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goldenleafbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I could not put this book down. I absolutely adored the characters. Misery being naive to Lowe's feelings was truly believable, which is something that I feel like a lot of authors struggle to pull off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Confinement, Blood, War, Xenophobia, Torture, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Cursing, Colonisation, Classism, Bullying, and Abandonment
Moderate: Medical content and Gaslighting
melissaslibraryy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a cute and sweet paranormal romance, and the second Ali Hazelwood novel I’ve read. I enjoyed the listening to the audiobook and even though part of me did wish we had more dual pov, getting a brief mention of Lowe’s pov in the beginning of every chapter to get some sort of insight on his thoughts/feelings about Misery was wholesome. While this wasn’t the greatest piece of literature I’ve had the pleasure of reading, it is one I would happily recommend. Plus the ending sliding to a potential sequel with a new fated mates pairing is definitely something I’d stick around for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Violence
kimveach's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I love this author, especially her STEM romances, but this romantasy was a nice change of pace. I don't read many vampire/werewolf books, but this was fun and steamy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Confinement, Gore, Blood, Bullying, Abandonment, Cursing, Violence, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual content
vixenreader's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
It’s like if “Underworld” was a Rom-Com, with less leather and more peanut butter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Blood, Racism, Sexual content, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Animal death, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Murder, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Police brutality, Alcohol, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Car accident, Kidnapping, Outing, and Racial slurs
Be aware that there is assassination attempts, allergy alerts, arranged marriages, political intrigue, and parental neglect/abuse.diana_raquel's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Cursing, and Confinement
Minor: War and Death of parent
kwthor's review against another edition
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping and Blood
Minor: Torture
kendoftheworld's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
As an aroace enby who is sometimes sex-repulsed, I always find myself amused and simultaneously horrified when reading extremely cishet romance novels … but maybe not for the expected reasons.
Things I liked: Serena, Sparkles, and Owen. That Owen’s final speech to their father is basically soft-coded for “I plan to not make America great again, I plan to make America comfortably insignificant again,” which, *finger snaps.* That none of the women in this book are in any sort of competition with each other. That platonic same-sex friendship is maybe the only major plot point. (I don’t consider sex a plot point, but that’s me.)
Things I didn’t: Basically, the main Romance (and specifically Omegaverse) Thing™️ where really good sex is a) the whole point of the book, b) fundamentally transformative, c) what every normal person is built for, and d) where all the meaning and belonging of life is stored up for folks to experience.
As I mentioned, I’m an aroace enby. I will never experience romance or sex the same way as an allosexual, and I have been raised like everyone else to see romance and sex as extremely meaningful—more meaningful than platonic friendship, because the book never climaxes or ends on platonic friendship even if the author considers it important. The book never ends with someone trying to figure out if life is going to ever be as meaningful for them as everyone else, simply because they’re not built to experience love the same way. And in a book where that *exact* question is raised repeatedly, as a result of biological difference, it’s even more heartbreaking for the conclusion to be “I’d totally still love you if you didn’t love me back or experience love the same way—but isn’t it awesome that we do, in the end, feel the same way for each other and were silly silly people for thinking we were biologically incompatible and *didn’t* experience sex in all its mind-blowing fullness in essentially the same way?”
It’d be nice if someone were biologically compelled to really really like me, sexually and/or romantically, because then I could know for sure that life was meaningful and worth continuing for no other reason than that such relationships apparently make us feel it is worth continuing. It’s not Ali Hazelwood’s fault for amplifying this narrative since literally no one else I’ve ever read has managed anything else, but it does feel particularly galling here, perhaps because she *knows* and she wants to *try* at an inclusive romance. And we quite literally pay for romance books to be the way they are.
I’m not saying I hate being me right now, but I do always hate myself at least a little bit for being such a … (I’m laughing at myself here a bit) … misery melon about the whole thing.
I do dream of a world where a misery melon like me can find a meaningful ending in a romance book that doesn’t involve being transformed by mind-blowing sex, though.
Things I liked: Serena, Sparkles, and Owen. That Owen’s final speech to their father is basically soft-coded for “I plan to not make America great again, I plan to make America comfortably insignificant again,” which, *finger snaps.* That none of the women in this book are in any sort of competition with each other. That platonic same-sex friendship is maybe the only major plot point. (I don’t consider sex a plot point, but that’s me.)
