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| 978191520216
| 3.72
| 12,485
| Nov 30, 2021
| Sep 13, 2022
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really liked it
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3.5* I stumbled upon Stacey McEwan through TikTok several years ago and fell in love with her sense of humor and outrageously funny videos. And then on 3.5* I stumbled upon Stacey McEwan through TikTok several years ago and fell in love with her sense of humor and outrageously funny videos. And then one day, she mentioned that she was writing her own novel. I was both excited by this prospect and extremely worried. In a situation like this, you simply never know how things will turn out. Would this woman (whose videos I’d loved) be able to create a novel that I could fall in love with too, or would this journey end in bitter disappointment? Since 2020/the pandemic (when I first downloaded that highly-addictive app), the chips have fallen on both sides for me. I’ve learned that a fun personality and social media presence don’t necessarily equate to becoming a great author, so it’s both hard to get too excited (only to be disappointed with the outcome) and hard not to (when I’m also filled with anxious anticipation for its release). Feelings are mixed and muddled. Nevertheless, following Stacey on her journey of writing this novel and hearing so much about it along the way, made this book one I couldn’t help adding to my TBR list the moment it came out. Thankfully, I’m pleased as punch with the overall outcome. Yes, there were a few issues and some tweaks I wish had been made, but there was something about this novel that just grabbed me and sank its claws in. Characters Dawsyn is tough. She’s a survivor and she’ll fight tooth-and-nail for the life that she has. She’s full of sass, fire, and determination. Her axe-wielding capabilities come in handy as well. She can hold her own in a fight, even against some ‘mighty’ Glacians. One of the minor issues I had with Dawsyn was the strength and endurance she displayed. From her accounts living (and starving) on the Ledge, she’s awfully fit and strong. She should be weak, all skin-and-bones. Instead, her body seems to be healthy and in shape, and only her mind bears the evidence of her traumatic existence on the Ledge. Ryon was the stoic love interest. I think it took me a while before I really started to like him, but once Ryon and Dawsyn’s relationship began to develop and they started to get to know one another more, he was an easy character to fall for. I loved watching him become protective of Dawsyn and how much he begins to care for her, which helped to win me over. I do wish Ryon had stopped saying “Girl” at a certain point. He had a cute nickname for her, and he could always use her name. Instead, even toward the end when they’re in love, he’s still saying “Girl” or “female” half the time. It made me cringe on more than one occasion and felt a little demeaning instead of endearing. While I do think that they chose some interesting times for romance, I loved the spice within this novel. By the end, I was really cheering for this couple and I loved how things were progressing between them. I’m excited to see where they might go from here. World-building From the first moment on the Ledge with Dawsyn, the world was gritty and gripping. There was a sharpness to the writing and the characters’ surroundings that was brilliantly done. You could feel how cold and brutal this world was. The isolation and fear the people had of being taken by the Glacians permeated the pages. Even when we left the Ledge, the cold and cruel environment was piercing. I loved that I felt the setting, even when I was sitting in my temperature-controlled room. However, another small issue I had revolved around how the Glacians treated the humans they kept on the Ledge. Glacians feed off of the energy of human souls – for Glacians, humans are a source of nourishment for their abilities. Essentially, the humans living on the Ledge are there as a source of food for these monsters. However, conditions on the Ledge are horrible. There’s no food for the humans, the weather is brutal, and there’s not enough natural resources (like firewood) to go around. People seem to be dying at a rate that far exceeds them reproducing (and creating another generation of food) for the Glacians. Since the people on the Ledge can’t leave, they need to be taken care of by the Glacians to survive, but the Glacians aren’t doing their job. They’re not providing food or resources to their “herd” (for lack of a better term) and the people are starving and freezing to death. I feel like taking care of your food souce – so that you can continue to have that food source – is LIVESTOCK 101. Not doing so doesn’t make any sense and, eventually, this flock is going to all die out. They didn’t need to provide life’s luxuries to the humans, but the Glacians did need to do a better job and this was never explained or addressed well. Additionally, I think the author could’ve built in more tension and depth with certain aspects of her story too. Writing Style I really enjoyed the writing within this book and, especially for her debut, I think Stacey McEwan did a wonderful job with her storytelling. It was easy-to-read, vivid, and immersive. At a certain point, I will admit that the tone changes a little bit. The author lost that sharpness that she had initially started with. Now, this didn’t change how much I enjoyed the book, but the shift in tone is evident. I was a little disappointed by this change. The novel didn’t end on quite the same level that it started out on. I enjoyed the overarching plotline as well. Although I think part of the novel slowed down when Dawsyn and Ryon were traveling around, I think this does a good job setting up the battle toward the end of the book and there were some twists and turns along the way that were a lot of fun. However, I’m not entirely impressed with the ending though. I found the whole situation to be a bit frustrating. (view spoiler)[When one of the Queens stabbed Ryon in the heart to kill him, for example, it didn’t illicit any kind of response from me. I wasn’t surprised by her actions, but I’m also not at all convinced that Ryon is dead (especially with the essence stored within him). My prediction is that he’s going to bounce right back and be as good as new. And, if that’s the case, I think the set up for this moment should’ve been more nail biting. I shouldn’t already know what the magic was going to be able to do (but we just watched the essence heal/erase the poison within Dawsyn to save her life). Because of this, a knife through Ryon’s heart just isn’t very impactful – like it’s no doubt supposed to be. Additionally, I think the absolute stupidity and naivete of Dawsyn (and maybe Ryon as well) is absolutely mind-boggling. The fact that the Queens are threatened by Dawsyn’s existence and believe she’s out to steal their crowns OF COURSE means that they’re going to become Dawsyn’s enemy. They’re too scared to leave her alive and she’s stupid for not realizing that they need to be approached with caution – not the unarmed nonsense that her and Ryon strut into the palace with. I wanted to shake her and I saw this happening from a mile away. (hide spoiler)] I’m still anxious to start book #2, but wanting to slap the FMC right now doesn’t exactly help matters along. I started this novel back in December, so it’s taken me 8 months to read this book. This is my own fault and not the book’s. I think I had ordered Chasm (book #2) but it was going to take about a week or so to arrive. I put this book down with only a couple chapters left to read, as I tried to slow down my reading of it (so that I wouldn’t be quite so anxious when the anticipated cliff hanger came around and I still had to wait a week). When I did that, I kept picking up something else over and over, and I genuinely can’t believe I didn’t pick this novel back up again until this past weekend. It’s embarrassing. I think Chasm will go a lot quicker. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 06, 2023
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Aug 04, 2024
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Sep 17, 2024
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Hardcover
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| B096VXMT3H
| 3.98
| 43,585
| Jun 07, 2021
| Sep 2022
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liked it
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3.25* This novel was light and easy-to-read, exactly what I was looking for on a Saturday morning with nothing on my schedule. I really liked Beth as o 3.25* This novel was light and easy-to-read, exactly what I was looking for on a Saturday morning with nothing on my schedule. I really liked Beth as our FMC. She was sweet and supportive. She was willing to make personal sacrifices to help the boys with their new little bundle of joy and, later on, I loved that she took a stand and went to bat for them (Sebastian in particular). She accepted the boys for who they were and didn’t get frustrated when their sole focus wasn’t on her. She has a tragic past and severe abandonment issues to contend with though, so jumping that hurdle during the novel was rough. My one point of contention is the fact that she refused to say “I love you” to her foster-brother for YEARS and YEARS. And yet, after a very short time period, she’s willing to say it to the guys. There was something about that that seemed fake and disingenuous to me. It’s something I’m willing to forgive, but I thought that was silly. Jack was the boy that initially caught Beth’s eye. He’s sweet and nerdy, with a smile to die for. I loved Jack and Beth’s interactions with one another – especially initially where they’re dealing with the baby crisis. As the story goes on, Jack disappears a bit more, when he becomes hyper-focused on his game launch. He puts his game before everything else, which I hated to see and, while the author tries to redeem this choice, I wish there had been a bit more development here. Still though, Jack was always sweet and lovable. Cyrus was the flirty one of the group. At first, he’s hard to take seriously as a real contender as a ‘relationship guy.’ Cyrus is a self-admitted walking one-night-stand, but that’s largely because he hasn’t found a girl that will accept his career choice as a stripper. While Cyrus didn’t start out as my favorite of the group (that was Jack), he quickly stepped into that role, hands down. Cyrus and Beth seemed to develop the biggest (and most realistic) connection and I absolutely loved them together. Cyrus was so much more than what he was given credit for in the beginning. He became the most sweet, thoughtful, caring one of the group, putting Beth first. I absolutely adored him. The only minor issue I had with Cyrus at all came at the very end in the Epilogue chapter where he gave up his career – despite all of the drama surrounding his dancing. It felt like a cop-out after only 18 months. Sebastian was the serious businessman. He was a workaholic with his full-time career and all of the work he was doing to help Jack and his game. While Sebastian could come across as more cold and ‘monstrous,’ underneath he had a heart of gold. Sebastian never became my favorite throughout this novel, but he quickly won a place at the table once you understand why he is the way he is. However, the characters never really came across as being ready to be in a relationship with one another. There were so many issues that they were all individually facing, had known each other (all the boys + Beth) for such a short period of time, and weren’t realistically given the time needed to form such a “strong” emotional connection (despite the author trying to rush and force this), that it was clear that they were jumping the gun. To be frank, on the boys’ side, it felt like they were largely just trauma-bonding from the sheer panic of having a baby dropped on their doorstep and Beth being their lifeline for the situation (whereas Beth was just along for the ride). Cyrus and Beth did come the closest in forming something that felt more ‘real,’ but since the attention of the book wasn’t just about the two of them (and there were 2 other men involved), their relationship didn’t quite reach the momentum I was hoping for – even if it was close. Although there wasn’t quite the character growth/connection that I had longed for, the smut was really good. I definitely had to fan my cheeks a time or two and I was here for it. I liked the fact that Beth could be with the boys individually or as a group and it was still good. This is a romance novel and the focus of the book is spent on that, regardless of all of the issues each character was facing. However, since each person seemed to be ‘going through it’ in their own way, I do wish there had been a little bit more plot development with their storylines. Instead, it felt like Beth/the baby (or with Beth – the boys/the baby) were the resolution to all of the problems. It didn’t matter that Seb’s parents had shipped him away and made him feel like a monster, he now had Beth. It didn’t matter that Cyrus’ family had disowned him and didn’t want anything to do with him anymore, he now had Beth. It didn’t matter that Jack’s family made him feel inferior because of his lack of athleticism nor did the drama revolving around Jack’s game hold a candle to the fact that Beth was now there. It didn’t matter that Beth was desperate for a job, had severe abandonment issues, and was rejected by her mom/grandma, she now had the boys. Their problems, their insecurities, their worries, their grief – all it was it became a non-issue, they had their love connection. Taking a step back from the plot, you can see the frustration this may cause. They never processed their emotions or dealt with their traumas at an individual level, despite the apparent need for each person contend with some major baggage. This doesn’t even really touch on Cami’s baby-mama or custody (everything gets wrapped up in a nice little bow where Cami is concerned). Instead (and despite how much this contributes to some drama in the novel), the book’s attention is only on the romance. I love a good romance so this didn’t bother me (and, despite what I just said, I’m not really complaining about it). It’s just something to be aware of as you dive in. In fact, my one big complaint about the story was the incredibly cringey and cheesy Epilogue chapter. While I liked some aspects of it (like Beth being able to officially become Cami’s “mom”), the marriage proposal made me grimace. There’s a bonus chapter available if you sign up for the author’s newsletter and I’ll be honest and say that how the story ended in the Epilogue didn’t leave me aching for more – especially if I have to sign up for something to get it. Nevertheless, the writing made this novel fly by and I found it hard to put the book down. It’s a heartwarming story that I had a lot of fun reading and it was just what I was looking for on a lazy day off. It’s definitely one I could come back to. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 20, 2024
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Jul 21, 2024
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Sep 16, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B00EPF5LSW
| 3.74
| 3,675
| Aug 15, 2013
| Dec 12, 2013
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really liked it
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4.25* YA dystopian isn’t typically the first genre I’m going to reach for. While I’m sure I’ve read one or two books or series that I have enjoyed, I c 4.25* YA dystopian isn’t typically the first genre I’m going to reach for. While I’m sure I’ve read one or two books or series that I have enjoyed, I can’t even think of one off the top of my head that really gripped me since The Hunger Games. I never go into a novel with a desire to dislike a book, but I’ll be honest and say my expectations for this novel weren’t exactly all that high, either. I was hoping for something quick and easy but I didn’t expect to become so wholly invested in this story. It took me completely by surprise in the best possible way and I really really enjoyed this novel. Perhaps because of how much I loved The Hunger Games and how memorable that series was (and how many times I still see the moves constantly show on TV), not to mention the fact that this simply isn’t a genre I’m actively seeking out (so I’m not reading very many books with a similar feel), but The Woodlands (book #1) reminded me of The Hunger Games a lot. There are some similarities that are hard to overlook but, at the same time, The Woodlands (book #1) is also a novel that can stand wholly on its own. It wasn’t copy-and-pasted inspiration, it was utterly unique. I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between the two worlds, but it was in a positive way. I think because I had loved The Hunger Games so much, this just helped to contribute and build on the positive feelings I was developing for The Woodlands (book #1) as well. No matter what though, this novel had me in its own kind of chokehold. There was something about the novel that drew me in and wouldn’t let go. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I didn’t see some of the twists and turns coming. This book packed a punch and I was hooked. I can’t tell you how much I related to Rosa and her general outlook in a lot of ways. She was pragmatic and realistic, with a ‘grit your teeth and bear it’ attitude. She was awkward with her feelings and overly protective of herself (i.e. it was hard for her to show vulnerability). She was very guarded and didn’t trust easily. However, she was also a bit of a pain in the neck as well. Rosa was a troublemaker and a rule-breaker (even if she didn’t necessarily set out to be one). She was really feisty, had trouble controlling her tongue or her temper, and she had a major attitude problem. Rosa was constantly angry at the world and she lashed out at those around her, often crossing lines and intentionally hitting people where it hurts, even if she hated that she was doing that as it was happening and was often regretful once her nastier remarks had been made. But Rosa wasn’t concerned about putting on a show and was always entirely herself, which I loved, but that also meant that her personality could be a bit grating at times. She wasn’t friendly or kind. While she didn’t have any friends at all when we first met her, how she developed so many friendships as the story went on, almost seemed contradictory to the girl she was. She had so many people who decided that she was going to be their friend and they basically strongarmed Rosa into eventually liking them back (even if Rosa can’t understand them at all and/or isn’t particularly nice to them most of the time). I loved the friendships, but the whys and hows that they developed were a little questionable and strange. I also loved how Rosa’s character grows and progresses as the story goes on. She (a little reluctantly) starts to let people in and she falls in love – both in a romantic sense as well as developing a love for a ‘sister,’ ‘nephew,’ and we can see the potential for love to develop for her son. While Rosa isn’t naturally one of the most likable characters, there was just something about her that felt so incredibly real. She’s so flawed and imperfect and there was just something about her that drew me in (even when I wanted to shake her for her poor choices or her uncontrollable mouth). I loved Joseph as well. He was Rosa’s complete opposite and while I don’t fully understand why Joseph is so in love with her, I was so glad that he was. He brought this light and joy into Rosa’s life. It was ‘opposites attracting’ in a really big way (and continued to draw a similar parallel for me as it had between Katniss and Peeta). Their romance together was overloaded with difficulty from beginning to end. At first, any feelings they might have developed feel hopeless. They’re going to be separated and they won’t be allowed to be matched together. When there’s a twist that Rosa is going to The Classes with Joseph, Joseph is divided into The Uppers while Rosa is in The Lowers – again cementing that separation between them. Because of this, Joseph breaks it off completely (and in turn, breaks Rosa’s heart). As the story continues and evolves and Rosa gets pregnant, even that complicates their relationship. They had so much going against them but there were also such layers and depth to their situation and what they both have to overcome to even attempt to make things work between them. There was a subtle beauty in the way they fought for each other (and even in the ways Rosa, especially, fought against her feelings for Joseph). Despite the trouble understanding why an attraction and draw exists between them (because they have such different personalities), I loved their relationship together. It was hard and difficult and full of obstacles. And yet, there was also something so believable and beautiful about them being together. I loved all of the complications and complexities to their relationship, which made what they had all the more impactful because of it. The world building in the novel was wonderful. Too often, a YA novel like this will come out and by the time the book/series is over, all of the important people are unhurt and alive, just living their best lives as they ride off into the sunset. But really, it’s the books (like The Woodlands or The Hunger Games) that stand out because they’re not afraid to show some violence or have their characters endure real traumas (including the possibility of watching their friends or family die). This world felt real. It felt like I could genuinely have landed in a post-apocalyptic world with a dangerous and controlling government looming in the background, ready to pounce on those that dared to step out of line. While I didn’t like watching Rosa or Clara go through the forced (and drugged up) pregnancies they had to endure, I also enjoyed this plot device. This too, felt like something a manipulative and controlling government would overstep in and force on unsuspecting citizens. The horror this evoked and the way Rosa had trouble wanting anything to do with her baby (even nicknaming it ‘Leech’) again provided a sense of realism to me that isn’t often seen in YA books. It added to the world building element as well, showing just how far the Superiors were willing to go and their lack of concern, care, or consideration for the people they were supposed to be leading. The only thing that I disliked about the world-building was how much the residents seemed to go along with everything. They had no fight in them. But even more than actively standing up against the cruelty and tyranny that was happening around them on a daily basis, too many people seemed to hold tight to the beliefs that were forced down their throats by the Superiors themselves. Even after 200 years, for example, these people seemed to believe that they still needed to be “punished” by the Superiors for something their ancestors did. It was clear that most people were just afraid, but it felt like it should’ve taken less than 200 years before anyone revolted (not that there’s any discussion of such a thing happening in this novel). I think the way everyone just went along with it – especially with the Woodlands being so vast and unpopulated, just seemed to lack that same grain of believability to me. Additionally, while I enjoyed the world, I do wish more had been explained. For example, the fact that Joseph had worked closely with Rosa’s father and knew him personally, made me ache to find out more about her dad. (Although, it also irritated me that Rosa never questioned her mother telling her that her father ‘left’ them when it was her mom all along. That seemed clear to me from the beginning.) But Rosa and Joseph never have any further conversations about him, despite all their time spent walking, talking, and camping together. Another example would be the race-mixing. The chants that the people were made to participate in were weird and didn’t flow well but I felt like that needed to be explained more too. Why did they want to mix races instead of eradicate whatever race they didn’t like, for instance? There were a lot of questions with their goals and their process for creating the ‘one’ race they were striving for. But really, everything surrounding the Superiors was shrouded in mystery, so answers seemed few and far between on everything surrounding them. I also liked the setting, which took place in the Siberian wilderness in Russia. Again, I don’t read a lot within this genre, but this was not a setting I had expected or seen before. One thing I disliked about this novel was the ending. There was no set-up or build or even any indication that the novel was starting to wrap up (and as far as I was concerned, my Kindle was telling me I still had 21 minutes of the book left to read). It ended between one breath and the next and, when I turned the page (still expecting more), I was completely and utterly bowled over that that was the end. It was a cutoff without a warning and so incredibly unexpected (in a bad way). I know that this novel is one among several books within a series, but there had to have been another way for the author to end her novel while still making me itch to get my hands on what comes next for Rosa, Joseph, and the rest of the crew. This novel had my full attention from start to finish. I was engrossed in the story and found it difficult to put down. I loved the harshness of the environment and the realistic cruelty that we could see (because of that believability factor) but I also adored the characters and the emotional response I had when they were forced to endure something unimaginable. My heart broke for Rosa time and time again. But there’s also so much hope in the midst of all of the despair and adversity we see her face. This novel is tough and gritty, with the makings of the start of an epic series. I’m so excited to see what happens next in book #2. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 26, 2024
