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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for letting me read an early copy of Savage Blooms in exchange for my honest review.
This book was a wild ride in the best way. The world of Savage Blooms is gothic, haunting, and mysterious its magic is difficult to pin down, but it lingers on every page. As a first book, it feels very character driven, carefully establishing the relationships while weaving in an overarching mystery that drives the characters forward. By the time we reach the end, we get our answers but also unlock a new layer of mystery, which only left me more curious and eager for the next installment.
A book that leaves you craving more is always a strong one, and this story is both beautifully written and deeply intriguing. I loved the blend of sensuality, secrecy, and atmosphere. It carries that perfect mix of tension, pining, longing, and guilt that makes it emotionally gripping. If you’re a fan of lush, strange magic and the dark, sexy allure of A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone, this book will feel right at home.
I was completely swept away, and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
This book was a wild ride in the best way. The world of Savage Blooms is gothic, haunting, and mysterious its magic is difficult to pin down, but it lingers on every page. As a first book, it feels very character driven, carefully establishing the relationships while weaving in an overarching mystery that drives the characters forward. By the time we reach the end, we get our answers but also unlock a new layer of mystery, which only left me more curious and eager for the next installment.
A book that leaves you craving more is always a strong one, and this story is both beautifully written and deeply intriguing. I loved the blend of sensuality, secrecy, and atmosphere. It carries that perfect mix of tension, pining, longing, and guilt that makes it emotionally gripping. If you’re a fan of lush, strange magic and the dark, sexy allure of A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone, this book will feel right at home.
I was completely swept away, and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
dark
slow-paced
i enjoyed this book! i was expecting more horror elements but can confirm that while this has tension and sexual scenes, it’s not a romance book!!! not even a romantasy book!!
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Wuthering Heights x faeries (your cunning Sidhe type fae) on an eerie estate with a bunch of horny 20 year olds.
Adam and Nicola are just your average college grads who embark on a week long vacay to an estate on the outskirts of Scotland in order to discover secrets from Adam’s warped family history (check TW). Once there, they meet Finley, the grounds keeper and the lord of the Manor, Eileen, who also happen to be the same age and are also polyamorous what are the odds! Eileen and Finley convince Adam and Nicola to prolong their stay and thank god for the WFH era because they say sayonara responsibilities and bills to pay, we’re in. Everyone's having a fun, sexy time until they uncover the real reason that Eileen has for keeping them on the estate, and it's time to face the music (aka the evil ancient fae that have been on the property long before their time…).
I had to sit on this book for a while to be able to review this more objectively, because it wasn’t my favorite ST Gibson (I LOVE a Dowry of Blood), but just because some things didn’t work for me doesn’t mean you wont like it! To note, this novel is classified as erotica as the blurb explicitly states, so anticipate this being a shift from some of Gibson’s previous works. I’m all for authors shifting genres and did not have a problem with this, however will say that this felt like a different author to me. The positives: Gibson shines with character driven books and I think the characters of Eileen, Nicola and Finley were dynamic despite the odds of them all coming together with the same sexual tastes being way too implausible for me. They feel raw and real and a refreshing break from your textbook 6 foot, hyper-masculine, jacked MCs. (The exception is Adam: my guy's really asleep at the wheel). I loved the setting, the eerie atmosphere and the mysterious, dread-inducing fae as well.
My biggest issue with this book was the prose, which is wild because I loved the prose in all of Gibson’s previous works. There were instances of lyrical, decadent prose that Gibson always delivers, but juxtaposed with the modern lingo of Adam and Nicola made it feel clunky and almost satirical.
i.e: “.. that made Nicola feel melty inside in that scared-confused-sexy way she liked so much”
It objectively makes sense because Nicola and Adam are modern, American, 21st century college students however just did not work for me when combined with purple prose and took me out of the story.
The plot served to bring the characters together, but didn’t really say much otherwise. I was hoping for a deeper dive into the faeries and lore which was largely unexplored. I also thought this was a standalone, but the epilogue’s cliffhanger definitely makes it seem like this will be a series with more answers regarding the faeries and magic. Overall: 2.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Adam and Nicola are just your average college grads who embark on a week long vacay to an estate on the outskirts of Scotland in order to discover secrets from Adam’s warped family history (check TW). Once there, they meet Finley, the grounds keeper and the lord of the Manor, Eileen, who also happen to be the same age and are also polyamorous what are the odds! Eileen and Finley convince Adam and Nicola to prolong their stay and thank god for the WFH era because they say sayonara responsibilities and bills to pay, we’re in. Everyone's having a fun, sexy time until they uncover the real reason that Eileen has for keeping them on the estate, and it's time to face the music (aka the evil ancient fae that have been on the property long before their time…).
