I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley to give a voluntary honest review. This review contains only my own thoughts and opinions of this book.

I was so ready to fall in love with Fortuna Sworn (both book and character) early on. The story had a very intriguing and unique starting point, with Fortuna being a personified Nightmare caged and ready to be sold. Her soulful personality and sorrowful life, as well as the appearance of the very mysterious and charming Collith completely drew me in from the get go. I found myself wanting to fall in love the story and characters immediately. However, as much as I wanted to there were just something significant missing in the story for me to do just that.

For lack of a better explanation the book lacked personality, both story-wise and character-wise. I guess both of them kind of goes hand in hand though since a really good story needs complex, emotional and realistically flawed characters to give the story some soul. Now, I wouldn’t go so far as saying that there was no soul or zero personalities. In the beginning I actually really did feel for Fortuna and I could easily relate to her as a character being in a scary situation she had no control over. Collith being so mysterious was very interesting and had a bit of a sass to him. Both were in fact very enjoyable character to read about. When deceit and drama was thrown onto the mix I was one hundred percent invested.

I don’t know what happened after that though. It was like the book had reached its peak and had nowhere to go but downhill. All that drama and loose ends I expected Fortuna to deal with was just left in the air unacknowledged. She never really confronted Collith or showed any true anger towards him after what he let happen to her. There was perhaps some resentment and distrust, but that was it. She just let it go and focused on the trials and saving her brother instead. Building up such drama in one chapter only to completely let it go the next was so unsatisfying, but even more so when she treated Collith as an ally after what he had done.

From then on most of what made the main characters interesting and real sort of disappeared in the background. I was mostly disappointed with Collith. I really thought ... no, actually I really expected him to have a bigger part and bigger impact to the story. He became almost a sideline character instead. There, but not really there and that charming sass he displayed in the beginning were nowhere to be seen. He didn’t show much of any emotion other than what we readers had to be told he felt. Fortuna on the other hand went a different way. From being slightly sorrowful but compassionate she became vengeful and cruel, exacting revenge on anyone who had wronged her, even just slightly. In a nutshell she became a typical case of the bullied becoming the bully. I don’t think I’ve ever gone from loving a character to being annoyed with said character so fast. Fortuna however managed it.

Do not let me mislead you though. The book was still much enjoyable despite all that and I really enjoyed all the mysterious “are they real?” characters such as Oliver and Laurie. There is also a lot of mystery behind Fortuna and Collith as well and because of the issue above I feel a bit deprived of a real romance between them. I am hopeful that the next book will clear up a lot of the unanswered questions and that a bigger and more impactful development will take place. I am looking forward to continue with the series.

This was a fun and quick read. I enjoyed how the author incorporated all the mystical creatures together. I look forward to reading more stuff from this author.

Rating 3.5

I loved the concept of Fortuna being a nightmare as we're having an over saturation of fairies, fae vampires and other in the YA market.
The cover is absolutely stunning, it's a fairly quick read, but I didn't connect with any of the characters at all and I wanted a more fleshed out world.
The ending gave it a bit of a lift, but not enough for me to wanting to continue the series.
I can recommend Fortuna Sworn if you like cruel fae stories a la Cruel Prince (which I also disliked) maybe, but this one isn't what I am looking for in a book.

I really enjoyed this book, I’ve never met a character quite like Fortuna. Fortuna is very different, she wants to find her brother and in the meantime finds a great guy.

The book ended on a cliffhanger and I am excited to see what else happens...
I was given this book free from NetGalley an exchange for my honest review.

3🌟———————————-
this was a quick and easy romantic fantasy story.

So, what’s this book about?
This book follows Fortuna, a Nightmare, who is still searching for her long lost brother. When a strange fairy appears and tells her he knows where he is she will do anything to get to her brother even if it means marrying a stranger.