Things I didn’t: Basically, the main Romance (and specifically Omegaverse) Thing™️ where really good sex is a) the whole point of the book, b) fundamentally transformative, c) what every normal person is built for, and d) where all the meaning and belonging of life is stored up for folks to experience.
As I mentioned, I’m an aroace enby. I will never experience romance or sex the same way as an allosexual, and I have been raised like everyone else to see romance and sex as extremely meaningful—more meaningful than platonic friendship, because the book never climaxes or ends on platonic friendship even if the author considers it important. The book never ends with someone trying to figure out if life is going to ever be as meaningful for them as everyone else, simply because they’re not built to experience love the same way. And in a book where that *exact* question is raised repeatedly, as a result of biological difference, it’s even more heartbreaking for the conclusion to be “I’d totally still love you if you didn’t love me back or experience love the same way—but isn’t it awesome that we do, in the end, feel the same way for each other and were silly silly people for thinking we were biologically incompatible and *didn’t* experience sex in all its mind-blowing fullness in essentially the same way?”
It’d be nice if someone were biologically compelled to really really like me, sexually and/or romantically, because then I could know for sure that life was meaningful and worth continuing for no other reason than that such relationships apparently make us feel it is worth continuing. It’s not Ali Hazelwood’s fault for amplifying this narrative since literally no one else I’ve ever read has managed anything else, but it does feel particularly galling here, perhaps because she *knows* and she wants to *try* at an inclusive romance. And we quite literally pay for romance books to be the way they are.
I’m not saying I hate being me right now, but I do always hate myself at least a little bit for being such a … (I’m laughing at myself here a bit) … misery melon about the whole thing.
I do dream of a world where a misery melon like me can find a meaningful ending in a romance book that doesn’t involve being transformed by mind-blowing sex, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Cursing and Abandonment
Minor: Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Dementia, Grief, Vomit, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, and Self harm
elskede's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Death of parent, Cursing, and Blood
hanreads__'s review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
“You’re not a problem, Misery. You’re a privilege.”
For my first Ali Hazelwood book, I am not disappointed. I can see clearly as to why so many readers love her writing, and I am going to happily join the on the Ali Hazelwood express!
This is the first time I have read a story focusing on vampires and werewolves in a novel format, before I have only ever read them on an interactive app. While a lot was confusing at first, it is something that I have turned out to really enjoy and would happily read more of in the future.
At first, I felt that the story was okay, but it was fairly slow and as though the characters lacked chemistry between them. I understood why the marriage took place, but at the same time, I felt that the marriage was going to be a track wreck. Despite the lack of chemistry, I did guess early on about why Lowe felt a certain way about Misery’s scene, but then proceeded to be confused and intrigued when it was believed he had another mate.
I think something that made the chemistry more clear between Lowe and Misery was Ana. Ana is an absolute sweetheart and I love that she played such a big part in the story, even if her scenes were somewhat limited. You got to see a vampire start to care for someone you’d never expect her to care for, and you got to see this sweet side to Lowe that personally had me slowly falling for him.
With the story progressing and my knowledge growing, I was starting to get into things. I was constantly having questions come to the forefront of my mind while coming up with silly little theories around Serena’s disappeared (yes I got them wrong like usual).
Then came the plot twist! Boy, was I angry! I feel that SOME of the plot twist could come across pointless to some readers but I think all of it was really thought out, and it became hard to know who to trust. Needless to say, the outcome of the plot twist had me 🥺🥺 and super happy. It’s a shame that it did leave a little plot hole for me though in terms of a certain someone!
The first sex scene was a little weird to me, but now I understand it, and as they began to happen more, I was down for them. They were unique to me but I do feel that the whole “knotting” thing could’ve been made a little clearer (especially to those who are new to these kind of books). Truth be told, it makes me desperate to know what’s next for Lowe and Misery as they navigate this life that isn’t known to be normal within their worlds.
Finally, the ending better mean we get another book otherwise I will steal Ali’s laptop and break it, because I need another book. Especially if we can get another werewolf like Lowe, yum!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Blood
Minor: Kidnapping
kyriannaj's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Gore, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail