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floralmay's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.5
MINIOR SPOILERS!
In the world of publishing, I made a grave mistake and thought that Ali Hazelwood’s new book Bride was a young adult, and I am so glad I did. The bride gave me the same emotions as if Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer and the cruel prince had a baby! The reason I am so happy I went into this book thinking it was young adult is the fact that if I had gone into this book thinking it was romantasy, enemies to lovers, or a rom-com I would’ve hated it… And I think people classifying it this way might make the book see its unjust downfall.
That being said, it is a paranormal romance, urban fantasy, that gives me the feel of a K- drama married a Fan fiction in the best way possible!
<b>Characters</b> – The characters I feel lack a physical description. Like it is there but not there at the same time. This in no way takes from them. Their personality shines though and you can clearly tell which character is which. But I had a hard time visualizing the characters. The key difference is one has pointy ears. One has red blood; one has green blood, and one has purple. Some people said it was weird that Misery has pointed ears, but I think people forget Dracula also has pointed ears, and more than one fantasy race can have this feature.
1) <b>Misery</b> - Misery’s Name! This was the sole reason I wanted this book in my hands. Besides the fact that it is an Ali Hazelwood book. Very rarely do I read a book and think That character’s name is spot on. It is more of a feeling that the character needed a name and that was the one they chose. It didn’t feel like that with Misery. Misery felt well fleshed out character-wise. Maybe the character and I are connected through trauma? One thing that I hope Ali will flesh out in the next book is that she’s a vampire who's the daughter of a powerful vampire ruler. I would like to see her as a lesion between the wares, humans, and Vamps. There has to be another book right? That ending!!
Misery is taken out of her element and exposed to so much. I love the little details like misery forgetting which is a ladle and which is a spatula. Because if you think about it, if you don’t eat human food, have never cooked, and have no use for a kitchen, would you know the difference? It’s like asking a girl from the slums which one is the correct salad fork.
I think if you grow up in a normal household it is easy to think of her as a dumb character who is useless and boring. But as someone who didn’t come from a normal household, I found Ali’s description of misery spot on. Misery doesn’t stay defenseless; she takes self-defense and knows exactly what to do to get her point across. The point is she is a girl who has been given the choice to find herself after being controlled by her “community.” But the best part about her is that she is a woman who knows how to communicate!
2)<b>Lowe's</b> character reminds me of a grumpy old man, and I love it. This is like an 18-year-old going on 80 type vibes. He is a very large man and that is stated several times by Misery. I think this works for her character. She is very innocent and completely out of her element. I personally freaked out for over a month when my boyfriend was 6ft tall. I look like a child compared to him.
Misery and Lowe come together because they both had to give up the life they wanted, the life they worked for, for the life that was given to them. I would love to see them more fleshed out as this was an extremely slow burn, I feel like there were not enough “moments.”
3) <b>Ana</b> – This is the best kid in the entire world, nothing will change my mind! She felt like a six- or seven-year-old. She was a sponge for knowledge and a good example that racism is taught. She asked questions to misery to understand her not to judge her. She accepted Misery because Misery never gave Ana to fear her…unlike someone.
<b>World Building</b>
Ali is good at the One and Done books, but this one felt like the story was not finished, it makes me sad for what could have been. The story of Misery Lark, a child of the most influential Vampyr councilman in the South, and Lowe Moreland, the most formidable Alpha among the werewolves, is one of forbidden romance and more. Their union seeks to unite long-standing mortal foes and bring about peace. The plot is filled with intricate political intrigue and well-thought-out plans taking place in the werewolf and vampyre domains. And it does in a way. But I felt there could be more… like this book was the trailer for an epic trilogy, with a spin-off duleology about Serena and Koen…ugh dreams….
The found family trope was truly what had me wanting more, but I still really want to learn more about this hate between the races and the future solutions.
Now here is the Bad part….. The KNOT situation was not executed properly and took me 20 minutes of trying to understand what the heck Ali was trying to say. I came up with an animal balloon…. So not great lol Edit… My coworker called it a mushroom d**k.
<b>My favorite parts of this book were:</b>
“you’re not a problem Misery. You’re a privilege.”
“Fuckwaffle” I will now be calling people this.
“Tyler Medicine” …. for Tylenol” Again magical creatures
In short, Bride reads like fanfiction with a side of missed opportunities in world-building, but the characters are the real MVPs here. So, grab a copy, laugh at the kitchen confusion, and maybe add "fuckwaffle" to your vocabulary—it's worth it!
