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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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:
No
DNF. I stopped at 61%.
Few things. Isa toes the line of NLOG.
"While girls my age partied, I stayed home and learned Chopin." or something to that extent. Sounds like "something something, I studied the blade," but I digress.
The romance was... stunted. There was a bit of a burn but given how Isadora seems relatively unyielding and steadfast, she was back and forth regarding Lucian Blackthorne. And in no time, she was a mewling mess. Like cmon girl, where the fuck did all that spunk go??
Speaking of back and forth, there's past and present braided into the book. I've never been a fan of that, but I looked past it because I'd rather this than a great dump of information all at once. Could it have been implemented better rather than halting the stories progression to talk about old times? Certainly, but I am just a reader, nothing more.
Romance seemed kind of surface level. Nothing too profound. Nothing I would think back on. The writing wasn't bad, either.
I don't know. I gave it three lukewarm stars for a lukewarm romance.
Few things. Isa toes the line of NLOG.
"While girls my age partied, I stayed home and learned Chopin." or something to that extent. Sounds like "something something, I studied the blade," but I digress.
The romance was... stunted. There was a bit of a burn but given how Isadora seems relatively unyielding and steadfast, she was back and forth regarding Lucian Blackthorne. And in no time, she was a mewling mess. Like cmon girl, where the fuck did all that spunk go??
Speaking of back and forth, there's past and present braided into the book. I've never been a fan of that, but I looked past it because I'd rather this than a great dump of information all at once. Could it have been implemented better rather than halting the stories progression to talk about old times? Certainly, but I am just a reader, nothing more.
Romance seemed kind of surface level. Nothing too profound. Nothing I would think back on. The writing wasn't bad, either.
I don't know. I gave it three lukewarm stars for a lukewarm romance.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
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
Wow!! This book has twists. The unloved fit together so beautifully. There is such a great love story with spice, spice, spice. This is a standalone book. I felt all the things from this book. Every emotion you could have. Laughed, cried, furious, heart broken and so sad. I wouldn’t trade all of those for anything as this book was SO good.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Poorly written and lots of internal misogyny
This Beauty and the Beast meets Phantom of the Opera novel gave me everything that I could've wanted and more. Spooky seaside castle, modern day setting, cult situations, physically scarred mmc, knife play, over obsessive alpha male, and age gap!
Lucian is a 32 year old man with a very rough and confusing past. His pov chapters alternate between the past and present giving you a better idea of why he is the way he is and the trauma he has dealt with for most of his life. I will say that there were some twists and turns I didn't see coming, and it really was hard and heartbreaking to read a lot of his chapters.
Isadora is a 19 year old who is hired to become the caretaker of Lucian's mother, who has a lot of mental health issues. Isa has a troubled past herself, which makes the relationship between the two seem more believable as they only find love with each other.
I devoured this book from start to finish and couldn't find myself putting it down. It's very gothic and has great spooky season vibes.
Please look TW before reading!
4.25 stars only because the ending was little underwhelming and I would have loved to have more
Lucian is a 32 year old man with a very rough and confusing past. His pov chapters alternate between the past and present giving you a better idea of why he is the way he is and the trauma he has dealt with for most of his life. I will say that there were some twists and turns I didn't see coming, and it really was hard and heartbreaking to read a lot of his chapters.
Isadora is a 19 year old who is hired to become the caretaker of Lucian's mother, who has a lot of mental health issues. Isa has a troubled past herself, which makes the relationship between the two seem more believable as they only find love with each other.
I devoured this book from start to finish and couldn't find myself putting it down. It's very gothic and has great spooky season vibes.
Please look TW before reading!
4.25 stars only because the ending was little underwhelming and I would have loved to have more
Keri Lake is the queen of dark gothic romance. And this book absolutely delivered on all things haunting, spooky, suspenseful, dark, and twisted! The age gap and forbidden romance was scrumptious… it took me a little bit to connect with the characters but once I did I was hooked! The overall plot was so unique and had me so invested I couldn’t stop reading because I HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! And the world Keri Lake creates is so atmospheric, it’s hard not to be sucked in. I also really enjoyed reading about Lucian’s backstory and how he became the tortured and damaged man he is. Isa didn’t do much for me as and FMC, I didn’t like nor dislike her I was just kind of indifferent towards her. Which is why I can’t quite give this 5 stars!
Keri lake is an absolute master of her craft and will forever be an auto-buy author for me!
Keri lake is an absolute master of her craft and will forever be an auto-buy author for me!
The author has truly captured what it means to be a "cutter" as a teenager. How one might mutilate themselves in order to "feel something different". She was able to describe, in my experience, the way pain brings pleasure to we precious few. It's a singular sensation, ripe with misunderstanding from the many who shy away from such proclivities. Sadomasochism.
"You taste like rage and lust."
"The idea of our collective is to feed what starves us. My grandfather would soon find, over time, the mind's hunger is far more powerful than that of the stomach."
That dream Isa had in chapter 24
"You taste like rage and lust."
"The idea of our collective is to feed what starves us. My grandfather would soon find, over time, the mind's hunger is far more powerful than that of the stomach."
That dream Isa had in chapter 24