“Sit, please. I have something I’d like to discuss with you first.” “Ooo… we’re using good manners. Am I in trouble?” “That depends. Do you want me t
“Sit, please. I have something I’d like to discuss with you first.” “Ooo… we’re using good manners. Am I in trouble?” “That depends. Do you want me to punish you, Witchling?” “Am I going to enjoy it?” “Why wouldn’t you?”
He dipped his head, his lips gently brushing over each bruise, cut, and scrape, attending to each lovingly. “For each wound they left, mea luna.” He
He dipped his head, his lips gently brushing over each bruise, cut, and scrape, attending to each lovingly. “For each wound they left, mea luna.” He kissed my wrist. “I swear I will give them tenfold.”
If you start poking your noses into family secrets, someone may bite them off.
This was so so so so so so SO GOOD.
It had everything I love in a par
If you start poking your noses into family secrets, someone may bite them off.
This was so so so so so so SO GOOD.
It had everything I love in a paranormal thriller and then some. I couldn't put it down. Probably the most engaging book I've read these past two months and the pictures/drawings really made the difference, even if they were super creepy and made me almost shit my pants...more
Not a big fan of postmodern horror with a political side, but this was pretty interesting and really well written. Considering how gory and scary JapanNot a big fan of postmodern horror with a political side, but this was pretty interesting and really well written. Considering how gory and scary Japanese horror movies can be, I expected more blood from this, but it was okay overall.
"You resurrected my heart when I thought it was gone forever, so its fate is yours. Rip it out and burn it to ash if that makes you happy. But know
"You resurrected my heart when I thought it was gone forever, so its fate is yours. Rip it out and burn it to ash if that makes you happy. But know this: no matter how long you allow me to keep it, I will cherish this gift and use it to protect you."
Not gonna lie, I've obsessed over this book since when I found out it existed, and that pretty cover surely did nothing to help tame my obsession. The Wizard of Oz and Return to Oz were two of my favorite movies when I was a kid, the second in particular, and finding out there was a retelling out there that not only featured fae but that was pretty grimy and exceptionally spicy, too...well, it definitely felt like a dream come true. Tin is an incredibly detailed and pretty dark retelling, where both the hot, broody and murderous metallic Rowan Whitethorn version of Tin Man and no other than Miss The Dorothy Gale have a POV (bless!!!) and are on a quest through the devastation and deathly calamity that hit the once golden land that was Oz. I didn't expect it to be so dark and gruesome and creepy, to be honest, and I can't say it's a bad thing because I like these aspects in my fae stories; the Wheelers, for example, are just as freaking creepy as they are in the movie and I remember having nightmares about them when I was little. Yes, I'm praying that they stay out of my dreams, this time around.
Anyway... I loved every single bit of this story - the dynamics between the main characters and the secondary ones was probably the thing I liked the most -, and it only took me almost a week to finish it because I wanted to savor it slowly. There was so much going on, and even if I didn't always like the characters' decisions, I was pretty hooked most of the time. I would have loved to know more about what happened to Oz once Dorothy left, instead of having only hinted bits and short info, but I overall think this is just as great as retellings can be. I also thought that maybe the relationship between Tin and Dorothy could have been explored differently; I'm, in fact, not really a fan of how they went from enemies, to attraction, to real love trademark, and it's got nothing to do with the lenght of the book. It just was too slow at the start and too rushed, all of a sudden. I've got to say, though, that the book in its entirety was an awesome read, with the coolest story and amazingly crafted characters, so I'll go with my mood and overlook some technicalities in favor of rating this based on how this made me feel. And, in case you're wondering, I'm feeling pretty good, right now. ...more
“I shall have what is rightfully mine. No more, no less.” “And what…what do you believe is rightfully yours?” He grinned. She could feel his hot brea
“I shall have what is rightfully mine. No more, no less.” “And what…what do you believe is rightfully yours?” He grinned. She could feel his hot breath wash against her cheek. “Everything under the sun and moon, on Earth and Tir n’Aill, little witch. Everything. Including you.”
Listen, I don't need you to judge me for feeling the need to pick this kind of books. I already judge myself well enough for it, and rightfully so. A reader's gotta do what a reader's gotta do, after all.
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Jokes aside, this book could have been everything I've ever dreamt for and possibly even more, but I was unhappily scammed by that inpossibly sexy cover and all the wicked content it promised. Don't get me wrong, The Unseelie Prince's earned its DARK ROMANCE title (look out for the trigger warning list I'm gonna add under a spoiler tag at the bottom of this review) and the ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS trope is well deserved, but I think the author had some trouble with developing this themes or fitting them rightly into the story. A story, that, unfortunately, is painfully slow and one-dimentional. At some point I considered skimming, but -still hanging on to that beautiful cover that speaks of rougher and sexier times- I just didn't want to give up so easily. If you know me and my reading habits, you know I will 90% of times fall for the villain, and I was surprised to find out that, Valroy, for once, is a real villain, a mean and bloody one, one that doesn't fall easily and that remains merciless and true to his own nature once he does. I liked his character more than I did Abigail's, but I didn't really love any of them, in the end. Same goes for the dark romance and enemies-to-lovers aspects. It's not that I have anything with books being dark or with slow burns, but if there's something I'm passionately uncompromising when it comes to this two particular tropes, is that I have to feel the shadows and I have to feel the hate, but I also have to feel the CHEMISTRY, and I felt very little while reading this. The Unseelies Prince was too heavy on its darkness and, ironically, an enemies-to-lovers book that was probably even too realistic for a certain books' standards. It was always about Valroy being cruel and a giant abt-winged jerk (which, okay, could be considered hot, if you squint, except for the wings part that is probably what got me in this situation in the first place), about Abigail trying to escape from her secy kidnapper (fair), Abigail refusing to marry him over and over and over and over (again, fair af), but there wasn't much else in between and the little that was, was forgettable and not as hot as that freaking cover suggested.
