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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely incredible, dark, and unforgettable. I LOVE dark romance in this way, it's dark out of necessity to the story. Cedar and Phe can't logically be sweet and naive after the childhood they experience. Liza told their story so beautifully and I can't wait to see what happens next. Phe is the epitome of a survivor doing the best she can and reestablishing her relationship with Cedar isn't instant yet it's still so real and true to both characters. It's just... man it's just a great frigging book. 5 stars.
She’s the God I’ll worship, bowing down to her body and singing praises on my knees.
the moment i heard the word “stepsisters” and “romance” in the same sentence, i was ready to throw all of my money and my clothes at Liza James. it definitely wasn’t what i was anticipating at all from when i first heard about the book and it’s tropes, but it’s perfectly Liza James and i had a blast reading it!
i was enraptured from the get go— Liza James knows how to lure you in, set an ominous atmosphere you can’t help but be curious about. her writing is so addictive, it’s easy to read and get consumed in quickly. i mean, i started the book around 10am this morning, got ready and went book shopping in the afternoon (because what else would i be doing?) and finished the book at 7pm... so yeah, it’s easy to fly through her books
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
well…how would one describe this book? what a rollercoaster of emotions this story gives. I had no expectations whatsoever and I’m very glad I didn’t.
The start of the book was about a girl finally freeing herself from an absolute horrifying, abusive, traumatizing religious home. Her sister ran away, but she never could. Phe stayed until she couldn’t take it anymore.
It took many turns down roads I had no idea they could even go down.
This story is about discovery on how a girl finds her way back into a normal life, finding her new identity, and her new sexual orientation.
The start of the book was about a girl finally freeing herself from an absolute horrifying, abusive, traumatizing religious home. Her sister ran away, but she never could. Phe stayed until she couldn’t take it anymore.
It took many turns down roads I had no idea they could even go down.
This story is about discovery on how a girl finds her way back into a normal life, finding her new identity, and her new sexual orientation.
4.5/5 ⭐️‘s
Wow! I shouldn’t even be surprised that this was yet again another hit book from Liza James. I ate this one up so fast!
I’d loved everything about this, the plot, the pacing, the characters. In love! I honestly didn’t realise how much this book would impact me in terms of how much we covered tramua too, the author didn’t sugarcoat anything of this or the healing processes people for through when they face such heavy things in their life and I really liked this element. It gave such dimension to both characters and really helped with their development.
I loved Ophelia, like wanted to protect her with my whole heart loved her! She was a special character and every side to her was so interesting. I loved how sassy she got and I could go on and on, but I really loved her.
Cedar was the perfect balance to Ophelia, they were ying and yang and just worked perfectly together. I loved how Cedar had a harder edge then Ophelia at times but also how much she just wanted to protect her despite dealing with her own feelings and trauma.
When they both came together it was just explosive, the spice scenes we had were excellent and I couldn’t get enough of it.
This book isn’t just a romance, it added so many little different elements which I loved and after that cliffhanger I’m so excited and anxious to pick up the next book and see what happens next. Highly highly recommend!
*I was kindly gifted an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Wow! I shouldn’t even be surprised that this was yet again another hit book from Liza James. I ate this one up so fast!
I’d loved everything about this, the plot, the pacing, the characters. In love! I honestly didn’t realise how much this book would impact me in terms of how much we covered tramua too, the author didn’t sugarcoat anything of this or the healing processes people for through when they face such heavy things in their life and I really liked this element. It gave such dimension to both characters and really helped with their development.
I loved Ophelia, like wanted to protect her with my whole heart loved her! She was a special character and every side to her was so interesting. I loved how sassy she got and I could go on and on, but I really loved her.
Cedar was the perfect balance to Ophelia, they were ying and yang and just worked perfectly together. I loved how Cedar had a harder edge then Ophelia at times but also how much she just wanted to protect her despite dealing with her own feelings and trauma.
When they both came together it was just explosive, the spice scenes we had were excellent and I couldn’t get enough of it.
This book isn’t just a romance, it added so many little different elements which I loved and after that cliffhanger I’m so excited and anxious to pick up the next book and see what happens next. Highly highly recommend!
*I was kindly gifted an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I’m hooked. And I’m ready for the next book in this series.
I docked one star because this book is absolutely riddled with typos, sometimes multiple on the same page. Another round or two of proofreading could have really made this a 5/5 for me. Please get a better editor for the next one!
I docked one star because this book is absolutely riddled with typos, sometimes multiple on the same page. Another round or two of proofreading could have really made this a 5/5 for me. Please get a better editor for the next one!
This was my first Liza James book and I loved it! I saw That it was inspired by Lizzie Borden and a sapphic stepsister and could not wait to get my hands on it. I was not disappointed.
I was pretty much hooked from the very beginning. Phe’s open struggles of dealing with her demons and the way she was raised, all the trauma. Her “Monster”.
I also really loved Cedar. She was quieter about her demons and the things she had gone through both before and after she left.
This did end on a cliffhanger, sooo I’m hoping to get more of Cedar and Phe’s story….
I was pretty much hooked from the very beginning. Phe’s open struggles of dealing with her demons and the way she was raised, all the trauma. Her “Monster”.
I also really loved Cedar. She was quieter about her demons and the things she had gone through both before and after she left.
This did end on a cliffhanger, sooo I’m hoping to get more of Cedar and Phe’s story….
(Arc Review)
Phe and Cedar are estranged step sisters, raised inside a cruel and bizarre church/cult from which Cedar ran away long ago. After Phe killed their parents and spent some time in a psychiatric facility, is time for Cedar to pick her up and bring her to the real world.
Living together is not easy: Phe is extremely damaged due to her upbringing, but Cedar is determined to help her - after all, she too has her demons.
The plot is way more intense than I was expecting, and this books slaps you in the face - in a good way, lol. I was expecting one thing, but it took a very different turn that was, quite honestly, genius.
Be alert on the tw, and keep in mind this book is DARK. And extremely sad at times. But it’s a very good read if that’s your thing.
Phe and Cedar are estranged step sisters, raised inside a cruel and bizarre church/cult from which Cedar ran away long ago. After Phe killed their parents and spent some time in a psychiatric facility, is time for Cedar to pick her up and bring her to the real world.
Living together is not easy: Phe is extremely damaged due to her upbringing, but Cedar is determined to help her - after all, she too has her demons.
The plot is way more intense than I was expecting, and this books slaps you in the face - in a good way, lol. I was expecting one thing, but it took a very different turn that was, quite honestly, genius.
Be alert on the tw, and keep in mind this book is DARK. And extremely sad at times. But it’s a very good read if that’s your thing.