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Jun 28, 2024
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Sep 16, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B0B9HXQF34
| 3.77
| 1,840
| Oct 04, 2022
| Oct 04, 2022
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liked it
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3.25* If you choose to dive in with this novel, go in with the right expectations, something I was thankfully able to have. This will ONLY be good if y 3.25* If you choose to dive in with this novel, go in with the right expectations, something I was thankfully able to have. This will ONLY be good if you’re looking for something short (since this is a 148 page novella) and if you’re looking for something that is almost pure spice. At the time I picked up this book, that’s exactly what I was in the mood for and my rating (and how much I enjoyed this book) is based purely on that, with those expectations in mind. It’s a ‘fun’ factor ranking. If you’re looking for a good plot, not only is this book simply not long enough for anything very ‘real’ to develop, but what’s there (outside of the spice) isn’t very good to begin with. The entire foundation of this story (much less anything that happens as the novella goes on) is pretty flimsy and couldn’t hold up under a lot of scrutiny. What twists or revelations there were occurred in a very abrupt manner without a lot of build-up or transition as well. Unsurprisingly, everything within this book feels rushed and there’s little growth, development, or progression happening within the plot or the characters/their relationship. Similarly, there’s not a lot going on with the world. Little nuggets of information are dropped here and there, but there’s a lot left unexplored and unexplained. You’re basically just asked to sit back, relax, and to enjoy the ride without asking too many questions. Again, this would typically be something I’d be jumping on the author for pretty hard, but since I was well-aware of this going into the book, sitting back and relaxing into whatever the author was putting in front of me, was exactly what I found myself doing. But listen, come for the smut with this book. If that’s all you’re here for, then you may find yourself enjoying it too. If you’re expecting a little something more from this novel, you’re going to be pretty disappointed. While not quite an insta-love trope (at least for our heroine, Stheno), it wasn’t far behind. I’d almost argue that Gregor was instantly hit by Cupid’s arrow though. Nevertheless, they did have a fun dynamic and seemed to constantly be making each other laugh, which was a nice touch. They have good chemistry and that helped create some combustably steamy scenes. I loved the spice contained within this story. It was one of the things I was looking forward to (based on some of the reviews I’d read) and I wasn’t disappointed. The only minor question I have with anything that occurred between Stheno and Gregor was the stone “member” situation. I just can’t picture this being very comfortable – all I can visualize is rough edges that scrape and scratch. That’s not exactly what I’d call a dream situation. Other than that though, it was all good. To be honest, I’m ignoring a lot of the typical things I could complain about within my rating/review. Like I mentioned, it’s all about your expectations when reading this short story and I was well-prepared. I wasn’t taken by surprise by the length or the questionable plot/world-building. I went in for the spice and spice is what I got, which was pretty enjoyable. Maybe I’m just feeling generous, but I had a good time with this quick and easy read, so that’s what my rating reflects. One semi-complaint I had was that there were a lot of hints and innuendos where it’d be easy to see the series covering those characters (like with Medusa/Perseus or with Euryale’s story, for example). However, this series is one written by completely different authors and those open-ended questions or loose ends may go unanswered because none of the other books are about any of the characters listed within this novel (they’re certainly not the heroes/heroines of any of the other novels). I’m not a fan when a series has been written in that manner and don’t know how many more books of this I’ll actually read. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 21, 2024
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Jun 22, 2024
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Sep 16, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B0B36FKPS8
| 4.06
| 412,527
| Oct 18, 2022
| Oct 20, 2022
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it was amazing
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4.5* While I admit that I was looking forward to this book, the bar of my expectations wasn’t set high. Ana Huang has recently seemed to explode on soc 4.5* While I admit that I was looking forward to this book, the bar of my expectations wasn’t set high. Ana Huang has recently seemed to explode on social media with her Twisted series (in particular) and there’s been a lot of hype surrounding her work. And yet of late, I’ve so often been disappointed by the “hyped” novels. I’m even trying to stop listening (and therefore, letting the noise influence me) quite as much. So, while I hoped for a fun romance novel to get me through my day and an interesting new author to try, I wasn’t expecting to be swept off of my feet. I really liked Vivian. She was kind, compassionate, and persistent. She overlooked Dante’s bad attitude and slowly broke down his walls because of her patience and inner beauty. I also loved that she was a real career-woman when she didn’t have to be, and I liked seeing her succeed on her own. Vivian has become a successful event planner without Dante’s help or the backing of his name. That doesn’t seem to be typical and I appreciated getting to see a heroine stand on her own two feet. The only thing I didn’t like about her/her family situation was how much she’d let her parents have a say in her life (and how much she’d given up because of them). The idea that her parents were “family” and that, because of the life they’d given her growing up, somehow resulted in her parents being able to dictate her clothing, makeup, career, and partner choices was mind-boggling. Vivian states multiple times that she was terrified of being disowned (because her father held that over her head if she didn’t do exactly what he wanted her to). She made comments that getting disowned for the money wasn’t what troubled her, but having to walk away from the people that she loved was unthinkable. And, in some ways, I get it. Losing your family in that way would be heartbreaking. But I also can’t imagine a world where being controlled so completely by people that “love” you are in any way the type of people you should stay so loyal to. Now, I admit, that there’s a reference or two thrown in that this is a cultural difference within Asian communities, so this is something I’m not a part of and may not be able to fully understand all of the dynamics within. Still though (from my own perspective), I was dying for Vivian to grow a backbone and stand up to her parents. I was so thankful to see that she did this – AND she did this with Zero expectation that she’d end up with Dante (i.e. it wasn’t about a guy, it was about her and finding her own voice). Dante was a dreamboat. This was certainly a grumpy / sunshine trope and Dante took that very seriously. Even by the end, he didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of smiling (much less laughing). And yet, I couldn’t get enough of him. Although I think I personally come across as more ‘bubbly’ as a whole, I found Dante to be extremely relatable. His focus on revenge and his ability to hold a grudge felt wholly believable to me. I also loved watching Dante go through so much growth throughout this book. For someone who was completely closed off to the idea of liking Vivian (much less falling for her), watching him slowly but surely take the plunge was perfection. I even loved the fact that their relationship would take one step forward and then two steps back at times. Here again, the believability factor was top-notch. It was such a realistic love story (which I’m the biggest sucker for). Along those same lines, when Dante messes up, he grovels to get Vivian back. In a lot of romance novels, the groveling a man has to do when he’s made some major mistakes feels largely glossed over. He may apologize once, shoot a wink or a smile her way, and magically, the incident is forgotten and forgiven. That is NOT what happens in this book. Yes, the boy still gets the girl by the end, but they had to re-build the trust they’d had between them. Vivian didn’t fall back into his arms after one apology, or two, or three. It took time. Vivian gave him that time, but it wasn’t a magical fix. Their reconciliation never felt rushed. I LOVED how the author handled this entire situation. The romance was slow-burning throughout the story’s entirety. As I mentioned, only baby steps are ever made between the couple until both of them look up one day and realize they’re in love. How the story evolved (and the timeline that this book takes place in) was yet another point for the believability of the entire story. Additionally, the sexual tension between the characters was on point. Later on, there are several enjoyably smutty scenes that could keep readers occupied as well, but this is not a book with sex happening every other scene. The spice was really well done. The plot is really tied up with the romance. It revolved around the couple being in an arranged match and Dante seeking escape and retribution for having Vivian’s dad force his hand. Because I enjoyed their story together so much, it’s not surprising that I was on board with the plot as well. The writing style is probably something that surprised me the most. I’m not sure if I just haven’t picked the most well-written pieces of literature lately or what, but I was immediately hooked by this story. This was a novel I couldn’t put down. In fact, there was one point when I closed the book and set it on my end table trying to slow myself down and not zoom through the book too quickly. It was something I wanted to savor. Now, I’m not sure that really happened, because 10 minutes later, I’d grabbed to book back up and knocked out the last remaining 100 pages the same day I’d picked it up, but hey, I tried - and that’s not something I do very often. I think my biggest complaint about the novel revolves around a few REALLY cheesy lines at the very end. (And really, this is very nitpicky and not much of a complaint at all.) The lines weren’t so over the top that it erased my enjoyment of the book, and thankfully, didn’t last long, but they did make me cringe. (One such line is included within the synopsis of the novel – or at least it is on my physical hard copy version. ”She was my North Star, the brightest jewel in my sky.”…Ugh. However, if that’s not too upsetting for you, then you’re good to go.) While not cheesy (but still kind of along similar lines), I hated not getting the translations for what Dante said when he was speaking in Italian (something I think should always be included if you’re going to write a book in English but sprinkle a few random [insert language here] comments by one of the characters. This book was the pick-me-up I needed. I loved the story and I look forward to reading more from the author. It was addictive. Looking at other reviews, some readers feel like Huang has been repetitive in her works, so this may not be an author to read back-to-back, but as for my first foray into the author’s works, I greatly enjoyed it and I highly recommend. Merged review: 4.5* While I admit that I was looking forward to this book, the bar of my expectations wasn’t set high. Ana Huang has recently seemed to explode on social media with her Twisted series (in particular) and there’s been a lot of hype surrounding her work. And yet of late, I’ve so often been disappointed by the “hyped” novels. I’m even trying to stop listening (and therefore, letting the noise influence me) quite as much. So, while I hoped for a fun romance novel to get me through my day and an interesting new author to try, I wasn’t expecting to be swept off of my feet. I really liked Vivian. She was kind, compassionate, and persistent. She overlooked Dante’s bad attitude and slowly broke down his walls because of her patience and inner beauty. I also loved that she was a real career-woman when she didn’t have to be, and I liked seeing her succeed on her own. Vivian has become a successful event planner without Dante’s help or the backing of his name. That doesn’t seem to be typical and I appreciated getting to see a heroine stand on her own two feet. The only thing I didn’t like about her/her family situation was how much she’d let her parents have a say in her life (and how much she’d given up because of them). The idea that her parents were “family” and that, because of the life they’d given her growing up, somehow resulted in her parents being able to dictate her clothing, makeup, career, and partner choices was mind-boggling. Vivian states multiple times that she was terrified of being disowned (because her father held that over her head if she didn’t do exactly what he wanted her to). She made comments that getting disowned for the money wasn’t what troubled her, but having to walk away from the people that she loved was unthinkable. And, in some ways, I get it. Losing your family in that way would be heartbreaking. But I also can’t imagine a world where being controlled so completely by people that “love” you are in any way the type of people you should stay so loyal to. Now, I admit, that there’s a reference or two thrown in that this is a cultural difference within Asian communities, so this is something I’m not a part of and may not be able to fully understand all of the dynamics within. Still though (from my own perspective), I was dying for Vivian to grow a backbone and stand up to her parents. I was so thankful to see that she did this – AND she did this with Zero expectation that she’d end up with Dante (i.e. it wasn’t about a guy, it was about her and finding her own voice). Dante was a dreamboat. This was certainly a grumpy / sunshine trope and Dante took that very seriously. Even by the end, he didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of smiling (much less laughing). And yet, I couldn’t get enough of him. Although I think I personally come across as more ‘bubbly’ as a whole, I found Dante to be extremely relatable. His focus on revenge and his ability to hold a grudge felt wholly believable to me. I also loved watching Dante go through so much growth throughout this book. For someone who was completely closed off to the idea of liking Vivian (much less falling for her), watching him slowly but surely take the plunge was perfection. I even loved the fact that their relationship would take one step forward and then two steps back at times. Here again, the believability factor was top-notch. It was such a realistic love story (which I’m the biggest sucker for). Along those same lines, when Dante messes up, he grovels to get Vivian back. In a lot of romance novels, the groveling a man has to do when he’s made some major mistakes feels largely glossed over. He may apologize once, shoot a wink or a smile her way, and magically, the incident is forgotten and forgiven. That is NOT what happens in this book. Yes, the boy still gets the girl by the end, but they had to re-build the trust they’d had between them. Vivian didn’t fall back into his arms after one apology, or two, or three. It took time. Vivian gave him that time, but it wasn’t a magical fix. Their reconciliation never felt rushed. I LOVED how the author handled this entire situation. The romance was slow-burning throughout the story’s entirety. As I mentioned, only baby steps are ever made between the couple until both of them look up one day and realize they’re in love. How the story evolved (and the timeline that this book takes place in) was yet another point for the believability of the entire story. Additionally, the sexual tension between the characters was on point. Later on, there are several enjoyably smutty scenes that could keep readers occupied as well, but this is not a book with sex happening every other scene. The spice was really well done. The plot is really tied up with the romance. It revolved around the couple being in an arranged match and Dante seeking escape and retribution for having Vivian’s dad force his hand. Because I enjoyed their story together so much, it’s not surprising that I was on board with the plot as well. The writing style is probably something that surprised me the most. I’m not sure if I just haven’t picked the most well-written pieces of literature lately or what, but I was immediately hooked by this story. This was a novel I couldn’t put down. In fact, there was one point when I closed the book and set it on my end table trying to slow myself down and not zoom through the book too quickly. It was something I wanted to savor. Now, I’m not sure that really happened, because 10 minutes later, I’d grabbed to book back up and knocked out the last remaining 100 pages the same day I’d picked it up, but hey, I tried - and that’s not something I do very often. I think my biggest complaint about the novel revolves around a few REALLY cheesy lines at the very end. (And really, this is very nitpicky and not much of a complaint at all.) The lines weren’t so over the top that it erased my enjoyment of the book, and thankfully, didn’t last long, but they did make me cringe. (One such line is included within the synopsis of the novel – or at least it is on my physical hard copy version. ”She was my North Star, the brightest jewel in my sky.”…Ugh. However, if that’s not too upsetting for you, then you’re good to go.) While not cheesy (but still kind of along similar lines), I hated not getting the translations for what Dante said when he was speaking in Italian (something I think should always be included if you’re going to write a book in English but sprinkle a few random [insert language here] comments by one of the characters. This book was the pick-me-up I needed. I loved the story and I look forward to reading more from the author. It was addictive. Looking at other reviews, some readers feel like Huang has been repetitive in her works, so this may not be an author to read back-to-back, but as for my first foray into the author’s works, I greatly enjoyed it and I highly recommend. Merged review: 4.5* While I admit that I was looking forward to this book, the bar of my expectations wasn’t set high. Ana Huang has recently seemed to explode on social media with her Twisted series (in particular) and there’s been a lot of hype surrounding her work. And yet of late, I’ve so often been disappointed by the “hyped” novels. I’m even trying to stop listening (and therefore, letting the noise influence me) quite as much. So, while I hoped for a fun romance novel to get me through my day and an interesting new author to try, I wasn’t expecting to be swept off of my feet. I really liked Vivian. She was kind, compassionate, and persistent. She overlooked Dante’s bad attitude and slowly broke down his walls because of her patience and inner beauty. I also loved that she was a real career-woman when she didn’t have to be, and I liked seeing her succeed on her own. Vivian has become a successful event planner without Dante’s help or the backing of his name. That doesn’t seem to be typical and I appreciated getting to see a heroine stand on her own two feet. The only thing I didn’t like about her/her family situation was how much she’d let her parents have a say in her life (and how much she’d given up because of them). The idea that her parents were “family” and that, because of the life they’d given her growing up, somehow resulted in her parents being able to dictate her clothing, makeup, career, and partner choices was mind-boggling. Vivian states multiple times that she was terrified of being disowned (because her father held that over her head if she didn’t do exactly what he wanted her to). She made comments that getting disowned for the money wasn’t what troubled her, but having to walk away from the people that she loved was unthinkable. And, in some ways, I get it. Losing your family in that way would be heartbreaking. But I also can’t imagine a world where being controlled so completely by people that “love” you are in any way the type of people you should stay so loyal to. Now, I admit, that there’s a reference or two thrown in that this is a cultural difference within Asian communities, so this is something I’m not a part of and may not be able to fully understand all of the dynamics within. Still though (from my own perspective), I was dying for Vivian to grow a backbone and stand up to her parents. I was so thankful to see that she did this – AND she did this with Zero expectation that she’d end up with Dante (i.e. it wasn’t about a guy, it was about her and finding her own voice). Dante was a dreamboat. This was certainly a grumpy / sunshine trope and Dante took that very seriously. Even by the end, he didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of smiling (much less laughing). And yet, I couldn’t get enough of him. Although I think I personally come across as more ‘bubbly’ as a whole, I found Dante to be extremely relatable. His focus on revenge and his ability to hold a grudge felt wholly believable to me. I also loved watching Dante go through so much growth throughout this book. For someone who was completely closed off to the idea of liking Vivian (much less falling for her), watching him slowly but surely take the plunge was perfection. I even loved the fact that their relationship would take one step forward and then two steps back at times. Here again, the believability factor was top-notch. It was such a realistic love story (which I’m the biggest sucker for). Along those same lines, when Dante messes up, he grovels to get Vivian back. In a lot of romance novels, the groveling a man has to do when he’s made some major mistakes feels largely glossed over. He may apologize once, shoot a wink or a smile her way, and magically, the incident is forgotten and forgiven. That is NOT what happens in this book. Yes, the boy still gets the girl by the end, but they had to re-build the trust they’d had between them. Vivian didn’t fall back into his arms after one apology, or two, or three. It took time. Vivian gave him that time, but it wasn’t a magical fix. Their reconciliation never felt rushed. I LOVED how the author handled this entire situation. The romance was slow-burning throughout the story’s entirety. As I mentioned, only baby steps are ever made between the couple until both of them look up one day and realize they’re in love. How the story evolved (and the timeline that this book takes place in) was yet another point for the believability of the entire story. Additionally, the sexual tension between the characters was on point. Later on, there are several enjoyably smutty scenes that could keep readers occupied as well, but this is not a book with sex happening every other scene. The spice was really well done. The plot is really tied up with the romance. It revolved around the couple being in an arranged match and Dante seeking escape and retribution for having Vivian’s dad force his hand. Because I enjoyed their story together so much, it’s not surprising that I was on board with the plot as well. The writing style is probably something that surprised me the most. I’m not sure if I just haven’t picked the most well-written pieces of literature lately or what, but I was immediately hooked by this story. This was a novel I couldn’t put down. In fact, there was one point when I closed the book and set it on my end table trying to slow myself down and not zoom through the book too quickly. It was something I wanted to savor. Now, I’m not sure that really happened, because 10 minutes later, I’d grabbed to book back up and knocked out the last remaining 100 pages the same day I’d picked it up, but hey, I tried - and that’s not something I do very often. I think my biggest complaint about the novel revolves around a few REALLY cheesy l ...more |
Notes are private!
