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katyhosbein's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Any book I can blast through in a day means it’ll get five stars. I was engaged in the story throughout the whole book and loved the even match between Kaderin and Sebastian in both fighting and intelligence. Still love the subtle twists on classic lore in this book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Gore
overflowingshelf's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Review originally posted on Overflowing Shelf
Rating: 4.5 Stars
CW: Suicidal thoughts; death of siblings/parents; violence
No Rest for the Wicked felt like a full-180 from [b:A Hunger Like No Other|14384|A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark, #1)|Kresley Cole|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1357616154l/14384._SY75_.jpg|16422]. Everything about this book was better – from the writing to the plot, to the characters and the romance. I totally understand why people recommend starting the Immortals After Dark series with this book over A Hunger Like No Other as it’s significantly more enjoyable.
Kaderin the Cold Hearted is a vampire killing machine ever since losing her sisters to them ages ago. She’s never hesitated to kill a vampire since then until she confronts Sebastian Wroth. Sebastian Wroth never wanted to be a vampire, and he hates who he is. He’s ready to end everything when Kaderin comes to kill him, but instead, she ends up saving him as he realizes she’s his mate. Kaderin has no desire to be a vampire’s mate and must concentrate on winning the Talisman’s Hie – an Amazing Race type game where immortals compete in a series of tasks to win a prize. Kaderin is the reigning champ, and this year’s prize, Thrane’s Key, is something she’ll do anything to get. However, Sebastian keeps getting in her way, threatening to upend her chances at regaining her long-lost family.
I truly enjoyed this book as it was what I was hoping A Hunger Like No Other would be. The romance in this book was the best type of enemies-to-lovers and a healthier example of the fated mate’s concept. I also thought the plot in this book was so much fun! The addition of the Talisman’s Hie was so much fun, and it helped to expand the world as well as bring some fun action in!
Kaderin and Sebastian truly made this book such an enjoyable read. In A Hunger Like No Other, I didn’t care for either of our main characters. Thank god I did not have that experience this time! I loved both Kaderin and Sebastian so much. Kaderin could kick some serious butt and I loved the emotional journey she goes on throughout the book. At the start, she’s cold and unfeeling, thanks to a blessing placed on her after the death of her sisters. She viewed emotions as a weakness at the beginning and something to be avoided at all costs. However, throughout the novel, she realizes that feeling emotions can be a strength. And then we have Sebastian, who is just the sweetest. He was turned into a vampire by his family against his will and is ready to end it all when Kaderin finds him. She gives him life again. I truly loved that he was not alpha or a ladies’ man. He’s a bookishly smart scholar and he has some insecurities when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex. I found him incredibly sweet and caring and was willing to put Kaderin’s emotions above his own.
The romance in this book was sheer perfection. It’s a pitch-perfect enemies-to-lovers. I loved that Kaderin literally couldn’t tell if she wanted to stab Sebastian or kiss him. The chemistry between the two of them was burning hot and I loved watching the relationship slowly develop over the course of the novel. Sebastian was willing to wait and put her needs before her own. His love language is clearly acts of service and I truly appreciated that, especially when you compare it to the incredibly problematic romance in A Hunger Like No Other.
I truly loved the addition of the Talisman’s Hie to this book. Not only did it give a great framework to the story, but it also gives a lot of forward momentum to the plot. I also loved how it expanded upon the world of the Lore as we get all types of creatures competing in the event. The Hie was also so much fun to just watch as it was filled with action, adventure, backstabbing and intrigue. The prize in the Hie also brought in elements of time travel which I truly was not expecting, but it was so fun!
Reading this book was just pure fun. I loved every minute of it and every element of it. The romance was fun and hot, the plot was full of action and adventure, and the writing was superb. I think you can start this series with No Rest for the Wicked as you’ll still learn what happened in A Hunger Like No Other, and it’s overall just a stronger, less problematic book.
I’m excited to get Bowen’s story in the next book as he was a crucial contender in this book during the Hie and someone who has gone through a lot of pain (both physically and emotionally). I want him to get a happily ever after!
I’m super excited to continue with this series as No Rest for the Wicked re-energized me about the story and Cole’s ability to deliver on the romance. I cannot wait to see what crazy, wild things happen next in the world of the Lore!
