battles were written so beautifully and you can really imagine Burica and all the restlessness and how the Crows are fighting to find a place in the world. How Eris fights for the city and elf she loves is written and portrayed so well. Just loved this book and can’t wait to start the next one.
February 18, 2022
If Joe Abercrombie decided to write fantasy romance about elves, it would be this book- and that's a compliment. The plot of a sieged city defended by mercenaries is nicely done, and I see hints of Calatan Company and Condottiere in the Crows; the author has done their homework- or at least a cursory glance at Wikipedia, which is to be frank more than most fantasy romance novelists do. (I once read a scene where the heroine ate a pomegranate like an apple, which- oh honey, no.)
Everything from the mercenaries themselves, riots, starvation, and the annoying trumpet as sleep deprivation is pretty classic siege behaviour, even if the latter is modern. The romance itself in contrast seemed almost too quick, but nothing like dealing with sudden death in bringing people together. I did like them together however, and liked it was a Happy For Now rather than HEA.
The background couples and characters were refreshing too. I liked the mage and the anti-magic paladin slowburn, but the background ship that caught my eye is Tired Old Whore and Giant Hammer Warrior Lady; now that's a pair I can rally behind. (Please let Captain Cock climb Rixxis like a tree, they both deserve it.)
As an aside, I find it amusing the author fangirls about ACOTAR a great deal, as I cannot stand that series. It's to the point of avoiding the sudden pop up of the "A Court of____" titles that now blight Kindle Unlimited, and almost stopped me reading this- but was recommended via a reddit thread regarding m!elf and f!human romance stories.
Everything from the mercenaries themselves, riots, starvation, and the annoying trumpet as sleep deprivation is pretty classic siege behaviour, even if the latter is modern. The romance itself in contrast seemed almost too quick, but nothing like dealing with sudden death in bringing people together. I did like them together however, and liked it was a Happy For Now rather than HEA.
The background couples and characters were refreshing too. I liked the mage and the anti-magic paladin slowburn, but the background ship that caught my eye is Tired Old Whore and Giant Hammer Warrior Lady; now that's a pair I can rally behind. (Please let Captain Cock climb Rixxis like a tree, they both deserve it.)
As an aside, I find it amusing the author fangirls about ACOTAR a great deal, as I cannot stand that series. It's to the point of avoiding the sudden pop up of the "A Court of____" titles that now blight Kindle Unlimited, and almost stopped me reading this- but was recommended via a reddit thread regarding m!elf and f!human romance stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2022
Mortal Queen Eris has a problem. After centuries of peace with the elves, they've returned to claim what they believe to be theirs, namely, resources, land, and human slaves. With the enemy at her gates, she finds she has no choice but to call for aid from a team of mercenaries, commanded by four elves, called The Crows. Eris's kingdom is hesitant to trust them due to their heritage, but Eris and Ruith are determined to protect Brucia at any cost. As they fight and plan side by side, their chemistry boils over, and they have to decide if they can sacrifice their happiness for their kingdom.
The plotline of this novel is really intriguing. It shows the intricacies of war and holding off a siege. There are so many moving parts and mysteries to unravel that they'll instantly captivate readers' attention, including the political intrigue, spy networks, training and strategizing, impatiently waiting, etc. The magic system within is complex and beautiful, too.
The romance element is very mild and heartwarming. There are graphic scenes, but they are centered around emotions rather than actions. Because the romance is sweet and emotional, there are a few moments where it gets a little cheesy and a little predictable.
Overall, I gave Court of Crows four out of five stars. It's an excellent adventure, with great details and an incredible setup for future installments.
Because the romance takes a back seat to the plot and character arcs, I think readers looking for plot-heavy novels will really love it. There are a few trigger warnings, including sexual harassment and minor SA (a kiss taken by force), and because it's war, there is a lot of violence and death.
To ease your mind, I'll tell you one thing: The dog lives.
The plotline of this novel is really intriguing. It shows the intricacies of war and holding off a siege. There are so many moving parts and mysteries to unravel that they'll instantly captivate readers' attention, including the political intrigue, spy networks, training and strategizing, impatiently waiting, etc. The magic system within is complex and beautiful, too.
The romance element is very mild and heartwarming. There are graphic scenes, but they are centered around emotions rather than actions. Because the romance is sweet and emotional, there are a few moments where it gets a little cheesy and a little predictable.
Overall, I gave Court of Crows four out of five stars. It's an excellent adventure, with great details and an incredible setup for future installments.
Because the romance takes a back seat to the plot and character arcs, I think readers looking for plot-heavy novels will really love it. There are a few trigger warnings, including sexual harassment and minor SA (a kiss taken by force), and because it's war, there is a lot of violence and death.
To ease your mind, I'll tell you one thing: The dog lives.
June 18, 2023
I liked the world building here, but the relationship between Crow and Eris was boring to read about. I also felt that many of the characters could have been explored more. It was interesting enough to keep reading, but I don't think I'll pick up the sequels.
February 13, 2022
Do you ever get the feeling that while reading a book you know you’ll be rereading this over and over when you’re done?
Yeah?
Well not even half way through with this one and I got that feeling.
I loved this book!
The camaraderie and brothers in arms within the Crows was epic! I can’t get over how unique each commander was but how well they fit together. I honestly couldn’t pick a favorite (cough cough Ieduin).
The world building was just enough that you were able to see the scenes and the world but not overwhelming so.
My favorite part was that there were pov’s from multiple characters, not just the main couple. This just brought the book to a whole new level.
Epic battles, lots of magic, court intrigue, betrayals, suspense and sweet sweet romance. Plenty of steam and slow burn chemistry too. I can’t wait to read more in the series and see who ends up with who.
This book ends on a happily ever after for now but there is some plot points that are open so I’m definitely biting at the chop for more but I’m not dying from a cliffhanger.
Highly highly recommend this one!
Yeah?
Well not even half way through with this one and I got that feeling.
I loved this book!
The camaraderie and brothers in arms within the Crows was epic! I can’t get over how unique each commander was but how well they fit together. I honestly couldn’t pick a favorite (cough cough Ieduin).
