Okay, so I'm going to break this up into 2 parts: the main story and the side stories which come after the main story.
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MAIN STORY
Story:
So the story started off great, introducing Charley and Kara, the 2 sisters the story is supposed to center around: the first few chapters where they meet, have a misunderstanding about each other's true character, and then discover the truth and make up with each other-- that's all great. But then they bring in the romance (and don't get me wrong, I'm an avid romance reader and I love romantic subplots when they're used right,) and then it just takes over the entire plot. Sure, there are moments we see the sisters' solidarity early to the middle of the romance plot, but once Kara gets with her beau, it's all Charley's romance now.
And oh dear, Charley's love interests. They're half-brothers, and you can tell from the start, that one of them is the good guy, and the other is a spoiled envious jerk. Because of the situation of their birth, they have a VERY strained relationship, and Charley's appearance only makes the jerk go ballistic. I'll talk more about the jerk in the character section, and just awfully he was handled as the villain. A hint though: there are no real consequences and they all live happily ever after.
The ending was also rushed and how they solved the main conflict between the half-brothers and Charley's love triangle was just horrible. It mostly has to do with Theron though, so I'll elaborate in the character section.
Art:
The art is pretty, Charley looks like a goddess, yada yada, it's pretty. I can't remember much else. What you see on the cover is what you'll get. The art is clean and the palette is soothing and I can't think of much else to say.
Characters:
Okay so both Charley and Kara are wonderful (although Charley does start becoming like a Mary Sue because of how much stuff she's just good at or allowed to do), and the story really should have just stuck to building up their sister relationship more before they introduced the romance, WHICH SHOULD HAVE REMAINED A SUBPLOT. The endgame love interests for both Charley and Kara are fine, though I have a bit to say about Arthur.
As for Arthur's half-brother Theron, I have a lot to say.
Okay here are the major spoilers and the rant: Theron should NOT have been forgiven, MUCH LESS given a happy ending. He has shown no growth in character OR morals from the beginning of the story, EXCEPT for giving up on Charley and approving of Arthur and Charley's marriage. This guy HELD HOSTAGE and KILLED his HALF-SISTER in order to threaten Arthur, and then LOCKED HIM UP because Charley liked Arthur! This man FRAUDED the kingdom of his lineage FOR YEARS, but then the author gives him a cop-out-- "OMG guys, Theron actually does have the imperial magic! that means he really is the son of the previous king! not just Arthur!" Which COMPLETELY changes EVERYTHING. As well as allow that tyrant of a king to STAY ON HIS THRONE when he REGULARLY abuses his power to torture his half, no now FULL BROTHER, and to manipulate Charley into marrying him! He arguably gets worse after his "redemption".
WHY DID ANYONE FORGIVE HIM? He's a horrible king, like even his AID acknowledges that he's the worst, and HE HELD HIS SICK HALF-SISTER AWAY FROM HER LOVED ONES, REFUSED HER MEDICAL TREATMENT, AND JUST LET HER DIE AT LIKE 16. Also, Arthur gets over his sister's death way too quickly. After her death and Arthur goes on a fiery rampage through the palace, the sister is NEVER brought up again.
The author evens gives a sad boi backstory chapter in an attempt to get the readers to sympathize with him, RIGHT AFTER HIS HALF-SISTER DIES AND HE DOESN'T GIVE A CRAP. He's also on the verge of killing Arthur in basically every chapter we see them together. Arthur DOESN'T EVEN WANT THE THRONE and HE GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY BACK TO THERON WILLINGLY. Honestly, Arthur should have just ended Theron. It doesn't matter if Arthur doesn't want the throne, Theron is a canon tyrant, and there are other ways to rule a nation than being a king.
Literally, Theron is the only villain in this story to get a happy ending, while all the others get their just desserts. Also, Theron continues to be the worst even after the happily ever after, giving Kara the idea that Brandon is cheating on her when it's just Theron using Brandon's name to go out on illicit dates with his mistress.
SIDE STORY
SPOILERS: It's incest, it's incest. Theron's 2nd son and Charley and Arthur's daughter, FALL IN LOVE AND GET MARRIED. Oh yeah, and it was also Theron's suggestion at first for them to be engaged. I dropped it at this point and only know the end because of spoilers.
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OVERALL: Don't read the side stories. The story is cute and fun to read, up until the end (climax fight at the palace), in which, you're just better off concocting your own ending.
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