Great potential but ultimately unsatisfying

I would like to thank K. J. Sutton, Once Upon a Time Books, LLC, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spoilers

The novel bore evidence of Sutton’s intelligence and writing talent. She had some awesome lines: “God, give me patience or an untraceable handgun.” “Satan came to my christening, little boy.” (That one might need context to appreciate.) She made efforts to choose colorful verbs, use active voice, and compose unique comparisons that surprise one with their accuracy: “A burst of fury whirled through me like a hurricane, and I buried my nails into his flesh.” “If Collith was a star-filled sky, Laurie was the breeze whispering past as you gazed upward.” I could tell she was passionate about the story and the characters, and the premise is definitely intriguing…

But I was not satisfied, largely because the conflict was perpetuated by one man who stubbornly refused to explain or do something about anything. It stymied the story’s potential, the worldbuilding, and my ability to like Collith. It also left me with too many questions and unresolved issues for my liking.

You hear about plots propped up by misunderstandings that could be resolved with five minutes of frank conversation; this is similar. Five minutes—okay, maybe thirty—of honest conversation between Collith and Fortuna could have given us a completely different and less frustrating story. Where clearing up a misunderstanding can dissolve the foundation of a story, an honest conversation between Collith and Fortuna could have established one.

What do I mean? Well, instead of Collith withholding pertinent information in major d-bag fashion, forcing Fortuna to stumble around blindly and make awful, unnecessary mistakes—I got so goldarn frustrated—they could have been upfront with each other at the start, come to an understanding, albeit a grudging one, and worked together to achieve both their goals. They could have been unlikely allies who grew to understand, respect, and love one another. There were copious ways for conflict and antagonists to arise outside of their relationship; their obstinate refusal to trust one another—or at least to be frank with one another for their mutual benefit—all the way through to the end was exasperating, exhausting, and eventually felt contrived.

I wonder if Sutton intentionally employed a negative arc or failed to write a positive one. Fortuna never got a break, never had a true victory; becoming queen didn’t give her any extra clout aside from the tokens of fealty, and freeing her brother earned her his hatred. Her relationship with Collith did not improve, in fact I think he was seriously regretting taking her as a mate because she ended up doing exactly what he didn’t want to do, aka ruling by fear (and whose fault is that, blockhead?). Fortuna could feel her sanity slipping away. Hope, which was only the faintest of flickers to begin with, died and never rekindled. In a positive arc, that would be the crisis moment, which would be followed by a climax and a satisfying resolution; the MC would triumph, the situation would improve, and hope would be restored. That did not happen here. Not to say it had to end in butterflies, rainbows, and happily ever after, but something that gave Fortuna some positive emotion in the real world would have been nice. Like Damon appreciating his freedom, though he mourned the loss of Jassin, or Collith realizing he’d gone about it all wrong and deciding to sit down with her, tell her everything, and work together.

There were more things I didn’t understand, such as how mates are different from spouses—are spouses even a thing for them?—and why the fae invoke the concept of marriage when it’s made clear that they don’t actually marry. They make some promises and become able to vaguely sense one another’s mood via magic. That appears to be it. They don’t become husbands and wives, only mates; there’s no official document or tax benefits, no priest or other sacred means of blessing the union. Indeed I doubt it can be blessed, considering they’re descended from fallen angels and seem to therefore be the antithesis of blessed. So why use the terms “marry,” “marriage,” etc., when they have no relevance? It just confuses the reader.

Also, Damon. He’s a Nightmare, right? That was why Jassin was attracted to him, because Damon could feed his fear kink? So…why, then, was Damon as helpless as a human slave? Why was Fortuna kind of regarded like a Messiah, at least by Collith, because of her powers, and Damon was just completely disregarded? Maybe he wasn’t “particularly strong,” but as a Nightmare, he was still supposed to be a pretty big threat, right? I mean, Nightmares were hunted and killed to the point of near extinction because no one wanted them to exist. And he just meekly became a slave? Back before the Stockholm Syndrome took hold, how was he not able to figure out Jassin’s true fear and use it against him? I get that demonstrating how Fortuna could be caught and caged at the beginning rather validated Damon’s own enslavement, but… I don’t know, it just feels like a detail that was ignored, conveniently or otherwise.

And what did the terms “Seelie” and “Unseelie” mean? That drove me insane. I used them as search terms within the ARC but couldn’t find an explanation. Also, what was Cyrus? How did he matter? And what the heck was the deal with Oliver and the dreamworld? I was both fascinated and creeped out by that whole thing.