Plotwise speaking, I have almost nothing to say. It was okay, but there really wasn't much going on, and it's a pity because the first 5 or so chapters were really promising.
Long story short, this book has all the tropes, all the potential, a chef-kiss plot, top notch writing and exciting dialogue (it's told in third person but it has a double pov), but it fails in putting homogeneously together a group of elements that individually are terrific. Long story short, that cover lied to me and now I'm bitter. Long story short, there's only one cruel prince in town. He doesn't have wings, but he has a tail and he's the bestest.
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Jokes aside, what the frick?? This books was an emotional rollercoaster I wasn't fully prepared for. As always, I have to thank SK because her reading updates convinced me to add this book to my tbr, and (obviously) Iqra, because her review was the final push I needed to finally pick this up. And, man, I'll need time to recover.
If I had to draw comparisons, I'd say The Book of Azrael is part House of Earth and Blood, part Angelfall, with a few elements that also reminded me of Savage Lands. Hence, it was a win right from the start.
The setup was original and one of the things I liked the most about this book is definitely the plot; I had a lot of fun uncovering mysteries, learning about lore and betrayals, meeting the colorful cast of fantastic creatures, and following Dianna and Liam on their extremely bloody journey. And, of course, speaking of these two. The slow burn was to die for. I mean...I just couldn't decide if I liked Dianna or Liam more, but then I said fuck it, and cheered in bi, going for both. Also, YAY?!?! both mcs are openly bi (or pan, not specified, but I know for sure both are not het). Thanks, Amber Nicole for making it a thing and for introducing it so naturally that their sexuality is part of their person, not their personality.
Dianna is an intense main character and one I totally see myself relating to. She's, despite all the shit she's been through and the trauma, a real badass and it's so refreshing, for once, to have a main character that is extra gray and unapologetically terrifying. I adored her relationship with Gabby and her POV was extraordinary. Liam's narration was equally as entertaining and his character is probably my favorite, because I felt like he was really unique. He wasn't just a broody alpha male with a troubled past and a temper, if you get what I mean. There's substance to his character, there's a reason behind his actions.
Now, I know you're probably wondering why I rated this only 3 and a half stars if I ended up liking this so much. For one, the writing was okay, but it didn't impress me. I found the prose to be alright at most and I definitely noticed some dialogues and lines were repeated more than once; the narration was great, like I said, but it was also a bit too info-dumpy in terms of world-building in the first chapters. You'd imagine that in a book so long, you'd have the chance to learn things little by little, but that wasn't the case. Ironically, for a lore so verbose, I admit there were times I was introduced to new characters and terms in a rushed way, like I was already supposed to know who and what these people and creatures were, even though it was my first time reading about them. In short, I was a little bored. And confused. Sooooo confused. Also, (and may this be an admonition for all authors -but I'm looking at you in particular, SJM) please, for the love of our petty lord and reluctant savior cardan greenbriar, stop describing every single piece of clothing characters wear. I'm not Tim Gunn. I don't care.
Least but not last, I literally can't enjoy a character properly when they're centuries old and act like they're in their 20s. Seriously, it's a bookish pet peeve of mine that I'm afraid I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. Liam's characterizarion was okay, I guess, but Dianna felt sometimes too...young? I expected her to be more stoic in her private life like she was during fights, to the point I couldn't taker her seriously when she acted so ooc. That's details, though. She was perfect, overall.
Wish I could say the same about that ending. Iqra, I don't care how cute you are, how much I love you or if this is payback for recommending Zodiac Academy to you. You're paying for my therapy. And nope, hugs don't count as payment. (But I'll take some, anyway)
ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5 (Ratings may change in the future, but for now I can't bring myself to give this 4 full stars.)
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this book....more
Belle Morte is probably one of the few ARCs I've read during these years that I ended up liking, and if you consider the fact that it first saw the light as a Wattpad story, that's even more impressing. I really liked the take of Higgin on vampires being reality show stars with their own screaming fans and their Houses (although this reminded me a little too much of the whole exaggeratedly and unreasonably famous TikTok crews) where human donors are provided with fashion clothes and a place under the spotlight in exchange for a few bites here and there. I wasn't exactly a fan of Renie but I appreciated her efforts in trying to find out what happened to her sister June, even though most of the time her lack of self-control got her in trouble she could have easily avoided by thinking things through a little more. I also really liked the mystery surrounding June's disappearance in the first half of the book and all the tales about Edmond past. What I could have done without were the superficial romance, the huge amount of names to remember and the brutally rushed ending. I felt like it erased most of the book's main plot in favor of a forced happpily ever after.
