A Court This Cruel and Lovely

⚔Authentische Protagonisten mit Profil und genialen Handlungsmotiven ⚔spannende Handlung mit Plottwists ⚔Fantasy-Idee mit interessantem Worldbuilding ⚔Viele Protagonisten, die einzigartig zusammenspielen ⚔richtig mieser Antagonist Empfehlung!

The story takes place in a world where some people are born with magic, while others are not. On the king's orders, newborns' magic is taken in a ritual and sacrificed to the gods, who then use it to defend and protect the kingdom from the evil fae. Once magical creatures turn 25, they are being tested for magic again. If no magic is detected a whisper of their power is returned as a token of the kings’ and gods' gratitude, and they receive a mark. If magic is detected, they have willingly defied the gods and are considered Corrupt. Their family is killed immediately, and they are taken to the city to be burned alive on God’s Day themselves. However, there are quite a few Corrupt who are well aware of their remaining magic. They are hiding and have organized themselves in rebel groups across the kingdom, fighting for their lives and trying to escape the King's Iron Guard who are determined to find all those defying the king. Prisca, our 22-year-old FMC, lives with her mother and older brother in a small village in the northern part of the kingdom. Her father passed away several years ago, and her mother is in poor health. The mother is somewhat of a seer and has had visions her entire life. Prisca knows that she still has her full magical power, and that she will be discovered and sentenced to death sooner or later. So, she kept that secret from everyone around her and made plans to escape the king’s guards. One day, an incident causes Prisca to use her powers, causing all her previous plans to dissipate into thin air. Prisca's mother had foreseen this moment and barely helps her escape the guards. She leaves Prisca with the knowledge that she is not her birth mother and pleads for Prisca to follow her fate. To do so she must find the prince. Shortly after escaping, Prisca learns that her best friend also has magic and has been taken to the king’s castle for execution. Prisca is determined to invade the castle and free her best friend. Lorian, our MMC, is a brooding, grumpy, and morally grey man, who travels the kingdom with a group of mercenaries. He’s got secret plans that involve him travelling to the king’s castle as well. During his journey, he passes through Prisca’s village, and they briefly encounter each other during one of the rituals. After Prisca flees her village, they meet again under different circumstances. Lorian initially refuses to help Prisca, but they eventually end up making the journey to the king’s castle together. If you have enjoyed ToG and ACOTAR, you'll probably like this series too, as it has a similar vibe. It has magic, fae, action, politics, a solid plotline, and a found family element to it. While some of the revelations and plot twists were quite predictable, the book was still very entertaining, and I had a fun time reading it. Overall, I would describe this book as a well-developed and balanced comfort read. It contains many themes and tropes I love in a fantasy setting, with just the right amount of suspense, action, angst and feeling, without being too emotionally draining. Stacia Stark’s writing style is easy to get into, and my mind pictured the characters and scenarios quickly. Her characters are lovable and relatable, and the development of the relationship dynamics feels natural. I enjoyed that very much. The romance is a slow burn and with a hint of forbidden love / enemies to lovers. One of the things I like most about the book is that the FMC feels real and authentic. Her character growth and development feel natural. It is not rushed. It is realistic. This is something that authors rarely accomplish. When we first meet Prisca, she is not particularly good at anything, but she is selfless, brave, intelligent, and keen to learn. She always puts the people she loves and cares about first and to protect them she is constantly pushing her boundaries. Her journey to becoming a more independent woman is engaging, and I felt a sense of accomplishment every time she navigated a tricky situation. She is a captivating character, and not one of those who is overshadowed by the MMC. Don't get me wrong — I love myself a powerful, brooding, sexy, touch-her-and-die kinda guy BUT I like it best when they are an asset to our FMC. I like it better though when he is not her lifeline that has to come to her rescue each and every time she makes another terrible decision. The series is definitely worth continuing, and the spin-off, This Vicious Dream, has recently been released and added to my TBR. Story: 3.75 stars Spice: 3 chillis Thank you for reading

Ich habe das Buch von Anfang an genossen. Es wirft einen direkt in eine Welt, in der die eigene Magie nicht für alle zugänglich ist und erst mit 21 Jahren gebraucht werden darf. Eine Welt voller Ungleichheit, in der die Protagonistin Prisca mit ihrem Bruder und ihrer Mutter gerade so überlebt – bis der Tag kommt, an dem sich alles ändert. Spätestens als Prisca fliehen muss und plötzlich auf sich allein gestellt ist, hat mich die Geschichte völlig gepackt. Es ist eine klassische Enemies to Lovers-Story, aber mit einem unerwarteten Plot am Ende (welchen ich wirklich nicht erwartet habe). Zusammen stärker sein, wird in der Geschichte schön dargestellt. Ich habe das Buch gerne gelesen und werde auf jeden Fall das nächsten Buch in der Reihe lesen!