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sherrill's review against another edition
4.0
Very good read. Glad there is a sequel to this one as I was rather disappointed that the main man walked away. That's not how to treat a Beloved.
blueskyvibes1point0's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
During her singles journey through Europe, Pia Thomason, a resident of Seattle, seeks companionship while grappling with the approach of her 40th birthday. Unfortunately, the candidates vying for her affection fall short of her expectations. However, a chance encounter with two enigmatic individuals in Iceland leads Pia into a captivating romance with the undead, revealing that in the world of vampires, matters of the heart aren't the only ones hanging in the balance.
Rating:
1. **Plot and Storytelling:** 4/5 I appreciated the fresh approach to the dark ones' storyline and found the overall narrative quite engaging.
2. **Characterization:** 5/5 The characters in this book truly won me over, especially how they evolved throughout the story. Katie’s portrayal of her flawed yet strong female lead was particularly captivating, and the side characters were equally delightful.
3. **Writing Style:** 5/5 Another 5 out of 5 from me for Katie MacAlister’s writing style. I believe she skillfully weaves a compelling tale with excellent pacing.
4. **Originality:** 5/5 I found the book's fresh take on both the vampire romance genre and Katie’s dark one series to be quite refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable.
5. **Emotional Impact and Resolution:** 3/5 While the book did evoke some minor emotional responses like giggles and cringes, overall, it didn't have me on the edge of my seat. I was slightly let down by the resolution and the open-ended conclusion, though I'm optimistic about future developments.
6. **Smut:** 4/5 I appreciated the level of spice in the book without it becoming too excessive.
7. **Narrator emotion and tone:** 5/5 Nicole Poole did a commendable job in narrating the book, effectively conveying emotions and maintaining an appropriate tone throughout.
8. **Narrator character differentiation:** 4/5 Poole did well in distinguishing between characters with varied voices and speaking styles.
9. **Narrator pacing and flow:** 5/5 for the excellent pacing and flow of the narration. Poole’s delivery matched the book's rhythm perfectly, neither too slow nor too fast.
10. **Audio quality:** 5/5 for the excellent audio quality, as expected from recorded books.
Overall score: 4.5/5
I would absolutely recommend you check this book out. I preferred the audio format. It was a very good listen.
if you like this book, I would recommend you check out the rest of the Dark Ones series by Katie MacAlister. Her dragon sept series is also a great place to start in the supernatural, romance world.
cheesygiraffe's review
3.0
Not the best in this series. It's kind of confusing because you're use to the Dark Ones being good guys but even though they are in this one, The Brotherhood sees them as evil. Pia is stuck in the middle. And there is no happy ever after ending.
karen62's review against another edition
2.0
This book was just okay up until chapter 4 then it took a turn toward the absurd and not in a good way. If a pair of guys tries to kidnap you, then when you escape and get back to your hotel room one of them was already there and naked it's not a good thing. If you ended up running away from these kidnappers and one shows up ready for sex because he felt a "connection" this is where you exit the room quickly and find help, not worry about your breath and whether or not he'll think you look fat. Pia, the main character that this happens to is just TSTL. She makes all kinds of bad decisions and never seems to have a plan. It's never clear who exactly she's supposed to end up with. Is it Kristoff? Is it Alec? Is it both? I quickly reached the point where I didn't care. When I found out the book doesn't really end but is to be continued that was enough for me. DNF
jazzrizz's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book a lot, but the cliff hanger at the end is what prevented a 5-star rating. I was so frustrated at the end of this book . . . I can hardly wait for the next book to come out.
git_r_read's review against another edition
4.0
I forgot how much fun it can be to listen to or read a Katie MacAlister book. Funny, romance that's not too over the top [I am an 'action on the streets, not between the sheets' kinda chickie], fab characters I like and intriguing story.
I think I prefer her Dark One stories over her dragon tales. Both are nifty, but the Dark Ones play the lighthearted human with the broody vampire and it's a good contrast.
