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Fated Fae
The Savage and the Swan
The king of wolves was more beast than man, more tyrant than king, and so much more than he seemed.
Raised to avenge his murdered parents, he’d been trained and conditioned until nothing but violence and hatred lined the walls of his dead heart.
For nearly four years, I’d done all I could to help my kingdom as we faced the wolf king’s unconquerable evil—hardly anything at all.
As the only heir to the Gracewood line, I’d been relegated to menial tasks that would keep me and my secrets safe.
A chance to do more than fret behind our castle walls arrived when I breached them after overhearing my parents’ plans for my future. Fleeing, I unknowingly raced into a fate we’d all desperately hoped to avoid.
By the time I saw him coming, it was far too late. For my family. For my kingdom.
For my heart.
Before I could staunch the bleeding, the king had me under his giant paw, and one wrong move after another caused those razor-sharp claws to sink deeper and deeper beneath my bruised skin.
I might have been trapped, naïve, and furious, but I still had a kingdom to save—and a plan. Yet when we collided, the bloodshed, the fear, his atrocities... all of it dissolved like stardust upon the night sea.
The stars had mapped out our destiny, but it didn’t matter what they or my heart wanted. I refused to see the enigmatic male, the heartless lost boy with a soul beneath the flesh of a monster.
The savage king who’d destroyed everything I loved would fall—even if my heart fell with him.
—
Inspired by Hades and Persephone, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Swan Princess, The Savage and the Swan is not connected to any other Ella Fields novel. It’s a full-length standalone romantic fantasy containing mature content.
Raised to avenge his murdered parents, he’d been trained and conditioned until nothing but violence and hatred lined the walls of his dead heart.
For nearly four years, I’d done all I could to help my kingdom as we faced the wolf king’s unconquerable evil—hardly anything at all.
As the only heir to the Gracewood line, I’d been relegated to menial tasks that would keep me and my secrets safe.
A chance to do more than fret behind our castle walls arrived when I breached them after overhearing my parents’ plans for my future. Fleeing, I unknowingly raced into a fate we’d all desperately hoped to avoid.
By the time I saw him coming, it was far too late. For my family. For my kingdom.
For my heart.
Before I could staunch the bleeding, the king had me under his giant paw, and one wrong move after another caused those razor-sharp claws to sink deeper and deeper beneath my bruised skin.
I might have been trapped, naïve, and furious, but I still had a kingdom to save—and a plan. Yet when we collided, the bloodshed, the fear, his atrocities... all of it dissolved like stardust upon the night sea.
The stars had mapped out our destiny, but it didn’t matter what they or my heart wanted. I refused to see the enigmatic male, the heartless lost boy with a soul beneath the flesh of a monster.
The savage king who’d destroyed everything I loved would fall—even if my heart fell with him.
—
Inspired by Hades and Persephone, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Swan Princess, The Savage and the Swan is not connected to any other Ella Fields novel. It’s a full-length standalone romantic fantasy containing mature content.
348 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2021
About the author
Ella Fields
27 books4,994 followersUSA Today and international bestselling author, Ella Fields, resides in Australia with her husband, two children, and furry critters.
A lover of chocolate, magic, and words—she enjoys exploring the sharper sides of love in varying genres of romance.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellafieldsa...
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Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2Amt3FL
A lover of chocolate, magic, and words—she enjoys exploring the sharper sides of love in varying genres of romance.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellafieldsa...
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/authorellafields/
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2Amt3FL
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,934 reviews
September 2, 2021
Gonna settle on 2.5 stars, rounded down...final rating...not sure why I keep waffling on this one...
Before I get started, I want to say that directly prior to reading this, I had just completed book three of The Mistborn Saga and a re-read of Surviving Raine, two books I five-starred the shit out of...Meaning: I read this on the heels of a veritable case study on world-building and character/relationship development mastery, respectively.
So maybe this book was somewhat doomed simply based on that.
Regardless, I read a few reviews on this that had me really excited. PNR/Fantasy romance is some of my favorite kind of romance and I was looking forward to diving into this based on those select reviews and the blurb. So, the fact that I didn't love this thing bums me out.
But allow me to break it down...
1) The writing.
Something was off about it and I can't quite put my finger on it. Word choices were routinely awkward and sometimes I had trouble following exactly what was going on, especially as applied to love scenes.
Now, I'm fairly intelligent...but the first two smutty scenes between the main couple left me wondering if they had actually done the deed or just fumbled around with their clothes on until someone...leaked.
If you follow me.
2) The world-building.
Was just poorly done, sadly. We are dropped into this world which is seemingly involved in a long, ongoing war between two factions of the Fae world. And humans are involved...somehow?
The reasons for this war are murky, the "details," as limited as they were, were constantly changing, and the true catalyst when finally (I think?) explained, was weak and not fleshed out to my satisfaction.
Also, the magic system at play here was pudding soft and never fully made clear either. The characters seem to know and understand things that we the reader are never let in on.
Part of me appreciates that the author was probably trying to make an effort to show and not tell us what certain characters actions/events meant in the grand scheme of the story; but instead we were left with unexplained phenomena that would only be marginally, if ever, delved into chapters later.
Example:
Other examples abound. But lazy. So moving on.
3. Character Motivations...
Mostly Opal's.
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
Early in the book, Opal is at some kind of magical "crossover" tree. Refer to point #2 for lack of any further, credible information involving said tree. While here, she runs into an enemy soldier who apparently is also aware of this...tree.
They meet there and...something. And even though this soldier is clearly part of the enemy forces supposedly slaughtering her lands and people, Opal starts meeting up with him at the tree on regular. To train with weapons. For no apparent reason. Cause romance book.
She of course later finds out who this soldier really is...and literally watches as this guy RIPS OUT HER FATHER'S HEART and kills him. But she somehow seems to just emotionally gloss over this. Because, she's just really drawn to him, you guys.
And because, later on, we are doing it for the people. And peace. Or something. And because - again - romance book.
I don't know.
All I know is, if someone MURDERED my father right in front of me...even if I was given a (super weak, mind you) justification for it later...I don't care HOW dreamy he is or how drawn to him I am...NOPE.
I mean, Opal doesn't even seem that upset about her father dying, period. And he was supposedly a solidly decent parent and person. It's not like he was even painted as some evil dictator, thus bookishly enabling us to more easily accept why Opal would so gamely overlook his death and the expectation for what would normally ensue following the death of a parent.
It just didn't make sense human emotions-wise.
But whatever.
And don't even get me started on how she gets "imprisoned" by the humans (whose presence in this book seemed to merely act as a convenient plot device whenever the author needed to create scenes which would otherwise never have occurred). But seriously, Opal, you are bigger and stronger and have magical fucking powers. I mean, you can change into a goddamn bird and FLY out the window at any time. So ESCAPE already.
And if you aren't choosing to escape, then the reason (or at least some kind of indication that there are reasons) should be made clear to the reader. Otherwise you just seem...
Not that bright.
I also didn't understand how, near the end, a group of powerless humans seemed to be kicking the ass of a king who supposedly had SO much power...who could basically teleport himself anywhere...who could change into a ginormous wolf...who could literally rip organs from people's bodies...and who could also fucking fly. But, then again, not using ones magical powers in dangerous situations that seemed to call for them seemed to be par for the course for this book.
There is so much more, but I just can't be bothered. The only reason I rated this higher than a firm 1 or 2-stars is because, for some reason, I kept turning the pages. And because, despite my above reservations, the main couple DID have good chemistry. Enough chemistry to justify the hero killing the heroine's father and her being like...
No. But still. Chemistry. Which always gets a star from me.
Other than that, this felt like an adult mash-up of a lot of trope-ridden young adult fantasy I've read over the years. If you are in the mood for that, haven't read a lot of fantasy in general, and/or don't really care about world-building (which I totally get, we all have things we don't care about), this might work out better for you than it did for me.
And, even though it seems like I'm kind of tearing it apart a bit, I didn't hate this book. I really did like the chemistry between the main couple. And the H was exactly my brand of possessive alphahole. In fact, I low key adored him. And I'm just always a complete sucker for possessively fate matings. Every. Single. Time.
I guess I just thought everything had potential to be so much better. We had super decent fabric and a strong enough needle...it just wasn't threaded solidly enough for my taste.
Before I get started, I want to say that directly prior to reading this, I had just completed book three of The Mistborn Saga and a re-read of Surviving Raine, two books I five-starred the shit out of...Meaning: I read this on the heels of a veritable case study on world-building and character/relationship development mastery, respectively.
So maybe this book was somewhat doomed simply based on that.
Regardless, I read a few reviews on this that had me really excited. PNR/Fantasy romance is some of my favorite kind of romance and I was looking forward to diving into this based on those select reviews and the blurb. So, the fact that I didn't love this thing bums me out.
But allow me to break it down...
1) The writing.
Something was off about it and I can't quite put my finger on it. Word choices were routinely awkward and sometimes I had trouble following exactly what was going on, especially as applied to love scenes.
Now, I'm fairly intelligent...but the first two smutty scenes between the main couple left me wondering if they had actually done the deed or just fumbled around with their clothes on until someone...leaked.
If you follow me.
2) The world-building.
Was just poorly done, sadly. We are dropped into this world which is seemingly involved in a long, ongoing war between two factions of the Fae world. And humans are involved...somehow?
The reasons for this war are murky, the "details," as limited as they were, were constantly changing, and the true catalyst when finally (I think?) explained, was weak and not fleshed out to my satisfaction.
Also, the magic system at play here was pudding soft and never fully made clear either. The characters seem to know and understand things that we the reader are never let in on.
Part of me appreciates that the author was probably trying to make an effort to show and not tell us what certain characters actions/events meant in the grand scheme of the story; but instead we were left with unexplained phenomena that would only be marginally, if ever, delved into chapters later.
Example:
Other examples abound. But lazy. So moving on.
3. Character Motivations...
Mostly Opal's.
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
***************Spoilers***************
Early in the book, Opal is at some kind of magical "crossover" tree. Refer to point #2 for lack of any further, credible information involving said tree. While here, she runs into an enemy soldier who apparently is also aware of this...tree.
They meet there and...something. And even though this soldier is clearly part of the enemy forces supposedly slaughtering her lands and people, Opal starts meeting up with him at the tree on regular. To train with weapons. For no apparent reason. Cause romance book.
She of course later finds out who this soldier really is...and literally watches as this guy RIPS OUT HER FATHER'S HEART and kills him. But she somehow seems to just emotionally gloss over this. Because, she's just really drawn to him, you guys.
And because, later on, we are doing it for the people. And peace. Or something. And because - again - romance book.
I don't know.
All I know is, if someone MURDERED my father right in front of me...even if I was given a (super weak, mind you) justification for it later...I don't care HOW dreamy he is or how drawn to him I am...NOPE.
I mean, Opal doesn't even seem that upset about her father dying, period. And he was supposedly a solidly decent parent and person. It's not like he was even painted as some evil dictator, thus bookishly enabling us to more easily accept why Opal would so gamely overlook his death and the expectation for what would normally ensue following the death of a parent.