The world building was just enough that you were able to see the scenes and the world but not overwhelming so.
My favorite part was that there were pov’s from multiple characters, not just the main couple. This just brought the book to a whole new level.
Epic battles, lots of magic, court intrigue, betrayals, suspense and sweet sweet romance. Plenty of steam and slow burn chemistry too. I can’t wait to read more in the series and see who ends up with who.
This book ends on a happily ever after for now but there is some plot points that are open so I’m definitely biting at the chop for more but I’m not dying from a cliffhanger.
Highly highly recommend this one!
May 6, 2022
4.5 stars
Crown of Crows was the first book by Eliza Eveland I read, and I was surprised as hell!
Before starting I feared this book would mostly revolve around the romance between Eris and Ruith, sacrificing everything else. Well, I am so happy I was wrong.
Because there's so much more to Court of Crows than just the romance. It's a well-executed mix of battles, magic, court intrigue, betrayals, and romance.
In my opinion, the characters are pièce de résistance of this book. Following multiple POVs, we get to know not only Ruith and Eris, but a bunch of unforgettable supporting characters, so vivid and fleshed out, each one with their unique voices, that it's honestly impossible to pick up a favourite (I swear, I tried to choose one of them but simply I couldn't). The camaraderie between the Crown commanders is epic and I loved to read about their backstory.
To be honest, one of the only flaws I see in the book is the romance between Ruith and Eris. While I love them both, their relationship felt a bit forced, developing too fast. On the other end, the blossoming, slow-burn romance between Isaac and Katyr is so so sweet, and I hope to see more of them in the next book.
On the world-building side, I would have loved to know more about the relationship between humans and the few elves still living among them, as well as about the dispute between the Brotherhood of the Eight Divines and College of Magi.
Nonetheless, I truly loved this book. I need the sequel NOW.
~I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and the editor~
Crown of Crows was the first book by Eliza Eveland I read, and I was surprised as hell!
The plot
Eris Telari never wanted to be a queen of the Free City of Brucia. But after her brother’s sudden death, she steps in, becoming the first woman to rule Brucia. As if being the first female leader in an otherwise patriarchy-based kingdom is not enough, a further challenge arises. After centuries of peace with the elves, an undefeated elven warlord attempts to conquer Brucia to claim lands and human slaves. Abandoned by all the other Free Cities, with the enemy at their gates, the only hope for Brucia is asking for help from a company of mercenaries, The Crows, led by the charming and dangerous Ruith. Pity that the Crows four commanders are all elves – a heritage that most people in Brucia are not easy to overlook and that itself can undermine any possible trust between Brucians and the mercenaries. But Eris and the Ruith are determined to protect Brucia at any cost – sacrificing everything needed, including their own happiness.
Before starting I feared this book would mostly revolve around the romance between Eris and Ruith, sacrificing everything else. Well, I am so happy I was wrong.
Because there's so much more to Court of Crows than just the romance. It's a well-executed mix of battles, magic, court intrigue, betrayals, and romance.
In my opinion, the characters are pièce de résistance of this book. Following multiple POVs, we get to know not only Ruith and Eris, but a bunch of unforgettable supporting characters, so vivid and fleshed out, each one with their unique voices, that it's honestly impossible to pick up a favourite (I swear, I tried to choose one of them but simply I couldn't). The camaraderie between the Crown commanders is epic and I loved to read about their backstory.
To be honest, one of the only flaws I see in the book is the romance between Ruith and Eris. While I love them both, their relationship felt a bit forced, developing too fast. On the other end, the blossoming, slow-burn romance between Isaac and Katyr is so so sweet, and I hope to see more of them in the next book.
On the world-building side, I would have loved to know more about the relationship between humans and the few elves still living among them, as well as about the dispute between the Brotherhood of the Eight Divines and College of Magi.
Nonetheless, I truly loved this book. I need the sequel NOW.
~I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and the editor~
October 24, 2022
I found this author and this series because I came across a call for ARC readers of the new book in the series, so I picked up book Court of Crows to make my way through to the new release.
From the start, I was captivated and fell in love with the FMC. She’s the usual FMC that can hold her own with a sword, not afraid to fight for her kingdom, and will do what it takes for her people.
I am in love with absolutely all of the main Crows. Ruith, the cliché macho MC. Aryn, the broody knife-lover. Katyr, the suave mage. Ieduin, the arrogant “lady’s man”.
I won’t get into plot because I don’t like to give away spoilers, but I will make some notes on what I liked and didn’t like.
Pros:
*The diversity
*Story-telling
*Character interactions/development/relationship
Cons:
*Some concepts were hard to follow (e.g. Brotherhood vs College. I didn’t fully grasp what these were and what the feud was, but could be something I missed) UPDATE: after reading the next books, I better understand this.
*Wished to have seen Orin and Rixxis more
Overall, I loved this book. I use Kindle Unlimited to read through as many books as I want and only by the physical copies I enjoy. This is one I’d be jumping at a signed copy for.
From the start, I was captivated and fell in love with the FMC. She’s the usual FMC that can hold her own with a sword, not afraid to fight for her kingdom, and will do what it takes for her people.
I am in love with absolutely all of the main Crows. Ruith, the cliché macho MC. Aryn, the broody knife-lover. Katyr, the suave mage. Ieduin, the arrogant “lady’s man”.
I won’t get into plot because I don’t like to give away spoilers, but I will make some notes on what I liked and didn’t like.
Pros:
*The diversity
*Story-telling
*Character interactions/development/relationship
Cons:
*Some concepts were hard to follow (e.g. Brotherhood vs College. I didn’t fully grasp what these were and what the feud was, but could be something I missed) UPDATE: after reading the next books, I better understand this.
*Wished to have seen Orin and Rixxis more
Overall, I loved this book. I use Kindle Unlimited to read through as many books as I want and only by the physical copies I enjoy. This is one I’d be jumping at a signed copy for.
