I know it’s the way a lot of fantasy books are but the constant women are weak and useless narrative got VERY tiring. Even more so because at first they were annoyed she’s a useless weak women then they find out she ate her mums heart and so it’s “She was one of those women who didn’t care about anyone but herself” which is it omgggggg.

It was also so frustrating that the men couldn’t see what a bad state Aran was in and kept being awfullllll but also just ridiculous you can’t see she’s in a bad way? The scene where she is happy and getting her hair braided in Sadie’s room was so sad lol

The parts that were actually good, include the funny dialogue as always, the fact Sadie is in it for a good percentage and Aran’s relationship with john & luka, I obviously by the end of it loved the kings more so Malum but I hated how long I didn’t like them, book 3 is the best but 1 and 2 kept me hooked but I didn’t like the characters.

Honestly if the kings had a better redemption arch I wouldn’t even have a problem and would have loved this book but they didn’t just pressured her and put her on the spot and done what they wanted. Aran also went from man hating to suddenly over it too quick didn’t make sense.

There were wayyyyy too many awful events happening to Aran with the love interests and with others in the book, it was actually so sad to read and the worst part was non of it really made any sense? They loved the men but hated her for the same thing but she was better than them.

I think my taste has just changed and I couldn’t deal with all the shaming and derogatory terms used at Aran from everyone but especially when it wasn’t even her fault! Then “We respect you as more than a hole.” Is all it took for Aran who has been very aware and intelligent to like them?? I also didn’t like the way the kings only started to respect Aran when she had done something to benefit them, wish it had happened in a different way. They still have no respect for women by the end but somehow she has respect for them.

There was a lot of double perspectives aswell of the exact same thing which normally I don’t mind but did get a bit tedious with this book, especially when they found out how Arans mother treated her, all the outrage from the kings was just boring and annoying tbh when she had literally told them multiple times she had been through worse than them etc and they just chose not to believe her.

If they had even just asked her about her past it would have been better than the story line that played in my opinion. Alongside this I HATE the way they call her Arabella after she has expressed she doesn’t like it and her name is Aran multiple times - just another little way I don’t like them. You would think after kicking off so much and acting like it pains you to think of how she used to be treated, it would be pretty simple to understand why she doesn’t like a name which is associated to that part of her life. It’s just so bizarre they bang on about her being their life and not wanting to harm her in anyway but can’t call her the name she wants?????

She also makes it very clear through out the book she doesn’t like to be told what to do especially in misogynistic ways and that’s exactly what the kings do. Which never actually changes Aran just seemed to get over it for no real reason? “Did someone tell the kings that women had rights?”

All complaints aside of what happened in the book, the writing, the twists and terms, the journaling was all chefs kiss!! I was very engrossed, reading all 3 books pretty quickly considering they are quite long and for that reason I feel a 3 is fair for the first and second but as the kings get better in the last book this is defo a 4.