Take a photo of a barcode or cover
kaitie_reads's reviews
192 reviews
Gothikana by RuNyx
dark
tense
medium-paced
2.0
ðĪ Spooky Vibes
ðĶâ⎠Insta-Lust
ðĪ Prof à Student
ðĶâ⎠Gothic and Atmospheric
ðĪ A Pinch of Whodunnit
I'm sorry to everyone who loved this! It just didn't hit the mark for me.
It starts off pretty slow. The first thing I noticed is that the writing feels choppy like it lacks finesse and is slightly repetitive. For this reason, it was hard for me to get into. I took a little break, came back, and decided to keep trying to tackle it again because I did love the premise.
The middle did captivate me for sure, and I found myself feeling really intrigued by the more mysterious aspects of the plot. There is murder, witchcraft, and mysterious disappearances. Creepy, right? Also, there was a steamy library scene that had me swooning... but I feel like the spice really went downhill from that moment on.
Vad (our MMC) is portrayed as this really experienced older guy with grey hair and a dark mysterious maturity, but he's only... 28. I couldn't form a clear picture of him in my mind. I know it's a dark romance, but the relationship just felt *too* manipulative for me. There was no emotional connection between our MCs outside of the insta-lust and sort of cringe power dynamic. Also, there's a scene where Corvina (our FMC) loses her virginity, and it feels... very cringe, brash, and again like it lacks finesse. It made me feel less comfortable with the power dynamic and the coupling altogether. Furthermore, Vad's reasons for avoiding Corvina didn't ever feel... valid to me.
Nevertheless, I powered through because the spooky happenings and romantic development were still intriguing. So, naturally, I developed a lot of questions. Surprise, surprise... those questions are mostly never answered.
The plot basically comes to a head, and our FMC just *blacks out*, and then everything is good and merry and we get a magic happily ever after where ****SPOILERS AHEAD**** our MMC has his previous vasectomy... reversed. Why?! I HATED THIS. It perpetuates the stereotype that people who make life-altering decisions - like permanent birth control - aren't actually certain about those decisions. It was dumb. Also, vasectomies are not always reversible.
I also wonder if the author has actually read Dracula or if they have only seen the film adaptation... because the references to Dracula (the book) all seemed more relative to the film adaptation, which is drastically different from the book.
I think this story could have been better, and it just fell flat for me overall.
ðĶâ⎠Insta-Lust
ðĪ Prof à Student
ðĶâ⎠Gothic and Atmospheric
ðĪ A Pinch of Whodunnit
I'm sorry to everyone who loved this! It just didn't hit the mark for me.
It starts off pretty slow. The first thing I noticed is that the writing feels choppy like it lacks finesse and is slightly repetitive. For this reason, it was hard for me to get into. I took a little break, came back, and decided to keep trying to tackle it again because I did love the premise.
The middle did captivate me for sure, and I found myself feeling really intrigued by the more mysterious aspects of the plot. There is murder, witchcraft, and mysterious disappearances. Creepy, right? Also, there was a steamy library scene that had me swooning... but I feel like the spice really went downhill from that moment on.
Vad (our MMC) is portrayed as this really experienced older guy with grey hair and a dark mysterious maturity, but he's only... 28. I couldn't form a clear picture of him in my mind. I know it's a dark romance, but the relationship just felt *too* manipulative for me. There was no emotional connection between our MCs outside of the insta-lust and sort of cringe power dynamic. Also, there's a scene where Corvina (our FMC) loses her virginity, and it feels... very cringe, brash, and again like it lacks finesse. It made me feel less comfortable with the power dynamic and the coupling altogether. Furthermore, Vad's reasons for avoiding Corvina didn't ever feel... valid to me.
Nevertheless, I powered through because the spooky happenings and romantic development were still intriguing. So, naturally, I developed a lot of questions. Surprise, surprise... those questions are mostly never answered.
The plot basically comes to a head, and our FMC just *blacks out*, and then everything is good and merry and we get a magic happily ever after where ****SPOILERS AHEAD**** our MMC has his previous vasectomy... reversed. Why?! I HATED THIS. It perpetuates the stereotype that people who make life-altering decisions - like permanent birth control - aren't actually certain about those decisions. It was dumb. Also, vasectomies are not always reversible.
I also wonder if the author has actually read Dracula or if they have only seen the film adaptation... because the references to Dracula (the book) all seemed more relative to the film adaptation, which is drastically different from the book.
I think this story could have been better, and it just fell flat for me overall.
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
ðĐļ Female Rage & Retribution
ðĪ Slow Burn Sapphic Romance
ðĐļ Carmilla Retelling/Reworking
ðĪ Atmospheric + Horror Vibes
ðĐļ Victorian Setting
This is a book that you can really sink your teeth into.
If, like me, you hunger for female rage and retribution, this book delivers. I haven't stopped thinking about it since I put it down, and (it feels early to say this BUT) I think it will be a top contender for my favourite reads of 2025.
Now, I actually haven't read Carmilla, and the vampire *thing* played a more minor role than I had anticipated, but I think that this feminist and queer reworking was brilliant.
This book is going to speak to the people-pleasers of the world, and it will speak to the women who feel like they've had to reduce themselves to fill a role. It will speak to the women who have ever felt like they're playing a part because they feel that who they are at the core isn't worthy of being loved.
I could go on. I could describe the poetic prose. I could talk about the perfectly built atmospheric setting. I could tell you about the slow-burn romantic tension and the perfectly structured yearning between Lenore (FMC) and Carmilla. I could reminisce about the horror elements and mysteries intertwined with the story itself. I could rave about all of the metaphors used therein. I could probably write a novel about this book if I tried... but I think that you should just read it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
ðĪ Slow Burn Sapphic Romance
ðĐļ Carmilla Retelling/Reworking
ðĪ Atmospheric + Horror Vibes
ðĐļ Victorian Setting
This is a book that you can really sink your teeth into.
If, like me, you hunger for female rage and retribution, this book delivers. I haven't stopped thinking about it since I put it down, and (it feels early to say this BUT) I think it will be a top contender for my favourite reads of 2025.
Now, I actually haven't read Carmilla, and the vampire *thing* played a more minor role than I had anticipated, but I think that this feminist and queer reworking was brilliant.
This book is going to speak to the people-pleasers of the world, and it will speak to the women who feel like they've had to reduce themselves to fill a role. It will speak to the women who have ever felt like they're playing a part because they feel that who they are at the core isn't worthy of being loved.
I could go on. I could describe the poetic prose. I could talk about the perfectly built atmospheric setting. I could tell you about the slow-burn romantic tension and the perfectly structured yearning between Lenore (FMC) and Carmilla. I could reminisce about the horror elements and mysteries intertwined with the story itself. I could rave about all of the metaphors used therein. I could probably write a novel about this book if I tried... but I think that you should just read it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
ð F*ck the Patriarchy
ðĐļ An Important Message
ð Devastating
ðĐļ Historical Fiction Vibe
ð Slow-Building
I'll be honest, I really wasn't sure about this one for a long time. It's a very slow-building story. However - and this is a big - however - by the end, I felt such a profound mix of heartache and undeniable burning rage.
We start out in the year 1970 with the story following Neva, who is brought to a home for pregnant teenage girls, where she can hide from the public eye, have her baby and then return to a "normal" life. We quickly see the injustice of this situation. The manipulation, lies, and deceit that they used on these children is horrific.
Then, there is the witchcraft. I'm still confused about how Grady Hendrix used witchcraft as a plot device because he uses a lot of stereotypical explanations of witches - which is rooted in misogyny - and the witches are meant to help, but they are also deceitful. This portion of the story didn't feel refined, and while ultimately playing a part, it wasn't the part I was anticipating.
Which brings me to: I'm not sure if this story was a story that should've been told through the words of a man. While Hendrix does a wonderful job of delicately handling the actual injustices that these girls faced, I'm still hung up on the witchcraft. The witchcraft is the only part of this story that is supernatural and horrific, so it feels like it's used to keep the story under the horror umbrella vs. historical fiction... and it misses the mark.
The last 20% or so? Brilliant. I'm getting personal here - but as someone who became a young(er) mom (at 22), there is still SO MUCH misogyny in the labour & delivery ward. A lot of the treatment our FMC experiences is very authentic to how I was treated, and it made me rage. It also brings about this important message: that we can NOT go backward. The trauma and heartache that was thrust upon these young girls, who were often victims already, is devastating.
Overall, this was an important story, but I did find the delivery a little bit murky.
~
This is definitely NOT the story for anyone squeamish about pregnancy, medical intervention, labour, delivery, and loss. â ïļ
ðĢðąðŠð·ðī ððļðū ð―ðļ ððŪð―ð°ðŠðĩðĩðŪð ðŠð·ð ððŪðŧðīðĩðŪð ðŊðļðŧ ðŠð· ððĄð ðļðŊ ð―ðąðēðž ðŦðļðļðī ðēð· ðŪððŽðąðŠð·ð°ðŪ ðŊðļðŧ ðķð ðąðļð·ðŪðžð― ðŧðŪðŋðēðŪð.
ðĐļ An Important Message
ð Devastating
ðĐļ Historical Fiction Vibe
ð Slow-Building
I'll be honest, I really wasn't sure about this one for a long time. It's a very slow-building story. However - and this is a big - however - by the end, I felt such a profound mix of heartache and undeniable burning rage.
We start out in the year 1970 with the story following Neva, who is brought to a home for pregnant teenage girls, where she can hide from the public eye, have her baby and then return to a "normal" life. We quickly see the injustice of this situation. The manipulation, lies, and deceit that they used on these children is horrific.
Then, there is the witchcraft. I'm still confused about how Grady Hendrix used witchcraft as a plot device because he uses a lot of stereotypical explanations of witches - which is rooted in misogyny - and the witches are meant to help, but they are also deceitful. This portion of the story didn't feel refined, and while ultimately playing a part, it wasn't the part I was anticipating.
Which brings me to: I'm not sure if this story was a story that should've been told through the words of a man. While Hendrix does a wonderful job of delicately handling the actual injustices that these girls faced, I'm still hung up on the witchcraft. The witchcraft is the only part of this story that is supernatural and horrific, so it feels like it's used to keep the story under the horror umbrella vs. historical fiction... and it misses the mark.