ARC requested on and provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review...more
This was wild af. I'm so glad I didn't spoil anything by watching the movie first because damn, the plot twists were good!
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{this book and other classics I'm gonna try getting around to reading this year, will be featured in a shelf called classic-lit-palooza and will be picked from a list of titles considered classics or cult novels that I compiled on a sleep deprived Wednesday night. It comprehends all those famous books I've always wanted to read and that I've challenged myself to finally pick up in 2021-2022. I'll try to review or just rate these books in an objective way, and do my best not to let questionable/old-fashioned contents spoil my enjoyment, although I'll definitely take into account that many of these novels might contain or glorify those behaviors and elements that are considered problematic for today's standards.}...more
I wish I could say everything sounds better in space (oxymoron check), but this book would be the p
There’s nothing to be gained from looking back.
I wish I could say everything sounds better in space (oxymoron check), but this book would be the proof that, unfortunately, it does not. I don't know what I expected from this book, but it definitely wasn't this approximate mess that's anything but an horror story. If I have to be completely honest, the first half of the story was very intriguing; I actually appreciated the writing format and couldn't wait to break through the main character's hard and flawed shell. In short, this book and its plot, had all the potential to become a spooky sci-fi thriller worthy of its title.
Unfortunately, it somehow all went downhill after the one true tension-filled moment of the entire book. The rest of the book fell short for what concerns the writing and the story itself went through a painful proccess that turned what could have been an entertaining and scary novel, into a dull bunch of rushed action scenes and random paranormal events. I mean...I don't ask for much, but it'd be nice to finish a stantalone and, unless it's an open-ending type of book, not have any questions about the plot or aspects of it. I know some authors leave you high and dry because they're sadists and like to create a mystery around their novels, but in this case, it feels more like oversight than purpose, and it left me baffled. And not in a positive way. The climax that the author had been building since the beginning, deflated faster than you can say "mediocre". I don't usually use the words anticlimatic and overwhelming lightly, but...
I wanted Alien on paper. I expected blood and terror and terrifying cannibal shapeshifter creatures, but I guess it wasn't my turn to be satisfied.
"Give it to me." "I don't have anything to give." "Then give me all your nothing."
the sappy 13-year-old me who thirsted over jeremy sumpter's sweet
"Give it to me." "I don't have anything to give." "Then give me all your nothing."
the sappy 13-year-old me who thirsted over jeremy sumpter's sweet peter pan walked so 32-year-old me who inevitably ended up falling for the hot crazy un-mustached villain with a breathplay kink could run
No one really wants you to be yourself. They only want themselves reflected back at them.
I'm a bit conflicted about this one. On one hand, I liked
No one really wants you to be yourself. They only want themselves reflected back at them.
I'm a bit conflicted about this one. On one hand, I liked where the story was going and the author managed to keep my interest alive for the majority of the book; on the other, I could smell the twist way before they happened, and I found the last chapters to be a little too rushed. I was also left with an impressive list of unanswered questions and things that make no sense that kind of frustrate the reader in me to no end. I've read another book by Hawkins a few years ago and it didn't go well, but I'm willing to give the author one last chance because I really enjoyed the first half of this book and I think I saw potential in her writing.
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Berrie Kreinik is the queen of switching accents! Love her!...more
Where there’s feeling—even if it’s pain—there’s life that can be recovered.
ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5 A brilliant, dark and a bit disturbing thriller tha
Where there’s feeling—even if it’s pain—there’s life that can be recovered.
ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5 A brilliant, dark and a bit disturbing thriller that I utterly enjoyed and that was recommended by my adorable friend Francesca. Maybe not the best nor the most original thriller I've read, but it was engaging and the ending alone was worth it all! ...more
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Wesolowski did it again and with the brutal and cinical force of a talent I can't even exp
"Jesus Christ." "To coin a phrase: not quite."
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Wesolowski did it again and with the brutal and cinical force of a talent I can't even explain. He writes some of the sickest murder mysteries and both the format and the stories themselves are something you just can't get enough, no matter how gory and scandalous they get. What I like the most about MW's Six Stories series, is the pace. You get enough info and shocking revelations each time to keep you guessing and glued to the pages. You just can't get enough. This fifth story is my favorite so far. It gave me actual chills and, even though the presented crime was a fictional one, it made me question about mine and other people perception of what's good and what's evil. I must admit some of the twists I saw them coming way before they were revealed, but it's always an entertaining experience to stay for the entire thing and figure everything out along with our favorite podcast host. Wesolowski's writing is raw and straight to the point. Sometimes you forget it's not actually Scott King behind the pen. As always, the supernatural halo that envelopes each one of these stories, just added an additional chill that's always more than appreciated. Bravo, Matt Wesolowski. Can't wait for another of his books.
astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters)
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