Book Stats
Stars: DNF at 75 pages @ 29%
Start Date: 02/2/24
Ending Date: 2/4/24
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Form: Epub
Page Count: 252
Publishing Date: 01/31/2024
Point of View: 3rd Person
Setting: Asia
CW: Abuse, Trauma
DNFed at 75 pages @ 29%
Spoilers
Triggers Ahead as Well.
The main reason I decided to stop this one is because of the violence that is being brought upon the main female character on the hands of the secondary villain.
In the matter of 75 pages the secondary villain does this.
1. Kick her in the stomach repeatedly that forced her to have a miscarriage.
2. Hit her in the face, kick her in the stomach again and almost tried to SA her.
3. Threatened to scar Young Ji’s little Brother face up with a knife if she doesn’t divorce Young Ji.
4. Tries to strangle her after the brothel he was at catches flames.
This is just 75 pages in and I read on little to see if I want to continue just to find out that he stabs her as well.
In the first book, Shala had to deal with racism, sexism, being poisoned, almost SAed, and bruised, bloodied a little since she was a warrior. Also it was spread out through the course of the whole book.
But this.
It’s too much for me especially how strong a character she is to deal with that much bullshit for one damn character in a short period of time.
Also the fact her miscarriage aka traumatic experience was used as a way for her to finally be vulnerable and actually open up to Young Ji.
All the while no one is not doing a damn thing while the dad and the crazy son is doing whatever the fuck they want to do and people keep telling her that she needs to be patient while not having a plan to get rid of them and put the main character who should be the rightful king back on the throne. While she’s the only one actively trying to kill him and the main villain and shouldn’t be because she needs to learn how to ask questions first and fight later which she’s been fighting first and asking questions later since the first book. They keep dangling this stupid rule in her damn face over and over again that if she kills them even in self-defense that she gets killed. She is not being protected the way that she needs to be protected and it’s pissing me off enough that I can’t continue the story to see if she does get protected. Strong Black Woman needs to be protected as well.
I’m all for couples going through shit and coming out on top on the other side but it’s to much when you still got 200 something pages to go when you got that much shit happening in so little time.
My second problem with this book is the fact that there is no court/political intrigue going on right now behind the scenes. No freaking scheming to get power. Just the dad who woke up from his three year coma (with no one slipping no poison in his tonic to kill him while he was in coma I might add) just to terrorize Young Ji and the people again. Then you got the spoiled brat of a first crown prince who wants to be Draco Malfoy, Joffrey Lannister, and Ramsay Bolton all in one who just got back from being gone for three years (with no assassination attempt on his life while he was gone I might add) who is terrorizing Shala halfway to death because he’s jealous of his little brother. With no one coming up with no plans to stop them at all. With us as readers not seeing who in the court is loyal to Young, who is loyal to the Dad, and Who is loyal to Son, who is just trying to get power and just be on the side of who gets it and how can they tip the balance to their favor.
Since I have watched Game of Thrones, Curse of the Golden Flower, other Korean, Chinese and Japanese Drama shows and also British shows dealing with the British and French Monarchy to know that you are fractions n the royal family/ courts. Which people are wheeling and dealing for power. Where you have fathers pimp out their own daughters to get closer to the king to get some power. (Cough the Boleyn’s cough). That’s what made Game of Thrones so fun to watch because who was trying to out scheme who for power.( cough LittleFinger Cough) It wasn’t just the battle scenes and the dragons who made it also cool.
The fact Young brother and Mother keep telling them “Oh hey get the counselors on your side” and they still haven’t had a discussion about that and trying to figure out about each counselor?
If that was happening with Young Ji, Shala, Imamu, and Ji Hoon talking in secret trying to come up with a plan with who was on their side, while the dad doing the same thing with his folks , while the brother doing the same thing and might throw in the queen as well? Then I would forgive the violence being done because at least something is being worked towards trying to get rid of those two. I needed to see people scheming for power since you got three people buying for the throne.
I still love the first part but this one I just can’t finish.
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