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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I listened to the audiobook and the narrators (3) did a good job. I enjoyed the story and the characters.
A.J. Sherwood has fast become one of my favorite authors. I adored this book. I loved all three of these guys. Bel already been hurt badly for his young years and trusting again is really hard for him. But man oh man Nico's boundless energy was just too much to resist. Throw in Garen's super protective nature and these three are just a perfect complement to each other. All three of them were super adorable as they worked out how to talk to each other and admit that what they really wanted was for all three of them to be in this relationship.
The relationship and the emotional connection between the three guy was definitely a wonderful component of this story, but I also really loved the paranormal/urban fantasy elements of this story as well. Bel's power was interesting and I enjoyed the fun that the team they're building all had together. Nico and Wickey together were ridiculous amounts of fun. Bel's grandfather was fantastic and I hope we get to see more of him in later books.
I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait to read more in this series. I love how light the storytelling is. It's an easy read that just keeps me coming back for more as it just plain makes me happy.
The relationship and the emotional connection between the three guy was definitely a wonderful component of this story, but I also really loved the paranormal/urban fantasy elements of this story as well. Bel's power was interesting and I enjoyed the fun that the team they're building all had together. Nico and Wickey together were ridiculous amounts of fun. Bel's grandfather was fantastic and I hope we get to see more of him in later books.
I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait to read more in this series. I love how light the storytelling is. It's an easy read that just keeps me coming back for more as it just plain makes me happy.
This was yet another great read from AJ Sherwood and just as funny as all of their other books. The world building and character development are superb as always and there is a great cast of secondary characters.
Bel is trying to summon his second familiar, after what happened with his first one, I was really worried for him. He ends up summoning a very, human familiar called Nico. He is still in the army and trying to decide if he wants to stay, when he is summoned by Bel. He is enamoured with him straight away and it doesn't take him long to make his decision; he is leaving the army and staying with Bel. But poor Bel is so worried that he will leave him and doesn't commit straight away.
Nico calls his ex-boyfriend, the guy he is still in love with, Garen. He is part of the Secret Service and part, Gargoyle. He wants to win Nico back, so he puts in leave and goes to him straight away.
They all work so well together as a team, and I loved seeing them work out how they could all be together. That could have happened sooner, but this lot doesn't communicate enough. They are already in love with each other at that point, they just have to figure out how to make it happen. When they get together, the sex is off the charts. Bel may seem sweet and innocent, but he made himself known in the bedroom. They brought the best out of each other, and Nico and Garen were a dream team protecting Bel.
I figured out how they would keep Garen with them, especially after Bel's, high level demon Grandfather mentions it. His grandfather is a hoot, and I can't wait to see more of him. My favourite side character is Wicky and his very fancy lightsabres. He is just so funny with Nico because they have the same personality. I can't wait for more of their shenanigans.
Bel is trying to summon his second familiar, after what happened with his first one, I was really worried for him. He ends up summoning a very, human familiar called Nico. He is still in the army and trying to decide if he wants to stay, when he is summoned by Bel. He is enamoured with him straight away and it doesn't take him long to make his decision; he is leaving the army and staying with Bel. But poor Bel is so worried that he will leave him and doesn't commit straight away.
Nico calls his ex-boyfriend, the guy he is still in love with, Garen. He is part of the Secret Service and part, Gargoyle. He wants to win Nico back, so he puts in leave and goes to him straight away.
They all work so well together as a team, and I loved seeing them work out how they could all be together. That could have happened sooner, but this lot doesn't communicate enough. They are already in love with each other at that point, they just have to figure out how to make it happen. When they get together, the sex is off the charts. Bel may seem sweet and innocent, but he made himself known in the bedroom. They brought the best out of each other, and Nico and Garen were a dream team protecting Bel.
I figured out how they would keep Garen with them, especially after Bel's, high level demon Grandfather mentions it. His grandfather is a hoot, and I can't wait to see more of him. My favourite side character is Wicky and his very fancy lightsabres. He is just so funny with Nico because they have the same personality. I can't wait for more of their shenanigans.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I really liked it but like nothing really… happened. Like I loved it but there was no big conflict
This was pretty good!
I was completely unfamiliar with this author so I was going in blind but I really enjoyed this. The plot was good and I liked the characters overall. I do feel like I started to like it a bit less as the story went on, and I felt the author tried too hard to make the characters sound ~quirky~ or possibly *hip and cool*. The 19 year old came across as much older - in my mind a bit too much older; they didn’t read as a teenager at all - and the 30-year-olds read as much younger, more college aged. This is largely based on dialogue. Overall tho I would definitely give it a try if modern fantasy appeals to you, or even if it doesn’t - it really isn’t something I would consider to be in my usual wheelhouse.
I was completely unfamiliar with this author so I was going in blind but I really enjoyed this. The plot was good and I liked the characters overall. I do feel like I started to like it a bit less as the story went on, and I felt the author tried too hard to make the characters sound ~quirky~ or possibly *hip and cool*. The 19 year old came across as much older - in my mind a bit too much older; they didn’t read as a teenager at all - and the 30-year-olds read as much younger, more college aged. This is largely based on dialogue. Overall tho I would definitely give it a try if modern fantasy appeals to you, or even if it doesn’t - it really isn’t something I would consider to be in my usual wheelhouse.
This was cute but the style its written in feels like it was a response to a tumbler prompt with the sheer volume of pop culture refrences rather than a published book.
The book was more focused on the romance/relationship than the actually plot which is a shame because the concept seemed really cool despite being very basic. Also some of the nicknames we're super cringy.
However despite all of this, it was still enjoyable and very funny.
The book was more focused on the romance/relationship than the actually plot which is a shame because the concept seemed really cool despite being very basic. Also some of the nicknames we're super cringy.
However despite all of this, it was still enjoyable and very funny.
Loved it.
I loved this book. The characters are fun, interesting and loving, the three of them all bring different qualities to make up a cohesive whole unit. Along with the secondary characters I can't wait to read more about them and the adventures they go on.
I loved this book. The characters are fun, interesting and loving, the three of them all bring different qualities to make up a cohesive whole unit. Along with the secondary characters I can't wait to read more about them and the adventures they go on.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
funny
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
3.5 stars
Ok so, I love A J Sherwood. I love than when I read her books I know what to expect. I know that she always writes fluffy, wholesome slice-of-life stories with fantasy background. I know not to expect much from plot. I know that the characters would be absolute angels. That's all fine and dandy. And it's always enjoyable. Mostly.
But, I guess...I have never been a huge fan of her writing style. For one there always seem too many dialogues--which would be fine for me usually, except the dialogues get pretty repetitive. For example, on the parts where Bel needed to explain the situation, you could have just written inside one paragraph that he tried to explain that to three different people, but A J Sherwoon tends to WRITE each of these conversations instead. I guess it feels to me like when you're writing a note to yourself "if the main character says A, what will the other characters say in response?" but with steroids. So I'm sad to say I sometimes skimmed over the paragraphs. I think this is just my preference; I just don't enjoy being spoonfed too much.
Second thing about A J Sherwood...she's not very good at writing tension or sexual anticipation. Oh her books are all slow-burn, that is true, and the dynamics between the characters are cute and sweet. So when I pick up her books I know I should expect that. And there's something nice about starting a book written by an author you're familiar with because you know what you'll get. But. A J Sherwood. Hmm. How to say this. Frankly speaking, the sexual scenes and the attraction scenes in this book were written kind of poorly.
You know, I'm an asexual. Not an aromantic, but I'm an asexual who writes smut and reads smut a lot. And I know for a fact that writing something you don't get to experience takes special skills. That said, well, the attraction in this book honestly sounds like an "attraction in theory", as in it feels like I'm reading a book and sex scenes written by an asexual who does not know what it's like to feel sexually attracted to someone.
Not saying that there's anything wrong with not knowing what it's like; god knows, I have never felt it myself. But still that's just the feeling that I got while I was reading this. The sexual attraction felt forced and phony. And when Bel was supposedly acting more assertive and lust-driven, instead of finding it hot, it felt to me that I was reading a teenager discovering sex for the first time. And truthfully that was an uncomfortable feeling to have while reading an adult book.
Bel's personality is confusing; he's shy, he's assertive, he's insecure, he's super confident, he's sexually inept, he's a sex god. I mean, by the end of the book I was like, christ, make up your mind already. I kinda want this book to decide what road it's going to take. Like, do you want this to be a wholesome funny book or do you want to focus on sexual tension and heat? I guess this book is the result of trying to take it all and ending up not being able to write it successfully.
Also, I just find Bel's voice sounding very much like an older woman instead of a gay guy in his almost 20s. I mean, him suddenly talking about loving to bottom and getting fucked? After long pages of him basically not feeling sexually frustrated or sexually attracted or hot and bothered? That shit came out of nowhere. And when he talked like "Wow oh wow'" I was like, what is he, 45? He sounds so old.
I personally think the author should have done more research in how a gay guy in their early 20s sounds like. And how to write that well. And not just spoonfeed it to me like, "Oh but I'm a 19 year old boy I have a libido that won't go away" yadda yadda. Like???? How about instead of TELLING me that, you SHOW me that he was trying to idk cover up his hard-on. And nico or garen looking down to his crotch and noticing. Because I swear to fucking god come on ugh.
Well, that's all of my grievances. I did enjoy the book. It's precisely because I enjoy the book that I wish that it were....more. But whatever. I'm just hard to please nowadays.
Cheers.
Ok so, I love A J Sherwood. I love than when I read her books I know what to expect. I know that she always writes fluffy, wholesome slice-of-life stories with fantasy background. I know not to expect much from plot. I know that the characters would be absolute angels. That's all fine and dandy. And it's always enjoyable. Mostly.
But, I guess...I have never been a huge fan of her writing style. For one there always seem too many dialogues--which would be fine for me usually, except the dialogues get pretty repetitive. For example, on the parts where Bel needed to explain the situation, you could have just written inside one paragraph that he tried to explain that to three different people, but A J Sherwoon tends to WRITE each of these conversations instead. I guess it feels to me like when you're writing a note to yourself "if the main character says A, what will the other characters say in response?" but with steroids. So I'm sad to say I sometimes skimmed over the paragraphs. I think this is just my preference; I just don't enjoy being spoonfed too much.
Second thing about A J Sherwood...she's not very good at writing tension or sexual anticipation. Oh her books are all slow-burn, that is true, and the dynamics between the characters are cute and sweet. So when I pick up her books I know I should expect that. And there's something nice about starting a book written by an author you're familiar with because you know what you'll get. But. A J Sherwood. Hmm. How to say this. Frankly speaking, the sexual scenes and the attraction scenes in this book were written kind of poorly.
You know, I'm an asexual. Not an aromantic, but I'm an asexual who writes smut and reads smut a lot. And I know for a fact that writing something you don't get to experience takes special skills. That said, well, the attraction in this book honestly sounds like an "attraction in theory", as in it feels like I'm reading a book and sex scenes written by an asexual who does not know what it's like to feel sexually attracted to someone.
Not saying that there's anything wrong with not knowing what it's like; god knows, I have never felt it myself. But still that's just the feeling that I got while I was reading this. The sexual attraction felt forced and phony. And when Bel was supposedly acting more assertive and lust-driven, instead of finding it hot, it felt to me that I was reading a teenager discovering sex for the first time. And truthfully that was an uncomfortable feeling to have while reading an adult book.
Bel's personality is confusing; he's shy, he's assertive, he's insecure, he's super confident, he's sexually inept, he's a sex god. I mean, by the end of the book I was like, christ, make up your mind already. I kinda want this book to decide what road it's going to take. Like, do you want this to be a wholesome funny book or do you want to focus on sexual tension and heat? I guess this book is the result of trying to take it all and ending up not being able to write it successfully.
Also, I just find Bel's voice sounding very much like an older woman instead of a gay guy in his almost 20s. I mean, him suddenly talking about loving to bottom and getting fucked? After long pages of him basically not feeling sexually frustrated or sexually attracted or hot and bothered? That shit came out of nowhere. And when he talked like "Wow oh wow'" I was like, what is he, 45? He sounds so old.
I personally think the author should have done more research in how a gay guy in their early 20s sounds like. And how to write that well. And not just spoonfeed it to me like, "Oh but I'm a 19 year old boy I have a libido that won't go away" yadda yadda. Like???? How about instead of TELLING me that, you SHOW me that he was trying to idk cover up his hard-on. And nico or garen looking down to his crotch and noticing. Because I swear to fucking god come on ugh.
Well, that's all of my grievances. I did enjoy the book. It's precisely because I enjoy the book that I wish that it were....more. But whatever. I'm just hard to please nowadays.
Cheers.