Scan barcode
redhairedashreads's reviews
4552 reviews
Berserk, Vol. 4 by Kentaro Miura
TW: on page rape, death, child abuse, animal death, injuries
3.0
3 stars - I liked it
This volume continues Guts backstory. Guts has had a very hard life and we quickly learn part of why he is so antisocial and aggressive about being around other people. He was abused and trained from childhood to be a soldier and eventually betrayed by his leader/ adoptive father. We then see him become a mercenary and the events of him meeting Griffith. I am very interested in seeing how Griffith becomes his archenemy but I am also not surprised with how haughty he acts.
TW: on page rape, death, child abuse, animal death, injuries
Berserk, Vol. 3 by Kentaro Miura
3.5
3.5 stars
This volume continues the battle with the Evil Count. While Guts is getting his ass kicked by the Count, he still is able to maneuver him in a way that he can cut his head off. This unfortunately sucks him, Puck, and Theresia into an alternate dimension where he Godheads and we meet the Godhead that marked Guts. The whole story with the count and the Godheads was very interesting, especially since we can finally put a face and name to Guts’ archenemy. The artwork for this battle was so detailed and well done that it really helped sell how powerful a battle it was.
This volume ends with a flashback to Guts' birth and childhood. We see him rescued as a baby and trained to be a soldier by an abusive leader. I am glad we are finally getting a look at his childhood but I feel like it's definitely going to get dark after that last page.
TW: graphic death, violence, death of a parent, grief, hanging, child abuse; miscarriage mentioned
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage
Berserk, Vol. 2 by Kentaro Miura
TW: graphic on page torture, cannibalism, death, beheading,
3.0
3 stars - I liked it
This volume picks up Guts' continued adventure to fight and kill the evil count. He meets a man named Varas who was tortured by the Count seven years ago and is now determined to help Guts defeat him. Guts ends up battling a demon mutated soldier, watching a hanging, and then fighting his way to the Evil Count who ends up being more powerful than Guts expected.
This was a very action packed volume and we are slowly learning more about Guts as the adventure continues. He is still a self-serving ass but we are starting to get brief hints at the trauma behind his actions and his determination. This is also the first battle where Guts may be in over his head, but we will see how it goes in the next volume.
TW: graphic on page torture, cannibalism, death, beheading,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Torture, Death, and Violence
How to Save a Human (Or How Not to Ride a Rollercoaster) by Alice Winters
3.0
A short scene with River and Bentley joining the rest of the VRC gang for a trip to a theme park. Finn is diabolical and really loves torturing everyone. I don’t know how Alexei and Marcus keep getting on the rides.
How to Defy a Vampire by Alice Winters
TW: PTSD, kidnapping, death, violence, medical experimentation discussed;
4.0
4 stars - It was really good
After the past two books have been focusing on different couples in the VRC this book returns us to the OG couple, Marcus and Finn. Finn has stumbled across another crime scene and it brings back ghosts from Marcus’ past. While the normal grumpy vampire is closed lipped about his past, this time he has to open up and figure out what these vampires want and how it involves Watson.
Finn and Marcus have been together for a while now and they have gone through a lot of shit. Finn and Marcus are my favorite couple in this series and they really just can’t get a break, which they desperately need. After they got rid of Watson they both thought things would finally calm down for Finn but we quickly find out that the past isn’t done with him and he finds himself in danger again.
This was another suspenseful book with Finn being in danger, the vampire council causing problems, and an evil vampire from the past returning a killing people. I can’t really say more about what happens in the book without giving too much away, but it was a lot. I couldn’t put the book down once things started popping off and it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, which is always a good sign.
Overall, this was another action packed and emotional book. I love that we returned to Finn and Marcus, but hope they get a bit of a break in the future because they have had a rough time lately.
TW: PTSD, kidnapping, death, violence, medical experimentation discussed;
How to Bedeck a Vampire by Alice Winters
3.0
3 stars - I liked it
A short scene with Claude and Alexi visiting Claire's storage container.
Knightqueen by Anna Hackett
4.0
4 stars - It was really good
The final Oronis Knight book is here and we finally get to find out what has been happening with Knightqueen Carys and her Knightguard Sten. In the previous book we learned that Carys and Sten had used the distraction that Knighthunter Kaden and Knightmaster Nea created to escape the Gek’Dragar prison. This book picks up shortly after that as they try to continue to evade the Gek’Dragar and the mutated beasts on Ti-Lore.
Knightqueen Carys is a kind and just ruler, but in this we see that she is also a deadly warrior and a woman who just wants to be loved. Knightguard Sten has been guarding Carys since she was seventeen and his love for her has grown as the years passed but he ignores it because he is her guard. While these two evade the Gek’Dragar and the monsters on the surface, they finally realize their mutual feelings for each other. Sten tries to fight it but after a close call he stops. Carys and Sten’s relationship was enjoyable and I loved seeing the strong and mostly silent Sten profess his feelings for Carys.
