I’m inclined to take this series at face value, and hope it’s a blend of a young romance author’s fanfic, and not something nefarious.
Best part, the fI’m inclined to take this series at face value, and hope it’s a blend of a young romance author’s fanfic, and not something nefarious.
Best part, the foreword and innuendo,with well known quotes utilised to convey a marketable trend.
This wasn’t dark. I don’t think the premise of morally grey characters required in a mafia context were understood.
Characters - familiar. Five families plot - familiar. Mafia - told, not shown. The trope has a very specific, detailed terminology with a lot of research required. This felt dumbed down.
Mix in a few well known older books in the fictional mafia world, add similar names, and voilà, you have Niccolaio Andretti and Luca Ranieri. Sound familiar? They should if you read underworld based novels.
Nothing pushed the story forward. It felt shallow, light and needed fleshing out. Again, familiar idea, sadly not well executed.
**spoiler alert** A Massachusetts colony, who succumbed to misfortunes, an indigenous tribe blamed - sound familiar? The opening suggested Roanoke.
Th**spoiler alert** A Massachusetts colony, who succumbed to misfortunes, an indigenous tribe blamed - sound familiar? The opening suggested Roanoke.
The prose is lyrical, at first. Their malady reminds me of cordyceps, fungus found in insects, altered to a fictitious Noctisoma worm. It’s in our feeds daily with Attenborough so I guess someone was going to write it ...more
**spoiler alert** 2.5 ⭐️ “How fitting it was that the devil was masquerading as a perfect angel.”
Witty banter was to be expected of Ms. Shen, it’s her**spoiler alert** 2.5 ⭐️ “How fitting it was that the devil was masquerading as a perfect angel.”
Witty banter was to be expected of Ms. Shen, it’s her writing style after all. Sadly it was over shadowed by a politically driven, pop culture ramble, including brand names and abrupt, incomplete sentences. Highlights became how many times a phrase was repeated.
“You know what they say about social media.” Shortbread examined her manicured fingernails with a patronizing pout. “It’s nothing but a false reality.”
The need to uphold a story by name dropping with constant reference to status, was disappointing. Overall it was cliched, sorry, and lacked a good, sound plot line. It’s a fluff piece, taking digs at both society and religion. Not something I’ve come to expect from Ms. Shen.
The first twenty five percent was tiresome. Neither character acted their age, they lacked depth, and Dallas was obnoxious and childish.
I’m no stranger to the writing styles, but this came across as a rom-com, cliched, scrabbling to be popular, almost. I’d hoped for a seamless and amazing co-write, sadly it did not work for me this time.
Fillers need a hard edit. Overall I’d go as far as quoting, word choices were ‘clunky.’
**spoiler alert** Repetitive, told, and too many fillers for me. Regardless of review numbers, this is all over the place and predictable. Add a child**spoiler alert** Repetitive, told, and too many fillers for me. Regardless of review numbers, this is all over the place and predictable. Add a child with an amazing vocabulary for age ...more
**spoiler alert** I had high hopes for this read. Thankfully it’s in KU.
Firstly, let’s look at the category as it contains a ‘TW’. Listed in Children'**spoiler alert** I had high hopes for this read. Thankfully it’s in KU.
Firstly, let’s look at the category as it contains a ‘TW’. Listed in Children's Love & Romance Literature, Contemporary Love For YA and NA & College Romance (Amazon AU). Pass. This is college aged and problematic. DV and abuse are not suitable reads for a child, personally. It’s not a YA read.
When a category is used in this way, for me it’s inappropriate. Should someone’s child pick it up being listed as suitable for under 18, damage is done.
Needs editing and a proof at a minimum. Incorrect words used and typos were evident immediately.
I adore indie publishing, when attention to detail is ignored, it’s upsetting. DNF....more
Loved the premise. It peaked early however. I guess it’s a solid debut, just very stereotypical, bordering on dull characters, for current PNR. It lacLoved the premise. It peaked early however. I guess it’s a solid debut, just very stereotypical, bordering on dull characters, for current PNR. It lacked the originality and hook I needed to become invested.
World building wasn’t there overall for me. Descriptive, and then extremely vague, not overly sweet or pretty, rather flat.
Dawsyn and Ryon appeared to be all about chemistry, lacking depth relationship wise. Rather superficial. I can’t say I connected with either ...more
**spoiler alert** On his sixteenth birthday, Silas faced his fate, following the death of his father. This was the perfect time to draw the reader in.**spoiler alert** On his sixteenth birthday, Silas faced his fate, following the death of his father. This was the perfect time to draw the reader in. Instead, we’re told he shut down feelings, and followed through with orders. Bang, teen with a violent childhood apparently turns killer, with no emotion. Contradictory to the sad child we saw—it’s fade to black—we’re not witness.
Next, time randomly jumps, and it’s the first of many.
**spoiler alert** Pass. DNF. What did I just read?
DNF 226/455 pages = 51%. I darn well tried, I detest when a book beats me. Told not shown. Generic—I**spoiler alert** Pass. DNF. What did I just read?
