Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

682 reviews

adventurous mysterious tense 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

This was the first book I've ever read from Ali Hazelwood. Definitely something different than her typical books and I really hope she continues to explore paranormal romance because honestly I was so impressed. 

I didn't expect to love Bride as much as I did. But the Underworld vibes were off the charts with nostalgia and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. 

The whole alpha dynamic has been so poorly done by so many other authors, but I think Ali nailed it! Lowe is a true alpha to his people; protective AND loving. 

 I especially loved his relationship with his sister. There were so many tender moments between them. My favorite being when he
made a poster of Sparkles as godzilla for her.


These two love birds gave me utter bi panic and heart palpitations. THE CHEMISTRY MY GOODNESS.
The blood/marking scenes had me F E R A L oh my godddd.
 

If there isnt a sequel about
Misery's best friend and her OBVIOUS mate
I'll riot.

Also I'  so glad that
Misery's dad got his just desserts because he was AWFUL. This man made my blood absolutely boil.


Bride was a reminder that I truly am just a grown up version of my 12 year old self. I think I need more vampire and werewolf books in my life. 



Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: Yes

“Above all, I won’t take her freedom. Not when so many others have already done so.”

Twilight girlies, let’s unite! Overall, I thought this was a super fun and easy read.

Bride is an urban fantasy that follows an arranged marriage between Misery (vampyre) and Lowe (werewolf) in order to create an alliance of peace between their species. I really enjoyed both of these characters! Lowe’s little sister, Ana, was also a stand-out character for me. Since the setting is modern, it’s super easy to follow and understand. It’s fairly low stakes and quite contemporary. Some parts were pretty predictable, but there were a few mysteries and twists too! There’s definitely spice in here! I can’t say I’ve read much werewolf smut in the past, so the concept of knotting did elude me. Some quick (private browser) research has me back on track. 😆

I think this will appeal to lots of people!

Read if you like:
-fated mates
-forced proximity
-marriage of convenience
-found family

“I could thrall you.” 
His smile looks sad. 
“You already have, Misery.”

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-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

It was my first Ali Hazelwoods’ ever and because I’m not a romance type of girlie I was so glad she introduced a fantasy theme into one of her books so I could read it myself. I went into it pretty much ‘no thoughts, head empty’ though being fully aware she’s known for her ‘gigantic men + small women’ couples and a bit of cringey dialogue. Not gonna lie, this type of approach saved my whole experience with this book. The outcome (meaning my enjoyment and final review) would be SO DIFFERENT if I decided to treat this book seriously from the beginning till the very end. 

The book itself is written in a very unserious almost satire-like manner and I enjoyed how self-aware it was.  I am used to heroines playing dumb, constantly asking the wrong questions and jumping to ‘made up from thin air’ conclusions so seeing Misery speaking her mind so openly and thinking what I was thinking was like a breath of fresh air. The writing wasn’t anything spectacular, definitely more ‘fanfiction like’ but I had an insane amount of fun reading all the banter and realistic(!) dialogues between characters (and these spicy scenes, damn). The characters fit the vibe of the book perfectly, each one of them adding some value to the main plot whether it’s for the mystery, drama or the family relationships. Basically we get the funny moments, thriller or found family bits when it feels necessary so there was no chapter where I felt it’s too  heavy to digest.  

Now to the romance itself, I definitely could feel lots of chemistry there to the point I found myself giggling and laughing out loud many times (the comedy style of the book definitely adding to that). I think Misery and Lowe worked really well together as a couple without losing their individual personalities in all the other scenes they were not seen together. The introduction of more heavy topics and conversations really helped me see them as more than just a fling but as a long term relationship that could get through all the hardships together and not break up right after the book is finished (looking at you Emily Henry). 

Overall it really felt like a palette cleanser for me,very lightweight and fast paced, perfect when you’d love to stay up all night reading fanfictions but in a standalone book form. I definitely won’t actively avoid Ali Hazelwood’s books from now on, even if they are just contemporary romances. 