So the premise was intriguing but the execution of it left something to be desired. Also to be desired was a little comic relief. Regarding tone, this novel took itself very seriously, which would be fine except I’m not sure the thematic resonance was there to justify it. It was also literally serious in that there was little to no humor, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was dark and intense and thrilling—but my personal tastes would have appreciated some levity here and there, because all that angst and fury got to be exhausting. Case in point, when Fortuna found Damon, failed to save him as easily as she thought she could, and was subsequently whipped for her efforts, it caused a physical reaction within me, which I consider a sign of excellent writing. My heart beat hard and heavy with dread and my lungs worked like I was about to start running for my life. My body was tense with frustration and impotence. I wanted to be part of the fae crowd so I could stand up and scream, “Is this seriously happening? Collith, do something!” I got to the point where she was taken back to Collith’s rooms and healed, then I slipped into a two-hour nap. At noon. I usually only nap if I’m sick. The whipping scene was intense, man.

Structurally, the prologue wasn’t necessary; the first line of the first chapter had a great hook—“They put me in a cage”—but I would have recommended backing up after that line and showing Fortuna looking for her brother on the mountain and getting caught in real time. That would have better conveyed Fortuna’s aloneness and desperation to the reader, I think; her vulnerabilities. It would also have demonstrated her motivation to find and save her brother, which propels all Fortuna’s decisions and therefore the novel, right of the bat. Instead, we go straight to the market, where we’re given the impression that Fortuna’s driven by anger and resentment for being treated like a wild animal. That, too, was important motivation for her, but not foremost.

At the market we also meet Collith and get a demonstration of Fortuna’s power. I don’t recall it ever being explained why Collith was there, though… From what I understood, he just happened to be there, happened to find her. “When I came across you at the market…” Which is way too coincidental for this story. Maybe we’ll find out later, along with why he had to have HER as a mate. It was clear Collith was attracted to Fortuna and even cared about her (if you consider reticence, lies, and edicts signs of affection), and that he was aware she was powerful and the last of the Nightmare species, but I don’t remember him explicitly explaining why he wanted her specifically. Why he thought an angry, resentful, emotionally traumatized woman would make progressive changes to the fae culture. Why she of all people would want to help the fae. Why a Nightmare, a creature whose power is to ferret out your worst fears and use them to incapacitate if not destroy you, seemed like a good candidate to rule without using fear.

And I have to say, as much as I wanted to buy that Collith was a romantic, I couldn’t. I don’t think he was “enamored with the idea of a best friend and lover tied into one,” but with a pet. Something that would be unwaveringly loyal, provide unconditional love, and obey commands without question. Having that pet be a woman he desired was just a perk. Actually, thinking on it, he had a pet in Laurie, at least by all appearances. But I imagine taking Laurie as a mate would have been complicated…or brilliantly strategic?

A couple random and largely inconsequential complaints: One, Collith was described both as cold and warm. Like, the physical sensations. “…his collarbone, where the skin was smooth and unexpectedly cold.” “A cool hand cupped my elbow…” “…he was deliciously warm.” “…I could feel the heat of him.” It probably doesn’t matter, but it confused me as I was reading and trying to understand the nuances of the species.

Two, sleep and a state of unconsciousness seemed to be used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. A sleeping person can be roused; an unconscious person does not respond to outside stimuli. Sleep is normal and necessary; unconsciousness is a symptom of illness or injury. That’s why unconsciousness is alarming.

Overall, this novel was fascinating yet frustrating. Sutton has a great imagination which gave her some fantastic ideas for story, but I’m afraid I didn’t fully appreciate how she chose to execute those ideas.

Fortuna Sworn is a magical story about a girl named Fortuna Sworn who just wants to find her brother and when an opportunity arises she does not hesitate to risk her own life. It is dark and twisting, which is to be expected when dealing with faeries. She had her limitations, but she never let that stop her. The world is unique with classic faerie lore mixed in that makes you want to get lost in it. This story will leave you begging for more in anticipation for the next book.

The blurb for the book does a fairly decent job of describing the beginning of the story, so I won't recap it here. Trigger Warnings: violence, gore, abuse, slavery, drug and alcohol use, mention of rape.
Fortuna Sworn certainly has a unique take on the fantasy realm and its origins, featuring a wide variety of species. The main character belongs to a fantasy class I have never read about before which was refreshing. However, this story does largely center around faeries. I definitely think fans of ACOTAR and Sarah J. Maas will enjoy this book and that it has the similar makings of a beloved series. It is not without its faults, but very few books are. There are more parallels to ACOTAR that I could make but not without spoiling the story.

