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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
Me to me: Don't compare this to Twilight, don't compare this to Twilight, don't compare this to Twilight
Me, also to me: But like, doesn't this remind you of True Blood?!
...honestly, this second title veered in a direction I was definitely not anticipating, and I didn't love it. It didn't feel authentic-- there was no New Orleans, a whole slew of new characters with new abilities, and a weird amount of the new world seems to be borrowed from other YA fairy worlds. I never really compared Holly Black with Julie Kagawa, and yet I found myself comparing both of their fairy worlds to this? Yes. Fairies. I am confused.
Me, also to me: But like, doesn't this remind you of True Blood?!
...honestly, this second title veered in a direction I was definitely not anticipating, and I didn't love it. It didn't feel authentic-- there was no New Orleans, a whole slew of new characters with new abilities, and a weird amount of the new world seems to be borrowed from other YA fairy worlds. I never really compared Holly Black with Julie Kagawa, and yet I found myself comparing both of their fairy worlds to this? Yes. Fairies. I am confused.
I've been sitting on this book for about a week now trying to think of what I want to say about it. I guess first I will start off by saying thank you to NetGalley for providing a free eARC of the book to read in exchange for an honest review. I did find that I liked The Damned more than I did The Beautiful. I think this is because my expectations were much lower. Part of the reason I found so much fault with The Beautiful was that it was so overly hyped up as being the book to revitalize vampires in YA novels and I found it fell very short of that mark. Due to events at the end of The Beautiful, The Damned had many more vampires throughout its pages. My biggest gripe about The Beautiful was the slim appearances of vampires, at last, in The Damned, we finally get to our sultry hedonistic vampires. Sébastien's anger at being made into a vampire was so incredibly interesting to read. I loved all the little ways he chose to act out against his Uncle. Sébastien really felt like the star of this book. I enjoyed his chapters the most and found his storyline the most interesting as he adapted to his new life.
I really enjoyed the expansion of the world in this book. The Beautiful dazzled with its descriptions of 19th century New Orleans. In The Damned, we saw more of the supernatural side of the world. From the swamps outside New Orleans hosting all manner of creatures that cannot hide in plain sight within the city to the mysterious and deadly court of the Sylvan Vale Renée Ahdieh did a wonderful job of fleshing out the paranormal side of this world. I was really intrigued by the creatures hiding out in the swamp and the small community they had created there. I'm also always a sucker for dangerous court politics and the Fey court of Sylvan Vale was right up that alley.
Though the book was enjoyable it's just missing something that prevents it from being a five-star read. There's a spark that just isn't there for me. I love the setting of 19th century New Orleans full of Ahdieh's signature beautiful prose. The paranormal element is also right up my alley but I fear I'm just not connecting with the characters as much as I ought to. Since I've gotten this far it is likely that I'll read the next book because I don't like to leave things unfinished.
I really enjoyed the expansion of the world in this book. The Beautiful dazzled with its descriptions of 19th century New Orleans. In The Damned, we saw more of the supernatural side of the world. From the swamps outside New Orleans hosting all manner of creatures that cannot hide in plain sight within the city to the mysterious and deadly court of the Sylvan Vale Renée Ahdieh did a wonderful job of fleshing out the paranormal side of this world. I was really intrigued by the creatures hiding out in the swamp and the small community they had created there. I'm also always a sucker for dangerous court politics and the Fey court of Sylvan Vale was right up that alley.
Though the book was enjoyable it's just missing something that prevents it from being a five-star read. There's a spark that just isn't there for me. I love the setting of 19th century New Orleans full of Ahdieh's signature beautiful prose. The paranormal element is also right up my alley but I fear I'm just not connecting with the characters as much as I ought to. Since I've gotten this far it is likely that I'll read the next book because I don't like to leave things unfinished.
This sequel was all over the place. I thought introducing werewolves at the end of The Beautiful was fine but in The Damned the world expands even more and I just felt it was a lot. There were multiple storylines and I just wanted something else from this book. Hoping it’s just middle child syndrome and that the third book is better.
“Real love may be a choice, but I plan to choose someone who steals the breath from my body and haunts my very dreams. That is the only kind of love worth having.”
