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I did not like Vaugh. Having him be molested as a child felt like a cop out tbh. Like obviously that's horrendous and I'm glad the fucking pervert died painfully and humiliated but he damn near psychologically TORMENTED Lenora, not ok. The best scene BY FAR was when her dad told Lenora she didn't get the position at the art school or whatever, the writing there was.... chef's kiss. Vicious was so fucking fun in this because he just continuously put Vaughn (great name btw) in his place, it was so satisfying to read
Completely unloveable.... But it made me love him more
I haven't read a book by LJ Shen that hasn't been an amazing journey. The ride in Todos Santos is one as a reader I will keep in my book lover's heart.
Vaughn Spencer
Oh, how I wanted to kick his ass so many times in this book. He made me laugh with his affluent tongue. But I wanted to hug him for the strength within to deal with a real-life monster.
Lenora Astalis
A beautiful girl enraptured by a boy. Wondering what she did to warrant his malice. Trying to be strong against a force of nature like Vaughn Spencer, was a losing battle from the start.
Their journey through adolescence was riddled with half stories the other didn't know. Both felt out of control with the emotions they each brought out in each other. I enjoyed getting glimpses of Emilia, Vicious, and Knight. Detested the new supporting cast in Alice, Arabella, and Soren. Like so many other books by this author, many plot twists came out of nowhere, I cried and pushed through because I needed to be there for them. I know how hard it can be to realize you 'failed' to protect your kid, Baron and Emilia Spencer love their son beyond measure. Baron carried that weight for his boy. Both the Spencers and Edgar got to see their children embrace a life-altering love.
This journey was amazing and I will be adding permanent copies to my bookshelves!!!
I haven't read a book by LJ Shen that hasn't been an amazing journey. The ride in Todos Santos is one as a reader I will keep in my book lover's heart.
Vaughn Spencer
Oh, how I wanted to kick his ass so many times in this book. He made me laugh with his affluent tongue. But I wanted to hug him for the strength within to deal with a real-life monster.
Lenora Astalis
A beautiful girl enraptured by a boy. Wondering what she did to warrant his malice. Trying to be strong against a force of nature like Vaughn Spencer, was a losing battle from the start.
Their journey through adolescence was riddled with half stories the other didn't know. Both felt out of control with the emotions they each brought out in each other. I enjoyed getting glimpses of Emilia, Vicious, and Knight. Detested the new supporting cast in Alice, Arabella, and Soren. Like so many other books by this author, many plot twists came out of nowhere, I cried and pushed through because I needed to be there for them. I know how hard it can be to realize you 'failed' to protect your kid, Baron and Emilia Spencer love their son beyond measure. Baron carried that weight for his boy. Both the Spencers and Edgar got to see their children embrace a life-altering love.
This journey was amazing and I will be adding permanent copies to my bookshelves!!!
3
This book is very difficult to rate. I think this book has one of the best heroines that LJ Shen ever wrote, but it also has some horrible gratuitous scenes. And this book clary needs more explicit trigger warnings.
PS - why does every book need to end with marriage and babies? For these characters in specific didn't make sense to end that way.
This book is very difficult to rate. I think this book has one of the best heroines that LJ Shen ever wrote, but it also has some horrible gratuitous scenes. And this book clary needs more explicit trigger warnings.
PS - why does every book need to end with marriage and babies? For these characters in specific didn't make sense to end that way.
3.5. Not my favorite Shen book. I liked it but I just didn’t love it.
Sadly disappointing
I wanted to love this as much as the previous books in this series but this fell short for me and left me disappointed and confused.
I nearly put this book down many times but pushed through even though I really didn’t connect with the characters. Vaughn seemed like a completely different character and I honestly didn’t believe his character development...it seemed forced. And the love didn’t seem real either. It honestly would have been more believable if he’d fallen for a guy...or was at the very least bisexual. This would have made the story more interesting...Also some parts of this book were weird and twisted...the whole liking blood thing and actually hurting each other...there was no explanation for this and I didn’t get why this was included.
The ending also felt rushed...and the whole timeline of the book in relation to the previous books in the series made absolutely no sense.
I’m intrigued about some of the other characters but I hope the next books in this series are better than this one.
I wanted to love this as much as the previous books in this series but this fell short for me and left me disappointed and confused.
I nearly put this book down many times but pushed through even though I really didn’t connect with the characters. Vaughn seemed like a completely different character and I honestly didn’t believe his character development...it seemed forced. And the love didn’t seem real either. It honestly would have been more believable if he’d fallen for a guy...or was at the very least bisexual. This would have made the story more interesting...Also some parts of this book were weird and twisted...the whole liking blood thing and actually hurting each other...there was no explanation for this and I didn’t get why this was included.
The ending also felt rushed...and the whole timeline of the book in relation to the previous books in the series made absolutely no sense.
I’m intrigued about some of the other characters but I hope the next books in this series are better than this one.
2.5 stars
A chocolate bar and now a chisel...