The last 20% or so? Brilliant. I'm getting personal here - but as someone who became a young(er) mom (at 22), there is still SO MUCH misogyny in the labour & delivery ward. A lot of the treatment our FMC experiences is very authentic to how I was treated, and it made me rage. It also brings about this important message: that we can NOT go backward. The trauma and heartache that was thrust upon these young girls, who were often victims already, is devastating.
Overall, this was an important story, but I did find the delivery a little bit murky.
~
This is definitely NOT the story for anyone squeamish about pregnancy, medical intervention, labour, delivery, and loss. â ïļ
ðĢðąðŠð·ðī ððļðū ð―ðļ ððŪð―ð°ðŠðĩðĩðŪð ðŠð·ð ððŪðŧðīðĩðŪð ðŊðļðŧ ðŠð· ððĄð ðļðŊ ð―ðąðēðž ðŦðļðļðī ðēð· ðŪððŽðąðŠð·ð°ðŪ ðŊðļðŧ ðķð ðąðļð·ðŪðžð― ðŧðŪðŋðēðŪð.
A Dawn of Gods & Fury by K.A. Tucker
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
âïļ Multi POV
ðĐ· Final Battle
âïļ True Enemies to Lovers
ðĐ· Politics and Scheming
âïļ Mythical Creatures
I absolutely LOVE this series, but honestly, I'm a little bit disappointed by this final installment.
There is a lot of worldbuilding, character, and lore development in this final book, and... it's too much for the final book in a series.
I loved the introduction of a true enemies-to-lovers plot line between two of our characters ~ it was sticky and sweet like honey *nudge nudge*. The banter was phenomenal. However, this plot line happened separately from the main plot.
This book starts out as an incredibly slow burn, but obviously, that's because it's building up to a completely epic finale, right? Right?! Please tell me I'm right...
But alas, I was wrong. The ending feels rushed (almost as if it was hastily put together to meet a deadline), and the final battle is anticlimactic. Some plot resolutions felt too convenient, and it was all over before it had the chance to begin. Minor plot lines are left unresolved (like a love triangle situation that felt unfair, ultimately).
Romeria (FMC) lost some of her spark in this book. I found Zander (MMC) irritating, but thankfully, they both played a smaller role in this book. However, the overall character wrap-up felt incomplete: many beloved characters received an unsatisfactory ending.
I've learned that there might be a spin-off, and I'd love for that to happen; I feel like it could bring some more fleshed-out resolutions and insight into some of the other characters without being revolved around Zander and Romeria's main story.
I know this review sounds critical, but it's still a VERY GOOD story. I love the world that K.A. Tucker has created. I think I had just hoped for a much bigger impact and satisfying ending because I adored this series so much. Unfortunately, it all feels a little bit incomplete, stunting the emotional impact.
~
One final note: Elizabeth Klett does an absolutely fantastic job as the narrator and I thoroughly enjoyed these books via audio.
ðĐ· Final Battle
âïļ True Enemies to Lovers
ðĐ· Politics and Scheming
âïļ Mythical Creatures
I absolutely LOVE this series, but honestly, I'm a little bit disappointed by this final installment.
There is a lot of worldbuilding, character, and lore development in this final book, and... it's too much for the final book in a series.
I loved the introduction of a true enemies-to-lovers plot line between two of our characters ~ it was sticky and sweet like honey *nudge nudge*. The banter was phenomenal. However, this plot line happened separately from the main plot.
This book starts out as an incredibly slow burn, but obviously, that's because it's building up to a completely epic finale, right? Right?! Please tell me I'm right...
But alas, I was wrong. The ending feels rushed (almost as if it was hastily put together to meet a deadline), and the final battle is anticlimactic. Some plot resolutions felt too convenient, and it was all over before it had the chance to begin. Minor plot lines are left unresolved (like a love triangle situation that felt unfair, ultimately).
Romeria (FMC) lost some of her spark in this book. I found Zander (MMC) irritating, but thankfully, they both played a smaller role in this book. However, the overall character wrap-up felt incomplete: many beloved characters received an unsatisfactory ending.
I've learned that there might be a spin-off, and I'd love for that to happen; I feel like it could bring some more fleshed-out resolutions and insight into some of the other characters without being revolved around Zander and Romeria's main story.
I know this review sounds critical, but it's still a VERY GOOD story. I love the world that K.A. Tucker has created. I think I had just hoped for a much bigger impact and satisfying ending because I adored this series so much. Unfortunately, it all feels a little bit incomplete, stunting the emotional impact.
~
One final note: Elizabeth Klett does an absolutely fantastic job as the narrator and I thoroughly enjoyed these books via audio.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
ðē Sassy Dragons
âïļ Throne Scene (iykyk)
ðē Wtffff Ending
âïļ Worldbuilding and Politics
ðē Violet Kicks Butt
OKAY, so everyone told me that I'd be really frustrated by the miscommunication between our two heroes in this book, and tbh, I was prepared for a lot worse. Honestly, Violet is a bit of a hypocrite, but so am I, so who am I to judge? ð
Like many fantasy novels, this sequel focuses a lot on worldbuilding, the dystopian type, the end-is-coming plot line, and a heavy dose of character development. While I did find the pacing choppy at times, I feel like this was a really good continuation of the story nevertheless. Is there a lot of petty young adult type drama? Yes. Did I eat it up? Also... yes.