It just didn't make sense human emotions-wise.
But whatever.
And don't even get me started on how she gets "imprisoned" by the humans (whose presence in this book seemed to merely act as a convenient plot device whenever the author needed to create scenes which would otherwise never have occurred). But seriously, Opal, you are bigger and stronger and have magical fucking powers. I mean, you can change into a goddamn bird and FLY out the window at any time. So ESCAPE already.
And if you aren't choosing to escape, then the reason (or at least some kind of indication that there are reasons) should be made clear to the reader. Otherwise you just seem...
Not that bright.
I also didn't understand how, near the end, a group of powerless humans seemed to be kicking the ass of a king who supposedly had SO much power...who could basically teleport himself anywhere...who could change into a ginormous wolf...who could literally rip organs from people's bodies...and who could also fucking fly. But, then again, not using ones magical powers in dangerous situations that seemed to call for them seemed to be par for the course for this book.
There is so much more, but I just can't be bothered. The only reason I rated this higher than a firm 1 or 2-stars is because, for some reason, I kept turning the pages. And because, despite my above reservations, the main couple DID have good chemistry. Enough chemistry to justify the hero killing the heroine's father and her being like...
No. But still. Chemistry. Which always gets a star from me.
Other than that, this felt like an adult mash-up of a lot of trope-ridden young adult fantasy I've read over the years. If you are in the mood for that, haven't read a lot of fantasy in general, and/or don't really care about world-building (which I totally get, we all have things we don't care about), this might work out better for you than it did for me.
And, even though it seems like I'm kind of tearing it apart a bit, I didn't hate this book. I really did like the chemistry between the main couple. And the H was exactly my brand of possessive alphahole. In fact, I low key adored him. And I'm just always a complete sucker for possessively fate matings. Every. Single. Time.
I guess I just thought everything had potential to be so much better. We had super decent fabric and a strong enough needle...it just wasn't threaded solidly enough for my taste.
Want to read
July 9, 2021Added, simply because the cover is stunning.
July 15, 2021
Now Available!
"Do you always do as you're told?... Do you always coast along the waves of this rotten life, hoping for better instead of taking action?"
Where to begin? This epic romantasy was everything I had hoped it would be and more, but that's not surprising, considering Ella Fields is an absolute queen and her talent with the written word knows no bounds. I discovered her writing at the beginning of Covid last year, when my dear friend Jenn introduced me during our buddy read of Frayed Silk. The Savage and the Swan is my eighth book from the author, and I have found such comfort in her words over the past year. Her covers are absolute eye candy, her writing is poetic, and her stories are addicting and compulsive. While most, but not all, of her previous books are contemporary romance, she's been diving into the fantasy genre lately and I 👏🏼 AM 👏🏼 HERE 👏🏼 FOR 👏🏼 IT.
Are you a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash? Then you'll gobble up The Savage and the Swan. Think a fae fantasy with elements of The Swan Princess and Rumplestiltskin, which makes for a truly clever and original read. We're dropped right into the narrative from page one, and I love that our attention is captured immediately, but there is no lack of world building, so the reader can easily follow along with what's going on, even if you don't typically read fantasy novels. Without giving anything away, we have a chance meeting, unrest between multiple fae kingdoms (and a human one), and a swoon-worthy romance. If you enjoy steamy, enemies-to-lovers romance set within a magical atmosphere where anything is possible, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up immediately!
"Swan, any place you go, wherever you find yourself, I fear I am bound to follow."
*Many thanks to the author for providing my review copy.
"Do you always do as you're told?... Do you always coast along the waves of this rotten life, hoping for better instead of taking action?"
Where to begin? This epic romantasy was everything I had hoped it would be and more, but that's not surprising, considering Ella Fields is an absolute queen and her talent with the written word knows no bounds. I discovered her writing at the beginning of Covid last year, when my dear friend Jenn introduced me during our buddy read of Frayed Silk. The Savage and the Swan is my eighth book from the author, and I have found such comfort in her words over the past year. Her covers are absolute eye candy, her writing is poetic, and her stories are addicting and compulsive. While most, but not all, of her previous books are contemporary romance, she's been diving into the fantasy genre lately and I 👏🏼 AM 👏🏼 HERE 👏🏼 FOR 👏🏼 IT.
Are you a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash? Then you'll gobble up The Savage and the Swan. Think a fae fantasy with elements of The Swan Princess and Rumplestiltskin, which makes for a truly clever and original read. We're dropped right into the narrative from page one, and I love that our attention is captured immediately, but there is no lack of world building, so the reader can easily follow along with what's going on, even if you don't typically read fantasy novels. Without giving anything away, we have a chance meeting, unrest between multiple fae kingdoms (and a human one), and a swoon-worthy romance. If you enjoy steamy, enemies-to-lovers romance set within a magical atmosphere where anything is possible, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up immediately!
"Swan, any place you go, wherever you find yourself, I fear I am bound to follow."
*Many thanks to the author for providing my review copy.
July 15, 2021
I KNOW. I KNOW. I AM DEFECTIVE. Everyone else freaking LOVED this book and here’s me not understanding what I’m missing.
1. There’s a lot going on in this book. A LOT.
And because of this, it felt like everything was jam-packed in for the sake of making an appearance, but then fell by the wayside. For example, this book is supposed to be a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, The Swan Princess, and Hades & Persephone. It’s a lot. The main character, Opal, can create threads of gold. However, that’s really only relevant during the first 10% of the book. After that it never comes up again. It was pointless. She also meets a few people when staying at the “savage” (Hades) king’s palace, but after she met them once, they also never reappeared. Like, she meets this servant girl named Gwenn. They have a lovely conversation. I’m pleased. I’m ready for the girl power friendship. Then we don’t see Gwenn again until the very end. It had been so long that I’d legitimately forgotten who Gwenn was. I had also forgotten the MC could spin golden thread until the “savage” king mentions it in the epilogue. IT’S TOO MUCH, OKAY. TOO MUCH. And these are just two examples. I could keep going, but…I won’t.
2. There’s this ongoing war happening, but it’s nothing more than a plot point.
MC Opal kept saying over and over how the savage king kept attacking her people and decimating the villages, but NO ONE SAID WHY. And okay, I gave her a pass because I’m not sure she even knows. But, the fact that I don’t even know if Opal knows (they don’t know that we know that they know—had to do the Friends reference. I just had to.) is a problem. I got frustrated with this and came to goodreads to see if the synopsis answered this question (it does, thankfully). Eventually, and I really mean eventually because it’s not until around 75% of the way in, do you learn why these two kingdoms are fighting. And once I learned the reason, all I could think was, “Wut. Really. THAT’S it?!” It just didn’t seem like a good enough reason for all of this. I understand revenge, but it felt really hollow and forced.
3. There’s a human kingdom that served no purpose.
They were so entirely irrelevant that when they did make an appearance, I had no idea why. Not sure what their goals were, nor do I know what their issues are with the Fae kingdoms other than the humans just don’t like them. That’s it. Okay. I mean, I don’t like humans either, so they could’ve been deleted from this to make room for fleshing out a bunch of the other stuff from #2.
4. There wasn’t really any sexual tension.
AND THIS REALLY BLOWS BECAUSE TENSION IS WHAT I LIVE FOR. I can’t even go into it without spoilers, but the whole “will they, won’t they” and “will she forgive him” felt just as hollow as the forced war conflict. There was no deep connection between swan queen and her family, so I really felt no struggle for her to just toss them and go to bone town with the savage king. Ella Fields does know how to write a good sexy scene, but it’s difficult to enjoy when I’m also reading swan queen’s constant, “Ahhh, I want to bang, but also ahh my family that I never think about unless we’re banging.” HOKAY.
5. WHERE ARE THE FUN SIDE CHARACTERS?
All side characters here were either dicks, one-dimensional, or one-dimensional dicks. Sigh.
But, at least the cover is pretty. My defective self really enjoyed that element.
1. There’s a lot going on in this book. A LOT.
And because of this, it felt like everything was jam-packed in for the sake of making an appearance, but then fell by the wayside. For example, this book is supposed to be a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, The Swan Princess, and Hades & Persephone. It’s a lot. The main character, Opal, can create threads of gold. However, that’s really only relevant during the first 10% of the book. After that it never comes up again. It was pointless. She also meets a few people when staying at the “savage” (Hades) king’s palace, but after she met them once, they also never reappeared. Like, she meets this servant girl named Gwenn. They have a lovely conversation. I’m pleased. I’m ready for the girl power friendship. Then we don’t see Gwenn again until the very end. It had been so long that I’d legitimately forgotten who Gwenn was. I had also forgotten the MC could spin golden thread until the “savage” king mentions it in the epilogue. IT’S TOO MUCH, OKAY. TOO MUCH. And these are just two examples. I could keep going, but…I won’t.
2. There’s this ongoing war happening, but it’s nothing more than a plot point.
MC Opal kept saying over and over how the savage king kept attacking her people and decimating the villages, but NO ONE SAID WHY. And okay, I gave her a pass because I’m not sure she even knows. But, the fact that I don’t even know if Opal knows (they don’t know that we know that they know—had to do the Friends reference. I just had to.) is a problem. I got frustrated with this and came to goodreads to see if the synopsis answered this question (it does, thankfully). Eventually, and I really mean eventually because it’s not until around 75% of the way in, do you learn why these two kingdoms are fighting. And once I learned the reason, all I could think was, “Wut. Really. THAT’S it?!” It just didn’t seem like a good enough reason for all of this. I understand revenge, but it felt really hollow and forced.
3. There’s a human kingdom that served no purpose.
They were so entirely irrelevant that when they did make an appearance, I had no idea why. Not sure what their goals were, nor do I know what their issues are with the Fae kingdoms other than the humans just don’t like them. That’s it. Okay. I mean, I don’t like humans either, so they could’ve been deleted from this to make room for fleshing out a bunch of the other stuff from #2.
4. There wasn’t really any sexual tension.
AND THIS REALLY BLOWS BECAUSE TENSION IS WHAT I LIVE FOR. I can’t even go into it without spoilers, but the whole “will they, won’t they” and “will she forgive him” felt just as hollow as the forced war conflict. There was no deep connection between swan queen and her family, so I really felt no struggle for her to just toss them and go to bone town with the savage king. Ella Fields does know how to write a good sexy scene, but it’s difficult to enjoy when I’m also reading swan queen’s constant, “Ahhh, I want to bang, but also ahh my family that I never think about unless we’re banging.” HOKAY.
5. WHERE ARE THE FUN SIDE CHARACTERS?
All side characters here were either dicks, one-dimensional, or one-dimensional dicks. Sigh.
But, at least the cover is pretty. My defective self really enjoyed that element.
October 2, 2021
TOP FAVORITE OF 2021
“My lovely swan,” he purred. “My bittersweet nemesis, I’m beginning to fear there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
Well, she did it, folks. Ella successfully made me fall in love with The King of Wolves, the most morally grey character she's ever written and one that is hot 👏🏻 as 👏🏻 hell.
