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isabellehendo's Reviews (228)
normally i’m not a huge fan of contemporary romances, but i loved this book. i want to live in a ranch and date a cowboy 🥹🥹🥹 pls
i absolutely ate this shit UP. i was super into it for the majority of the book, but a few choices towards the end tripped me up quite a bit. the knotting - i couldn’t get past it. it threw me out of the book and the scene like crazy. also lowe denied her being his mate over and over and it started to get a little annoying - i wish there was a grander declaration when he admitted it to make up for the fucking trauma. lol. little things, yes, but tripped me up overall
overall this book is cute (a good pallet cleanse, in my humble opinion)
overall this book is cute (a good pallet cleanse, in my humble opinion)
there was a lot to like in this book, little to love, though. except dara. i love dara. i could fix dara - i’m convinced.
this entire first book felt like a slow build into the rest of the series. the middle hit a real lull that made it difficult to get through, but i enjoyed the beginning and the end.
this entire first book felt like a slow build into the rest of the series. the middle hit a real lull that made it difficult to get through, but i enjoyed the beginning and the end.
i really enjoyed this book, it was sad and uplifting simultaneously. but the random plot that was clearly leading into a series (or at least a second book) that was just never finished? absolutely threw me out of it
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I cannot give this book anything other than five stars.
This is a novel that encapsulates victimhood, abuse, and trauma in such a poignant way. As more and more women have come forward in the past several years, recounting their experiences of abuse, it is easy to find yourself understanding victimhood through a very narrow lens. Vanessa is the perfect woman to bring to light the complexities of victimhood - her perspective, as both a young girl and an adult, allows you to see through her eyes. Not only do you experience the manipulation, grooming, and abuse she endured in high school, but you also experience how that manipulation changed her ways of thinking and molded her mind. It is disturbing and heartwrenching to watch Strane manipulate her - as an outside observer, you can see the manipulation for what it is, but her unyielding voice forces you to feel the manipulation as she does.
This book made me wildly uncomfortable to read. I found myself looking at the world through the eyes of Vanessa and even looking at my own experiences with SA through Vanessa. That, to me, is the essence of a five-star read. This book is important because of how uncomfortable it makes the reader. Understanding abuse and victimhood from this perspective can only be done through a fictional lens, but it is so important to grasp the many different forms that victimhood and abuse can take.
This book will force you to work your "empathy muscle," and I'm afraid that if you don't, the novel's purpose will be largely lost. Vanessa's perspective is hard to read, and often, in the novel, it is difficult not to get frustrated with her. If you allow yourself to enter her mind and experience her life as she did, this novel will be as monumental for you as it was for me. That being said, I cannot disregard this story and content matter are not for everyone - scenes are heavy and graphic, so read content warnings before opening this book.
This is a novel that encapsulates victimhood, abuse, and trauma in such a poignant way. As more and more women have come forward in the past several years, recounting their experiences of abuse, it is easy to find yourself understanding victimhood through a very narrow lens. Vanessa is the perfect woman to bring to light the complexities of victimhood - her perspective, as both a young girl and an adult, allows you to see through her eyes. Not only do you experience the manipulation, grooming, and abuse she endured in high school, but you also experience how that manipulation changed her ways of thinking and molded her mind. It is disturbing and heartwrenching to watch Strane manipulate her - as an outside observer, you can see the manipulation for what it is, but her unyielding voice forces you to feel the manipulation as she does.
This book made me wildly uncomfortable to read. I found myself looking at the world through the eyes of Vanessa and even looking at my own experiences with SA through Vanessa. That, to me, is the essence of a five-star read. This book is important because of how uncomfortable it makes the reader. Understanding abuse and victimhood from this perspective can only be done through a fictional lens, but it is so important to grasp the many different forms that victimhood and abuse can take.
This book will force you to work your "empathy muscle," and I'm afraid that if you don't, the novel's purpose will be largely lost. Vanessa's perspective is hard to read, and often, in the novel, it is difficult not to get frustrated with her. If you allow yourself to enter her mind and experience her life as she did, this novel will be as monumental for you as it was for me. That being said, I cannot disregard this story and content matter are not for everyone - scenes are heavy and graphic, so read content warnings before opening this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i so so so wish cassandra clare gave me SOMETHING with the characters. tessa was utterly dull, will was a bit infuriating, i really only loved jem and he felt like he was being used as a token side character.
despite the criticism, i did like this book. the plot was giving chaos. i am hoping the other 2 books in this series give me the flushed out characters i so desperately crave. i cannot fathom this being a staple to the fantasy genre, but my fingers remain crossed for the rest of the series.
despite the criticism, i did like this book. the plot was giving chaos. i am hoping the other 2 books in this series give me the flushed out characters i so desperately crave. i cannot fathom this being a staple to the fantasy genre, but my fingers remain crossed for the rest of the series.
