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fictionalflair's Reviews (100)
I might come back to this.
It's just so slow and hard to get into it.
It's just so slow and hard to get into it.
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC.
Wow! I'm my own worst enemy. I like what I like. This story gave it to me.
It gave me Kindred Curse Saga vibes, but with a more likeable FMC.
I wish it had been more slow burn. However, we aren't there yet so, it's still burning.
If you enjoy, enemies to lovers, dark princes, academic settings, slow burn spice, magic systems and banter. Give this a try.
This is great debut, in my opinion and I look forward to the next book.
Wow! I'm my own worst enemy. I like what I like. This story gave it to me.
It gave me Kindred Curse Saga vibes, but with a more likeable FMC.
I wish it had been more slow burn. However, we aren't there yet so, it's still burning.
If you enjoy, enemies to lovers, dark princes, academic settings, slow burn spice, magic systems and banter. Give this a try.
This is great debut, in my opinion and I look forward to the next book.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm giving this 4 🌟 for the twist. I did not see that coming. It was a slow read to begin with but once I got beyond 60%, the story was coming together for me to continue.
Freya, she annoyed me so much in the beginning. I was trying to be on her side, but she came across as brat. Why are FMC's like this? 🙄
Poor Bjorn. He tried and tried to do the right thing IMO. I'm glad he got a HEA.
The plot is good, I enjoyed it. Shame it was a slow start.
Freya, she annoyed me so much in the beginning. I was trying to be on her side, but she came across as brat. Why are FMC's like this? 🙄
Poor Bjorn. He tried and tried to do the right thing IMO. I'm glad he got a HEA.
The plot is good, I enjoyed it. Shame it was a slow start.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Edit: a week on and I'm still thinking about this. So I'm amending my review to 5 stars.
I loved this story. I was pulled in by the magic realism of the world. The characters were so loveable. The FMC knew her flaws and she changed for the better. She is ghost and she falls in love with a vampire. It's not traditional, but it's a beautiful companionship. He has a cat too. What's not to like?
I enjoyed the adventure they took together, to be together forever. The side characters were well executed also. It gave me Nettle & Bone vibes. So if you're into T. Kingfishers work, you might like this read. An unlikely found family who have each other's backs.
There is no spice in this, but it didn't need it. There was plenty of emotion, especially towards the end. I shed a couple of tears.
This is a story of people getting a second chance after death. It explores grief, death, love and loss. I would say it's focus is more aligned to this, than it is of fantasy. It's worth noting before reading. It is more character driven than plot.
Trigger warnings include but aren't limited to, death, death of a child, gore, blood, terminal illness, murder, gaslighting and grief.
Enjoy
Edit: a week on and I'm still thinking about this. So I'm amending my review to 5 stars.
I loved this story. I was pulled in by the magic realism of the world. The characters were so loveable. The FMC knew her flaws and she changed for the better. She is ghost and she falls in love with a vampire. It's not traditional, but it's a beautiful companionship. He has a cat too. What's not to like?
I enjoyed the adventure they took together, to be together forever. The side characters were well executed also. It gave me Nettle & Bone vibes. So if you're into T. Kingfishers work, you might like this read. An unlikely found family who have each other's backs.
There is no spice in this, but it didn't need it. There was plenty of emotion, especially towards the end. I shed a couple of tears.
This is a story of people getting a second chance after death. It explores grief, death, love and loss. I would say it's focus is more aligned to this, than it is of fantasy. It's worth noting before reading. It is more character driven than plot.
Trigger warnings include but aren't limited to, death, death of a child, gore, blood, terminal illness, murder, gaslighting and grief.
Enjoy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Gore, Grief
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
The description of the story is what had be craving to read this. I did devour it within a day. If you love fantasy, romance and sexy vampires then this could be for you. It's a fast paced book, but it did have some parts that I felt needed more to make it more engaging.
The magic system in this world was interesting and i liked it, but I felt it could of had more expansion for our understanding. Or the author drip feed us more detail throughout the book as Lilah is learning. For example, there is still the MMC's magic that is unexplained.