The synopsis for The Savage and the Swan is pretty descriptive, so I'm not going to rehash what you already know. I will, however, get a bit honest about the way I felt going into this book. You see, fantasy is not my go-to genre. In fact, I rarely read it. (Maybe once or twice a year.) But because I'd read anything Ella writes, I begged her for an ARC and prayed like hell I'd connect with this story. I love retellings, so I trusted her to deliver elements of stories like The Swan Princess and Rumpelstiltskin while also making it her own.
And friends, that's exactly what she did.
With The Savage and the Swan, we get the swoon worthy romance that Ella's known for, with a side of faeries and wolves and elves and...well, you get it. Magic. Angsty Ella and magic. And let me tell you, this is a combination not to be missed.
With an antihero that will make you question why the hell you find him so damn sexy and a heroine who is resilient and not at all a pushover (there is nothing I hate more than a weak heroine falling for a morally grey character...like no, give him a run for his money, honey) The Savage and the Swan is perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers romance. And if you aren't a frequent fantasy/fantasy romance reader but your interest is piqued, give this book a try! There are steamy scenes, but there's also lots of action-packed scenes, a bit of humor and whimsy to balance out the darker aspects of the story, and magical moments that will have you wishing you lived in the land of Nodoya.
I was enamored with The Savage and the Swan, dying to get back to the story whenever I had to put it down. It exudes lust and desire with its sensual tone, making me fall head over heels for this couple. I was hooked from the very first page to the last, making this one of my Top Reads of 2021.
•Instagram 💋•
“My lovely swan,” he purred. “My bittersweet nemesis, I’m beginning to fear there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
Well, she did it, folks. Ella successfully made me fall in love with The King of Wolves, the most morally grey character she's ever written and one that is hot 👏🏻 as 👏🏻 hell.
The synopsis for The Savage and the Swan is pretty descriptive, so I'm not going to rehash what you already know. I will, however, get a bit honest about the way I felt going into this book. You see, fantasy is not my go-to genre. In fact, I rarely read it. (Maybe once or twice a year.) But because I'd read anything Ella writes, I begged her for an ARC and prayed like hell I'd connect with this story. I love retellings, so I trusted her to deliver elements of stories like The Swan Princess and Rumpelstiltskin while also making it her own.
And friends, that's exactly what she did.
With The Savage and the Swan, we get the swoon worthy romance that Ella's known for, with a side of faeries and wolves and elves and...well, you get it. Magic. Angsty Ella and magic. And let me tell you, this is a combination not to be missed.
With an antihero that will make you question why the hell you find him so damn sexy and a heroine who is resilient and not at all a pushover (there is nothing I hate more than a weak heroine falling for a morally grey character...like no, give him a run for his money, honey) The Savage and the Swan is perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers romance. And if you aren't a frequent fantasy/fantasy romance reader but your interest is piqued, give this book a try! There are steamy scenes, but there's also lots of action-packed scenes, a bit of humor and whimsy to balance out the darker aspects of the story, and magical moments that will have you wishing you lived in the land of Nodoya.
I was enamored with The Savage and the Swan, dying to get back to the story whenever I had to put it down. It exudes lust and desire with its sensual tone, making me fall head over heels for this couple. I was hooked from the very first page to the last, making this one of my Top Reads of 2021.
•Instagram 💋•
July 14, 2021
5 STARS
*deep breathes*
Ok, ok, give me a second to gather my wits here.
*hyperventilates*
So I... no that's not it.
This book was... no that's not right.
*takes calming breath*
ILOVEDTHISFREAKINGBOOKSOMUCHICANTEVENDEALRIGHTNOW
Ah. I feel better now. So where were we?
It's been a hot minute since I read a fantasy romance, and I'm not even sure why. I love PNR so of course I'd love fantasy, but I just haven't come across anything that piqued my interest lately in the genre. Until I read the blurb for this book....
And then I may have begged, pleaded, and offered an ovary in exchange for an ARC. What? Don't you judge me. Have you read that blurb? I mean C'MON!
There is only one word to describe the experience that was this book. EPIC. The story developed behind my eyes like a movie reel and the majestic and rich world building sucked me right into an obsession.
The second I read that it was inspired by Hades and Persephone, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Swan Princess, I had to read it. Because I love all things Hades and Persephone, The Swan Princess is one of my favorite cartoons, and rumpelstistskin? Well I was simply rabid with curiosity on how that even fit in here.
Now imagine a world where two kingdoms are engaged in a bloody battle for years. A fae land where the beautiful princess has to marry a human prince in order to gain protection from the savage king of wolves, only to fall right into his clutches. Sound delicious? Well, that's because it is.
If there's one thing that I love, it's a fierce heroine. And Opal? She was all of the things. She was fierce, brave, and one of my favorite heroines I've read in a while. And our wolfish king? OH MY OVARIES. The man was to die for. Pun intended. He's a man who's been honed into a finely tuned weapon for revenge. He's vicious, cold hearted, and feared by all. The enemies to lovers vibe in this story was ON POINT. I couldn't get enough of the tension between the two of them. And if there's one thing that Ella does is deliver on that delicious angst with the feels thrown in and I was so here for it.
This is seriously going right up there in my top reads of 2021. I simply loved everything about this story. I devoured it. I was obsessed. I was riveted. Captivated. Hypnotized. I never wanted it to end. Ella seriously hit it right out of the ballpark with this book and I simply cannot recommend it enough. It was magical. It was deliciously, finger licking good. IT WAS EPIC.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
I loathed her and all she stood for. I loathed her nearly as much as I wanted her. I’d been cursed. I was sure of it. The bird was both my remedy and my affliction.
”
*deep breathes*
Ok, ok, give me a second to gather my wits here.
*hyperventilates*
So I... no that's not it.
This book was... no that's not right.
*takes calming breath*
ILOVEDTHISFREAKINGBOOKSOMUCHICANTEVENDEALRIGHTNOW
Ah. I feel better now. So where were we?
It's been a hot minute since I read a fantasy romance, and I'm not even sure why. I love PNR so of course I'd love fantasy, but I just haven't come across anything that piqued my interest lately in the genre. Until I read the blurb for this book....
And then I may have begged, pleaded, and offered an ovary in exchange for an ARC. What? Don't you judge me. Have you read that blurb? I mean C'MON!
“I’ve already crossed that off my to-do list,” he stated with such irritating indifference that I wished I had hit him with the poor books.
There is only one word to describe the experience that was this book. EPIC. The story developed behind my eyes like a movie reel and the majestic and rich world building sucked me right into an obsession.
The second I read that it was inspired by Hades and Persephone, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Swan Princess, I had to read it. Because I love all things Hades and Persephone, The Swan Princess is one of my favorite cartoons, and rumpelstistskin? Well I was simply rabid with curiosity on how that even fit in here.
Now imagine a world where two kingdoms are engaged in a bloody battle for years. A fae land where the beautiful princess has to marry a human prince in order to gain protection from the savage king of wolves, only to fall right into his clutches. Sound delicious? Well, that's because it is.
If there's one thing that I love, it's a fierce heroine. And Opal? She was all of the things. She was fierce, brave, and one of my favorite heroines I've read in a while. And our wolfish king? OH MY OVARIES. The man was to die for. Pun intended. He's a man who's been honed into a finely tuned weapon for revenge. He's vicious, cold hearted, and feared by all. The enemies to lovers vibe in this story was ON POINT. I couldn't get enough of the tension between the two of them. And if there's one thing that Ella does is deliver on that delicious angst with the feels thrown in and I was so here for it.
This is seriously going right up there in my top reads of 2021. I simply loved everything about this story. I devoured it. I was obsessed. I was riveted. Captivated. Hypnotized. I never wanted it to end. Ella seriously hit it right out of the ballpark with this book and I simply cannot recommend it enough. It was magical. It was deliciously, finger licking good. IT WAS EPIC.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
December 16, 2022
2.75 Stars
This is a newly released book, and so far the reviews have been encouraging, so take my quibbles with a grain of salt, but first and foremost - this is perfect for fans of ‘ACOTAR’ and ‘From Blood and Ash’ cause King Dade is pretty much the crossover between SJM’s fae heroes and JLA’s Hawke/Cas.
The Savage:
Dade aka the fae king who has the ability to shapeshift into a WINGED wolf. As if that’s not awesome enough, he can also teleport (unless I read this part wrong cause I was skimming). He’s murderous, possessive, and great in bed. Basically, he’s the perfect antihero and the best part about this book.
The Swan:
Opal aka the helpless black swan princess who’s as interesting as the dandruff flakes on your hair and as dumb as a doorknob. 🤡
I found Princess Opal to be boringly gullible, gutless, and overall not the sharpest tool in the shed. It’s possible that I highlighted her weaknesses more than her strengths, but I just wished she’d been more of a spitfire and challenged the king more. She was too flavorless for my taste. Of course, that’s just my observation.
I tend to chose plot over characterisation, but the one in this didn’t intrigue me much either. Two warring kingdoms hellbent on vengeance for reasons that we didn’t learn about until 80% into the story. Even then, I found those to be a little silly and forced. There was also the matter with the human kingdom which IMO served no purpose other than to convolute.
This book was steamy 🔥🔥🔥 AF (yes, we need the emphasize), and King Dade going all territorial and being all caring, teasing, and overprotective to Princess Opal was hot I must admit. They were in love by the end. However, I feel like I didn’t really see them come to an understanding and fall in love.
As for the writing, this was my first Ella Fields. You know when you’re reading a fantasy book and the writing tried to reflect that? Well, it was like that, except it didn’t flow effortlessly and felt a bit rigid. Of course, it could just be me and my crass millennial ass speaking. In any case, I hope y’all enjoy this book more.
This is a newly released book, and so far the reviews have been encouraging, so take my quibbles with a grain of salt, but first and foremost - this is perfect for fans of ‘ACOTAR’ and ‘From Blood and Ash’ cause King Dade is pretty much the crossover between SJM’s fae heroes and JLA’s Hawke/Cas.
The Savage:
Dade aka the fae king who has the ability to shapeshift into a WINGED wolf. As if that’s not awesome enough, he can also teleport (unless I read this part wrong cause I was skimming). He’s murderous, possessive, and great in bed. Basically, he’s the perfect antihero and the best part about this book.
The Swan:
Opal aka the helpless black swan princess who’s as interesting as the dandruff flakes on your hair and as dumb as a doorknob. 🤡
I found Princess Opal to be boringly gullible, gutless, and overall not the sharpest tool in the shed. It’s possible that I highlighted her weaknesses more than her strengths, but I just wished she’d been more of a spitfire and challenged the king more. She was too flavorless for my taste. Of course, that’s just my observation.
I tend to chose plot over characterisation, but the one in this didn’t intrigue me much either. Two warring kingdoms hellbent on vengeance for reasons that we didn’t learn about until 80% into the story. Even then, I found those to be a little silly and forced. There was also the matter with the human kingdom which IMO served no purpose other than to convolute.
“Swan, any place you go, wherever you find yourself, I fear I am bound to follow.”
This book was steamy 🔥🔥🔥 AF (yes, we need the emphasize), and King Dade going all territorial and being all caring, teasing, and overprotective to Princess Opal was hot I must admit. They were in love by the end. However, I feel like I didn’t really see them come to an understanding and fall in love.
As for the writing, this was my first Ella Fields. You know when you’re reading a fantasy book and the writing tried to reflect that? Well, it was like that, except it didn’t flow effortlessly and felt a bit rigid. Of course, it could just be me and my crass millennial ass speaking. In any case, I hope y’all enjoy this book more.
“My lovely swan,” he purred. “My bittersweet nemesis, I’m beginning to fear there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
August 17, 2021
After giving Ella Fields a second try, I just don't think her books are for me. I think her fantasy romance books are more for people that mainly read romance and want a quick dalliance in fantasy and not so much for readers that actually enjoy the fantasy genre
❌ OPAL WAS A REALLY BLAND character and her only memorable personality trait was that she really wanted to bang Dade, but felt bad about it. Other than that she was kind of a doormat
✅ DADE ON THE OTHER HAND completely saved this book! He was sexy as hell and normally I'm not a big fan of possessive and alpha antiheroes, but Dade completely won me over. Maybe it's because everything else was so sub-par?
❌ THE PLOT AND MAGICAL WORLD IN THIS was super confusing. I could not understand the fae's magic and why these two kingdoms had such a deep hatred for each other, which was frustrating because this hatred was supposedly driving all of the characters' actions. It wasn't explained at all until the very end and the reveal was disappointing
❌ MY BIGGEST ISSUE WAS the fact that Dade and Opal shared their first kiss together. So I can understand this being Opal's first kiss because she was sheltered and who wants to kiss a doormat... but Dade?!?! You're telling me this 34 year old, cocky as hell and mega-hot wolf shifter has never been kissed because he's waiting for the one?
🆗 THE INTIMATE SCENES and sex scenes were super 🔥🔥🔥 which was enjoyable but also furthered my annoyance at them both having never been kissed and being virgins. What did the whole first kiss and virgin thing even add when there were no awkward moments and they were practically savants in bed from the start?!?
I've seen a lot of reviewers compare this to ACOTAR or FB&A but they're not really in the same league, in my opinion. I think all three have sexy, possessive and "misunderstood" heroes but I think that's where the similarities end
If you enjoyed Ella Fields' A King so Cold then I think there's a good chance you'll like this as well. I recommend this to someone who wants a sexy romance with an alpha antihero but doesn't have high expectations when it comes to the fantasy aspects of the story.
❌ OPAL WAS A REALLY BLAND character and her only memorable personality trait was that she really wanted to bang Dade, but felt bad about it. Other than that she was kind of a doormat
✅ DADE ON THE OTHER HAND completely saved this book! He was sexy as hell and normally I'm not a big fan of possessive and alpha antiheroes, but Dade completely won me over. Maybe it's because everything else was so sub-par?
❌ THE PLOT AND MAGICAL WORLD IN THIS was super confusing. I could not understand the fae's magic and why these two kingdoms had such a deep hatred for each other, which was frustrating because this hatred was supposedly driving all of the characters' actions. It wasn't explained at all until the very end and the reveal was disappointing
❌ MY BIGGEST ISSUE WAS the fact that Dade and Opal shared their first kiss together. So I can understand this being Opal's first kiss because she was sheltered and who wants to kiss a doormat... but Dade?!?! You're telling me this 34 year old, cocky as hell and mega-hot wolf shifter has never been kissed because he's waiting for the one?
🆗 THE INTIMATE SCENES and sex scenes were super 🔥🔥🔥 which was enjoyable but also furthered my annoyance at them both having never been kissed and being virgins. What did the whole first kiss and virgin thing even add when there were no awkward moments and they were practically savants in bed from the start?!?
I've seen a lot of reviewers compare this to ACOTAR or FB&A but they're not really in the same league, in my opinion. I think all three have sexy, possessive and "misunderstood" heroes but I think that's where the similarities end
If you enjoyed Ella Fields' A King so Cold then I think there's a good chance you'll like this as well. I recommend this to someone who wants a sexy romance with an alpha antihero but doesn't have high expectations when it comes to the fantasy aspects of the story.
July 15, 2021
***Updated safety spoilers at the bottom 🤗***
“You were right,” I said, and kissed her nose. “You were right to think I didn’t have a heart. I didn’t.” My queen’s lips parted, but I kissed them and whispered, “It arrived when I found you. You are the beat within my chest, the heart I never knew I needed.”
You guys, I LOVED this book. I won't give out spoilers, but if you love YA or shifter books, definitely read this! And I mean this in the nicest way possible😂, but this read like a really well-written wattpad shifter book, which is totally my jam because wattpad has a few amazing gems on there, and it's tough to find a published shifter book as good as some of the ones on there🤷
It never dragged, there was a complex plot, and enough romance and spice to keep the story moving. The relationship dynamics were the best, and I absolutely loved the hero. He was swoon worthy to the max, especially for being an anti hero. I do think he changed his-decisions?- maybe a little too quick, buuuutttt the book is a standalone and more plot events needed to happen, so I understood that. I also really like the heroine most of the time. She was strong, sweet, and had a backbone. My only real problem with her is her constant back and forth between her perception on right and wrong and trusting the hero or not. It just got a little annoying towards the end. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book!
Things you'll see in this book:
-enemies to lovers
-nemesis to lover
-a twist on the swan princess tale
-mates
-fae
-shifters
-anti hero but also sorta innocent at the same time?
-swoon
-loyal and uber possessive hero
-a bit of captivity
-kingdoms
-a bloody king and a swan princess
-prophecies
-steam🔥
-vengeance
-and more
Safety:
Double virgins, both first kisses
No ow drama/ om gives her an unwanted kiss
Almost rape
No cheating
Spoiler- Biggest "unsafe" part, is the heroine walks in on a "party" of debauchery in which the hero was in. He didn't do anything or touch anyone, and I think his main purpose was to make the heroine mad/jealous, so I didn't have a problem with it
“You were right,” I said, and kissed her nose. “You were right to think I didn’t have a heart. I didn’t.” My queen’s lips parted, but I kissed them and whispered, “It arrived when I found you. You are the beat within my chest, the heart I never knew I needed.”
You guys, I LOVED this book. I won't give out spoilers, but if you love YA or shifter books, definitely read this! And I mean this in the nicest way possible😂, but this read like a really well-written wattpad shifter book, which is totally my jam because wattpad has a few amazing gems on there, and it's tough to find a published shifter book as good as some of the ones on there🤷
It never dragged, there was a complex plot, and enough romance and spice to keep the story moving. The relationship dynamics were the best, and I absolutely loved the hero. He was swoon worthy to the max, especially for being an anti hero. I do think he changed his-decisions?- maybe a little too quick, buuuutttt the book is a standalone and more plot events needed to happen, so I understood that. I also really like the heroine most of the time. She was strong, sweet, and had a backbone. My only real problem with her is her constant back and forth between her perception on right and wrong and trusting the hero or not. It just got a little annoying towards the end. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book!
Things you'll see in this book:
-enemies to lovers
-nemesis to lover
-a twist on the swan princess tale
-mates
-fae
-shifters
-anti hero but also sorta innocent at the same time?
-swoon
-loyal and uber possessive hero
-a bit of captivity
-kingdoms
-a bloody king and a swan princess
-prophecies
-steam🔥
-vengeance
-and more
Safety:
Double virgins, both first kisses
No ow drama/ om gives her an unwanted kiss
Almost rape
No cheating
Spoiler- Biggest "unsafe" part, is the heroine walks in on a "party" of debauchery in which the hero was in. He didn't do anything or touch anyone, and I think his main purpose was to make the heroine mad/jealous, so I didn't have a problem with it
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July 21, 2021I'm very sorry to this book but I just can't do it anymore - dnf @ 80%
There's just something off about this writing. Can't put my finger on it but I just didn't have a good time and can't force myself to read any further. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
There's just something off about this writing. Can't put my finger on it but I just didn't have a good time and can't force myself to read any further. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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October 2, 2023Mój problem z romantasy czy też fantastyką erotyczną nie jest to, że światotwórstwo kuleje albo pomysły na fabuły są kiepskie. Nie, wręcz przeciwnie, tu szkielet jest obiecujący, trochę baśniowy, a przez to łatwy do przekształceń. Nie, problemem jest to, że JA W KÓŁKO CZYTAM TĘ SAMĄ HISTORIĘ, gdzie love-interest głównej bohaterki to kawał „agresywnego”, „złego” chłopa, którego nasza heroina musi niemal oswoić niczym zwierzę, bo wiecie, on jest „taki dziki”. Zwykle morduje też ludzi na prawo i lewo, ale potem okazuje się, że to wszystko w dobrej sprawie, a nasza MC „była oszukiwana przez całe życie”. Potem na dodatek dowiadujemy się, że „nasze losy są splecione przez gwiazdy (ten wątek niestety zwykle do mnie trafia, lecz nie w takim anturażu) i nie możesz ode mnie odejść dalej niż na trzy kroki”.
Ja bardzo chętnie poczytam dobre fantasy romanse, bo KTO NIE LUBI DOBREGO WĄTKU ROMANTYCZNEGO? A w tle jeszcze jakieś czary, jakaś klątwa, jakieś pałace… Przecież to samograj.
Cały dzień ślęczałam nad tą książka (jest 15:30 jak to piszę, więc pół dnia) i przeczytałam lekką ręką połowę. Ale znów przeczytałam to, co już znam. A potencjał był.
Ja bardzo chętnie poczytam dobre fantasy romanse, bo KTO NIE LUBI DOBREGO WĄTKU ROMANTYCZNEGO? A w tle jeszcze jakieś czary, jakaś klątwa, jakieś pałace… Przecież to samograj.
Cały dzień ślęczałam nad tą książka (jest 15:30 jak to piszę, więc pół dnia) i przeczytałam lekką ręką połowę. Ale znów przeczytałam to, co już znam. A potencjał był.
July 19, 2021
So I must have read something different because this book was terrible. The writing was a mess and I felt no connection to anyone in this book. So much of the book is spent with Opal hating Dade that when love is finally expressed it was too late for me. Even their intimate times were boring. Overall I should have stopped reading earlier but I didn't want another dnf on my shelf.
August 6, 2021
Such a disappointing read. I would have DNFd this if I wasn't reading it for a reading vlog. The elements of this book felt so disjointed and I'm still so confused by so much about this world. Why was there a war? What are their powers and why do they only choose to use them sometime and when they would be super useful they don't?? I think the romance felt forced and I didn't really love the relationship. The pacing of this book was also off and the plot just jumped from point to point without really connecting everything. A lot of different elements were also introduced that just kind of fell off and were never mentioned again. People. Powers. Myths. What?? I'm shocked by all of the amazing reviews for this book because I really didn't enjoy this one. The world building just wasn't there and I'm still left with so many questions. I'm not sure I'll pick up another fantasy from this author.
