Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Is this a mystery? A Romance? A horror? A social commentary? Yes. It’s all of the above.
Do you not like the description of blood? Don’t read this.
Is verbal abuse of a child by a parent too upsetting? Don’t read this.
Violence, racism, death- vampires- it’s got it all.
Oh and it’s Sapphic.
4.5 stars- honestly reading about how cruel Elise’s dad is was honestly really really brutal.
Written beautifully- it’s good. I’m upset it’s a duology and I have to wait.
Do you not like the description of blood? Don’t read this.
Is verbal abuse of a child by a parent too upsetting? Don’t read this.
Violence, racism, death- vampires- it’s got it all.
Oh and it’s Sapphic.
4.5 stars- honestly reading about how cruel Elise’s dad is was honestly really really brutal.
Written beautifully- it’s good. I’m upset it’s a duology and I have to wait.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This reads like a first draft. With all the individuals listed down in the Acknowledgements, you would've hoped that maybe—just maybe—someone would've been a dear and pointed out the clunky writing and plotting that could have easily been streamlined before getting published. The potential here is good. It's really good. It is just bogged down by first-time writing that felt oddly rushed as if the author was forced to get something out there with her debut novel. Thus, being a first draft made final.
The second act is where you can tell this author was really excited to get here. It was about the murder mystery, it is about the yearning between Layla and Elise. And, this is when I genuinely started to enjoy the plot. It is ultimately what we were all here for, no lol. Unfortunately, that's when you start to realize that the author is now losing steam.
The third act I will be for real and say that the author seems tired and bored and doesn't know what else to do to get the conclusion they know they want. We spend too long with the characters doing nothing with Elise floundering around and Layla confused in her gangster friend's apartment, dealing with his stubborn son/cat. The plot is threading along slowly and its revelations never feel earned or clearly thought out.
Fourth act full of lines that the author always wants and revelations and development but none of them seems earned or natural for that matter. Like Elise killing Valeria wth, where did this come from? Elise is always five steps ahead of the reader (esp as seen in the third act) which always boggles me becauseI wouldn't care much if we at least understand her thought process. But, we don't. We don't. And she expects us to as she expects Layla to, which doesn't make any sense in the grand scheme. Like, girl—you are the reason why both of her loved ones are dead. And, don't get me started with Mei. But, I guess we'll just wait and see with the second and final book huh. Because, this is now sunk cost time and I feel like I should know how this all plays out.
I just wanted to add this somewhere, but — The father is the real star of the show with just how stupid he is: trusting a sus white man, giving her daughter away to the enemy, believing the same eight year old daughter is better fit as his successor, letting Elise and Layla work together for no reason other than plot.
I don't hate this book by the way. I am more let down by it. It really needed another hand at editing and I could really see the potential the author has for crafting ideas, it's just the execution--is the title of the book essentially. It was too greedy with its promises that it doomed its fate.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My library hold ran out before I could finish, and after listening to more than half the book I don't think I'm invested enough to place another hold.
ᨳ᭬ ⭑࿐ྂ
„I can‘t make everyone happy, i can‘t even make myself happy.“
This was disappointing. It sounded so good but it completely disappointed me.
The whole book bored me, i struggled through the whole Book. I had high hopes that it would get better but it never did.
„I can‘t make everyone happy, i can‘t even make myself happy.“
This was disappointing. It sounded so good but it completely disappointed me.
The whole book bored me, i struggled through the whole Book. I had high hopes that it would get better but it never did.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Childhood best friends >>> to enemies from clan feuding >>> love rectangle >>> true love in Prohibition Harlem filled with sapphic vampires, murder mystery, cigar fumes??????? I could see my teenage self just eating this up!
However as an old jaded btch this was just alright, i got kinda bored halfway through, there was barely any mention of culture i was expecting from the Harlem renaissance, tension between our characters never really gets established, tbh character building wasn’t really there as well, so the romance bits just felt so superficial and juvenile it was honestly kinda laughable. I thought the mystery also wasn’t all that interesting, and the ending was hella rushed and ??????
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 because it reminds me of Twilight and I remember actually loving it as a teenager
However as an old jaded btch this was just alright, i got kinda bored halfway through, there was barely any mention of culture i was expecting from the Harlem renaissance, tension between our characters never really gets established, tbh character building wasn’t really there as well, so the romance bits just felt so superficial and juvenile it was honestly kinda laughable. I thought the mystery also wasn’t all that interesting, and the ending was hella rushed and ??????
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 because it reminds me of Twilight and I remember actually loving it as a teenager
Atmosphere ✅
Setting ✅
Relationship Build Up✅
Murder Mystery plot ❌
Elise’s family ❌
Themes of racism, classism etc✅
Flow of narrative Elise disappearing and reappearing in certain scenes ❌
Setting ✅
Relationship Build Up✅
Murder Mystery plot ❌
Elise’s family ❌
Themes of racism, classism etc✅
Flow of narrative Elise disappearing and reappearing in certain scenes ❌
Rating: 2/5 ⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: 8/6/24
Thank you @netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the premise of this book, the setting and the sapphic theme. I think this story had a lot of potential to be great.
Sadly, the writing was not great and hard to slog through. It felt like a high schooler wrote it, and while that might work for a younger audience- it was not for me.
This book was a DNF @ 30%
Pub Date: 8/6/24
Thank you @netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the premise of this book, the setting and the sapphic theme. I think this story had a lot of potential to be great.
Sadly, the writing was not great and hard to slog through. It felt like a high schooler wrote it, and while that might work for a younger audience- it was not for me.
This book was a DNF @ 30%