April 3, 2022
Sono rimasta piacevolmente colpita da questo libro! Non conoscevo l'autrice e devo dire che sono stata conquistata subito dai personaggi e dalla storia di "A court of crows".
In breve la storia racconta di questo regno umano, guidato dalla regina Eris, la prima regina che ci sia mai stata a comando di un regno umano, che viene attaccato e messo sotto assedio da un esercito di elfi.
Purtroppo nessun regno alleato risponde alle richieste di aiuto di Eris e quindi si rivolge a un gruppo di mercenari che si fanno chiamare i Corvi.
A capo di questo gruppo ci sono 4 comandanti (uno ovviamente più particolare dell'altro): Ruith il comandante a capo di tutto l'esercito, Aryn a capo dello spionaggio e degli assassini, Katyr a capo dei maghi e Ieduin a capo degli arcieri.
Sin dal primo incontro tra Eris e Ruith scoppiano scintille e tra i due nasce molto velocemente un sentimento che non staranno certo attenti a nascondere. Non sono gli unici comunque a trovare molto attraenti le persone con cui dovranno avere a che fare in questo lungo assedio.
Fortunatamente la storia non è basata solo su grandi ed epiche battaglie, ma sceglie sopratutto di mostrare alcuni momenti più familiari tra i mercenari, Eris e le sue guardie e altri personaggi all'interno delle mura di Brucia. Non mancheranno comunque momenti in cui le spade e le battaglie avranno l'attenzione di tutti i partecipanti alla storia, bilanciando col giusto ritmo la storia che altrimenti sarebbe molto dedicata al romance.
Probabilmente avrei apprezzato se il libro fosse stato più lungo e l'intreccio della storia più elaborato, ma dato che il libro mi ha convinta sin dalle prime pagine, glielo posso sicuramente perdonare.
Ci sono ovviamente però molte cose che van migliorate. Alcuni piccoli colpi di scena erano prevedibili e molte cose già viste in altri libri o serie tv.
Come ho potuto apprendere dalla divertentissima nota che l'autrice ha aggiunto alla fine del libro, lei disdegnava con tutta se stessa i libri fantasy romance, ma la Bardugo e la Maas (santa donna!) l'hanno fortunatamente convertita e le hanno aperto gli occhi. Infatti vedo molto Cassian (con un pizzico di Wraith della BDB nell'aspetto fisico) in Ruith e il modo di narrare gli eventi durante l'assedio è molto simile a La corte di nebbia e furia. E questi sono solo due similitudini che ho notato, ma ce ne sono molte altre. Non mi han dato fastidio comunque, perchè il libro è scorrevole e l'autrice scrive molto bene.
Ho trovato il livello di inglese molto semplice e quindi non ho avuto nessuna difficoltà a seguire la storia.
Avrei voluto sicuramente vedere molto di più durante il finale e non vedo l'ora di continuarea leggere il libro successivo. Spero inoltre davvero che si impegni ancora di più con i libri successivi e continui a non disdegnare le storie d'amore perchè se rendi felice qualcuno con i tuoi libri dovresti esserne estremamente soddisfatto e fiero!
Grazie a Netgalley per avermi permesso di leggerlo!
---------------------
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I did not know the author and I must say that I was immediately conquered by the characters and the story of "A court of crows".
In short, the story tells of this human kingdom, led by Queen Eris, the first queen ever to command a human kingdom, who is attacked and besieged by an army of elves.
Unfortunately, no allied human kingdom responds to Eris's requests for help and therefore she turns to a group of mercenaries who call themselves the Crows.
At the head of this group there are 4 commanders (one obviously more handsome than the other): Ruith the commander at the head of the whole army, Aryn at the head of espionage and assassins, Katyr at the head of the mages and Ieduin at the head of the archers .
Since the first meeting Eris and Ruith love sparks burst between them and feelings arises very quickly between the two, that they will certainly not be careful to hide. And they are not the only ones who find the people they will have to deal with in this long siege very attractive.
Fortunately, the story is not based only on large and epic battles, but mostly chooses to show some more familiar moments between the mercenaries, Eris and her guards and other characters within the walls of Brucia. However, there will be moments in which the swords and battles will have the attention of all the participants in the story, balancing the story with the right rhythm that would otherwise be very dedicated to romance .
I probably would have appreciated if the book had been longer and the story plot more elaborate, but since the book has convinced me from the very first pages, I can certainly forgive it.
But there are obviously many things that need to be improved. Some small twists were predictable and many things already seen in other books or TV series.
As I learned from the hilarious note the author added at the end of the book, she disdained fantasy romance books with all her heart, but Bardugo and Maas (holy woman!) fortunately converted her and opened her eyes. In fact I see a lot of Cassian (with a hint of BDB's Wraith in the physical aspect) in Ruith and the way of narrating the events during the siege is very similar to The Court of Mist and Fury. And these are just two similarities I've noticed, but there are many more. They didn't bother me anyway, because the book is smooth and the author writes very well.
I found the level of English very simple and therefore I had no difficulty following the story.
I definitely wanted to see a lot more during the finale and can't wait to continue reading the next book. I also really hope that she will commit even more to the next books and continue not to disdain love stories because if you make someone happy with your books you should be extremely satisfied and proud of them!
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read it!
In breve la storia racconta di questo regno umano, guidato dalla regina Eris, la prima regina che ci sia mai stata a comando di un regno umano, che viene attaccato e messo sotto assedio da un esercito di elfi.
Purtroppo nessun regno alleato risponde alle richieste di aiuto di Eris e quindi si rivolge a un gruppo di mercenari che si fanno chiamare i Corvi.
A capo di questo gruppo ci sono 4 comandanti (uno ovviamente più particolare dell'altro): Ruith il comandante a capo di tutto l'esercito, Aryn a capo dello spionaggio e degli assassini, Katyr a capo dei maghi e Ieduin a capo degli arcieri.
Sin dal primo incontro tra Eris e Ruith scoppiano scintille e tra i due nasce molto velocemente un sentimento che non staranno certo attenti a nascondere. Non sono gli unici comunque a trovare molto attraenti le persone con cui dovranno avere a che fare in questo lungo assedio.
