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hollyjbates's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sw33tkay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
radicalrad's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This books are probably a sign of the times because the misogyny is strong however the story had the best progression. But these women need to stop forgiving these guys so easily. The men need to grow up.
There's definitely a pattern of the men judging their mates.
There's definitely a pattern of the men judging their mates.
sydneytheb's review
adventurous
emotional
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
3.25
alyshadeshae's review against another edition
2.0
Well, this was an improvement over the previous books. Not once did she use the phrase "some-some" in regards to sex. I'm so proud! Or not... One thing you can count on Kresley Cole for, though, is a massive male member and a tight girl part no matter how many men she may have been with before.
goolsby's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.5
Of all the books so far, this one has gotten better with distance.
You can see Kresley setting up pieces for the full series, and it's starting to feel like that. A series. One you need to read all of in order to get the players and the lore. The romance payoff, too.
I have to say, I love Conrad and Naomi. I think their situation is absolutely nuts--a ghost and the vampire who is the only person who can see her? Sign me up.
Naomi has the most agency of any of the IAD heroes so far. She's made a life out of her death—maybe it's not a great one, but it is one she crafted and has a degree of pride in. When it's insulted, she pulls away. When she tires of it, she finds a way tobecome alive.
Conrad is the classic type of romance hero that is incredibly fun and you should absolutely never date. Possessive and domineering and needs someone like Naomi to push back against him. He's single-minded and it is so so satisfying to see her pry her way in and open up his horizons. They really do work together
There is so much going on with this book, but it still could have been 50 pages shorter. Probably more. I know this is a lot of set up for the future, but their love story would have been better suited to a novella. That was where too much of the padding existed, and more than once I found myself thinking "we get it." It was still the best constructed romance so far. They got to me.
You can see Kresley setting up pieces for the full series, and it's starting to feel like that. A series. One you need to read all of in order to get the players and the lore. The romance payoff, too.
I have to say, I love Conrad and Naomi. I think their situation is absolutely nuts--a ghost and the vampire who is the only person who can see her? Sign me up.
Naomi has the most agency of any of the IAD heroes so far. She's made a life out of her death—maybe it's not a great one, but it is one she crafted and has a degree of pride in. When it's insulted, she pulls away. When she tires of it, she finds a way to
Conrad is the classic type of romance hero that is incredibly fun and you should absolutely never date. Possessive and domineering and needs someone like Naomi to push back against him. He's single-minded and it is so so satisfying to see her pry her way in and open up his horizons. They really do work together
There is so much going on with this book, but it still could have been 50 pages shorter. Probably more. I know this is a lot of set up for the future, but their love story would have been better suited to a novella. That was where too much of the padding existed, and more than once I found myself thinking "we get it." It was still the best constructed romance so far. They got to me.
waldtochter's review against another edition
3.0
I love smut, this however was an interesting piece of smut.
The relationships in smut are always expedited, but this one also dealt along the way rather well with topics I found taboo.
The male in this book is a paranormal addict and also could be seen as an abusive lover. The female struggles with her desire to be saved by this man and also to be the savior of this man.
In books, women are still portrayed as wanting the Prince Charming on a white horse deal, and that every Prince Charming must have this egregious flaw that somehow can be fixed, thankfully, with love and a woman's touch.
It seems this book is the re-telling of [b:Beauty and the Beast|41424|Beauty A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast|Robin McKinley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1169613617s/41424.jpg|2321285], where women are told to hold-on and hold-out and eventually things will get better - somehow. It was frustrating because these are roles we are hopefully moving away from locking ourselves into, but as is common in smut the roles are just more cemented.
Of course, in the climax of the book, the couple must always face, together, some sort of strife. But as is common in Cole's books they also deal, for the most part, realistically with the emotional problems that arise from just being in a relationship.
I like when things don't magically fall in line. I think many will agree that relationships can be hard to maintain and romanticizing a misrepresentation of this just misleads readers, and causes disappointments in real life. This book seems to have the theme of forgiveness throughout it, and while it's not my favorite book in the series it definitely has one of my favorite leading ladies.
So not half bad, but I think I could have waited to borrow it from the library.
