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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
it did not captivate me enough to continue reading
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
After being expelled from her elite boarding school, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa “Lark” Arriscane returns home to find her family facing financial ruin. To save them, she agrees to marry Therion, a chthonic god worshipped by her coastal hometown. When the marriage goes awry and she begins to fade from the mortal world, Lark turns to her former friend Alastair Felimath and his sister Camille for help. Their efforts to restore her bond with Therion through an ancient ritual backfire, awakening a darker force that threatens them all.
I went into this book with high expectations, everything about it had me excited to dive in. And while it did manage to pull me out of a month-long reading slump (no small feat), I finished feeling conflicted.
The gothic, haunting atmosphere was one of the book’s strongest elements. I loved the eerie, almost cinematic vibe it carried. However, the plot itself felt a bit underwhelming. For long stretches, not much seemed to happen, and when things did pick up, they sometimes felt disjointed or random. I found myself wishing the story had gone darker or dug a little deeper.
Character-wise, I struggled to connect. They felt somewhat flat, lacking the depth or nuance needed to make them truly memorable. The love triangle between Lark, Alastair, and Camille, in particular, felt awkward and forced but oddly, I did enjoy the dynamic of their friendship more than the romantic tension.
Despite its flaws, the mystery aspect was just strong enough to keep me turning the pages. There’s something here I just wish it had been developed with a bit more intensity and emotional weight.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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:
No
This was really interesting. I enjoyed it. I love the characters. I wanted more at the end.
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Themes: Romance, fantasy, LGBTQ, non-monogamy.
Lark gets kicked out of school, She goes home in shame, but she's given the opportunity to saver her family from a debt they owe a prominent family in Verse. Unfortunately, it all goes very very wrong.
This was a solid book with a solid story. I loved Lark as a flawed FMC. I thought the steamy scenes were a little, misplaced? Like they happened at really odd times that made me go WHY NOW? Overall, an enjoyable read.
Lark gets kicked out of school, She goes home in shame, but she's given the opportunity to saver her family from a debt they owe a prominent family in Verse. Unfortunately, it all goes very very wrong.
This was a solid book with a solid story. I loved Lark as a flawed FMC. I thought the steamy scenes were a little, misplaced? Like they happened at really odd times that made me go WHY NOW? Overall, an enjoyable read.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am finding it difficult to find the words to reflect such a unique piece of work.
This book was quite different to a lot of the books I normally read. The language is dark and poetic, and the story is just the same. This particular story follows Lark and her journey through Bratrayl, love, and hope, with gods and mythical phantoms playing into the mix. This book is nothing short of hard-hitting.
I enjoyed the pace of the book; it didn't feel rushed for how short the story is in terms of pages. The characters were well thought out and had good development as the story progressed, which was exceptionally satisfying to read. The only downside to this book is the length in some ways, while I did enjoy the pacing to me because I liked this story and the premise of it, I would have loved for it to be longer and more explored in terms of the world, the gods and how things go for her old friends at the school.
All things considered, this book has a gorgeous cover, an original plot, a languid tempo at points, but clever execution. For fans of unique romantic thrillers, it is highly recommended because it provides a welcome representation of the LGBTQ community.
Every aspect of this fell flat for me in the most disappointing way.
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While the plot and overall story was simplistic, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. The relationships between the characters was certainly the best part.