I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to everyone.

This book could have been great, could have been more for sure! Morgana and all the supporting characters are flat, one-dimensional characters. The story lacks depth, warmth and emotional attachment. The character arcs are flat and underdeveloped. I just felt like I was reading a subpar book that offered so much potential. Just could have been so much more.

I am still new to NetGallery and didn't realize I could leave reviews here too! I left my review on Amazon, Goodreads and social media! Updating it now!

Thank you for an ARC. This book was a little slower so it was hard for me to get into. It also was hard to see any chemistry between the characters or to really connect with the characters.

This is your run-off-the-mill romantasy with nothing too special setting it apart from popular titles. It was alright, not bad but not good. I didn't really feel much for it. not the characters nor the plot.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.65⭐️: Glad I read it but wouldn't read again, It wasn't anything particularly special.

Cards of Fate is a typical romantasy/adventure book, following Morgana, a witch living in a kingdom that practices witch-burning. When her best friend is kidnapped, she and her lover go off to retrieve the abducted princess.

The main issue I noticed throughout the whole book is that it lacks depth. The characters, the romance, the adventure, the politics. All these aspects are executed fairly well, but they are slightly basic.

The characters were lovely at first. When we first meet everybody, I found their relationships with each other to be sweet and cute. Very lovable. As the story progressed, the more I realized how little character they actually held. Nothing about the lack of character made me not want to read this though, it only made the read less enjoyable. This book could've been drastically improved if the characters were just more intriguing.

The book is described as "part erotic romance". I heavily disagree. I found no chemistry between Morgana and Leopold. The smut lacked tension and was uninteresting. When I discovered this was a forbidden romance (one of my favorite tropes), I was excited to dive into the book, I must admit I am disappointed. I would still consider this a romance book, but certainly NOT an erotica.

I think in many fantasy books the writing and action keeps you reading, but I didn't feel that way while reading Cards of Fate. The writing was extremely straightforward- which I'd never expect nor want from a fantasy book. I feel slightly misled by the description of this book. Also, I found the ending to be very predictable. I think it was a good ending, but it would've been so much better if I didn't expect it.

I know i've mostly been addressing my issues with this book, but I don't regret reading it. I did have issues with the writing and characters but it wasn't insufferable. Would I read this again? No. But that's only my opinion. Was it worth the read? Yes, I am glad that I read this, and I think it was very creative and original. I loved the incorporation of tarot and I don't think I will read another book like this again. I think it could've been an amazing read if it improved more on adding depth and working on the issues I mentioned prior.

This review will contain minor spoilers for the first part of the book, but also trigger warning information.
.
.
.
I was ready to call this just a fun book with an interesting magic system after the first third, but the constant reference of SA as the main character's character flaw/motivation really kept bugging me. I would have likely avoided this one if there were trigger warnings up front, but it was brought up more than I care to read, so I ended up DNFing.

Very fantasy, kind of boring and predictable to read though. I couldn't get into it and it took me forever to read, I still haven't even finished..

I really wanted to like this one. Im a sucker for card based fantasy with romantic plots (see The Shepard King Duology). Unfortunately The Cards of Fate is woefully underdeveloped in nearly every area. The beginning was rushed to the point that the first 25% felt like a list of bullet point facts. It was all telling and very little showing. Once the plot did get underway, it was hard to pay attention because I was never able to make a solid connection to the story, characters, or relationships.

Thank you A. R. Kingston and NetGalley for my ARC. My opinions are my own.

Plot - 2
Writing and Editing - 2
Character Development - 2
Personal Bias - 2
Final Score - 2

Cards of Fate proved to be quite an interesting read, especially for someone like me who revels in the realms of Fantasy and Romance. I was perplexed after I finished, not sure if I LOVED it or hated it...

First things first, the book's cover is very beautiful and it is what initially lured me into its pages.

Kingston has good skills in worldbuilding, bringing forth an interesting concept. The adventurous spirit of the narrative, coupled with the enchanting descriptions of magic, captivated my attention. The writing style made for a smooth reading experience, but I did find the juxtaposition of modern language with terms like "My Lady" a tad disconcerting.

On the downside, the characters occasionally exhibited a degree of immaturity, somewhat at odds with the presumed target audience (Adult). The handling of the intimate scenes between the protagonists felt a bit awkward (such as licking of the neck...? Maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea). Regrettably, the ending unfolded somewhat predictably, lacking the impactful conclusion that the storyline deserved. A more meticulous approach to the finale could have made the ending a million times better.

In essence, while the book and its characters had potential, a lingering sense of unfulfillment persisted. It yearned for more' more from the character depth or the plot. For those venturing into the Romantacy genre, Cards of Fate is an okay introduction. However, for seasoned readers, I might hesitate to recommend it.

I'm hoping that in the future I can come across more of A. R. Kingston's book and give it another go.

This was a great read with likeable characters, immersive world building and I loved the magic system. I think the character growth was perfect, the pacing was good and I thoroughly enjoyed this!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I mostly enjoyed this book. The characters are believable and the plot is action packed, but the tarot card aspect felt a little out of place to me. It felt like the author needed a hook and added it in when it wasn't really needed. The plot would have been great without that aspect. The ending was a bit of a let down for me too. It was a good read, three stars from me.

I had high hopes for this story, after trying to read it.. I found myself only getting about a third of the way through. The writing throughout kept me confused and it was hard to follow.

I loved the premise of this book so much. It first gave me the Caraval vibes. I found myself getting distracted by the writing. I ended up DNFing at 40%

I wanted more.

I don't think this story was ready to be out in the world. It has so much potential, but as it stands, it's not good.

It was a great book, but not entirely right for myself personally. Though that shouldn't be taken out on it.

Story and world building was fine, just not my cup of tea. I did not DNF, because I like to finish through and its a great story, again just not for me

Thank you for this arc!
2.50!
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I hoped too. The plot seemed intriguing but the writing and the characters were a mess which overall led to this book being a massive disappointment :(

DNF at 41%. I just cannot get into this book. I feel like not much has happened in the book and it’s almost half way done. I’m just bored with it and can’t motivate myself to pick it up. I thought the concept was cool with royalty, magic. and the cards of fate and fate lines affecting your future or telling you likely outcomes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This was a decent one time read that I enjoyed. It wasn't something I'd fangirl over too much, but it wasn't bad enough that I DNF it either. It was just somewhere in between those two extremes and that's okay because sometimes all you need is a perfectly average book to curl up with.

Great concept. DNF at the casual discussion of sexual assault of the main FMC in relation to why she should give the MMC a shot. The story telling needs some polishing as well