aubadepages

this story seriously messed me up from the start. objectively speaking, the plot isn't anything new, but the execution was insanely good. i cried way more than i expected reading this. everyone in this story is a little unhinged, including penelope herself. i tried really hard to understand her bc her past life was just as miserable as her life after transmigrating. but i never fully liked how she kept viewing everything as a game even when the people around her were clearly real. she wanted sincerity from others, yet she often treated them like affection meters she had to raise to survive. i get why she acted that way, but it always left me conflicted. by the end, all i could feel was how exhausted she was. she was already carrying so much pain before getting isekai'd, then ended up in a world filled with even more messed up people. i especially liked seeing her softer, more childish side whenever she was with the ml. it felt like a part of herself she'd never been allowed to show before. i can't say i love penelope, but i don't dislike her either. i mostly just feel sorry for her. that's probably why the story worked so well for me. she felt painfully human. if i were in her place, i might've ended up just as broken. i'm really glad she got her happy ending bc after everything she went through, she deserved it.

rlly enjoyed this one. the story leans heavily into politics from start to finish, which i personally liked. eve's goal never wavered, n i appreciated how committed she stayed to it throughout the story. the romance was surprisingly my type too, n i definitely wasn't expecting the spicy scenes lol. i also liked how some of the conflicts from the first timeline were resolved. my main issue is that a lot of the side characters felt underdeveloped. they were there to support the story, but i rarely felt emotionally attached to them. the climax also felt a bit anticlimactic bc i was never truly worried abt whether eve would succeed. she felt almost too competent at times, so the stakes didn't hit as hard as they could've. considering she started out as a bookish, neglected princess with little political experience, her growth in the second timeline felt a little too convenient at times. overall, i had a lot of fun with the politics n romance, but i wish the story had pushed its characters a little harder.

i can finally see why this series gets so much praise. i got attached to the characters way more than i expected, and every part of the story just felt so well put together. the plot, politics, worldbuilding, and romance all worked hand in hand to make the story feel alive. i especially loved tia and perez. their relationship felt natural and rewarding to follow. i'm also glad the story didn't rely on annoying misunderstandings or forced drama. by the end, i was so emotionally invested that i didn't want it to end. genuinely one of the most satisfying reads i've had in a while, and i only regret not reading it sooner.

if u rlly think abt it, the plot's pretty cliché n the political conflict barely had any weight, but the angst made it hit harder than i expected. also, fuck caesar. the author really said "here's his tragic backstory" and i was like wow. anyway, i still hate him.

dropped at ch.73. at some point i realized the story was just running on the same cycle: run away, get caught, deny feelings, repeat. the characters kept moving, but the plot barely did. the worldbuilding was so forgettable i honestly couldn't tell u much abt the setting. gave it 73 chapters, but that was enough for me.

THIS WAS SO GOOD OMG. the romance was absolutely insane, super hot n addictive i swear. the political plot n worldbuilding were way better than i expected, like the author really managed to balance two totally different settings n still made everything feel so alive n detailed. character development was solid af, n the political tension had me stressed in the best way, especially the queen she made me wanna throw hands fr. the whole reading experience felt like a rollercoaster n i enjoyed every second of it. the ending was so satisfying too. dont sleep on this just bc it looks like spice at first, there is SO much more going on n it actually delivers hard.

i really liked the character development in this one <3 the father-daughter relationship was super sweet, and i liked that the mc actually grows and learns instead of being op from the start. the family stuff, romance, and friendships all felt natural and well paced, nothing felt rushed or out of nowhere. even the fl’s trauma and mental growth were handled in a believable way, she didn’t just magically become “fine” overnight. the only thing that felt a bit sudden was the whole “family pet” type dynamic with her, like everyone just kind of got obsessed with her really fast. i guess it makes sense given the situation with her father, but it still felt a little abrupt.

kinda a familiar story tbh, but i liked the way it was done. the romance developed at a nice pace n actually felt earned. n ofc the temple n royal family were busy being annoying as always. still a very enjoyable read.

regis' story had me in tears more than the main romance ever did. that man deserved so much better. shoutout to the emperor for being the root cause of basically everything.

went into this expecting a dark romance but it’s honestly just 2 deeply messed up ppl dragging each other further into insanity. valeta’s pov fooled me at first bc she seemed like the more sane one, but once the pov shifts u realize she’s just as unhinged as everyone else. none of this feels like real love btw, it’s obsession, dependency, n mutual destruction disguised as romance. hated the emperor sm. politics weren’t super deep but the mystery kept me invested enough to finish.