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3
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Feb 13, 2024
not set
not set
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Feb 13, 2024
not set
not set
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Aug 07, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B07QQDKH5X
| 4.45
| 12,864
| Apr 13, 2019
| Apr 11, 2019
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really liked it
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3.75* Way back in book #1, there seemed to be less world-building and more focus on the characters. It was a very character-driven novel. Since that ti 3.75* Way back in book #1, there seemed to be less world-building and more focus on the characters. It was a very character-driven novel. Since that time, additional world-building elements have continued to be introduced, but it was done in a way that’s been convoluted and confusing for any information we were supposed to have learned. While this book slightly builds on that unsteady foundation, this is the first novel in a while that I feel like has taken a step back (let us catch a world-building breather) and re-focused on the characters and the relationships they have with one another. Because of that, I’m ending this novel feeling more grounded, centered, and a whole lot less befuddled about what the heck is going on. Our world-building elements were finally able to take more of a backseat once again. That’s not to say that every tangled web was unraveled or that I suddenly got a rule-book breakdown of all of the characters, their backstory/abilities, or the monster politics, but it no longer seemed to take the lead focal point role, which allowed me to relax into the story more than I have during the last few novels. It was a relief to not be so frustratingly confused at every turn. One of the things I loved within this novel were some of the twists that occurred simply because Violet was smart enough to finagle signatures out of her clueless men. It was laughable as much as it was frustrating that the boys couldn’t look up from the television screen for 5 minutes for the woman they’re all claiming to love. But with their distraction, Violet was able to play a game of her own and I loved seeing her be a bit cunning, subtly manipulative, and utterly unpredictable for the monsters that are surrounding her. However, what I didn’t like was how much the boys continue to call her naïve, like she’s a child who can’t outsmart them because she’s only 26 compared to their centuries of experience/living. The amount of shock that was displayed at every turn by every single love interest was slightly offensive if they do, indeed, have deep and abiding feelings for Violet. Look, I get it, this series as a whole hasn’t shied away from using the word “naïve” to describe Violet. At this point, we’ve all gotten the message loud and clear (since I think it gets brought up at least once a chapter). But for every surprise curve-ball Violet throws out at Idun, the world, or even her men, it’s like they were never able to understand Violet’s thought process, her goals for the future/her Sanctuary, and what she was willing to do to build up this new House. They couldn’t seem to take her seriously and I grew tired and frustrated by their condescension toward her. Whether the guys were willing to admit it or not, Violet outplayed them over and over again throughout this book and they’re the one’s that need to catch up, not Violet. I’m a bit conflicted about Idun’s return. For all of the build-up to this evil villain, her return was a bit anti-climatic. We all know she’s playing a game with her nicey-nice, change-of-heart, attitude. But when she didn’t rise up kicking, screaming, and tearing the world apart, it was like, “that’s it? This is who everyone has been scared of?” as I rolled my eyes and re-evaluated the boys, their brains/cunning, and their power/influence on the supernatural community. I’m glad that this gave Violet time to get her plans in order (so this did work out), but it was still a bit disconcerting. One of the things I hated at the beginning of this book were the large time jumps from month-to-month (for 5 months) as Violet re-builds the hotel into a home. Not only did I not like how this was written and laid out in general, but I also hated some of the things that were going on during those 5 months. This mainly points to how big of jerks the boys are all being. Not ONE of the boys pays any attention to Violet at all during this time. They don’t touch her, catch up about her day/the hotels progress, offer opinions, read the laws that she’s passing, look up and see how quickly the hotel is getting done, notice that Violet’s ex has been hanging around this entire time, or even notice that Violet hasn’t slept a wink (because of how hard she’s been working) and is utterly exhausted. FOUR MEN. Not one of the FOUR of them could take a break from the 24/7 Idun TV to pay one iota of attention the woman they want to love for the rest of their lives. I mean, seriously? Could the guys have been worse? And yet, the bad start to this novel turned into one of my favorite parts where Violet calls them out and breaks up with all of them. She stood up for herself, recognized what she deserved, and threw the boys out with the trash. The fact that Violet took a stand like that made me so excited. Yes, I was (and am) still hoping for the Happily Ever After ending, but the boys needed a kick in the pants to realize that they were letting the RIGHT girl slip through their fingers while they refused to take their eyes off of the WRONG girl. I don’t think their attention could’ve snapped back so well into place to where it needed to be if Violet hadn’t been willing to take that step and say goodbye (which was NOT a ploy to get them back). Even with a breakup though, the relationships still seem to be progressing. As I’ve said before, the relationship dynamics are one of my favorite things about this series and I’m addicted to this 5-person crew. While Violet breaks up with the boys in the beginning of the book and they work to wiggle back into her good graces throughout the rest of the novel, the author seemed to remember, at a certain point, that we’re in book #5 and she needed to start really locking things down if she was going to complete this series within the 6-book limit. Because of that, by the end, she went all-out on the drama as she forced relationships to go further. While I don’t hate the romantic turns this book took (like Emit’s wolf claiming Violet as his mate for the next several centuries) the switch that got flipped at that point felt rushed. Instead of Emit and Violet really getting to have a conversation and make up naturally, we take 5 giant leaps ahead, where they become bound together for life (or at least a very very long time). I wish the progression had made a bit more sense even though I’ve been waiting (and continue to wait) for something like this to happen with each of the boys. While I didn’t set my expectations too high, one reviewer had promised more relationship development and smut throughout this novel than what we’ve seen in prior books. So, while I wasn’t expecting spice to litter every page, I was expecting the highly-anticipated uptick in the spicey scenes I crave (especially since we’re now in book #5 of a RH series). But is that really what we got? The answer is a resounding “No.” From books #2-#5, we’ve seen a very consistent amount of spice. While I do think there was room for just a smidgen more within the second-to-last novel within the series, if I hadn’t had the expectation that things would get dialed up a notch or two going into the book, I think what I was presented with within this novel would’ve been as fine and dandy as any of the other novels. That’s the frustrating thing about expectations: it’s always a disappointment when they don’t live up to whatever standard you’ve set in your head. The only spice that occurs is between Emit mating her and one little blip with Arion. I was a bit worried about Anna returning to the series and, while her grand re-entrance into the story was another anti-climatic moment (since she just blended right back in like she’d never left at all), I didn’t hate her and didn’t find her as annoying as I was worried I might. But, I also feel like her character is no longer needed or relevant to the story. She doesn’t really serve much of a purpose and I feel like her importance has been over-hyped the last several novels. Violet should’ve let Anna go – there really wasn’t any sense in bringing her back from the final decay. Plus, I don’t think it’s a good sign that she seems more powerful either. In this novel, Violet takes a stand for a shifter she doesn’t know and refuses to share her secrets with Violet. In doing so, Violet takes a beating by Idun that went beyond what even the Alpha’s are expected to endure. On one hand, this plot device seemed a bit silly. Why would Violet take such a significant stand for someone that she only just met and who seems a bit shady to boot? It didn’t make a lot of sense. However, what I did like is the result. Not only do we get to see Idun’s mask slip throughout this process as her cruelty shines through, but I loved seeing Violet put the boys (and other Alphas) in their place for their complacency and heartlessness, I loved watching Violet taunt the big-bad Idun that everyone is oh-so scared of, and I loved the result of her beating, which just made everyone love Violet all the more. Violet is carving out a place for herself (and her Omega sanctuary) in a world that doesn’t make room for anyone/anything new or different. But Violet isn’t letting anyone around her say, “no” and I adored how strong this made Violet’s character seem (even as everyone saw her being beaten – which you’d think would make someone seem weak). The doormat Violet can sometimes appear to be blossomed into a true monster (with a big heart) as she stood up for the ones that can’t fight for themselves. Overall, this book kicked things back into gear for me. I was glad the story seemed to get back on track with focusing on the characters and there continues to be an addictive quality about these novels that has me coming back for more. I’m really excited to see what the final novel will bring! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 13, 2024
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May 14, 2024
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Jun 15, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B07NSGDZCG
| 4.33
| 14,205
| Feb 14, 2019
| Feb 14, 2019
|
liked it
|
3.25* During my reviews of the first two novels, I mentioned how little focus the novels had in regards to the plot. There was a lack of direction and 3.25* During my reviews of the first two novels, I mentioned how little focus the novels had in regards to the plot. There was a lack of direction and the characters didn’t seem to have any kind of driving motivation. Within Gypsy Origins (book #3), this started to change as the fear of Idun returning began to take shape and the characters were also faced with addressing the issue of the Omega werewolf horde – who’d captured our heroine in the cliffhanger scene. The plot was becoming more solid and direct. As this novel begins, Violet and Shera are firmly sitting in the hands of their werewolf captors, but this ‘threat’ gets taken care of rather quickly, and Emit is even in the background finally starting to take care of some in-House business that he’s failed to address for the past several years. At the same time this is occurring (and well beyond it), the threat of Idun still looms large, but now we also get Violet’s mother, Marta, thrown in the mix (and all of the complications her re-appearance presents). There are some additional (albeit minor) ghost issues (with the triplets possession of Violet), not to mention all of the character-driven elements that occur within the story. All of that to say that even though I complained about a lack of direction within previous novels within this series, I’m now complaining about there being too many things going on within this story. The plot felt chaotic and unfocused in the sense that the characters seemed to approach any of their problems in a fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants kind of way. Even within character dialogue, any discussions about the challenges they’re going to face seem to devolve into petty arguments and/or everyone would end up getting distracted while no actual planning (or such a very miniscule amount that it was hardly worth notice) was ever really being done. I think this would’ve been fine had the author done a better job keeping her characters in line and not getting side-tracked by every ‘SQUIRREL’ that passes by. If one issue was solved, another would pop up to keep the story going. Everything about it just felt messy. It also helped to create confusion about the world-building and what exactly was going on/the significance of something. While I think I have a slightly better grasp on certain things that felt dumped on me from the prior novel, there still seems to be a lot I don’t understand. The world-building is not clear or concise, making the entire structure feel murky and muddled. I don’t have a lot of confidence in my knowledge of anything pertaining to Violet and by book #4, that’s kind of a problem. As another example, I don’t really understand how Idun can be such a big issue for the guys. Yes, Idun is an Alpha, and yes, she’s able to draw power from her people somehow (I guess?), but even still, she’s outnumbered by at least Damien, Vance, and Emit (if not Arion). 1000 years is also a really, really long time and I don’t understand how she still has so many followers – so much so that they’ve not only been trying to help behind the scenes while she’s still been underground, but also enough to help her acclimate to her new world when she wakes up. What’s with the devotion and loyalty here? People forget, people move on, and people find a new way of life, even for immortals. Being that wholly devoted for a millennium (when you’ve lived on your own, had your own freedoms, and didn’t have to live in fear of a monster hurting/destroying them in a petty rage) doesn’t make sense. The threat that Idun poses feels over-hyped (especially since we haven’t even met her yet) and I kind of just want to ‘get on with it’ where she’s concerned. Four books into a series, I expect to have a better general grasp on the world than what I do with this novel. But there is still soooo much I simply can’t seem to wrap my mind around. The author has done such a shoddy job of laying out her world that I genuinely don’t really know what’s what or why it matters. Specifically within this novel, for example, there are TONS of references to apples-and-oranges. Even though this was used multiple times, do I have any clue what this is even referring to? NOPE. Stop using these odd-ball phrases to drive your points home when your readers don’t understand the concept of the phrase to begin with! It felt like the author has tried to lay so many answers at our feet throughout the past two novels but it was all done in such a tangled, twisted, and complicated way that I no longer have any clue what “answers” I was supposed to have gleaned – nor do I even know what questions I should now be asking anymore. It’s like we were given all (or most) of the pieces to the puzzle but instead of being able to connect the pieces together to start to form a picture, they’re just put in a box and shaken up every 5 seconds so that a clear picture never forms. What’s right is left, what’s up is down, and I don’t know where this world is supposed to stand at all. Also, I’m not trying to ‘yuck anyone’s yum’ here, but the doll thing was all-around weird right? Violet is collecting dolls (which she keeps in her closet) and she gets REALLY excited when she’s gifted with a new doll – even a hideous little monster doll like what’s on the cover. (Because, you know, Violet is supposed to be oh so SIMPLE.) Does this weird anyone else out a little? Dolls don’t even bother me (like in scary movies) but this almost felt like Violet was suddenly stripped of her more adult traits and reduced to that of a toddler with the way she responded when her mom gave this doll to her. In Gypsy Origins (book #3) Violet started talking to Anna even though she had already gone through the ‘final decay,’ turned into a pile of salt, and was (obviously) no longer hanging around. It was strange and I didn’t like it, but there was only the casual comment here or there. In Gypsy Moon (book #4), this seems to intensify in the extreme and Violet would have dialogue with NO ONE for pages and pages and pages at a time. I was sitting there thinking, “WTF is going on right now?” multiple times. And look, I liked Anna in book #1 and was sad to see her die in book #2, but I didn’t LOVE her and with her death feeling imminent from the very beginning, I didn’t think much of her drifting off into the ether (or whatever was supposed to have happened). But Violet’s growing obsession with keeping Anna close to her has just gotten ridiculous throughout this novel. I think that this is foreshadowing for Anna to return, but I really hope I’m wrong with that guess. The relationships Violet needs to focus on are with her mom and her four lovers – not with the twice dead ghost that disappeared from the scene 2 books ago. Let her go, already. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but a RH series should have a decent amount of spice, correct? Well not apparently in this book. To some extent, I’ve loved the slow-burn of the romantic pairings. Nothing has happened quickly and feelings have seemed to develop in a natural and realistic way (which I always love). However, by the end of book #3, Violet had slept with 3 of the boys and had even had a menage a trois with Vance and Damien. I was expecting some fun smut in this book (and more of it than we’ve seen in the other books so far). But that’s not at all what I got. We have some behind-the-scenes things happening with Vance (when he gets her to himself for 2 days), and one scene with Arion, but that’s it. To make matters worse, the scene with Arion wasn’t exactly what’d I’d call well-done. Violet’s sudden change of heart in the moment felt abrupt and weird. But then (after all of the bragging that Arion had done about his sexual prowess) there was ZERO amount of foreplay while Arion just ‘shoves it in’ – even though he’d been willing to go down on her just a few minutes prior. I loved that Arion and Violet did come together (and I hope that Arion is willing to forsake his first love for a healthier and non-toxic relationship with Violet) but the setup and execution just felt off. I didn’t hate it once it was happening nor did I hate it after the fact, but everything leading up to it in the hotel room was not organized well. (And this doesn’t even take into account that Violet’s mom was listening in on them all night long…ew, gross. It make it feel even weirder.) Despite the lack of a lot of progression in the romance department throughout this book, there’s still something about the characters and their relationships that have me coming back for more. From the start, I’ve admitted that the characters are what have captured my attention and they’re what continue to draw me back in when my head is about to explode with the terrible and disorganized world-building. Yes, there are minor blips of annoying things that happen (probably especially where Violet is concerned), but the characters intrigue and delight the vast majority of the time. There’s something about them and the developing relationships that is so incredibly addicting and I’m honestly having a pretty good time reading this series (even if my ratings have dropped a bit since book #1). I know that this was more of a complaint-filled review, but I don’t think I can stress enough how much, despite everything I just said, I really am enjoying this series overall. I know I just said that, but it bears repeating. I may not be able to explain the magic of these characters well, but they have me coming back for more without a second thought and make all of these complaints feel more like background noise than real front-and-center problems while you’re reading along. I’m still excited to dive into book #5 (where I heard that the spice is going to pick up, so fingers crossed!!) ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 12, 2024
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May 12, 2024
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Jun 15, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B07N4F5R2S
| 4.36
| 15,373
| Jan 25, 2019
| Jan 25, 2019
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really liked it
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3.5* Gypsy Origins (book #3) took a bit of turn compared to its predecessors. It was still a good book and I was glued to the pages from start to finis 3.5* Gypsy Origins (book #3) took a bit of turn compared to its predecessors. It was still a good book and I was glued to the pages from start to finish, but it also left a lot to be desired at certain points. There is something incredibly hooking and engaging about this series and that magic was definitely still present, but the flaws are beginning to show a little and I’m hoping the author can turn things back around in the next book. With that being said, I still rated this novel pretty high (at 3.5*), which is respectable all on its own. The prior two novels were just quite a bit better, so even though this is still a solid novel, it also feels like a bit of a letdown within the overall series so far. As with the others before it, this too is a character-driven story, so the relationships continue to be the stars of the show. Violet winning over Emit felt inevitable by the end of book #2 and after going on a ‘hunt’ with him and Vance, it’s not long before that comes to fruition. While I loved this and knew it had been on the horizon, when it actually occurs, the setup felt a little rushed. I think if the progression had been just a little slower as Violet and Emit’s attention get turned solely on each other, it would’ve been even more impactful. As is, there was nothing bad about it and was actually pretty fun, but I think the author has the capacity for a better build and she didn’t take it. We also get some fun spice between Violet, Vance, and Damien. After a Portocale dies and the boys are in the process of going through the curse, Violet is there to help care for and comfort each of them. Even though we never get a full conciliatory scene between Violet and Damien (after he messed things up in book #2), the progression and how they found themselves in a three-way seemed to make sense. It helps that Violet and Vance had had a conversation earlier on and they had kind of made up (not so much in the ‘let’s sleep together again’ way, but Violet now understands that Vance didn’t really mean to reject her, he was just scared of taking advantage before she knew the truth – especially since he was convinced she’d hate them when that outed). However, even though I didn’t mind Vance, Violet, and Damien coming together in that way, I will say that the scene wasn’t quite as juicy as I’d hope something like that would be. It was okay…it just wasn’t quite as good as I was expecting. Arion is feeling a little left out in the love department when Violet refuses to take him to her bed now that she’s slept with Emit. Arion and his audacity are just truly mind-boggling. Arion is a chauvinist and a jerk. It’s crazy how much certain things go over his head and how he can’t read the room at all sometimes. But oddly, this makes him endearing too? I think largely this has to do with how committed (at least temporarily) to Violet he is and how much he’s willing to protect her. But then he’ll go and say something mean (even if he’s not really intending it to be mean) and we circle back to square one. He’s a fun character to try to figure out. I think what I love most about the evolving relationships between Violet and the guys is how Violet feels about them all. Yes, she cares about each of them. She’s empathetic to the curses they suffer and is willing to put herself at risk to break the curses she can on their behalf. However (and I think especially with the complication of Idun right on the horizon), Violet is viewing the guys as only temporary fixtures in her life (since she – sadly – thinks she’s going to get replaced anyway). She’s not thinking about forever or even something long-term with any of them. For now, she’s trying to view it as ‘just sex,’ and even though that’s not wholly how any of the boys feel, I still appreciate that this is still a slow-burn in terms of genuine romance developing between any of them. There are no thoughts of love just yet (or even ‘I like you’ admissions) and that makes the novel feel more realistic and believable (something I always appreciate). However, Violet herself could be a bit of an idiot throughout this book. Now, this isn’t really something new to the story, but her choices at different points just lack any sort of common sense at all – and yet it still mostly ends up working out in her favor?? I think the biggest complaint I had regarding Violet in this book was how much she empathizes with the horde of Omega’s who attack her and the boys. It’s clear they have at least 2 coffins (one for Emit and the other for Vance) that are designed for the Alpha monsters and are ready to go (based on their initial run-in with the horde and overhearing part of their conversation). Plus, the horde had no qualms at all about killing Violet (who they don’t initially know anything about). Violet takes the time to learn some of their names and encourages the guys to show some compassion to the horde. But guess what happens? That compassion comes to bite her (and Shera, who just happened to be with Violet at the time) in the butt when Abby – the horde’s leader Omega and Ian’s daughter – shows up to kidnap her as bait to lure in all 4 of the Alphas. The events aren’t really what bother me, it’s Violet’s attitude that’s grating. You can be soft-hearted and kind as a general rule but don’t go mushy on the same wolves that were literally out for the blood of you and your lovers. Her loyalties and priorities (including basic survival – or at least survival in terms of not going out of your way to die) were just way off. Plus, I’m a bit confused at the end when Abby mentioned they may have tried to kill Violet in the past? (Maybe as part of the cult?) I’m struggling to figure out how Idun was able to connect Vampires and Werewolves for this cause (since we know vampires were already involved from a previous book) but it’s also weird because Abby didn’t (and may still not fully) recognize Violet for what she is. I’m not entirely sure what’s supposed to be happening with the cliff-hanger scene. I also don’t really understand the purpose of Violet’s dad popping back into Violet’s life. When he left last time, Violet didn’t think he’d be back for another 8 months or more, but in no time at all, he’s suddenly worried and concerned about her again. It feels a bit weird and disingenuous and the only reason I can think of for why he’s present in this novel is to help Arion learn Violet’s secret (which the others already know) and some information about Marta. It was random and unnecessary unless Tom is suddenly going to jump back into Violet’s life and be more of a father to her. We finally get some answers into what Violet is within this novel! Yay! Mystery solved…sort of. Although it’s been an irritating factor within the past two novels that we haven’t known more about the monster that Violet turns into when she panics, I still feel about as ‘clear as mud’ with certain elements. (I’m not sure how, but suddenly Violet realizes she’s an Omega? What happened with the Neopry monsters and the sacrifice? Marta – her mom – is supposed to be THE Marta, whatever that means?) Unfortunately, as the world building is continuing to evolve, develop, and reveal itself to us, it did it in a very info-dumpy kind of way. There were a lot of details and complexities thrown at us and I get the feeling that I’ve only absorbed about half of what I should have. Throughout this process, Violet repeatedly complains about being on information-overload with a need to sit back and process everything. And boy o’ boy do I understand that feeling. But not only was it hard to put the book down to do that, it still feels like I only know bits and pieces of the world – not nearly enough of it to be able to put together a full picture. I hate how information was disbursed throughout this novel because all it seemed to do was muddy up the waters. I’m sure the world will continue to become clearer as the world gets built on this foundation (since we finally learn not only what Violet is but the story behind why the boys were always so afraid Violet would hate them when she found out the horrible things they’d done in the past), but as for this novel, it felt a little sloppy and haphazard. I was left feeling really confused half the time and really dissatisfied the other half. In fact, during one of the most emotional scenes within this novel (when Violet has a breakdown), I had a hard time grabbing onto the same emotion and feeling. I didn’t feel connected to what Violet was going through and was fairly unsympathetic. The frustrating thing about this is that it had the potential to rock my world, but instead just sort of fell short and fell apart. It didn’t carry that emotional power it needed and I was left thinking ‘whomp, whomp.’ The writing style and editing of this book were also big disappointments. I think because of the messy way the world-building was handled (especially since there was a lot of it), the writing felt more lackluster than it has in the prior two novels. The flow that has been present in the past, really struggled here and the pacing (outside of the character relationships) was awful. Plus, the editing was atrocious. There were sooo many mistakes made that were utterly distracting and I had to re-read multiple sentences to make them make sense. What the heck happened here? The prior two books did NOT have this same issue. This novel was a bit of a mess in some respects. However, there is something truly addicting about this story and it was always hard to put the novel down even if it did get ridiculous or info-dumpy in certain parts. I’m still intrigued and I like the characters. I think this novel, in particular, had the potential to be better (which is the most frustrating complaint I have), but I’m still anxious to learn what comes next. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 11, 2024
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May 12, 2024
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Jun 14, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B07MJ2FWLT
| 4.38
| 17,311
| Jan 04, 2019
| Jan 04, 2019
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really liked it
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4.25* Lately, it feels like for every new series I start, at least half of the second (or third) books within that series suffer greatly from the dread 4.25* Lately, it feels like for every new series I start, at least half of the second (or third) books within that series suffer greatly from the dreaded ‘second book syndrome.’ Obviously, with a total of six books within this series, there are still plenty of opportunities for the author to make some ill-advised choices, but as for Gypsy Freak (book #2) that’s not at all what occurs and I couldn’t be happier about it. Gypsy Blood (book #1) was clearly and introduction book. We had a lot of characters to meet and at least mildly get to know, we had to learn about the already largely-established relationship dynamics between the boys in addition to Violet’s individual budding connections with them, and a world to familiarize ourselves with. While relationships do evolve and progress throughout this novel, I think Gypsy Freak (book #2) allowed some leeway for us to dive into the story a bit more. It felt like there was less pressure within this novel for the author to get all of the players and significant need-to-know items out on the board. I don’t want to tell you that this book wasn’t hooking, engaging, or exciting (because it was all of those things), but in certain ways, it also felt more relaxed and we, as readers, could unwind into the story in turn. And, what’s more, is that Gypsy Freak packs its own kind of punch. I was already invested in the story and fully engaged with the characters, so I didn’t need a ton of convincing, but this was yet another novel by this author that I didn’t want to put down. This book had me eating out of the palm of its hand as I raced to find out what was going to happen next. You know this is a reverse harem series and even though overall, I love how the relationships are all progressing, it’s irritating to me when a heroine is blinded by attraction. This is a bit nitpicky because things could be so much worse than they are (something I’ve seen countless times), but I don’t like it when someone like Arion can basically say that he’s using Violet to bring the OG band back together, that Violet is a gullible little girl who’s starved for attention, and that all the boys need to do to win her over is throw a compliment her way and be even slightly charming. Violet overhears Arion say this and gets hurt/mad about it, but when she goes to confront Arion, she gets distracted by Arion’s overall sex appeal and winds up kissing him instead. STOP IT! He’s being mean right now (even if he’s slightly oblivious about it). So Violet needs to get a grip and wrangle her hormones back into line. Arion isn’t the only one this happens with. Violet seems to forgive easily and she doesn’t hold a grudge. So, more than one character can be unkind to her one minute and nice to her the next and Violet just sort of ‘goes with the flow.’ It’s a little maddening and I wish the boys who’ve messed up had to work a little harder to get back into Violet’s good graces. Regardless of this though, I still love how her relationships with the boys are playing out. The pacing for this story is perfect in this regard. With some “help” (i.e. humorous trickery) from Anna, Violet ends up sleeping with Vance first (with, unbeknownst to Violet, Damien in the room). While they seem to have a lovely time together, Vance basically just ignores the fact that it happened and Violet thinks that Vance feels really awkward (and possibly regretful?) about the whole situation. (Vance doesn’t feel that way at all and is really interested in Violet, he just doesn’t show it.) Violet tries to communicate (and Vance could correct her misconstrued assumptions), but Vance stays silent for reasons that are beyond me. Because of this, there’s some emotional withdraw from both of them so their relationship stops any kind of forward progression/progress but, weirdly enough, I don’t really mind this (at least for now). Violet engages with Vance when she needs to but isn’t pursing him in any way (and Vance has yet to get his butt in gear, so it’s really just a waiting game). What had initially been ‘creepy’ behavior from Damien (his stalking/constantly watching Violet under his illusion guise) starts to become endearing to Violet as their friendship blossoms. He’s the only one (other than the slightly broken relationship she had with Ace in book #1) that has really tried to actively get to know Violet (even if some of it has been through questionable means). I love their friendship together and I love how charged that becomes at Violet’s 26th birthday party, where both of their minds get blown. The spice in this chapter was wonderful but Damien’s behavior afterward (when he lost control but Violet didn’t die) was cold and indifferent. Violet doesn’t understand why he’s shut down so significantly and, here again, this causes some emotional withdraw from both parties (but this feels more significant because of the friendship that had been so much more present for both of them). We learn why Damien is being such a jerk by the end, but it’s frustrating because of how wrong his assumptions were. Apparently an entire flower shop of flowers is supposed to ‘fix’ everything but I hope Violet doesn’t jump back into his arms now that he knows he was so wrong to begin with. Arion wants to be the last person to seduce Violet into bed (for unknown reasons). It’s clear he’s still extremely fascinated by Violet but their relationship feels the most bumpy because of the betrayal from book 1. His callous comments about Violet throughout the book don’t help so, while there’s still something about him that is alluring and I’m still excited to see where the story goes with his character, he’s also the one that makes me the most wary and distrustful. The next in line is Emit. Despite being physically present through much of this novel, Emit has had the least to do with Violet. While it may not be true, he hasn’t even seemed all that interested in Violet one way or the other (not with getting to know her OR with sleeping with her). I think he’ll be next to take a more romantic plunge now that she’s nursing him back to health after a Portocale death and the traumatic experience they just went through together (when he watches Violet’s dead body become not-so-dead-at-all in addition to seeing her monster come out when they’re being buried alive together). With the most puzzle pieces in his hand, I’m hoping Emit will have the answers to what, exactly, Violet is and why she has the abilities she does. I’m also hoping this is something he keeps from the rest of the group for now, because I’m not sure how well the others will respond just yet. Hopefully this secret can tie Violet and Emit together a bit more. There is no insta-love in this series. This is a slow-burn for sure. Yes, Violet has now slept with two of them, but there aren’t any real emotional attachments yet and certainly no feelings of “love.” I know I said this before, but I love the pacing this story has and it makes it feel so much more realistic and believable. One relationship I was sad to see leave the story so soon was Anna. After the trickery I mentioned that Anna pulled with Vance, her final decay occurs, and Anna turns into a pile of salt. While she was cooky and ridiculous, she brought a lot of humor to the story and I had liked all of the stunts she pulled in the prior novel. (Although I do think this would’ve gotten old had she been in the series long-term). I’m so impressed with the author for doing this and not keeping Anna around for longer than she was supposed to be/long enough for Anna’s ‘charm’ to turn annoying. It was really sad, but I also kind of loved it. This did make way for Violet to make some new friends though with the omega wolves. That’s been a lot of fun and I think it’s hilarious that they moved into Violet’s home (although they might be moving back to Emit’s now that Violet has been attacked?) Either way, it was fun to see some additional ladies get introduced. One of the things that I continue to hate though, is how much we’re still left in the dark about Violet and the ‘monster’ within her. It was so interesting to see what happens when Violet panics and the utter destruction she can cause (in a very short time frame). I’m so interested to learn what she is and why she does indeed seem to be a ‘gypsy freak.’ But I should already know a lot more of the details than I do here. As readers, we have an inside peak into the characters’ heads. Not only do I have a front row seat to what Violet is thinking (and the information she already knows) but later on, when a couple of the boys are beginning to put together some of the puzzle pieces, we should also be privy to the options they’re running through as well. Instead, there are only hints and innuendos to something we don’t yet understand and can’t begin to guess at. The author is trying to be intriguing, enticing, and mysterious by withholding this information. And, I honestly can’t say it’s not working at all. The chase for answers is certainly a fun ride to be on. BUT, it doesn’t negate the fact that we are inside these characters’ heads. While perhaps less fun, these novels could’ve been written in third-person, for example, which would’ve made more sense if this mystery was important enough to drag out. I hate it when this plot device is used. It makes it feel really manipulative. Nevertheless, with Violet not dying after sleeping with Damien and her literally healing in front of Emit only to then go full monster on the wolves that had killed and taken her (believing her to be collateral damage to a war they wanted to start), we’re one step closer to secrets outing. This is a very character driven series. The plot isn’t the main focus and, while things are certainly happening in the background, the characters and their relationships with one another are what are really taking center-stage. With that being said, the plot could still use some work. I mentioned in my review of book #1 that there wasn’t a clear direction on where this story was going. There aren’t any real goals the characters are striving toward. The plot still feels murky (especially with the death of Ian and his motley crew of werewolf rebels within this book). There may be other villains out there for the characters to face and defeat (like this mysterious “cult” that keeps being casually mentioned), but hunting them down and eliminating them as threats isn’t a motivation for any of our crew. We’re just drifting along in the story and it can sometimes feel like we’re just flitting from one scene to the next with only the loosest of plotlines keeping us together. We need a better focal point and driving force to the story. The world-building continues to grow from the foundation that was set in book 1, but the level of detail that this contains is still a little lacking. You don’t notice this as much going through the novel and it’s easier to ignore, but sitting back, there’s still a lot I don’t know and don’t understand. At some points, it’s like the author phrases things in a way that almost seems like readers should know what she’s referring to or referencing. I don’t like those assumptions though and wish the author would just spell it out for the people in the back. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to see what happens next! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 09, 2024
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May 10, 2024
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Jun 14, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1649375808
| 9781649375803
| 1649375808
| 3.92
| 147,517
| Aug 29, 2023
| Aug 29, 2023
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really liked it
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4.25* “This is what I think it would be like if I was morally gray fantasy villain’s personal assistant….” Somehow, I got caught up in Hannah’s story s 4.25* “This is what I think it would be like if I was morally gray fantasy villain’s personal assistant….” Somehow, I got caught up in Hannah’s story snippets at the very beginning of her journey when she’d only posted 2 or 3 scenes on TikTok. And ever since that first video, I’ve been hooked (not only by how the story itself was evolving but by Hannah herself too). Watching episode after episode over the last few years has been so much fun. Knowing Hannah had also started working on her Assistant to the Villain book fairly early on was both exciting and worrisome. As much as I wanted her book (whenever it came out) to be good, I was wary about the end result. I’d already been burned by another BookToker’s novel at the time she mentioned working on a novel herself and, as hopeful as I was, I was going to see what really came of this and approach it (should a book deal actually happen) with caution. Well, obviously, Hannah worked her tail off and the book was born…now I just had to work up the courage to read it. It was a frightening endeavor; would my love for Evie and the Villain (in the episodes) be destroyed by the novel? Would the characters and the story that I had grown to love still evoke the same feeling within a new outlet or would they crumble under the “pressure” of bound pages? Would I still like them when this was all over? It was quite the dilemma. But from the moment Assistant to the Villain (book #1) first came out, it went on my TBR list. And yesterday, I finally managed to wrangle my courage together and open up the novel. I can’t say that the “vibe” of the story was exactly the same as it had been within the TikTok episodes. The book felt different than what I had originally been introduced to, but no less captivating. There was more depth to the world-building, more development with the characters, and a clear focus and direction for where the story needed to go. I had wanted to be drawn into the story and the book was good enough that that’s exactly what happened. I missed some of the episode interactions between Evie and the Villain from the videos, but I think it was a great idea by the author to keep the same general connection between the Villain and Evie, while also diverging a bit from the videos she’d already created. Including every little thing probably would’ve tripled or quadrupled the book’s length, a lot of the interactions wouldn’t have added much to the overall storyline, and the plot would’ve felt more chaotic and messy if she had. My one complaint in this area is that, before you can even see the map at the beginning of the novel, I was promised a laugh-out-loud good time. While I probably smiled and laughed my way through most of the Evie/Villain episodes, the book didn’t have the same humor. I don’t want to say that it was completely un-funny, but it was more generally amusing than laugh-out-loud. I think I only actually “laughed” once toward the end of the book. However, I adored the fact that this was dual POV. In the TikTok episodes, we pretty much only ever got Evie’s point of view. Getting the Villain’s was a dream. I really enjoyed Evie’s character (which really wasn’t much of a surprise). She was sunshine to the Villain’s grumpiness while at the same time, she had a quality about her that said she didn’t mind violence and would kill for those she loved. I loved how selfless she was and how much she was doing to provide for her family. She was a bit clumsy and sometimes rather scatterbrained which made me want to snap my fingers in her face and say “focus” once or twice, but she was too endearing to stay annoyed with for long. I hated to see how much of her “sunshine” personality was forced though. How much work she had to do to paste a smile on her face when that wasn’t something she felt like doing. Her character made me a little sad. I hated the inconsistencies with how Evie is viewed though. For example, when the boss accuses Evie of something he should’ve trusted her on and Evie quits, the office falls apart. It’s stated (or implied) repeatedly that Evie has become ‘vital’ to the daily operation of the office and how much everyone likes her. And yet, later on, Evie and the Villain overhear 2 interns bad-mouthing her. It’s clear they don’t really respect her or think well of her, making several contemptuous and disdainful comments about Evie’s character. So…was Evie loved by everyone, or wasn’t she? It can’t be both, but this book presents it like it is and there never seems to be a problem with that. Trystan is the Villain in this tale – although he seems more like a rebel vigilante once the true story comes out about why he hates the King. I still think the “professional” background of this novel (with Trystan’s assistants, interns, secretaries, animal trainers, guards, and HR representatives) is a hilarious and clever concept. This book had the capacity to turn really gory with all of the torture and murder that seems to take place, but we (as readers) are kept at a bit of a distance from anything too messy. Still though, there’s no denying that Trystan is the morally gray villain I was hoping he’d turn out to be. Based on my established expectations of who I thought the villain would/should be, I expected him to hate everyone but Evie. And in some ways (at least in the beginning) this appears to be true. However, as the story goes on and Trystan falls under Evie’s spell more and more, his attitude seemed to change. He wasn’t cruel, or heartless, or lacking compassion