Reviews

The Awakening of Ivy Leavold by Sierra Simone

bookishlifeofjess's review

mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

Thanks to Dreamscape Select & NetGalley for an advance audio copy of the first in the Ivy Leavold series. This was a super quick listen at only 4.5hours and was well done. Just didnt do much for me overall though! 

bookscellarhaunts's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

illstoptheworldandreadwithyou's review against another edition

3.5

This short and spicy novella from Sierra Simone kicks off the Markham Hall series. It's 1879, and Ivy Leavold's brother has just passed. With nowhere else to go, she finds herself at Markham Hall under the care of her cousin's widower, Julian Markham. Ivy is young and inexperienced. Julian is dark and drawn to her. Things quickly become physical between them, but the unsolved mysteries surrounding the deaths of Julian's two wives hang over the house like a shroud. Was he responsible for their deaths? Is Ivy safe in his arms? 

 

Sierra Simone always delivers the spice, and you can find plenty of heat in this one. Julian is rather torn about whether he should give into his attraction to Ivy, so expect lots of back and forth behavior on his part. And there are some—ahem—unconventional party games when his guests come to visit. 

 

This one is high on the heat factor but not as invested in the character and plot development. 

 

Zara Hampton-Brown's narration brings Ivy's apprehension, curiosity, youth, and naïveté to life. I enjoyed her vocal choices for Ivy and many of the other characters but was not as enamored with her voice for Julian. 

 

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Dreamscape Select and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own. 

alrightieaphroditie's review against another edition

3.0

three stars! ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ i kind of randomly decided to pick this series up, and it definitely started off strong!

i’m not a huge fan of the instalove aspect, but i do like the historical setting and sierra simone’s writing is perfect, as always. i’m also completely imagining cillian murphy (specifically thomas shelby cillian murphy) as markham and i’m living for it! the rest of the series is pretty short, so i’m hoping to breeze through them sometime today!

ipariszara's review against another edition

2.0

two out of the other couple thousand kindle books i have to finish this month

klo14726's review against another edition

dark

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

catipish's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

itsaemily's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

waheela's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Fast paced and light reading. Author managed to capture an eerie atmosphere of the surroundings.

More smut than plot and character development but smut was hot so I didn't mind.

I will probably read the next ones.

oldkingcoleus's review against another edition

4.0

3.75