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jessmahler's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Good read. I love watching Johnnie and Grim's relationship grow
teenykins's review against another edition
4.0
2nd re-listen Rating stays the same.
I really really love this one! Although at first glance this doesn't appear to be mesh with the first book, apart from the fact that Johnnie is a PI even if he doesn't admit it, stuck with it and all will be revealed.
This is Johnnie's story and we get to know him, his world, his situation and along with him, his past as well. Johnnie is every bit a vampire in attitude and manners if not in species and that right there is the thing he believes he is missing, so he guards his heart and feelings even from his adoptive father, much else every one else. But slowly, with every new case he solves, the life he makes for himself outside the Dracula's home, investing in the bar with Peyton the barman, Micah the alchemist and the rest of the gang, his babysitter Bergrin and his night time visitor "Eros", with the puzzle pieces of his past falling into place, Johnnie becomes a bit more open and approachable, surrounded by those people that have proved to be loyal friends.
A lovely story truly but in a format that you either hate or love ;) .
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I have to say that listening to the story was much more enjoyable than reading. It felt quicker and more fluid. Still just like with the book the story after Bergrin's appearance got even better.
I really really love this one! Although at first glance this doesn't appear to be mesh with the first book, apart from the fact that Johnnie is a PI even if he doesn't admit it, stuck with it and all will be revealed.
This is Johnnie's story and we get to know him, his world, his situation and along with him, his past as well. Johnnie is every bit a vampire in attitude and manners if not in species and that right there is the thing he believes he is missing, so he guards his heart and feelings even from his adoptive father, much else every one else. But slowly, with every new case he solves, the life he makes for himself outside the Dracula's home, investing in the bar with Peyton the barman, Micah the alchemist and the rest of the gang, his babysitter Bergrin and his night time visitor "Eros", with the puzzle pieces of his past falling into place, Johnnie becomes a bit more open and approachable, surrounded by those people that have proved to be loyal friends.
A lovely story truly but in a format that you either hate or love ;) .
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I have to say that listening to the story was much more enjoyable than reading. It felt quicker and more fluid. Still just like with the book the story after Bergrin's appearance got even better.
terriaminute's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
5.0
This one's good. Johnnie is not always likeable but he is interesting, which is all I need. Good worldbuilding, great love interest, good characters, and an interesting plot. There aren't even very many typos. :)
wannabekingpin's review
4.0
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About: Johnnie, a normal, had to grow up among supernaturals. After his family was slain by a blood crazed wife of a Dracula, the vampire followed tradition and adopted the child, raising him as his own in all but the vampirism. But not all liked it, even if it was what tradition demanded. And even Johnnie grew up to resent this position a little, for now he didn’t fit in either of the worlds. A human among vampires, never a vampire. No longer a Normal, so unable to live in that side of the world either.
So he does what he thinks will fit the situation best, and moves out of the Dracula’s estate, taking up supernatural cases in a shady part of town. All goes well and good until they start affecting his life more and more. And then one day a woman knocks on his door, asking to find her beloved. A man, who, Johnnie soon finds out, is no other, than his brother, Dracula’s heir. Soon to marry a noblewoman.
Mine: The book had a nice A Wolf Among Us vibe to it. Supernaturals living separate from the Normals. Old fairy tales seeping into their current life. A slight re-telling of a Snow White, poisoned apples and mirrors included. And even if there was stalling, it was still cozy, and fun enough.
This might not be your next favorite book, but it’s definitely an interesting take on it. 4 out of 5 from me, and we’ll see what’s next.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About: Johnnie, a normal, had to grow up among supernaturals. After his family was slain by a blood crazed wife of a Dracula, the vampire followed tradition and adopted the child, raising him as his own in all but the vampirism. But not all liked it, even if it was what tradition demanded. And even Johnnie grew up to resent this position a little, for now he didn’t fit in either of the worlds. A human among vampires, never a vampire. No longer a Normal, so unable to live in that side of the world either.
So he does what he thinks will fit the situation best, and moves out of the Dracula’s estate, taking up supernatural cases in a shady part of town. All goes well and good until they start affecting his life more and more. And then one day a woman knocks on his door, asking to find her beloved. A man, who, Johnnie soon finds out, is no other, than his brother, Dracula’s heir. Soon to marry a noblewoman.
Mine: The book had a nice A Wolf Among Us vibe to it. Supernaturals living separate from the Normals. Old fairy tales seeping into their current life. A slight re-telling of a Snow White, poisoned apples and mirrors included. And even if there was stalling, it was still cozy, and fun enough.
This might not be your next favorite book, but it’s definitely an interesting take on it. 4 out of 5 from me, and we’ll see what’s next.
nordiccowgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
books_and_cha's review
2.0
This book fucked me up. So, if you read my review on the first book on the series, you'd know that I didn't like it a whole lot. That being said, I decided to give Derr a second try cause sometimes the second book is better than the first.
Spoiler alert: that was not the case for this one. It was actually the same set of problems that I had with the first book, except worse.