Fortunatamente la storia non è basata solo su grandi ed epiche battaglie, ma sceglie sopratutto di mostrare alcuni momenti più familiari tra i mercenari, Eris e le sue guardie e altri personaggi all'interno delle mura di Brucia. Non mancheranno comunque momenti in cui le spade e le battaglie avranno l'attenzione di tutti i partecipanti alla storia, bilanciando col giusto ritmo la storia che altrimenti sarebbe molto dedicata al romance.
Probabilmente avrei apprezzato se il libro fosse stato più lungo e l'intreccio della storia più elaborato, ma dato che il libro mi ha convinta sin dalle prime pagine, glielo posso sicuramente perdonare.
Ci sono ovviamente però molte cose che van migliorate. Alcuni piccoli colpi di scena erano prevedibili e molte cose già viste in altri libri o serie tv.
Come ho potuto apprendere dalla divertentissima nota che l'autrice ha aggiunto alla fine del libro, lei disdegnava con tutta se stessa i libri fantasy romance, ma la Bardugo e la Maas (santa donna!) l'hanno fortunatamente convertita e le hanno aperto gli occhi. Infatti vedo molto Cassian (con un pizzico di Wraith della BDB nell'aspetto fisico) in Ruith e il modo di narrare gli eventi durante l'assedio è molto simile a La corte di nebbia e furia. E questi sono solo due similitudini che ho notato, ma ce ne sono molte altre. Non mi han dato fastidio comunque, perchè il libro è scorrevole e l'autrice scrive molto bene.
Ho trovato il livello di inglese molto semplice e quindi non ho avuto nessuna difficoltà a seguire la storia.
Avrei voluto sicuramente vedere molto di più durante il finale e non vedo l'ora di continuarea leggere il libro successivo. Spero inoltre davvero che si impegni ancora di più con i libri successivi e continui a non disdegnare le storie d'amore perchè se rendi felice qualcuno con i tuoi libri dovresti esserne estremamente soddisfatto e fiero!
Grazie a Netgalley per avermi permesso di leggerlo!
---------------------
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I did not know the author and I must say that I was immediately conquered by the characters and the story of "A court of crows".
In short, the story tells of this human kingdom, led by Queen Eris, the first queen ever to command a human kingdom, who is attacked and besieged by an army of elves.
Unfortunately, no allied human kingdom responds to Eris's requests for help and therefore she turns to a group of mercenaries who call themselves the Crows.
At the head of this group there are 4 commanders (one obviously more handsome than the other): Ruith the commander at the head of the whole army, Aryn at the head of espionage and assassins, Katyr at the head of the mages and Ieduin at the head of the archers .
Since the first meeting Eris and Ruith love sparks burst between them and feelings arises very quickly between the two, that they will certainly not be careful to hide. And they are not the only ones who find the people they will have to deal with in this long siege very attractive.
Fortunately, the story is not based only on large and epic battles, but mostly chooses to show some more familiar moments between the mercenaries, Eris and her guards and other characters within the walls of Brucia. However, there will be moments in which the swords and battles will have the attention of all the participants in the story, balancing the story with the right rhythm that would otherwise be very dedicated to romance .
I probably would have appreciated if the book had been longer and the story plot more elaborate, but since the book has convinced me from the very first pages, I can certainly forgive it.
But there are obviously many things that need to be improved. Some small twists were predictable and many things already seen in other books or TV series.
As I learned from the hilarious note the author added at the end of the book, she disdained fantasy romance books with all her heart, but Bardugo and Maas (holy woman!) fortunately converted her and opened her eyes. In fact I see a lot of Cassian (with a hint of BDB's Wraith in the physical aspect) in Ruith and the way of narrating the events during the siege is very similar to The Court of Mist and Fury. And these are just two similarities I've noticed, but there are many more. They didn't bother me anyway, because the book is smooth and the author writes very well.
I found the level of English very simple and therefore I had no difficulty following the story.
I definitely wanted to see a lot more during the finale and can't wait to continue reading the next book. I also really hope that she will commit even more to the next books and continue not to disdain love stories because if you make someone happy with your books you should be extremely satisfied and proud of them!
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read it!
January 7, 2022
All-righty, here's the scoop on 'A Court of Crows'! Man, I have never read any of Eliza Eveland's books before this one but I have to commend her on her multi-world. Do you know how hard it is to create a world?? I have tried a failed. It gets complicated when deciding between hard and soft magic systems and whether protagonist A' should fall for antagonist B' or C'. Ugh! These are real questions people! But Eliza did it really well. There wasn't a breach in fantasy pocket and all the elements tied well into her setting and narratives.
So, the main character's name is Eris and I think I like her. I am not sure yet. I loved her resilience against those who opposer her and I adore her fighting spirit. The capability to search for help and guidance in her place of ignorance or helplessness really drew her to me. I bet ya'll are on the other side of the screen like 'okay Inked, you like her attitude, her style, her flow. Why don't you love her?' Well fellow reader I will tell you, I felt as if she lack depth beyond her battle and love interest. I didn't pick up any of 'her' personality other than her vulnerability and preferences towards Crow (you'll learn about her later, *wink) and her need to defend her kingdom. Which is .. well, RESPECT. But I felt like I needed more.
Although I'm on a seesaw with Eris, I adored this plot. The battle, the elves, the love, the sub-loves, the hero and villain tropes. Everything blended together to make a mural of fantasy perfection! I will advise if you are look more into gory battles this is not the book for you. But if you are 'drama with a bit action' reader, this is the book for you.
Like I said, we would get to Crow! That elf! I don't read a lot of elf books, I much prefer Fae, but Crow! I think he may be my new book-boyfriend! He had most of favorite traits, plus I'm Native American and cannot resist a man with long braided hair. <3 He was a nice contrast to the rest of his murder. His personality and aura made him a strong presence in a any room he entered.