July 17, 2021
5+ "The Stars Made You Just For Me" stars!
(ARC provided by author)
The king of wolves had a reputation for being a powerful, beastly, barbaric, savage monster. He was raised to avenge his murdered parents, and trained to be a violent, ruthless, heartless tyrant. He was as beautiful as he was lethal, and took pleasure in the destruction he inflicted.
Princess Opal is the last living heir to the Gracewood line. She was sheltered and hidden away in her castle. Given little freedom to choose her own destiny, her future was uncertain. Tensions are high, and endless war keeps everyone on edge. She longs for peace between the kingdoms and is on a mission to save her people and the entire realm, but one reckless moment changes everything when she crosses paths with the enemy. She falls prey to deception and now feels trapped and helpless. She had a plan, but one touch stole her breath and erased all rational thought. Confused and at his mercy will she lose herself or escape the darkness when her heart betrays her?
-"You're the most exquisite creature I've ever seen."
-"You want me. You might loathe it, but you cannot reject me because it burns you alive to even consider it."
-He kissed me as though he'd been tasked with the most important job in the universe, his lips holding mine in a firm promise for heart-thrashing moments before parting them for his velvet tongue to skim inside my mouth.
-I was lost inside this dark, magnetic space where nothing but this rainbow of sensation existed.
-Mine. Whether I was okay with it or not, that was what he was. A king. A savage. A murderer. Mine.
The Savage and the Swan by Ella Fields is a unique standalone, enemies to lovers, royal fantasy romance that captured me from start to finish. I couldn't get enough of this world and these characters! This book takes you on an unforgettable journey with magical, mythical creatures, but it's not your typical fairytale. It is a twisted tale of revenge, secrets, lies and survival where need and insatible hunger for another can't be contained. Light v/s dark and good v/s evil as two souls burn as one and try to fight fate. It's a sensual love/hate relationship full of pure fire. Ella Fields writing is absolutely BRILLIANT!!! This is now my new favorite book of hers, and will definitely be in my top reads of 2021. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2T9g73S
(ARC provided by author)
The king of wolves had a reputation for being a powerful, beastly, barbaric, savage monster. He was raised to avenge his murdered parents, and trained to be a violent, ruthless, heartless tyrant. He was as beautiful as he was lethal, and took pleasure in the destruction he inflicted.
Princess Opal is the last living heir to the Gracewood line. She was sheltered and hidden away in her castle. Given little freedom to choose her own destiny, her future was uncertain. Tensions are high, and endless war keeps everyone on edge. She longs for peace between the kingdoms and is on a mission to save her people and the entire realm, but one reckless moment changes everything when she crosses paths with the enemy. She falls prey to deception and now feels trapped and helpless. She had a plan, but one touch stole her breath and erased all rational thought. Confused and at his mercy will she lose herself or escape the darkness when her heart betrays her?
-"You're the most exquisite creature I've ever seen."
-"You want me. You might loathe it, but you cannot reject me because it burns you alive to even consider it."
-He kissed me as though he'd been tasked with the most important job in the universe, his lips holding mine in a firm promise for heart-thrashing moments before parting them for his velvet tongue to skim inside my mouth.
-I was lost inside this dark, magnetic space where nothing but this rainbow of sensation existed.
-Mine. Whether I was okay with it or not, that was what he was. A king. A savage. A murderer. Mine.
The Savage and the Swan by Ella Fields is a unique standalone, enemies to lovers, royal fantasy romance that captured me from start to finish. I couldn't get enough of this world and these characters! This book takes you on an unforgettable journey with magical, mythical creatures, but it's not your typical fairytale. It is a twisted tale of revenge, secrets, lies and survival where need and insatible hunger for another can't be contained. Light v/s dark and good v/s evil as two souls burn as one and try to fight fate. It's a sensual love/hate relationship full of pure fire. Ella Fields writing is absolutely BRILLIANT!!! This is now my new favorite book of hers, and will definitely be in my top reads of 2021. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2T9g73S
Read
December 20, 2021wowwww this book omg. it has everything you could possibly want: enemies to lovers, very morally grey love interest, said enemies battling each other, kidnapping, deception, forced proximity, romeo & juliet type romance (not the ending but families hating each other), marriage of convenience, a sprinkle of politics, lots of angst & a mc that is actually likeable. i also really enjoyed the author’s writing style & the smut was *chef’s kiss*
tbh i liked dade straight away, even when he was slaughtering villages for seemingly no reason. what can i say??? i have no excuses really😭
for a standalone, i found the world building surprisingly good, although a map would’ve made everything a bit clearer. the plot was action packed & i liked that the creatures varied from the usual type you find in fantasy books. the aesthetics were also really good & ofc i’ll be making a pinterest board asap.
it’s a really fast read sooo you have no excuses, go & read the savage and the swan right tf now!!!!
tbh i liked dade straight away, even when he was slaughtering villages for seemingly no reason. what can i say??? i have no excuses really😭
for a standalone, i found the world building surprisingly good, although a map would’ve made everything a bit clearer. the plot was action packed & i liked that the creatures varied from the usual type you find in fantasy books. the aesthetics were also really good & ofc i’ll be making a pinterest board asap.
it’s a really fast read sooo you have no excuses, go & read the savage and the swan right tf now!!!!
July 16, 2021
Oof! I got taken in by the cover and potential of the story.. Unfortunately I struggled to finish this. The main reason for that was I couldn’t believe how the heroine forgave and forgot the hero killed her father and ate his heart! While she watched! Oh I’m sorry.. he didn’t actually swallow it, he spat it out (that was his answer to her btw 🙄). I had to force myself to push through out of pure stubbornness.
The world building and plot were also lacking in my opinion. Some of my thoughts: the reason for the war needed a lot more work (it’s a major plot point even if it’s not treated as such), how and why a new human kingdom was allowed to be created in this world, what power do common fae have vs the royal ones (why were they all but defenseless against a human army?), what’s with the power to weave gold and did it serve any purpose except to reveal to the humans that she was the prophesied swan? How come everyone and I mean EVERYONE knew of this prophecy but our heroine had no clue? I finished this and all I have are questions like these.
Anyway, it didn’t work for me but I see many people loved it.. who knows, maybe you’ll love it too.
The world building and plot were also lacking in my opinion. Some of my thoughts: the reason for the war needed a lot more work (it’s a major plot point even if it’s not treated as such), how and why a new human kingdom was allowed to be created in this world, what power do common fae have vs the royal ones (why were they all but defenseless against a human army?), what’s with the power to weave gold and did it serve any purpose except to reveal to the humans that she was the prophesied swan? How come everyone and I mean EVERYONE knew of this prophecy but our heroine had no clue? I finished this and all I have are questions like these.
Anyway, it didn’t work for me but I see many people loved it.. who knows, maybe you’ll love it too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2023
It was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed it, it was entertaining, engaging, and fast-paced.
The wolf king terrorized and killed the faeries from Gracewood. At first they fought back but their numbers dwindled and the only way out was to partner with human kind, who wanted nothing to do with the faeries.
The only heir to the Gracewood line would marry the human prince, and the two kingdoms will partner for a chance to defeat the savage king of the wolves.
Falling in love with the enemy was not part of the plan. Is it even possible for a heartless savage to know the meaning of love or is this just another war tactic? That was the underlining story question. Betrayals, loyalties, bravery, and breaking boundaries were some of the features that kept the story moving forward.
It was a fun read. Four stars.
The wolf king terrorized and killed the faeries from Gracewood. At first they fought back but their numbers dwindled and the only way out was to partner with human kind, who wanted nothing to do with the faeries.
The only heir to the Gracewood line would marry the human prince, and the two kingdoms will partner for a chance to defeat the savage king of the wolves.
Falling in love with the enemy was not part of the plan. Is it even possible for a heartless savage to know the meaning of love or is this just another war tactic? That was the underlining story question. Betrayals, loyalties, bravery, and breaking boundaries were some of the features that kept the story moving forward.
It was a fun read. Four stars.
August 9, 2021
DNF at about 59%
*Warning! Spoilers Alert!*
So, let's pluck some feathers:
✅ Insta-love. She just met some creepy guy in a cave where there's no one around but there's definitely something intriguing about him. Self-preservation mode goes to the dogs, sorry, wolves!
✅ Murder of a close relative by the love interest. He killed her father and ate his heart right in front of her. And she kissed that mouth afterward (not right away, but shortly). Oh wait, he spat; didn't swallow a piece of the heart because it felt somehow wrong. Riiight.
✅ Mating - You are my mate, it's fate, let's mate. I love it when the only reason for 'true love' is mating, it is so romantic.
I am so tired of growling and sniffing - I don't know about you but it is so humiliating to know that someone could just sniff you had sex. I could never fathom why the characters wouldn't want to keep their private life private. Alfa-males are such an ancient age, really. Better to acquire some brains than extra testosterone.
✅ Shapeshifting or how to train your dog. I get that the hero is a Fae who turns into a giant wolf with wings. I get that. I just can't get all those weird scenes between the heroine and the hero when he's in his wolf form. Nothing erotic, thank God, but I am just not a huge fan of shapeshifting Zoofilia in books *shrugs*
✅ Bad guy turned good redemption line. Actually, there wasn't any redemption line at all. We are just told and showed how cruel the hero is. We are told why. We are also told that his Kingdom is savage and everyone is cruel but guess what? Inside we have another Rhys (hello, Sarah J. Maas) with another generic Fae Kingdom, which magnificence is veiled and hidden from the rest of the world. In truth they are not barbarians, they do not kill those who agree to take their side. They have art and culture, and, overall, they are more civilized than the warring Kingdom. So it wouldn't come as a shock that the hero is actually a sweetheart and not the monster, though he does kill people, but his democracy is more democratic.
✅Love saves the world. Again. I am so tired of this trope that only love can change a person and save the world. There's no substantial explanation apart from love lust why the hero decided to change.
✅I am a virgin but I am a PRO because I watch porn and practice on inflatable sex dolls. In this book both the hero and the heroine are virgins. It's okay, though the hero's reason for not having sex is that it is a distraction and he'd rather masturbate and watch other people coupling. Well, tastes differ, but the level of sexual masterly from both the heroine and the hero on the first night could rival any experienced porn star. I am jealous. The porn star as well.
Bottom line: If I ever want to read another fantasy about Fae folk, I want it to be more like the Cruel Prince and less like A Court of Mist and Fury copypaste. Erect 24/7 wolf-men who can’s say their penis from a carrot seem like a waste of organ- oh, sorry, time.
October 10, 2021
The Savage and the Swan might be my favorite Ella Fields fantasy yet!
