Stasia

as a gay goth girl, you'd think I'd be the target audience for this gay gothic book, but this was just not for me. there was no suspense or fear. The horror aspect was very lacklustre. At no point was I worried for the characters or eager to turn the page. 

The author has obviously tried to make the reader think and has left multiple storylines open to interpretation, but I think too many were left open. There wasn't a single satisfying conclusion to any of them. I think if the horror sections (eg when the cryptid monsters were in play) had slower pacing, more suspense and there was a clear danger element for the characters this book would have been a lot better.

Whenever the characters did get hurt, they were somehow absolutely fine and continued on with no issue or remembrance of the giant hole going through their body. 

I sadly wouldn't recommend this to friends. 

The book kicks off with an instant, bringing you into the plight of the Oberon family. You learn of the characters through a very fast paced first chapter, leading you to believe that this pace will continue through the book. Instead it comes in ebbs and flows, mixing romance with action. The book is an absolute joy to read, the nuances with the family bonds mirror nicely with the overarching found family vibes. There are plenty of mysteries for the reader to sink their teeth into as well as some shocking reveals and twists. The book builds up to the dramatic reveal, bringing all the plot elements together. It would have been nice to focus more on the characters' feelings throughout the end to really increase the shock factor and develop a deeper connection to the reader, however that is the only issue I take with this book. I also congratulate the author for using unheard of or irregular word choices to educate the reader and keep language growing. 

The most ableist book I've ever read. Every single thing about disability was negative. From the start kita talked about being a scape goat for others to escape because she's disabled and clearly worth less. Then jokes made at the expense of people with extra chromosomes and then finished off with a mental health dig. 

If I was reading this for me I'd have dnf'd.

A really smart, refreshing and unique story! I have never read a book like it before. It's so nice to have high quality new ideas!

0 - 60% almost dnf'd
 60 - 85% damn this book is amazing
 85 - 100% please just end 

The last 15% was very confusing, multiple chapters ended on cliff hangers or dramatic reveals which would have been amazing ends to the book. But because it kept going it felt like it was dragging on. 

The first 60% either needed more action or to be reduced, we spend so long learning nothing and not really pushing the plot forward. I actually think the plot got derailed. It felt like things were written in to get to a point rather than it all being an inspired story. 

I should have dnf'd 

The ultimate slow burn dark romance. The plot is heavily based around the characters and their deception. The enemies to lovers element had me weak from the start. Although world building could use a little work, I still adore this book. A nice quick read that leaves you not only desperate for more but also with more questions than you had at the start

Wowwwiieeeeee what a book! I was so onboard with everything Leah thought and was doing, I was as easily manipulated as she was. The twists and turns of this book had me on edge. I felt like I was Leah at points. I even kept looking at my window, expecting to see something macabre. I only usually read gothic or fantasy horrors and my god is it so much worse with humans. This will stick with me for a while and not in the good way! I'm scared!!

I could not put this book down. From start to finish, I was completely hooked. I really wasn't expecting to like this book so much. 

The connection Ciccarelli creates between the reader and the characters feels as deep as a soul bond. Every emotion they felt, I felt. The guilt, the heartbreak, the betrayals. Rune will be in my head for a long time coming, and it will be hard to forget her. This story is THE enemies to lovers and then lovers to enemies again 😭 I also didn't see the twist within the twist coming, I knew that girl was acting strange, but I wasn't expecting that reveal! 

Kiss Me Deadly is the first book in the Nickel City Necromancer series which follows the life of our beautifully sassy FMC Seraphina, who just happens to be a necromancer. The story includes all things paranormal, broody vampires, rabid monsters, hunters and even crazy cult's whose leader definitely has a ‘Live, Laugh, Love' sign up in her house. Thomas had worked it so that each character adds to the eclectic occult vibe that this book brings and has made sure that every side character has an important part to play, whilst also giving everyone a capped off storyline. As a reader we are gifted with fantastic character developments and ARCs, even the baddies change and grow with the moving plot. Thomas also brings a developing romance into the series that starts as a torturous slow burn that gives heady yearning and “JUST KISS ALREADY” vibes. When the romance does kick off you're overwhelmed with butterflies in your stomach as it just feels so right. I honestly don't know who I ship more over Nate & Sera... 
Thomas includes some pretty heavy emotion in this story, focusing a lot on grief and worry/anxiety around loved ones. Not only is this beautifully done with an overlying aspect of respect, but it is also portrayed brilliantly over the page. I could feel my eyes burning with tears that I desperately tried to hold back, as the reader you connect so deeply with the plight of certain characters. I should have known from previously reading another book by Thomas  Forest of Bones to expect jaw dropping twists but yet again Thomas completely throws you with her clever plotting. I can't wait to read book 2 of this series! 

I really sadly did not enjoy this book. the hype for it is overblown and I wish there would have been more authentic reviews.

There is no character growth or development, they all come across 1 dimensional to the point that they are the exact same person at the end, as they were at the beginning. Lettle is written as an extremely immature and bratty side character who does nothing to push the plot along aside from give a riddle that she can't even work out. If she can't understand a 2 sentence prophecy who is a DAY ONE APPRENTICE, how is she ending as seer to the king and not just consort. She hasn't had one lesson yet instantly gets the job? 

Yeerans story line simply doesn't make any sense. why would she go home at the end of the book when there's been no reason or strong emotional tie to go back for? we are expected to believe she goes back for a love that we only got one or two pages for? 

I feel like we should have spent more time with Yeeran in the army before she was exiled. We didn't really get a chance to connect with that part of the story. Either that or it could have started on day 1 of her exile with thoughts back to what happened. Instead we get this middleground half baked setting with weird pacing. 

The first thing you get told with writing is to show not tell and this book was just a lot of telling. Pacing was jarring and caused a huge disconnect. This feels like a 2nd book, not a first. I loved the cultural aspects but they simply weren't deep enough. There is no emotion in the writing or with the characters.

Nothing happened until the last 4% of the book, and even that was underwhelming. I normally try to write coherent and thought out reviews, but it really was 500 pages of them travelling. I'm really disappointed as I really enjoyed the first book and its uniqueness. But this could have been condensed to a couple of chapters. I won't be progressing with the series.