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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
First of all, HOW gorgeous is this cover??
Novellas are always kind of hit or miss for me, but this world definitely entranced me and left me wanting more! I didn't even really know what supernatural noir was until I saw it in the cover blurb (which was done by none other than Laini Taylor, an author I just adore!), and the genre really worked for me. I know absolutely nothing else about this author except the cover of their novel Witchmark by sight, but I am VERY tempted to check out more of their stuff!
Novellas are always kind of hit or miss for me, but this world definitely entranced me and left me wanting more! I didn't even really know what supernatural noir was until I saw it in the cover blurb (which was done by none other than Laini Taylor, an author I just adore!), and the genre really worked for me. I know absolutely nothing else about this author except the cover of their novel Witchmark by sight, but I am VERY tempted to check out more of their stuff!
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
This sapphic, paranormal noir story is a lot of fun. The main mystery is full of twists and turns, and if you love demons and angels fighting for souls in the gritty streets of Chicago, you're going to love this.
I really liked the protagonist, and her narrative voice; it had exactly enough grit to really fit the genre while still being uniquely about the character herself; her love interest and she had a really believable ... not just chemistry, but the weight and romance of an established relationship. I also loved that it didn't pull back from things like the prejudices they'd deal with (and those common in the era)
The one thing that didn't quite work for me was the pace. Obviously, a lot of noir stories are shorter, but this was still a good 50-100 pages shorter than the standard, and while I love novellas a lot, it forced the pace to increase to the point that there was no breathing room for details as they were revealed. With the number of twists, turns, and revelations, I wished it was significantly longer just to give the reader more of a chance to take something in and interpret it before having the next revelation laid down.
Still, a really great read.
I really liked the protagonist, and her narrative voice; it had exactly enough grit to really fit the genre while still being uniquely about the character herself; her love interest and she had a really believable ... not just chemistry, but the weight and romance of an established relationship. I also loved that it didn't pull back from things like the prejudices they'd deal with (and those common in the era)
The one thing that didn't quite work for me was the pace. Obviously, a lot of noir stories are shorter, but this was still a good 50-100 pages shorter than the standard, and while I love novellas a lot, it forced the pace to increase to the point that there was no breathing room for details as they were revealed. With the number of twists, turns, and revelations, I wished it was significantly longer just to give the reader more of a chance to take something in and interpret it before having the next revelation laid down.
Still, a really great read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This read was an absolute delight
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
its fast paced, fun and easy to read. exactly the reason i picked it up. i have to say the ending did bother me, i mean i get the point of love is worth going to hell for it, and that theres this whole full circle moment, but also If nobody sacrificed themselves, they could've all spent eternity together? like I get thats its probably also tied with the argument that being gay is a sin, and the counter argument of love still being worth it, but this just doesn't seem like a good analogy. I also get that her brother finally understood what she felt ten years prior but honestly i didnt. like I get it but I don't get it. maybe with more context on how heaven and hell work in this world, it would make more sense, but this way it just all seems kind of like a full circle moment for the sake of a full circle moment. Nonetheless, this is more or less what I expected and I'm very satisfied with what I got. the epitome of a "for entertainment" read
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes