Author: K Arsenault Rivera
Tropes: Wartime, Friends to Lovers, Starcrossed Lovers
Series: Ascendant #1
Pages: 504
Published: October 3rd, 2017
Format: ebook (libby), audiobook
(audible)
Started: 01-20-2024
Finished: 01-21-2024
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character
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readability
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writing style
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plot
synopsis
Even gods can be slain
The Hokkaran empire has conquered every land within their bold reach—but failed to notice a lurking darkness festering within the people. Now, their border walls begin to crumble, and villages fall to demons swarming out of the forests.
Away on the silver steppes, the remaining tribes of nomadic Qorin retreat and protect their own, having bartered a treaty with the empire, exchanging inheritance through the dynasties. It is up to two young warriors, raised together across borders since their prophesied birth, to save the world from the encroaching demons.
This is the story of an infamous Qorin warrior, Barsalayaa Shefali, a spoiled divine warrior empress, O Shizuka, and a power that can reach through time and space to save a land from a truly insidious evil.
A crack in the wall heralds the end…two goddesses arm themselves…K Arsenault Rivera’s The Tiger’s Daughter is an adventure for the ages.
rant
- good book but pretty much just felt like a prequel to something more
- I personally liked the epistolary format mostly bc the letters were long ‐ if they were shorter and addressed Shizuka more often I probably wouldn’t have liked it
- Bc it in this form the story is more about Shefali’s life than it is about Shizuka’s which I found surprising going into this but I liked it that way ‐ Shefali was definitely the more loveable and interesting character of the two
- The synopsis of the story is definitely misleading ‐ going into this I was expecting two badass warriors to be slaying demons and conquering land and shit but that wasn’t what happened literally at all ‐ they killed one demon (ok two if u count that one guy at the end) and that backfired by a lot and then basically only killed humans (criminals ig) ‐ the story was actually more just Shefali retelling her love story w/ Shizuka which I honestly didn’t mind like at all I love love love love love a childhood friends to lovers story so best believe I was sat for this entire book but that’s is not at all what is advertised in the synopsis
- I loved the way the letters were written and how Shefali expressed her feelings it was honestly beautiful (aka the authors writing style was beautiful and poetic) ‐ this is obviously ironic seeing as Shefali doesn’t talk much and she always says she wasn’t a poet like Shizuka’s father but sis you’re even better imo ‐ definitely enjoyed her parts more that Shizuka’s
- Pacing was slow but I was locked into the story ‐ although this felt like a prequel to a real story there was no real big conflict or goal they were trying to reach in terms of the actual war w/ the demons at least
- I didn’t like that Shefali’s appearance changed and I’m gonna act like it didn’t ‐ it seems like most ppl see her as normal but her teeth are sharpened hell imma act like I didn’t read that and that’s she’s just a normal human until she like shift into demon form or something ‐ I’m sure it’s supposed to symbolize something and I get that but no
- Ok can’t leave w/o calling out the utter fucking disgust that is Otgar and Shefali’s mom (aka Otgar’s aunt) like throwing up in my mouth fucking disgusting idc ‐ that’s shits not cute no matter who does it ‐ I swear ppl act ok w/ it in GOT but now everyone feels like it’s ok now and ITS NOT EVER EW WHY?? ‐ at least Shefali thought it was weird af too lmao
- Predictions ‐ they actually fight some demons lol ‐ hopefully Shizuka’s uncle like dies ‐ Shefali is able to manage her condition better & she’ll be able to see out of her eye ‐ Something involving Shizuka’s divine blood why can she glow now?? I honestly want Shefali to become somewhat human again she doesn’t deserve to live her life being haunted by demons and not being able to taste and enjoy food like a normal person ‐ I honestly don’t even know if that's possible bc sis didn’t even hint at what’s going on in the world during the present not like 10 yrs in the past
- Would read again
noted & quoted
- All the scenes from their childhood
- Their night in Otgafs ger
- Archery w/ Shefali’s brother
- Getting married
- They way Shefali wrote about Shizuka
- The way Shizuka always stood up for Shefali
