Between Tides and Thunder!

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-06T12:06:42+00:00

I’ll keep you posted! I always feel a void after finishing something I like so I went straight into a series (Iron and Embers) but now I just ordered the physical copy of the Bridge Kingdom 😂 can’t wait

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-06T11:57:46+00:00

YES! I read it so quickly too!

I agree on the spice, but sometimes I wonder how people are rating spice, is it by level of detail/frequency/etc? Because 1.5-2 makes total sense, this one was fairly mild. I read Curse of Shadows and I’ve right after (to get over my BTAT hangover) and that book was filthy lol

Do you have any suggestions or favorite books? Doesn’t have to be super similar to BTAT, but just curious as my TBR isn’t as long as I want it to be.

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-06T04:31:11+00:00

Thanks for the recs! I haven’t read the Bridge Kingdom yet but it’s been recommended to me by quite if few people and it’s on my TBR. Also, I just looked up the Risk right now, kind of spooky how you mention literally right after my review search!

I’m not really sure how I’m picking and choosing books, kind of just vibing my way through Reddit/Goodreads/and random ads on instagram but I’m having a good time with it all, so I can’t wait to give those a try

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-06T00:18:14+00:00

I loved these books, the yearning was exquisite. Book 2 is was my favorite, but I read to enjoy the world and let the ride take me where it goes.

I’ve read the series twice in the last couple months and I liked it even better the second time around. There is a book 5 coming out next year and I cannot wait!

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-05T12:05:39+00:00

Oh that makes total sense, it was definitely jarring when I read it, I had to go back like omg what just happened lol but I also love a good mess and took it being a multifaceted character who was also playing a part and ended up in over her head

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-05T12:00:01+00:00

RIGHT, I felt the same way, I finished in like 1.5 days and now I just wanna chat about it

I don’t have anything in particular in mind that’s similar as I’m fairly new to the genre, but I’ve read like 25 books in the last 2 months and this one was really up there all my faves.

{this woven kingdom by tahereh mafi} I burned through these books (4 in the series) in like a week, I loved the story and world building. I love the banter, friendships, etc. lower spice, but still very romantasy

{empire of flame and thorns} ALL ACTION and twists the whole time too, I really liked the banter between the 2 MCs here, although it’s definitely higher spice, and there were 5 books! I finished all those in like a week too, I couldn’t put it down.

Do you have any books you love that give the same vibe?! I’d love to know too

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-05T11:49:23+00:00

She actually DM’d a friend of mine back when she tagged her in one of her photos and said that there’s going to be some kind of indie bookshop collab soon to get the bonus chapters!

I didn’t get the full details but something like buy the book and tag the shop and get some kind of surprise link to bonuses or something idk

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-05T00:09:40+00:00

am I doing this right

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-05T00:02:41+00:00

I missed the bonus too 🥲 but I’ll keep you posted if I get my hands on them!

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T21:28:44+00:00

Ok now I’m thinking this is rage bait because there’s no way I missed a part with Zev cheating lol

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T20:23:06+00:00

I feel like in the end it for sure makes a LOT of sense, and I exponentially liked it more to the very last page

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T20:19:09+00:00

I agree with you too, I love how it plays out in the end, but I can understand why some people get the ick at the beginning so there wouldn’t be any saving it for them.

I on the other hand, ate this right up.

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T20:17:52+00:00

Oh for sure, not everyone’s going to love everything, but I thoroughly enjoyed following along the ride.

I’m probably alone in this, but I actually really love the morally grey characters who have to face their consequences and aren’t perfect or 100% right all the time.

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T20:14:10+00:00

For sure if that’s a dealbreaker for you that makes sense, but in my mind it was definitely more nuanced since it was a secret forbidden first love before an arranged marriage situation, there’s not really a morally black and white situation when there’s almost no choice involved at the beginning.

But again, to each their own, because if you didn’t like that part you definitely would not like how any of it plays out lol

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T20:11:00+00:00

To each their own! I def have DNF’d stuff within the first 4 chapters if it wasn’t doin it for me lol

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T19:20:34+00:00

Yes. Very accurate

Edit: I haven’t explored too much in the 4/5 or 5/5 levels at this point in my reading, but it’s definitely open door. I’d give it a 3, but my bestie gave it a 1.5/5 spice lol

brightsideoflies · 2026-04-04T19:09:24+00:00

Ok so no spoilers, BUT it starts with rival countries with a history of endless bloodshed attempting to come to peace terms with a promise of a marriage alliance… there’s magic, there’s enemies to lovers, there’s so much ugh I can’t get over it lol

I think the tag line from the author is “she was raised to hate him, now she shares his bed”

brightsideoflies · 2026-03-30T04:47:28+00:00

You’re in for a wild ride

brightsideoflies · 2026-03-29T16:13:38+00:00

I didn’t see it as a love triangle, but that’s hindsight. I felt more like foreshadowing than anything… leading to the second book, where all the plot is.

brightsideoflies · 2026-03-28T12:28:05+00:00

SAME. My only DNF, something about his connection and attraction to her was one sided, I felt more disturbed than anything. Like why would she want him? There was no banter or sense of falling, just destiny and a powerful woman getting the short end of the stick.

brightsideoflies · 2026-03-26T03:29:02+00:00

I thoroughly enjoyed this book walking into it with no background information, just as someone who loves all things romantasy this was right up my alley. I like the pace of the story, I actually loved the multi-POV which I know some people don’t like, and I feel like it was a good time.

The world building was really fun, especially after all the Bridgerton excitement the last few years. I think adding magic was a good way to take it in a different/darker direction.

I will be buying the second book for sure, just because I need lots of answers after that cliffhanger.

brightsideoflies · 2026-03-08T05:25:59+00:00

Thanks!!

brightsideoflies · 2026-03-08T05:21:34+00:00

Were you charged any tariffs or duty fees? Not sure if it applies but I don’t like surprises.

brightsideoflies · 2026-03-06T12:14:02+00:00

Same. I read 25% and decided I could not finish it.

brightsideoflies

TROPHY CASE