Challenge Corner discussion

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Ch 14 (view spoiler)[ I've been enjoyed this so far. I like Elian and Lira, but I wonder how they'll work together when they both want to kill each other!? Also how is the Sea Queen have tentacles and Lira's mother? I don't understand the genetics hahaha. Also I'm betting this girl Elian rescued is actually Lira. I don't like the Sea Queen at all really, I hope they take her down. (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 21 (view spoiler)[ Okay so killing that other siren was pretty crazy. I was wondering if Lira would be for or against it. She probably would've tried to stop it had it been her cousin. I'm kind of excited for Lira to overthrow her mother. I hope she and Elian can work together enough to accomplish that. (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 33 (view spoiler)[ holy crap I can't believe Lira go shot!! And she saved Elian. Talk about plot twist lol. I'm enjoying this story, but it doesn't feel very romance-y which I'm fine with! i would be totally happy if Lira and Elian walk away from this whole adventure as friends and allies. I really don't like the ice princess chick. She's not to be trusted :/ (hide spoiler)]

Finished!! (view spoiler)[ Okay wow I really liked this!! I liked how Lira and Elian's relationship developed and how they slowly came to trust each other and that maybe they didnt need to murder each other. And that show down with the Sea Queen at the end was pretty great! (hide spoiler)]

I'm starting :)

started as well :)

Oh I got distracted from this by another really good book.

Finished chapter 1 now

There's a lot of world-building. Looks promising

End of chapter 6

Hmm.... things are getting interesting now.

I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that after so much elaborate world building, she wrote just a standalone book in it. 🙄

Chapter 13

(view spoiler)[
This was such a confusing chapter.

She was planning on bringing his heart to the queen anyway, yet the queen proceeded to torture her and tell her to bring his heart (which she admitted she was already going to do) 😶




(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 20

(view spoiler)[

I feel like the story really isn't "taking off"! Everytime the story attempts to move things forward, another new aspect of this world is introduced, which then slows down the actual story , and we all sit down to understand the explanations of the who any why of the situation

I'm 47% done with the book. That's actually half of the book over. And all that has actually happened is....
Elian has set sail in his scary pirate ship with his loyal crew and they have rescued a girl from the middle of the ocean whom they cannot trust. And THAT'S IT!

The book badly needs to pick up pace.



(hide spoiler)]

Oof sorry I got distracted as well but I'll be catching up today!! 😅

Hey, did you manage to make any progress? 😀

Chapter 1-3

Very interesting so far, very interested to see what is going to happen and how the two POV will cross 🤔

I'm catching up tonight well atleast yo chapter 10 and then 20 tomorrow. So sorry for the delay...

Chapter 4: I'm just currently laughing at "eyes like molokhia" because there is a dish we eat that is molokhia and I didnt expect that 😂😂 I'm not even sure what was being indicated by that 😅

Chapter 6

Ooooh I see what you mean 🤔 with all that world building g you would expect there to be more, a. standalone doesnt seem to be enough. But I guess it's also nice to have such world building 🤷‍♀️

Take your time. No need to hurry. :)
Read at whatever pace you are finding it enjoyable ;)

RainySun wrote: "Chapter 6

Ooooh I see what you mean 🤔 with all that world building g you would expect there to be more, a. standalone doesnt seem to be enough. But I guess it's also nice to have such world buildi..."


It is nice, but also unexpected.

Molokhia, googled it now. It is some kind of a green leafy vegetable?

I've never heard of it before. I didn't even blink when I read it, thought maybe it's part of her world building :P

I don't know what she means by it. Perhaps green eyes? 🤔

Story_girl wrote: "RainySun wrote: "Chapter 6

Ooooh I see what you mean 🤔 with all that world building g you would expect there to be more, a. standalone doesnt seem to be enough. But I guess it's also nice to have ..."

Yeah thats true, usually its more to the point 🤷‍♀️

Story_girl wrote: "Molokhia, googled it now. It is some kind of a green leafy vegetable?

I've never heard of it before. I didn't even blink when I read it, thought maybe it's part of her world building :P

I don't k..."