Rating: 4.5 Stars
CW: Suicidal thoughts; death of siblings/parents; violence
No Rest for the Wicked felt like a full-180 from [b:A Hunger Like No Other|14384|A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark, #1)|Kresley Cole|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1357616154l/14384._SY75_.jpg|16422]. Everything about this book was better – from the writing to the plot, to the characters and the romance. I totally understand why people recommend starting the Immortals After Dark series with this book over A Hunger Like No Other as it’s significantly more enjoyable.
Kaderin the Cold Hearted is a vampire killing machine ever since losing her sisters to them ages ago. She’s never hesitated to kill a vampire since then until she confronts Sebastian Wroth. Sebastian Wroth never wanted to be a vampire, and he hates who he is. He’s ready to end everything when Kaderin comes to kill him, but instead, she ends up saving him as he realizes she’s his mate. Kaderin has no desire to be a vampire’s mate and must concentrate on winning the Talisman’s Hie – an Amazing Race type game where immortals compete in a series of tasks to win a prize. Kaderin is the reigning champ, and this year’s prize, Thrane’s Key, is something she’ll do anything to get. However, Sebastian keeps getting in her way, threatening to upend her chances at regaining her long-lost family.
I truly enjoyed this book as it was what I was hoping A Hunger Like No Other would be. The romance in this book was the best type of enemies-to-lovers and a healthier example of the fated mate’s concept. I also thought the plot in this book was so much fun! The addition of the Talisman’s Hie was so much fun, and it helped to expand the world as well as bring some fun action in!
Kaderin and Sebastian truly made this book such an enjoyable read. In A Hunger Like No Other, I didn’t care for either of our main characters. Thank god I did not have that experience this time! I loved both Kaderin and Sebastian so much. Kaderin could kick some serious butt and I loved the emotional journey she goes on throughout the book. At the start, she’s cold and unfeeling, thanks to a blessing placed on her after the death of her sisters. She viewed emotions as a weakness at the beginning and something to be avoided at all costs. However, throughout the novel, she realizes that feeling emotions can be a strength. And then we have Sebastian, who is just the sweetest. He was turned into a vampire by his family against his will and is ready to end it all when Kaderin finds him. She gives him life again. I truly loved that he was not alpha or a ladies’ man. He’s a bookishly smart scholar and he has some insecurities when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex. I found him incredibly sweet and caring and was willing to put Kaderin’s emotions above his own.
The romance in this book was sheer perfection. It’s a pitch-perfect enemies-to-lovers. I loved that Kaderin literally couldn’t tell if she wanted to stab Sebastian or kiss him. The chemistry between the two of them was burning hot and I loved watching the relationship slowly develop over the course of the novel. Sebastian was willing to wait and put her needs before her own. His love language is clearly acts of service and I truly appreciated that, especially when you compare it to the incredibly problematic romance in A Hunger Like No Other.
I truly loved the addition of the Talisman’s Hie to this book. Not only did it give a great framework to the story, but it also gives a lot of forward momentum to the plot. I also loved how it expanded upon the world of the Lore as we get all types of creatures competing in the event. The Hie was also so much fun to just watch as it was filled with action, adventure, backstabbing and intrigue. The prize in the Hie also brought in elements of time travel which I truly was not expecting, but it was so fun!
Reading this book was just pure fun. I loved every minute of it and every element of it. The romance was fun and hot, the plot was full of action and adventure, and the writing was superb. I think you can start this series with No Rest for the Wicked as you’ll still learn what happened in A Hunger Like No Other, and it’s overall just a stronger, less problematic book.
I’m excited to get Bowen’s story in the next book as he was a crucial contender in this book during the Hie and someone who has gone through a lot of pain (both physically and emotionally). I want him to get a happily ever after!
I’m super excited to continue with this series as No Rest for the Wicked re-energized me about the story and Cole’s ability to deliver on the romance. I cannot wait to see what crazy, wild things happen next in the world of the Lore!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Violence and Death of parent
friends2lovers's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
4.0
In the year 1709, Sebastian Wroth was turned, against his will, into a vampire by his brothers. He's lived the last 300 years alone and miserable. So, when Kaderin the Cold-Hearted, a Valkyrie, shows up at his castle to assassinate him, he welcomes death by her sword. Kaderin hesitates and it soon becomes clear why - she is Sebastian’s Bride. This is quite inconvenient and appalling for Kaderin, who has spent the last 1,000 years assassinating vampires, ever since her sisters were killed by one.
“No, no!” She stared at his chest—at his heart—in horror. “I am not a . . . Bride.”