I don't know how to describe feelings just except UGH!!! I WANTED SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! I will be leaving trigger warnings at the bottom of this because, oh boy... but I'll put a spoiler tag on the ones I feel will give the story away way.
This book is a little more f**ked up than her previous books so you have been warned. I just couldn't connect to any of the characters and everything at the end just seemed a little rushed. But I also consumed this book in 10 hours so take my review with a grain of salt.
Trigger Warnings: underage drinking, fighting, talk of drug use, and bullying
A chocolate bar and now a chisel...
I don't know how to describe feelings just except UGH!!! I WANTED SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! I will be leaving trigger warnings at the bottom of this because, oh boy... but I'll put a spoiler tag on the ones I feel will give the story away way.
This book is a little more f**ked up than her previous books so you have been warned. I just couldn't connect to any of the characters and everything at the end just seemed a little rushed. But I also consumed this book in 10 hours so take my review with a grain of salt.
Trigger Warnings: underage drinking, fighting, talk of drug use,
Spoiler
sexual molestation, pedophilia, homicide, talk of suicide,
For around the first 45% of this book I thought I was going to give it 2 stars but it took a turn. In all honesty I can't say I care much about the romance, and I wasn't in love with Lenora, but watching Vaughn's journey made me fall a bit more in love with him than I already was. I wish he had grown up happier and freer than he did.
This book does need a trigger warning though, and the author is crazy if she thinks not including one is her personal choice when it deals with a sensitive topic like that, and people who have gone through similar traumas could be disturbed and triggered by the events of the book.
Also I'm lowkey offended I didn't get any dariapenn scenes or at least name-drop updates of how they are doing considering it's the last book in the series. Rude.
This book does need a trigger warning though, and the author is crazy if she thinks not including one is her personal choice when it deals with a sensitive topic like that, and people who have gone through similar traumas could be disturbed and triggered by the events of the book.
Also I'm lowkey offended I didn't get any dariapenn scenes or at least name-drop updates of how they are doing considering it's the last book in the series. Rude.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Check Trigger warnings before reading.
4.25⭐️/ 3-4🌶️
L.J. Shen’s “All Saints” returns with the third installment in the series and it had even more darkness with Vaughn Spencer and Lenora Astalis at the forefront. Vaughn was one of the popular boys in school, but his family had power and control over everyone in the town they lived in. With power, popularity, and money, Vaughn was only stranger to controlling others over the whims of his wishes. Lenora was someone who went up against Vaughn and wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of completely controlling her. If anything, Lenora wanted to destroy Vaughn just as much he did to her. This book was dark and by no means sweet so if you’re looking for a cute romance, look the other way. If you want a questionable morally gray character who will do anything (and I mean ANYTHING) to get what he wants, as well as a feisty, equally dark and twisted female lead, then look no further than Lenora and Vaughn.
Little did I expect that Vaughn would be at this level of unhinged! When it came to the flashback moment of Vaughn and Lenora at ages thirteen and twelve, I thought I’d see them just forming their enemies storyline, but oh no I was in for quite the surprise. The thing that really baffled me was when I saw that Vaughn at thirteen knock out a security guard, and snuck into Lenora’s room, like what?! How was he able to do that at a young age?? My point being, that was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to how Vaugh was twisted, dark, and absolutely did whatever he wanted. Even Lenora caught my off guard with her own kind of twisted and unhinged attitude. Lenora was originally a quiet and timing girl, but through the loss of her mother and being done with Vaugh pushing and bullying her, Lenora became a force of her own. Lenora was twisted in her own ways, but she gradually became more intrigued and wanted to taste Vaughn…namely his blood. So, yeah, there was some blood play and frankly one I never saw coming, but hey, that’s the kind of thing that strangely just worked for this book.
Overall, Lenora and Vaughn’s story was an interestingly dark and twisted story that fascinated me in ways I didn’t expect. Vaughn was someone who literally did whatever he wanted, and by all means was able to get away with the things he did. When it came to enacting his mysterious revenge against a certain someone, it was a part of the story that completely took me off guard, and one that was about a heavy topic. Vaughn had his reasons for the things he did, but when it came to Lenora, his way of thinking and acting were turned around in a way he wasn’t entirely sure about. Lenora was the perfect love interest for Vaughn because, she too had her own darkness lurking inside of her, and it just made sense for her and Vaughn to have that special chemistry together. Again, with this book and this series, I would say if you’re looking for morally gray characters, dark and at times questionable actions, as well as a change in your usual romance stories, then this might be something to check out. This wasn’t by any means a cute romance, so if you want a somewhat, almost dark romance, then go ahead and read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Blood, Murder
a lil questionable at times but somehow i actually didnt hate it.
reread: got a random craving for some toxicity and i fear this book is the definition. definitely pushed some priorities aside for a quick reread but whateverrr
reread: got a random craving for some toxicity and i fear this book is the definition. definitely pushed some priorities aside for a quick reread but whateverrr