My thoughts
this was fun. The romance is a very central part of the story so if that’s not your thing i wouldn’t recommend it but if you are okay with that i definitely recommend it. One of my favorite aspects of the story was definitely fortuna herself. She’s a badass.

this was entertaining
fortuna is cool
i’m happy i read this while traveling
it was easy to digest

I really enjoyed this book, the world building was fantastic, I’ve never met a character like Fortuna, I how different she was and how she was always just unapologetically herself.

The book ended on a cliffhanger and I will definitely be looking out for book 2!

Fortuna is a nightmare, literally. She’s the last known of her kind. With a single touch, she knows your fears and can trap your mind in a living nightmare. Getting close is no problem because a nightmare appears differently to each person, depending on what they find most desirable in another person. Her brother, also a Nightmare, disappeared two years ago and she’s been searching for him ever since. All her leads have run dry until a mysterious and powerful Faerie appears named Collith. He’s willing to lead Fortuna to her brother for a price. He wants her as his bride. Desperate times call for desperate measures. She accompanies him back to his home at the Court of Shadows where she soon realizes freeing her brother is more complicated than she thought. Survival is the name of the game in a court where distinguishing the truth from the lies is a full-time job and danger lies around every corner. Freeing her brother may just cost Fortuna her heart and her life.

I initially picked up this book because other reviews compared it to A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. I’m glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised by Fortuna Sworn. I struggled initially in the first chapter or two to really connect to the story, but was soon swept up and couldn’t put it down. I love the idea of a Nightmare as a magical character. Fear is a powerful weapon that few are immune to. It’s a double-edged sword though as she has a hard time getting close to other people because when she touches them she sees their fears. I find much more substance in stories where gifts also have an element of a curse to them. There is light and dark in all things in life and it adds a bit of needed “reality” in a fantasy.

Another aspect of this story I really enjoyed was Liam, the man she visits in her dreams while she sleeps. Is he imaginary, or is he real somewhere out there in the world waiting for her to find him? Guess you’ll have to read to find out. As she becomes more entwined with
Collith in the fairy world, her bond with Liam becomes more tenuous. It’s a very unique love triangle because Liam is so removed from her life as he is literally the man of her dreams. I look forward to seeing how that much plays out in future books which the ending certainly implies are to come.

This has been one of the most enjoyable fantasy novels I've read in the last year or two, and I've read several dozen. When Fortuna (a Nightmare and perhaps the last of her kind) starts up a reluctant relationship with one of the Fae, I thought this was an unlikely pairing to be sure. But Sutton weaves a convincing and delightful tale with this curious pair. Neither Fortuna or Collith come across as very likeable at first, but there are lots of surprises in store, and a rich world full of magic and misunderstood creatures whose struggles against common foes start to bring them closer, against all reason.

I would have liked to have known more of their history (Nightmares and the Fae) and how their magic works and how they interact with the world, but I enjoyed the story so much I can overlook it. I felt immersed in their world and thought about the characters long after I had finished the book. I really couldn't put the book down, and found excuses to pick it back up whenever I had any free time.. Recommended.

The premise is unique. The autistic character was well written and no point became the Hollywood version. That was nice coming from someone on the spectrum. Certainly an adult with steaminess and dark moments

This was an enjoyable book. I read it a month ago and I still remember it. The emotion of everything with her brother was there. I felt that. I enjoyed the twists and turns, even the predictable ones. The author keeps that dark fae world and brings in her own twist with Nightmares. I would recommend this book and look forward to the next one.