I really enjoyed how this book had some great spice, but because of that miscommunication that everyone else HATED, it helped prevent the spice from becoming repetitive. Rebecca Yarros is really good at writing a steamy scene, and I find her knowledge base from being a successful romance author really adds to that experience. I've seen other fantasy authors who can write good yearning and romantic tension, but when it comes to the actual open-door scenes, it just doesn't hit home the same way; Rebecca Yarros can write the hell out of an open-door scene.
I'm pretty excited for Onyx Storm because I think this book sets us up SO well for the next installment. While I had a few minor issues and I'm mad about the [cliffhanger] ending, I'm really excited to see where this goes next. Honestly, the sassy dragons are my favourite part, and both Tairn and Andarna have my whole heart.
~
Tairn's life lesson:
"We do not eat our allies."
âïļ Throne Scene (iykyk)
ðē Wtffff Ending
âïļ Worldbuilding and Politics
ðē Violet Kicks Butt
OKAY, so everyone told me that I'd be really frustrated by the miscommunication between our two heroes in this book, and tbh, I was prepared for a lot worse. Honestly, Violet is a bit of a hypocrite, but so am I, so who am I to judge? ð
Like many fantasy novels, this sequel focuses a lot on worldbuilding, the dystopian type, the end-is-coming plot line, and a heavy dose of character development. While I did find the pacing choppy at times, I feel like this was a really good continuation of the story nevertheless. Is there a lot of petty young adult type drama? Yes. Did I eat it up? Also... yes.
I really enjoyed how this book had some great spice, but because of that miscommunication that everyone else HATED, it helped prevent the spice from becoming repetitive. Rebecca Yarros is really good at writing a steamy scene, and I find her knowledge base from being a successful romance author really adds to that experience. I've seen other fantasy authors who can write good yearning and romantic tension, but when it comes to the actual open-door scenes, it just doesn't hit home the same way; Rebecca Yarros can write the hell out of an open-door scene.
I'm pretty excited for Onyx Storm because I think this book sets us up SO well for the next installment. While I had a few minor issues and I'm mad about the [cliffhanger] ending, I'm really excited to see where this goes next. Honestly, the sassy dragons are my favourite part, and both Tairn and Andarna have my whole heart.
~
Tairn's life lesson:
"We do not eat our allies."
Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
ðđ Beauty & The Beast Vibes
ðĪ Sweet romance
ðđ A little book with a big punch
ðĪ Lovable Characters
ðđ Gorgeous prose
~
Wow! This little novella packs such a big punch. With the way Carissa Broadbent writes and her immersive prose, you're instantly drawn-in to this story and its characters. For being >200 pages, this feels like a fully hashed out love story, and it had me absolutely swooning.
You can tell early on that this was Beauty & The Beast inspired. With a quiet, intelligent, and somewhat ostracized FMC named Lillith and the brooding, dark, but inherently sweet and gooey MMC (Vale) who is soft only for our small but mighty FMC.
The little notes and drawings in the margins of the letters he sends her? My heart.
~
"ð ððŠðž ð―ðąðŪ ðžð―ðŧðŠð·ð°ðŪ, ðŽðļðĩð ðļð·ðŪ - ð―ðąðŪ ðļð·ðŪ ððąðļ ðŽðļðūðĩð ððŪðŽðēðđðąðŪðŧ ð―ðŪðð―ðŦðļðļðīðž ðŠð·ð ðŪðšðūðŠð―ðēðļð·ðž ðŦðūð― ðžð―ðŧðūð°ð°ðĩðŪð ð―ðļ ððŪðŽðēðđðąðŪðŧ ð―ðąðŪ ðŪððŠðŽð― ðŽðŠððŪð·ðŽðŪ ðļðŊ ðŠ ðŋðļðēðŽðŪ ð―ðąðŠð― ðķðŠððŪ ðŠ ð·ðŠðķðŪ ðŠ ð―ðŪðŧðķ ðļðŊ ðŪð·ððŪðŠðŧðķðŪð·ð―, ðļðŧ ð―ðąðŪ ðđðŠð―ð―ðŪðŧð· ðļðŊ ðŠ ð―ðļðūðŽðą ð―ðąðŠð― ðķðŠððŪ ðēð― ðŠ ðŽðŠðŧðŪðžðž."
"ððŪðŽðŠðūðžðŪ ð ððŠð·ð― ðļð·ðĩð ððļðū, ððēðĩðĩðēð―ðą. ðĶðąðŠð―ðŪðŋðŪðŧ ðļðŊ ððļðū ð ðŽðŠð· ðąðŠðŋðŪ. ð'ðĩðĩ ð―ðŠðīðŪ ðļð·ðŪ ð·ðēð°ðąð―. ðð·ðŪ ðąðļðūðŧ. ðð·ðŪ ðķðēð·ðūð―ðŪ. ðĶðąðŠð―ðŪðŋðŪðŧ ððļðū ððŠð·ð― ð―ðļ ð°ðēðŋðŪ ðķðŪ. ð'ðĩðĩ ðąðŠðŋðŪ ðēð―."