for others – even though he still tried to play it off like he was. Instead, the moment he started to open his heart to Evie, he started to let others in too (although not to the same extent). He was nicer to the animals, the interns, and he even seemed to start the journey toward mending his relationships with his dad, brother, and sister. He complimented a couple of his employees and had a “favorite” guard. While she had a big part to play in the small changes we see, I never really got the feeling that Evie was his whole world, and I missed that. Despite the fact that we do get Trystan’s POV during the story, there was something that was a little lackluster about it as the novel progressed. While it was clear he had feelings for Evie, there was something about his thoughts and emotions (even behind ‘closed doors’) that always felt really repressed. There wasn’t as much depth within his perspective as needed. I couldn’t feel his longing/yearning, the tension, the angst, or even the love he claimed to have for her. We get hints that it’s there, so that when he has the epiphany that he’s in love with her, it’s not totally out of left-field, but there was still something mildly detached about it too. The romance between Evie and Trystan was cute, as I knew it would be. I do wish we’d been able to feel more tension between characters and their draw to one another though. Even though I complained about Trystan’s feelings specifically, Evie wasn’t far behind with a similar complaint. Neither character seemed to focus on the other (at least when it came to having any romantic thoughts). Evie had some self-talk moments to not think about anything non-work related when it came to her boss, but I wish the feelings both of them were developing for the other person could’ve been explored just a little bit more. I did love the kiss though. Minus the cussing, this book did feel a bit YA. I’ve heard it’s meant to be a more “adult” book in the future, but this one really wasn’t. It was a very mild book and there’s only the one kiss between them. I wish there had been more to the romance. This is a cozy fantasy read and I really enjoyed the plot. Trying to figure out who the mysterious traitor was and how they were sabotaging the Villain’s plans, not to mention the twists at the end, kept me on the edge of my seat as I was along for the ride. There’s something to be said for the ‘enjoyability’ factor within novels, and knowing how much influence the Villain and his assistant had already had on my perception, I couldn’t help but fall in love from the very first page. Even now, the very idea of this story makes me a bit giddy. However, like other aspects of this novel, the plot lacked some intensity and force. I’m still not sure we’ve learned the entire backstory between the Villain and the King, but their complicated story that’s led the Villain to the path he’s on today seemed a bit lackluster. There’s enough there where it didn’t have to feel this way, but there was something a little ‘whomp whomp’ about it too. While the world-building was an improvement from the episodes, it wasn’t perfect. It lacked clarity and the map, while funny, wasn’t very helpful. I was never really sure where things were (in relation to Evie’s village, but also to the Gleaming Palace or where, within the forest, ‘Massacre Manor’ was). There wasn’t much explanation regarding the magic system and how/when magic appeared (ex: I would’ve thought it would’ve appeared for Evie after all she’s been through if it did that for the trauma of other people?), the magical weapons/chains, or the fearsome creatures. We could’ve gotten a few more details, and I would’ve appreciated it. This was, instead, a very character-driven book. So no, this wasn’t the most well-written novel I’ve ever come across and yes, there were some minor editing issues I think could’ve been fixed, but at the same time, this novel was just fun. It was lighthearted and entertaining, and I was glued to every page. It’s a fast-paced romp that I sped through quickly and didn’t want to put down. The ending had some twists I didn’t see coming and it has me itching to get my hands on book #2 when it comes out in August. I don’t know Hannah, but I’ve loved following her journey online from the start. I’ve been a silent and distant bystander, cheering her on as she pursued her dreams and I’m so proud of her for what she’s accomplished with this novel. I’m excited to see what she comes up with next. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 06, 2024
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Apr 07, 2024
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Jun 11, 2024
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Paperback
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| B0CFK9SM87
| 3.84
| 11,360
| unknown
| Sep 07, 2023
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really liked it
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3.5* To be completely candid, I didn’t know what I was going to be getting myself into when I purchased this book. I saw a little mini promotion for th 3.5* To be completely candid, I didn’t know what I was going to be getting myself into when I purchased this book. I saw a little mini promotion for the novel on TikTok and thought, “Eh, why not?” But, when I took a look at the reviews on Goodreads, I was surprised by how many 1 star and DNF ratings I was confronted with on the first page (despite the 3.8 star overall rating). I’ve taken the bait on books based on the social media hooks too many times over the past couple years and even though I knew I was potentially falling into a trap yet again, I couldn’t help it; I was intrigued. However, it’s crazy how fast I got completely sucked into the storyline. It’s a fun, exciting, and fast-paced read contained mainly within the atmospheric and historic Oxford campus. There’s a mystery to be solved, clues to find, leads to follow, secret societies to uncover, and an attacker’s life to burn to the ground. Plus, there’s a gorgeous and distracting professor as well as some out-of-the-box parties to attend. Mix all of that up, and it was hard not be drawn in to the story. Tessa is the grief-stricken sister out for justice and revenge on the person she blames for the loss of her sister’s life, she just needs to find him. Even though she’s in the enviable position of being in Oxford, she’s not here for school; she’s on a mission for Wren and it’s hard not to like Tessa for her determination to find the truth. She was a character I enjoyed. Saint is more of a mystery to me (but I could honestly just be reading into that). When we’re first introduced to him, he’s quite the man about town with a reputation to boot. Known for his wild sexual exploits and his interest in the easy pickings of the students on campus, he’s certainly a man of the world. The mystery of Saint revolves around his fixation on Tessa (which was a little baffling) and his willingness to include her, bring her to parties she has no real business attending (like parties even fiancés and spouses struggle to get approval to attend), and his motivations in turning his back on the secret society (and the world, in general) that he’s a part of. It has me interested to learn more – even if the reasons/motivations won’t be groundbreaking. There wasn’t a ton of build when it came to the sexual tension between our characters. Tessa works hard at keeping her distance as much as she can when she has a tempting professor pursuing her so aggressively, so it’s Saint, in particular, that seems to fall for our girl first. While I enjoyed this, I do think it happened a bit fast. His level of interest and obsession with her didn’t feel genuine for the brief exchanges they had made. The two had chemistry, no doubt. I loved that, but “feelings” (admitted or not) happened too quickly. A good example of this would be the fact that Saint demands Tessa move in with him after one night of passion. (Yes, there were extenuating reasons for this, but when Saint thought that having Tessa there in his apartment felt “right,” I cringed inside). Regardless of all the fun they’d had, they just didn’t know each other enough for the emotional connection that became present too quickly. One thing I didn’t love about them was that both characters seemed to have their minds in the gutter at all times. When one of them was near the other, neither one could stop salivating at the thought of doing dirty things to the other. It made me want to prompt the heroine, in particular, about keeping her priorities straight. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the banter between them and the spice and dirty talk were a lot of fun. Tessa and Saint didn’t know how to start their relationship at the ground level and work their way up. They seemed to immediately dive into a more kinky side of things, but it was certainly entertaining and steamy. Additionally, I loved the fact that Tessa calls Saint out for manipulating her and using sex against her. Even though I’ve seen this scene play out in other novels before, heroine’s never seem to take issue with it after the fact. I was ecstatic that Tessa did and ripped into Saint for it. It would’ve been even better (albeit unsatisfying for Tessa) if she’d walked away from him instead and/or refused to give into what Saint wanted, but I’ll take what I can get. Calling it out is a huge step toward making progress and I was thrilled and impressed that this happened. I liked that the plot didn’t get lost within the story either. Sure, Tessa got distracted at times by the glitz and glamor of the wealthy, not to mention the charms of Saint himself, but there was always something to bring us back around to focusing on the real reason she’s there: to find the truth about what happened to Wren. Funnily enough, I’m right in the middle of a similar series in regards to a grieving sister who lost their sibling under suspicious circumstances and someone is to blame – but who? In the other series, one of the things I’ve complained about is how much and how often the heroine is getting side-tracked by her love interests or schoolwork when I just want her to focus on what she came to the school to accomplish. While I might have had that same complaint throughout this novel as well, the fact that Tessa does a better job in this book than my other heroine does in hers, makes me a lot more forgiving. I do think that Tessa lets herself become just a bit too distracted by Saint throughout this novel (especially when she doesn’t know him well and is kind of using him to gain access to the parties/friends she’s investigating), but like I said, in comparison, this wasn’t bad. It helps that I’m invested in the progression of her and Saint’s relationship, the glimpses into how the other half live, and the colored friendships she’s making with the people she either suspects or believes is connected to someone she suspects. Tessa had two roommates in her campus housing. And look, if you’ve ever had strangers as roommates, you probably know that you might get some really amazing ones that you can be genuine friends with, some that you simply co-exist with and stay out of each others’ hair, and some that practically become your mortal enemies. I’ve had my fair share of this entire mix. Jia and Kris (Tessa’s new roommates) started out okay. They seemed friendly and tried to draw Tessa into a friendship with them. But honestly, this entire setup was weird. Jia and Kris’ relationship between the two of them already seemed established (which is slightly odd – if they’d been at Oxford longer, wouldn’t they have expanded their circle to include another one of their friends in their roommate trio? – but otherwise, fine) but how Jia and Kris treated Tessa (and her them) was something that did throw me. Despite Tessa only just arriving, there didn’t seem to be any ‘getting to know you’ stage with her roommates. It was like we jumped into the middle of Tessa’s relationship with them as well, where they’d met and formed a connection without us, as readers, present (even though we meet Tessa in at her Orientation). We never got to see a good introduction between them and Tessa. As the book goes on though, the relationship between Tessa and her roommates take a drastic and confusing turn. Even though they had encouraged Tessa to ‘have a little fun’ with her drool-worthy professor, when Tessa starts spending more time with Saint, they (but Jia especially) becomes suddenly hostile, bitter, and mean. Their 180 degree turn against Tessa because of her relationship with Saint didn’t make a lot of sense and we never got an explanation from either of them about why they hated Saint (or Tessa’s relationship with him) so much, other than to make comments about how him and his friends are rich snobs who will never understand what it’s like to be middle class and worry about money. This didn’t seem like a good enough reason to be so resentful of Tessa’s circumstances since their personal insults turned toward Tessa as well (and not just Saint/his friends). Because of this, the only 2 non-rich friends Tessa had, turned against her. I didn’t like this plot device because it felt like it was being used solely to push Tessa into Saint (and his friends’) arms – despite the fact that Tessa wasn’t convinced that she could really trust any of them. At the end of the day, how her friendships have played out so far don’t scream ‘realistic’ to me. Another plot point I disliked was the fact that Tessa gets into OXFORD without having the academics to back it up. She gets a really suspicious scholarship that I didn’t buy at all. Plus, she had less than a year to switch gears from her former laid back, easy going lifestyle to planning to sneak into one of the most prestigious colleges to hunt someone down. Tessa faked her way in, but we don’t know how – and especially don’t know how it could’ve been accomplished so quickly (in the grand scheme of things). The set up was fun, don’t get me wrong, but questionable as all get out. There are a lot of plot holes in general really. But ultimately, it was still a good time. Was the surprise reveal at the very end predictable? Yes and no. I had suspected that Saint either had (or knew who had) the same tattoo that Wren had drawn, but with Tessa immediately knocking Saint out of the running for the person who hurt her sister (since he wasn’t in town a year ago) not to mention the fact that she had seen him naked – or semi-naked – a few times before this and hadn’t noticed the tattoo, I wasn’t quite expecting it to suddenly show up right as this book comes to a cliffhanger close. So ultimately, it was kind of surprising, kinda not. I am glad that this presents a new lead for Tessa in her search for her sister’s attacker though. I was worried for a minute there that she was going to give up the chase. While I wasn’t enthralled with how this book ended, I’m still really interested to see what happens next. This book had some questionable setup, to be sure, but still ended up being a highly enjoyable read. I’m invested in the mystery of who attacked Wren, who reached out to Tessa to give her the clues at the masquerade party, and where her romance with Saint will go from here. I can’t wait to dive in to book #2. As a weird side note, the term “tow-head” was used several times throughout this novel. I had to look up this term since it’s not in my personal vocabulary (which basically just means light blond or tousled hair) and I think it was used a little excessively when the author could’ve just stated the meaning instead. It felt unnecessary, right? Am I the only one here? There were some other grammatical issues/errors as well, but not enough to distract me too much from the story. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 20, 2024
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Mar 21, 2024
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Mar 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.37
| 37,359
| Feb 21, 2020
| Apr 2021
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really liked it
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3.5* Unsurprisingly, this book is all about the characters and how much their relationships with Elise and each other continue to grow. While I do miss 3.5* Unsurprisingly, this book is all about the characters and how much their relationships with Elise and each other continue to grow. While I do miss the fact that the plotline isn’t quite as well thought-out as I would hope, the characters are what really sell the story. We’ve known from the start that not all of the boys are immediate friends. One isn’t friends with anyone and (even still) kind of wishes everyone would just disappear, two of them are mortal enemies, intent on each others’ destruction, and one is a cool little cucumber who’s really up for anything. However, I loved the group dynamics throughout this novel. By the end of this book, not all of them are “friends” just yet, but the group really takes some leaps and bounds in their relationships with one another. There is so much that they overcome because of the way in which Elise draws them together. To varying degrees, they try to put Elise’s needs and feelings first. They each want to make her happy, knowing that they may have to let go of the anger and animosity they feel toward one another to do that. It was so much fun to watch and I loved the journey this created. Ryder is probably one of my favorite characters throughout this book. It has been so much fun watching him grow and open up as the series has progressed. I adore the juxtaposition of his hard and cruel side (the side that he shows the world) vs the sweet, caring, playful, and supportive side that Elise sees. He’s so utterly smitten with our girl and it’s really precious getting to see this joy enter his life. Ryder has come a long way from the psychopathic guy we first met, so much so, that he’s completely fallen head over heels in Love (an emotion he never thought he’d feel again). I loved seeing him make this realization while also getting a front row seat as he slowly starts to see how much “more” he has to offer and what his worth really is. Dante isn’t far behind and has been the solid and steady member of Elise’s harem. He’s reliable and dependable, and he seems to be the one she turns to when crap hits the fan and she needs some emotional support. He makes her feel safe and I love that about him. Their relationship together continues to grow but Dante largely stays the same throughout this book, we just get to know him and his family more. I love how committed he is to his family and the love he has for them. I also loved that Dante barely batted an eye when he found out Gareth was Elise’s brother. He’s so accepting and understanding of her when I expected him to be a bit mad and upset (certainly more so than an angry lion). Dante does disappear throughout this book at times though (because he’s trying to catch Felix) and I wish he’d included the group (and who knows, maybe even the enemy of his enemy – the Lunar Brotherhood – into the mix?). Since he didn’t, his search for Felix largely felt disconnected from the plot, despite Felix’s capture meaning a lot to both Dante and Ryder. Leon is the light and life of this group. I love Leon and how much he pulls the group in toward one another. Leon makes an effort (something he’s not known to do). And yet, his easy-going, generally friendly, and charming personality have not only captured Elise in his snare, but also each of the other guys as well. He’s sweet, kind, and supportive and this extends to each of the guys, not just Elise. Leon and Dante were friends before Elise, but the way Leon is able to make a connection with Gabriel and crack the hardest nut, Ryder, was really something to behold. I adored watching his individual friendships with each guy grow (much less his relationship with Elise). My only complaint with Leon occurs after the ‘big reveal’ where Leon finally learns the truth about Gareth. While I think he had every right to be upset and even feel betrayed, the complete turnaround Leon did, cutting Elise out of his life completely, didn’t seem in character for him at all. It felt overly dramatic and it was frustrating to watch Leon get mad that Elise was only sharing a certain part of herself with him (the side that could still laugh and be playful) when that’s all he ever really showed her too. Elise may not have handled this situation well either, but something about this plot convenience felt disingenuous. The character I found the most annoying throughout this entire novel though, was Gabriel, hands down. I’m so frustrated and disappointed with Gabriel’s character within this series. It’s hard to watch someone I had loved so much from ZA fall from grace and be such a complete idiot. I just wanted to shake some sense into him. Gabriel is really jealous and controlling throughout this book. He’s possessive and dismissive of Elise’s feelings for the other guys as he’s basically just waiting for Fate to intervene and force Elise to choose him as his Elysian Mate, while simultaneously kicking the other guys to the curb. On one hand, I like the mild realism this lends a RH series where not all of the guys are immediately cool with sharing the girl they each want with others. On the other hand, how Gabriel is expressing himself, the attitude he’s exuding, and the control over Elise he continuously tries to exert was maddening. I can understand the feelings he had, but the way he expressed himself and kept trying to force Elise’s hand made me want to slap him – especially since he’s far from my favorite of the boys right now. Elise is someone I continue to like and cheer for but there were parts within this novel that made it more difficult for me to do so. What aggravates me the most though is Elise’s hypocrisy in her attitude toward the guys. Elise saw what the men in her mom’s life did to her and Elise is terrified of that happening to her. This has caused her to create a wall around her heart and she’s determined not to be tied down by any one man, which in turn, has led her to where she is today: in a relationship with 4 different men. One of Elise’s arguments is that she doesn’t want to be controlled and even when she gets pressure from one or more of the guys to choose between them, she refuses and gets angry about them wanting to be in a monogamous relationship. However, for someone who uses these arguments repeatedly throughout the novel, Elise is also pretty stinking possessive of each of her guys. They belong to her, but she doesn’t below to any of them individually – only collectively as a group. She can also be really immature at times and I still think that she puts Gareth on the backburner too much for a genuine investigation into his death. She was better about not doing it quite so much in this book, but the distractions continue to be everywhere. This also doesn’t just happen with Gareth either, the fact that they’re all in school seems to be forgotten a lot of the time too. It’s almost weird when it’s brought up that any of them have tests to study for or homework/research to conduct. Overall though, I generally loved the character development throughout this novel. The banter, the snark, the nicknames, the jokes, and even the arguments between the guys are all starting to bond everyone together. They’re slowly but surely becoming friends (even if that friendship is sneaking up on some of them). This book is spicier than the prior two novels as well, which I loved. It was entertaining to see Dante and Ryder try to work around their deal and I was even happy that Gabriel seemed to get a little bit more action too (when he wasn’t being an idiot, anyway). But the really sweet spot with this novel occurred when Dante and Ryder put aside their differences, undid the deal, and came together with Elise. It was a moment that had me giddy with joy for the trio and I was practically screaming “Finally!” in my head when their promise was broken. Not only did this lead to some fun times between the three of them, it was so amazing to see the boys let go of at least a little of their hate and competition toward one another on Elise’s behalf. Getting to spend time with Lance Orion was a dream within this series. It’s been something I had been hoping for since book #1 and I was thrilled to see him enter the story for a time during this novel. With that being said, I think the connection Lance developed with everyone, including Noxy (his new bff) happened too quickly. It was all fun and games, at first, which was great, but Gabriel and Elise definitely had an alternative motive in going to Zodiac Academy, which was to schmooze Lance and convince him to help combat King’s Dark Magic. There was just something about this that made their relationship with Lance feel a bit fake, manipulative, and like they were using him for their own gains. It doesn’t really matter that their intent (to defeat King) was pure and justified. It was still a little deceitful and I didn’t love it. Seeing Lance again also made me really sad. We get a glimpse into the Lance Orion of yesterday – before his dreams were ripped from him by Lionel and before he became the cynical and bitter man we meet in the ZA series. Lance is so hopeful in this book. He’s charming, fun, and optimistic. He’s got his eye on this really bright future he’s determined to see come to fruition and knowing how his pitball career will eventually play out makes my heart break all over again. As for the plot, I think (as often happens in RH series with a lot of characters), it sometimes got a bit sidetracked from the overarching storyline. As I’ve stated, Elise seems to frequently forget why she came to this school and her lack of focus can be really frustrating at times. However, when she was investigating, I loved what happened with the plot. I really enjoyed the clues that were found, the leads that were followed, and the explosions that occurred. It's really funny to me that I’ve read a few reviewers who disliked the first half of the book but liked the ending, whereas I’m almost the exact opposite. I’m glad that we get a fight scene between King/Black Card followers and our 5-person gang, but not only did it seem like a poorly planned debacle, but right before they take their places, Elise yells at the guys, stating that SHE’S their Queen, this is HER plan, and they’re going to follow HER directions. Bleh. I couldn’t get over how dumb and bratty Elise was here, especially when we see how little “planning” she actually did. Honestly though, the entire fight scene was a mess from start to finish. They weren’t prepared at all, Elise breaths in Killblaze like an idiot, and they even ruined the stick that protected them against dark magic at the end. The fact that they’re all still alive and able to run after Elise is a freaking miracle (since they were vastly outnumbered and outpowered). But the fight doesn’t really end with King’s disappearance. Nightshade shows back up while Elise is under Killblaze’s influence and Nightshade tries to murder Elise in the well. When that doesn’t work, she finds another entrance to the maze below the well and is ready to finish the job of killing Elise if the bloodlusted vampire doesn’t do it first. As Elise (and then the powerless boys) fight Nightshade – someone who may have been powerful, but not that powerful – I had to put the book down multiple times. Everyone was making the stupidest decisions and their fighting was atrocious. It was laughable and infuriating all in one. So sure, the plot may pick up in speed and feel really high-stakes with one action-packed scene after another, but when half of it made me want to slap the good guys silly, I’m not sure how much that should really count. Then, to top off the night, Leon and Elise feel the call to be mates. I didn’t hate this happening (and was honestly thankful it wasn’t happening to Gabriel first – can you imagine the nightmare that would’ve caused?) but when Leon and Elise come out of their Mate bubble and Elise stands their dumb and mute when each of the other 3 men she loves have their hearts broken and immediately try to leave the premisis, I was ready to murder her myself. I hate that Elise doesn’t speak up and I’m feeling mad going into book #4, not excited. Also, Elise’s “friendship” with Eugene is the worst relationship I’ve ever seen. Sure, Elise was kind of, but not really, nice to Eugene at a point or two, but when she sees Eugene struggling, she doesn’t help him, support him, or even talk to him. Elise is so unforgivably dismissive of Eugene, making her seem utterly selfish. In fact, before Elise goes into one of her sessions with Nightshade, she sees Eugene come out crying, making comments about how awful everything is and how it will continue being awful. At that exact moment, I knew Eugene was going to be one of Nighshade and King’s attempted victims. And yet, even though Elise KNEW that Nightstand and King were trying to find students who had suicidal tendencies, and she JUST saw Eugene leave from Nightshade’s office in complete distress, Elise doesn’t put those VERY basic puzzle pieces together. It was utterly ridiculous. With “friends” like Elise, who needs enemies? The amount of contempt and disappointment I feel for our heroine in her dealings with Eugene continue to grow and here (yet again) I just want to slap some sense into the girl. I can’t help but complain about the grammatical errors throughout this novel as well. I admit, by this series, I definitely know what I’m getting myself into with the twisted sisters’ books, but I keep thinking that if I continue complaining about it, it’s gotta change/improve at some point, right? This book needed to go through another round of editing. Hire someone better! Overall, I really liked this book. Yes, there were things that drove me up the wall, but the characters and their relationships/dynamics together is the real focus of this book. It’s character-driven, not plot-driven and when you love the characters (at least generally speaking), you’ll probably love the book. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 06, 2024
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Mar 08, 2024
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Mar 25, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.28
| 41,234
| Dec 06, 2019
| Apr 2021
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really liked it
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3.75* When I opened the cover of Dark Fae (book #1), I think I had vague expectations of how the characters (or Gabriel, specifically) would think, act 3.75* When I opened the cover of Dark Fae (book #1), I think I had vague expectations of how the characters (or Gabriel, specifically) would think, act, and behave. While my expectations couldn’t be concrete, the book caught me a bit off-guard in a bad way, and what hope I had for these characters and who they were supposed to be (based on my former introduction of them) got thrown out the window. So, going into the second novel of the series, Savage Fae, I feel like I had a better grasp on what to expect. I had mentally re-adjusted. When I did this, I think I began to feel less critical of the things that had confounded me in the previous novel and I relaxed into the story and the world. I’m not blind to the faults that still exist, but I’m in a more forgiving mood. There’s so much about Elise that I like. While we (as readers) understand her motivations and her need to seek out the truth so that justice can be met out, the boys don’t have the same clear picture. I love, for example, that Elise constantly seems to confuse and baffle Ryder every time she comes near him. She takes him off guard and he has no idea what to expect from her. But even though we have a little bit more information, Elise seems to surprise me sometimes too. I love her wit and the banter she has with each individual guy, and I enjoy her unpredictability. Honestly, the twisted sisters have always known how to write dynamic characters. Their stories often tend to be pretty character-driven so we spend a lot of time building relationships and having a lot of character dialogue/interactions, which I love. While I may have fallen in love with Solaria a long time ago, it’s the characters that keep me coming back. However, despite how much I like Elise and I’m 100% in her corner, it is also driving me a bit wild how little time she spends looking for clues and following leads on her brothers’ murder. Now, there are certainly times when this becomes more of a focus (like when she follows Miss Nightshade off campus, eavesdrops on her conversation with the “King,” and breaks into her office to find evidence, or when her and Ryder break into her office at school together to look for evidence – even though Ryder was a bit mislead about the full reasoning behind why Elise asked for help). There are scraps and clues dropped throughout the book to keep this plotline “alive” and Elise may even chase a lead, but with everything else going on at school, with pitball, and with the boys, her attention seems to drift pretty easily. It’s really aggravating. I like that the plot is a bit slow-going here. I think it gives some credibility to the story and how real-life investigations go (especially while Elise’s hands are tied with her hiding her identity). At the same time, other than Elise’s anger that rears up occasionally, it feels like it’s hard to get her to focus for more than 5 minutes at a time here and there. Plus, to add a minor complaint to one of the additional Elise plot points, the fact that Elise was sooooooo slow to catch on to the fact that Cindy Lou had planted Killblaze on her made me really question Elise’s deductive reasoning and investigative skills. I still love Gabriel – I can’t help it – but there was something rather forgettable about him being in this book. I hate that we still don’t know exactly what Gabriel did to Gareth (was it just beating him up or is there more to it?) even though we’re in his head and get his perspective. This feels unnecessarily mysterious, like the authors are intentionally trying to draw this out. After the initial start of this story (where Gabriel lies and says he doesn’t know what Elise is talking about regarding the boys' murder and Elise’s kidnapping at the end of book #1), he stopped fighting the bond that he has with Elise, which I was really glad to see. But, since Elise knows he’s lying about the night Gareth died, it makes most of their interactions pretty stunted (if we get them much at all). Gabriel and Elise’s relationship is very angst-heavy. I hope that this changes as the series continues. Ryder really grew on me throughout this novel as he became more and more complex. I love how much Elise is getting under his skin and how much he’s affected by her. She’s doing a good job drawing him out and he spent much less time thinking/talking about his “Pain” and “Lust” emotions. I do think that the switch seemed to flip for him pretty quickly though. At the end of book 1, Ryder gave Elise an ultimatum: that she join him the night of the dance or they’re done. And, when she doesn’t join him (although that was because she’d been drugged and almost killed that night instead), he’s ready to move on…except that he doesn’t. One minute he goes from wanting to banish her from his life and the next moment, he’s (at least mentally) admitting his obsession with her and making statements like “I can’t live without her in my life.” I got a little bit of whiplash with his character progression in the first quarter or so of the novel. Regardless, I love how much growth Ryder undergoes throughout the rest of the story and how much he’s letting Elise in. We might make a softie of him yet. I liked the fact that we’re getting to see more hidden layers with Dante as well. He was likable in book 1 but he becomes even more so throughout this novel and I love that he’s letting down his walls with Elise. I liked meeting his family and seeing a really soft and protective side to him. However, the Italian is driving me nuts. The fact that I needed a translator for every other word Dante said was incredibly telling. Either have him mentally or verbally translate his sentences so we don’t have to stop reading just to look it up (if we even bother to do that), or don’t put Italian (or any other language) in your English-speaking books. A phrase here or there, okay. I still don’t think it’s ideal, but fine. Dante was speaking Italian ALL OF THE TIME. Stop it. It makes me want to shake the authors for putting so much untranslated Italian in their book (and I don’t anticipate this pattern slowing any time soon). It’s infuriating. I loved Leon. My only complaint with his character was that he’s still the main romantic focus of the series. The other boys are trying to spice things up, but Dante and Ryder have their hands tied – literally – and Elise is really mad at Gabriel so there’s really not a ton that can be done (although I loved the creative scene with Leon, Elise, and Dante). There’s something about Leon’s easy-going and fun demeanor that draws you in. His date-attempt fails were hilarious and completely endearing. I also loved Leon taking Elise home to meet his family, especially because Elise managed not to get caught in Rory or their dads’ Charisma. I also continue to enjoy the fact that Elise isn’t falling head-over-heels for the guys just yet. Sure, feelings are being built up, but she’s not making commitments, planning a future, or saying those 3 little words, nor does she forget her purpose of being at the school. Nevertheless, each relationship is progressing at a different pace (although Leon is in the clear lead – all of the smutty scenes in this book really happened with him. There were some sexually charged scenes occurring with some of the others too, but Leon is leagues ahead of everyone else). I also like that 3 of the guys feel really interconnected. With Dante and Ryder’s complicated rivalry and Dante and Leon’s friendship, we see how they all tie together constantly. Gabriel is kind of a loner in that sense, but generally, this is really helping to tie the group together. There’s a lot of sexual chemistry flying around in this book that I’m absolutely eating up. Gareth’s POV had initially annoyed me in the prior novel, but as I learned more and more about him and how his story played out, I not only fell in love with Gareth a little bit more, but I also became fully invested in his story. I’m starting to mourn him during his POV’s, knowing that he’s not going to pop back up and surprise us with being alive later on. I kind of hate that. Although this book is highly entertaining, I sped through it really quickly, and had a lot of fun reading this story, there isn’t a lot of plot progression happening in this book. We still don’t know who killed Gareth nor are there a lot of leads for Elise to follow (and I don’t really have a lot of hope we’ll find the killer until the final book of the series), we don’t know who the leader of the Black Card cult is and why/how he/she is making kids willing kill themselves with the purpose of stealing their powers, Gabriel is still in the doghouse with Elise, Dante and Ryder are at an impasse, and the only forward-moving romantic relationship happening is between Elise and Leon. Somehow, this novel contained a lot of action and a whole lot of fun, but ultimately, the plot did stall a bit. This gave time for Elise to build friendships with Dante and Ryder (something that may not have really happened if the boys hadn’t struck their deal), and I really appreciated that, but I wish there’d been a least a little more progression than what we got. I’m excited to see how the last few chapters will change Dante and Ryder’s relationship going forward. Will they be united over a common enemy (i.e. Felix, Dante’s douchey uncle?). I’m anxious to dive into book 3 because apparently, a war is brewing. I won’t lie and tell you that any novel by the twisted sisters is particularly well-edited. I think some books have undoubtedly been better than others, but catchable mistakes always seem to slip through the cracks. My problem with Savage Fae (book #2) was that there were a lot of grammatical errors. I’m not talking about the familiar made-up words from the world (like Faebook instead of Facebook), I’m talking about the accidents, like the poorly phrased sentences and the wrong word usage. This book had errors and issues galore. In fact, there were so many, I almost started highlighting issues on my ebook (which I don’t normally do). Regardless, this book struggled with its editing and it needed to undergo another round before being published for the masses. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 04, 2024
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Mar 05, 2024
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Mar 25, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1538704390
| 9781538704394
| 1538704390
| 4.32
| 464,745
| Apr 11, 2023
| Apr 11, 2023
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it was amazing
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4.5* I read Part of Your World (book #1) within the past year and I didn’t really like it. It read like a Hallmark movie (which I hated) and I was not 4.5* I read Part of Your World (book #1) within the past year and I didn’t really like it. It read like a Hallmark movie (which I hated) and I was not looking forward to reading book #2. In fact, the only reason I did so was because Yours Truly (book #2) was what my sister had recommended in the first place (with the caveat that I needed to read Part of Your World first). She claimed that Yours Truly would be so much better than its predecessor and I finally gave it a go, despite my reservations. Perhaps because my expectations were so low to begin with, immediately loving this book took me completely by surprise. Jacob is the biggest sweetheart and cinnamon roll you could ever ask for. He’s observant, kind, thoughtful, caring, considerate, and understanding. He’s also the most selfless person on the planet, because without knowing Brianna’s brother, Benny, at all he’s willing to donate a kidney to him and give Benny another chance at life. This man could not have been more precious and utterly lovable. He knows where his weakness lay and has figured out a way to manage his anxiety in a healthy way too (although this doesn’t completely make his anxiety go away depending on the situation he’s put in). He makes you want to protect him from the world. I don’t think a character could be much more perfect than Jacob Maddox. We had met Brianna in book #1, so she was a character I remembered and she didn’t disappoint. Bri is hurting over the pain of her divorce and she’s heartbroken about the state her brother is in. She takes Benny’s burdens on as her own, despite being weary and laden down with so much of her own. I loved seeing how self-sacrificing Bri could be because I think it really highlighted and showcased the depth of her love for her family. She can be a little fiery, which made her personality fun and helped to shield Jacob during overwhelming social situations. However, I really hated Bri’s “pettiness.” At first, her payback for her husband cheating on her was built up too much. For example, Zander makes a comment about not wanting to get on Bri’s “bad side” and Bri consistently talks about how petty she can be throughout the novel as well. However, we don’t find out what Bri actually did to her ex until much later on and her revenge fell pretty flat. I don’t know what I was expecting, but shoving glitter everywhere and unscrewing lightbulbs just didn’t cut it. Her revenge may have been considered petty, but it was also really childish. It felt like a high school prank, not something a woman in her 30’s would do to her husband. It was just too immature for me and I couldn’t help but scoff at her antics. I adored the back-and-forth letters that kickstarted Brianna and Jacob’s relationship. Jacob was so sincere and heartwarming that I was practically swooning from the get-go. Bri’s letters tended to be more lighthearted and fun. I loved that this not only helped establish rapport and trust between the characters, but that each characters’ letter-writing style was distinctive. Bri and Jacob’s relationship together was simply perfection. They fit together like two puzzle pieces, each lending support to each other’s weaknesses and bringing out one another’s strengths. I couldn’t get enough of the respect and understanding that Bri showed Jacob. I loved that she went to bat for him and stood up for him against his family and his ex. But I also loved the patience and persistence Jacob showed to Bri, helping her trust in someone again and slowly open herself up to the potential of what their relationship could be. Watching them grow together was an absolute joy. Not every novel needs to be filled with smut, but there is only 1 (rather abrupt) scene with any spice. This novel is a bit of a slow burn, so to have this be the only thing we get not only up until that point but largely throughout the remainder of the novel, was a little disappointing. I was hoping for bit more here, although I still think that the author wrote such a good story that it wasn’t very missed either. Weirdly, I really enjoyed all of the hard topics contained within this book. The author addressed issues like anxiety, depression, miscarriage, divorce, kidney failure/organ transplants, and infidelity. This made the novel feel complex, layered with heavy and confusing emotions, and full of depth while also somehow retaining a humorous and romcom feel throughout a lot of the novel. I don’t think I could stop smiling throughout most of this book or laughing out loud at their fake dating antics. It was well done. The miscommunication trope is the absolute worst. It tends to occur over something really dumb or go on for waaayyy too long because the characters downright refuse to have a conversation about anything. It drives me insane. And yet, this novel managed to do what few others seem to accomplish and Jimenez made it feel real and relatable. I could see this same “miscommunication” occurring between any couple, especially if one (or both) individuals had been hurt before (and are scared to be vulnerable). I love when an author can take something I’m unsure about or not a fan of altogether and spin it in a way that makes sense and is believable within the plot. I don’t like miscommunication, but it’s not a trope I shun. Unfortunately, authors who use this as a plot device will have more of an uphill batter to win me over when it occurs (but I’m not closed off to having my mind changed completely). But when they get it right, *chef’s kiss.* Jimenez got it right. However, speaking of tropes that need to be avoided more often, a ‘surprise pregnancy’ is among that list. The carelessness of these two doctors was a bit outrageous and really frustrating. To make matters worse, I don’t think any relationship is ready for kids so soon. Sure, people may be able to make it work, but I’ve never heard that that situation was “ideal,” either. I know that this is what prompted Bri to panic, withdraw, and push Jacob away (before they were able to talk and take steps to process Bri’s past trauma), but I still don’t love this as a plot convenience. Bri and Jacob faced a battle together centering around fear and vulnerability. You’re rooting for them throughout, but I adored the way they came together in the end (even though I do think it’s a bit convenient for all of Jacob’s innermost thoughts about Bri to be written down, which in turn, is the very thing that assuages all of her fears). Regardless, I was so invested and in love with this couple, and I was thrilled that it worked out so well in the end. With that being said though, I do think the last couple chapters (but especially the epilogue) got a smidge too cheesy for my tastes. It had me wanting to reel in the author and keep her from ruining a good thing by having a sickly sweet ending versus the sweet ending I had come to expect. (Plus, I hated the fact that he changed his last name for her. I’m fine with her not changing her last name for him, but doing the opposite wasn’t the solution. It was like the principle that Bri had stood on about not changing her name disappeared and didn’t matter when it came to someone else and I think you either stand firm in your principles or your argument crashes and burns. If it wasn’t right for her, why would it be right for Jacob?) I also don’t think Amy was a redeemable character at all despite how much Jacob seemed to excuse her behavior. She was really lacking in character and was described as someone entirely selfish and self-centered. She didn’t have any insight or empathy for Jacob’s struggles managing his anxiety and treats him really poorly (even making “digs” toward him when she’s moved on with Jacob’s brother - which is a betrayal in and of itself). Plus, she never even really apologizes, which makes the entire situation worse. The author worked hard to shift our perspective into forgiving her for her past with Jacob, but by that point, I couldn’t go back and was firmly set in my dislike and distain for her. This was such a good book and something I definitely feel like I could come back to as a comfort read. I’m so thankful I didn’t stop at Part of Your World (book #1) like I was tempted to do. I would’ve really missed out on this gem if I had. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Feb 28, 2024