The author does focus on worldbuilding and on this note, it does not fall flat. I found myself invested in the lives and politics of the "Unseelie Court". I struggled to feel a connection with the main character's motives though, as there was not enough time spent establishing the relationship between the main character and her brother. This was the central driving force of the novel and should have been fleshed out further. While it is possible to empathize with the loyalty Fortuna feels to her brother, not everyone feels that way simply because another person is a family member. I would have liked to know more about their relationship.

An additional point that could be positive or negative, depending on how you like your stories, is this book is more descriptive of sexual behavior than the ACOTAR series. There are a handful of scenes scattered throughout the novel. I found the wording of the scenes cringey, but I think many readers either would have no problem with it. I promise I'm not a prude, but I did actually physically cringe. There was some growling.

Fortuna Sworn has a few half-hearted attempts at diversity, via two characters specifically described as being Black and then a general sweeping statement that a huge throne room full of faeries came from all countries and cultures. Oh, and the author introduced one character wearing a hijab only to never be spoken of again. It felt like the author tried to sprinkle in diversity but did not accomplish it successfully. There were still no main characters of color and largely the faeries were stereotypically described as light skinned or fair and equated this characteristic with beauty. One character "would be considered pretty...were it not for a slightly aquiline nose". I think this is symptomatic of a larger problem within the fantasy community. Another problem is that the explicitly LGBT relationship in the book is problematic and blatantly abusive. I have complicated feelings about this.

There were a few locations and side characters that were built up lovely but then never mentioned again throughout the book (like I mentioned above). I am not sure if these loose ends will be picked up in the following book or if I will be left wondering...There just were certain things I did not understand why the author even spent time on, only to abandon shortly after.

TL;DR: Fans of ACOTAR will probably like this, but similarly to ACOTAR, it has some issues. I still think it was worth the read and stayed up until after midnight to finish it, once the story picked up. The story had two great twists at the end, that I am still not sure how I missed that made it worth a re-read. I have a feeling that the twist won't quite hold up/make sense during a re-read though.

This book was provided from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. #netgalley #fortunasworn

Fortuna Sworn - 2/5 Stars

I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What I liked:

- This book had an interesting opening, one that drew me in immediately. I appreciated how gritty and dark the world was, as well as the origin story of the supernatural creatures inhabiting it. There was a lot of potential for this story and that was evident from the beginning chapters.

- I have never read about a "nightmare". I'm not sure if this supernatural species was inspired by folklore or created entirely by the author's imagination, but I love reading about magical beings I've never heard of before.

- Oliver.

What I didn't like:

- The mating bond trope. This trope is hard to do well, and I did not enjoy Fortuna Sworn's version of it. I especially hate when two "mated" characters begin immediately referring to each other as "my mate".

- The characters. I felt no connection to any of them. They needed further development. Also, some seemed to switch personalities on a dime. Collith's character, in particular, seemed very different as the book progressed. He started off as mysterious and confident but quickly became compliant and uninvolved in the plot itself.

- The trials in the book felt anticlimactic and easy. Everything went a little too smoothly for the protagonist, and I lost all interest because of that.

I received this book for free through Netgalley.

So... I wanted to like this book much more than I did. I thought the concept was interesting; unfortunately, I the execution left much to be desired.

My first issue was with the passive voice of the the book in general, but in particular the early chapters. So much of what was going on was just Fortuna thinking this, Fortuna thinking that, Fortuna remembering this over thing that already happened... This made the pacing of the book very slow. It's not that I'm against flashbacks, but the stylistic way the early flashbacks were handled made the pacing seem very slow.

Second issue, I thought the world building was lacking. I know I just complained that the pacing was slow, but by "world building" I don't mean I needed a lot of long description. I just mean... I wanted to understand and be able to envision this different world. How hard was it supposed to be for non-humans to exist in the human world? How much contact did non-humans have with each other? Was everything Fortuna knew common knowledge, or due to special training from her parents? What is the non-human community really like, do many of them also try to assimilate and live in the human world? What's up with the two Courts? How do the interact/not interact? Do other species have their own thing? Even the black market was only cursorily understand.

Third, though, even worse than the holes left in the world building were the holes left by the characters. Everyone felt rather flat, and it was hard to care about any of them. Many of them were introduced, then forgotten (like the cook).