I picked it up with the intention of reading only a few chapters, but instead, I inhaled the whole damn thing in one night! I'm not surprised in the least though. Ella never disappoints! Her stories always hook me from the beginning and hold me captive until the very end.
The Hades and Persephone, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Swan Princess mix is interesting. I enjoyed watching the story unfold and looking for nods to each of the aforementioned tales. That being said, Opal and Dade's chemistry is what made the book for me. I couldn't get enough of their romance. Their connection was electric!
Dade in particular owned my heart. I swooned so hard over that man it was ridiculous! Despite some seriously unfortunate circumstances, he was a perfect match for Opal.
As far as the world building goes, there is more to learn about the one Ella created. I'm hoping that means she'll revisit it again in the future. If so, I'll be first in line to read it!
Fantasy romance fans, this one's for you!
I picked it up with the intention of reading only a few chapters, but instead, I inhaled the whole damn thing in one night! I'm not surprised in the least though. Ella never disappoints! Her stories always hook me from the beginning and hold me captive until the very end.
The Hades and Persephone, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Swan Princess mix is interesting. I enjoyed watching the story unfold and looking for nods to each of the aforementioned tales. That being said, Opal and Dade's chemistry is what made the book for me. I couldn't get enough of their romance. Their connection was electric!
Dade in particular owned my heart. I swooned so hard over that man it was ridiculous! Despite some seriously unfortunate circumstances, he was a perfect match for Opal.
As far as the world building goes, there is more to learn about the one Ella created. I'm hoping that means she'll revisit it again in the future. If so, I'll be first in line to read it!
Fantasy romance fans, this one's for you!
July 18, 2021
Um is this a joke??🥴 Like WHAT was this? I want my time back please and thank you.
July 19, 2021
~ 𝟰.𝟱
✨ᴀʟʟ ʜᴀɪʟ ᴏᴜʀ ᴋɪɴɢʟʏ ꜰʟʏɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʟꜰ, ᴅᴀᴅᴇ✨
🄰 🅁🄾🄰🅁🄸🄽🄶 🄶🄾🄾🄳 🅃🄸🄼🄴 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗦𝗨𝗖𝗛 𝗔 𝗙𝗨𝗡 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘… and I truly had a blast reading it.
Firstly, I just have to say, I wish more authors would write standalone fantasy novels, because man, they are so. much. fun. I like knowing that there's going to be a beginning, middle, and an end.
Now, the second thing I should mention is that The Savage and The Swan should definitely be categorized as "fantasy lite" and is very much A Court of Thorns and Roses adjacent. Which… you know… isn't a bad thing. Just… you know… the vibes are there.
And third, I need to point you guys in the direction of Arini's review, because man that shit was funny.
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧
~ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗚𝗘 ~
♥ 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗔𝗦… The Savage, aka, King Dade. He was basically everything I love in a hero. He was a wolf boy who happened to have wings, he wasn't afraid to cut a bitch, and most importantly he had this aura to him that I just adored.
ₜₕᵤₛ, ₐₗₗₒw ₘₑ ₜₒ ₗᵢₛₜ Dₐdₑ'ₛ fᵢₙₑᵣ ₐₜₜᵣᵢbᵤₜₑₛ.
✨ ᴀ ʙʀɪᴇꜰ ʟɪꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ᴋɪɴɢʟʏ ʙᴀʙᴇꜱ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴀᴛᴛʀɪʙᴜᴛᴇꜱ // ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ ✨
✧ he killed the heroines father… and ate his heart for good measure…. but hey hey… he spat it out, soooo, that definitely counts for something.
✦ he can shift into a wolf… with motherfucking wings. what a badass.
✧ Dade was saving himself for his mate… that or he took a vow of celibacy. either or.
✦ he's the type of guy who will fight anyone for his girl… including a literal carriage.
✧ our Kingly Wolf can get it.
✦ he has the sweetest and most heartbreaking reaction to getting hugged.
𝙉 𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙔… King Dade was the real standout of TSATS. Not only was he a true anti-hero, but he also had an incredible character arc. We got to see him change and grow over the course of the book. Additionally, he was my favorite kind of hero. He was rough and gruff with everyone, but when it came to his Swan he was soft as can be. *cough* the scene where he guarded her room in his wolf form *cough* If anything I wish Dade was the main character of TSATS, because honestly, he had the more compelling story. But alas… that was not the case.
~ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡 ~
✘ 𝗜 𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦, 𝗕𝗨𝗨𝗨𝗨𝗨𝗧… our resident black swan, Princess Opal had an extreme case of TSTL syndrome. Which really sucks because you can tell that everyone and their mother wanted her to be this fierce as fuck warrior princess who took no shit. But alas, that was most certainly not the case.
ₗₑₜ'ₛ ₘₐₖₑ ₐₙₒₜₕₑᵣ ₗᵢₛₜ, ₛₕₐₗₗ wₑ
✨ ᴀ ʙʀɪᴇꜰ ʟɪꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴘᴀʟ'ꜱ ʙɪɢɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴛꜱᴛʟ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ ✨
✧ she stumbles upon Dade and decides to train with him?? but her dumbass doesn't realize that he's the Wolf King… like - girl. how do you not know? her failure to recognize a pretty recognizable figure in their small ass world is truly baffling.
✦ she walks right into the enemies hands… twice. the first time was when she literally hands herself over to the human King and then has the gall to be surprised when they lock her ass up. the second time is when she borderline willingly goes with King Dade. *deep sigh*
✧ that moment when… she doesn't realize Dade is her mate. this was another, GiRl arE yOu foR reAL riGhT noW, moment. the fact that she was even remotely shocked was laugh out loud worthy. that's because literally everyone she spoke to hinted at Dade being her mate, even in the most roundabout of ways.
✦ Opal got over her fathers death really fast, and yet… she was also indecisive as fuck when it came to her feelings for King Dade. seriously, one moments she was fine with the fact that he killed her father, and then the next she couldn't be with Dade, because… reasons. like - we do not need to be at 80% and have her still be unsure of her love for Dade. we just don't.
✧ her inability to hide the fact that she was the black swan was, again, baffling. this was the aspect of Opal's character that confused me the most. her being a black swan was apparently super important, and also super rare. however, it was supposed to be kept a secret… because reasons. but, Dade literally puts two and two together less than 20% in. so, again i ask, what the point?
✦ the most infuriating part about Opal was the way she never tried to escape. Princess can literally fly. while it is explained that he'll find her no matter what, idk… i think if she flew back home and explained everything to her mother she could've been protected. or, idk, she could've gone on the run, or done something. the excuse she gave for not running felt flimsy at best.
𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙉𝘿… I can safely say that Opal isn't my most favorite kind of heroine. I think, what annoyed me the most about her was the way in which she appeared to be this fierce, take charge, magically competent Princess. However, upon closer inspection you quickly realize she is none of those things. Simply put, I'd rather have a heroine who doesn't try to be anything other than what she is. That being said, I still enjoyed being in Opal's head. She had a few good moments, and honestly, the best part about Opal was watching her bumble her way through the plot of TSATS.
~ 𝗠𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 ~
♥ 𝗜 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗦… and ultimately I think that's the main reason why THE SAVAGE AND THE SWAN worked so well for me.
Not only was the esthetic of TSATS gorgeously described ~
But, it was also fun being able to jump into a fantasy story that had a firm beginning, middle, and end. And due to that, I think that's the reason I was able to overlook Opal's more TSTL moments. I just loved the world that author, Ella Fields created so much. Which, look, was the plot convoluted as fuck? Yes. Was the world kinda explained, but not really? Also yes. But did I care? To be quite honest, no, no I did not care. And the main reason I was able to give those inconsistencies a pass was due to the cool concepts MS. FIELDS did expand upon.
Therefore, I highly recommend THE SAVAGE AND THE SWAN. It's a fun book, with a fun cast of characters. The hero, King Dade, has achieved book-husband-status, and the heroine… well… she's also there. Additionally, if you like cool and inventive takes on fairy-tales then you'll really love TSATS. Either way, I had a blast reading this one and hopefully you guys do as well.
ᴘʟᴜꜱ, ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏɴ, ᴅᴀᴅᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ꜰʟʏɪɴɢ ꜰʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʟꜰ ᴋɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ - ꜱᴏ ᴄᴏᴏʟ.
♪♫ … i know there's nothing left to say
but if you ever fly my way
sing your song
now you're gone
love so strong
my black swan … ♪♫
✨ᴀʟʟ ʜᴀɪʟ ᴏᴜʀ ᴋɪɴɢʟʏ ꜰʟʏɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʟꜰ, ᴅᴀᴅᴇ✨
🄰 🅁🄾🄰🅁🄸🄽🄶 🄶🄾🄾🄳 🅃🄸🄼🄴 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗦𝗨𝗖𝗛 𝗔 𝗙𝗨𝗡 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘… and I truly had a blast reading it.
Firstly, I just have to say, I wish more authors would write standalone fantasy novels, because man, they are so. much. fun. I like knowing that there's going to be a beginning, middle, and an end.
Now, the second thing I should mention is that The Savage and The Swan should definitely be categorized as "fantasy lite" and is very much A Court of Thorns and Roses adjacent. Which… you know… isn't a bad thing. Just… you know… the vibes are there.
And third, I need to point you guys in the direction of Arini's review, because man that shit was funny.
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧
*sigh*
you know… the plot for this book is convoluted as fuck, and honestly, it doesn't really come together until the very end.
so, here's the link in case you guys are curious, ;))
~ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗚𝗘 ~
❝My darling swan, never will there come a day, a night, a fucking minute of time when I won’t need you near.❞
♥ 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗔𝗦… The Savage, aka, King Dade. He was basically everything I love in a hero. He was a wolf boy who happened to have wings, he wasn't afraid to cut a bitch, and most importantly he had this aura to him that I just adored.
ₜₕᵤₛ, ₐₗₗₒw ₘₑ ₜₒ ₗᵢₛₜ Dₐdₑ'ₛ fᵢₙₑᵣ ₐₜₜᵣᵢbᵤₜₑₛ.
✨ ᴀ ʙʀɪᴇꜰ ʟɪꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ᴋɪɴɢʟʏ ʙᴀʙᴇꜱ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴀᴛᴛʀɪʙᴜᴛᴇꜱ // ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ ✨
✧ he killed the heroines father… and ate his heart for good measure…. but hey hey… he spat it out, soooo, that definitely counts for something.
❝My father.❞ I climbed to my knees, my gown in tangles beneath and around me. ❝You killed him,” I seethed through my teeth, each word fire, ❝and you ate his heart.❞
The blood king’s lips pursed. ❝Oh, that.❞ … ❝I didn’t eat his heart,❞ he said after a heavy moment, still behind me, his gaze burning into the top of my head as I tugged a gown over my legs. ❝I mean, usually I would, but I spat it out.❞
✦ he can shift into a wolf… with motherfucking wings. what a badass.
✧ Dade was saving himself for his mate… that or he took a vow of celibacy. either or.