I had to sit on this book for a while to be able to review this more objectively, because it wasn’t my favorite ST Gibson (I LOVE a Dowry of Blood), but just because some things didn’t work for me doesn’t mean you wont like it! To note, this novel is classified as erotica as the blurb explicitly states, so anticipate this being a shift from some of Gibson’s previous works. I’m all for authors shifting genres and did not have a problem with this, however will say that this felt like a different author to me. The positives: Gibson shines with character driven books and I think the characters of Eileen, Nicola and Finley were dynamic despite the odds of them all coming together with the same sexual tastes being way too implausible for me. They feel raw and real and a refreshing break from your textbook 6 foot, hyper-masculine, jacked MCs. (The exception is Adam: my guy's really asleep at the wheel). I loved the setting, the eerie atmosphere and the mysterious, dread-inducing fae as well.
My biggest issue with this book was the prose, which is wild because I loved the prose in all of Gibson’s previous works. There were instances of lyrical, decadent prose that Gibson always delivers, but juxtaposed with the modern lingo of Adam and Nicola made it feel clunky and almost satirical.
i.e: “.. that made Nicola feel melty inside in that scared-confused-sexy way she liked so much”
It objectively makes sense because Nicola and Adam are modern, American, 21st century college students however just did not work for me when combined with purple prose and took me out of the story.
The plot served to bring the characters together, but didn’t really say much otherwise. I was hoping for a deeper dive into the faeries and lore which was largely unexplored. I also thought this was a standalone, but the epilogue’s cliffhanger definitely makes it seem like this will be a series with more answers regarding the faeries and magic. Overall: 2.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I already knew that I enjoyed Gibson’s writing style but this book blew me away. Savage Blooms is a hedonistic adventure following four main characters: Eileen; Finley, Nicola, and Adam. I was delighted at how fulfilling the story was. I was a little worried that things would feel stagnant without any location changes or additional characters but that wasn’t the case at all. The different POV chapters helped to shed light on each characters perspectives throughout the book. I enjoyed how uniquely complex each character felt. The kink exploration in Savage Blooms was everything I didn’t know I needed in a book. I find Gibson’s sensual writing very refreshing. It never felt cringey or uncomfortable. This story was full of feeling and yearning and I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out. That ending is goi mg to have me stressed until I can read the next book.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.75/5
I was hooked during the entire book and then fell flat on my face at the end.
This is my second book by S.T. Gibson. I knew I was going to get the erotic fantasy part. Her scenes are always nicely done and I have never felt cringe like sometimes reading other books with spicy scenes. Even through their role playing, she manages to humanize and make great connections to her characters. While the characters can be dark and mysterious, you get to see glimpses of their normal self not playing a role.
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting for the book. The whole time I felt like this was a horror/thriller where the adults get to a haunted house and everything goes sideways from there. I could visualize the dark, moist, mossy estate. I could almost feel the dew on the grass. The cave felt very ominous.
************SPOILERS****************
Most of the scenes felt like they fit except stopping the last one between Nicola and Eileen felt weird when the noises from Adam and Finley coming home weren't the same as drums? Felt confusing.
The teen desire between the "siblings" also felt forced. He could have still loved her without explaining that.
I felt like she missed the mark when I didn't get to know much about the Fae. They remained these mysterious creatures without being explained anymore. What bit Adam?
The ending is where I had the most trouble. How could it get so intense between everyone and even the Fae for Adam to just be randomly sucked into the Earth? Did Eileen actually want to be with Adam and have kids or was she feeding him as the sacrifice to the cave? I think that's the better theory which was once mentioned in the book. One above ground and one below. But again, I felt it was too open ended.
I was hooked during the entire book and then fell flat on my face at the end.
This is my second book by S.T. Gibson. I knew I was going to get the erotic fantasy part. Her scenes are always nicely done and I have never felt cringe like sometimes reading other books with spicy scenes. Even through their role playing, she manages to humanize and make great connections to her characters. While the characters can be dark and mysterious, you get to see glimpses of their normal self not playing a role.