Fourth, I'm not quite sure what age group this book was intended for. It felt like the style was "younger", but then with just some adult content just forced in.

All in all, I think this book just needed a lot of editing. The concept wasn't bad, the writing itself just lacked polish and refining. This feels like a solid first draft.

At first glance, I wasn't sure I would even like this book. Though it has a beautiful cover, it seemed like the events that were leading up to the description were happening too fast, and at a third of the way through the book, I was confused where it was going. That all changed, however, and I became obsessed with the story, unable to put it down for a single second. I imagine that's how a ton of other people will feel, too, after reading this book.

Beginning with a scene from over half way through the book, Fortuna is scrubbing her hands raw. She's just killed someone, and she's never going to forget it. That's where it snaps back to two weeks before, when she was kidnapped, thrown into a cage, and then thrown into a van. The paranormal, or the Fallen, as they're referred to in this book, are more often than not hunted for sport, and meat, as humans are supposedly able to gain powers from eating them. They thought she was a werewolf, or a faerie, but she's a Nightmare.

Being a Nightmare, she's able to rout around in a person's head, finding their worst fear, and manifesting it. She thrives on heartache, fear, and anything else related to that. Of course the paranormal exist, and they're all descendant from fallen angels, hence the name Fallen. Being sold in auctions, this is a brutal world for them, but Fortuna is stronger than even she knows.

This book is an exciting and heart wrenching tail of a long lost brother, and the land of the unseelie court. Though it's not a new take on faeries, it is a new take on the paranormal in general, and I welcomed a change. I feel like there are so many books that are just the same story over and over, but this one wasn't. Let me just add before I finish, that the ending was such a shocker to me. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thanks for reading!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

I want to start by saying that I liked this book. Ipl be reading the next one.

I liked to world building and appreciated the detail behind all of the unseelie kingdom and its people.

I just felt a lot of frustration with the characters and their relationships. Now, Fortuna doesn't trust anyone and she is off balance so it makes sense that that throws our perception of everything off balance. It still made it incredibly difficult to connect with her. She was tough, but also out of control so she acts rashly and not always in ways that help her or her cause. She had moments where she buried her head in the sand instead of asking the right questions and it could sometimes be frustrating.

That being said, I am interested in future books and hopeful that we will see some explanation and growth from Fortuna.

I received this beautiful book in exchange for an honest review and can I just say I enjoyed it 1,000,000 % . It did not disappoint at all. I completely thought this book was fantastic. Good back story and characters. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READ. Thinking about rereading this with my friends.

Fortuna Sworn is the last of her kind, what the Fae call a Nightmare. Her younger brother Damon disappeared two years ago and so when a strange Fae called Collith offers to take her to him, in exchange for her hand in marriage, she barely hesitates.

But when Fortuna descends into the Unseelie Court she finds her 'husband' is not who she thought he was and her brother is the willing slave to a vicious Fae. her only hope to release Damon is with the help of her servant Laurie, her dream friend Oliver and some of the human and shifter slaves in the court.

I enjoyed this, it sort of reminded me of Julie Kagawa's series the Iron Fey as Fortuna faces vicious, hostile Fae, but the three-way love/lust triangle (square?) between Fortuna, Collith, Oliver and Laurie doesn't bode well for future novels in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This started off so well but by halfway I think it was trying to do too much too fast and it lost detail,and plot because of it, I loved the characters and it was an interesting story, it just needed a lift more work on the second half I felt , 3.5 out of 5, I think a bit of work and could easily be a 5 star story. Enjoyable still though.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Nightmares may be lies, but we don’t have to be liars.

I’m not going to info dump the blurb, so I’ll start by saying that Fortuna Sworn was... something else. While fantasy isn’t my usual genre, I’ve read a few and Fortuna Sworn seems to be a good combination of standard fantasy constants and a unique spin on certain aspects of the genre. Faeries. Other fantasy beings. Unseelie and Seelie courts. A world adjacent to the human one. Corruption. Some budding romance from more than one suitor. A little bit of blood. A little bit of violence.

Fortuna is a fantasy being that I’ve personally never read about before, so her skills and power were intriguing to me. She is a strong character and she is loyal to a fault. It’s something that I appreciate about her and even though she is not PERFECT, she is growing and learning even in book one. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say that there are a few options at love interest and quite a few options at a series villain. In this book a lot of character development and story frame-working takes place..

FS is the first book in a series, and as I said before the author spent much of the time building the world of the Unseelie court and planting plot seeds. I’m not much of a flower gal, but I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t excited to see what blooms from those seeds left in the dark underground of the court.

