Jessica
3.6/5. I enjoyed reading the development between Bashir and Aysel. It was cute. I liked their relationship and playfulness. I felt this book focused too mich on them though. Compared to the high stakes in book 1 between Kadir and Naime, this plot fell flat. The tension wasn't there for me. I wasn't afraid of Kadir like I was in book 1. He was a side note and single hint of evidence against him was carried through the whole book. It wasn't enough for me. The balance weighed too heavily toward romance and not enough toward intrigue.
3.5⭐️ I love the world building. I love Iktan. I'm interested in seeing more of Xiala. I didn't love that nothing really happened. There are a lot of moving parts, and they're getting into position, but I was kind of bored. I zoned out a lot and feel like I didn't miss anything. I'm sticking around for Iktan and Serapio but I hope there's more to enjoy in the next book.
2.75⭐️
There's not much to say about this one. The writing felt stilted and repetitive. I would have liked more depth surrounding Koda and the girls navigating grief. Luna asks about her dad once? That's it all while another man is sliding into his role? It was all too easy. There could have been more angst surrounding the forbiddeness they felt about the relationship. Or some outside judgments/actions that raised the stakes and brought Koda and Christopher closer? Overall, it was sweet but lacking.
I want to give this a 3 because I really did love Nathan and Joni's journey but there's too much that I can't look past.
Initially, I dnf'd this pretty quickly because Joni's immaturity and irresponsibility were very annoying at first. Instagram ads pulled me back, and I gave it another shot. Joni's behavior was slowly explained, and I began to understand and enjoy her more. I enjoyed that Joni and Nathan are neurodivergent. I liked that they developed a friendship before a romantic relationship. It was really sweet and didn't feel forced. I liked how Nathan's honesty taught Joni to be more honest with herself and recognize her value as a person, not just a body. Their support of each other was beautiful and I enjoyed watching them fall in love. It was so effortless and heartwarming.
Spoilers and rant below.
What drops this below a 3 is the lack of consequences for what Carrick pulled at the gala and everyone's reaction to it. Joni was a minor, drugged, r*ped, and filmed without consent. Carrick shared that video with his entire family. He distributed CP and that's fine? I was waiting for a fight, Nathan to completely cut ties, legal repercussions, anything to acknowledge the heinous behavior. Instead Carrick is basically the hero by the end. Nathan tells Joni that Shawn lied and exploited her, but it's really not talked about again. The Hunts still hold it against her even though she was a victim and they viewed CP. I feel there was a lack of support from her family after they learned what happened. Even Joni still kind of blames herself. The narrative surrounding that video and Shawn's abuse was harmful and wrong.
During the gala scene, Nathan's behavior was unacceptable. He stayed silent as the woman he loves was reduced to the dirt on his family's shoes and then walked away. I don't care if he was hurt by her keeping it from him. He allowed her to be humiliated, disrespected, and dehumanized in the worst way, but his pain was more important in that moment. Nah. And his explanation for leaving was bullshit. Joni should not have forgiven him so easily.
And Shawn. He felt like a caricature. Like the cartoon villain just waiting in the shadows. Had he been stalking Joni off the page? He shows up out of nowhere and then disappears until we need more conflict. There were hints throughout about how he'd make his final appearance, but there was so much going on that his plot line was forgotten background noise. His appearances and darkness compared to the rest of the plot felt out of place. I think there was enough conflict to be explored within the Hunt family and the Zola family. Shawn's plot line was gratuitously violent and monstrous.
I was drawn to the premise and the combination of Mexican folklore and horror. I think the opening was strong. I really empathized with Alejandra and her struggle to navigate a broken marriage, motherhood, and depression. The glimpses of the creature haunting her were frightening. Unfortunately, I found the writing repetitive, and the dialogue felt stilted or oddly worded in the context of the conversation. The chapters alternated between Alejandra and her ancestors who have been victim to La Llorona. A lot of what they experienced and thought was repeated and written using the same phrases. I don't think these duplicates added anything to the story. I definitely didn't care about all of the characters the same way I started out caring for Alejandra. Some of the conversations sounded like a lecture on feminism rather than authentic discussions about frustrations or struggles the characters deal with. I really wanted to like this a lot more but I don't think it reached its potential.
I don't know how I'll recover from this book. I was enthralled and enraptured by Noah and Charlotte and their journey to find themselves and each other. The pain and vulnerability is exquisite. I felt it deep in my soul and could match up their road to healing with my own so perfectly. Absolutely beautiful.