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adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

this one's for the twilight kids who are now all grown up! (me) 🧛‍♀️🐺❤

what to expect:
- vampire x werewolf
- marriage of convenience
- politics of the supernatural
- found family

daughter of the vampyre councilman meets dangerous alpha werewolf in a forced marriage meant to broker an alliance between the supernatural factions. while the interspecies love is not a new concept, this specific take puts a refreshing twist on a well-told tale!

Ali Hazelwood is known for her STEMinists romcoms, so I was intrigued when I saw her releasing a fantasy 👀 but this book is so quintessentially Hazelwood! she somehow managed to werewolves and vampires SCIENTIFICALLY POSSIBLE??? like there's a whole rational biological explanation for these beings existing in this world and I love that!! the lore and worldbuilding is a mix of science and fantasy, which was my favourite part of this book!!!

okay, no, maybe the characters were my favourite part 🥺
MISERY LARK AND LOVE MORELAND YOU WILL FOREVER BE IN MY HEART ❤

I really enjoyed this book, some parts more than others. I must confess, some parts were strange and confusing to me 🙈 I realised this was my first time reading non-human 🌶 ! I'm not really a smut reader, so don't ask me to comment on it 😅

overall a good read with great tension, great character-building, great dialogue, and HILARIOUS POWERFUL CONFIDENT SNARKY BADASS MAIN CHARACTER (MISERY, I LOVE YOU DESPITE YOUR WEIRD NAME AND PEANUT BUTTER ADDICTION AND THE FACT THAT YOU SLEEP IN THE CLOSET INSTEAD OF IN A BED (it's a "vampyre thing" apparently))

one thing I *did not like* was the third act break up scene.... not sure why these scenes are so crucial to romance books because sometimes it just doesn't work for me...

nevertheless, I would actually like a book 2 featuring the potentially new couple that was hinted at towards the end! 🤭

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
funny fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Bride is not a literary masterpiece, but it’s undeniably enjoyable. It’s like indulging in an Oreo cookie—maybe not haute cuisine, but undeniably delicious, addictive, and nostalgic. While it may not be a delicate macaroon from a Parisian patisserie, sometimes a comforting Oreo is just what you crave.

Bride had me laughing throughout, although I couldn’t always tell if it was intentionally humorous or not. If you’re a fan of Twilight or its fandom, you’ll appreciate the familiar tropes. It’s a fun ride that lets you escape from reality for a while.

The book’s strength lies in its low stakes and fast-paced plot. It doesn’t demand too much from the reader, making it perfect for a light read. However, I did find some of the steamier scenes a bit excessive, especially with the animal dominance themes and scenting rituals. If that’s not your cup of tea, you might prefer a more traditional romantic comedy.

I commend the author for keeping female friendship at the core of the story. It’s refreshing in a romance. Overall, Bride is a delightful escape - give yourself permission to enjoy a bit of guilty pleasure reading 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This one shocked me in how much I liked it. 1, I don't normally read
Omegaverse
stuff. And 2, I don't really read much Vampire or Werewolf fiction.  But I generally like Hazelwood's STEM girls, and Misery, our main character in this book is a STEM girl, even if she is a vampire.  The writing style was really good, true to Hazelwood's typical style.  Quite a bit of spice, but again, has that
omegaverse spice
to it, which I don't normally engage with.  The mystery of it wasn't too difficult to figure out, but I enjoyed the journey a lot and there were some things that I was surprised by.  All in all, would definitely recommend.  

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Read this book in like a day. Hoping there’s a sequel!!!!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
lighthearted mysterious 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

I like this book. It was my first Ali Hazelwood book. I'm not sure I would read it again and it is contain way more smut that I thought it would and those scene, especially in audio, where a bit wierd. 

I love the story and the characters in it. Its contain a bit of mystery, romance and political intrigue. It was fun. The sexy scene were a bit intense, wierd and cringy in my opinion but I don't usually read smut either. 

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