The pacing of this book is pretty quick, but there are a few slower parts in order to feed the reader information, which works well with the fast pace of events taking place. I spent most of this book thinking, “what is happening? Who can we trust? Who is the love interest!?” Then the other half I was just impressed by the world that KJ Sutton is building.


To add, since my review may not make it clear. I truly enjoyed this book. I wanted to say so much more about this story, but it’s nearly impossible to without spoiling it. Just know that Fortuna Sworn is a determined heroine. The world is a dark yet fantastic one, and KJ Sutton is an author to add to your to read list NOW!

Wow. I'm so happy that my first ARC turned out to be this fantastic!

If you're scrolling through reviews trying to figure out if this book is for you, then answer these three questions:
1. Do you enjoy fallen angels/magical creatures set in a modern context? (something like the TV series Lucifer)
2. Do you like dynamic and powerful fae characters like Thandruil and Galadriel (from LOTR)?
3. In the mood for some action packed storyline and witty dialogue?

If you said "Yes" to any of those questions (or all three), then this book is for you!
(Note, story has swearing, sex scenes, LGBTQ relationships, and violence.)

And now that that's done, I'm going to share my reasons as to why I like this book. Still here? Awesome! Here we go:

1. The main character is a tough Slytherdor (Slytherin+Gryffindor). I like her grit and sass. I might not agree with all of her decisions, but she's the kind of female lead. She's flawed in a way that makes her relatable, not the token kinda flaw that some authors put in just so the character wouldn't be too perfect.
2. There's a new kind of species/being in this book that is very unique. It's hard to introduce a new magical entity and mix it in with those that are universally known (vampires, etc.) without making it look too forced, but this book did it seamlessly.
3. There's a minor character who has autism. I like how the author was able to naturally inject examples on how to interact with a person with rigidity issues and sensory processing disorder without disrupting the flow of the story. As a mom of a child with ASD, this is a big bonus.
4. Pop culture references are a plus.
5. A shocking ending that would make you want/need to read the next book.

I have loved this author's work in the past so it was a no brainer when I saw this to immediately pick it up and try it. I love her unique take on things that seem mundane and making them into something new and imaginative. She manages to create endearing characters that stick with you long after the story has been finished and settings that are so descriptive that they take your breath away and you feel like you are transported right into the heart of them.

Fortuna Sworn was definitely a story that I won't soon be forgetting. Set in a world of fae and all the heartbreaking, frustrating, and manipulative (and some might even say evil) things that happen when the fae get involved in just about anything, Sutton still managed to create a spin on not only the fae but other supernatural creatures that will not only fascinate you but leave you turning the pages as fast as you possible can.

Completely delightful and left wanting more, Fortuna Sworn is definitely any fans of the author or those wanting to try her for the first time, will enjoy.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the book. It was was interesting and the plot was good and the ending was surprising and intriguing, I really want to read the next book asap.

About characters.... I felt no connection to Fortuna. I felt like she was cowardly when she needed to be strong, there were some scenes , when she acted bipolar and it really irritated me. However, I liked her chemistry with her personal guard, I hope they will be friends :).

Chemistry between Fortuna and other male characters /there is more than one in this book/ doesn’t exist /yet?/. Fortunately. Collith is the obvious first choice but there were some some intimate scenes with another man too. For someone who doesn’t like love triangles was this a little problem.

I loved the ending, and it’s probably the reason why I am sure I will read the second book.... the little twist made me really curious and I was left with a question.... What’s going on??

What an original an unique story! This was very, well written and really drew me in from the start. I like that as much world and character building there was, it never felt bogged down by details. The action starts immediately and really just kept going all the way to the end.

I never really knew what direction it was going to take. I like that it was a surprise, but at times I wasn't sure I liked the circumstances. By the end of this book, I don't know how the heroine is going to be happy, which makes me wary.

Fortuna is stuck in a world she doesn't want to be in. With a man, or I should say fairy, she doesn't want to be with, but I also can see where he will eventually be someone she does want. Or will she? I'm not even sure of that.

Like I said, I have no idea where the author will take this but she has got me hooked. I need to know what happens in the next book. This is only the first book and does end on a cliffhanger.

I. Need. ANSWERS.

I was so addicted to this book when I was reading it. I stayed up through the night, only to feel sad that I had to go to sleep. I immediately started reading again whenever I had the spare time.

