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savvypotions's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Hate crime
Minor: Self harm and Homophobia
madscientistcat's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.0
The audiobook was great! The narrator’s slight voice adjustment for each character was a nice touch that felt true to their personalities.
My review via tropes:
My review via tropes:
- Extremely slow burn
- Mutual pining
- Definitely totally platonic biting kink
- Everything could have been easily resolved if anyone had the tiniest bit of communication skill but where’s the fun in that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Hate crime
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Confinement, and Stalking
Minor: Self harm and Torture
Additional CW: Non-consensual bitingspaceseal's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
The first 80% of the book would have gotten a bit over 4 stars from me: I absolutely fell in love with the world and how vampirism is handled so differently. The plot was actually interesting for a romance book, and I got invested in it enough to consider the plot a mix of romance and mystery, and I expected it to evolve more as the story went on. The relationship felt real and relatively well paced, if a bit fast and jumpy at times. The issues that come up are handled ok in my opinion, but this is the thing where we kind of slip into the rest 20% of the book.
The rest of the book drops it clearly under 4 stars, and if I didn't like the set up so much, I would give it 3. The ending chapters highlight that the genre of this book is more simple romance rather than a mix of romance and mystery/adventure, and after such an interesting building and storytelling, I just felt myself crunching my nose, slightly dissatisfied, and the last 45 minutes I was actually disappointed. It is FINE for the romance genre, since the bar is not that high, but I felt like the whole world and the relationship was simplified to a very general happy ending (and not the spicy kind!) that was not specific to these characters or this story in any way.
Also I think that the whole biting kink at the beginning felt a bit spicy, but it desperately needed to evolve into something more, chemistry wise. I think that the book tried to dip its toes in there a bit, but lacked the courage or will to explore it more, which kind of left it feeling a bit... well, like a racial kink, when you take into account the rest of the world.
Still, I think that this world is worth getting into. It's not anything too deep, but interesting and different. And the characters are lovely!
The rest of the book drops it clearly under 4 stars, and if I didn't like the set up so much, I would give it 3. The ending chapters highlight that the genre of this book is more simple romance rather than a mix of romance and mystery/adventure, and after such an interesting building and storytelling, I just felt myself crunching my nose, slightly dissatisfied, and the last 45 minutes I was actually disappointed. It is FINE for the romance genre, since the bar is not that high, but I felt like the whole world and the relationship was simplified to a very general happy ending (and not the spicy kind!) that was not specific to these characters or this story in any way.
Also I think that the whole biting kink at the beginning felt a bit spicy, but it desperately needed to evolve into something more, chemistry wise. I think that the book tried to dip its toes in there a bit, but lacked the courage or will to explore it more, which kind of left it feeling a bit... well, like a racial kink, when you take into account the rest of the world.
Still, I think that this world is worth getting into. It's not anything too deep, but interesting and different. And the characters are lovely!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime
Minor: Death of parent, Violence, and Self harm
melonmachinery's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
At first the story is fun, very reminiscent of things you'd find on Quizilla and Wattpad (for the younger generation) in an endearing way, but once the middle school nostalgia wears off mid to 3/4 of the way through the story is rushed, flat, uncomfortable in its dealings with both real and fantasy racism, and the resolution is just sloppy.
The characters are all 1 dimensional. Wesley is Mexican American and you can tell because he says Sí-Yes when he's rushed. Vincent's line about not wanting to exist if it harms others fell flat in its delivery and how it changed Wes's opinions instantly. The real world internet references and usage is so incessant, the characters must have gotten their education at Tumblr University. The romance is rushed, which I did expect since most romance novels do, loving the "insta-love" plotline. The entire moment on top of the mausoleum roof was embarassing. You just wanted to shake the characters and ask why they suddenly are so relaxed about being chased by bad guys they can get each other hard in the cemetary. Wes's vampire kink tended to be embarrassing at best and uncomfortable at worst given the in world context of vampires and what he specifically wanted to do. Vincent is supposed to be sexy and predatory in these moments but most of them made me laugh.
