A review by beckiebookworm1974
Carnage by Sandra R. Neeley

3.0

3 Stars
Book Review
Release Date-17/6/18

So I enjoyed the concept of this more than the execution really.
It was a little to light in nature for me to fully appreciate this as I was kind of expecting a somewhat darker overall flavour.
I'm not going to major rehash the storyline her as Most of that is covered in the blurb.
What we have is Carolena escaping from her pursuers into the bayou only to be kinda rescued by the stuff of legends a Gargoyle called Carnage.
I say kinda because he has no intention of letting her go so he's actually taking her really.
Carnage wants to take her home with him to keep safe even though humans are totally forbidden in this sanctuary deep in the swamps.
This sanctuary Whisper is filled with all sorts of dangerous supernaturals hiding out from the human race.
So up until now, I'm all good we have a scary-arse gargoyle who speaks little actual language, a damsel in distress, and the beginnings of a fabulous dark dialect all played out in the spooky swamps.
So this is where it lost me a bit; upon Carolena being discovered by the other supernaturals and the instant death sentence this should be and Carnage shouting Mine every five seconds and threatening fellow gargoyle Destroy and vampire leader Enthrall; this then somehow managed to turn very little house on the prairie in nature.
I actually felt like I was in some weird sorta wonderland.
so I'm going to do this backwards and explain what didn't work for me and then end this on a positive with what did.
I thought the heroines name here just didnt flow right; Carolena well I just wanted to call her, Caroline or Carolina, her name just didn't seem quite right almost like a typo but it wasn't.
This also didn't seem that paranormal despite all the supernaturals or historical despite the year setting maybe because it was set in a swamp and some of the said paranormals here seemed just so human in nature I mean Enthrall was walking in sunlight and making Carolena sandwiches for god's sake.
I also wasn't a fan of the whole village type setting and everyone, in my opinion, accepted the human much too quickly than was actually natural here.
I mean they were hiding out from humans and they were all like well your just gonna have to stay as we don't want to kill you.
I also could not understand how Carolena accepted her fate so fast; I mean she didn't once try to escape her captors who she treated like friends from day one.
Also, the bit with Carolena's dad I just didn't get it; why were all the residents of whispers so afraid of him? just kill him already you're all meant to be big bad scary monsters jeez.
He's one human male.
So what did I like well in a nutshell Carnage I adored the huge ugly gargoyle.
He seemed I trifle simple at times but Carolena herself wasn't the brightest spark so they were for me quite easily matched.
I loved his gruff takes no prisoners attitude, his lack of articulate speech and his obsession with that beauty and the beast book was simply adorable.
Carnage is what made this for me.
That and the front cover picture.
It was the actual cover on this one that actually twisted my arm into purchasing I just wish it could have lived up to it.
This also at times has some interesting moments but they were just for me overshadowed slightly by Carolenas rather annoyingly wingy personality.
I so wish I could have liked this more than I did I really do.
I did finish and there were some enjoyable instances mainly due to Carnage, I also thought this was such an interesting premise just not really for me.
If you like a lighter flavour with your fiction then this one is that despite the cover and the disclaimer.


Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
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