In the world of publishing, I made a grave mistake and thought that Ali Hazelwood’s new book Bride was a young adult, and I am so glad I did. The bride gave me the same emotions as if Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer and the cruel prince had a baby! The reason I am so happy I went into this book thinking it was young adult is the fact that if I had gone into this book thinking it was romantasy, enemies to lovers, or a rom-com I would’ve hated it… And I think people classifying it this way might make the book see its unjust downfall.
That being said, it is a paranormal romance, urban fantasy, that gives me the feel of a K- drama married a Fan fiction in the best way possible!
<b>Characters</b> – The characters I feel lack a physical description. Like it is there but not there at the same time. This in no way takes from them. Their personality shines though and you can clearly tell which character is which. But I had a hard time visualizing the characters. The key difference is one has pointy ears. One has red blood; one has green blood, and one has purple. Some people said it was weird that Misery has pointed ears, but I think people forget Dracula also has pointed ears, and more than one fantasy race can have this feature.
1) <b>Misery</b> - Misery’s Name! This was the sole reason I wanted this book in my hands. Besides the fact that it is an Ali Hazelwood book. Very rarely do I read a book and think That character’s name is spot on. It is more of a feeling that the character needed a name and that was the one they chose. It didn’t feel like that with Misery. Misery felt well fleshed out character-wise. Maybe the character and I are connected through trauma? One thing that I hope Ali will flesh out in the next book is that she’s a vampire who's the daughter of a powerful vampire ruler. I would like to see her as a lesion between the wares, humans, and Vamps. There has to be another book right? That ending!!
Misery is taken out of her element and exposed to so much. I love the little details like misery forgetting which is a ladle and which is a spatula. Because if you think about it, if you don’t eat human food, have never cooked, and have no use for a kitchen, would you know the difference? It’s like asking a girl from the slums which one is the correct salad fork.
I think if you grow up in a normal household it is easy to think of her as a dumb character who is useless and boring. But as someone who didn’t come from a normal household, I found Ali’s description of misery spot on. Misery doesn’t stay defenseless; she takes self-defense and knows exactly what to do to get her point across. The point is she is a girl who has been given the choice to find herself after being controlled by her “community.” But the best part about her is that she is a woman who knows how to communicate!
2)<b>Lowe's</b> character reminds me of a grumpy old man, and I love it. This is like an 18-year-old going on 80 type vibes. He is a very large man and that is stated several times by Misery. I think this works for her character. She is very innocent and completely out of her element. I personally freaked out for over a month when my boyfriend was 6ft tall. I look like a child compared to him.
Misery and Lowe come together because they both had to give up the life they wanted, the life they worked for, for the life that was given to them. I would love to see them more fleshed out as this was an extremely slow burn, I feel like there were not enough “moments.”
3) <b>Ana</b> – This is the best kid in the entire world, nothing will change my mind! She felt like a six- or seven-year-old. She was a sponge for knowledge and a good example that racism is taught. She asked questions to misery to understand her not to judge her. She accepted Misery because Misery never gave Ana to fear her…unlike someone.
<b>World Building</b>
Ali is good at the One and Done books, but this one felt like the story was not finished, it makes me sad for what could have been. The story of Misery Lark, a child of the most influential Vampyr councilman in the South, and Lowe Moreland, the most formidable Alpha among the werewolves, is one of forbidden romance and more. Their union seeks to unite long-standing mortal foes and bring about peace. The plot is filled with intricate political intrigue and well-thought-out plans taking place in the werewolf and vampyre domains. And it does in a way. But I felt there could be more… like this book was the trailer for an epic trilogy, with a spin-off duleology about Serena and Koen…ugh dreams….
The found family trope was truly what had me wanting more, but I still really want to learn more about this hate between the races and the future solutions.
Now here is the Bad part….. The KNOT situation was not executed properly and took me 20 minutes of trying to understand what the heck Ali was trying to say. I came up with an animal balloon…. So not great lol Edit… My coworker called it a mushroom d**k.
<b>My favorite parts of this book were:</b>
“you’re not a problem Misery. You’re a privilege.”
“Fuckwaffle” I will now be calling people this.
“Tyler Medicine” …. for Tylenol” Again magical creatures
In short, Bride reads like fanfiction with a side of missed opportunities in world-building, but the characters are the real MVPs here. So, grab a copy, laugh at the kitchen confusion, and maybe add "fuckwaffle" to your vocabulary—it's worth it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, War, Violence, and Murder
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
5.0
5/5 for this paranormal romance from Ali Hazelwood!
