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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
Francesca May authors a novel that satiates a hunger for poisonous gardens, sapphic love, and the gothic diction so elaborately written you will not put this down. Soaking this novel in word for word satiates a desire that dives into the reality of first time sapphic relationships. Do we feel guilty for revoking our heteronormative appearances when we become the toxicity in sapphic narratives? I think these novel answers that question from a perspective of thirsting for something more and always needing to find more to fulfill that craving.
Such a vibrant description that really sets this fantasy apart from others. From the darkness of the garden to between the protagonist thighs – the descriptions are professionally written with eloquence and dainty precision. So much action occurs without it happening simultaneously. Take your time reading each decorated line to truly unravel the horrors of coming to terms with our desires. What is truly the hunger for knowledge or research or at the core what do we gain from it?
The cover presents an antiquated anticipation of what the garden will have the audience explore. This was an absolute must to utterly understand the deception of the human condition. The comparison of the human condition with a garden expresses the ways in which delicacies no longer manifest in our frame of mind and they then become twisted for overconsumption. This garden is beautiful but becomes deadly in the hands of too much satiation! A steamy lesbian romance with a hint of toxicity – but a well-written one at that.
The garden flowers dying are a metaphor for the grace that runs away when we forget how to ground our satiation with bits of knowledge at a time. Overconsumption takes over our thoughts, our actions, and our mental state. This narrative is a notable example of how the human condition overwhelms itself and becomes the monster in the end. Carmilla minus the vampires meets a botanist student on Dorian Gray fashion. Thank you Net Galley and Redhook for the opportunity to review this digital arc in advance.
Such a vibrant description that really sets this fantasy apart from others. From the darkness of the garden to between the protagonist thighs – the descriptions are professionally written with eloquence and dainty precision. So much action occurs without it happening simultaneously. Take your time reading each decorated line to truly unravel the horrors of coming to terms with our desires. What is truly the hunger for knowledge or research or at the core what do we gain from it?
The cover presents an antiquated anticipation of what the garden will have the audience explore. This was an absolute must to utterly understand the deception of the human condition. The comparison of the human condition with a garden expresses the ways in which delicacies no longer manifest in our frame of mind and they then become twisted for overconsumption. This garden is beautiful but becomes deadly in the hands of too much satiation! A steamy lesbian romance with a hint of toxicity – but a well-written one at that.
The garden flowers dying are a metaphor for the grace that runs away when we forget how to ground our satiation with bits of knowledge at a time. Overconsumption takes over our thoughts, our actions, and our mental state. This narrative is a notable example of how the human condition overwhelms itself and becomes the monster in the end. Carmilla minus the vampires meets a botanist student on Dorian Gray fashion. Thank you Net Galley and Redhook for the opportunity to review this digital arc in advance.
dark
tense
slow-paced
I was intrigued by plant horrid and sapphic relationship but I really didn't have a good time. I mostly was just extremely bored and hopelessly waiting for the end. None of the characters felt fully developed at all so I didn't care about any of the relationships. I was expecting more dark academia but she went to class maybe one week. I will not be reading the sequel.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Naval gazing and boring. Just ... a dud. A book that is all vibes, no plot, and ends mid chapter -- reminds me of a student film.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
🌟🌟🌟½ (3.5 stars)
The world-building takes the lead early in the story, with a strong focus on scene-setting. I didn’t fall in love with it straight away, but I really enjoyed the concept and would definitely be open to reading more from this author in the future.
At times, I felt confused about where the plot was heading, but there were a few solid mic drop moments that kept me engaged and curious enough to keep going.
One standout element was the LGBTQ+ representation—it was woven into the story naturally and added depth without feeling tokenistic.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, @LittleBrownBookGroup_UK, for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Complicated
Read this book as an ARC. The writing was great, and descriptions were lovely. The main characters, however, weren’t very likeable, and it was difficult to root for them.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Toxic, obsessive lesbian botanists who turn into vampires all set in a poison garden. Great premise but the execution was a bit lacking for me.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
I wanted to like this, I really did. I liked May’s first book, and I am very into queer women behaving badly while they fall in love, plus what a good premise! Super slow to get started. The tone and pacing were just SO off, and the dialogue needed a ton of editing. The prose was gorgeous and creepy enough at points that I’d almost get sucked in, and then someone would open their mouth and ruin it. I found Thora insufferable as a character, and not interesting enough to make up for how annoying she was. This book could have been great, it just needed a lot more editing and revision to get there, IMO.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to Little Brown, the author and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of This Vicious Hunger to review.
