It's annoying to me that I can't give these books 5 stars because I LOVE several things about them...but then several things about them grate on me, tIt's annoying to me that I can't give these books 5 stars because I LOVE several things about them...but then several things about them grate on me, too.
I love the plot and the relationships and the world. These will keep me coming back and give me the will to binge read these rather hefty books every time.
I do not love the writing...which is weird. I've read quite a bit of Klune's stuff at this point and I can say that while he has a couple distinct narrative voices, he does not excel in giving non-POV characters a distinct voice. It feels like all the side characters have the same sense of humor and the same characters make the same jokes repeatedly. Does this happen in real life? Sure. Should it happen in a novel? Nope.
I also could do without the general horniness of the characters, but I knew what I was getting into with that one at least.
Overall, I love these books but they aren't without fault. ...more
It's really a shame that this book isn't the vampire book all the kids were obsessed with. It's really very good. It's really a shame that this book isn't the vampire book all the kids were obsessed with. It's really very good. ...more
I'm settling on a solid 4, even though with a few tweaks it could have been a glowing 5. *cries a little* I loved the first third or so with Ox gettinI'm settling on a solid 4, even though with a few tweaks it could have been a glowing 5. *cries a little* I loved the first third or so with Ox getting to know the Bennetts and pretty much all the parts here. No complaints. It was on the way to become a 5 star read. I loved the darker tone compared to Klune's other books. The voice of Ox as the narrator was unique and I just loved him.
>>>>>>>>>Spoilers below!!<<<<<<<<<<<
Then throughout the rest of the book, I loved the banter between the siblings and the werewolf politics. That was all very fun. The climax of the plot was great and I was on the edge my seat, for real. Great tension and suspense and MAN I wanted Richard to DIE.
The things as the book went on that made me lower my rating: I think overall, the 60-80% mark lagged, pacing wise. I was going to have to be HUGELY convinced to really root for Ox and Joe as lovers because of the age gap and the fact that they grew up together... Eeek. I have no issues with adults with a five year age gap or whatever, but the fact that they met when Joe was 10 and romantic feelings began when he was 17.... I want to not care and just be like, "It's fiction!" but this was a choice made by the author. Why. It wouldn't be hard to make a different choice. Then there was the spice which I mostly skipped but damn it was a lot of pages. I could have done without it.. *shrug* Personal preference. The second spice scene in the epilogue or whatever, I at least understand the importance of that one as they are now Mated, but still. The only other minor ick was the use of "said" SO often. Probably wouldn't have noticed it in only the physical format, but with the audiobook this book had lines and lines of "said" repeatedly. I can see how it was used on paper and it was fine. The audiobook reader saying "said" every fourth word repeatedly in those sections started to grate.
Really interesting start! Don't love that this book ends in the middle of a battle!! lol but overall fun, if not creepy. Really interesting start! Don't love that this book ends in the middle of a battle!! lol but overall fun, if not creepy. ...more
Not the scary vibes I was really looking for, but this ended up being a sweet little sister story wish some cool world-building stuff. Seanan really hNot the scary vibes I was really looking for, but this ended up being a sweet little sister story wish some cool world-building stuff. Seanan really had never disappointed me....more
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this a lot actually. Did not reinvent anything, but it was a fun story with a cute ghost-hunter-falls-for-the-ghost thing going o3.5 stars. I enjoyed this a lot actually. Did not reinvent anything, but it was a fun story with a cute ghost-hunter-falls-for-the-ghost thing going on. I didn't really know it was ya going in, and it definitely was, but I enjoyed it all the same....more
This premise had me PUMPED. But it's not the first classic literature-inspired book that's been a huge lThank you NetGalley for the ARC of this novel!
This premise had me PUMPED. But it's not the first classic literature-inspired book that's been a huge let down for me. With Dracula's Lucy as the narrator and Jane Eyre's predecessor Bertha (aka Bee) as her side kick, out to defeat the curses of their past relationships with monstrous men, I really wasn't sure how this coule go wrong. The set up was good (despite the first-person, present-tense which is just never going to work for me), and I loved how creatively these two classics were meshed together. But the hook didn't last for the long haul and I found myself less and less excited to pick this up the further I got into it. By the 60% mark I was ready for it to be over. The end wasn't bad, and I enjoyed how it all wrapped up well enough but ultimately it felt like too long fanfiction that took characters but none of the depth or beauty from its sources of inspiration....more
This was overall really cute. I was very happy that the protag could acknowledge handsome men without detouring from the main plot to pursue a romanceThis was overall really cute. I was very happy that the protag could acknowledge handsome men without detouring from the main plot to pursue a romance sub-plot. It was a short read and very cute. I probably won't rush into the next book, but I will likely keep it in the wings for the next time a cozy mystery mood strikes....more
Beautiful, poignant writing and an interesting story of the life of Lestat...but felt just a little too long and occasionally rambling. I found myselfBeautiful, poignant writing and an interesting story of the life of Lestat...but felt just a little too long and occasionally rambling. I found myself bored here and there, though never for too long. I enjoyed it overall....more
A fun, exciting read with a main POV narrator that I just didn't connect with. I wish this same story had happened over a much longer time so I could A fun, exciting read with a main POV narrator that I just didn't connect with. I wish this same story had happened over a much longer time so I could slow down and get to know the characters better. It is very plot-driven and the plot is very cool, but I want to know the characters that the plot is happening to! I think this might be better if you read the other series, Blood Dagger, first. I might have to check those out sometime because a couple of these characters were really awesome....more
If Dresden didn't describe women or sex in any detail, then these books would be so much more enjoyable. As it is, I'm going to continue rolling my eyIf Dresden didn't describe women or sex in any detail, then these books would be so much more enjoyable. As it is, I'm going to continue rolling my eyes at his kind of gross descriptions of women while I love the story and side characters plenty to make up for it....more
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