1) Did I not say CONSENT IS KEY, CONSENT IS SEXY? Yeah, this book has no concept of consent. Once again, when Johnnie meets Eros, Eros kisses and fondles him AGAINST HIS WILL, EVEN WHEN EXPLICITLY STATED. What gets me is this: the way it is rationalized is that since Johnnie enjoys Eros's advances physically, it's not a case of assault. Johnnie literally thinks that it would have been sexual assault, except that his body responded. Um, no. A physical reaction does not equal consent. When a woman is raped, it is still possible for her to physically experience an orgasm. The body can't differentiate between forced and consensual penetration. Just because someone physically reacts to touch, kisses or other sexual advances does not mean they consent. Basically, if this was real life, Johnnie would have a legitimate case of sexual assault on his hands. If I was uncomfortable in Dance with the Devil, I was plain angry with this installment.
2) I never forgave Bergin for not telling Johnnie the truth. I felt like all the build-up: the angst, the sadness, and insecurity did not balance the pay-off. Bergin and Johnnie were cute when they argued, but I did not ship them as a couple after what Bergin did. Johnnie actually suffered: at some point in the book, he felt like there was no one who loved him like there was no one he was good enough for. The whole thing with Eros cut him so deep, that when the resolution took place, it felt mediocre. In my head, the two of them simply don't belong together.
3) This is minor compared to the rest of the stuff that bothered me, but I also didn't like how Johnnie kept quoting books. At times, it was fitting, but it was overdone more often than not.
Just because I don't want to be a terrible person, I'm going to list some things I actually liked in the book:
1) Johnnie's relationship with his father
2) The arguing between Johnnie and Bergin
3) That poem they quote to each other in the beginning and end of the book
4) The way Bergin is a complete Momma's boy
5) The way each chapter was a mystery
6) Johnnie's clothes
Anyways, so this one was bust for me. CONSENT, people.
Spoiler alert: that was not the case for this one. It was actually the same set of problems that I had with the first book, except worse.
1) Did I not say CONSENT IS KEY, CONSENT IS SEXY? Yeah, this book has no concept of consent. Once again, when Johnnie meets Eros, Eros kisses and fondles him AGAINST HIS WILL, EVEN WHEN EXPLICITLY STATED. What gets me is this: the way it is rationalized is that since Johnnie enjoys Eros's advances physically, it's not a case of assault. Johnnie literally thinks that it would have been sexual assault, except that his body responded. Um, no. A physical reaction does not equal consent. When a woman is raped, it is still possible for her to physically experience an orgasm. The body can't differentiate between forced and consensual penetration. Just because someone physically reacts to touch, kisses or other sexual advances does not mean they consent. Basically, if this was real life, Johnnie would have a legitimate case of sexual assault on his hands. If I was uncomfortable in Dance with the Devil, I was plain angry with this installment.
2) I never forgave Bergin for not telling Johnnie the truth. I felt like all the build-up: the angst, the sadness, and insecurity did not balance the pay-off. Bergin and Johnnie were cute when they argued, but I did not ship them as a couple after what Bergin did. Johnnie actually suffered: at some point in the book, he felt like there was no one who loved him like there was no one he was good enough for. The whole thing with Eros cut him so deep, that when the resolution took place, it felt mediocre. In my head, the two of them simply don't belong together.
3) This is minor compared to the rest of the stuff that bothered me, but I also didn't like how Johnnie kept quoting books. At times, it was fitting, but it was overdone more often than not.
Just because I don't want to be a terrible person, I'm going to list some things I actually liked in the book:
1) Johnnie's relationship with his father
2) The arguing between Johnnie and Bergin
3) That poem they quote to each other in the beginning and end of the book
4) The way Bergin is a complete Momma's boy
5) The way each chapter was a mystery
6) Johnnie's clothes
Anyways, so this one was bust for me. CONSENT, people.
daydreamer45's review
5.0
"To stop a werewolf, get a witch/
To stop a witch, get a sorcerer/
To stop a sorcerer, get a vampire/
To stop a vampire, get a dragon/
To stop a dragon, get a demon/
To stop a demon, get another demon."
"Death doesn't scare me. Death will never scare me. The only thing that scares me is you."
Johnnie was... pratty and annoying. Which made him strangely adorable. And for an observant man, continiously compared to Sherlock Holmes, he is strangely unobservant when it comes to himself and his. Stubborn, yet charming.
m (I'm still LOL-ing at the name, despite the fact that I SHOULD HAVE GUESSED. :D) was no less stubborn and acting stupid. So they are actually perfect for each other.
I loved the Chris and Sable cameo, and the Phil and Zach ones.
To stop a witch, get a sorcerer/
To stop a sorcerer, get a vampire/
To stop a vampire, get a dragon/
To stop a dragon, get a demon/
To stop a demon, get another demon."
"Death doesn't scare me. Death will never scare me. The only thing that scares me is you."
Johnnie was... pratty and annoying. Which made him strangely adorable. And for an observant man, continiously compared to Sherlock Holmes, he is strangely unobservant when it comes to himself and his. Stubborn, yet charming.
Spoiler
GrimI loved the Chris and Sable cameo, and the Phil and Zach ones.
syka's review against another edition
4.0
A 4 might be a bit high tbh, but I did really enjoy this one.
There are a few annoying things (characters being dumb for the plot to happen, slavery in this fantasy world being handled too nonchalantly) but overall the characters and the story were both interesting. There's enough details to make the world and the lore feel convincing without getting boring or self-indulgent.
There are a few annoying things (characters being dumb for the plot to happen, slavery in this fantasy world being handled too nonchalantly) but overall the characters and the story were both interesting. There's enough details to make the world and the lore feel convincing without getting boring or self-indulgent.