DNF 226/455 pages = 51%. I darn well tried, I detest when a book beats me. Told not shown. Generic—I did the dishes, washing, housework. We worked out Fin was a houseboy, repeatedly. BD$M implied, seriously this is NOT a BD$M read. Zero chemistry or build. Dom/sub idea was amusing—Fifty Shades without heat, just some spanking. ...more
Purchased the paperback for the gorgeous cover model. Content fell flat. Stereotypical doll-like FMC, in need of saving. Mafia isn’t supposed to be swPurchased the paperback for the gorgeous cover model. Content fell flat. Stereotypical doll-like FMC, in need of saving. Mafia isn’t supposed to be sweet and fluffy.
Dark themes, not expanded.
Hard pass. This isn’t mafia, it’s a trendy crime trope take, labeled as dark....more
**spoiler alert** I adore the worlds Ms. Jones weaves. Midnight Mayhem will always remain my favourite.
Cartier’s story, aptly completed this series. **spoiler alert** I adore the worlds Ms. Jones weaves. Midnight Mayhem will always remain my favourite.
Cartier’s story, aptly completed this series. Kyrin Nero’s, protected baby sister’s tale, should have been the most interesting of all. The build up and suspense prior to release, the end of another series, I needed to be mind blown again. For an author who writes amazingly strong FMC’s, Cartier fell into my pile of ‘I’ll only remember her crying’, little more.
“Darkness hovers over him everywhere he goes, and no matter what he does, he’ll never be rid of it.” - Cartier
Keaton’s obsession with Cartier, meant she inevitably would be his. This was the best I could pull out quote wise. I usually highlight the heck out of a read.
In a bizarre way, ICWR’s time line jumps, lightly touch on gaps in previous books in this series. While a standalone, without ISSS at a minimum, the backstories will make little sense. The writing style is different to other books. It left me confused, with no real conclusion. Eli was my biggest disappointment. I adored the premise of ISSS and had hoped it made sense disappearing off on a tangent with its cliffhanger as such. This felt all over the place, without direction.
Heat 2/5 Plot 3/5
I’m not twenty, so hair pulling and throat grabbing, a quick paragraph or two, isn’t steam for me, sorry. There wasn’t the character depth you’d expect from the author, it was all told. I didn’t connect with characters, abrupt scenes didn’t fit.
I desperately wanted to love this read. I’ll be in the minority. It lacked continuity and pace overall for me. I wasn’t sure at times whose book I was reading with characters lacking definition, even names were incorrect.
An understanding of the Mayhem and EKC series is required for this book.
Let down by editing, which frustrated me no end. This author has an amazing way to twist plots. Go back to earlier work and brilliance. I’ve read from the debut MC, and adored her words and growth. Without repetition and fillers and a tidy up, ICWR would have been a solid 3.5⭐️
The end of Mayhem was bitter sweet for me. This is a verified review....more
Gorgeous cover. Content not so much. The premise was fine, the execution fell flat.
As a five star rave book recommendation, it’s not one I Great cover
Gorgeous cover. Content not so much. The premise was fine, the execution fell flat.
As a five star rave book recommendation, it’s not one I enjoyed. It needs a good edit, it’s awkward and very repetitive.
The timeline skips from attending a yoga course in Bali, arrival, and then the course is complete. Promise of an amazing new job, no experience, big move, everything you’d want. It felt like a very young read, despite the FMC having skipped college.
“almost a million followers. I left out the part that it was thanks to my ex-boyfriend who is a rising pro-athlete.” Random statements were a little too far fetched for me. Weird details thrown in almost as a second thoughts. On the other hand, contradicts already established points, such as a love of photography (home’s full of her pictures)—yet discovered it on moving....more
Read back to back, again, this isn’t a bad read, it’s just lacking punch.
Same theme as book 1, Luca. Attractive cover, writing style is ok, it’s just Read back to back, again, this isn’t a bad read, it’s just lacking punch.
Same theme as book 1, Luca. Attractive cover, writing style is ok, it’s just not on the edge of your seat kind of thing which the blurb suggested. It’s an easy enough read, for me, it was lacking suspense.
Again, bar is set high in these suspense/military themed series with some amazing authors in the trope.
I’ve read both books I purchased. I can’t see myself continuing with the series, it wasn’t one I as engrossed or drawn into sufficiently....more
Attractive cover, new author, blurb was promising but the book itself didn’t perform as well as it could have.
First in a military enhanced seals mystAttractive cover, new author, blurb was promising but the book itself didn’t perform as well as it could have.
First in a military enhanced seals mystery and suspense. This is a trope I love and it certainly felt it was along the lines of Ms Feehan’s books, so the bar was set high when stepping into these worlds.
I found the writing style ok. It wasn’t overly gripping or exciting, but it wasn’t a bad read. Just not as fast paced as it could have been.
Evie and Luca’s chemistry was ok. It wasn’t an overly steamy read. Evie’s character felt real enough, a touch over done at times....more
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