I absolutely loved Misery. She’s dark and sarcastic and had me howling like a wolf multiple times. Lowe’s level of mystery and broodyness was perfect.
The spice was spicy and the plot sucked me in like a vampire sucks on a vein.
I wish the climax had been more descriptive. Misery’s father monologued forever—which helped Misery and readers understand absolutely everything—but what could have been an epic scene was glossed over in two sentences. I wish there had been more.
The ending was left open for a second book and I hope Hazelwood makes this into a series!!!
I absolutely loved Misery. She’s dark and sarcastic and had me howling like a wolf multiple times. Lowe’s level of mystery and broodyness was perfect.
The spice was spicy and the plot sucked me in like a vampire sucks on a vein.
I wish the climax had been more descriptive. Misery’s father monologued forever—which helped Misery and readers understand absolutely everything—but what could have been an epic scene was glossed over in two sentences. I wish there had been more.
The ending was left open for a second book and I hope Hazelwood makes this into a series!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Confinement, Death, Blood, and Cursing
Moderate: Gore, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: War, Car accident, and Death of parent
sierrabowers's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I thought this was a great read! It was a modern take on the classic vampires v werewolves rivalry. I really liked the characters and the side plots that went along with the main plot! There were several times where I audibly gasped because I was shocked at the turn of events!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Abandonment, Blood, Cursing, Gore, and Stalking
apirlroge's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Murder, Death, War, and Vomit
karyzi's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and Blood
zydecovivo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
4.75
This book is one I saw on TikTok in a video discussing fan fiction’s effect on the modern publishing industry. Ali Hazelwood is an author known for getting her start in Star Wars Reylo fan fiction. This book in particular discusses knotting (NOTE: this is something explicit and should not be looked into by readers under 18), which is new in a traditionally published romance but is definitely not new in fandom spaces. These were really the only 2 things I knew about the book before putting it on my TBR. I was curious to see what it was about.
In this universe, werewolves and vampyres exist and are known by humans, but the two species have been enemies for a long time. Our main character is named Mercy, a vampyre, and she has been used all of her life as collateral to keep the peace between humans and vampyres. Now, she is forced to marry the new Alpha of the werewolf pack across the river to create a flimsy alliance between the two groups. It is important to note that vampyres and werewolves work a bit differently than our classical concepts of them, but it is explained well at the beginning of the book.
This general premise is not groundbreaking and I think the overall plot, even the big reveals at the end, is predictable. However, I love Mercy and Lowe (the male love interest). I like them both individually and together as a unit. Their personalities and motivations feel very fleshed out and I enjoy watching their story (as predictable as it is). These two make the story worth reading and why the book deserves high ratings (5 stars? No. But more than 4). Mercy gets to learn what it’s like to be part of a loving family and Lowe learns how to be a little selfish because he deserves it. *chef’s kiss*
I do still have some nitpicking to do. Due to Mercy essentially being raised in the human world, she has very little knowledge of vampyres and no knowledge of werewolves due to historical animosity. This fact is a little overexploited (in my opinion) to show the reader the mechanics of this world. Additionally, the knot thing does not become relevant until the very end of the book. Experienced fan fiction readers, as well as regular paranormal romance readers, will probably find the spicy scenes somewhat tame.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I lost some sleep on a work night in order to finish it in one sitting, so be prepared. It may be a bit overhyped on BookTok, but I think it still deserves hype and praise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Blood, and Cursing
Moderate: Death, Stalking, Torture, Vomit, Murder, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse
murve's review against another edition
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Murder, Bullying, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Violence, Infertility, Car accident, and Blood
sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book is definitely outside what I usually read and I found it incredibly stupid, but that’s part of its appeal. It’s a silly romance with heavy fanfic inspiration, a regular part of Hazelwood’s works. I would definitely recommend this read if you’re looking for something easy and lighthearted, there’s nothing new here but still an incredibly fun story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Emotional abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Classism, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement and Medical content
Minor: Death, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, and Stalking
most of these warnings are still relatively minor and refer to the b plot which comes in like the last 50 pages or sotorturedreadersdept's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Dysphoria, Infertility, Confinement, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident
samantical's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A very quick read, fun vibes so even though despite all the trigger warnings it’s a light read. Also it’s not omegaverse, just regular old werewolf knotting which pleased me in my reclusive fandomy heart because I do not want that trope to go public! Some bits were predictable, but overall a good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Body horror, Sexual content, Mental illness, Death of parent, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder, Torture, and Car accident