ðĪ Sweet romance
ðđ A little book with a big punch
ðĪ Lovable Characters
ðđ Gorgeous prose
~
Wow! This little novella packs such a big punch. With the way Carissa Broadbent writes and her immersive prose, you're instantly drawn-in to this story and its characters. For being >200 pages, this feels like a fully hashed out love story, and it had me absolutely swooning.
You can tell early on that this was Beauty & The Beast inspired. With a quiet, intelligent, and somewhat ostracized FMC named Lillith and the brooding, dark, but inherently sweet and gooey MMC (Vale) who is soft only for our small but mighty FMC.
The little notes and drawings in the margins of the letters he sends her? My heart.
~
"ð ððŠðž ð―ðąðŪ ðžð―ðŧðŠð·ð°ðŪ, ðŽðļðĩð ðļð·ðŪ - ð―ðąðŪ ðļð·ðŪ ððąðļ ðŽðļðūðĩð ððŪðŽðēðđðąðŪðŧ ð―ðŪðð―ðŦðļðļðīðž ðŠð·ð ðŪðšðūðŠð―ðēðļð·ðž ðŦðūð― ðžð―ðŧðūð°ð°ðĩðŪð ð―ðļ ððŪðŽðēðđðąðŪðŧ ð―ðąðŪ ðŪððŠðŽð― ðŽðŠððŪð·ðŽðŪ ðļðŊ ðŠ ðŋðļðēðŽðŪ ð―ðąðŠð― ðķðŠððŪ ðŠ ð·ðŠðķðŪ ðŠ ð―ðŪðŧðķ ðļðŊ ðŪð·ððŪðŠðŧðķðŪð·ð―, ðļðŧ ð―ðąðŪ ðđðŠð―ð―ðŪðŧð· ðļðŊ ðŠ ð―ðļðūðŽðą ð―ðąðŠð― ðķðŠððŪ ðēð― ðŠ ðŽðŠðŧðŪðžðž."
"ððŪðŽðŠðūðžðŪ ð ððŠð·ð― ðļð·ðĩð ððļðū, ððēðĩðĩðēð―ðą. ðĶðąðŠð―ðŪðŋðŪðŧ ðļðŊ ððļðū ð ðŽðŠð· ðąðŠðŋðŪ. ð'ðĩðĩ ð―ðŠðīðŪ ðļð·ðŪ ð·ðēð°ðąð―. ðð·ðŪ ðąðļðūðŧ. ðð·ðŪ ðķðēð·ðūð―ðŪ. ðĶðąðŠð―ðŪðŋðŪðŧ ððļðū ððŠð·ð― ð―ðļ ð°ðēðŋðŪ ðķðŪ. ð'ðĩðĩ ðąðŠðŋðŪ ðēð―."
Heirs of the Cursed by L.C. Emerson, Denna Selen
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
2.0
ðĐ· Dual POV
ð° Cursed Kingdom
ðĐ· Strong FMCs
ð° LGBTQ Rep
ðĐ· Betrayal and Sacrifice
I really wanted to love this story, but I feel as though it lacks finesse, and after reading, I'm left with too many questions that I think should've been answered in this first installment. Although it is very readable and I never found myself losing interest despite those perceived flaws.
Darcia and Naithea are lost princesses - two cursed heirs - who were stolen from their confinement and whose freedom is threatening the entire kingdom - unbeknownst to them. My largest issue with this story is that I'm just very confused about the curse altogether. I tried to go back and read, and I tried to understand the connection, but I still don't understand the details about why they are cursed and how their stories are interconnected with the royal family. It could definitely be a me problem, but I feel like this wasn't hashed out enough for comprehension.
The twins also have magical powers, but I don't really understand how that magic works because it conveniently seems to give them more power when needed. Frustratingly, they both pretty much refuse to learn to harness and develop their own powers unless it's convenient for the plot progression.
~
Many elements in the story just don't make sense to me, like:
âĒ Darcia is ruthlessly beaten by her stepbrother, which is a major plot point, and their father has absolutely no idea but lives in the same household, even though she's constantly sporting bruises and whip marks. It mentions that she muffles her own screams so that he won't find out, but it feels unrealistic.
âĒ Naithea is a hetaira who is under the strict rule of Madame Dimond. At the beginning of the story, she can't even leave the brothel for simple errands, but soon she's running through the streets trying to solve the mystery of the lost princesses and training with the dangerous knights who are seeking her and her twin sister. It feels like some minor details are lost or overlooked for the sake of story progression.
âĒ The commanders of the king's army were unbelievably naive for supposedly cutthroat war masters. There was just way too much getting past them.
~
I did love the sex worker representation in this story and how Naithea never lets the world get her down. Both of the protagonists are fiercely loyal and wonderful women, so I really appreciate these strong female characters.
One more point I have is that I think certain readers are going to take issue with a tragedy that occurs in this story, just because of how the story is marketed and how it almost brushes off an important part of one of our protagonists' lives. I think how this particular element of the story carries through will have a lot of impact, but I have a sense of where the direction will go... and I don't like it.