I look forward to more with Kristoff and Pia. I could identify with Pia. She is a fluffy, older single woman and works with her personality rather than her looks. She's realistic about her looks and is fine with it for the most part. She has a good heart and wants to do the right thing. I like her.
Definitely recommend.
I think I prefer her Dark One stories over her dragon tales. Both are nifty, but the Dark Ones play the lighthearted human with the broody vampire and it's a good contrast.
I look forward to more with Kristoff and Pia. I could identify with Pia. She is a fluffy, older single woman and works with her personality rather than her looks. She's realistic about her looks and is fine with it for the most part. She has a good heart and wants to do the right thing. I like her.
Definitely recommend.
percivilious's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
once again i find myself with a trashy vampire romance and i gotta say i enjoyed it, probably a bit too horny at times but overall fun trash thats easy to read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Bullying, Infidelity, and Violence
Minor: Murder, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
sunnydee's review against another edition
5.0
Ich mag die Reihe ja sehr, weil mir der Humor der Autorin unglaublich gut liegt. Dieser Teil war aber wohl mein liebster (neben dem 1. Band).
Es geht hier um Pia, die mal keine perfekte und wunderhübsche Prota ist. Ich fand es mega witzig wie sie sich immer Gedanken machte, dass sie zu schwer für etwas sei oder wie ihr Partner sie eventuell nicht schön genug finden kann. Das wirkte alles so natürlich. Die Handlung war auch super interessant und spannend. Pia wird ohne es recht zu ahnen zu einer Schlüsselfigur im Kampf zwischen der Bruderschaft und den Vampiren. Noch interessanter wurde das ganze, weil man über weite Teile des Buches nicht wusste wer der wirkliche Bösewicht ist und wer eigentlich der wirkliche Partner für Pia wird. Sie hat nämlich zwei Männer, die ihr den Kopf verdrehen. Ich fand das alles unglaublich erfrischend und ich habe mich an keiner einzigen Stelle gelangweilt.
Leider endet es nicht mit einem Happy End, was für mich ja ein No-Go bei Büchern ist. Das ich dem Buch trotzdem 5 Sterne gegeben habe, sagt wohl alles darüber aus, wie sehr mich das Buch geflashed hat. Der zweite Teil ist noch vor Beenden dieses Teiles auf mein Smartphone gewandert und wurde sofort im Anschluss begonnen. Ich will mehr davon!
Wertung:
5 Sterne
Es geht hier um Pia, die mal keine perfekte und wunderhübsche Prota ist. Ich fand es mega witzig wie sie sich immer Gedanken machte, dass sie zu schwer für etwas sei oder wie ihr Partner sie eventuell nicht schön genug finden kann. Das wirkte alles so natürlich. Die Handlung war auch super interessant und spannend. Pia wird ohne es recht zu ahnen zu einer Schlüsselfigur im Kampf zwischen der Bruderschaft und den Vampiren. Noch interessanter wurde das ganze, weil man über weite Teile des Buches nicht wusste wer der wirkliche Bösewicht ist und wer eigentlich der wirkliche Partner für Pia wird. Sie hat nämlich zwei Männer, die ihr den Kopf verdrehen. Ich fand das alles unglaublich erfrischend und ich habe mich an keiner einzigen Stelle gelangweilt.
Leider endet es nicht mit einem Happy End, was für mich ja ein No-Go bei Büchern ist. Das ich dem Buch trotzdem 5 Sterne gegeben habe, sagt wohl alles darüber aus, wie sehr mich das Buch geflashed hat. Der zweite Teil ist noch vor Beenden dieses Teiles auf mein Smartphone gewandert und wurde sofort im Anschluss begonnen. Ich will mehr davon!
Wertung:
5 Sterne
bookwife's review against another edition
1.0
I hated this book. I hated the female MC. She was a freaking idiot. I mean seriously TSTL. And I HATE that for some reason this was split up into 2 books. Wtf? I hate that I have to read another book with Pia(sp?) as the narrator. GAH!!!!