This book just pulled me in. While at first I wasn't so interested, as soon as Fortuna used her Nightmare powers I was hooked. I became to curious as to what her story would develop, and the strange man who helped save her. We don't spend much time in the human world. It goes by quite fast, but it's still enough for us to remember the characters introduced there. Most of this book takes place in the Unseelie Court, which is as much as I'll tell you as anything more is so spoilery. Just take my word for it that it gets intense and you actually get invested into Fortuna's character.

Speaking of characters... I LOVED both Fortuna and Collith! They were both so different and so alike at the same time. From their first meeting all the way to how it goes down in the end, I remained to still love them both. I enjoyed Fortuna's slow trusting of Collith, but not to where it felt she was being dumb. She is smart and calculating, but then discovers that she also has limits. She tries to figure things out on her own or deduce how to possibly use something to her advantage. She is such a strong heroine, but she also has weakness and faults as well. She's such a relatable character, and I can't wait to see more of her. Collith is just SWOONWORTHY. I fell in love for both his character and gorgeous descriptions. He's a man who hides secrets and has trouble being fully honest. It leads to some really interesting character AND relationship development between him and Fortuna. I can't help but understand why he does the things he does, but I still feel upset. That's also how Fortuna feels from the beginning. They're such a dynamic duo it's INSANE.

Honestly. Read. This. It's so worth it! I don't think I've ever read a book so fast (ok that's a lie but it was still fast ok). I had a lot of fun even though it's such a slow burn book. By the time I reached the end, I had so many questions and was ready to pick up the next book. This is not a book you want to miss!

I'm pretty disappointed.
In the beginning, it seemed so promising, but going on the story became too fast-paced, too shallow.
I could see, I could feel a huge, raw potential at my fingertips. Such a pity that the Author did not seize it fully. With more patience in nurturing it, and more attention to the depth (of the characters, of the worldbuilding) this could have been a great story (as the twist at the end that after all the frustration made my interest spark again).

A thrilling, fast-paced fantasy novel revolving around the supernatural world of the Fair Folk and their twisted ways. Sutton does an excellent job with the character development of the MC, Fortuna, and her clever thinking and reluctance to trust gives her a solid personality. Collith, though slightly underdeveloped, has a mysterious aura that seemed cliche at first, however, it quickly evolved into something greater and more captivating. Sutton's writing artfully aided in the beautiful world-building aspect of the book- unfortunately, the story behind the faerie race was not explained thoroughly. The Unseelie and Seelie Courts were not further touched upon leaving room for confusion. Additionally, the book seemed to gloss over what could be considered crucial plot points. Despite this, the plot twists were gripping and propelled the plot forward until the very end. Overall, a wonderful fantasy novel with a touch of ACOTAR vibes from Sarah J. Maas' series. Definitely will be looking forward to the next book!

An adult fantasy novel set largely in the Unseelie Faerie court, Fortuna Sworn is a sizzling read. The titular character is a Nightmare, and has the ability to tap into peoples fears by touching their skin, and then to convince them that they are living that fear, an awesome power no doubt, but one that is not without its drawbacks, as it makes contact with other beings difficult to say the least. The book opens in a type of black market setting, where our heroine has been captured and is on sale to the highest bidder, Before making her escape she encounters a mysterious Faerie , and when she returns to her normal life in the human world she is shocked to find he has tracked her down. He offers her the one thing she most desires, a way to find her brother who disappeared some time ago, but in exchange she must marry him. Despite knowing this is a bad idea, she is desperate to save the brother she promised to protect when their parents died, so she agrees and is taken to his homeland where the real adventures of the book begin. This book is not for the faint of heart, as well as several steamy scenes there are descriptions of torture , and overall the book has a quite a dark tone. The story is well told , and moves along at a good pace and I found myself eager to know more about some of the secondary characters we meet along the way, particularly Ollie who seems to live only in Fortuna's dreams, and the mysterious Laurie who she meets in the Unseelie court. The world building is good, and the author was able to create a vivid impression of the harshness and dangers of life among the capricious and often cruel Unseelie court. There is also a suggestion that there are more books to come featuring Fortuna and I hope this is true as I would definitely read them.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This is a first read for me by this author. The blurb really intrigued me. This at first sort of had ACOTAR series vibe in the beginning. I loved the initial banter between the main couple. I wanted more of a background or initial introduction/buildup in the story. I have to say a good chunk of the middle part was a bit slow. I thought this going to be a standalone, but it turns out its book 1 in a
unknown # in a series. I just can't pinpoint exactly why I'm feeling indifferent about this book. This was an ok first book for me.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.