I did really enjoy the writing; the worldbuilding doesn't feel too infodumpy (but again, it also feels too incomplete), and I liked the characters, but overall, there was just too much missing for me to want to continue with this series.
Thank you so much to the authors for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
ð° Cursed Kingdom
ðĐ· Strong FMCs
ð° LGBTQ Rep
ðĐ· Betrayal and Sacrifice
I really wanted to love this story, but I feel as though it lacks finesse, and after reading, I'm left with too many questions that I think should've been answered in this first installment. Although it is very readable and I never found myself losing interest despite those perceived flaws.
Darcia and Naithea are lost princesses - two cursed heirs - who were stolen from their confinement and whose freedom is threatening the entire kingdom - unbeknownst to them. My largest issue with this story is that I'm just very confused about the curse altogether. I tried to go back and read, and I tried to understand the connection, but I still don't understand the details about why they are cursed and how their stories are interconnected with the royal family. It could definitely be a me problem, but I feel like this wasn't hashed out enough for comprehension.
The twins also have magical powers, but I don't really understand how that magic works because it conveniently seems to give them more power when needed. Frustratingly, they both pretty much refuse to learn to harness and develop their own powers unless it's convenient for the plot progression.
~
Many elements in the story just don't make sense to me, like:
âĒ Darcia is ruthlessly beaten by her stepbrother, which is a major plot point, and their father has absolutely no idea but lives in the same household, even though she's constantly sporting bruises and whip marks. It mentions that she muffles her own screams so that he won't find out, but it feels unrealistic.
âĒ Naithea is a hetaira who is under the strict rule of Madame Dimond. At the beginning of the story, she can't even leave the brothel for simple errands, but soon she's running through the streets trying to solve the mystery of the lost princesses and training with the dangerous knights who are seeking her and her twin sister. It feels like some minor details are lost or overlooked for the sake of story progression.
âĒ The commanders of the king's army were unbelievably naive for supposedly cutthroat war masters. There was just way too much getting past them.
~
I did love the sex worker representation in this story and how Naithea never lets the world get her down. Both of the protagonists are fiercely loyal and wonderful women, so I really appreciate these strong female characters.
One more point I have is that I think certain readers are going to take issue with a tragedy that occurs in this story, just because of how the story is marketed and how it almost brushes off an important part of one of our protagonists' lives. I think how this particular element of the story carries through will have a lot of impact, but I have a sense of where the direction will go... and I don't like it.
I did really enjoy the writing; the worldbuilding doesn't feel too infodumpy (but again, it also feels too incomplete), and I liked the characters, but overall, there was just too much missing for me to want to continue with this series.
Thank you so much to the authors for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
ðŠĶ Grave Robbing
ð M/M Romance
ðŠĶ Macabre... but sweet
ð Funny banter
ðŠĶ A pinch of murder mystery
This wasn't exactly what I expected, but I had a good time.
This story follows a young man named James in Victorian-era Edinburgh who is studying to become a surgeon/physician, but hands-on work is hard to find...
So I kind of expected more of an atmospheric and gothic vibe from this book, but it's almost more of a dark comedy and historical crime read. I love learning about grave robbing and resurrection men, so the actual historical tie-ins were well done and informative but in a fun way.
It's at times grotesque but more in a humorous macabre way than overtly dark. The actual grave robbing and dissection portions earlier on in the story were my favourite aspects. I did find the romance element in this kind of took over the plot for me, but I still feel like I enjoyed the story overall. The m/m romance, however, was very sweet (it is closed-door). It was one of those stories where the first 1/3 packs a greater punch than the rest of the book, I did find I lost interest here and there, but it also has a very unique overall vibe.
I think it was a really good debut, but it's not as horror-esque as I was expecting. It's like macabre: but make it lighter & fluffy.
ðĢðąðŠð·ðī ððļðū ð―ðļ ððŪð―ð°ðŠðĩðĩðŪð ðŠð·ð ððŪð·ðžðēð·ð°ð―ðļð· ððūðŦðĩðēðžðąðēð·ð° ðŊðļðŧ ð―ðąðŪ ððĄð ðļðŊ ð―ðąðēðž ðŦðļðļðī ðēð· ðŪððŽðąðŠð·ð°ðŪ ðŊðļðŧ ðķð ðąðļð·ðŪðžð― ðŧðŪðŋðēðŪð.
ð M/M Romance
ðŠĶ Macabre... but sweet
ð Funny banter
ðŠĶ A pinch of murder mystery
This wasn't exactly what I expected, but I had a good time.
This story follows a young man named James in Victorian-era Edinburgh who is studying to become a surgeon/physician, but hands-on work is hard to find...
So I kind of expected more of an atmospheric and gothic vibe from this book, but it's almost more of a dark comedy and historical crime read. I love learning about grave robbing and resurrection men, so the actual historical tie-ins were well done and informative but in a fun way.
It's at times grotesque but more in a humorous macabre way than overtly dark. The actual grave robbing and dissection portions earlier on in the story were my favourite aspects. I did find the romance element in this kind of took over the plot for me, but I still feel like I enjoyed the story overall. The m/m romance, however, was very sweet (it is closed-door). It was one of those stories where the first 1/3 packs a greater punch than the rest of the book, I did find I lost interest here and there, but it also has a very unique overall vibe.