The whole thing with the pharmaceutical company and dead mom was trying to take on something large but failing to deliver, which is also how the story ended for Wes and Vincent. I didn't particular care for Wes's struggles about the revelation of his mom's death since he seemed very blasé himself about selling all her items and changing things once it was confirmed. Their choice to leave the company be and take care of themselves because they wouldn't get support since the government doesn't see vampires as people with rights in particular was discomforting in ways hard to describe.
I could go on. It was an easy read, but not in a good way. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone but wouldn't actively stop people from reading it. Hopefully the author will grow in time.
The characters are all 1 dimensional. Wesley is Mexican American and you can tell because he says Sí-Yes when he's rushed. Vincent's line about not wanting to exist if it harms others fell flat in its delivery and how it changed Wes's opinions instantly. The real world internet references and usage is so incessant, the characters must have gotten their education at Tumblr University. The romance is rushed, which I did expect since most romance novels do, loving the "insta-love" plotline. The entire moment on top of the mausoleum roof was embarassing. You just wanted to shake the characters and ask why they suddenly are so relaxed about being chased by bad guys they can get each other hard in the cemetary. Wes's vampire kink tended to be embarrassing at best and uncomfortable at worst given the in world context of vampires and what he specifically wanted to do. Vincent is supposed to be sexy and predatory in these moments but most of them made me laugh.
The whole thing with the pharmaceutical company and dead mom was trying to take on something large but failing to deliver, which is also how the story ended for Wes and Vincent. I didn't particular care for Wes's struggles about the revelation of his mom's death since he seemed very blasé himself about selling all her items and changing things once it was confirmed. Their choice to leave the company be and take care of themselves because they wouldn't get support since the government doesn't see vampires as people with rights in particular was discomforting in ways hard to describe.
I could go on. It was an easy read, but not in a good way. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone but wouldn't actively stop people from reading it. Hopefully the author will grow in time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Stalking, Classism, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Violence, Self harm, Blood, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Trafficking
readingwithtemperance's review
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
I liked that the author spun a twist on the typical vampire story. Where in this world vampires are known about but ostracized by society. And not the monsters that humans deem them to be at all. Definely darker than I originally anticipated, but still had some sweet moments. I didn't like that the corporation didn't really have any consequences to the atrocities they committed. And it definitely felt the characters were moving a bit too fast at the end. Personally I wanted more rage from Wesley. But this was fast paced, well written, and very enjoyable! I'll probably pick up the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Ableism, Blood, Death, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Self harm
sammymilfort's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Gore, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Ableism, Grief, and Hate crime
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse and Self harm
stuckinatimeloop's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Torture
tinyelfarcanist's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The language, pace, and plot have the feel of a YA novel, but the characters are in their 20s and the story turns darker near the end.
I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters. The romance felt a little bit too insta-love for me after they had just spent an evening together. There's talk about the need for therapy, but I believe it comes a little too late when things have already escalated.
I like Bryn's recurring theme of tearing down big corporations. That and fishnet gloves have made an appearance in both books I've read by the author. (If I had a nickel for every time I've found fishnet gloves in their books, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.)
In this book's world, there's blatant discrimination against vampires and they are treated as sub-human. There are clear parallels between those and real-life marginalized groups like immigrants, queer and disabled people.
There's an extra scene teasing what's to come for book 2, which sounds promising.
I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters. The romance felt a little bit too insta-love for me after they had just spent an evening together. There's talk about the need for therapy, but I believe it comes a little too late when things have already escalated.
I like Bryn's recurring theme of tearing down big corporations. That and fishnet gloves have made an appearance in both books I've read by the author. (If I had a nickel for every time I've found fishnet gloves in their books, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.)
In this book's world, there's blatant discrimination against vampires and they are treated as sub-human. There are clear parallels between those and real-life marginalized groups like immigrants, queer and disabled people.
There's an extra scene teasing what's to come for book 2, which sounds promising.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Hate crime, Grief, Ableism, Drug use, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Outing, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Kidnapping, Torture, Self harm, Confinement, Abandonment, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Cursing
Minor: Homophobia, Stalking, Gun violence, Addiction, and Drug abuse
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