I did dislike the switching between the main protagonists and the supporting characters. I did love Issac and **** #nospoilers. But I thought that most of them were drawn out and I didn't enjoy them as much as Eris, Crow, Issac and ****.
I will leave my review here and let you know that A Court of Crow ends with a 5 out of 10 cliffhanger, you have been warned. I would like to thank Eliza for allowing me to read this story early. I enjoyed it!
Thank you, Have fun with the Crows!!
So, the main character's name is Eris and I think I like her. I am not sure yet. I loved her resilience against those who opposer her and I adore her fighting spirit. The capability to search for help and guidance in her place of ignorance or helplessness really drew her to me. I bet ya'll are on the other side of the screen like 'okay Inked, you like her attitude, her style, her flow. Why don't you love her?' Well fellow reader I will tell you, I felt as if she lack depth beyond her battle and love interest. I didn't pick up any of 'her' personality other than her vulnerability and preferences towards Crow (you'll learn about her later, *wink) and her need to defend her kingdom. Which is .. well, RESPECT. But I felt like I needed more.
Although I'm on a seesaw with Eris, I adored this plot. The battle, the elves, the love, the sub-loves, the hero and villain tropes. Everything blended together to make a mural of fantasy perfection! I will advise if you are look more into gory battles this is not the book for you. But if you are 'drama with a bit action' reader, this is the book for you.
Like I said, we would get to Crow! That elf! I don't read a lot of elf books, I much prefer Fae, but Crow! I think he may be my new book-boyfriend! He had most of favorite traits, plus I'm Native American and cannot resist a man with long braided hair. <3 He was a nice contrast to the rest of his murder. His personality and aura made him a strong presence in a any room he entered.
I did dislike the switching between the main protagonists and the supporting characters. I did love Issac and **** #nospoilers. But I thought that most of them were drawn out and I didn't enjoy them as much as Eris, Crow, Issac and ****.
I will leave my review here and let you know that A Court of Crow ends with a 5 out of 10 cliffhanger, you have been warned. I would like to thank Eliza for allowing me to read this story early. I enjoyed it!
Thank you, Have fun with the Crows!!
February 26, 2022
Plot:✨
Eris Telari never wanted to be a Queen. But when her brother gets assassinated under mysterious circumstances, she takes up the responsibility and becomes the first woman to rule Brucia. However, she faces a huge challenge when an undefeated elven warlord attempts to invade Brucia. When no one comes to her aid, she decides to seek help from the band of elven mercenaries to repel the forces of the enemy.
Ruith is the leader of the elven mercenaries. He is not only charming but dangerous. His mercenaries, a.k.a The Crows, have earned the reputation of winning any battle against all the odds. When he comes to know the person who is responsible behind the attacks in Brucia, he accepts the offer to fight for the Queen. But from the first moment he sets his eyes on Eris, he is intrigued and charmed by the fierce Queen of Brucia.
Review:✨
The title of this book immediately caught my attention. It sounded like a merger of ACOTAR and SoC and I got intrigued. I have never been interested in reading the former but the latter is one of my favorite books. When I read the blurb I thought I shouldn't miss out on this book and decided to read it. If not epic, this was a pretty good beginning to an adult fantasy series and it deserves more hype. This series will have not one, not two, not three but four slow-burn romance unfolding throughtout the series.
When I read the book, I thought this book would mostly revolve around the romance between Ruith and Eris, but there was so much more to the story and I really liked that this book was not focused on having many spicy scenes. I just felt the initial interactions between them felt forced, but later I began to like them as a couple. The chemistry between Katyr and Issac is so good, and I hope to see more of them in the next book. The politics is surely engaging, but I was slightly struggling to understand the magic system of this universe. But mostly, I really enjoyed reading it. I really appreciate that we have diverse characters in this book, and I'm excited to learn more about their journey. I think the book ends with a perfect cliffhanger, and it only piques my curiosity about the next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Tours for sending me the ARC of this book. 💖😊
Rating:✨
3.5/5
Eris Telari never wanted to be a Queen. But when her brother gets assassinated under mysterious circumstances, she takes up the responsibility and becomes the first woman to rule Brucia. However, she faces a huge challenge when an undefeated elven warlord attempts to invade Brucia. When no one comes to her aid, she decides to seek help from the band of elven mercenaries to repel the forces of the enemy.
Ruith is the leader of the elven mercenaries. He is not only charming but dangerous. His mercenaries, a.k.a The Crows, have earned the reputation of winning any battle against all the odds. When he comes to know the person who is responsible behind the attacks in Brucia, he accepts the offer to fight for the Queen. But from the first moment he sets his eyes on Eris, he is intrigued and charmed by the fierce Queen of Brucia.
Review:✨
The title of this book immediately caught my attention. It sounded like a merger of ACOTAR and SoC and I got intrigued. I have never been interested in reading the former but the latter is one of my favorite books. When I read the blurb I thought I shouldn't miss out on this book and decided to read it. If not epic, this was a pretty good beginning to an adult fantasy series and it deserves more hype. This series will have not one, not two, not three but four slow-burn romance unfolding throughtout the series.
When I read the book, I thought this book would mostly revolve around the romance between Ruith and Eris, but there was so much more to the story and I really liked that this book was not focused on having many spicy scenes. I just felt the initial interactions between them felt forced, but later I began to like them as a couple. The chemistry between Katyr and Issac is so good, and I hope to see more of them in the next book. The politics is surely engaging, but I was slightly struggling to understand the magic system of this universe. But mostly, I really enjoyed reading it. I really appreciate that we have diverse characters in this book, and I'm excited to learn more about their journey. I think the book ends with a perfect cliffhanger, and it only piques my curiosity about the next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Tours for sending me the ARC of this book. 💖😊
Rating:✨
3.5/5
March 5, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Grim Cat Press LLC for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This book was so much fun to read! It had everything I could have asked for in a fantasy story, including a slow-burn romance, assassins and spies, courtly and political intrigue, a murder mystery and so much more!