❝From the moment I saw you, before the bond noosed itself around our souls, I realized if I’d wanted anything before you❞ —I swallowed over a growing tightness in my throat, in my chest, and kissed her finger—❝then I hadn’t truly wanted it at all.❞
✦ he's the type of guy who will fight anyone for his girl… including a literal carriage.
We hit another bump. The king snarled, rising when the carriage quit shaking, then returning to me. But I rubbed my head, laughing even as I winced, and after a moment, he did the same. Dade helped me sit up, catching my face and bringing my forehead to his lips while his fingers roamed my hair.
❝I’m fine,❞ I laughed out.
He huffed and kissed my forehead again, then sighed and tucked me over his lap while he tried to make me presentable. ❝We’ll need a bigger carriage.❞
✧ our Kingly Wolf can get it.
❝I want to poison you,❞ she said to my abdominal muscles, and they clenched, the admission heated and soaking into my skin. ❝The way you’ve done me.❞
My heart slammed, my words thick and throaty. ❝Poison me, sunshine, and don’t you dare think twice.❞
✦ he has the sweetest and most heartbreaking reaction to getting hugged.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him tight, so tight I could feel our hearts thunder together. Dade’s arms slowly came around me, his nose nuzzling into my neck, mine tickled by his hair.
❝What are we doing?❞ His voice was muffled by my skin.
❝Hugging.❞
❝Okay,❞ he said, sounding a little baffled but not relinquishing his hold in the slightest.
𝙉 𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙔… King Dade was the real standout of TSATS. Not only was he a true anti-hero, but he also had an incredible character arc. We got to see him change and grow over the course of the book. Additionally, he was my favorite kind of hero. He was rough and gruff with everyone, but when it came to his Swan he was soft as can be. *cough* the scene where he guarded her room in his wolf form *cough* If anything I wish Dade was the main character of TSATS, because honestly, he had the more compelling story. But alas… that was not the case.
~ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡 ~
This odd male was wrong. I wasn’t just stupid. I was an idiot star-bent on ignoring the obvious—we were all headed straight for certain doom.
✘ 𝗜 𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦, 𝗕𝗨𝗨𝗨𝗨𝗨𝗧… our resident black swan, Princess Opal had an extreme case of TSTL syndrome. Which really sucks because you can tell that everyone and their mother wanted her to be this fierce as fuck warrior princess who took no shit. But alas, that was most certainly not the case.
ₗₑₜ'ₛ ₘₐₖₑ ₐₙₒₜₕₑᵣ ₗᵢₛₜ, ₛₕₐₗₗ wₑ
✨ ᴀ ʙʀɪᴇꜰ ʟɪꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴘᴀʟ'ꜱ ʙɪɢɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴛꜱᴛʟ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ ✨
✧ she stumbles upon Dade and decides to train with him?? but her dumbass doesn't realize that he's the Wolf King… like - girl. how do you not know? her failure to recognize a pretty recognizable figure in their small ass world is truly baffling.
All along, I hadn’t been meeting with some rogue guard from the enemy’s kingdom. I hadn’t spilled precious words into Fang’s ears. Stars, his name wasn’t even Fang. The monster of Vordane had multiple names. The blood king. The king of wolves. King Dade. And I was a fucking fool.
at least she's somewhat self-aware.
✦ she walks right into the enemies hands… twice. the first time was when she literally hands herself over to the human King and then has the gall to be surprised when they lock her ass up. the second time is when she borderline willingly goes with King Dade. *deep sigh*
❝You seem rather fond of gilded cages…❞ He curled a finger at the door, coaxing the heavy wood toward him and effectively trapping his cruel words inside. ❝So here’s another, my lovely swan.❞
✧ that moment when… she doesn't realize Dade is her mate. this was another, GiRl arE yOu foR reAL riGhT noW, moment. the fact that she was even remotely shocked was laugh out loud worthy. that's because literally everyone she spoke to hinted at Dade being her mate, even in the most roundabout of ways.
❝You do not find a mate,❞ she stated, color to her voice now. It was dark but color all the same. ❝The stars bring them to you.❞
✦ Opal got over her fathers death really fast, and yet… she was also indecisive as fuck when it came to her feelings for King Dade. seriously, one moments she was fine with the fact that he killed her father, and then the next she couldn't be with Dade, because… reasons. like - we do not need to be at 80% and have her still be unsure of her love for Dade. we just don't.
I’d been a fool to believe a wolf would ever be anything but a wolf.
✧ her inability to hide the fact that she was the black swan was, again, baffling. this was the aspect of Opal's character that confused me the most. her being a black swan was apparently super important, and also super rare. however, it was supposed to be kept a secret… because reasons. but, Dade literally puts two and two together less than 20% in. so, again i ask, what the point?
✦ the most infuriating part about Opal was the way she never tried to escape. Princess can literally fly. while it is explained that he'll find her no matter what, idk… i think if she flew back home and explained everything to her mother she could've been protected. or, idk, she could've gone on the run, or done something. the excuse she gave for not running felt flimsy at best.
❝But you are outside the keep. You could fly home at any moment.❞
❝Don’t be foolish.❞ Beshal glowered at her spouse. ❝The king of wolves would find her, hunt her until her final days.❞ She looked back at me, her eyes twinkling with knowing. ❝No, she is exactly where she ought to be.❞
𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙉𝘿… I can safely say that Opal isn't my most favorite kind of heroine. I think, what annoyed me the most about her was the way in which she appeared to be this fierce, take charge, magically competent Princess. However, upon closer inspection you quickly realize she is none of those things. Simply put, I'd rather have a heroine who doesn't try to be anything other than what she is. That being said, I still enjoyed being in Opal's head. She had a few good moments, and honestly, the best part about Opal was watching her bumble her way through the plot of TSATS.
~ 𝗠𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 ~
❝You have been raised to be the problem, and so thoroughly that you do not even see what you are.❞
❝I know exactly what I am,❞ I said, keeping my tone smooth. ❝A king of wolves, a righter of wrongs, and now…❞ I took a daring step closer. ❝I am also your mate.❞
♥ 𝗜 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗦… and ultimately I think that's the main reason why THE SAVAGE AND THE SWAN worked so well for me.
Not only was the esthetic of TSATS gorgeously described ~
But, it was also fun being able to jump into a fantasy story that had a firm beginning, middle, and end. And due to that, I think that's the reason I was able to overlook Opal's more TSTL moments. I just loved the world that author, Ella Fields created so much. Which, look, was the plot convoluted as fuck? Yes. Was the world kinda explained, but not really? Also yes. But did I care? To be quite honest, no, no I did not care. And the main reason I was able to give those inconsistencies a pass was due to the cool concepts MS. FIELDS did expand upon.
Therefore, I highly recommend THE SAVAGE AND THE SWAN. It's a fun book, with a fun cast of characters. The hero, King Dade, has achieved book-husband-status, and the heroine… well… she's also there. Additionally, if you like cool and inventive takes on fairy-tales then you'll really love TSATS. Either way, I had a blast reading this one and hopefully you guys do as well.
ᴘʟᴜꜱ, ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏɴ, ᴅᴀᴅᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ꜰʟʏɪɴɢ ꜰʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʟꜰ ᴋɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ - ꜱᴏ ᴄᴏᴏʟ.
August 9, 2021
4.5-5 stars!!
“He licked me.”
I was locked into this book from the moment I read this line. This book stretched me beyond places I’ve never experienced in a read. I didn’t really realize this was a YA book until things started clicking. This book had the delicious darkness that I was craving.
“Swan, any place you go, wherever you find yourself, I fear I am bound to follow.”
Talk about stalker vibes! This book was spicy, and so intriguing that it kept me going even when I would get scrambled up with the plot. I think it’s why it took me so long to get through due to the complexity of the story at times. I bloody loved it though, and I do mean “bloody.” If you’ve read this book then you know. I love a good anti-hero, and man did Ella give us that.
Enemies to lovers done in the most delicious way. This was my first Ella Fields book, and I can’t wait to read them all!!
“He licked me.”
I was locked into this book from the moment I read this line. This book stretched me beyond places I’ve never experienced in a read. I didn’t really realize this was a YA book until things started clicking. This book had the delicious darkness that I was craving.
“Swan, any place you go, wherever you find yourself, I fear I am bound to follow.”
Talk about stalker vibes! This book was spicy, and so intriguing that it kept me going even when I would get scrambled up with the plot. I think it’s why it took me so long to get through due to the complexity of the story at times. I bloody loved it though, and I do mean “bloody.” If you’ve read this book then you know. I love a good anti-hero, and man did Ella give us that.
Enemies to lovers done in the most delicious way. This was my first Ella Fields book, and I can’t wait to read them all!!
September 5, 2022
An actual enemies to lovers.
I loved the setting and the worldbuilding.
Training with a mysterious guy at night😈, having a tea party with the elves...It revived my childhood fantasies.
I loved it.
The main character was annoying tho. The romance however, was unique and confusing.
an effortless read.
I loved the setting and the worldbuilding.
Training with a mysterious guy at night😈, having a tea party with the elves...It revived my childhood fantasies.
I loved it.
The main character was annoying tho. The romance however, was unique and confusing.
an effortless read.
December 4, 2023
Despite what I’m going to say, I didn’t HATE The Savage and the Swan. It was just… meh?? Underwhelming? I’ve read much better from less experienced authors??
A long review made short: don’t go into this book thinking too hard.
The most glaring issue with The Savage and the Swan is that half the time I’m struggling to understand what the author has written. I felt like a lot of scenes and descriptions were sacrificed so that the author could make her writing more flowery and “deep” but either failed entirely making it cringy or only succeeding in confusing the reader.
On top of that, a lot of the story is dependent upon the reader taking things at face value and not really thinking about things too deeply. Things aren’t explained well, if at all, and there were very obvious plot holes and conveniences made for the sake of getting things where the author wanted that just… aggravated me.
If you do go in with any sense of logic and cohesion, you’ll ask yourself things like “why did they do that when they could’ve done this?” And “what’s the difference between this and this” and -my personal favorite-“what was the point of that?”
The most glaring example of this:
If the author wasn’t throwing things at me left and right with very little care or effort put into them, she was quickly abandoning said things for something else. And repeat.
Fields’ GoodReads page shows she’s mostly written contemporary and it sadly shows. The vague way she describes things and the lack of world building is fine, if not acceptable, in a contemporary romance. When a story is set in the modern world, with no magical elements put into it, the reader generally knows what to expect; they know the societal consequences of characters actions, be they good or bad. They know the rules and expectations of a modern world, the readers don’t need CONTEXT.
But writing a fantasy story is vastly different; it’s a whole new world, completely blank and unknown to the reader until you set it up for them. Readers generally know the most basic things: dragons, elves, magic, etc but not how and what they mean in relation to the story YOU'RE telling; how they interact, their history, their impact, their relations to one another, the rules that bind them to that setting. I mean, is child murder illegal or is it applauded and broadcast in a gladiatorial like fight to the death à la Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games"? I don't KNOW because Fields hasn't explained anything substantial enough for me to get a firm enough grasp on what this world is like. Aside from being vague and mysterious and flowery with her language, this is just a horrible - not to mention lazy- way to unveil said world. It only leaves things open for confusion if you’re not experienced in writing for that genre already or the audience doesn't already know the world/characters well enough to excuse such writing.
