Reviews

Garden of Dreams and Desires by Kristen Painter

arshas's review against another edition

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2.0

I love this writer and I loved the other 2 books, however this book lost chemistry for me. I found myself forcing myself to finish. Others might have like the authors choices and where the story and characters went, not me.

booklovinmamas's review against another edition

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3.0

Full Review posted at Book Lovin' Mamas

I give this book 3.5 stars and I do recommend it to Urban Fantasy readers out there and readers that enjoyed Kristen Painter’s other UF series, House of Comarre.

Although, this is not my favorite of the trilogy, I still enjoyed reading how it all ended. Seriously…I’m really going to miss Auggie…my sexy smoky Guardian.

tanyad74's review against another edition

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3.0

We pick right up where City of Eternal Night ends with Harlow's ridiculous decision. This character has gone from years of denying her heritage to embracing it with both hands. Now we need to deal with her consequences. Augustine is determined to fix the position Harlow has gotten herself in.

I kind of feel like Augustine is taking advantage of his position a little bit. He was pushed into this position to protect the city and now he is totally running things the way he wants. I don't understand what he was so against this position in the first place. So, Augustine is spending all this time and resources trying to find a way to fix Harlow while the witches are silently putting their plans into place.

I knew the witches were going to start making a power play, especially Giselle. Finding out about the lightning tree has just upped her plans. Now mistakes are being made and her plans are starting to get some attention.

Garden of Dreams and Desires was a whirlwind of different threads. Some that obviously tied together and then others I wasn't really sure where they were going. This definitely could have been broken down into at least another book. There seems like a lot more we could wrap up. However, I still felt some adrenaline rushes and anxiety over the characters during some of their harrowing situations.

This book is the end of the Crescent City series and left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. There definitely could have been more meat to it. However, I wasn't invested enough in the side characters to be truly annoyed by how things were wrapped up and ended.

Overall, Garden of Dreams and Desires was a good read, and I'm happy I got my HEA.This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict

elephant's review against another edition

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4.0

This is the last book in the trilogy and it gives the story a satisfying ending. Harlow struggles to be free of Ava Mae, her dead twin sister who is possessing her, while trying to keep the secret that dwells within her house. Augustine is working to free her and find out why tourists are disappearing and Giselle, the witch is trying to get rid of Augustine and get the witches out from under the rule of the fae.

timofeev's review against another edition

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4.0

Man, there was a lot going on in this book but I still loved it. It was nice to see Harlow coming into her own and awesome to Gisel finally get what was coming to her. At first, I wasn't too sure because there was a lot going on, but by the end it wrapped up nicely. Still one of my favorite series so far.

franjessca's review against another edition

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3.0

Full Review posted at Book Lovin' Mamas

I give this book 3.5 stars and I do recommend it to Urban Fantasy readers out there and readers that enjoyed Kristen Painter’s other UF series, House of Comarre.

Although, this is not my favorite of the trilogy, I still enjoyed reading how it all ended. Seriously…I’m really going to miss Auggie…my sexy smoky Guardian.

eloiseinparis's review

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2.0

Unfortunately this series is not getting any better. Although the character who started this spin off series is Augustine he is not the lead. So far every book has been focused on Harlow, even though her story isn’t that interesting and she isn’t a very active character. So far in all three books she’s been at the whim of the bad guys. Her powers are inactive, and the abilities she does have are helpful they are no more so than any of the lesser characters.

At least this time the story wasn’t driven by lies by omission told to Harlow, and Lally also mostly dropped her runaway slave act. But Giselle’s stint as head bad guy was laughable. She was written as a complete idiot and it made no sense how she was able to get as much power in the coven as she did. All of her his deeds left a quick and easy trail to her door. And when she was finally defeated she behaved like a spoiled 16 year old instead of a resourceful witch.

This series is just on disappointment after another. Its nothing like House of Comarre even though it takes place in the same universe. I may read the next book in the series, but it would be out of sheer boredom.
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