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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Easily one of the worst things I’ve tried to read
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun read about witches and vampires and daemons, oh my! Good ending, I'm ready for the next book!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 4/5 stars
It was the monster mash, but it was not a graveyard smash…
When starting this one, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Overall, I thought it was an incredibly captivating novel that felt like a mash-up of some other reads with a sprinkle of uniqueness sprinkled in.
One of my favorite parts about the book was the romance! I thought Diana and Matthew were fleshed out pretty well and the romance itself wasn’t really insta-lovey. This is definitely one of those “now kiss” romances, but I don’t know, I liked it. There was one passage I remember tabbing and sending to Erica (we buddy read this!) where Matthew was like:
and I was just like
I also really found myself enjoying the lore and learning how the different creatures interacted. The notion that vampires and witches were mortal enemies and must never interact felt a bit overdone(probably because Twilight was one of the most impactful books in my youth and that was kind of a bit plot point of books 2-4 – well with humans instead of witches). That being said, the dynamic between the creatures stemming from this was pretty enjoyable to read about.
I also loved how this book ended. At first, I really wasn’t sure where the story was going or what we were leading up towards, but by the end, I was hooked and I’m really excited to dive into book two! (Unrelated, but the ending was giving me some serious Last Magician vibes and I’m here for it)
This is definitely a character-driven story with a bit of a slow plot (at least for book one) but I have a feeling that was because the author had so much world-building to set up, lore to establish, and dropping breadcrumbs for the sequels.
The only thing I didn’t like is that Diana is painted as a workaholic and someone who has actively strived to avoid using magic for most of her life, however by the middle of the book she rarely talks about (or does any) work. I get that she’s on the run and everything, but I just find it hard to believe that she was able to drop everything so easily. Here’s to hoping she just went on an abrupt sabbatical/research trip off page.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, this book was a ton of fun. I wasn’t sure if it was an adult fantasy book at first or not, but it totally is. This would be a great book for someone who is looking to branch out of YA but isn’t ready to fully take the plunge. There were a few steamy scenes (nothing more than like a PG-13 though), but nothing too risque. Other than that though, this book didn’t read as advanced as some other adult fantasy books. Lovers of paranormal fantasy will really enjoy this one! I highly recommend checking it out (especially before the adaptation releases!)
It was the monster mash, but it was not a graveyard smash…
When starting this one, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Overall, I thought it was an incredibly captivating novel that felt like a mash-up of some other reads with a sprinkle of uniqueness sprinkled in.
One of my favorite parts about the book was the romance! I thought Diana and Matthew were fleshed out pretty well and the romance itself wasn’t really insta-lovey. This is definitely one of those “now kiss” romances, but I don’t know, I liked it. There was one passage I remember tabbing and sending to Erica (we buddy read this!) where Matthew was like:
I have no intention of taking Diana to bed.
and I was just like
I also really found myself enjoying the lore and learning how the different creatures interacted. The notion that vampires and witches were mortal enemies and must never interact felt a bit overdone
I also loved how this book ended. At first, I really wasn’t sure where the story was going or what we were leading up towards, but by the end, I was hooked and I’m really excited to dive into book two! (Unrelated, but the ending was giving me some serious Last Magician vibes and I’m here for it)
This is definitely a character-driven story with a bit of a slow plot (at least for book one) but I have a feeling that was because the author had so much world-building to set up, lore to establish, and dropping breadcrumbs for the sequels.
The only thing I didn’t like is that Diana is painted as a workaholic and someone who has actively strived to avoid using magic for most of her life, however by the middle of the book she rarely talks about (or does any) work. I get that she’s on the run and everything, but I just find it hard to believe that she was able to drop everything so easily. Here’s to hoping she just went on an abrupt sabbatical/research trip off page.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, this book was a ton of fun. I wasn’t sure if it was an adult fantasy book at first or not, but it totally is. This would be a great book for someone who is looking to branch out of YA but isn’t ready to fully take the plunge. There were a few steamy scenes (nothing more than like a PG-13 though), but nothing too risque. Other than that though, this book didn’t read as advanced as some other adult fantasy books. Lovers of paranormal fantasy will really enjoy this one! I highly recommend checking it out (especially before the adaptation releases!)
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
adventurous
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