Reviews - OMINOUS: Book I | The StoryGraph

88 reviews for:

This was an okay read, but as much as I love long books, did this need to be 800 pages? No. It didn't. Some scenes went on for way too long and got a tad repetitive. I hate to say it, but this book might have been stronger if at least 250 pages were cut from the story. Not everyone can be Mariana Zapata.

Also, the hero did something in this novel that just completely turned me off him for the rest of the book. I get that K.V.Rose was trying to convey that Eli was a psychopath, and I don't judge her for going where she did with his character, it's just not something that makes him attractive to me anymore. I love dark romances heroes, and I don't have any triggers when it comes to the genre, but let's just say that I found the fact that

Spoiler

Eli tortured animals

completely distasteful and horrible. Eden's "So I guess no pets, then?" retort had me at a loss for words. Just no. Not for me. I can't relate to a woman who would say that. I'd be running for the hills the moment that confession left his mouth. I have three dogs and one of them is a rescue who was abused before I got her, so this was never going to work for me.

(not to mention that Eli's sweet nature towards Eden kind of makes it hard to imagine him doing stuff like that and makes his psychopathic characterization seem a little bit flimsy)

I'm not judging K.V. Rose's narrative choices because anything goes in fiction, this doesn't mean she thinks it's okay in real life obviously, it's just that some things don't work for people and this is one of those things for me. The descriptions made me really sad more than anything.

I did find Eli and Eden's dynamic really interesting, even if I kind of hate him for the aforementioned issues above, so I will be reading the next book. I'm hoping Zara and Alex from Ecstasy make an appearance and the story gets some more momentum. This reads like the beginning of a thriller to me more than anything and I would be kind of shocked if

Spoiler

Eli did murder that girl

and this story turns into a tragedy. If K.V. Rose didn't give these two a HEA that would be extremely gutsy of her.

TW: physical abuse

rebellovereviews's review against another edition

5.0

Hi Friends! Let me tell you about this book I just read. It should be noted that this story precedes

damnfinesam's review against another edition

5.0

I honestly have no words. I don’t know what to do with myself. This book was transcendent. I’ve never related to a character more than eden & I’ve never fallen so hard for a sociopath like Eli. These two were the ultimate obsession. It’s not stated in the book but Eden has bipolar disorder, I know this bc her reactions & manic phases were so similar to my own. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to have a character like this. At one point Eden says she feels like an alien in her own brain & I felt that so hard. So thank you KV for showing the darker side to this illness & yet still making her a loveable character. Then there’s Eli who completely surpassed my expectations of what I thought a sociopath is. He has feelings & they run DEEP. His obsessive, stalkerish lust/love for Eden is so powerful & you get sucked right the fuck in. These two understand one another. They’re fucked up yes, but it’s like their fucked up-ness attracts. I also love a story with unreliable narrators. I was questioning everything & maybe that’s why I can’t stop thinking about this book. I still have questions, who is right, who is telling the truth, what do they really want. Eden wants to please eli more than anything & Eli wants to own her. Mine, mine, mine. The imagery in this book was also spectacular. Being from southern ca I’ve always had a pool & I used to pretend to drown. I would hold my breath as long as possible & stay completely still while pretending I was dead bc it cut out all the noise & shut my brain off. I still do this so to read about characters who understand that nothingness? Fuck. In a way the drowning metaphor is like Eden & Eli’s relationship. It burns & you know you need to come up for air but it also feels so calm & quiet while you’re under even though you’re killing your self. Their love is toxic, damaging, but it feels so good.

chntal's review against another edition

4.0

“You’re all of that to me. It’s the best part of you. You’re so many fucking things, and I don’t really know when it happened, kind of like how it’s hard to tell when the ocean turns from safe enough to extremely fucking risky, but I’m in love with you. And maybe it’s obsession, and maybe you don’t believe me, or you think it means less because I’m wired differently.”
She tilts her head, her eyes fixed on mine.
“But it feels real to me. If you were to ever leave, I just don’t think I could breathe without you.”

my mentally insane babies deserve the world