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ylime927's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
dorantammi15's review against another edition
4.0
I can not wait to read the published work of this author. I have been following J.M since I found the author on fan fiction website. I am so very excited that this talented author is finally coming to print. I am going to buy the hard copy and an Ebook just to support J.M. Good luck!!
I just finished Sempre. There is no doubt in my mind how great this book was. It is one of those books that you want to know what happenend after the last word was written. Thank you JM, as you have been one of my favorite authors of fan fiction, I know move you to my favorite published author list. Congratulations on you success.
I just finished Sempre. There is no doubt in my mind how great this book was. It is one of those books that you want to know what happenend after the last word was written. Thank you JM, as you have been one of my favorite authors of fan fiction, I know move you to my favorite published author list. Congratulations on you success.
capitalizm's review against another edition
1.0
Wanted to read more of J. M. Darhower because I loved Monster in His Eyes so much, but unfortunately this didn't compare. I guess I just had big expectations but I didn't like this story as much. I don't even remember much of it because it took me too long to read it.
readfrenzy's review
3.0
3.5 stars
There are some 500-page books that I can fly through reading and they don't seem very long at all. Sempre isn't one of them. I felt every single one of the 528 pages. It felt very much like it’s 528 pages long. The mafia, human trafficking, sacrifice, vengeance, and forbidden young love are themes that kept me interested. However, the plot unfolds extremely slowly and is bogged down with more repetitive details than necessary. At times it seems like the reader is experiencing life in the DeMarco household not just day to day, but hour by hour. The story could be told in much less time and still be impactful.
Although I found the first chapter rather confusing—and honestly there are still aspects that are unclear to me—I was fully invested in the fate of Haven, Carmine, Dr. Vincent DeMarco, and Dominic. There are some twists that make the storyline wonderfully unpredictable, and the plot is enhanced by a diverse cast of multi-faceted characters.
Despite the length and pacing issues, I liked this intriguing book. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, [b:Sempre: Redemption|17838379|Sempre Redemption (Forever, #2)|J.M. Darhower|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383420595s/17838379.jpg|24961661].
There are some 500-page books that I can fly through reading and they don't seem very long at all. Sempre isn't one of them. I felt every single one of the 528 pages. It felt very much like it’s 528 pages long. The mafia, human trafficking, sacrifice, vengeance, and forbidden young love are themes that kept me interested. However, the plot unfolds extremely slowly and is bogged down with more repetitive details than necessary. At times it seems like the reader is experiencing life in the DeMarco household not just day to day, but hour by hour. The story could be told in much less time and still be impactful.
Although I found the first chapter rather confusing—and honestly there are still aspects that are unclear to me—I was fully invested in the fate of Haven, Carmine, Dr. Vincent DeMarco, and Dominic. There are some twists that make the storyline wonderfully unpredictable, and the plot is enhanced by a diverse cast of multi-faceted characters.
Despite the length and pacing issues, I liked this intriguing book. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, [b:Sempre: Redemption|17838379|Sempre Redemption (Forever, #2)|J.M. Darhower|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383420595s/17838379.jpg|24961661].
ipariszara's review
3.0
Idk why but the whole time I was picturing Dr. Vincent DeMarco as Gabriel Agreste
pamgodwin's review against another edition
4.0
Bam! What a powerful opening. Kinship and family secrets converge and unravel in this tale of mafia, human slavery, sex, drugs and gun trafficking. The MC's are seventeen, but I wouldn't categorize this as YA. Despite the cornucopia of gun-fights and fist-fights, this book was long and a bit slow (531 pages). I struggled to swallow Haven's swift adjustment to normalcy after her seventeen years of slavery (living in a horse stable, never setting foot in a store). I also didn't warm to her romance with Carmine. Given her hardships, her trust in him was inconceivable. And the ending felt rash, leaving me with a slew of unanswered questions. Nevertheless, I loved the concept. If Darhower releases a sequel, I'd read it.