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
This book ripped my heart out and glued it together in one fell swoop.
The character building/development is some of the best I have ever experienced in such a short time - it is merely two medium-sized books, yet I felt as if I knew each character in such depth. When I say I love the characters, I genuinely mean that. I could honestly write paragraphs describing each character, their flaws, and their strengths. That is part of what makes this book so enchanting; you feel as if you are watching a team of your most beloved friends rush into danger time and time again. I truly believe the characters are the strength of this book, but that is not to say that the plot and the worldbuilding are not fantastic. The thieving, backstabbing, and plan after plan will keep you on the edge of your seat, wanting to see how they will get out of a situation and what miraculous things this wayward group of kids will attempt to pull off. The world, namely the city of Ketterdam, drags you in just enough to feel like you are there. That said, I would say with certainty that the characters pull you much further into the story than the world. I will recommend this book to everyone for as long as I live.
I need to add this paragraph because where else can I air my grievances? MATTHIAS!!?????!!!!!! Do you mean to tell me that in the first book, Leigh Bardugo decided to do a bang-up job at making me fall deeply in love with Matthias just to fucking MURDER HIM!? He was my favorite character coming out of the first book. His stoic nature, strength, and commitment to doing what he believed was right. His CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!? My god, the character development, the backstory, all of it. YOU MEAN TO TELL ME SHE PUT ME THROUGH ALL OF THIS JUST TO FUCKING KILL HIM OFF!? GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!!!!!!!!
I couldn't put this book down, which led to me sobbing hysterically at 12:30 at night on a Monday. I mean SOBBING. It gutted me. I feel like I felt reading about Sam's death in Assasin's Blade, except worse because I got Matthias for two fucking books. What in the fuck.
The character building/development is some of the best I have ever experienced in such a short time - it is merely two medium-sized books, yet I felt as if I knew each character in such depth. When I say I love the characters, I genuinely mean that. I could honestly write paragraphs describing each character, their flaws, and their strengths. That is part of what makes this book so enchanting; you feel as if you are watching a team of your most beloved friends rush into danger time and time again. I truly believe the characters are the strength of this book, but that is not to say that the plot and the worldbuilding are not fantastic. The thieving, backstabbing, and plan after plan will keep you on the edge of your seat, wanting to see how they will get out of a situation and what miraculous things this wayward group of kids will attempt to pull off. The world, namely the city of Ketterdam, drags you in just enough to feel like you are there. That said, I would say with certainty that the characters pull you much further into the story than the world. I will recommend this book to everyone for as long as I live.
I couldn't put this book down, which led to me sobbing hysterically at 12:30 at night on a Monday. I mean SOBBING. It gutted me. I feel like I felt reading about Sam's death in Assasin's Blade, except worse because I got Matthias for two fucking books. What in the fuck.
adventurous
medium-paced
Tisaanah is a name that made me thankful to have listened to this audiobook rather than attempting to pronounce that damn name on my own.
This book was decent, although it seemed there was nothing all that special about it. I enjoyed Max as a male main character/love interest but found the overarching plot of this book to be all right. It was not a novel that had any lasting impact on me, and I found it forgettable. Despite this, while I was reading it, I enjoyed it.
I would recommend this book to someone who is craving a romantic fantasy book if you have already read many of the better books/series in the genre. Sometimes, I find myself craving a romantic fantasy, and this was one of those times. This book scratched that itch but was nothing spectacular in either of those categories.
This book was decent, although it seemed there was nothing all that special about it. I enjoyed Max as a male main character/love interest but found the overarching plot of this book to be all right. It was not a novel that had any lasting impact on me, and I found it forgettable. Despite this, while I was reading it, I enjoyed it.
I would recommend this book to someone who is craving a romantic fantasy book if you have already read many of the better books/series in the genre. Sometimes, I find myself craving a romantic fantasy, and this was one of those times. This book scratched that itch but was nothing spectacular in either of those categories.