The relationships in smut are always expedited, but this one also dealt along the way rather well with topics I found taboo.
The male in this book is a paranormal addict and also could be seen as an abusive lover. The female struggles with her desire to be saved by this man and also to be the savior of this man.
In books, women are still portrayed as wanting the Prince Charming on a white horse deal, and that every Prince Charming must have this egregious flaw that somehow can be fixed, thankfully, with love and a woman's touch.
It seems this book is the re-telling of [b:Beauty and the Beast|41424|Beauty A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast|Robin McKinley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1169613617s/41424.jpg|2321285], where women are told to hold-on and hold-out and eventually things will get better - somehow. It was frustrating because these are roles we are hopefully moving away from locking ourselves into, but as is common in smut the roles are just more cemented.
Of course, in the climax of the book, the couple must always face, together, some sort of strife. But as is common in Cole's books they also deal, for the most part, realistically with the emotional problems that arise from just being in a relationship.
I like when things don't magically fall in line. I think many will agree that relationships can be hard to maintain and romanticizing a misrepresentation of this just misleads readers, and causes disappointments in real life. This book seems to have the theme of forgiveness throughout it, and while it's not my favorite book in the series it definitely has one of my favorite leading ladies.
So not half bad, but I think I could have waited to borrow it from the library.
astr0jelly's review against another edition
3.0
I just really wish this author could chill on the gross possessiveness and internalized misogyny, her books would have been way better, but I guess you could blame it on the times..
nicholeb84's review against another edition
4.0
More of a 3 and a half.
So...I'm reading nothing but romance novels for four months as part of a deal with a friend. After reading several Julia Quinn's, I became interested in branching out. The world of IAD seemed interesting. I've now read 4 of them and have had ALOT of mixed feelings about this series.
We start with the hero, Conard: a vampire who hunts his own kind. When he drains people, he takes their memories - which has made him a bit. . .unstable. Interesting (as several have said) every male character within the story (some of whom have REALLY mistreated their wives at different times) discuss how Conard is dangerous and should be "put of his misery" and yet - he treats Néomi very well. He doesn't mistreat her and honestly tries to help her - even if it means they may not be together.
A vampire bounty hunter and a ballerina ghost somehow make a very sweet, angsty, and awesome little romance. It felt free of that "fated mate" stuff from the other novels. Yes, Conard believes that Néomi is his fated mate, but she's also dead. So, there is none of that "have to half you/will stalk you/alpha man" stuff that gets a bit old in the other novels of the series. I really enjoyed the fact that the couple didn't actually sleep together until page 200ish (out of 369). Which was actually nice, because it made me believe that they were a couple who had depth and actually loved each other because of more than being "fated mates". (Not knocking the other couples in the series, but I do sometimes feel that they actually fall for each other only toward the end of their novel.)
So over all, I liked this one. My favorite so far.
So...I'm reading nothing but romance novels for four months as part of a deal with a friend. After reading several Julia Quinn's, I became interested in branching out. The world of IAD seemed interesting. I've now read 4 of them and have had ALOT of mixed feelings about this series.
We start with the hero, Conard: a vampire who hunts his own kind. When he drains people, he takes their memories - which has made him a bit. . .unstable. Interesting (as several have said) every male character within the story (some of whom have REALLY mistreated their wives at different times) discuss how Conard is dangerous and should be "put of his misery" and yet - he treats Néomi very well. He doesn't mistreat her and honestly tries to help her - even if it means they may not be together.
A vampire bounty hunter and a ballerina ghost somehow make a very sweet, angsty, and awesome little romance. It felt free of that "fated mate" stuff from the other novels. Yes, Conard believes that Néomi is his fated mate, but she's also dead. So, there is none of that "have to half you/will stalk you/alpha man" stuff that gets a bit old in the other novels of the series. I really enjoyed the fact that the couple didn't actually sleep together until page 200ish (out of 369). Which was actually nice, because it made me believe that they were a couple who had depth and actually loved each other because of more than being "fated mates". (Not knocking the other couples in the series, but I do sometimes feel that they actually fall for each other only toward the end of their novel.)
So over all, I liked this one. My favorite so far.