The main character, Eris, is portrayed as an independent woman who’s not afraid to take up arms and defend her kingdom with her very life, which is a part of Eris’ personality that the author managed to convey very well without going into the “not like other girls” trope, which is always a plus. Still, I really think Eris as a character would have benefited from a little more depth. Since she is very much focused on defending her city (something I totally understand for obvious reasons), other parts of her personality were totally left out in this book. That’s why I like her enough as one of the MCs, but don’t love her entirely.
The romance subplot was also a great aspect of this book, because while it is very much present in the story, it doesn’t take the focus off of the other events portrayed. In this first entry in the Talons and Tethers series, the reader mainly follows the romance between Eris and one of the other main characters, but there’s also some other pairings that are already forming that are also very very interesting, including a m/m romance. Concerning the first one mentioned, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the pairing and was rooting for them from the start, although that instant attraction wasn’t entirely to my liking, but that’s something that was compensated by the slow-burn romance that unfolded from there.
As for the other characters, I LOVED the banter between the Crows, they were my favourite element in the story since I adore the “Found Family” trope to death! The bad guys, however, were kind of stereotypical and definitely could have been portrayed in a more nuanced way.
Considering Brucia is under siege throughout the duration of the story, there were some moments where the action wasn’t really present and in which the plot could have stalled. To compensate for that the author introduced a murder mystery as another plot line, something I really appreciated, seeing as it was a really clever way to break the monotony of the siege between more action-packed sequences.
Overall, this was a great first book in a fantasy romance series and I 100% look forward to reading the next volumes in this series!
This book was so much fun to read! It had everything I could have asked for in a fantasy story, including a slow-burn romance, assassins and spies, courtly and political intrigue, a murder mystery and so much more!
The main character, Eris, is portrayed as an independent woman who’s not afraid to take up arms and defend her kingdom with her very life, which is a part of Eris’ personality that the author managed to convey very well without going into the “not like other girls” trope, which is always a plus. Still, I really think Eris as a character would have benefited from a little more depth. Since she is very much focused on defending her city (something I totally understand for obvious reasons), other parts of her personality were totally left out in this book. That’s why I like her enough as one of the MCs, but don’t love her entirely.
The romance subplot was also a great aspect of this book, because while it is very much present in the story, it doesn’t take the focus off of the other events portrayed. In this first entry in the Talons and Tethers series, the reader mainly follows the romance between Eris and one of the other main characters, but there’s also some other pairings that are already forming that are also very very interesting, including a m/m romance. Concerning the first one mentioned, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the pairing and was rooting for them from the start, although that instant attraction wasn’t entirely to my liking, but that’s something that was compensated by the slow-burn romance that unfolded from there.
As for the other characters, I LOVED the banter between the Crows, they were my favourite element in the story since I adore the “Found Family” trope to death! The bad guys, however, were kind of stereotypical and definitely could have been portrayed in a more nuanced way.
Considering Brucia is under siege throughout the duration of the story, there were some moments where the action wasn’t really present and in which the plot could have stalled. To compensate for that the author introduced a murder mystery as another plot line, something I really appreciated, seeing as it was a really clever way to break the monotony of the siege between more action-packed sequences.
Overall, this was a great first book in a fantasy romance series and I 100% look forward to reading the next volumes in this series!
July 15, 2022
Please note: This novel has all types of relationships and kinks and as the books go on they focus more on the queer relationships and some kinks and the heat rises a lot as well as the diversity of the sexual experiences!
This is a slow burn romance, I'd say the heat level is low but the scenes that are there are well worth the wait.
It is also one of the best romance novels I have ever read. It's dynamic and the plot, a war between invading forces and a kingdom now being led by a young queen earning her place, take precedent. It's not all about the couples, though the romance is there and according to the author's newsletter, it's going to be steamier as the books go on.
I love the Crows, he band of mercenaries that Queen Eris hires to help defend her kingdom. They each have such defined personalities, the characters feel so real and well written, it's more like the author was watching real people having conversations rather than dreaming some up, it's just what I wanted. For me, a story can be good, but unless the characters are fun to read, unless I am grinning during some of their conversations because they are just clearly so connected and I'm enjoying being a part of that, I won't like the book. Some may just want the romance, and that's cool! I'm here for Issac and Katyr's budding romance! But I want a whole world to go with it. I want the romance to be second to the plot and for this I'd say they're almost on the same level...
I am also going to say I give this story more points because of the diversity and how well it was written. This novel shows off a strong female lead in Eris, it also has Ruith, the leader of the Crows, being a wonderful ally not only to women, but to transgendered individuals as well.
I'm so glad the second book is out because I could barely contain myself I was so eager to get my hands on it! Read this, you will not regret entering this world!
This is a slow burn romance, I'd say the heat level is low but the scenes that are there are well worth the wait.
It is also one of the best romance novels I have ever read. It's dynamic and the plot, a war between invading forces and a kingdom now being led by a young queen earning her place, take precedent. It's not all about the couples, though the romance is there and according to the author's newsletter, it's going to be steamier as the books go on.
I love the Crows, he band of mercenaries that Queen Eris hires to help defend her kingdom. They each have such defined personalities, the characters feel so real and well written, it's more like the author was watching real people having conversations rather than dreaming some up, it's just what I wanted. For me, a story can be good, but unless the characters are fun to read, unless I am grinning during some of their conversations because they are just clearly so connected and I'm enjoying being a part of that, I won't like the book. Some may just want the romance, and that's cool! I'm here for Issac and Katyr's budding romance! But I want a whole world to go with it. I want the romance to be second to the plot and for this I'd say they're almost on the same level...
I am also going to say I give this story more points because of the diversity and how well it was written. This novel shows off a strong female lead in Eris, it also has Ruith, the leader of the Crows, being a wonderful ally not only to women, but to transgendered individuals as well.
I'm so glad the second book is out because I could barely contain myself I was so eager to get my hands on it! Read this, you will not regret entering this world!
June 1, 2022
I don’t know what I was expecting, but this book was not it. The whole story takes place as Eris, a young queen who inherited the throne of her city after her brother’s sudden death, is losing a battle with a large elven army. Her forces have to fall back to protect her city from an upcoming siege and, desperate, she hires a band of mercenaries called The Crows.
