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abookapothecary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
“it’s okay to not like a book” - me, to myself.
i loved the vibes, mystery, and spice. and that’s about it. i didn’t love how the plot , world, and characters were developed. i didn’t love the info dump, cliche, wrapped-up-with-a-bow-on-top ending that we got no foreshadowing of. if the antagonist has a monologue explaining why and how they’re responsible for all the bad things in the ending, then to me that’s lazy writing. (im not a writer, i couldn’t do it better, but i expect better.) the insta-lust. the trope-iness without substance to back it up. my feelings are mixed on how mental health was handled, it is always nice to see representation and it was okay for the most part but suicide was brought up and i don’t think it was handled well at all. the writing was so flowery and repetitive, just paragraphs and paragraphs of metaphors that it felt forced. and im a flowery person.
the singular good quote I pulled:
i loved the vibes, mystery, and spice. and that’s about it. i didn’t love how the plot , world, and characters were developed. i didn’t love the info dump, cliche, wrapped-up-with-a-bow-on-top ending that we got no foreshadowing of. if the antagonist has a monologue explaining why and how they’re responsible for all the bad things in the ending, then to me that’s lazy writing. (im not a writer, i couldn’t do it better, but i expect better.) the insta-lust. the trope-iness without substance to back it up. my feelings are mixed on how mental health was handled, it is always nice to see representation and it was okay for the most part but suicide was brought up and i don’t think it was handled well at all. the writing was so flowery and repetitive, just paragraphs and paragraphs of metaphors that it felt forced. and im a flowery person.
the singular good quote I pulled:
“If this is madness,” she whispered almost against his lips, “drown me in it.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide
Minor: Dementia
cheriepie's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Wattpad writers are getting too bold these days.
A five star reading experience in a point five star book though. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much.
A five star reading experience in a point five star book though. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Incest
The schizophrenia/psychosis in this book is handled with about as much care as your bags on Delta Airlines. Corvina's schizophrenia is almost always romanticized in some way (usually in the "maybe she has these hallucinations because she's so witchy and intuitive" way) and Vad is constantly making remarks about being her madness or whatever. Neither Corvina nor her mother have any symptoms of schizophrenia other than hallucinations, presumably because either the author did no research or because the other schizophrenia symptoms aren't very cool and mysterious. All this while also demonizing schizophrenia -- whilebonez_x's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Grief
Minor: Suicide, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Suicidal thoughts
ali_k0's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Dementia
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
bo_okish's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Mental illness, and Dementia
lindsayhwrites's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Clearly never saw an editor, was wrapped in pretty packaging but full of plot holes while also not having much of a plot. Very disappointing. Particularly the negative implications and claims about mental illness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Vomit, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Ableism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Incest
hobbit_at_heart's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed this story! However, I will say I do not see any correlation between this story and comparing it to "dracula and beauty and the beast" aside from a girl falling for a "devil" in a castle.
The whole time I thought Vad Deverel was going to end up being a vampire or something and that never happened. So that was a touch disappointing. The smut could have been a touch better, but I won't complain.
I suck at reviews, but all-in-all, a good story. Definitely New Adult vibes. At first I was under the impression that this was set in an older timeline, however it was fairly modern with random things like the use of phones and internet was stuck in. Some of the writing was kind of cringy and I sped read through a LOT of fluffy bits that simply weren't all that necessary to have even been put into writing. Overall, good book. If Goodreads would do a 1/2 star system, this would be a solid 3.5 for me but I rounded up for the sake of having enjoyed the plot twist at the end bc I never would have seen it coming. Wild ride at the end!
HEA was corny as SHIT.
The whole time I thought Vad Deverel was going to end up being a vampire or something and that never happened. So that was a touch disappointing. The smut could have been a touch better, but I won't complain.
I suck at reviews, but all-in-all, a good story. Definitely New Adult vibes. At first I was under the impression that this was set in an older timeline, however it was fairly modern with random things like the use of phones and internet was stuck in. Some of the writing was kind of cringy and I sped read through a LOT of fluffy bits that simply weren't all that necessary to have even been put into writing. Overall, good book. If Goodreads would do a 1/2 star system, this would be a solid 3.5 for me but I rounded up for the sake of having enjoyed the plot twist at the end bc I never would have seen it coming. Wild ride at the end!