I like that the character names are easy to read. It just made it so much easier to keep up with who is who.
Some things mentioned within the book I feel could of been expanded on more to add to the fantasy of the story. FMC father told her stories. I wish she'd of told us one of the stories. To know what the warnings were and why she felt curious or frightened and must be home by nightfall.
The book is simply written, but i'd of liked more detailed description of the characters. If there was no cover, I wouldn't really know what Lilah looked like.
The same can be said for other creatures and other enemy vampires. It's just hair colour that is mentioned and that's all.
The Dark Lands forest is interesting and kind of a character on its own. I felt like it deserved its own dialogue earlier on. Even if we didn't know it was the trees, to add some tension.
"The voices grew angrier, louder, until my head was buzzing with their furious whispers." Don't leave me hanging, tell me what they're saying.
I'm greedy when I'm hooked. I can't help it. I think the story would of benefited with extra chapters with the MMC pov. Around chapter 22 especially, to know what's happening with him at the same time from his perspective.
The story feels more insta-love to me than enemy to lovers. That being said the FMC seems to forms relationships very quickly. This could be due to the quick pacing of the story. The story could of been darker for me, but that's a personal preference. The spice is a 1. This could of been more, and MMC could of been a gentleman and given Lilah some foreplay. The scene felt a little rushed.
Some trigger warnings include, but are not limited to
Blood, injury detail, gore, sexual content, death, death of a parent.
With the way it ended, I will be reading book 2.
The description of the story is what had be craving to read this. I did devour it within a day. If you love fantasy, romance and sexy vampires then this could be for you. It's a fast paced book, but it did have some parts that I felt needed more to make it more engaging.
The magic system in this world was interesting and i liked it, but I felt it could of had more expansion for our understanding. Or the author drip feed us more detail throughout the book as Lilah is learning. For example, there is still the MMC's magic that is unexplained.
I like that the character names are easy to read. It just made it so much easier to keep up with who is who.
Some things mentioned within the book I feel could of been expanded on more to add to the fantasy of the story. FMC father told her stories. I wish she'd of told us one of the stories. To know what the warnings were and why she felt curious or frightened and must be home by nightfall.
The book is simply written, but i'd of liked more detailed description of the characters. If there was no cover, I wouldn't really know what Lilah looked like.
The same can be said for other creatures and other enemy vampires. It's just hair colour that is mentioned and that's all.
The Dark Lands forest is interesting and kind of a character on its own. I felt like it deserved its own dialogue earlier on. Even if we didn't know it was the trees, to add some tension.
"The voices grew angrier, louder, until my head was buzzing with their furious whispers." Don't leave me hanging, tell me what they're saying.
I'm greedy when I'm hooked. I can't help it. I think the story would of benefited with extra chapters with the MMC pov. Around chapter 22 especially, to know what's happening with him at the same time from his perspective.
The story feels more insta-love to me than enemy to lovers. That being said the FMC seems to forms relationships very quickly. This could be due to the quick pacing of the story. The story could of been darker for me, but that's a personal preference. The spice is a 1. This could of been more, and MMC could of been a gentleman and given Lilah some foreplay. The scene felt a little rushed.
Some trigger warnings include, but are not limited to
Blood, injury detail, gore, sexual content, death, death of a parent.
With the way it ended, I will be reading book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Stalking, War
funny
mysterious
medium-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
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-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
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A great story and a quick read. It could of used some editing as in places, the information changes. Like horses being left at the southern gate. To them finding them at the northern gate as promised. Some sentences have words missing, or words with missing letters. It was easy to ignore at first but it did annoy me more towards the end. The ending felt rushed. I'd of liked the story to be longer with more world building and character development. Gale is so mysterious and it hints at this often, but nothing comes of it.
Overall, the books have a good story, a fast pace and are easy to read and enjoy.
Overall, the books have a good story, a fast pace and are easy to read and enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Medical content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence, Grief, Murder, War