Emoji Review by Rebecca Dixon
I just finished reading Fallen, Book 1 of Hades Castle Trilogy, by CN Crawford! And ya’ll, I FELL for it! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 (There are NO spoilers!)
This is actually the first book I’ve read by this dynamic duo Author team, Christine and Nick 😲! And I’m so glad I gave it a shot 🙌🏻! I started and finished the book in just over a day! From just the second paragraph, I could tell these two writers knew what they were doing 👏🏻 ! The writing flows so easily and just REELS you in! From the get-go you are sucked into the action and drawn into this sassy FMC who uses her wit on-the-fly to get out of a bind! And BONUS 💰! It’s first person POV… my FAV 💜!
So the story takes place in an alternate slum version of London where a castle 🏰 has been overthrown by a usurper King 👑 (a King who is also a powerful, kickbutt Angel 😇 !) Our FMC is a sticky-fingered, super talented pickpocket thief that is under the common belief that the Angels ruling the kingdom are evil 👿 and cruel. After her sister goes missing, the stars ✨ align where she is thrown into a situation that can not only help find her sister, but also save her fellow mortals. Just a tiny 🤏🏻 problem though… the ‘evil’ dude she wants to take down is smokin’ hot 🔥 and you guessed it, has his piercing gaze set on her!!!
First off!! This book is really a perfect combination of Paranormal Romance, Romance Fantasy, and Urban Fantasy genres. While not technically a UF, the FMC has that quit-witted, brave, and ballsy personality that UF fans just eat up (I should know, I’m one of them!) The lack of modern technology (there is some, but it’s minor) combined with the castle setting gives the book a Romance Fantasy feel. But man… what sucked me in… was the Paranormal Romance! The romantic tension was SKY HIGH 🌌 ! You could cut that tension with a knife 🔪 ! Whew 🥵! Some of those scenes I was like… A FAN. Ok yes, I am a fan (as in a fan of the scenes!) But I meant…. I NEED a fan 😆. Anyone have a fan?! Someone please pass me a dang fan already!!! 😂😂😂 Honestly, for a book lover like me that appreciates a big range of fantasy genres from YA to ADULT, it really was pretty perfect steam 🔥 levels for a slow-burn. Not too much, not too little… but just right 🙌🏻! There definitely was a Beauty & the Beast feel going on with these two MCs and I’m super excited to see what’s in store for them!
I also really liked the bluntness from the MCs. A lot of times when we are privy to a MC’s thoughts… we just want them to be honest about those thoughts with other characters 😩! And it is so refreshing 💨 when a FMC just ‘tells it like it is!’ Our girl is like… “this situation is sh!tty, yeah, but it’s the best I got.” 😆 And I was like yes 💪🏻! A FMC that is a realist AND uses logic 💡 ! Just LOVE when that happens!! BUT! I do have to admit there was ONE point where our girl didn’t ask enough questions 🤦🏻♀️ (in my humble opinion) and gave me some BIG TIME ANXIETY… but it turned out to be pretty key to the actual plotline! So if you find yourself questioning her choices at one stage, just KEEP READING 😁. It shall make sense! You will appreciate what these authors are doing w/the FMC’s blunder when that twist smacks you in the face like our FMC packs a punch 🤜! 😆 And speaking of twist 🌪 ! The last few chapters I could NOT put the book down. I swear my heart ♥️ was pumping at the same rate as the FMCs! 😆😆😆
So if you are in the mood for a Fallen Angel romance with an enemies-to-lovers trope, heart-pounding action, a ballsy FMC, and a MMC that has some major game in the steam suspense department 🥵… give this a go! It’s FREE on KU and you never know, you might just FALL FOR IT 🙌🏻!