Why even bring these things up if you never mention them again or use them in any meaningful way in the story? A prime example is
And that’s just the first thing off the top of my head. World building is kind of necessary in a fantasy world. How are we to connect or care about characters when we don’t know how they affect the world (and the people) around them and vise versa? How are we to care about a war between two kingdoms when it’s never clearly explained other than “war is bad, people die”. There was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing.
Even, at times, the sex scenes were vague and hard to follow.
I’m fine without the sex if the plot is really good but i’m also ok with the plot being lacking if the sex scenes are good. But the plot AND the sex scene were both lacking, making it hard for me to recommend this story other than for young adults wanting a bit more spice in their entry level, fantasy story.
The story wasn’t terrible, just badly in need of some more time and experience on the author’s part. This story would have been better condensed down into something a bit simpler or made into a duet if she wanted to include as much of the world as she wanted. i can see the potential, the author just needs to work a bit more on her world building and her writing... Or possibly try her hand at something a bit more manageable like a modern fantasy story.
A long review made short: don’t go into this book thinking too hard.
The most glaring issue with The Savage and the Swan is that half the time I’m struggling to understand what the author has written. I felt like a lot of scenes and descriptions were sacrificed so that the author could make her writing more flowery and “deep” but either failed entirely making it cringy or only succeeding in confusing the reader.
On top of that, a lot of the story is dependent upon the reader taking things at face value and not really thinking about things too deeply. Things aren’t explained well, if at all, and there were very obvious plot holes and conveniences made for the sake of getting things where the author wanted that just… aggravated me.
If you do go in with any sense of logic and cohesion, you’ll ask yourself things like “why did they do that when they could’ve done this?” And “what’s the difference between this and this” and -my personal favorite-“what was the point of that?”
The most glaring example of this:
If the author wasn’t throwing things at me left and right with very little care or effort put into them, she was quickly abandoning said things for something else. And repeat.
Fields’ GoodReads page shows she’s mostly written contemporary and it sadly shows. The vague way she describes things and the lack of world building is fine, if not acceptable, in a contemporary romance. When a story is set in the modern world, with no magical elements put into it, the reader generally knows what to expect; they know the societal consequences of characters actions, be they good or bad. They know the rules and expectations of a modern world, the readers don’t need CONTEXT.
But writing a fantasy story is vastly different; it’s a whole new world, completely blank and unknown to the reader until you set it up for them. Readers generally know the most basic things: dragons, elves, magic, etc but not how and what they mean in relation to the story YOU'RE telling; how they interact, their history, their impact, their relations to one another, the rules that bind them to that setting. I mean, is child murder illegal or is it applauded and broadcast in a gladiatorial like fight to the death à la Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games"? I don't KNOW because Fields hasn't explained anything substantial enough for me to get a firm enough grasp on what this world is like. Aside from being vague and mysterious and flowery with her language, this is just a horrible - not to mention lazy- way to unveil said world. It only leaves things open for confusion if you’re not experienced in writing for that genre already or the audience doesn't already know the world/characters well enough to excuse such writing.
Why even bring these things up if you never mention them again or use them in any meaningful way in the story? A prime example is
And that’s just the first thing off the top of my head. World building is kind of necessary in a fantasy world. How are we to connect or care about characters when we don’t know how they affect the world (and the people) around them and vise versa? How are we to care about a war between two kingdoms when it’s never clearly explained other than “war is bad, people die”. There was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing.
Even, at times, the sex scenes were vague and hard to follow.
I’m fine without the sex if the plot is really good but i’m also ok with the plot being lacking if the sex scenes are good. But the plot AND the sex scene were both lacking, making it hard for me to recommend this story other than for young adults wanting a bit more spice in their entry level, fantasy story.
The story wasn’t terrible, just badly in need of some more time and experience on the author’s part. This story would have been better condensed down into something a bit simpler or made into a duet if she wanted to include as much of the world as she wanted. i can see the potential, the author just needs to work a bit more on her world building and her writing... Or possibly try her hand at something a bit more manageable like a modern fantasy story.
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July 9, 2021This sounds so good (and that cover 🤤) but this author is almost NEVER safe.
If anyone has safety details, please let me know 🙏🙏
If anyone has safety details, please let me know 🙏🙏
May 16, 2022
1⭐️ First and foremost, I must preface this review by admitting that while I am not a fantasy reader, I am a total follower. I jumped on the Blood and Ash bandwagon earlier this year and I really enjoyed myself so in an attempt to broaden my horizons a bit, I thought I’d give The Savage and The Swan a try. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a book that so many of my goodreads pals were quite literally raving about.
I suppose there’s a reason why we stay in our comfort zone. It’s comfy there. This was sadly not the book for me. I think I was too overwhelmed by everything going on to actually enjoy the story or the romance. Reading this felt like I was finally invited to hang out with the cool kids but I couldn’t keep up with their conversation or understand their jokes. All I had to contribute were a few nods and nervous smiles.
I had so many questions throughout this: what’s the deal with this war that’s supposedly going on? Did I miss book one? Why does a wolf have wings? What’s up with the human kingdom? Are we going to see any of those random characters again? There are so many unnecessary characters and subplots, especially for little ole me who isn’t well versed in fantasy romance.
Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I didn’t feel so out of my element. Maybe my parents didn’t read to me enough as a child because I couldn’t tell you a thing about Rumpelstiltskin (or apparently tell you how to spell it - thank you, google). Maybe my horizons aren’t able to be broadened. Oh, well… On to the next one.
I suppose there’s a reason why we stay in our comfort zone. It’s comfy there. This was sadly not the book for me. I think I was too overwhelmed by everything going on to actually enjoy the story or the romance. Reading this felt like I was finally invited to hang out with the cool kids but I couldn’t keep up with their conversation or understand their jokes. All I had to contribute were a few nods and nervous smiles.
I had so many questions throughout this: what’s the deal with this war that’s supposedly going on? Did I miss book one? Why does a wolf have wings? What’s up with the human kingdom? Are we going to see any of those random characters again? There are so many unnecessary characters and subplots, especially for little ole me who isn’t well versed in fantasy romance.
Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I didn’t feel so out of my element. Maybe my parents didn’t read to me enough as a child because I couldn’t tell you a thing about Rumpelstiltskin (or apparently tell you how to spell it - thank you, google). Maybe my horizons aren’t able to be broadened. Oh, well… On to the next one.
July 19, 2021
*4.5 stars*
I loved it! Dade and Opal are so wonderful together. I was rooting for them from the start and was so happy when they finally got together.
This book consumed me, once I started it I couldn’t put it down. One of my favorite reads of 2021 for sure! If you are looking for an amazing Fantasy Romance with a great antihero, you will love this book.
I loved it! Dade and Opal are so wonderful together. I was rooting for them from the start and was so happy when they finally got together.
This book consumed me, once I started it I couldn’t put it down. One of my favorite reads of 2021 for sure! If you are looking for an amazing Fantasy Romance with a great antihero, you will love this book.
September 8, 2021
This is a good fae fantasy spin. 4*
“When feather meets fire, vengeance will expire.”
The black swan and the white winged wolf.
The world building, despite being chancy, kinda did it for me (can't wait for the next book). Many a time, we are just thrown in midst of things like we are supposed to know stuff.
The characters are faaaaairly well etched too. With a couple that I can love.
The conflict is good, rare and well, very conflict-y.
So, more than a few loopholes but I was hooked. Hooked to know how the redeeming will happen because the H does something really really unforgivable. And they are supposed to live hea?
“When feather meets fire, vengeance will expire.”
The black swan and the white winged wolf.
The world building, despite being chancy, kinda did it for me (can't wait for the next book). Many a time, we are just thrown in midst of things like we are supposed to know stuff.
The characters are faaaaairly well etched too. With a couple that I can love.
The conflict is good, rare and well, very conflict-y.
So, more than a few loopholes but I was hooked. Hooked to know how the redeeming will happen because the H does something really really unforgivable. And they are supposed to live hea?
August 14, 2021
Where to start with this book?! It was epic, if you love ACOTAR or From Blood and Ash you'd like this story. This fantasy is a mixture of The Swan Princess, Rumpelstiltskin and elements of Hades and Persephone with fae. Chapter 1 starts off with a bang and keeps you gripped for the entire book. The world building is easy to understand and magical, and it was easy to follow along. You see a chance meeting, war between multiple fae kingdoms and a human one, and a swoon-worthy, spicy romance. With enemies-to-lovers and 'I'm not supposed to love you.' tropes, you're in for a wild ride.
With an antihero/ morally grey king of wolves that will make you question why the hell you find him so damn sexy and secretly love him and a heroine princess who is strong and not at all a pushover. They both clash, bicker and fight but have a love that is beautiful. There is some lovely steamy scenes but also action packed ones, and dark aspects to it that make this a great fantasy book!
With an antihero/ morally grey king of wolves that will make you question why the hell you find him so damn sexy and secretly love him and a heroine princess who is strong and not at all a pushover. They both clash, bicker and fight but have a love that is beautiful. There is some lovely steamy scenes but also action packed ones, and dark aspects to it that make this a great fantasy book!
July 23, 2021
4 “Feather Meets Fire” Stars
I must admit, Fantasy is not my thing but after reading a few reviews I decided to give this book a try and boy was I happy I did. The enemies to lovers story was out of this world. The banter was amazing between King Dade and Princess Opal. It is what sold me on this story. Both characters were strong, confident and conflicted. Good vs Evil and Light vs Dark. When reading fantasy there are many different and complex aspects to visualize and I must admit sometimes it’s difficult to fully appreciate. I will admit that because the romance (hate/lust/love) was so strong I was able to over look some parts of the story that to me were choppy and hard to understand. But I did become obsessed with Dade and Opal’s story and of how the Stars were going to align for these two.
There was a promise of a bonus for these two by the author at the end of the story by signing up for her newsletter. All I can say is BRING IT ON!!
I must admit, Fantasy is not my thing but after reading a few reviews I decided to give this book a try and boy was I happy I did. The enemies to lovers story was out of this world. The banter was amazing between King Dade and Princess Opal. It is what sold me on this story. Both characters were strong, confident and conflicted. Good vs Evil and Light vs Dark. When reading fantasy there are many different and complex aspects to visualize and I must admit sometimes it’s difficult to fully appreciate. I will admit that because the romance (hate/lust/love) was so strong I was able to over look some parts of the story that to me were choppy and hard to understand. But I did become obsessed with Dade and Opal’s story and of how the Stars were going to align for these two.
There was a promise of a bonus for these two by the author at the end of the story by signing up for her newsletter. All I can say is BRING IT ON!!
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