I think it was a really good debut, but it's not as horror-esque as I was expecting. It's like macabre: but make it lighter & fluffy.
ðĢðąðŠð·ðī ððļðū ð―ðļ ððŪð―ð°ðŠðĩðĩðŪð ðŠð·ð ððŪð·ðžðēð·ð°ð―ðļð· ððūðŦðĩðēðžðąðēð·ð° ðŊðļðŧ ð―ðąðŪ ððĄð ðļðŊ ð―ðąðēðž ðŦðļðļðī ðēð· ðŪððŽðąðŠð·ð°ðŪ ðŊðļðŧ ðķð ðąðļð·ðŪðžð― ðŧðŪðŋðēðŪð.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
ðĶ Vampires
âĪïļ Trial Games
ðĶ OMG twists & turns
âĪïļ Fast-Paced
ðĶ But Daddy, I Love Him
Okay, so overall, this was really excellent.
I did struggle a little bit to get into it. I'm not sure if it's because I've read quite a few books with trials and challenges lately or if I just prefer a slower build into the story; either way, I feel that it's on me.
Carissa Broadbent dumps us right into the action with a tense world of political conflict with vampires scheming for power and villages of - essentially - human slaves. Oraya (FMC) is a human raised (as if she were his own daughter) by the vampire king.
I almost feel like I'd get more out of this book on a reread than I did initially, so that will likely happen sometime. I did have a lot of questions for a long time ...but when everything falls into place it's with a fucking bang. My jaw is still on the floor. The stakes are very high; it's dark, and there's a foreboding type atmosphere throughout the entire story, which I love.
The spice and yearning are also done so well. I love the banter and uncertainty between Oraya and Raihn (MMC). Raihn is definitely on my list of book boyfriends ðĨ.
I'm so antsy to continue with this series!
~
"ððŪ ððŠðž ðļð· ðąðēðž ðīð·ðŪðŪðž, ðžð―ðŠðŧðēð·ð° ðūðđ ðŠð― ðķðŪ. ðð·ð ð―ðąðŠð― - ð―ðąðŪ ððŠð ðąðŪ ðĩðļðļðīðŪð ðŠð― ðķðŪ - ððŠðž ð―ðąðŪ ðŊðēðŧðžð― ð―ðąðēð·ð° ð―ðąðŠð― ðŊðŪðĩð― ðŧðŪðŠðĩ. ðĄðŪðŠðĩ, ðŧðŠð ðŠð·ð... ðŽðļð·ðŊðūðžðēð·ð°. ððŪðŽðŠðūðžðŪ ðąðŪ ðĩðļðļðīðŪð ðūðđ ðŠð― ðķðŪ ðēð· ðžðąðŪðŪðŧ ðŠððŪ - ðĩðēðīðŪ ð ððŠðž ð―ðąðŪ ðķðļðžð― ðēð·ðŽðŧðŪððēðŦðĩðŪ ð―ðąðēð·ð° ðąðŪ ðąðŠð ðŪðŋðŪðŧ ðžðŪðŪð·. ððēðīðŪ ð ððŠðž ðŠ ðŊðūðŽðīðēð·ð° ð°ðļðððŪðžðž."
"ð'ðŋðŪ ðĩðēðŋðŪð ð―ðąðŧðļðūð°ðą ðžðļðķðŪ ðēð·ðģðūðžð―ðēðŽðŪðž ðēð· ð―ðąðŪ ðĩðŠðžð― ðŽðļðūðđðĩðŪ ðļðŊ ðŽðŪð·ð―ðūðŧðēðŪðž. ðĒðŪðŪð· ðžðļðķðŪ ðŊðūðŽðīðēð·ð° ð―ðŧðŠðŋðŪðžð―ðēðŪðž. ððūð― ðļð·ðŪ ðļðŊ ð―ðąðŪ ðŦðēð°ð°ðŪðžð―, ððŧðŠððŠ, ðēðž ð―ðąðŠð― ðŠð·ððļð·ðŪ ð―ðŠðūð°ðąð― ððļðū ð―ðąðŠð― ððļðū ðžðąðļðūðĩð ðŦðŪðŽðļðķðŪ ðŠð·ðð―ðąðēð·ð° ðļð―ðąðŪðŧ ð―ðąðŠð· ðŪððŠðŽð―ðĩð ððąðŠð― ððļðū ðŠðŧðŪ."
âĪïļ Trial Games
ðĶ OMG twists & turns
âĪïļ Fast-Paced
ðĶ But Daddy, I Love Him
Okay, so overall, this was really excellent.
I did struggle a little bit to get into it. I'm not sure if it's because I've read quite a few books with trials and challenges lately or if I just prefer a slower build into the story; either way, I feel that it's on me.
Carissa Broadbent dumps us right into the action with a tense world of political conflict with vampires scheming for power and villages of - essentially - human slaves. Oraya (FMC) is a human raised (as if she were his own daughter) by the vampire king.
I almost feel like I'd get more out of this book on a reread than I did initially, so that will likely happen sometime. I did have a lot of questions for a long time ...but when everything falls into place it's with a fucking bang. My jaw is still on the floor. The stakes are very high; it's dark, and there's a foreboding type atmosphere throughout the entire story, which I love.