not set
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Feb 29, 2024
not set
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Mar 23, 2024
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Paperback
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| B09SF8TWJL
| 3.71
| 11,484
| Jun 01, 2022
| Jun 01, 2022
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really liked it
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3.5* At the very beginning of the novel, before the story has even started, the author makes a comment that this has “pure cotton candy” vibes. Based o 3.5* At the very beginning of the novel, before the story has even started, the author makes a comment that this has “pure cotton candy” vibes. Based on her description and warning, I wondered if it may be too sweet for me, especially after reading another book with slightly darker tones. But I knew I loved this author and I was still on a high from A Blue Ribbon Romance (book #1.5), so I was more than happy to give this book a go. In a lot of ways, the author was correct. This spun-sugar sweetness is cute and gentle and fluffy. It’s a feel-good read without a doubt, but it wasn’t overflowing with so much sweetness that it became sickly-sweet (and therefore unenjoyable). There are still challenges and hurdles the characters have to overcome and for a story that starts out with a ‘here for a good time, not a long time’ mentality, it stayed that way throughout a larger portion than you’d probably assume. I absolutely loved Merrick. He was adorably shy, awkward, and nerdy in the best possible way. But more than Merrick himself, I loved that Grace adored all of those things about him. She was attracted to his dorky personality quirks, which not only highlighted Merrick and how cute he was, but it made Grace so much more attractive as a character as well. She was utterly and completely charmed by him, which made us fall for him too. While I love stories where our protagonists are hard-core and tough, there’s definitely something to be said about the gentle and fairly unassuming nature of someone who may not immediately catch your eye, be intimidating/imposing, or have muscles galore. Merrick was passionate about his job and was a bit of a know-it-all, but even that somehow made you love him. He was eye-catching in a completely different way than most of the heroes I’ve read about lately and it was a refreshing change of pace. I liked Grace as a character and I enjoyed how she pushed the story along (because without her choices, her and Merrick probably wouldn’t have ever met). However, I didn’t like how fixated she was on sex. It was an obsession, but one that seemed so casual and nonchalant within her world that it could practically be dismissed. Her sex-drive was insane, and she seemed to think of little else. In all honesty, it made me want to encourage her to get her hormones checked because somethin' just ain’t right. It felt mildly uncomfortable. This wasn’t a huge issue, and was easily forgivable, but it did result in me raising an eyebrow or two at different points within the story. This book had some wonderful (and interesting) spice but I wouldn’t call it overly “romantic,” which I think is where my opinion would veer from the ‘Author’s Note’ at the beginning. In fact, we don’t get a full admission of feelings until some of the very last lines of the story. So, while this novel can still be deemed “sweet,” it may not be in the way you were expecting (or it certainly wasn’t from my perspective, anyway). For both Grace and Merrick, I loved the little things that made my heart ache. Grace had been married before and still wasn’t fully over the abuse she’d undergone with her ex (the gaslighting, complaints, and insults that she endured). Her struggle to be vulnerable and share her experiences made you want to hug her. Merrick, on the other hand, had been ignored his whole life. He wasn’t used to being thought of (by humans especially) and was never included. His ill-fitting lab coat could break your heart. Even though this novel is relatively short, it added a bit of depth to the characters and their real-world, semi-relatable life experiences. This was a lighthearted read with low angst. While I liked Violet in MGMF a bit more than Grace in Sweet Berries (book #2), Merrick more than made up for it with his lovely and adorable personality. These books have a really predominant ‘likability’ factor to them that I can’t get enough of. I really enjoyed this second addition to the Cambric Creek series and can’t wait to read more. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 05, 2024
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Feb 06, 2024
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Mar 13, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B0BWXNXMCF
| 3.86
| 4,118
| Jul 11, 2023
| Jul 14, 2023
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really liked it
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3.5* This is the sequel I didn’t know I needed. I think Morning Glory Milking Farm (book #1) was one of the first “monster romance” novels I’d ever rea 3.5* This is the sequel I didn’t know I needed. I think Morning Glory Milking Farm (book #1) was one of the first “monster romance” novels I’d ever read. I rated it 3 stars (meaning I liked the book) but should honestly probably go back and increase the rating a little bit because it’s a novel I’ve gone back to multiple times to re-read (or skim to get to the good parts, anyway). Whether it’s simply because it was my first monster romance or whether there’s genuinely just something special about the book/world/story/writing style, it’s been a novel that’s stuck with me over time and has a fond place in my heart. C.M. Nascosta and her Cambric Creek series was one I wanted to come back to but hadn’t kept solid track of. So, when I pulled up the series on Goodreads, imagine my surprise when an absolute gem was waiting to be discovered. I’m pretty sure I squealed like a little girl when I saw A Blue Ribbon Romance (book #1.5) – the same story as the Milking Farm but told from Rourke’s POV – amongst the other novels in the series. I was over the moon and couldn’t wait to dive in, immediately running to Amazon to purchase the ebook. Recently, I read a similar novel told from the MMC’s POV that (after having the FMC’s viewpoint in the first book), frankly, didn’t add much to the original story and wasn’t really worth the read. So, despite being a little apprehensive to dive it, I had zero self-control when it came to jumping back into what has become a beloved story. And I can’t express enough how wonderful this book was. It surpassed my expectations (which I’d tried to keep fairly low regardless of my hopeful excitement) and was simply a joy to read. It’s a short, sweet, and heartwarming story with some delicious spice – just like its predecessor. If you liked Morning Glory Milking Farm (book #1), I think this will be an easy novel to fall in love with as well and, unlike my similar experience, this story was well worth re-reading from a different perspective. I’ve seen some complaints that this novel is repetitive (perhaps compared to the first book?) and, while there’s definitely some overlap (because it is, in fact, the same story), I never found this to be an issue. In fact, there was so much more depth that this novel contributed to the world of Minotaurs and Cambric Creek in general, not to mention Rourke’s distinct outlook and personality that’s so present, that I’m a bit surprised by the criticism. When we’re first introduced to Rourke in this book, he wasn’t a character that immediately won me over (despite my love for him regarding the story overall). He’s meeting too many milking technicians and has too many fantasies that don’t revolve around Violet (who you know we’re waiting for him to meet) to make him as endearing as I knew he would later become. However, I loved the realism this provided. It felt more authentic and, even though I didn’t love it, I’m such a sucker for realism within my stories that I also kinda did. I was already wholly in love with Rourke and Violet’s love story, so re-reading how they met and the story of them coming together as a couple from Rourke’s POV was almost as wonderful the second time around as it had been the first. However, one thing I didn’t love as much was the fact that, although Rourke obsesses over Violet and becomes interested in her, most of his thoughts are very sexual in nature. There wasn’t a lot of reason for him to like her beyond physical attraction and how talented her hands were – or at least not much else that he thought about. The fantasies were fun, but I wanted a bit more romance on his side and how much he came to like her as a person vs just how attracted to her he was. That was probably the biggest disappointment of this book. I will admit that some scenes seemed to drop you into dates or situations in a rushed or unexpected way as well. I would frequently try to remember what happened in MGMF and the timeline of events to keep things straight. If this was going to be its own separate novel, it needed to be written in a way that made sense and I think the author could’ve done a slightly better job with that. It was just a little messy. Lurielle and Kash were my least favorite couple of the Girls Weekend series even though I still liked them. While Kash has come across as a jerk before, this trend just continued within this series. I disliked the fact that Lurielle compared Kash and Rourke so much (stating that they were practically the same person) and I honestly wish they (but Kash in particular) had been in this novel a little bit less. (No, they don’t take up a ton of page-space, but what they did inhabit was a bit too excessive for my tastes.) Nascosta’s novels frequently seem to have some grammatical errors or editing issues, and that trend continues with this novel. A few times, it was very eye-catching and took me out of the story, but I also had an expectation of what I was getting myself into with this book, so I wasn’t as put off by it as I may have normally been. It was still worth the read! This is a very cute addition to the series. It may not be wholly “necessary,” but it was very much appreciated and I’m so glad I got to read this novel. It was heartwarming and precious, and it’s made me excited to read more from this series. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 03, 2024
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Feb 04, 2024
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Mar 13, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B08TVKB8ZR
| 4.18
| 24,562
| Feb 09, 2021
| Feb 09, 2021
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liked it
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3.25* Despite being an enjoyable sequel to Savage Lands (book #1), there were a lot of things that I felt really conflicted by within this novel. I hat 3.25* Despite being an enjoyable sequel to Savage Lands (book #1), there were a lot of things that I felt really conflicted by within this novel. I hate it when it doesn’t feel like an author has been consistent – like they’ve forgotten details of their own works from one book to the next. One example that sticks out in my mind from another series is that in one book, we end the novel with the FMC’s laptop broken and destroyed and her cabinets/fridge are bare of any food, but in the following book (which picks up the very moment the prior novel left off), her laptop is in pristine working condition and her cabinets are filled aplenty. This isn’t a big detail and doesn’t matter at all regarding the plot, but since I read the books back-to-back, those details mattered. The author didn’t remember those little, minor, and insignificant scraps of information about what she’d written within the previous book as she’d started her next novel. This put a bad taste in my mouth from the moment the sequel began. While those trivial details could easily be dismissed, I missed the consistency from one book to the next. But that’s the same thing that happens within this book. In Savage Lands (book #1), “Halalhaz” prison means “House of Terror.” I commented on this in my review of the novel, stating that that should’ve been the title (since that’s where the majority of the book takes place). And yet, “House of Terror” is no longer what Halalhaz means within Wild Lands (book #2). Instead, the prison has taken on the meaning of “House of Death” to better fit into the unfolding plot about what Brexley is and what power she possesses. I understand that one word can have multiple meanings, but the fact that Halalhaz was referred to as ONLY the “House of Terror” in book one and is now ONLY referred to as the upgraded “House of Death” in book two is telling. It either means that author changed the meaning to solely fit the plot within each of the different novels (which I find to be a bit slimy) OR she forgot what “Halalhaz” was supposed to have meant from book 1. After all, who would care that the meaning changed from “terror” to “death?” ME. I care. Be consistent or give both meanings from the beginning. Since she didn’t do that, it makes me feel like she was trying to pull the wool over my eyes. It doesn’t make me feel good or want to put my faith in the author if she’s making things up as she goes along. Does the name really matter to the storyline? Does it change anything? No. But your story should still match each book in the series. It’s a disappointment when it doesn’t. While not quite at the same level, I think this theme continues in small ways throughout the remainder of this novel as well. I don’t feel like the author was intentionally trying to deceive or manipulate (like with the meaning of the word “Halalhaz”), but it made minor things stick out like a sore thumb and threw up small red flags everywhere. One example of this occurs when Brexley escapes the HDF party. When she’s running for her life, she’s barefoot. During her escape, it’s mentioned that she steps on broken glass and this cuts her feet. Several times there is a mention of the fact that Brexley is leaving bloody footprints everywhere. And yet, when’s she’s actually safe and back at Miss Kitty’s, there’s no mention of her taking care of the glass in her feet. She’s just suddenly “okay,” not bleeding, not in pain, and able to go to bed without a bandage. Her injury simply disappeared as if she wasn’t stabbed with several tiny shards on the bottom of her soles. See what I mean? Make it make sense. Conversely, something that is really consistent is Brexley’s eating habits, or should I say the lack thereof? Throughout both book 1 and 2, Brexley doesn’t eat much. She picks at her food (even when she’s given nothing but simple toast) and she loses her appetite easily. Everything seems to make Brexley’s stomach roll so that she can’t eat. I love the consistency with this theme…or I should (with how much I just complained about the author disregarding this concept). However, I can’t rejoice just yet because this is so unbelievable. Seriously, go back and track how much Brexley seems to eat throughout both books. It’s very little…so tell me how she’s constantly got the energy to train and fight? Her body was emaciated in Savage Lands due to her prison stay but despite having the opportunity for more food and better food, Brexley doesn’t put on any weight because she can’t seem to eat more than a bite or two or she lost her appetite from the thoughts/emotions she was experiencing. So yes, her poor eating habits were consistent throughout the novel, but they weren’t believable or realistic. It was aggravating to watch her (starved as she apparently is) walk away from meal after meal. She gets a cracker and splits it with Opie, she has stew and only eats a few bites, she’s served meals in her room and can’t bear to eat because, you know, trauma. Where’s she getting all of her energy? She should be constantly weak and tired, not out fighting every Tom, Dick, and Harry (through training or real-life fights). You can make it consistent, but you also have to make your story feel real to really suck in your audience. With both counts lacking so much, I don’t know that the author did that well here. I really enjoyed the overall plot of this novel. It kept me hooked and engaged throughout the story. I fully admit that there’s something about the author’s writing style that has me addicted. Her books are hard to put down and I feel like I’m constantly racing to the finish line to see what’s going to happen next. With that being said, Brexley’s desirability was a little over-played. I wasn’t totally surprised by her real uncle finding her at the end, but Brexley is wanted by the HDF, by Killian, by the Resistance in Hungary, and now the Resistance in Prague. This doesn’t even really touch on how many individual people are becoming wrapped around Brexley’s little finger – including a lot of highly powerful and influential people. The Siren-power of this girl is quite literally off the charts. The control this could give Brexley is concerning. And, even though I’m not too worried about our girl jumping off the deep end and using her influence for ill, here again, I’m struggling to fully believe how the story is unfolding. It doesn’t seem real. Brexley is becoming this secret “savior” of the world. Dial it back. The pull literally everyone seems to have toward her is getting ridiculous. Even though it’s exciting, the scene changes always feel abrupt. Brexley can’t stay safe in one location for more than a week without another group stealing her away. And, as she bounces from one sitting/group of people to the next, there’s zero resolution to the prior situation. Each new adventure gets started before her pervious one has even had much of a chance to get going. You know that all of these people are going to connect at some point, but how the story is laid out made our introductions to all of the new characters and places feel chaotic. I’m still not sure how on-board I am with the romance between Brexley and Warwick either. I want to like them together so bad. And yet, something about them feels a bit…off. This may be partly due to Warwick’s repeated comments about not wanting Brexley or maybe just the general mystery surrounding his character (so I still feel like I know almost nothing about him). There’s certainly some continued sexual tension built up in this novel, especially with their “ghost selves” being able to touch each other. However, I’m not sure I really feel much beyond a physical attraction between them and that’s where the romance is really letting me down. As I mentioned earlier, everyone and their mother seems to desire Brexley. Despite this being slightly irritating by the end, what’s more is that some of the characters seem to have as much of – if not more – of a personal connection to Brexley that I’d love to explore (this is especially true with Killian, Ash, and even potentially Scorpion). But, forgetting about Brexley for a moment, I really dislike when characters sleep with other people if they’re supposed to be the love interest. We saw Warwick do this in book one, but he’s still continuing that trend in book two. But god-forbid Brexley kiss someone else that she’s attracted to – or even try to have a little me-time by herself, and Warwick is ALLL up in her business growling possessively. Warwick doesn’t want to want her but he’ll kill anyone else who makes a move (while at the same time, feeling justified in sleeping with a bunch of other women). Ugh. I hate this. It seemed to happen a little less by the end, but I can’t tell if that’s because there was so much action going on that he just didn’t have time or if he’s truly starting to give in to the attraction he feels toward her. Even still, with so many people lining up to wait in Brexley’s wing (some of which seem like fun possibilities to explore), I hate the hypocrisy here. As I alluded to earlier, there are a lot of new side characters that are introduced throughout this novel and some re-introductions to a couple from book 1. I was excited (and nervous) to see Zander again (I’m nervous because as infatuated as he is with Brexley, it doesn’t seem like it’d ever work out between them). I was also excited to see Lynx (who’s basically Brexley’s sort-of aunt and a member of the rebellion) as well as Kek as a surprise at the end (with the Prague rebellion), and Rosie (from Miss Kitty’s) again. We also have Opie and the imp who add some levity to the situation (although not nearly what Brexley seems to give them credit for). We also have some new side characters. I loved Killian and Ash, but I also liked Andris (her sort-of uncle), Birdie, Scorpion, and I’m interested to see what kind of person Mykel (her real uncle) is. Even though I don’t think all of their introductions were smooth, I still really enjoyed these characters and they help give the book some legs to stand on. I know I complained about this book quite a bit, but when I said this book was hard to put down, I meant it. I was wholly wrapped up in the action that was constantly taking place. This book clearly had some flaws and I don’t love every nuance, but this book has still been a lot of fun and I’m excited about continuing the story with book #3. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 13, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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Mar 07, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1649374046
| 9781649374042
| 1649374046
| 4.57
| 2,001,812
| May 02, 2023
| May 02, 2023
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it was amazing
