This was not what I was expecting. At all. But I think that's what makes it great.
I love being surprised by books, if it means I have to use my brain just a little more than usual to put pieces of the plot together. The ending was a surprise, but it made sense... As someone who plows my way through books, I tend to remember the tiny details. And I did with this book, but the ending was *still* a surprise, and when I skimmed back through, I realized how everything indeed worked together to make the ending work.
This books is not about a prince who gets insanely strong by the end. I think that was pretty refreshing, while also not being standard at all. It felt realistic.
The setup for the next book.... I will absolutely read it. I loved the character dynamics, and I really want to know how the world will change now that certain *things* have happened.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC!

Occasional foot fetish aside, this was a good read. The world follows most of the basic fantasy rules, but that doesn’t detract from the story. The characters are easy to become attached to (Ronan, my fav!!!), and the final plot twist was fun.

I’m not usually a fan of the “fated mates” trope, but this book actually takes the time to examine how a magical bond can impact real feelings. Both Ramiel and Ether question whether the feelings are theirs or artificially generated, if anything will be left once they break the bond or if the magic ruined any chance they may have had at genuine romance. Their connection also opens the door to further examine the prejudices held by human, elf, and fae. I think Shi does a great job of writing biased characters and their journey of discovery - no one is immediately going to drop lifelong prejudice just because they meet a nice person or learn new information. It takes time and effort, and mistakes will be made on all sides. The most you can do is continue to learn and improve.

The book title may be my favorite part of this. When put up against the plot…oh, Shi thought this out WELL. I can’t wait to see the title for book two. I will absolutely be requesting an ARC.

I appreciate receiving an advanced copy of The Sinuous Bargain of a Cowardly Prince. This story focused on Fairies, Elves, humans, and other mythical creatures with very interesting and unique magic structure! I found the main characters to be sweet and layered— Ramiel was downright *adorable*. His uncertain demeanor was a refreshing change of pace for main characters, I found him to be overall quite endearing.

The synopsis and information I had see when requesting it peaked my interest; however, I did choose to forget what I knew about the story so I could enjoy it blindly. I personally struggled the world building amongst the elves, I did think their magic system was intriguing though! The rest of the world building was more my speed and I was a bit enthralled with Ramiel’s backstory. I found myself grinning and laughing out loud during a lot of really cute and funny moments between the main characters, I was glad for a lighthearted read. There is plenty of seriousness, character developments that surprised me, and mystery to make it a well rounded story as well.

I recommend this book if you are searching for a charming, engaging, and easy read!