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting for the book. The whole time I felt like this was a horror/thriller where the adults get to a haunted house and everything goes sideways from there. I could visualize the dark, moist, mossy estate. I could almost feel the dew on the grass. The cave felt very ominous.
Most of the scenes felt like they fit except stopping the last one between Nicola and Eileen felt weird when the noises from Adam and Finley coming home weren't the same as drums? Felt confusing.
The teen desire between the "siblings" also felt forced. He could have still loved her without explaining that.
I felt like she missed the mark when I didn't get to know much about the Fae. They remained these mysterious creatures without being explained anymore. What bit Adam?
The ending is where I had the most trouble. How could it get so intense between everyone and even the Fae for Adam to just be randomly sucked into the Earth? Did Eileen actually want to be with Adam and have kids or was she feeding him as the sacrifice to the cave? I think that's the better theory which was once mentioned in the book. One above ground and one below. But again, I felt it was too open ended.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love saints writing - it’s so comforting and familiar I could read her work all day.
This was no exception, however it still took me well past half way through to get into the book.
I love the idea of this book - old Scottish family house, fae bargains, lost family, secrets and romance. I love Nicola and Finley - they felt fleshed out and had great interactions with everyone. As the book progressed I really enjoyed delving into Eileen’s complexities. Adam was a disappointment I’m afraid to say - so repetitive and stale. Being a main character he was too unlikeable for me.
I think at least half of this book is sex. I don’t mind if it makes sense but most of it felt like it was unnecessary. There wasn’t enough plot for me even in the second half. It only got interesting to me in the last couple of chapters.
I really wanted to love this book - I think I’ll still give book 2 a go I’m interested to see where Adam will go and how the other three will progress.
This was no exception, however it still took me well past half way through to get into the book.
I love the idea of this book - old Scottish family house, fae bargains, lost family, secrets and romance. I love Nicola and Finley - they felt fleshed out and had great interactions with everyone. As the book progressed I really enjoyed delving into Eileen’s complexities. Adam was a disappointment I’m afraid to say - so repetitive and stale. Being a main character he was too unlikeable for me.
I think at least half of this book is sex. I don’t mind if it makes sense but most of it felt like it was unnecessary. There wasn’t enough plot for me even in the second half. It only got interesting to me in the last couple of chapters.
I really wanted to love this book - I think I’ll still give book 2 a go I’m interested to see where Adam will go and how the other three will progress.
I feel as though the potential in this book was more than what this book delivered. The faeries and folklore aspect was great and the set up of being stranded in a gothic house with generational curse haunting this family you suddenly have to live with was amazing but i just didn't get the interconnected romance at all. I feel as though it was just so forced and too 'played up'. A lot of the times i was cringing at those scenes and didn't mind the romances amongst one another. If Adam and Nicole's romance was just brewing throughout the book for example but the fact they were all 'pining' after one another and constantly commenting on it had me honestly rolling my eyes. Just really didn't work for me but could be a personal preference thing. I really wanted to like this one but sadly just didn't hit. The story fell felt, the characters didn't feel believable or realistic but i do still think S T Gibson has a beautiful way with words.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Orbit Books for the advanced copy of this book!
Savage Blooms is a beautifully written gothic fantasy erotica, and it was everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. I loved the moody, atmospheric vibes of Craigmar, and the mystery surrounding it. Our four main characters were so incredibly flawed in their own ways, yet I would die for each one of them.
I really loved seeing each of their unique relationships develop with one another through their collective partnership, and the way that they all so quickly allowed themselves to be vulnerable and trust one another. The exploration of kink and polyamory was so well done and woven into the plot and character development, and though it wasn’t necessarily the healthiest poly relationship out there, I do think it was written in a realistic way for these characters and their situation!
Overall, this book made me feel things that I can’t quite put into words, and I’m SO intrigued and excited to see where the series goes!
Savage Blooms is a beautifully written gothic fantasy erotica, and it was everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. I loved the moody, atmospheric vibes of Craigmar, and the mystery surrounding it. Our four main characters were so incredibly flawed in their own ways, yet I would die for each one of them.
I really loved seeing each of their unique relationships develop with one another through their collective partnership, and the way that they all so quickly allowed themselves to be vulnerable and trust one another. The exploration of kink and polyamory was so well done and woven into the plot and character development, and though it wasn’t necessarily the healthiest poly relationship out there, I do think it was written in a realistic way for these characters and their situation!
Overall, this book made me feel things that I can’t quite put into words, and I’m SO intrigued and excited to see where the series goes!