I'm pretty sure I, surprisingly, enjoyed this book better than the first. I found myself much more engaged in the plot after the plot twist at the end of The Beautiful. The tropes that were used helped keep the angst going, which I love. My toxic trait is getting bored of romance after it's no longer angsty, so I love anything that will keep the angst and pining going.
I definitely plan to read the third in this series, eventually. Although I feel like I should probably read it soon, because I do think that this series and these characters will be somewhat forgettable.
I'm pretty sure I, surprisingly, enjoyed this book better than the first. I found myself much more engaged in the plot after the plot twist at the end of The Beautiful. The tropes that were used helped keep the angst going, which I love. My toxic trait is getting bored of romance after it's no longer angsty, so I love anything that will keep the angst and pining going.
I definitely plan to read the third in this series, eventually. Although I feel like I should probably read it soon, because I do think that this series and these characters will be somewhat forgettable.
A bewitching sequel filled with shocking twists at every turn. Every bit as dark & delicious as the first
DNF. I was not overly compelled by this series but I think it was just not for me - it was well written and had a good storyline but didn’t hold my attention which I’m sorry to say. Perhaps I’ll try again in the future.
Advanced finished copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review as part of a blog tour. This did not affect my thoughts.
Whereas The Beautiful was told from three perspectives, Celine, Bastien and an unnamed monster, The Damned is told through multiple. We read from Bastien and Celine’s perspectives the most but also Bastien’s werewolf sister Émilie, fellow Court of Lions members Arjun, Odette, Jae and Michael, a friend from Bastien’s childhood and member of the Grimaldi werewolf family. Interestingly however, Bastien’s POV is told in first person while the rest are third person. I would also suggest that while The Beautiful was more Celine’s story, this was definitely Bastien’s.
From the very beginning we are thrust right into the action and the world feels bigger with higher stakes. The Damned opens with Bastien awakening as a vampire for the first time after the traumatic ending of The Beautiful in which Celine reluctantly gives up her memories of Bastien in order for him to be saved by his vampire uncle.
However what I found really interesting, and different to other vampire novels, is that neither Bastien nor his Court of Lions family want him to become a vampire. Despite being the most powerful vampire family, it did not end well for Bastien’s mother or father and so there is a huge sense of reluctance amongst them.
Where The Beautiful kind of tip toed around it, The Damned explicitly states the characters which are vampires, werewolves and more and what this entails. We also got to see some actual vampire transitions which I thought were really cool! There was also the introduction of mythical creatures and magical beings and those with elemental magic.
As with The Beautiful, there is again a lot of diversity in The Damned. We have characters of Korean, Creole, Portuguese, British-Indian, French, Spanish and American ethnicities. With regards to sexuality, Odette is a lesbian and it is suggested that Emelie is pansexual or bisexual by saying “when she gave love, it was without restraint, to men and women alike”.
I really appreciated the discussions that Renee also included in The Damned. Celine and her friends manage a clothing store and we hear about how unheard of it is for women in the 1800s to hold credit and have achieved this, but this doesn’t stop them from being successful. There are also important discussions of racism, slavery, colonialism and prejudice.
Although we know the main conflicts of the story going in, the mystery vibes we felt in The Beautiful definitely bleed through here. We have untitled chapters from someone observing Celine and the Court of Lions and it was interesting trying to guess who this could be.
The Damned was packed full of lush and lyrical writing; the world building had me desperate to visit New Orleans and maaaaaybe bump into an arrogant yet charming vampire? Oh also, when he swears? Still swoon worthy. There were also some really amazing and powerful quotes that as you can see in this post, I just had to take note of and share.
While the plot was definitely fast paced, I also think that the characters played an integral part in this story. Even the side characters were fleshed out and felt so individual; they really added something to the story instead of just being there to fill a space as it were. Arjun is so cocky and cheeky; his banter filled scenes with Bastien really tickled me and learning about his background was really interesting. Actually, we learn a lot about the character’s histories and delve a lot deeper in this sequel which only added to their three-dimensional feel.
The romance was so beautiful and well written. I loved the angst between Celine and Bastien, particularly as everyone was working hard to keep them apart in the beginning. Obviously I can’t say anything serious because of spoilers, but the romantic scenes towards the end of were *chefs kiss*.
Throughout the beginning of this book, Celine is struggling to live a normal life. While she can’t remember what happened, she knows that something isn’t right and people are hiding the truth from her. As a woman with “modern views” for that time, she isn’t happy with feeling as though she has to rely on a man for help. Just like in The Beautiful, she is headstrong and tough. I got the feeling that there was something else about her, and it was really interesting to see how things came into fruition in this story.
Bastien… what can I say about Bastien? While he still retains the arrogance from the first book, we definitely see to another side of him in The Damned. As a recently turned vampire from one of the most powerful families, he is extremely strong and dangerous. But this doesn’t stop him from being afraid of what this new power means. He plays a game, pretending that he is happy with his new life, that he isn’t affected. Though when he had to pretend to not care about Celine… yep that hurt. Also I definitely have a character type.
I really enjoyed seeing a more vulnerable side to him, a side that wants to love and protect, even when the other person may have done wrong. He isn’t cut throat like his uncle, he is willing to forgive and work to make things better and I’m intrigued to see how this will come into play in the next book.
The Damned was a lush and spell binding tale of power, betrayal and forbidden love, in a world shared between the dazzling New Orleans and a much older one land of magic.
Renée had me hooked from the very beginning. Not only were the expansion of the world and the stakes intriguing, I was also heavily invested in the character development which really fuelled the story. I really need more romantic vampire stories now, and I can’t wait for the next instalment. So much more has been set up and I honestly feel like these books are going from strength to strength.
If you like romance, supernatural creatures, angst, 1800s New Orleans and mystery, you need to read this book.
Whereas The Beautiful was told from three perspectives, Celine, Bastien and an unnamed monster, The Damned is told through multiple. We read from Bastien and Celine’s perspectives the most but also Bastien’s werewolf sister Émilie, fellow Court of Lions members Arjun, Odette, Jae and Michael, a friend from Bastien’s childhood and member of the Grimaldi werewolf family. Interestingly however, Bastien’s POV is told in first person while the rest are third person. I would also suggest that while The Beautiful was more Celine’s story, this was definitely Bastien’s.
From the very beginning we are thrust right into the action and the world feels bigger with higher stakes. The Damned opens with Bastien awakening as a vampire for the first time after the traumatic ending of The Beautiful in which Celine reluctantly gives up her memories of Bastien in order for him to be saved by his vampire uncle.
However what I found really interesting, and different to other vampire novels, is that neither Bastien nor his Court of Lions family want him to become a vampire. Despite being the most powerful vampire family, it did not end well for Bastien’s mother or father and so there is a huge sense of reluctance amongst them.
Where The Beautiful kind of tip toed around it, The Damned explicitly states the characters which are vampires, werewolves and more and what this entails. We also got to see some actual vampire transitions which I thought were really cool! There was also the introduction of mythical creatures and magical beings and those with elemental magic.
As with The Beautiful, there is again a lot of diversity in The Damned. We have characters of Korean, Creole, Portuguese, British-Indian, French, Spanish and American ethnicities. With regards to sexuality, Odette is a lesbian and it is suggested that Emelie is pansexual or bisexual by saying “when she gave love, it was without restraint, to men and women alike”.
I really appreciated the discussions that Renee also included in The Damned. Celine and her friends manage a clothing store and we hear about how unheard of it is for women in the 1800s to hold credit and have achieved this, but this doesn’t stop them from being successful. There are also important discussions of racism, slavery, colonialism and prejudice.
Although we know the main conflicts of the story going in, the mystery vibes we felt in The Beautiful definitely bleed through here. We have untitled chapters from someone observing Celine and the Court of Lions and it was interesting trying to guess who this could be.
The Damned was packed full of lush and lyrical writing; the world building had me desperate to visit New Orleans and maaaaaybe bump into an arrogant yet charming vampire? Oh also, when he swears? Still swoon worthy. There were also some really amazing and powerful quotes that as you can see in this post, I just had to take note of and share.
While the plot was definitely fast paced, I also think that the characters played an integral part in this story. Even the side characters were fleshed out and felt so individual; they really added something to the story instead of just being there to fill a space as it were. Arjun is so cocky and cheeky; his banter filled scenes with Bastien really tickled me and learning about his background was really interesting. Actually, we learn a lot about the character’s histories and delve a lot deeper in this sequel which only added to their three-dimensional feel.
The romance was so beautiful and well written. I loved the angst between Celine and Bastien, particularly as everyone was working hard to keep them apart in the beginning. Obviously I can’t say anything serious because of spoilers, but the romantic scenes towards the end of were *chefs kiss*.
Throughout the beginning of this book, Celine is struggling to live a normal life. While she can’t remember what happened, she knows that something isn’t right and people are hiding the truth from her. As a woman with “modern views” for that time, she isn’t happy with feeling as though she has to rely on a man for help. Just like in The Beautiful, she is headstrong and tough. I got the feeling that there was something else about her, and it was really interesting to see how things came into fruition in this story.
Bastien… what can I say about Bastien? While he still retains the arrogance from the first book, we definitely see to another side of him in The Damned. As a recently turned vampire from one of the most powerful families, he is extremely strong and dangerous. But this doesn’t stop him from being afraid of what this new power means. He plays a game, pretending that he is happy with his new life, that he isn’t affected. Though when he had to pretend to not care about Celine… yep that hurt. Also I definitely have a character type.
I really enjoyed seeing a more vulnerable side to him, a side that wants to love and protect, even when the other person may have done wrong. He isn’t cut throat like his uncle, he is willing to forgive and work to make things better and I’m intrigued to see how this will come into play in the next book.
The Damned was a lush and spell binding tale of power, betrayal and forbidden love, in a world shared between the dazzling New Orleans and a much older one land of magic.
Renée had me hooked from the very beginning. Not only were the expansion of the world and the stakes intriguing, I was also heavily invested in the character development which really fuelled the story. I really need more romantic vampire stories now, and I can’t wait for the next instalment. So much more has been set up and I honestly feel like these books are going from strength to strength.
If you like romance, supernatural creatures, angst, 1800s New Orleans and mystery, you need to read this book.
Romeo and Juliet story with some predictable responses where you just want to shake the character and say “no! Not that way!!! Don’t you SEE?!?!
A little all over the place.
I get that as a second book in a series of 3-5 books you have to build up to things and so you have to add more to the story but there were some bits of this that didn't sit well with me.
It was predictable in the ways that we all knew it would be and then more.
Celine meeting her mother wasn't expecting that. The guy from France? Kind of expected because she just kept bringing it up and why bring it up if you're not going to do something with it? Celine settling for Micheal and then ditching him for Sebastian as soon as she could? We been knowing.
I really thought that in the start when we got so much from Odette we would be getting her full backstory. We would be learning about her time with Nicodemus. I thought we would know more about Madeleine and Hortense but we get fed crumbs and then get more Sebastian story that we pretty much knew of?
But instead we get them wanting to kill Jae, Madeline almost dying, and then Odette dying. The whole point of this began with Emillie being the main villain and now she'a dead as well so who is there left for us to fear? The Lady of the Viel? Pippa, who is apparently hiding some big secrets?? Micheal, who's going to be turned into the worst kind of person because he got rejected?
We have a long way to go from being done with this series so maybe #3 will wow me more than this one did.
That isn't to say this didn't wow me it was just underwhelming compared to the drama of The Beautiful.
I get that as a second book in a series of 3-5 books you have to build up to things and so you have to add more to the story but there were some bits of this that didn't sit well with me.
It was predictable in the ways that we all knew it would be and then more.
Celine meeting her mother wasn't expecting that. The guy from France? Kind of expected because she just kept bringing it up and why bring it up if you're not going to do something with it? Celine settling for Micheal and then ditching him for Sebastian as soon as she could? We been knowing.
I really thought that in the start when we got so much from Odette we would be getting her full backstory. We would be learning about her time with Nicodemus. I thought we would know more about Madeleine and Hortense but we get fed crumbs and then get more Sebastian story that we pretty much knew of?
But instead we get them wanting to kill Jae, Madeline almost dying, and then Odette dying. The whole point of this began with Emillie being the main villain and now she'a dead as well so who is there left for us to fear? The Lady of the Viel? Pippa, who is apparently hiding some big secrets?? Micheal, who's going to be turned into the worst kind of person because he got rejected?
We have a long way to go from being done with this series so maybe #3 will wow me more than this one did.
That isn't to say this didn't wow me it was just underwhelming compared to the drama of The Beautiful.
Reread: Omg this was even better on reread!! I feel like I missed so many details the first time through