The spice and yearning are also done so well. I love the banter and uncertainty between Oraya and Raihn (MMC). Raihn is definitely on my list of book boyfriends ðĨ.
I'm so antsy to continue with this series!
~
"ððŪ ððŠðž ðļð· ðąðēðž ðīð·ðŪðŪðž, ðžð―ðŠðŧðēð·ð° ðūðđ ðŠð― ðķðŪ. ðð·ð ð―ðąðŠð― - ð―ðąðŪ ððŠð ðąðŪ ðĩðļðļðīðŪð ðŠð― ðķðŪ - ððŠðž ð―ðąðŪ ðŊðēðŧðžð― ð―ðąðēð·ð° ð―ðąðŠð― ðŊðŪðĩð― ðŧðŪðŠðĩ. ðĄðŪðŠðĩ, ðŧðŠð ðŠð·ð... ðŽðļð·ðŊðūðžðēð·ð°. ððŪðŽðŠðūðžðŪ ðąðŪ ðĩðļðļðīðŪð ðūðđ ðŠð― ðķðŪ ðēð· ðžðąðŪðŪðŧ ðŠððŪ - ðĩðēðīðŪ ð ððŠðž ð―ðąðŪ ðķðļðžð― ðēð·ðŽðŧðŪððēðŦðĩðŪ ð―ðąðēð·ð° ðąðŪ ðąðŠð ðŪðŋðŪðŧ ðžðŪðŪð·. ððēðīðŪ ð ððŠðž ðŠ ðŊðūðŽðīðēð·ð° ð°ðļðððŪðžðž."
"ð'ðŋðŪ ðĩðēðŋðŪð ð―ðąðŧðļðūð°ðą ðžðļðķðŪ ðēð·ðģðūðžð―ðēðŽðŪðž ðēð· ð―ðąðŪ ðĩðŠðžð― ðŽðļðūðđðĩðŪ ðļðŊ ðŽðŪð·ð―ðūðŧðēðŪðž. ðĒðŪðŪð· ðžðļðķðŪ ðŊðūðŽðīðēð·ð° ð―ðŧðŠðŋðŪðžð―ðēðŪðž. ððūð― ðļð·ðŪ ðļðŊ ð―ðąðŪ ðŦðēð°ð°ðŪðžð―, ððŧðŠððŠ, ðēðž ð―ðąðŠð― ðŠð·ððļð·ðŪ ð―ðŠðūð°ðąð― ððļðū ð―ðąðŠð― ððļðū ðžðąðļðūðĩð ðŦðŪðŽðļðķðŪ ðŠð·ðð―ðąðēð·ð° ðļð―ðąðŪðŧ ð―ðąðŠð· ðŪððŠðŽð―ðĩð ððąðŠð― ððļðū ðŠðŧðŪ."
A Queen of Thieves & Chaos by K.A. Tucker
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Audiobook Review ~
**series spoiler-free**
Reread. âĻïļ
ðĨ Sequel
âïļ Multiple POV
ðĨ Dragons and Mythical Creatures
âïļ Side Characters in the Spotlight
ðĨ Battle Scenes and Political Intrigue
~
Have I ever mentioned how much I love this series? ð Probably only... 30 times. It's just exactly the perfect blend of fantasy and romance for me. There is so much scheming, political intrigue, and some heavier fantasy elements.... but it also has pining, romance, and just a touch of spice that pulls it all together.
This book introduces more POVs, but since we know the characters so well, it doesn't feel confusing or over the top, and it makes the story so much more interesting to get to see from multiple perspectives. More love stories are introduced, side characters are developed, and this book just expands on so many plot points in a way that is easy to digest.
What I love about Romeria (FMC) and Zander (MMC) is their adaptability. They are both compassionate individuals, and we don't lose the plot in their romantic explorations. Their relationship feels real, raw, and mature, compared to other main couples in similar romantasy stories.
It's easily my favourite book of this series so far... as I'm rereading in preparation for my first read of the 4th and final book.
**series spoiler-free**
Reread. âĻïļ
ðĨ Sequel
âïļ Multiple POV
ðĨ Dragons and Mythical Creatures
âïļ Side Characters in the Spotlight
ðĨ Battle Scenes and Political Intrigue
~
Have I ever mentioned how much I love this series? ð Probably only... 30 times. It's just exactly the perfect blend of fantasy and romance for me. There is so much scheming, political intrigue, and some heavier fantasy elements.... but it also has pining, romance, and just a touch of spice that pulls it all together.
This book introduces more POVs, but since we know the characters so well, it doesn't feel confusing or over the top, and it makes the story so much more interesting to get to see from multiple perspectives. More love stories are introduced, side characters are developed, and this book just expands on so many plot points in a way that is easy to digest.
What I love about Romeria (FMC) and Zander (MMC) is their adaptability. They are both compassionate individuals, and we don't lose the plot in their romantic explorations. Their relationship feels real, raw, and mature, compared to other main couples in similar romantasy stories.
It's easily my favourite book of this series so far... as I'm rereading in preparation for my first read of the 4th and final book.