The final battle against the Gek’Dragar and their Blue Death weapon was action packed and intense. The Blue Death weapon sounds horrifying and all the Knights fought hard to stop them from releasing it. Knightqueen Carys really shines in this battle because not only do we see her leading the Knights against the Gek’Dragar, but we get to see the true power of her bloodline and what it can do. She was quite badass and I loved seeing her fight. One thing about this world that I loved was that the Knightqueen was just as skilled as her knights and I love that this diplomatic ruler can also kickass.
Overall, this was a great ending to this series. I really enjoyed Carys and Sten’s story and how the Gek’Dragar were defeated again. Sten will make a great King for Carys and the epilogue was very cute seeing a brief glimpse of their future.
TW: brief mention of the death of parents;
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
Tempest by Kiki Clark
3.0
3 stars - I liked it
I was very happy to jump into this book because I really enjoyed the Kincaid Pack series and wanted to know more about the world. This book starts about a year after the events of that series and so we are finally seeing what has been happening in the parahuman world. A lot has changed and some people are capturing and experimenting on shifters, which is how Ore finds himself falling in Silver Oak territory, injured and with no memory.
“I’m always paying attention to you. It’s hard to ignore your heart when it lives outside your body.”
While this does have a bit of a slow start, I enjoyed Cash and Ore’s story once it started picking up and we started to find out what happened to Ore.Ore and Cash’s relationship was a fated mate's one but I really liked that they took their time and didn’t just jump right into it. We see them get to know each other and struggle to fight their growing desire for each other. Cash was very protective of Ore, which isn’t surprising since he is an Enforcer, but we quickly find that he is super sweet and great with kids. I loved the lake scene and how Cash was with the cubs. Ore was a kind and gentle man who just wanted peace and to find love, and he found it with Cash.
The end mission was great because we are starting to see how this new parahuman world will hopefully work. The Kincaid pack, the Amato pack, and the Silver Oak pack all worked together to deal with an issue and take care of shifters who needed help. I really enjoyed this collaboration and look forward to seeing more collabs in the future, especially with previous couples.
Overall, this was a great start for a new spin-off series and a great continuation of this world. I really enjoy this world and the couples within it. I can’t wait to read the next book.
TW: child abandonment mentioned; past stalking/ unwanted advances mentioned; medical torture;
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Your Coffin or Mine by Jacklyn Hyde
TW: cheating discussed (not main MCs); toxic parents; body shaming; alcohol consumption;
4.0
4 stars - It was really good
When Audrey catches her soon to be husband with two other people she finds herself running to a quiet castle in Romania. While Vlad’s ancestral castle is being turned into a hotel and Audrey needs a place to lick her wounds, these two find themselves unable to keep their hands off one another.
This was a very enjoyable vampire romance. I was hooked to Vlad and Audrey’s story from the very beginning. Vlad is a grumpy ancient vampire who has spent way too much time wasting away in his castle. Watching Vlad go from the withered and grumpy vampire who wants nothing to do with this day and age to doing a 180 and trying to learn everything and seduce Audrey was very enjoyable. I really loved seeing Vlad try to seduce her and it did not go according to plan because he didn’t understand modern women. Vlad was a grump with a marshmallow center and I loved him so much.
“You are the loveliest thing in existence…You make the stars look like cheap fluorescent lightbulbs”
Audrey is running from her ex-fiance who she caught cheating on her. She changes her honeymoon to a trip to Romania and finds herself quickly falling for the handsome, and very quirky and clueless Vlad. While I didn’t love how caught up Audrey was in appearances on social media and making good impressions, I did like that by the end we see her stand up for herself and her happiness.
Audrey and Vlad’s relationship was super sweet, sexy, and fun. I loved watching these two fall in love. Vlad’s struggle to hide that he was a vampire was very amusing and I really enjoyed his inner monologue any time he was trying to control himself. Audrey fell hard but was still dealing with her ex and all the social media drama he was creating. It was an enjoyable relationship but it did feel a bit long at times.
The world building in this was fascinating and right up my alley. This is a world where monsters are hidden from humans and they go through great lengths to keep it that way. In this book we are introduced to a few of the monsters, most of which you will be familiar with because they are the classic horror monsters: Vlad Tepesh, Frankenstein, and Jekyll. While not all of these characters are good people in this book, I still really liked them all for different reasons. Overall, I can’t wait to read the next book and see who falls next and what other monsters will appear.
TW: cheating discussed (not main MCs); toxic parents; body shaming; alcohol consumption;
Berserk, Vol. 1 by Kentaro Miura
TW: violence, death, torture, cannibalism, beheading, animal death
4.0
4 stars - It was really good
This has been on my radar for a long time to read and I have finally dived into Guts’ story. This is a dark fantasy world that is very graphic. While I don’t usually enjoy dark fantasy, especially with a main character that isn’t very likable, I am enjoying this so far. Guts is a violent and dangerous man who is determined to get the information he is after and he doesn’t care who dies along the way. While we don’t get a lot of backstory or character development yet, I am still very interested in Guts and finding out why he is the way he is.
Overall, this is a very captivating story so far and I am very interested in reading the next book. Miura’s artwork is so detailed and beautiful it really goes great with how graphic and dark this story is.
TW: violence, death, torture, cannibalism, beheading, animal death
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Cannibalism, Violence, Torture, and Animal death