Scan barcode
consumed_by_mold's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very angsty childhood friends-to-lovers slow burn. Half of the book is them being kids with no mention of anything sexual and I really enjoyed that they became best friends first. They only have a two year age gap and didn't do anything while the younger was underage either.
It's also the first werewolf book that genuinely gave me true pack energy. Family is so important to them and you could really feel it. The romance wasn't the most important in the beginning, which is good caus the themes are first and foremost about belonging, self-worth and connecting to people.
Our main character reads strongly as neurodivergent, maybe ADHD? It's not named in the story, but I suspect it. This book features Native American and Pakistani werewolves, but there are some other shifters of color as well (black and asian I believe?)
The rambly dialogue can be a bit much at times during serious scenes (it's perfect for the funny ones though) and there's a few monologues that go on for way too long. The ending was a little too quick and sappy for my tastes, but it's still cute. Just kinda wish it didn't stop so suddenly and leave other character interactions/conclusions out.
Overall very funny yet emotional book, I liked the found-family dynamics and the werewolf smut a lot.
Content warnings: Child Abuse (including punishment for being neurodivergent imo), Self-Harm, Child Attempting Suicide Twice (once by running away into the woods, once by taking pills), PTSD, Panic Attacks
It's also the first werewolf book that genuinely gave me true pack energy. Family is so important to them and you could really feel it. The romance wasn't the most important in the beginning, which is good caus the themes are first and foremost about belonging, self-worth and connecting to people.
Our main character reads strongly as neurodivergent, maybe ADHD? It's not named in the story, but I suspect it. This book features Native American and Pakistani werewolves, but there are some other shifters of color as well (black and asian I believe?)
The rambly dialogue can be a bit much at times during serious scenes (it's perfect for the funny ones though) and there's a few monologues that go on for way too long. The ending was a little too quick and sappy for my tastes, but it's still cute. Just kinda wish it didn't stop so suddenly and leave other character interactions/conclusions out.
Overall very funny yet emotional book, I liked the found-family dynamics and the werewolf smut a lot.
Content warnings: Child Abuse (including punishment for being neurodivergent imo), Self-Harm, Child Attempting Suicide Twice (once by running away into the woods, once by taking pills), PTSD, Panic Attacks
mdee's review against another edition
5.0
You know a book is GOOD when you find yourself staying up reading it until 3am even though you have work in the morning, crying real tears as the characters go through all of their trials and hurts. Whew! This was angsty in just the right way with a well deserved HEA. I’m emotionally exhausted after that rollercoaster of feels, but in a good way. 😌
cinnamon's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure I would classify this as a romance novel. If you go in anticipating it to be a romance, prepare for the longest slow burn of your life.
I read this in one day, the majority of it in one sitting, and I did enjoy it. However, the GoodReads description is much more accurate than the Amazon description. The focus isn't on the romance between Hakan and Damien, it's on Damien and his found family/coming of age/healing from trauma experience over the course of several years.
There are some typos, as well as a random "I hid my laugh" in the prose (not dialogue) despite it being written in 3rd person, but overall, a solid story. Just not really a romance.
Spoiler
(55% is first kiss, 70% is first reciprocation)I read this in one day, the majority of it in one sitting, and I did enjoy it. However, the GoodReads description is much more accurate than the Amazon description. The focus isn't on the romance between Hakan and Damien, it's on Damien and his found family/coming of age/healing from trauma experience over the course of several years.
There are some typos, as well as a random "I hid my laugh" in the prose (not dialogue) despite it being written in 3rd person, but overall, a solid story. Just not really a romance.
zhannie's review against another edition
5.0
"We all need it. Damien, we all need to be shown with certainty where we belong. We all need to see commitment and not just suggestion."
I've read the blurb before starting, but I haven't expected the story to hit so close to home (but this is irrelevant so I'm not gonna get further into it). It's well-written, emotional, tender... I actually struggle to describe what I feel whenever I find a book that I love (while I seem to have easier time writing about what I disliked), so I don't know how better to convey it except: I am so glad that I found this book. From the beginning to the end, it was five stars and it never wavered.
But there was actually one thing that I personally struggled with and that's angst. My heart was aching for Damien and I so desperately wanted him to finally feel safe, comforted, but that dragged out for quite a bit -. I just wish that happiness reached him sooner, but still, this definitely didn't spoil the book in any way.
The romance between Damien and Hakan develops really slowly, but I love slow-burn so I enjoyed this. Although, again, I wouldn't have minded if they got together just a tiny bit sooner...
Well, that's all. Just, I love this book so much.
Be mindful of the triggers and as long as you can handle them, you won't regret picking up this book.
I've read the blurb before starting, but I haven't expected the story to hit so close to home (but this is irrelevant so I'm not gonna get further into it). It's well-written, emotional, tender... I actually struggle to describe what I feel whenever I find a book that I love (while I seem to have easier time writing about what I disliked), so I don't know how better to convey it except: I am so glad that I found this book. From the beginning to the end, it was five stars and it never wavered.
But there was actually one thing that I personally struggled with and that's angst. My heart was aching for Damien and I so desperately wanted him to finally feel safe, comforted, but that dragged out for quite a bit -
Spoiler
literally until the very end of the book, until the last few pages.The romance between Damien and Hakan develops really slowly, but I love slow-burn so I enjoyed this. Although, again, I wouldn't have minded if they got together just a tiny bit sooner...
Spoiler
Basically, they only really got together at the very end, in the last few pages. They got sexual with each other before that though (FWB), but Damien thought that Hakan wouldn't want to have him as a mate, so they classified the relationship as just "casual". Like, I just wish I could've seen them in a relationship more, after they confessed; I wanted to see them happy, feeling loved, showing love, openly being together...Well, that's all. Just, I love this book so much.
Be mindful of the triggers and as long as you can handle them, you won't regret picking up this book.
thomasmbs's review against another edition
5.0
Cuando comencé este libro, me dolió mi corazoncito, por todo lo que pasó Damien, a medida que avanzaba, el dolor fue disminuyendo, me encanta las sesiones de terapia de Damien, esta muy bien desarrollada, incluso es hasta educativa.
Me gusto mucho la relación de Damien y Hakan, se desarrollo muy bien, el personaje de Koko simplemente perfecto, al igual que todos los Salgado.
Solo tengo reparaciones en el final, me parece que fue demasiado corto el desenlace de la relación formal, aun así me gusto bastante.
Me gusto mucho la relación de Damien y Hakan, se desarrollo muy bien, el personaje de Koko simplemente perfecto, al igual que todos los Salgado.
Solo tengo reparaciones en el final, me parece que fue demasiado corto el desenlace de la relación formal, aun así me gusto bastante.
tweiler32's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
mirdiz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
God this book just ripped my heart out! I was sobbing! It’s so beautifully written, descriptions are like poetry ❤️ I love these characters with all my heart!! Such a good book!!!
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
asabovesobelow's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0