Bride? His jaw slackened. He remembered his brothers explaining that when he found his Bride, his eternal wife, she would blood him. With his blooding, his body would come back to life. He’d always believed they’d lied to dull the bitter sting of what they’d made him. Yet it was true. The sound he’d heard was the rush of his heart beating for the first time since he’d been turned. He rocked on his feet as he inhaled deeply, breathing at last after three hundred years.
What follows is a rollercoaster of action and adventure. Kaderin is competing in the Talisman’s Hie, a treasure hunt that occurs every 250 years. Participants earn points by traveling all over the world collecting magical objects. The winner of this year’s Hie will receive Thrane’s Key which allows the possessor to travel into the past. Kaderin is determined to win so that she can use the key to go back in time to save her sisters’ lives. Sebastian enters the competition to help Kaderin win (or if that’s not possible, to win the key for her) in the hopes that Kaderin will warm up to the idea of being his Bride once she gets to know him. The plot was more entertaining and adventurous than I thought it would be. Probably if I were ever to reread this, I’d skip some of these action-heavy scenes. But, I appreciate them for the worldbuilding. Apparently, dragons (also called basilisks) exist in this world! The time travel aspect made my brain hurt, though, and I don’t think I understand the rules.
As for the romance, their first meeting effectively sucked me in, even though it could have fallen flat because of the insta-lust. Unfortunately, there isn’t a later scene that tops that one in terms of tension and chemistry. Their first meeting is profound not just because of Sebastian’s blooding, but also because of his effect on Kaderin. For the last thousand years she’s been blessed with a cold, unfeeling nature, but “the blessing” is reversed when she’s in Sebastian’s presence and she’s suddenly inundated with feelings that she does not have the capacity to process. As a result, Kaderin is very hot and cold with Sebastian. I get that she’s overwhelmed and confused. I think I wanted her mood swings explained a bit more, though.
I couldn’t always discern what caused her to change her mind about Sebastian. The turning point for Kaderin is supposedly a sex scene where beforehand she tells him, “If we do this, Sebastian, there’s no making love. There’s no claiming me, like I’m lost luggage. This isn’t a promise of any kind. Just meaningless sex.” Then the next morning her narrative says, “Now that she and Sebastian had made love, everything felt different to her.” I missed the part where “meaningless sex” became “making love” for her. The sex scene was told in Sebastian’s point-of-view, which I’m not sure was the best choice if there was a major emotional shift happening with Kaderin. It was all a bit anticlimactic.
I think the romance could have been stronger if there was a little less focus on Kaderin’s sexual feelings for Sebastian, which are consistent, and more focus on the building of trust between them, which was inconsistent and not fully fleshed out. Kaderin does not reveal to Sebastian her true motivations for winning the Hie, and I’m not sure I understand why she chose to keep that a secret. When Sebastian outright asks her what’s driving her to win, she says that she doesn’t want him to use her trust against her as leverage. I’m not following the logic here. Leverage for what? Sebastian was a more consistent character, though there were a couple of times where I struggled to track his emotional journey as well.
It’s been a while since I read book 1 and I didn’t read the prequel novella at all, so I kind of felt like I was playing catch-up on backstory and worldbuilding. Maybe in my brain, trying to juggle the romance and the other aspects at the same time prevented me from fully connecting with the characters and so my understanding of them suffered?
Overall, this was fun and a refreshing break from all the historical romance I've been reading! A Hunger Like No Other was not a particularly memorable read for me earlier this year, but I'm glad I gave this series another shot. I've already started book 3, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, because I want to find out what happens to Bowen, who went through the ringer in this book. I’m also excited to read about a werewolf and a witch paired together.
_______________
Endnotes
Series: Immortals After Dark #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Setting: present day, all over the world
Hero: Sebastian Wroth, vampire
Heroine: Kaderin the Coldhearted, valkyrie
Tropes/Themes: scholarly hero, assassin heroine, globe trotting, hero pursues heroine, fated mates, insta-lust
Format: October 2015 mass market paperback edition (own), copyright 2006
Length: 445 pages, 121k words
Read Date: December 7, 2021
Heat Rating: Medium-High
Flames: 4🔥🔥🔥🔥
Density: 3📑📑📑
Intensity: 4💓💓💓💓
Burn Speed: 5💨💨💨💨💨
Overall: 4🌡️🌡️🌡️🌡️
Sex & Kink Notes:
Sex Scene Details:
※ My star and heat ratings are explained → here
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Violence, Sexual content, and Gore
cupidities's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
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