Yup its a green leaf thing. Honestly i only noticed because i knew what it was and it was very unexpected 😂😂 not only for a description if an eye color but just the use if it. Yeah thats what i fugured green eyes, interesting thing to use to describes eye 🤔😂

RainySun wrote: "Story_girl wrote: "Molokhia, googled it now. It is some kind of a green leafy vegetable?

I've never heard of it before. I didn't even blink when I read it, thought maybe it's part of her world bui..."


I wonder if the author knew though. Perhaps she just used the word while writing and had no clue herself 😂

Fantasy writers do tend to get carried away when using "exotic" terms in their writing 😋

wow I'm awful! 😳 I'm so sorry!! I am actually half done just haven't updated

Have you finished?

Haha...no worries...which chapter have you read upto?

No I'm on pause...still where I was last time I read it :P

I'm currently on chapter 21 😅

oooh okay, where did you stop?

RainySun wrote: "I'm currently on chapter 21 😅

oooh okay, where did you stop?"

Just checked....I read upto chapter 36

Wow...I really did make a lot of progress 😅

Are you liking the book though?

SO BEHIND! Starting this book right freaking now

Alaina wrote: "SO BEHIND! Starting this book right freaking now"

FINALLY OMG

I couldn’t remember what thread had the comments 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

😂😂😂

Story_girl wrote: "Are you liking the book though?"

I am really liking it! Are you?

So im on chapter 30 right now and hope to finish it today 🤔

Story_girl wrote: "Chapter 13..."

(view spoiler)[ Mm yeah that was confusing, i guess the sea queen finds any dumb excuse to be rid if her daughter 🤷‍♀️ (hide spoiler)]

Story_girl wrote: "Chapter 20..."

(view spoiler)[the book really does have a slow pace 😬 its just so much infomation and more and morr world building and understanding all thse elements, it does slow it down a lot 🤔 even when it does pick uo againa nd there like so action we are introduced to anither kingdom, and even another element 🤯 (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 9: (view spoiler)[I loved how Ch 3 started but I'm kind of bored so far... (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 18: (view spoiler)[Elian's cute and I think I'm falling in love with his character. Also the Sea Queen is a bitch. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 27: (view spoiler)[Things have gotten pretty interesting so far. I love the action and I hope Elian is safe. (hide spoiler)]
Chapters 36: (view spoiler)[Pretty sure I don't really like Yukiko. I do love Elian and Lira though <333 (hide spoiler)]
Finished: (view spoiler)[Okay after the beginning was boring, the book definitely picked up. I loved Elian and Lira's friendship because they really did have to learn to trust each other. Although the whole I'm going to murder you added some sparks. Really enjoyed this book. (hide spoiler)]

Finished

I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet 🤷‍♀️ It definitely did pick up pace towards the end though

I haven't gotten around to picking this back up yet :(
I'll let you know when I finish :)

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RESTARTING OCTOBER 12TH, 2019

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Hi Crystal!!

I got my copy I am going to start today!! I am dying to start!!

Lol go for it. I have mine but keep dragging on reading these other books but I’ll catch up!!

30%

I am really enjoying it. I just finished 2 books I didn't enjoy and I think that is making me enjoy this book even more!!! Its like eating when you are super hungry!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!

Love a prince that is more a pirate than a prince!!

I am a murderer, and that is one of my better qualities!!!

(view spoiler)[even though the MCs are these evil killing monsters they are deep down still good!! And I like a book like that!! I am not into the really dark books (hide spoiler)]

45 %

Bit of a boring patch

70%
(view spoiler)[...
I love the fact that there is still no romance!! Only a slither of a hint.... they still mostly want to kill each other!! Hahaha
(hide spoiler)]

81%
(view spoiler)[They finally kissed!!!!!

I am not a huge romance fan, but when it takes so long i really enjoy it!! I want her to tell him she is the princes bane (hide spoiler)]

Im finished

I really enjoyed it!! Very light reading! just a fun outing!!

