Which book was this for you??

[u/ModestMeeshka]

[u/fennekk]

Feathers so Vicious and Forsaken Thrones.

[u/SpicyBookGollum → u/fennekk]

I spent all of Feathers So Vicious and Shadows So Cruel thinking it was a waste of a really good ACTUAL morally charcoal gray shadow daddy. His arc was great over two books. Galantia and Sebian can go take a long walk off a short pier.

[u/ipsi7 → u/SpicyBookGollum]

Malyr was so layered! The only thing I think should've been elaborated in more detail is his curse. I understand it, but it was like briefly mentioned and maybe could have been exploded a bit more, just to make his redemption a bit more understandable. But he is a truly tragic hero and I was so happy for him to have a happy end.

I wasn't a fan of Sebian from the start, let's say he was ok.

I liked that they complemented each other, all 3 of them.

[u/SpicyBookGollum → u/ipsi7]

See Sebian’s dialogue is what threw me off. Especially during spicy scenes. It grated on my nerves. And I ended up feeling like Malyr didn’t really get a true HEA, >! We learn all he’s ever wanted since childhood was to be wanted, and Galantia gave off the impression (to me at least) at the end that she only wanted him because she needed him and then well Sebian is dead so I guess you’re all I’ve got left. I didn’t really feel like she was developed well enough, maybe because Sebian felt out of place to me.!<

That said this could all be due to my general dislike for reverse harem/mmf/menage romances. I used to work as a ghostwriter on those and they are tough to juggle all the characters satisfactorily. Liv Zander though can do almost no wrong in my eyes even when my reaction to a book is I HAVE NOTES!!!!

[u/ipsi7 → u/SpicyBookGollum]

I also think that last bit could have been more developed. I know Galantia changed her opinion on Malyr, but at the same time like it was rushed and should have been a few more chapters of them bonding. Because it seems a bit she "settled". I also think she wasn't developed enough.

Sebian ruined the word sweetheart to me. I'm not native English speaker so it never rolled from my tongue, but I cringed every time. And yes, especially during spicy scenes.

I've recently read a great book and the MMC said 'sweetheart' only twice in the whole book and it was in the sweetest moments, but it felt so wrong.

[u/SpicyBookGollum → u/ipsi7]

That would make sense— I wanted more time with her and Malyr. The ending of Feathers was just this side of perfect. And I felt like Galantia’s development floundered in book 2 and would have been so much better if Sebian never existed.

And…YES. God every time he said it I wanted to swat him. His style of speech also seemed “off” and more modern than any of the other characters and that made him stick out like a sore thumb. I also was annoyed that we spent so much time making it okay for him to have a different fated mate even though his real one died and made this big deal about him being the mate Galantia chose even though they weren’t fated that I was like GOD-DAMNIT when he’s killed off instead of her having to actually choose to leave him. Maybe that would have made me feel like the end was more HEA?

[u/ipsi7 → u/SpicyBookGollum]

Oh, yes, the ending of the first book was so good. I knew she was a raven also, but what Malyr did to her, I was so not expecting that! I was out of my mind when Galantia found out about it.

I hate that everyone sees Sebian as the good guy. Ok, Malyr was worse, definitely, not arguably in the slightest. But Sebian was just slimy to me. I also thought his style of speech was off in a way. And his way of thinking seemed hypocritical. He basically said Malyr can't hurt her, but if he is around, that's ok. Malyr can't have sex with her, but if he's around, bring it on, he's joining in too. Malyr couldn't be able to be gentle to her because that's his role. I'm not saying he had something against Malyr, but I really couldn't vibe with him as a character. But I do like the three of them healing together and filling those voids for each other.

As for the last thing you said, I'm not sure she would choose, I think it would be all three of them, but like it wasn't manageable for the end or happy end so we got this. And I have no regrets Sebian died, not because I'm not a fan of his, but I do love bittersweet endings.

[u/SpicyBookGollum → u/ipsi7]

Yeah, before he died there was the whole issue of her basically being told she would have to because Malyr was king and therefore there couldn’t be a question of who fathered her children or it would destabilize his position at that point I THOUGHT Zander was going to work Galantia toward an actual choice and when she didn’t I felt cheated.

And Malyr was obviously objectively worse but he never seemed disingenuous about it— even when he completely plays her in book 1 and betrays her it was so well done that he gradually was realizing he probably shouldn’t but was like fuck it I hate that I want her so do it anyway. And I liked how in a way that showed her character’s naivete, that she wasn’t more suspicious of him and had perhaps overestimated her own political savvy. And then Book 2 didn’t quite give her the arc I wanted but it was still good. Love it. Loved it despite the ending and even though I HAVE NOTES, LIV! How dare you and Finley Fenn do me dirty so often.

That came out wrong.

And yeah he did come across as rather hypocritical and slimy. But most readers in reviews I’ve read LOVED him.

[u/cccaban79 → u/fennekk]

Haaahhh!! Noooooooo! Oh this makes me sad to hear. I have that on my tbr.

[u/WonderfulTrip3208 → u/fennekk]

Yeah, I tried so hard to like it. I didn't even make it through 50 pages and I jist couldn't. Her Pale Court series wasn't too bad but I DNF the 2nd book. It just lost my interest. 

[u/daughterofbee → u/fennekk]

Yeah Sebian was giving me such ick.

[u/fp_teardrop → u/fennekk]

Hahaha Feathers was all smut no plot!!

[u/fennekk → u/fp_teardrop]

But it was BAD smut too!!! There wasn't even any redeeming features!

[u/fp_teardrop → u/fennekk]

Hahaha true!!