I had a lot of fun reading this book, it had a unique premise and delivered on that interesting premise. The characters were great and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

WOW! I bloody adored this book.
Fortuna Sworn snuck up on me catching me completely unawares.
I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this quite as much as I actually did, mega impressed here.
My only issue with this as I didn't want it to end when it did.
It is so going to kill me to wait for book two but needs must and I will be eagerly anticipating it's release like yesterday.
So Fortuna Sworn (totally digging her kick-ass name) a nightmare is last of her kind.
Whilst out searching for her younger brother on the anniversary of his disappearance she is snatched by goblins and taken to be sold on the black market.
There she is assisted by an unknown faerie in escaping her jailors.
Striking a bargain with the mysterious Callith for his assistance in rescuing her sibling sets off a chain of events that will change Fortuna's whole life.
A set of circumstances that will take her deep into the intrigues and dangers of the Unseelie court where all have a hidden agenda and she must watch her back at every turn.
As this story unfolds the transformation that Fortuna undergoes is both brutal and merciless.
Strengthening her inner core into the pure steel she will need to go head to head with the fae courts cold cruelty and game playing.
This also had some many diversely intriguing players: characters like Laurie and Oliver.
Both adding their own unique spin on the ongoing proceedings.
Also, Collith himself is so much more than what he originally appears to be his character so much deeper and empathetic than what he outwardly portrays to others.
There is also somewhat of a slight love triangle: I say slightly as that is what in essence it is.
I myself am not a lover of this trope and it didn't bother me one bit so if you are not a fan of this just know that it does not play a pivotal part in this book.
I also managed to read this in one sitting no breaks as I was that invested here.
This is told from Fortunas POV and though I do prefer dual this didn't bother me too much.
It would have been nice to maybe get some insight from Collith to but no biggie I was so into this I could deal with this small flaw.
This really was such a page-turner of a read and I want to read the next book like right now it is really going to be a feat of patience to wait for its release.
A new author for me here but a definite keeper for sure: I do so love it when I get surprised like this.
Highly recommend this its such a fantastic book.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Fortuna Sworn.

Fortuna is one of the last of the Nightmares, a type of creature who can find a persons’ greatest fears by touching them and use it to torment and even kill. She has a brother, Damon, who disappeared two years prior and since then has been set on finding him and returning him home. She meets a Faerie who knows where her brother is and makes a deal with him in order to get her brother back. Fortuna didn't realize there's a whole lot of important information that the Faerie failed to mention, but regardless once she set down to rescue her brother, she would risk everything, even her life, to have him safely returned home.
I loved how strong of a character Fortuna was, but without being overbearing. I get really frustrated when the main characters are portrayed as strong willed and hard-headed and they fail to hold their tongues and get themselves into all kinds of trouble that could have been avoided. Fortuna was strong willed, stubborn, but knew when to shut the hell up and just silently seethe in her mind. That small detail really meant a lot to me and made her a much more realistic character, because no sane person goes around acting all tough and crazy no matter the circumstances.
I love books with faeries and other magical creatures, and the addition of this new mythical creature, Nightmare, was really fascinating to me and I enjoyed the authors creativity. Fortuna develops her power as the book goes on and learns how to properly harness and use it to her advantage.
Some of the characters were a little confusing, like Fortuna's brother...had no idea what his motivations were but I will not go into further detail as it would have to contain spoilers. Just know that you may also love this book but fail to understand why her brother was so spineless and stupid.
The slight romance factor was entertaining and engaging and did not get in the way of Fortuna's strong will and power. She was not a hopeless girl waiting for some man to save her. She was set on getting her brother with or without the help of the Faerie, Oliver, or Laurie, but would accept the help she could get if the chance arose. I really liked that about this book.
Overall, great start to a series and I am pretty interested in the direction the author will take this, especially with the ending that leaves so many questions that demand and answer!
3.5/5- Solid entertainment!

Fortuna Sworn by K.J. Sutton, a very nice read. I really enjoyed this book, well written and it draws you in quickly and keeps you there. Fortuna is a almost a Fae, with powers that they fear she could be the last of her kind. When a powerful Sidhe helps her escape captivity she uses him to go looking for his brother but with the fae nothing is as it appears.

