Honest Book Review of Rings of Fate
Honest Rings of Fate review by Melissa De La Cruz. Strong opening but slow pacing, confusing magic system, and a 43% DNF.
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Promising Start But I Lost Interest
I was really excited going into Rings of Fate by Melissa De La Cruz because the premise sounded like something I would normally love. A cynical barmaid, a cursed prince, a fake engagement, and a magical artifact with dangerous power felt like a great setup for a fantasy adventure with romance.
The story actually started out pretty strong for me. The opening chapters pulled me in and I was intrigued by Aren’s character and her life running the Raven’s Beak tavern. I also liked the introduction of Prince Dietan and the mystery surrounding the Rings of Fate. It felt like the story was building toward something interesting and I was curious to see how everything would unfold.
However, around the 30% mark the story shifted when the characters began their journey, and that’s where things started to fall apart for me. The plot that had been set up in the beginning felt like it was pushed aside, and the pacing slowed down quite a bit. Instead of the story progressing in an exciting way, the journey began to feel long and drawn out.
Another element that didn’t quite work for me was the main character’s “I’m not like other girls” energy. Aren is written as someone who constantly separates herself from other women, and that trope can get tiring when it shows up repeatedly. Instead of making the character feel unique, it sometimes made the characterization feel a bit predictable.
One of the biggest issues for me was the magic system. The Rings of Fate are supposed to be incredibly powerful and dangerous, but I never felt like the magic was fully explained or developed. Since the rings are such a central part of the story, I really wanted more detail about how they work and what their limitations are.
I also found Prince Dietan’s backstory confusing at times, particularly when it came to how he originally received the rings and the history behind them. That lack of clarity made it harder for me to feel invested in the stakes of the curse.
By the time I reached 43%, I realized I just wasn’t interested in continuing the story and ultimately decided to DNF.
Overall, this book had a lot of potential and a premise I really liked, but the story lost its direction for me once the journey began.
Read If You Like:
• Fake engagement or fake relationship tropes in fantasy
• Cursed prince storylines
• Fantasy road-trip or journey style adventures
• Tavern or working-class heroines in fantasy settings
• Slow-burn attraction between unlikely partners
• Stories featuring magical artifacts or cursed objects
• Political intrigue mixed with monster encounters
Thank you Red Tower Books and Melissa De La Cruz for giving me a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Add to TBR: Rings of Fate
Aren Bellamore is a barmaid who wants freedom, not a fairy-tale life as a princess. When she strikes a deal to pretend to be the fiancée of a cursed prince carrying the deadly Rings of Fate, the two set off on a dangerous journey to break his curse. But as political threats, monsters, and growing attraction complicate their plan, their fake relationship may become something far more real.
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