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jessicah_25's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
howling_good_reads's review
3.0
I was completely enthralled for the first half of this book and the slow speed that everything was unfolding was perfect, but pretty much exactly half way through the pacing changed and the story lost its way for me.
Things started happening and truths continued to unravel and I found myself disappointed in how it all came about.
I don’t really feel like things that were focused on at the beginning didn’t hold much relevance near the end of the book. We never really got any insight into Celeste’s hallucinations or why she had blackouts. How did she get from her old house to the club so quickly after seeing Bree, she said it was impossible for her to have driven there in the time she did but we never find out why she blacked out or what she did when it happened?
There were sooo many bad guys in this book too many for me to keep up with and not enough people got what they deserved for me, good and bad.
To may weird connections that didn’t end up fitting to be honest. I mean it’s cool when characters are connected and it turns into a plot twist but this was more like a plot pretzel, messy.
I was so invested in Celeste’s storyline and past I would have loved the answers to have been delivered at the same speed as the questions. Instead explanations are more fired off at the end.
I was very sad at Franny’s storyline and how it was ended, I was really hoping for a spin-off book for her but I get why the author had the end she did.
Things started happening and truths continued to unravel and I found myself disappointed in how it all came about.
I don’t really feel like things that were focused on at the beginning didn’t hold much relevance near the end of the book. We never really got any insight into Celeste’s hallucinations or why she had blackouts. How did she get from her old house to the club so quickly after seeing Bree, she said it was impossible for her to have driven there in the time she did but we never find out why she blacked out or what she did when it happened?
There were sooo many bad guys in this book too many for me to keep up with and not enough people got what they deserved for me, good and bad.
To may weird connections that didn’t end up fitting to be honest. I mean it’s cool when characters are connected and it turns into a plot twist but this was more like a plot pretzel, messy.
I was so invested in Celeste’s storyline and past I would have loved the answers to have been delivered at the same speed as the questions. Instead explanations are more fired off at the end.
I was very sad at Franny’s storyline and how it was ended, I was really hoping for a spin-off book for her but I get why the author had the end she did.
thebookplatypus91's review
5.0
OK so this is the first book I read from this author. (Even though I own all her books). I know what you’re thinking.
Why would I own an entire backlist of an author I never read from.
And it’s because I know that she’s a phenomenal author simply based on the reviews that she gets. But I finally sat my ass down and decided to read her most recent release.
Ok ok ok first of all.. I need you to think of Louisiana Bayou, rich history with voodoo/hoodoo vibes. Gothic. Creepy AF.. anyone watched American Horror Story season six?!
Ok now anyone watch the movie Skeleton Key?!
What about the Hills have Eyes?!
This is not a retelling of any type of movie or other book.
Keri Lake definitely created her own world in this masterpiece of a book but as I was reading it, it totally gave me vibes of these movies/shows.
We have Thierry who is a hitman known as the Black Wolf. Legends say he is cursed because he was once bitten by a black wolf giving him a scar to last a lifetime.
Then we have Celeste who is ...well.. you don’t exactly know who she is until the story unfolds. I personally found her to be batshit crazy with her visions of people in masks and horns, seeing rabbits eating the flesh of humans..
Is she a schizophrenic? Psychotic? And what she seeing possibly real?
I do not say this a lot (like I read with many other reviewer‘s), but this is definitely a book where you do need to go in blind and not read too many reviews beforehand. All it takes is for someone to say the one thing and it would ruin the entire book. This is not a ghost and goblins book. This book is dark and twisted and full of rich history that is purely fiction but definitely gives you realistic vibes of hoodoo-Louisiana bayou dark gothic and twisted history. Again, think Skeleton Key.
I can’t even describe the plot of the book because you don’t even know what’s truly going on until I’d say 70% into the book. The book is engaging, full of mystery, with a dash of romance. The romantic aspect takes a while to get to because the book really is about these two main characters lives and their family and how they came to be. But you guys. You have to read this book! I can’t even explain how freaking amazing and unique it is. There’s some twisted ass bloody murder, dark history, twisted tales, violence, and death. But also revenge.
This book does have an HEA for both main characters!
“Diablo. Demonio. Lucifer. What’s in a name, you know?”
Why would I own an entire backlist of an author I never read from.
And it’s because I know that she’s a phenomenal author simply based on the reviews that she gets. But I finally sat my ass down and decided to read her most recent release.
Ok ok ok first of all.. I need you to think of Louisiana Bayou, rich history with voodoo/hoodoo vibes. Gothic. Creepy AF.. anyone watched American Horror Story season six?!
Ok now anyone watch the movie Skeleton Key?!
What about the Hills have Eyes?!
This is not a retelling of any type of movie or other book.
Keri Lake definitely created her own world in this masterpiece of a book but as I was reading it, it totally gave me vibes of these movies/shows.
We have Thierry who is a hitman known as the Black Wolf. Legends say he is cursed because he was once bitten by a black wolf giving him a scar to last a lifetime.
Then we have Celeste who is ...well.. you don’t exactly know who she is until the story unfolds. I personally found her to be batshit crazy with her visions of people in masks and horns, seeing rabbits eating the flesh of humans..
Is she a schizophrenic? Psychotic? And what she seeing possibly real?
I do not say this a lot (like I read with many other reviewer‘s), but this is definitely a book where you do need to go in blind and not read too many reviews beforehand. All it takes is for someone to say the one thing and it would ruin the entire book. This is not a ghost and goblins book. This book is dark and twisted and full of rich history that is purely fiction but definitely gives you realistic vibes of hoodoo-Louisiana bayou dark gothic and twisted history. Again, think Skeleton Key.
I can’t even describe the plot of the book because you don’t even know what’s truly going on until I’d say 70% into the book. The book is engaging, full of mystery, with a dash of romance. The romantic aspect takes a while to get to because the book really is about these two main characters lives and their family and how they came to be. But you guys. You have to read this book! I can’t even explain how freaking amazing and unique it is. There’s some twisted ass bloody murder, dark history, twisted tales, violence, and death. But also revenge.
This book does have an HEA for both main characters!
“Diablo. Demonio. Lucifer. What’s in a name, you know?”
fabwater's review against another edition
4.0
that was the wildest ride ever. i was so confused for a lot of things but like that’s the point of a mystery so that was done rly well!!! some things were so sick and vile i feel like im going to think ab them for some time. sometimes i couldnt even believe the things i was reading it was so twisted. thierry and celeste are really great characters though and i enjoyed reading about them and watching them come together & conquer their quite literal demons!
gayapapaya's review against another edition
4.0
a truly twisted story. not for the faint-hearted.
Merged review:
a truly twisted story. not for the faint-hearted.
Merged review:
a truly twisted story. not for the faint-hearted.
jhagenbuch621's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved this story. This a dark romance so reader beware but what am amazing story!!!
Merged review:
Absolutely loved this story. This a dark romance so reader beware but what am amazing story!!!
Merged review:
Absolutely loved this story. This a dark romance so reader beware but what am amazing story!!!
sinfulpages's review against another edition
5.0
I swear to you, Keri can do no wrong. With every book of hers I read, i love her writing even more
maryelizabethreads's review against another edition
4.0
I’m a sucker for a contemporary southern gothic dark romance set in Louisiana and this did not disappoint! There was mystery, twists, big reveals, a strong female lead, a morally gray leading man, sexual tension that could be cut with a knife, and yummy spice that made the slow burn buildup worthwhile. I couldn’t read this fast enough!
I can’t wait to read more from Keri Lake. If you have any recommendations, let me know.
Merged review:
I’m a sucker for a contemporary southern gothic dark romance set in Louisiana and this did not disappoint! There was mystery, twists, big reveals, a strong female lead, a morally gray leading man, sexual tension that could be cut with a knife, and yummy spice that made the slow burn buildup worthwhile. I couldn’t read this fast enough!
I can’t wait to read more from Keri Lake. If you have any recommendations, let me know.
I can’t wait to read more from Keri Lake. If you have any recommendations, let me know.
Merged review:
I’m a sucker for a contemporary southern gothic dark romance set in Louisiana and this did not disappoint! There was mystery, twists, big reveals, a strong female lead, a morally gray leading man, sexual tension that could be cut with a knife, and yummy spice that made the slow burn buildup worthwhile. I couldn’t read this fast enough!
I can’t wait to read more from Keri Lake. If you have any recommendations, let me know.
yzreads's review against another edition
5.0
This is going to be one of those books I think about for a while after reading it. The author weaved the culture of the isle into this multilayered story so seamlessly. And my goodness were there layers to this. The suspense was so good, I was hooked and nothing could keep me from turning pages. I appreciated the slow burn in this one - it made the culmination of the main characters’ history that much more impactful. My heart was in my stomach at the end though and I felt personally victimized by some of the reveals. Overall this was a crazy ride and I’ll definitely be checking out more of Keri Lake’s works.
kourtt's review against another edition
2.0
i really loved master of salt and bones, so going into this my expectations might have been set to high. i feel like the whole book kind of just fell flat. i wanted more on the ghost stories and cult throughout the entire book not just shoved into the last like eighty percent.
celeste and theirry didn’t really help the story line either, they both were a little boring to me and i didn’t really feel like they fit well.
celeste and theirry didn’t really help the story line either, they both were a little boring to me and i didn’t really feel like they fit well.