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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
This was marketed to me as a paranormal vampire romance meets intrigue about something larger going on in the background. But The Monster and the Last Blood Match struggles to deliver on either of these. I felt like as soon as I was feeling like I was getting pulled into one, we switched to the other. Firstly, the romance did not work for me. I felt like we didn't know Beckham enough to feel like he had any depth as a love interest. And part of Reyna's own frustration with him is that he never reveals anything. But because of that, I had trouble buying the chemistry and tension between them.
It's one thing to think, "Oh this is just physical attraction", but we are supposed to believe that they feel something but based on crumbs. I wanted to see more insights into what made Beckham worth so much to Reyna. In some ways, this made the romance element incredibly frustrating. Secondly, the intrigue of the mystery fell flat for me. Maybe it was that this series opener gives you all just a taste of what it can be, but for me it wasn't enough to keep me going. We see all these hidden elements of what the world is and what could be happening. But much like the romance, we don't see enough to understand the stakes or the depth. We don't have to be spoiled or let into the inner sanctum.
This was marketed to me as a paranormal vampire romance meets intrigue about something larger going on in the background. But The Monster and the Last Blood Match struggles to deliver on either of these. I felt like as soon as I was feeling like I was getting pulled into one, we switched to the other. Firstly, the romance did not work for me. I felt like we didn't know Beckham enough to feel like he had any depth as a love interest. And part of Reyna's own frustration with him is that he never reveals anything. But because of that, I had trouble buying the chemistry and tension between them.
It's one thing to think, "Oh this is just physical attraction", but we are supposed to believe that they feel something but based on crumbs. I wanted to see more insights into what made Beckham worth so much to Reyna. In some ways, this made the romance element incredibly frustrating. Secondly, the intrigue of the mystery fell flat for me. Maybe it was that this series opener gives you all just a taste of what it can be, but for me it wasn't enough to keep me going. We see all these hidden elements of what the world is and what could be happening. But much like the romance, we don't see enough to understand the stakes or the depth. We don't have to be spoiled or let into the inner sanctum.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I ate this book up in one day. Even though it has multiple plot holes, terrible world-building, and is extremely predictable, I still enjoyed the story. It's like a Hallmark movie; even though you know what's going to happen, it still pulls you in.
challenging
dark
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:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
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
Have you ever picked up a book solely because of its cover? That was definitely me with this one! The cover art and the sprayed edges immediately caught my eye, and when I discovered it was a vampire romance, I knew I had to read it!
The chemistry between Reyna and Beckham was definitely insta-love with lots of yearning! Reyna possesses something unique that we are trying to figure out in the book and Beckham is very protective of her but he carries heavy secrets and is afraid to let her in that might put her in danger. Overall, I really enjoyed the world-building, the political aspects, and the mix of dystopian and paranormal elements. While I understand the need for some buildup to the major events, the miscommunications and some character decisions were a bit annoying and frustrating. Still, the book has great potential and I am excited to continue. The cliffhanger ending left me wanting more, and I look forward to see what happens next!
The chemistry between Reyna and Beckham was definitely insta-love with lots of yearning! Reyna possesses something unique that we are trying to figure out in the book and Beckham is very protective of her but he carries heavy secrets and is afraid to let her in that might put her in danger. Overall, I really enjoyed the world-building, the political aspects, and the mix of dystopian and paranormal elements. While I understand the need for some buildup to the major events, the miscommunications and some character decisions were a bit annoying and frustrating. Still, the book has great potential and I am excited to continue. The cliffhanger ending left me wanting more, and I look forward to see what happens next!
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first 1/3rd of this book was very interesting and intriguing, but then it felt like the rest was rushed? Even though this was 300 pages it felt too small and the ending was left on a cliffhanger but I dont feel compelled to finish it soon?
I always do love a vampy book so this was kind of disappointing:/
I always do love a vampy book so this was kind of disappointing:/
I wanted to like this so badly. But the characters were annoying. They fluctuated back and forth for seemingly no reason. And everything felt rushed. And the ending was obnoxious.