Great potential but ultimately unsatisfying

I would like to thank K. J. Sutton, Once Upon a Time Books, LLC, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spoilers

The novel bore evidence of Sutton’s intelligence and writing talent. She had some awesome lines: “God, give me patience or an untraceable handgun.” “Satan came to my christening, little boy.” (That one might need context to appreciate.) She made efforts to choose colorful verbs, use active voice, and compose unique comparisons that surprise one with their accuracy: “A burst of fury whirled through me like a hurricane, and I buried my nails into his flesh.” “If Collith was a star-filled sky, Laurie was the breeze whispering past as you gazed upward.” I could tell she was passionate about the story and the characters, and the premise is definitely intriguing…

But I was not satisfied, largely because the conflict was perpetuated by one man who stubbornly refused to explain or do something about anything. It stymied the story’s potential, the worldbuilding, and my ability to like Collith. It also left me with too many questions and unresolved issues for my liking.

You hear about plots propped up by misunderstandings that could be resolved with five minutes of frank conversation; this is similar. Five minutes—okay, maybe thirty—of honest conversation between Collith and Fortuna could have given us a completely different and less frustrating story. Where clearing up a misunderstanding can dissolve the foundation of a story, an honest conversation between Collith and Fortuna could have established one.

What do I mean? Well, instead of Collith withholding pertinent information in major d-bag fashion, forcing Fortuna to stumble around blindly and make awful, unnecessary mistakes—I got so goldarn frustrated—they could have been upfront with each other at the start, come to an understanding, albeit a grudging one, and worked together to achieve both their goals. They could have been unlikely allies who grew to understand, respect, and love one another. There were copious ways for conflict and antagonists to arise outside of their relationship; their obstinate refusal to trust one another—or at least to be frank with one another for their mutual benefit—all the way through to the end was exasperating, exhausting, and eventually felt contrived.

I wonder if Sutton intentionally employed a negative arc or failed to write a positive one. Fortuna never got a break, never had a true victory; becoming queen didn’t give her any extra clout aside from the tokens of fealty, and freeing her brother earned her his hatred. Her relationship with Collith did not improve, in fact I think he was seriously regretting taking her as a mate because she ended up doing exactly what he didn’t want to do, aka ruling by fear (and whose fault is that, blockhead?). Fortuna could feel her sanity slipping away. Hope, which was only the faintest of flickers to begin with, died and never rekindled. In a positive arc, that would be the crisis moment, which would be followed by a climax and a satisfying resolution; the MC would triumph, the situation would improve, and hope would be restored. That did not happen here. Not to say it had to end in butterflies, rainbows, and happily ever after, but something that gave Fortuna some positive emotion in the real world would have been nice. Like Damon appreciating his freedom, though he mourned the loss of Jassin, or Collith realizing he’d gone about it all wrong and deciding to sit down with her, tell her everything, and work together.

There were more things I didn’t understand, such as how mates are different from spouses—are spouses even a thing for them?—and why the fae invoke the concept of marriage when it’s made clear that they don’t actually marry. They make some promises and become able to vaguely sense one another’s mood via magic. That appears to be it. They don’t become husbands and wives, only mates; there’s no official document or tax benefits, no priest or other sacred means of blessing the union. Indeed I doubt it can be blessed, considering they’re descended from fallen angels and seem to therefore be the antithesis of blessed. So why use the terms “marry,” “marriage,” etc., when they have no relevance? It just confuses the reader.

Also, Damon. He’s a Nightmare, right? That was why Jassin was attracted to him, because Damon could feed his fear kink? So…why, then, was Damon as helpless as a human slave? Why was Fortuna kind of regarded like a Messiah, at least by Collith, because of her powers, and Damon was just completely disregarded? Maybe he wasn’t “particularly strong,” but as a Nightmare, he was still supposed to be a pretty big threat, right? I mean, Nightmares were hunted and killed to the point of near extinction because no one wanted them to exist. And he just meekly became a slave? Back before the Stockholm Syndrome took hold, how was he not able to figure out Jassin’s true fear and use it against him? I get that demonstrating how Fortuna could be caught and caged at the beginning rather validated Damon’s own enslavement, but… I don’t know, it just feels like a detail that was ignored, conveniently or otherwise.