HEA was corny as SHIT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Suicide, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, and Stalking
Minor: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Incest
vreyna20_2004's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is my first book from RuNyx and seeing some Youtubers talking about how much they did not like this book I had thought I would share their opinion despite hearing more positive reviews about this book. And as you can tell from the rating I did enjoy the book for the mystery and mystery alone. The romance in this book felt second to the story (sex) since Vad and Corvina spent most of their time bonking each other instead of getting to know each other and grow into a passionate romantic relationship. It was instalust is what I’m saying which I despise MORE than instalove. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t blushing and throwing my phone across the room whenever Vad would say something. I have read stories where the girl knows NOTHING and goes in blind to a sexual relationship and almost acts aloof or innocent to whatever is going on (shudders) but Corvina was not like that. She was not annoying like I originally thought before going into the book blind.
Then it’s the night of the Black Ball. Vad and Corvina escape to have some alone time but stop when they hear shouting which is when they find out that Jade and another girl went missing. Ajax–Troy’s older brother who went to school with Vad–follows Corvina to the small cottage in the woods when they discover the body of Jade Prescott but it’s not Corvina’s friend as this Jade has been dead for five years. Jade knocks out Corvina and tells her everything and why she killed Troy, Alissa, and now Corvina. Disgusted with Jade wanted Vad (romantically) a crowd forms before Vad pushes her off, killing her. They then leave and live together with the plans of having a family.
The reasons why I didn’t like the plot was because of Jade wanting to bonk her relative so they can become a strong couple. Barf. But it was also the fact that Corvina read her journals and wrote a book titled Gothikana. It’s a book ick for me reading/watching/listening to anything and the character writes a book and names it the title of the book/series it may not bother you but it always manages to piss me the fuck off. Final opinions are the book wasn’t that bad but it’s more of a guilty pleasure thing I went with the vibes and the vibes of this book were excellent. I enjoyed reading it (sometimes I stopped listening to the audiobook so I can finish faster) I did find it weird going to Vad’s pov since it follows only Corvina’s. Also this book is in third person but don’t be afraid to try it I personally am indifferent to what pov people use (except second) so it didn’t bother me at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Blood, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Suicide and Dementia
Minor: Incest
m_winnike's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I got an ARC for this book. It was advertised as dark academia with some romance and a bit of a murder mystery plot throw in. This is a goddamn lie and I’m gonna fight whoever at Bramble is responsible for this absolute garbage fire of a book being published. There is almost no plot until over 75% of the way through, exactly zero of the characters have any semblance of a personality, the romantic couple had no chemistry but everyone around them constantly talked about how much fiery chemistry they had(bitch where?), the “plot twist” in the last chapters is quite literally one of the dumbest, and most convoluted things I’ve ever read in my life and somehow included surprise incest. I would not recommend this book to my bitterest of enemies let alone any of my book reading friends. To any fans of this book, which I cannot possibly believe actually exist, I need to know who hurt y’all that this is what you think is good. I didn’t think it could get worse after I read Zodiac Academy last year but this book sure proved me wrong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
Minor: Ableism, Torture, Dementia, and Rape
This book is somehow 456 pages of nothing, not plot, not vibes, not even tropes.paperkindle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Where I loved The predator and The reaper this one didn't strike home to me. Corvina first felt like a teenager and not like a 20-year-something girl. The sex scenes were so cringe and the mystery lacked a bit at the end.
SPOILERS REGARDING THE END: Why was Vad so long in those tunnels and what was in the river that dragged Corvina and Ajax almost down?
My reading experience makes it difficult to rate because I don't know if it feels more like two or three stars. So for the moment, I'm going with two.
TW: schizophrenia, dementia, death of parent, drugs, suicide, missing people, murder, student/teacher relationship (age gap)
SPOILERS REGARDING THE END: Why was Vad so long in those tunnels and what was in the river that dragged Corvina and Ajax almost down?
My reading experience makes it difficult to rate because I don't know if it feels more like two or three stars. So for the moment, I'm going with two.
TW: schizophrenia, dementia, death of parent, drugs, suicide, missing people, murder, student/teacher relationship (age gap)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Dementia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Drug use