First off, I loved Eris. She’s young, and doesn’t have a lot of experience ruling, but she is a total badass and has trained as a soldier her whole life. She doesn’t let anyone walk all over her, but also has compassion for her people and wants to do what’s best for them. Ruith, the commander of the Crows, agrees to support her when she offers his mercenaries a home in her city. I am a big fan of both of them, and was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to get together. I died a little at the end with the cliffhanger.
The other characters are all interesting and diverse, with distinct personalities. Even though this was Eris and Ruith’s book, the book switches to different characters occasionally to see what’s going on in their heads. This makes sense now getting to the end and not really having a happily ever after. From the way it’s written, it seems like we are going to transition to the next couple primarily but continue the storyline where the last book leaves off. I’m not thrilled I don’t get my happy ending yet, but I am so invested in the characters now I need to see where this goes.
Highly recommend if you want a good fantasy romance that has great world building and characters you want to root for.
First off, I loved Eris. She’s young, and doesn’t have a lot of experience ruling, but she is a total badass and has trained as a soldier her whole life. She doesn’t let anyone walk all over her, but also has compassion for her people and wants to do what’s best for them. Ruith, the commander of the Crows, agrees to support her when she offers his mercenaries a home in her city. I am a big fan of both of them, and was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to get together. I died a little at the end with the cliffhanger.
The other characters are all interesting and diverse, with distinct personalities. Even though this was Eris and Ruith’s book, the book switches to different characters occasionally to see what’s going on in their heads. This makes sense now getting to the end and not really having a happily ever after. From the way it’s written, it seems like we are going to transition to the next couple primarily but continue the storyline where the last book leaves off. I’m not thrilled I don’t get my happy ending yet, but I am so invested in the characters now I need to see where this goes.
Highly recommend if you want a good fantasy romance that has great world building and characters you want to root for.
August 3, 2023
I'll admit: I don't know much at all about elves. I haven't delved as deeply into the fantasy genre as many people out there. After reading this book, however, I might be into it. Are they all tall, incredibly handsom, strong, charming, and cunning - because if so: sign me up. This book is an excellent advertisement for Elves and Mages.
A Court of Crows is a cool concept for a novel. We start off with a very young queen who is leading her troops into battle. She's a fighter, holding onto her power through a fierce force of will. But an evil elven army is about to attack her country and she is running out of options to defend her land. She seeks counsel and agrees to seek the aid of a group of elven mercenaries called "crows" to help her defend her land. It's a controversial decision, but she cares more about protecting her people than anything else.
Without giving away spoilers, she agrees to make a deal with Ruith, the leader of The Crows, to help her defend her country. In return, she will provide housing and support for these fighters. What follows is a story of a Queen who doesn't realize that their are enemies outside her country's walls as well as inside of them. It's a story of a strong young woman who is a leader, a warrior, and also a woman with her own needs and wants for herself. I love her character becauase she is complicated and imperfect. She's not one-dimensional like I've seen in other books. I also learned to fall in love with elves in this novel. It's inspired me to read more fantasy books with elves in them.
A Court of Crows is a cool concept for a novel. We start off with a very young queen who is leading her troops into battle. She's a fighter, holding onto her power through a fierce force of will. But an evil elven army is about to attack her country and she is running out of options to defend her land. She seeks counsel and agrees to seek the aid of a group of elven mercenaries called "crows" to help her defend her land. It's a controversial decision, but she cares more about protecting her people than anything else.
Without giving away spoilers, she agrees to make a deal with Ruith, the leader of The Crows, to help her defend her country. In return, she will provide housing and support for these fighters. What follows is a story of a Queen who doesn't realize that their are enemies outside her country's walls as well as inside of them. It's a story of a strong young woman who is a leader, a warrior, and also a woman with her own needs and wants for herself. I love her character becauase she is complicated and imperfect. She's not one-dimensional like I've seen in other books. I also learned to fall in love with elves in this novel. It's inspired me to read more fantasy books with elves in them.
April 18, 2022
Spice: 2/5
I loved the representation in this book and the commentary it provided on gender and race! There are so many ways that Fantasy can perpetuate heteronorms, but I LOVE when it challenges them and creates something as beautiful and engaging as this book.
I have always hated reading high Fantasy where the FMC is either a damsel that can't help herself or is hardened because she feels that's the only way she can get respect. Eris is a nice combination of the two where she wants to defend herself and her people but allows herself to feel emotion regularly instead of choking it down at every turn. Ruith challenges her in such a way that makes me believe in soulmates just a little bit more. Sure, he's hot, but he has to work hard to gain Eris' personal trust and break down the walls she has put up. Also, Eris is just the definition of a Girl Boss (respectfully) and I love her so much!
As the first book in a series that has drawn inspiration from other sources, there is still such a large sense of originality that makes me excited to see where the author wants to take the story. The characters have started some wonderful arcs and their development is promising. I rarely get invested in character development since I usually focus on plot development, but I am rooting for all of these characters to explore themselves and grow into great people. Not characters. People.
I loved the representation in this book and the commentary it provided on gender and race! There are so many ways that Fantasy can perpetuate heteronorms, but I LOVE when it challenges them and creates something as beautiful and engaging as this book.
I have always hated reading high Fantasy where the FMC is either a damsel that can't help herself or is hardened because she feels that's the only way she can get respect. Eris is a nice combination of the two where she wants to defend herself and her people but allows herself to feel emotion regularly instead of choking it down at every turn. Ruith challenges her in such a way that makes me believe in soulmates just a little bit more. Sure, he's hot, but he has to work hard to gain Eris' personal trust and break down the walls she has put up. Also, Eris is just the definition of a Girl Boss (respectfully) and I love her so much!
As the first book in a series that has drawn inspiration from other sources, there is still such a large sense of originality that makes me excited to see where the author wants to take the story. The characters have started some wonderful arcs and their development is promising. I rarely get invested in character development since I usually focus on plot development, but I am rooting for all of these characters to explore themselves and grow into great people. Not characters. People.