(view spoiler)[Was a refreshing ending that the boy goes to the gilrs kingdom!! Like the battle with the Sea Queen. (hide spoiler)]

26% (view spoiler)[Well it's easy to say her mom is an @sshole. I hope she works with the prince to take her mother down but I have a feeling she'll fight her feelings to the very end. Lira is stubborn and determined. I also love the fact that both their life goals is to kill one another. (hide spoiler)]

45% (view spoiler)[Ugh I know they want to kill each other but at nearly 50% they aren't bonding like I would have thought. He locked her in a cage and even with her wanting to rip his heart out I still am pissed for her. Interested to see how this will play out. I certainly don't see a romance in the future so I'm curious to see how the author will weave that in. (hide spoiler)]

78% (view spoiler)[Well things will certainly change when he finds out she is who she is. First he'll have to cope with the fact of what she is before he can be happy she to is a princess thus I mean technically that's a great way to unite their two kingdoms. It's hard since she's not the one in the dark and I don't think he's going to take it well once he finds out so I'm looking forward to how this plays out. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[Well damn if I didn't love this by then end. It wasn't until everything culminated that everything came together for me. I'm never one for hidden secrets and lies but I think the author did a phenomenal job weaving this story together and creating her own world. I could have done with a better ending, more of an epilogue, especially just to see the reactions of treatment of his crew once they know who and what Lira is but overall I really loved this. I'm glad everything worked out between them, and see even after all this and giving up his kingdom, Elian still becomes a King, a King of his favorite place-the ocean. (hide spoiler)]

I'm totally late to the party! Gatecrashing the thread and all :)

(view spoiler)[ The kingdom that someone threw up on with gold. That place must be so gaudy - no big wonder that Elian runds away every chance he gets. I think I would've too. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[This is probably the most distasteful descr. of mermaids I've ever seen. I'm sure they author must've been inspired with some film to spell this jaw thingy out. Ew, nasty imagery I don't want in my head.

Q: Unlike sirens, mermaids have stretched blue husks and limbs in place of hair, with a jawlessness that lets their mouths stretch to the size of small boats and swallow sharks whole. Their deep-blue flesh is dotted with fins that spread up their arms and spines. Fish and human both, with the beauty of neither. (c) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Poor Cristian! The prince of the poor kindom - too bad he got killed of right on spot. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ A siren and a mermaid fighting over a prince of gold. Now I've seen it all.
Anyway, what was the mermaid's deal? Was she like: oh, there's the Queen's daughter, lemme fight her over that guy?
Q:
“My treasure,” says the mermaid. She reaches out and clutches the prince’s hand, holding him beneath the surface. “Is your heart gold? Treasure and treasure and gold.” (c)

That's so Gollum! I'm sorry but is it 'My precious!' once again??

Oh, the sweet irony of saving the prince you've wanted to murder all along! (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Look at this gem about Elian:
Q:
“I’ve even heard rumors of all the languages you’re said to speak. No doubt that’ll be of help with future negotiations among neighboring kingdoms. How many is it now?”
“Fifteen,” I recite. “When I was younger, I had it in my mind that I could learn each language of the hundred kingdoms. I think I’ve failed quite splendidly.” (c)
When exactly does he learn languages if he's on the high seas all the time? International ship crew teaching him or smth?
I don't think the brief stays around various ports would cut it. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Q: “Look at you,” he whispers. “My monster, come to find me.” (c) What is their obsession with monsters? It can't be healthy :) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[That punishment! (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ What do you think the mom's deal is - destroying that heart to torture her kid. Also, what's the sense of ruining her daughter's perfect royall killer rep? She's jealous of Lira... (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ Now, that's quite a surprise when he finds out that this was the Princes' Bane all along.
I think this is the 1st time I'd have liked a film to go with a book. No, scratch that - they would've managed to spoil it, I think. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Lira and her deadly mom: talk about the dysfunctional families.
Q:
The Sea Queen is a vision in front of us, with sweeping midnight tentacles and her daughter poised allegiant by her side. A formidable dyad. (c)
Drat, she shouldve turned tail right away from the hag. (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING DECEMBER 16TH 2020

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