alyssa
[4.6] so i finished this book....but more aptly put, this book finished me my favorite so far despite the memory wipe of a certain ily amongst other slips because the whirlwind of feels and emotions swept me away at neck-breaking speeds and flung me into the stars ✨Vie's harem (though this makes more sense than you'd expect, iykyk) motley crew of companions, or as i like to call them in my head “the reluctant guardians of Vehpese,” grows ever larger as twisty twists continue to - you guessed it - twist with a few shounen reminiscent elements thrown in the mix.—-spoilers (however vague) incoming—-a teacher found hanging in his classroom, the unexpected return of girls previously presumed dead, a labyrinthine web of corruption and conspiracies and the dangerous monsters in the shadows behind it - who thought Mr. Big Empty would turn out to be the least of their concerns?in my pursuit of answers, i'm once again saddled with a fresh onslaught of questions, completely clueless how GA is planning to let us off this carousel of pain. the thing is though, if my graceless trudging through [b:The Mortal Sleep 43982227 The Mortal Sleep (Hollow Folk, #4) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549995491l/43982227.SY75.jpg 68379002] is any indication, i'm also too keyed up to keep my eyes on the prize. the sense of dread sure is immobilizing.but back to the story at hand. most riveting was Vie's modest (but steady) growth both in confronting parts of his past as well as his evolving interpersonal relationships. Sara (drowns in tears), Becca - heck, even River. love the development to bits. also, Temple Mae is bae and not only because it rhymes.i genuinely adored how this book gave Austin his chance to shine. there has been an inherent bias toward Emmett throughout the series - GA's favorite only one bed trope was reserved for him, Emmett has greedily hoarded the scarce opportunities to get in touch with Vie's vulnerable side, and even the spirits deign to ship it - but this book solidified the fact that Austin brings a form of stability to Vie's life that Emmett is currently unable to offer. who knows, maybe i'm pushing this point for the sake of being contrarian, but while most vulnerable moments with Emmett are wrecking ball accidents, with Austin, it feels like more of a conscious choice. the momentous moment when Vie shows him his scars? broke me to pieces and glued me back together
[1.5] i want to preface this review by saying the descriptions of grief here are some of the best i've read and the prologue will instantly have you at full alert, buzzed to discover just what the heck happened between the mcs to lead up to that heart-wrenching moment in time.
however, from beginning to end, i can't deny feeling like this story would've worked better sans the romance. i didn't—couldn't—buy their relationship from the start when the few brief glimpses at their lives growing up together showed only examples of them antagonizing each other, and not even in necessarily teasing or endearing ways.
at least in Cannon there was a subtle sense of responsibility as the older stepsibling, but i was never under the impression that they cared enough for each other to warrant the profound love born out of grief that the prose made it out to be. there's plenty of mourning and self-torment bleeding between the lines, but by the time they're unable to resist and find themselves feverishly canoodling with each other out of a strained desperation with still very little resolved between them, i was too busy questioning where Cannon's sudden compelling need to attend to Easton's every need came from.
with no heartfelt connection or startling chemistry to back up the romance element, the whole narrative began to feel forced, the emotions fell through, and my enjoyment plummeted.
i had a tough time rooting for the mcs too. Easton starts off as a petty kid going for the low blows (which as the youngest sibling myself, we are wont to do
[3.4~3.5] anyone who knows me knows that the fake relationship trope is MY JAM so of course i ate this up like a five-course meal
[3.5] A sweet best friends to lovers story with minimal-to-no angst. During a drunk 21st birthday celebration, Dominic and Zach promise to marry each other if they both found themselves single at 40. Skip to Dominic's 39th birthday, and he impulsively announces that they're engaged at his parent's house for dinner in an attempt to appease them (but of course it gets them even more excited and invested in their relationship lol).
The story captured my attention from the start, and I loved seeing how comfortable the two of them were together. The latter half of the book did feel a bit repetitive though. While I could understand Zach's insecurity since Dominic had always identified as straight, I didn't think it was necessary to explicitly mention his doubts so often. But regardless, I loved how patient Dominic was, and their chemistry was both steamy and wholesome.
[4.5] still just as heartfelt as when i first read it years ago as a fledging mm reader. my only niggle would have to be the abrupt ending, because they deserved so much more on-page happiness after that particularly rough final section. but in a way, wanting more of their hea also serves as a testament to my love for this couple :)
i was ruminating over what to put as the rating because while this was a surprisingly entertaining read (in spite of the numerous points that didn't make any logical sense lol), i had several rather large niggles that turned me off quite a bit.