June 4, 2022
Despite the 3.5 Stars that I am rating this book, I enjoyed reading this. To start. this book may have some of the best well-written battle scenes in the fantasy/romance genre. There were actual attempts made at laying out battle strategy and war-time politics. The plot itself is predictable and nothing we haven't really seen already in the genre.
Cons:
- Eris is a warrior Queen, but somehow needs to have every single thing explained to her. She
cannot solve or brainstorm solutions on her own and is essentially useless in political strategy.
- Ruith and the Crows are battle-hardened warriors who trust and have faith in no one, but within
the first few chapters of their appearance they show undying loyalty to Eris.
- A band of mercenaries who (up until recently) have served for cruel and undeserving rulers, but
underneath have a mission to free the world from injustice? There is little effort made to address
this contradiction.
- While Eris and Ruith's physical chemistry is undeniable, their proclamation of love for one
another felt a bit rushed.
- The villains in the story felt two-dimension, and there was no sense of fear or urgency in the
final conflict.
- The multiple POVs are not easily distinguishable and can get a bit confusing.
Cons:
- Eris is a warrior Queen, but somehow needs to have every single thing explained to her. She
cannot solve or brainstorm solutions on her own and is essentially useless in political strategy.
- Ruith and the Crows are battle-hardened warriors who trust and have faith in no one, but within
the first few chapters of their appearance they show undying loyalty to Eris.
- A band of mercenaries who (up until recently) have served for cruel and undeserving rulers, but
underneath have a mission to free the world from injustice? There is little effort made to address
this contradiction.
- While Eris and Ruith's physical chemistry is undeniable, their proclamation of love for one
another felt a bit rushed.
- The villains in the story felt two-dimension, and there was no sense of fear or urgency in the
final conflict.
- The multiple POVs are not easily distinguishable and can get a bit confusing.
February 26, 2023
Reading Challenges:
BANG: New To Me Author
ON THE COVER: Crown
52 BOOKCLUB: High Fantasy
TITLE: Court Of Crows
AUTHOR: Eliza Eveland
READ ON: KU
5 Stars
One of the things I most enjoy about Reading Challenges is that I'm frequently pushed outside of my comfort zone. I had never read this author before and I typically do not read fantasy. This book originally was for the BANG Challenge as Eliza Eveland is an author in the Group and because it fits so well in others, I'm using it.
I have so many passages annotated that I have picked my top two:
"Resources and bodies win wars, not backward ideas about sex and gender."
"People are dangerous, " "A killer does not kill because he has a spell or a sword. He kills because he is a killer. The tool he chooses does not make him what he is. People are the sum of their actions, and not their abilities."
There are a bunch of characters in this story - like a whol giant cast of characters, yet each one has a very defined personality and it is easy to remember who is who and what their role in the story is. I really enjoyed the entire story, the threads that weave this story together are as profound as this quote: "Elves believe the world was woven on a great loom and that a red thread connects those who are destined to interact." (Hey wow, I snuck a third quote in)
Very enjoyable! So glad it was on KU.
BANG: New To Me Author
ON THE COVER: Crown
52 BOOKCLUB: High Fantasy
TITLE: Court Of Crows
AUTHOR: Eliza Eveland
READ ON: KU
5 Stars
One of the things I most enjoy about Reading Challenges is that I'm frequently pushed outside of my comfort zone. I had never read this author before and I typically do not read fantasy. This book originally was for the BANG Challenge as Eliza Eveland is an author in the Group and because it fits so well in others, I'm using it.
I have so many passages annotated that I have picked my top two:
"Resources and bodies win wars, not backward ideas about sex and gender."
"People are dangerous, " "A killer does not kill because he has a spell or a sword. He kills because he is a killer. The tool he chooses does not make him what he is. People are the sum of their actions, and not their abilities."
There are a bunch of characters in this story - like a whol giant cast of characters, yet each one has a very defined personality and it is easy to remember who is who and what their role in the story is. I really enjoyed the entire story, the threads that weave this story together are as profound as this quote: "Elves believe the world was woven on a great loom and that a red thread connects those who are destined to interact." (Hey wow, I snuck a third quote in)
Very enjoyable! So glad it was on KU.
February 22, 2022
Hmm, this had potential.
There were quite a few interesting plot points. I liked reading about the budding relationships. The interesting plots and relationships seemed few and far between though. The whole book is about preparing for and trying to stave off an attack, it has a lot of detail that left me feeling quite bored and uninterested throughout the book.
There was also a very covid-esque element to the book where there was a sickness going around. There were mentions of slowing the spread, limiting how many could gather, even health passports. After living these things for the last two years, I certainly did not want to read about it!
Like I said, I enjoyed the budding relationships, but they all kind of fell flat. With the main couple, I just didn’t see where their “love” developed. I don’t think there was much build up or connection because there was much more page space spent on other things.
The end of the book got a bit more interesting and we also got the first two chapters of the next book. These things intrigued me enough that I will read the next book in the series as I think it could be better.
*thank you to Eliza Eveland and Grim Cat Press for giving me a copy of the book for review*
There were quite a few interesting plot points. I liked reading about the budding relationships. The interesting plots and relationships seemed few and far between though. The whole book is about preparing for and trying to stave off an attack, it has a lot of detail that left me feeling quite bored and uninterested throughout the book.
There was also a very covid-esque element to the book where there was a sickness going around. There were mentions of slowing the spread, limiting how many could gather, even health passports. After living these things for the last two years, I certainly did not want to read about it!
Like I said, I enjoyed the budding relationships, but they all kind of fell flat. With the main couple, I just didn’t see where their “love” developed. I don’t think there was much build up or connection because there was much more page space spent on other things.
The end of the book got a bit more interesting and we also got the first two chapters of the next book. These things intrigued me enough that I will read the next book in the series as I think it could be better.
*thank you to Eliza Eveland and Grim Cat Press for giving me a copy of the book for review*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews