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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
nothing wrong with it and reviews seem to generally say it’s better than the first book, which I liked, but I’m just not in the mood I guess
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was incredible... I need to know when the next book is coming!!!
This really confused me. I'll admit, I didn't remember much about [b:The Beautiful|42265183|The Beautiful (The Beautiful, #1)|Renée Ahdieh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547578763l/42265183._SY75_.jpg|65881999], so I went into this with a vague recollection of who was who and what the cliffhanger from the first book had been. Even then, this one spiraled out into so many different directions.
I don't remember getting such strong Twilight vibes from the first one, but I definitely did for this (less for the rival vampire/werewolf factions and more for the stalker-ish, obsessiveness of Bastien). There were also [b:The Cruel Prince|26032825|The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574535986l/26032825._SY75_.jpg|45959123]/[b:The Iron King|6644117|The Iron King (The Iron Fey, #1)|Julie Kagawa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327877670l/6644117._SY75_.jpg|6838626] flashbacks for me, but less amusing. I also didn't realize this was no longer a duology and had been promoted (is that the right word? Expanded? Picked up?) to two more books, so this was more of a "world building" (and I use that word lightly) filler book where not too much happens. So, we have another cliffhanger, more unresolved angst, fey, and some angry vampires who want to become human.
And wasn't this supposed to be set in 1800's New Orleans? Not once did I get any kind of feel for that time period or place. 1.5 stars.
I don't remember getting such strong Twilight vibes from the first one, but I definitely did for this (less for the rival vampire/werewolf factions and more for the stalker-ish, obsessiveness of Bastien). There were also [b:The Cruel Prince|26032825|The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574535986l/26032825._SY75_.jpg|45959123]/[b:The Iron King|6644117|The Iron King (The Iron Fey, #1)|Julie Kagawa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327877670l/6644117._SY75_.jpg|6838626] flashbacks for me, but less amusing. I also didn't realize this was no longer a duology and had been promoted (is that the right word? Expanded? Picked up?) to two more books, so this was more of a "world building" (and I use that word lightly) filler book where not too much happens. So, we have another cliffhanger, more unresolved angst, fey, and some angry vampires who want to become human.
And wasn't this supposed to be set in 1800's New Orleans? Not once did I get any kind of feel for that time period or place. 1.5 stars.
hmm, wasn't as good as book one. So much was happening? I got so confused towards the end when it took a turn to the fae land and all that. But, it did answer some questions from book one like what the Brotherhood and the Fallen are. I think there was just too much happening in this book. The Beautiful had a really good story arc because there were different POVs but kind of one continuous plot, with just some mystery from one side. But The Damned was like 8 different POVs and 8 different plots, I felt like I couldn't keep up. That being said, I still liked it and will read the next one.
Even better than the first in this series in my opinion. I love Renee’s writing here. The characters all become so much deeper and I understand each of them with an intimacy that I didn’t expect especially for a few that seemed more minor.
4 stars!
The Beautiful rating: 3 stars.
Renee Ahdieh is back with her wonderful vampires and magical creatures. Please be advised this review will contain no spoilers for The Damned but it does inevitably spoil the first book in the series, The Beautiful.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Following that mortifying night in The Beautiful, Sebastien's and Celine's life has changed forever. Sebastien is now a vampire, something he never wished to be. And Celine has lost her memories of everything related to Sebastien and his world. There is an imminent threat of war between the Fallen and the Brotherhood and no one knows who to trust anymore.
I was really close to only giving this book 3 stars, but the final 1/3 of the book completely changed my perspective of it. The first 2/3 of this book are quite slow and uneventful, and it made it really hard for me to be invested in the story. However, things start to pick up really well toward the end and the story evolves into something incredible and rich.
The best part of this book for me, along with the best part of The Beautiful as well, are undoubtedly the characters. Sebastien and Celine are incredibly well developed characters with strong backstories and even stronger morals.
This book delves deeper into the magical side of the world and it was good to finally know how creatures exist and are created in this world.
Overall The Damned was a good sequel, completely saved by the last 1/3 of the story and its wonderful main characters.
The Beautiful rating: 3 stars.
Renee Ahdieh is back with her wonderful vampires and magical creatures. Please be advised this review will contain no spoilers for The Damned but it does inevitably spoil the first book in the series, The Beautiful.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Following that mortifying night in The Beautiful, Sebastien's and Celine's life has changed forever. Sebastien is now a vampire, something he never wished to be. And Celine has lost her memories of everything related to Sebastien and his world. There is an imminent threat of war between the Fallen and the Brotherhood and no one knows who to trust anymore.
I was really close to only giving this book 3 stars, but the final 1/3 of the book completely changed my perspective of it. The first 2/3 of this book are quite slow and uneventful, and it made it really hard for me to be invested in the story. However, things start to pick up really well toward the end and the story evolves into something incredible and rich.
The best part of this book for me, along with the best part of The Beautiful as well, are undoubtedly the characters. Sebastien and Celine are incredibly well developed characters with strong backstories and even stronger morals.
This book delves deeper into the magical side of the world and it was good to finally know how creatures exist and are created in this world.
Overall The Damned was a good sequel, completely saved by the last 1/3 of the story and its wonderful main characters.
Loving this series! The world-building is epic, and the swoon kicks it up a notch or three.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
The Damned picks up where The Beautiful left off. Celine cannot remember anything from the night a serial killer supposedly attacked her. Although, she's having nightmares and experiencing feelings about people and places that seem so familiar. . .But no mere mortal has ever resisted compulsion, especially from Nicodemus Saint Germain. Bastien is adjusting to his new life as a blood-drinker without his love, and he's not taking to it kindly. He's desperate to find a way to reunite with Celine. Will fate be cruel or kind to the star-crossed lovers?
The supernatural world that you got a glimpse of in The Beautiful expands exponentially in The Damned. While I wish the first book hadn't waited so long to reveal the secrets of La Cour des Lions, I enjoyed the broadened range of POVs in this book. Yes, she probably did too many, but honestly, I found many of the side characters to be so much more interesting than the main characters that I didn't care. My main complaint would actually be that there was too much going on in this book. There were so many subplots that I'm not even sure what the main plot was. That being said, I enjoyed this book more than the first one and I'll be interested see what happens next. The narrator, Lauren Ezzo, did a fantastic job yet again of bringing the characters to life. I loved hearing all the different accents - a reminder of the diversity of Ahdieh's 1870s New Orleans cast.
The supernatural world that you got a glimpse of in The Beautiful expands exponentially in The Damned. While I wish the first book hadn't waited so long to reveal the secrets of La Cour des Lions, I enjoyed the broadened range of POVs in this book. Yes, she probably did too many, but honestly, I found many of the side characters to be so much more interesting than the main characters that I didn't care. My main complaint would actually be that there was too much going on in this book. There were so many subplots that I'm not even sure what the main plot was. That being said, I enjoyed this book more than the first one and I'll be interested see what happens next. The narrator, Lauren Ezzo, did a fantastic job yet again of bringing the characters to life. I loved hearing all the different accents - a reminder of the diversity of Ahdieh's 1870s New Orleans cast.
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.