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4.5* This book has left me aching for the next while also having the largest desire to immediately re-read this whole thing. Novels that get this much 4.5* This book has left me aching for the next while also having the largest desire to immediately re-read this whole thing. Novels that get this much hype scare me. You can’t always trust the overly touted novels, and I’ve often found my own experiences to be quite polarizing from the general consensus. I haven’t been able to escape the talked-up praise for this novel and, while this made me want to immediately add it to my TBR and I was excited to see what everyone else was talking about, I was also rather nervous that it wouldn’t live up to the acclaim it had received. Thankfully, this book was far from the disappointment I feared and I loved every single second of this novel. I truly couldn’t put it down as I was sucked into a world of dragons in an academic setting where you’d be lucky to make it out alive. Over the last year or two, I’ve becoming increasingly tired of the heroines that *surprise-surprise* wind up somehow containing power beyond measure. It’s a trope I’ve found to be over-used in fantasy romance novels: she can’t just be “normal” or “average” and I’ve become less and less impressed. Forth Wing has this trope too…but shockingly, I couldn’t seem to mind. Perhaps I was just too wrapped up in the story or had fallen too hard for the characters, but I really enjoyed every progression, every step, and every battle of this book. The heroine was never just “handed” her power. Her journey toward getting it, unlocking it, and wielding it are each hard-won battles of their own and she’s not an immediate expert by any means. This may be one of the reasons I absolutely adored Violet. She was “weak, little, and frail” and she was never supposed to have the life of a Dragon Rider (instead settling down for a quiet life with her books, sitting back as a scribe, and recording history as it happens). She wasn’t expected to survive as long as she has, and people are constantly underestimating her. She’s the underdog in almost every way, but she’s smart and cunning and she’s fighting every day to be better, do better, and just survive the harrowing tasks placed before her. She’s a character you’re immediately rooting for and her struggle lent a sense of realism and believability to her journey that’s hard to beat. The only downfall of Violet’s character was the mercy she showed over-and-over again to those who wished her dead. She had so many people out to kill her throughout this book and yet she never really struck back at them (view spoiler)[(not until Jack, at least) (hide spoiler)]. Her constant mercy was frustrating when they were genuinely out to kill her and she kept taking shots (like aiming for their shoulders) that they could easily heal from. I didn’t need her to be consumed with revenge and vengeance, but having a bit more self-preservation couldn’t have hurt. Xaden is the son of a traitor and he has some deep-set resentment toward Violet because her mother led to her father’s death. (Whereas Violet hates him too because Xaden’s father killed her brother.) The two are complete enemies but Xaden is also a 3rd year at the school, with the backing of a higher leadership role as well as a bond with a very powerful dragon (and therefore he also has powers of his own). He could kill Violet at any time and there’s not a single thing anyone would do to stop him. Watching the two collide was thrilling in every single way. We only get Violet’s POV throughout the story, but while it’s obvious that she can’t stop thinking about him, likewise, he can’t seem to take his eyes off of her. The banter was wonderful, the chemistry was off the charts, and the steam was explosive. I also really love the fact that this is a slow burn. Despite the time they spend around one another, months and months pass without a lot of progression happening. It took almost a year before they finally came together, but the tension that had built up in that time was pure perfection. It made their relationship together all the more real and endearing (even if there’s still a lot of trust issues for them to work through). Generally speaking, the growth and development of all of the characters was a lot of fun (but especially with our hero/heroine). Dain’s character did irritate me a bit though. While I could not have predicted how, a betrayal from him felt imminent and it was frustrating that Violet couldn’t see it. Dain was too pushy, too in love with rules and order, and too prejudiced against Xaden (or any of the other marked). Violet wasn’t totally blind to his faults or his loyalties, but she also never guarded herself or separated herself from him and she gave him a lot of chances that she shouldn’t have. I liked all of the side characters and friendships Violet develops throughout this book as well (with Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer). I loved the support they provided to one another and the fact that they’ve all made it out alive (so far). (view spoiler)[Liam was in the group as well. Violet and Liam didn’t start out under the best of circumstances, but I really enjoyed how their friendship grew and Liam’s death at the end is utterly heartbreaking. (hide spoiler)] Violet’s relationship with her sister, Mira was also perfect. I wish the sisters had been able to be together a bit more, but this strong familial bond was great and I’m anxious to see what happens with them in book 2 (especially with that ending to contend with). The world-building was fascinating (and seemed reminiscent of Eragon with the bonds riders have to their dragons). There were layers and complexities (especially in regards to the politics and information getting dispersed to the masses) and this (in combination with the wonderful characters and rich storyline) created a novel that kept me hooked from start to finish. Additionally, the writing style is easily-digestible and the author has an immersive story-telling ability that easily allowed you to escape within the pages of this novel. The Dragons come to play a big part in the world-building and they were such a great addition. I loved the fact that they had their own hierarchy and politics and that they didn’t follow the rules or requests of man ((view spoiler)[like when Andarna and Tairn bond with Violet, which the high-ranking generals hate and have a meeting over. Dain even tries to convince Violet to give up Andarna to make them happy, which not only does Violet refuse, but so does her dragon – because you can’t tell a dragon what to do (hide spoiler)]). It was also fun to meet Sgaeyl and how this tied Xaden and Violet even closer together whether they wanted that connection or not. The reasoning behind why dragons bonded to humans was also really fascinating and was just another layer to the world. The plot could be a little bit predictable in an overarching kind of way, but this never once detracted from my enjoyment of the novel and the author did such a great job with her characters and world that I never minded. I also loved the surprises towards the end when enemies become friends and new villains pop up (it was hinted at enough that I suspected parts of this, but even still, I was captivated by the story as it unfolded). The Epilogue is the first chapter we get from Xaden’s POV, which was a welcome change and I so appreciated having the depth of his feelings for Violet laid out within this chapter. The ending also took me by surprise; it was such a cliff-hanger, and I can’t wait to see what happens from here. I’m dying to know how Violet responds (and if she feels betrayed by (view spoiler)[Brennan (hide spoiler)] too). It looks like another Revolution is on the horizon and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next. I’m so thankful book #2 will come out in just a couple months (although that still feels too far away). This was a high-stakes fantasy novel that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It was totally worth the hype. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 22, 2023
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Aug 23, 2023
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Feb 15, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 1393906648
| 9781393906643
| 1393906648
| 3.85
| 33,633
| May 15, 2019
| Apr 12, 2023
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really liked it
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3.5* My expectations for this novel weren’t extremely high. I think I had received a copy of this book in one of the ‘stuff your kindle days’ promotion 3.5* My expectations for this novel weren’t extremely high. I think I had received a copy of this book in one of the ‘stuff your kindle days’ promotions and, while I was hopeful that I would enjoy this, I kept the bar pretty low to not be disappointed (like I have been several times). There were a few minor things I didn’t love about the story, but overall, this was such a cute read! It kept me hooked to the pages, I liked the main characters (even when they were doing something aggravating), and I cheered for the couple and the love story that was unfolding before my eyes. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Eli and Violet (our protagonists). The constant bickering made them seem like an old married couple and their banter often made me laugh. The one downside to this was that their back-and-forth could often come across as a bit harsh for the situation that was presented. Their reactions and the animosity between them felt a little too extreme. This is especially true when you consider how long it’s been since the they have seen each other and how much both of them have changed within that decade. For them to still be competitive with one another, would be fine. I love a good competition and competition can bring out the best and worst in people. It can produce tension-infused scenes (not to mention some fun smack-talk/banter), a build-up of anticipation, and a climactic victor. However, Eli and Violet seemed to want to go for each other’s throats again almost immediately. Neither one seemed willing to recognize that the other person had changed nor were they willing to back down from their knee-jerk response of making what could’ve been a more fun, lighthearted, and teasing competition into something intense (like wishing for the other person’s downfall). The knob got turned up to 10 with one new glance at their playground nemesis. Plus, their rivalry seemed so silly and immature to begin with. It had basically been a fight to see who could beat who in schoolwork when they were kids, and then one of them retaliating by throwing a temper tantrum and being mean (like spreading false rumors about the other person). To have this translate into the same feelings as adults with time and perspective (you’d think) on their side, just didn’t add up well. It lacked believability and credibility to me. Nevertheless, when Eli and Violet started to work together, there was no denying the sparks that flew. It made it so clear that the at-odds enmity between them could so easily lead to a solid friendship (and relationship) instead – if either of them had been mature enough to really be adults when they met again. Still though, when they came together, it was an explosion and I really enjoyed it. While I will admit that the friends-with-benefits trope sort of worked here, I’ll also state that it was aggravating to watch two people that would so obviously be such a good couple deny their feelings for one another. The second that it gets suggested that friends-with-benefits is what they should become, they should’ve jumped into a relationship instead. (And if they hadn’t been so blind and filled with past animosity toward one another, that’s exactly what they could’ve done). Despite some of the unnecessary drama, I do think that their relationship evolved and grew organically from how the author set the couple up to be. I liked that each of them genuinely did NOT want a relationship with the other person (even after starting their ‘with benefits’ relationship) and how those feelings only slowly changed over time. The story does stall a little over mid-way through when they’re both clearly in love but they’re having a hard time overcoming their history and admitting their feelings. In spite of this though, I really enjoyed this book and this couple. The smut within this novel was also well-done. It had the perfect amount of spice. It was a lot of fun and well worth it. All in all, the romance in this story was definitely worth reading. However, the epilogue was more of a disappointment. I wanted their relationship to end in an even happier place than just a ‘yep, we’re still dating’ moment. I foresaw a proposal in this chapter and I’m sad I didn’t get it. The side plot was just okay. Eli and Violet are both working at a wedding venue but throughout their busy season, there’s a co-worker trying to sabotage each of them so that they’ll get in trouble with the boss (allowing Martin, their co-worker, to win the prize money instead). Although I’m glad that this plotline helped to push our couple together, I also struggled to believe some of the things that happened. Not only did Martin sabotage them repeatedly, but neither of them reported any issues, the security team didn’t catch Martin (even though there are cameras everywhere), Martin was able to delete recorded sessions, he broke into Eli’s phone (who doesn’t have a password on their phone nowadays???), and the boss didn’t even question how/why he received a risqué photo of Violet nor was he concerned about it. How Martin was able to get away with his tricks for so long without anyone seeing him, reporting him, or catching him on camera just didn’t ring true and felt a bit ridiculous and cartoonish at times. Additionally, this story needed some better editing. Unfortunately, when these mistakes and editing errors occurred, it took me out of the story as I was mentally making corrections in my head. This book has certainly sparked my curiosity for what happens to the other Loveless brothers and I’d be interested in reading book #2 with Daniel’s story. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 14, 2023
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Nov 15, 2023
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Dec 20, 2023
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ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1949524159
| B07TW9JG8N
| 4.15
| 1,906
| Sep 26, 2019
| Sep 26, 2019
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really liked it
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3.75* I received a copy of To Kill A Fae (book #1) for free during a ‘stuff your Kindle day’ and honestly, I’m surprised more people aren’t talking abo 3.75* I received a copy of To Kill A Fae (book #1) for free during a ‘stuff your Kindle day’ and honestly, I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about it. This was a fun book to read and I was drawn in quickly by the characters, world, and story. This book is written in a dual POV between Sabine (our Fae FMC) and Malek (the mysterious Dragon sea captain). Both Sabine and Malek are keeping very dangerous secrets – one could jeopardize Sabine’s life while the other could jeopardize Malek’s mission and the world. It was intense. Sabine was such an amazing character. She was strong, powerful, loyal, protective, and independent. However, it’s also made really clear that she’s had to work hard to be where she’s at. For example, she came to the city not having a lot of skill with fighting. This was something she’s spent years training to become proficient in. However, even though she’s powerful, she’s not the most powerful (which has seemed to be a trend in other fantasy novels) and even though she knows how to do a lot, because she’s been in hiding, her magic is a lot weaker than it should be (since she hasn’t been able to use it very often) and she has quite a bit more growing/learning to do in this area. I loved that her “faults” and “weaknesses” were on display while also showing us where she was “strong” and “powerful.” Despite the contradiction this may at first appear, it was a more realistic view of an individual. Sabine is also feisty and won’t let anyone push her around. She asserts her own dominance within a situation (regardless of some overbearing demons or beastmen). She also kept calm, even in the face of what she could deem as a ‘betrayal’ and had a practical view about the situation, which I loved. Even though we get his POV, Malek is more mysterious throughout this book. Although we know he’s keeping a secret we, as readers, aren’t let in on that secret until much later on in the novel so we know something is up, but not what. The book is written in third person so even though we’re privy to a lot of the characters’ actions, we’re not as connected to their thoughts. Because of this, I do think there was a sense of detachment to the characters and I wasn’t as emotionally invested in them as I could have been. Regardless, it’s clear from the start that Malek is a really good guy – especially when it comes to our heroine. He protects her over and over again and saves her life repeatedly, all without asking for payment/favors (which he had every right to do, and which Sabine couldn’t have refused). When he could’ve taken advantage, he didn’t. This made him incredibly honorable, valiant, and likable. He was like a knight on a white charger, impressing us with his bravery and extreme protectiveness of our heroine. He was so easy to root for because he was just so good. While there’s a dose of sexual tension between them and a few heated kisses, romance is not the focus of this novel. Not to mention the fact that there seems to be something more going on between Sabine and Malek that runs a little bit deeper than simple attraction (like possible soulmates or something?). Either way, this novel built a good foundation for what may come later on and I’m looking forward to seeing how their magnetic pull toward one another plays out. I loved how multi-faceted the relationships were within this novel. For example, Sabine’s relationship with the 2 Demon brothers (Dax and Bane) was hard to peg down. We learn a little bit about the complexity and the many layers to their relationships, but there’s still no black-and-white, clear-cut view. While I’m dying to understand (and I also loved the mystery and intrigue that this provided), what I loved even more was the utter realism this showed. At certain points her relationship with the Demons seems to have been forged out of necessity or forced upon them (like with Dax) but at other points, there seemed to be genuine care, concern, tenderness, and even love between them. This created a lot of palpable tension – especially when Malek steps into the picture and a whole lot of jealously and possessiveness comes into play. It was messy and complicated (like relationships often are) and it provided a believability quality to the novel that was so beautifully done. Although we don’t see much of him, I loved the fatherly figure we found in Balkin too. He’s takes his guardianship of Sabine very seriously and will even purposefully put her friends in danger on the front lines if it means keeping her safe (regardless of what Sabine wants). Though his love and care for Sabine are clear, even this felt complicated by the end (because he put her friends in danger). The author really knew how to write relationships filled with history, depth, and nuance and I’m completely impressed by her. No matter what character you’re talking about, each one was written so vibrantly and they seemed to leap off of the page. The plot of the novel was not only engaging but it was really well-paced. For the length of the novel, the author did an amazing job with how her story unfolded, introducing her characters, and building her world. My only complaint with the pacing or plot would be our introduction to the Wild Hunt. Since the Wild Hunt (and the fact that they were on a mission to kill Sabine) lead up to the climax of the story, how we meet only one of them, have nothing happen, and then move on from this scene, was a bit anti-climactic. How this concluded was lacking and it felt like it was only used as a plot device to get Sabine onto a ship with Malek, focusing on his mission. I think something more could’ve been done with this. Nevertheless, this book was an action-packed adventure and I’m excited to read book #2. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Nov 08, 2023
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Dec 20, 2023
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Kindle Edition
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 3.72
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really liked it
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Aug 04, 2024
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Sep 17, 2024
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| 3.98
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liked it
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Jul 21, 2024
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Sep 16, 2024
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| 3.74
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really liked it
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Jun 28, 2024
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Sep 16, 2024
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| 3.77
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liked it
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Jun 22, 2024
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Sep 16, 2024
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| 4.06
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it was amazing
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Feb 13, 2024
not set
not set
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Aug 07, 2024
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| 4.45
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really liked it
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May 14, 2024
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Jun 15, 2024
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| 4.33
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liked it
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May 12, 2024
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Jun 15, 2024
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| 4.36
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really liked it
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May 12, 2024
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Jun 14, 2024
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| 4.38
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really liked it
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May 10, 2024
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Jun 14, 2024
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| 3.92
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really liked it
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Apr 07, 2024
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Jun 11, 2024
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| 3.84
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really liked it
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Mar 21, 2024
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Mar 28, 2024
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|||||
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| 4.37
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really liked it
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Mar 08, 2024
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Mar 25, 2024
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| 4.28
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really liked it
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Mar 05, 2024
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Mar 25, 2024
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| 4.32
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it was amazing
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Feb 29, 2024
not set
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Mar 23, 2024
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| 3.71
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really liked it
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Feb 06, 2024
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Mar 13, 2024
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| 3.86
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really liked it
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Feb 04, 2024
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Mar 13, 2024
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| 4.18
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liked it
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Jan 14, 2024
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Mar 07, 2024
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| 4.57
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it was amazing
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Aug 23, 2023
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Feb 15, 2024
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| 3.85
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really liked it
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Nov 15, 2023
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Dec 20, 2023
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| 4.15
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really liked it
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Nov 08, 2023
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Dec 20, 2023
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