- i may not be able to speak directly on the south asian rep, but the fact that the narrators couldn't even learn how to pronounce “Dev” correctly and went with “Dave” instead is the pinnacle of irony. i didn't even know the character's actual name was Dev until i saw it in the blurb as i was preparing to write this review
[1.5] the black friday audio sale fooled me into thinking i won with an impressive deal, but it quickly became apparent i'd taken a big L instead
[4.75] nothing like getting ostracized by coworkers, feeling overworked on both professional and private fronts, and realizing that the cold cases on hand aren't as cold as initially believed. there is no rest for these two when they are pulled into their next task of capturing a serial killer.
i have nothing more to say besides READ
[2.9] arguably one of the most wholesome couples of the series (and my favorite couple so far) but the story felt incredibly lackluster compared to the grim and dark happenings of the last book.
in summary:
- i don't need assassin exes coming out of the woodwork for lame drama llama action
- the bdsm was meh
- why are members so rude to each other? like even if Jake's a prospect, it doesn't mean he's a slave..... and no one acknowledges their behavior as wrong in any way. totally people i'd sacrifice my life for
[3.4] true story: i was listening to the audiobook while out on a hike with the fam (although the narrator's voice for Park....
*Audiobook listeners, guess what just dropped? https://www.audible.com/pd/Skeletons-in-the-Closet-Audiobook/B0D5P4PGHF
[4.25] OKAY, I YIELD. I'm in. I want the next book. I need more of Tallus chipping away at Diem's thick and sturdy shell.
While in the same universe as the Valor and Doyle series, Nicky James did a great job giving us a completely fresh dynamic and feel with these two. I was admittedly wary at first because I struggled to believe Diem managed this long in the business while communicating almost solely in grunts and being as technologically unsavvy as he was (e.g. the email search function
let's say hi to Leo, a 19 y/o with a case of puppy love so extreme, he chooses which college to attend based on its proximity to the man of his dreams, Will (first introduced in book 1 as Rex's ex). but GOD is he so absurdly naïve. he lives with blinders on, completely losing himself in romanticizing what he and Will could be in some alternate universe where everything is dandy after one kiss
[2.75] Had a lot of potential but I found the lengthy sex scenes (I listened to the audiobook, so if anyone could confirm the comment that one lasted 20(!) some pages is true!) noticeably messed with the pacing and skewed the story in a direction that took away from my enjoyment.
A wonderful story of forgiveness, healing, and finding love after loss.
I was hesitant at first because “straight guy falls in love with his dead brother's boyfriend” could easily go south if not written well, but the way Julian and Deacon's relationship progresses is sincere, pure, and sweet. The quick speed at which they fall in love might be a turnoff to some (~two days?), but when you find that special someone who can fill in the gaping hole in your heart, I'm sure time's not an issue.
[3.8] I adore books where the MCs meet online and irl but as isolated events so they're not aware of the connection (is there an official name for this trope? lol), so of course I had to read this!
We get some dramatic instalovey borderline-catfish-if-not-actual-catfish sexting shenanigans which requires a fair amount of suspension of disbelief and can start to feel a little creepy if you think about it too closely BUT I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was a delightful lazy afternoon read. The entire last section was particularly sweet (Kylo Ren cosplay Wells hehe) :)
Yes it's predictable, and yes it's far-fetched, but in a way, that's what made it so fun and entertaining!
(I would like to mention that the characterization of Wells to be “Glacial Grange”—this cold, heartless businessman—felt rather forced since we really only see examples of his considerate and thoughtful sides, and at most, he has a tough time trusting people because of what he went through. He's way too nice from the get-go!
All of a sudden I didn't want any more death. I didn't want any more pain. I wanted life. I wanted fragile, beautiful, hothouse life, like the orchid, and I wanted to hold it in my hands.
more like “all the inside screaming”
[3.75] LOOK i am well aware of the many medical inaccuracies and general “doesn't abide by real life rules” shenanigans, but i still enjoyed it?? as my first ever Cole McCade novel, i wasn't sure what to expect but Joel Leslie's narration certainly wasn't a bad start in the slightest
[4.25] what a setup! i went in completely blind and somehow convinced myself that the love interest was someone else, so imagine my surprise when Murdo Balfour appeared again. and again. and again.
oh.
who was i holding out for all this time???
I'M DUM DUM
[3.4~3.5] a sexy fake husbands friends-to-lovers read that begins with a friendly drunken bet between Chase and his friends to prove that he isn't just a manwhore and is, in fact, fully capable of making a marriage work. he ropes his bff Alec into the whole charade, and for the next 30 days, they live together with the following stipulations: (1) they must share at least one meal every day with each other, (2) sleep in the same bed, (3) go on at least one date night out a week.
i decided to round up because i enjoyed the unconventional execution of the trope. aside from an old one-sided crush back in the day, Chase and Alec have really only regarded each other as friends, and i can appreciate how they learned more about each other (the good AND the bad) through living under one roof. Alec's desire to have his own space back was super relatable too (any roommate who leaves dirty dishes in the sink will have to face my wrath