This Vicious Hunger follows Thora, an undertaker's daughter who has grown up surrounded by death. When her husband dies after thirteen weeks of marriage, she doesn't know what to do next. Until a letter arrives from a botany professor at a prestigious school, accepting her to the university to study botany under her, which has been Thora's dream since she was a child. Once there she notices a young woman enclosed in a walled garden of poisonous plants, and is immediately drawn to both the garden and the girl. Under the spell of both, Thora falls into a world of obsession and poison; will she be able to break free?
I'm very unsure about this one! I really liked the gothic atmosphere here; it felt almost thick and moody, which is different from the tone of books that I usually read, so that definitely gripped me. This is definitely a slow-paced book, more driven by descriptions and character interactions than plot, but it was still engaging to read. The descriptions of the walled garden and its plants were so rich and imaginative; I could see the garden in my head as I was reading it. And the mystery of what's going on with Olea and the garden had me very intrigued to keep going to find answers. It felt almost claustrophobic to be in this story, with it mainly taking place in one area with no real way out, and that was super interesting to sink into.
The romance side of this has me in two minds; I did love the yearning and forbidden romance aspect between Thora and Olea. One being outside the walls and the other trapped in the garden made for a great, angsty dynamic, however as the book progresses the relationship changes and becomes more toxic, which seemed a little fast of a change for Thora. Her descent into hunger and obsession seemed a little quick; I would have preferred to see it happen more gradually I think. I also didn't connect with her character very much; she was quite brash and impulsive and would disregard any opinion or wish other characters had just to get her own way, which I didn't vibe with. I especially feel sorry for poor Leo, her friend at the university. Olea was intriguing but she ended up feeling a little immature for me, which does make sense considering her sheltered upbringing, but I just didn't enjoy her character by the end, nor Thora's.
The worldbuilding let the book down for me. We know that this is set in a fantasy world with different traditions and rituals, however we truly don't explore any of that. As it's an isolated setting, we stay in the university, but it would have been nice to at least hear more about the wider world and other customs as Thora is a scholar, but I can see why it was kept quite zoomed in on the university setting. It's just a little nitpick of mine really.
Overall if you love gothic fantasy and toxic lesbians then you'll enjoy this one! It has a very rich, imaginative atmosphere, and an interesting storyline, but just didn't grip me with the characters as much as I wanted.
This Vicious Hunger follows Thora, an undertaker's daughter who has grown up surrounded by death. When her husband dies after thirteen weeks of marriage, she doesn't know what to do next. Until a letter arrives from a botany professor at a prestigious school, accepting her to the university to study botany under her, which has been Thora's dream since she was a child. Once there she notices a young woman enclosed in a walled garden of poisonous plants, and is immediately drawn to both the garden and the girl. Under the spell of both, Thora falls into a world of obsession and poison; will she be able to break free?
I'm very unsure about this one! I really liked the gothic atmosphere here; it felt almost thick and moody, which is different from the tone of books that I usually read, so that definitely gripped me. This is definitely a slow-paced book, more driven by descriptions and character interactions than plot, but it was still engaging to read. The descriptions of the walled garden and its plants were so rich and imaginative; I could see the garden in my head as I was reading it. And the mystery of what's going on with Olea and the garden had me very intrigued to keep going to find answers. It felt almost claustrophobic to be in this story, with it mainly taking place in one area with no real way out, and that was super interesting to sink into.
The romance side of this has me in two minds; I did love the yearning and forbidden romance aspect between Thora and Olea. One being outside the walls and the other trapped in the garden made for a great, angsty dynamic, however as the book progresses the relationship changes and becomes more toxic, which seemed a little fast of a change for Thora. Her descent into hunger and obsession seemed a little quick; I would have preferred to see it happen more gradually I think. I also didn't connect with her character very much; she was quite brash and impulsive and would disregard any opinion or wish other characters had just to get her own way, which I didn't vibe with. I especially feel sorry for poor Leo, her friend at the university. Olea was intriguing but she ended up feeling a little immature for me, which does make sense considering her sheltered upbringing, but I just didn't enjoy her character by the end, nor Thora's.
The worldbuilding let the book down for me. We know that this is set in a fantasy world with different traditions and rituals, however we truly don't explore any of that. As it's an isolated setting, we stay in the university, but it would have been nice to at least hear more about the wider world and other customs as Thora is a scholar, but I can see why it was kept quite zoomed in on the university setting. It's just a little nitpick of mine really.
Overall if you love gothic fantasy and toxic lesbians then you'll enjoy this one! It has a very rich, imaginative atmosphere, and an interesting storyline, but just didn't grip me with the characters as much as I wanted.