And what did the terms “Seelie” and “Unseelie” mean? That drove me insane. I used them as search terms within the ARC but couldn’t find an explanation. Also, what was Cyrus? How did he matter? And what the heck was the deal with Oliver and the dreamworld? I was both fascinated and creeped out by that whole thing.

So the premise was intriguing but the execution of it left something to be desired. Also to be desired was a little comic relief. Regarding tone, this novel took itself very seriously, which would be fine except I’m not sure the thematic resonance was there to justify it. It was also literally serious in that there was little to no humor, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was dark and intense and thrilling—but my personal tastes would have appreciated some levity here and there, because all that angst and fury got to be exhausting. Case in point, when Fortuna found Damon, failed to save him as easily as she thought she could, and was subsequently whipped for her efforts, it caused a physical reaction within me, which I consider a sign of excellent writing. My heart beat hard and heavy with dread and my lungs worked like I was about to start running for my life. My body was tense with frustration and impotence. I wanted to be part of the fae crowd so I could stand up and scream, “Is this seriously happening? Collith, do something!” I got to the point where she was taken back to Collith’s rooms and healed, then I slipped into a two-hour nap. At noon. I usually only nap if I’m sick. The whipping scene was intense, man.

Structurally, the prologue wasn’t necessary; the first line of the first chapter had a great hook—“They put me in a cage”—but I would have recommended backing up after that line and showing Fortuna looking for her brother on the mountain and getting caught in real time. That would have better conveyed Fortuna’s aloneness and desperation to the reader, I think; her vulnerabilities. It would also have demonstrated her motivation to find and save her brother, which propels all Fortuna’s decisions and therefore the novel, right of the bat. Instead, we go straight to the market, where we’re given the impression that Fortuna’s driven by anger and resentment for being treated like a wild animal. That, too, was important motivation for her, but not foremost.

At the market we also meet Collith and get a demonstration of Fortuna’s power. I don’t recall it ever being explained why Collith was there, though… From what I understood, he just happened to be there, happened to find her. “When I came across you at the market…” Which is way too coincidental for this story. Maybe we’ll find out later, along with why he had to have HER as a mate. It was clear Collith was attracted to Fortuna and even cared about her (if you consider reticence, lies, and edicts signs of affection), and that he was aware she was powerful and the last of the Nightmare species, but I don’t remember him explicitly explaining why he wanted her specifically. Why he thought an angry, resentful, emotionally traumatized woman would make progressive changes to the fae culture. Why she of all people would want to help the fae. Why a Nightmare, a creature whose power is to ferret out your worst fears and use them to incapacitate if not destroy you, seemed like a good candidate to rule without using fear.

And I have to say, as much as I wanted to buy that Collith was a romantic, I couldn’t. I don’t think he was “enamored with the idea of a best friend and lover tied into one,” but with a pet. Something that would be unwaveringly loyal, provide unconditional love, and obey commands without question. Having that pet be a woman he desired was just a perk. Actually, thinking on it, he had a pet in Laurie, at least by all appearances. But I imagine taking Laurie as a mate would have been complicated…or brilliantly strategic?

A couple random and largely inconsequential complaints: One, Collith was described both as cold and warm. Like, the physical sensations. “…his collarbone, where the skin was smooth and unexpectedly cold.” “A cool hand cupped my elbow…” “…he was deliciously warm.” “…I could feel the heat of him.” It probably doesn’t matter, but it confused me as I was reading and trying to understand the nuances of the species.

Two, sleep and a state of unconsciousness seemed to be used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. A sleeping person can be roused; an unconscious person does not respond to outside stimuli. Sleep is normal and necessary; unconsciousness is a symptom of illness or injury. That’s why unconsciousness is alarming.

Overall, this novel was fascinating yet frustrating. Sutton has a great imagination which gave her some fantastic ideas for story, but I’m afraid I didn’t fully appreciate how she chose to execute those ideas.

Fortuna Sworn is a magical story about a girl named Fortuna Sworn who just wants to find her brother and when an opportunity arises she does not hesitate to risk her own life. It is dark and twisting, which is to be expected when dealing with faeries. She had her limitations, but she never let that stop her. The world is unique with classic faerie lore mixed in that makes you want to get lost in it. This story will leave you begging for more in anticipation for the next book.

Fortuna Sworn - 2/5 Stars

I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What I liked:

- This book had an interesting opening, one that drew me in immediately. I appreciated how gritty and dark the world was, as well as the origin story of the supernatural creatures inhabiting it. There was a lot of potential for this story and that was evident from the beginning chapters.

- I have never read about a "nightmare". I'm not sure if this supernatural species was inspired by folklore or created entirely by the author's imagination, but I love reading about magical beings I've never heard of before.

- Oliver.

What I didn't like:

- The mating bond trope. This trope is hard to do well, and I did not enjoy Fortuna Sworn's version of it. I especially hate when two "mated" characters begin immediately referring to each other as "my mate".

- The characters. I felt no connection to any of them. They needed further development. Also, some seemed to switch personalities on a dime. Collith's character, in particular, seemed very different as the book progressed. He started off as mysterious and confident but quickly became compliant and uninvolved in the plot itself.

- The trials in the book felt anticlimactic and easy. Everything went a little too smoothly for the protagonist, and I lost all interest because of that.

At first glance, I wasn't sure I would even like this book. Though it has a beautiful cover, it seemed like the events that were leading up to the description were happening too fast, and at a third of the way through the book, I was confused where it was going. That all changed, however, and I became obsessed with the story, unable to put it down for a single second. I imagine that's how a ton of other people will feel, too, after reading this book.

Beginning with a scene from over half way through the book, Fortuna is scrubbing her hands raw. She's just killed someone, and she's never going to forget it. That's where it snaps back to two weeks before, when she was kidnapped, thrown into a cage, and then thrown into a van. The paranormal, or the Fallen, as they're referred to in this book, are more often than not hunted for sport, and meat, as humans are supposedly able to gain powers from eating them. They thought she was a werewolf, or a faerie, but she's a Nightmare.

Being a Nightmare, she's able to rout around in a person's head, finding their worst fear, and manifesting it. She thrives on heartache, fear, and anything else related to that. Of course the paranormal exist, and they're all descendant from fallen angels, hence the name Fallen. Being sold in auctions, this is a brutal world for them, but Fortuna is stronger than even she knows.

This book is an exciting and heart wrenching tail of a long lost brother, and the land of the unseelie court. Though it's not a new take on faeries, it is a new take on the paranormal in general, and I welcomed a change. I feel like there are so many books that are just the same story over and over, but this one wasn't. Let me just add before I finish, that the ending was such a shocker to me. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thanks for reading!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

I want to start by saying that I liked this book. Ipl be reading the next one.

I liked to world building and appreciated the detail behind all of the unseelie kingdom and its people.

I just felt a lot of frustration with the characters and their relationships. Now, Fortuna doesn't trust anyone and she is off balance so it makes sense that that throws our perception of everything off balance. It still made it incredibly difficult to connect with her. She was tough, but also out of control so she acts rashly and not always in ways that help her or her cause. She had moments where she buried her head in the sand instead of asking the right questions and it could sometimes be frustrating.

That being said, I am interested in future books and hopeful that we will see some explanation and growth from Fortuna.

I received this beautiful book in exchange for an honest review and can I just say I enjoyed it 1,000,000 % . It did not disappoint at all. I completely thought this book was fantastic. Good back story and characters. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READ. Thinking about rereading this with my friends.