Sequels can so easily miss the mark. That's not the case here. Two Twisted Crowns continues the ensnaring story of Elspeth, The Nightmare, and the search for the Twin Alders. The balance between POV chapters is so well done. Usually, I'll have a preference for certain characters but I was fully immersed in everyone's chapters.
The danger feels so real. It's gripping. I usually have control of my face, but I caught my jaw dropping and eyes wide in shock or fear multiple times.
I want to read this duology for the first time, again and again.
I am so disappointed. I thought Clare Sager could be a new favorite after reading Slaying the Shifter Prince. A Kiss of Iron is making me rethink that. It wasn't a DNF but I didn't really want to finish it either. It was a slog. Way too long and not enough payoff. Katherine is naive and makes idiotic decisions but thinks she's got everything figured out. It was infuriating to read her thoughts. I stuck it out for the spice, but even that wasn't fulfilling enough. Bastian is enamored by this fool of a woman. Not sure why. Other than she's hot. The supporting characters are boring and forgettable. The villains are ridiculous. They're just incels with power and money. I just wanted the story to wrap up and answer the questions. There was no reason for it to be as long as it is. The whole book was a prologue and left me uninterested in reading the main event.
I'll be honest. I went into this with low expectations. I saw it recommended on reddit and downloaded it on KU. If I had come across it just browsong the store, I don't think I'd have picked it up. I'm usually disappointed by darker characters. They just don't hit the sweet spot for me. Zita and Sepher obliterated it. I was immediately taken in by Zita's confidence. She owns her body and sexuality and doesn't apologize for it.
I love Zita and Sepher's dynamic. I never knew punishment and malicious compliance could be so hot. I loved the pacing and the discovery as they learned more about each other.
The twist wasn't very twisty. Called it pretty early on, but overall I think this is a solid read and I'm really happy I read it.
The premise of Say You're Sorry was so intriguing. It had so much potential and fell flat at every turn. I read it because the reviews here were so good. I don't understand how.
I love a tortured hero/heroine. Mysterious, brooding, closed off from the love that we all know is coming. Give it to me. I thought I was getting that with Gideon, but he is brooding for about 5 minutes. Once he meets Daisy, the build-up is destroyed. Secrets he's kept for 17 years? Unlocked. Brooding? He's making heart eyes at her. Closed off heart? He's half-way to in love with her in minutes. How does a man who can't trust the closest thing he has to family for 17 years trust a stranger in less than 24 hours? I thought I misunderstood the timeline, but no. He unloads his trauma on Daisy less than a day after meeting her.
Daisy should be badass, but she isn't. She's definitely a “not like other girls” girl. She's just so special and likeable to everyone. Where would Gideon be without her? She's just so awesome at everything she does.
The killer could have been so terrifying, but he's just too much. He was 10 steps ahead of the FBI and SacPD until the very end. When his crimes come to light and his connection to people surrounding Daisy and Gideon are discovered, he's still able to go about his business in the same way he always has. Security is useless against his big brain. His inner monologue is so annoying. He doesn't come across as that smart, but he thinks he's a genius.
There's a lot of repetition. Things that have already been explained to the reader through inner thoughts or private conversations are repeated again when the information is shared with other people. The author could have said that the information was shared, but we get full scenes of dialogue that go on for too long. Why do we need the information 2 or 3 times?
Karen Rose seems to be well liked, but I don't think I'd read anything else by her after this book. What a disappointment.
Slut shaming, misogyny, and amazing feats of assholery. This book made me so angry. Lou deserves so much better than Dylan. He is selfish, childish, cruel, and so disrespectful. His actions repeatedly show that he doesn't care for Lou. He lets her pick up his slack even though he sees how run down she is. His tirade against her in front of everyone was abhorrent. He disregards her feelings and boundaries time and time again. He does nothing but fail her.
The slut shaming and misogyny is ridiculous. Lou is repeatedly objectified, disrespected, and assaulted by men and women (her mother is disgusting). It felt so targeted, like the author is inserting personal beliefs rather than using them as plot points or commentary on society's perception of strong women and how they should behave/dress.
Don't waste your time.
DNF at 59%
I just don't care about the characters. I was hoping the spice would keep me intrigued, but that couldn't even save it. Barely anything has happened other than the main character whining about being forced into a role she never wanted and longing for an asshole. No character growth whatsoever. Buckling down on being selfish is not growth. Guy is falling for the girl even though her personality is a 2. I'd have liked the magic to play a larger role. Maybe it will come, but I'm not reading more to find out.