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megnut's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide attempt
kwista's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
The beginning chapters were a lot.
Then it eventually becomes an interesting story. Not sure if I will read book 2
Then it eventually becomes an interesting story. Not sure if I will read book 2
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
mboucher96's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This book was totally bananas. It's up to you to decide whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. I felt like I got whiplash in my brain from trying to figure out what was even happening, but I'm still intrigued enough to be on the look out for further novels in what is supposed to be a series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Blood, and Sexual harassment
corydory's review against another edition
Slow, boring, unlikeable characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting
frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The amount that I love this book cannot be overstated. I think this book works so well because Astrea doesn’t have her memories. We get to learn along with her.
A few parts feel messy, but the book doesn’t lose anything for its messiness. In fact, I think I love it because I don’t know everything.
I hope to learn more in book 2.
A few parts feel messy, but the book doesn’t lose anything for its messiness. In fact, I think I love it because I don’t know everything.
I hope to learn more in book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Self harm
stuffed_with_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
.5⭐️ for how pretty this book is-the cover is attractive and the art inside is well done.
.5⭐️ for a decent spice scene and content warnings. We love a consent king.
.5⭐️ for an interesting concept.
This book is bad. The stakes don't matter, you rarely find answers, and this badly needed an editor.
.5⭐️ for a decent spice scene and content warnings. We love a consent king.
.5⭐️ for an interesting concept.
This book is bad. The stakes don't matter, you rarely find answers, and this badly needed an editor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Emotional abuse and Torture
lizzye33's review against another edition
I found this book at my local little free library with no expectation for the story, but the appearance intrigued me, and I have not read a book of this genre in some time, so I thought, why not?
Before reading the book and adding it to my TBR, I hesitated because of the many vague and negative reviews that needed to be more encouraging. Also, this story has vampires, which I have had a bad run with lately in books. But aside from that, I wanted to give it a chance.
25% I am really glad Astrea has friends who are not only willing but more than capable of helping her if their motives are true. That being said, this book is very tense, and I don't love being constantly on edge or emotionally trampled. It's not ideal for escapism, but I do like the story's complexity, though I understand why many stopped reading, finding it confusing. I think it is fairly well written in getting into Astrea's perspective. Perhaps that is because of vaguely similar reliability on my part. That said, reviews saying it is a try-hard book with too many tropes are both true and false. It does feel like trying to put a little too much on one page without giving what we need at this point in the book, but the characters are not wanting too badly in that way yet. The premise is rather predictable; we have a clear idea of what she is, and Hecktors controls more than she realizes with her medicine and forcing her under even though they have not addressed it yet. But I'm still curious enough to see where this goes. (Nyte for the win; Hecktor, there are special places for you.)
Okay, I DNF'd!!!
I tried not to, but I could not continue!
I tried to connect with the characters and visualize the settings and their perspectives, but this story is vague in the places it needs detail, the characters lack substance, and there is very little actual chemistry.
The worst part is that I was bored. It felt like a chore, and there was no direct plot to follow. It also never really had too much clear plot or motivation aside from leaving Heckor in the first part and reeling from it. Of course, there is more after, but I could not bring myself to care, and I wanted to.
This book had potential, but it was so dark. For once, I pushed that aside to try to get into a story I wanted to like, but it was definitely not worth it!
It was a little confusing, and I did not route it to anyone. I tried to find some answers online to what was happening, and it turns out there is no real resolution!?
No one has many more answers than Astrea does by chapter 15, even in the end. I skimmed through the rest and felt disappointed in the time I spent trying to get out of my reading slump with a book that did not provide escapism but trigger warnings without anything a book should to make it worth it or able to overlook them.
The writing was also lacking the more the book continued.
Anyway, enough about my rant. I am glad some people enjoy it, but sadly, I am not among them.
Before reading the book and adding it to my TBR, I hesitated because of the many vague and negative reviews that needed to be more encouraging. Also, this story has vampires, which I have had a bad run with lately in books. But aside from that, I wanted to give it a chance.
25% I am really glad Astrea has friends who are not only willing but more than capable of helping her if their motives are true. That being said, this book is very tense, and I don't love being constantly on edge or emotionally trampled. It's not ideal for escapism, but I do like the story's complexity, though I understand why many stopped reading, finding it confusing. I think it is fairly well written in getting into Astrea's perspective. Perhaps that is because of vaguely similar reliability on my part. That said, reviews saying it is a try-hard book with too many tropes are both true and false. It does feel like trying to put a little too much on one page without giving what we need at this point in the book, but the characters are not wanting too badly in that way yet. The premise is rather predictable; we have a clear idea of what she is, and Hecktors controls more than she realizes with her medicine and forcing her under even though they have not addressed it yet. But I'm still curious enough to see where this goes. (Nyte for the win; Hecktor, there are special places for you.)
Okay, I DNF'd!!!
I tried not to, but I could not continue!
I tried to connect with the characters and visualize the settings and their perspectives, but this story is vague in the places it needs detail, the characters lack substance, and there is very little actual chemistry.
The worst part is that I was bored. It felt like a chore, and there was no direct plot to follow. It also never really had too much clear plot or motivation aside from leaving Heckor in the first part and reeling from it. Of course, there is more after, but I could not bring myself to care, and I wanted to.
This book had potential, but it was so dark. For once, I pushed that aside to try to get into a story I wanted to like, but it was definitely not worth it!
It was a little confusing, and I did not route it to anyone. I tried to find some answers online to what was happening, and it turns out there is no real resolution!?
No one has many more answers than Astrea does by chapter 15, even in the end. I skimmed through the rest and felt disappointed in the time I spent trying to get out of my reading slump with a book that did not provide escapism but trigger warnings without anything a book should to make it worth it or able to overlook them.
The writing was also lacking the more the book continued.
Anyway, enough about my rant. I am glad some people enjoy it, but sadly, I am not among them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, Rape, and Self harm
frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Look this is messy in spots. But I loved the entire book even the messy parts. I really think what the author attempted completely worked for me.
The words felt lyrical, the story absolutely gorgeous, and I didn’t want to leave the world.
The words felt lyrical, the story absolutely gorgeous, and I didn’t want to leave the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Blood
jaijai230's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Self harm and Blood
mel095's review against another edition
I really tried to give this a fair shot, but frankly I could have stopped earlier and didn’t really get hooked.
The main characters are blatantly inspired by characters from other hyped books, but they fail to live up to them. It reads like a watered down copy of Celaena from ToG, with an Arobynn figure in tow, and a very watered down and unconvincing Rhysand as a MMC.
I didn’t read enough to see if there was actual character development on Astraea’s side, but so far she fit the typical damsel in distress stereotype, who has little agency in the progression of the plot and keeps being saved by other characters.
The prose itself also wasn’t to my taste, as it felt a bit overly embellished and figurative. The plot did show promise, but it just wasn’t enough to counterbalance all the other points.
The main characters are blatantly inspired by characters from other hyped books, but they fail to live up to them. It reads like a watered down copy of Celaena from ToG, with an Arobynn figure in tow, and a very watered down and unconvincing Rhysand as a MMC.
I didn’t read enough to see if there was actual character development on Astraea’s side, but so far she fit the typical damsel in distress stereotype, who has little agency in the progression of the plot and keeps being saved by other characters.
The prose itself also wasn’t to my taste, as it felt a bit overly embellished and figurative. The plot did show promise, but it just wasn’t enough to counterbalance all the other points.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Gaslighting