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kaitie_reads's reviews
143 reviews
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
I have a lot of thoughts.
I picked this up as a light and fluffy beach read, and I was determined to get through it.
I did like how this was written; it's quirky and fun.
However, I hated the characters. The story is predictable. It's enemies/rivals to lovers, but you don't believe that the characters are enemies for even a minute. A lot of the scenarios in the story would never happen in real life (the FMC at one point has a flip out on the doctor father of the MMC and tells him "It's been real".... the cringe I cringed). There was so much miscommunication between the main characters, and it felt like they were never right for each other.
Also, the FMC is small. Did I mention she's tiny? Childlike? So small? Like less than 5 feet tall and teensy? In case you didn't get the point yet, she's little. She also collects smurfs, she's a major dork and ...she's the smallest person ever. Every other sentence is about how small she is. With a big hulking male love interest, it felt very gross how much the story referenced how *childlike* she is, and she also comments at one point how she "looks like a 10-year-old." Gag. The MMC also carries her around because if you don't know it yet, she is small.
The banter is fun at times, but people would never actually say the things they say. The MMC also expresses being uncomfortable about the FMC's comments on his physique, and she never shuts up about it. It made me uncomfortable. The MMC is also supposedly shy, but really, he's just an asshole with a sob story that nobody believes in him, so he berates everyone around him and acts like a total dick. The dude also has some major red flags and jealousy issues.
It's a fun story - at times - but I just couldn't handle some of the dialogue, plot points, and characters, so overall, I'm glad it's over..
I picked this up as a light and fluffy beach read, and I was determined to get through it.
I did like how this was written; it's quirky and fun.
However, I hated the characters. The story is predictable. It's enemies/rivals to lovers, but you don't believe that the characters are enemies for even a minute. A lot of the scenarios in the story would never happen in real life (the FMC at one point has a flip out on the doctor father of the MMC and tells him "It's been real".... the cringe I cringed). There was so much miscommunication between the main characters, and it felt like they were never right for each other.
Also, the FMC is small. Did I mention she's tiny? Childlike? So small? Like less than 5 feet tall and teensy? In case you didn't get the point yet, she's little. She also collects smurfs, she's a major dork and ...she's the smallest person ever. Every other sentence is about how small she is. With a big hulking male love interest, it felt very gross how much the story referenced how *childlike* she is, and she also comments at one point how she "looks like a 10-year-old." Gag. The MMC also carries her around because if you don't know it yet, she is small.
The banter is fun at times, but people would never actually say the things they say. The MMC also expresses being uncomfortable about the FMC's comments on his physique, and she never shuts up about it. It made me uncomfortable. The MMC is also supposedly shy, but really, he's just an asshole with a sob story that nobody believes in him, so he berates everyone around him and acts like a total dick. The dude also has some major red flags and jealousy issues.
It's a fun story - at times - but I just couldn't handle some of the dialogue, plot points, and characters, so overall, I'm glad it's over..
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-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
I would give this book a million stars if I could.
A Norse Mythology reimagining, The Witch's Heart is a gorgeous journey. It's easy to read, a little bit weird at times, and heavily inspired by age-old stories. I loved this book.
Betrayal, love, heartbreak, yearning, the lengths that a mother will go to for her children, tragedy, and hope are all contained within these wonderful pages. While the pacing alternates between being fast and slow, I devoured this book and thought it was really beautifully written.
Angrboda is so strong as our FMC. She is a witch who has been burned for refusing to aid Odin in his quest for knowledge. Even though she has endured so much suffering, she continues to give so much of herself. You can feel her anguish, her loyalty, and her desperation throughout her story. As a mother, I could relate very much to the sense of duty she feels towards her children.
I'm not well-versed in Norse Mythology, so this book also provided ample learning opportunities. I learned, I laughed, I cried (sobbed), and it was all very digestible and written in a modern way.
"๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฝ๐ธ ๐ซ๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ธ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ธ๐ป ๐๐ธ๐พ, ๐๐ท๐ฐ๐ป๐ซ๐ธ๐ญ๐ช. ๐ข๐ธ ๐ถ๐พ๐ฌ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ธ๐ป๐ฎ. ๐ ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ท. ๐ ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ท๐ธ๐. ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ต ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐พ๐ท๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ต ๐ ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฎ. ๐๐ท๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ท ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป, ๐๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ธ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ท, ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ต ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ต๐ต."
A Norse Mythology reimagining, The Witch's Heart is a gorgeous journey. It's easy to read, a little bit weird at times, and heavily inspired by age-old stories. I loved this book.
Betrayal, love, heartbreak, yearning, the lengths that a mother will go to for her children, tragedy, and hope are all contained within these wonderful pages. While the pacing alternates between being fast and slow, I devoured this book and thought it was really beautifully written.
Angrboda is so strong as our FMC. She is a witch who has been burned for refusing to aid Odin in his quest for knowledge. Even though she has endured so much suffering, she continues to give so much of herself. You can feel her anguish, her loyalty, and her desperation throughout her story. As a mother, I could relate very much to the sense of duty she feels towards her children.
I'm not well-versed in Norse Mythology, so this book also provided ample learning opportunities. I learned, I laughed, I cried (sobbed), and it was all very digestible and written in a modern way.
"๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฝ๐ธ ๐ซ๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ธ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ธ๐ป ๐๐ธ๐พ, ๐๐ท๐ฐ๐ป๐ซ๐ธ๐ญ๐ช. ๐ข๐ธ ๐ถ๐พ๐ฌ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ธ๐ป๐ฎ. ๐ ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ท. ๐ ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ท๐ธ๐. ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ต ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐พ๐ท๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ต ๐ ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฎ. ๐๐ท๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ท ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป, ๐๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ธ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ท, ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ต ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ต๐ต."
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
This was a great read but missing just a little bit of the wow factor needed for it to be an incredible read.
Vikings, female rage, a strong FMC, a swoon-worthy MMC, betrayal, some surprising turns, amazing tension, and great banter can be found in the pages of this book.
As the reader, you can't help but feel for Freya, our FMC who is unfated and blessed by the gods; but who is also controlled and manipulated by those [men] who seek to use her power. She is a strong female lead but sometimes acts brashly because of her distrust of everyone around her. Bjorn, our male lead, is a swoon-worthy will-burn-the-world-for-her Viking warrior. The romantic tension that ensues is fantastic.
I did find that the plot was just a little bit too predictable. The use of the word "arse" bothered me (it was so frequent), and I was also a little disappointed with the fast-paced, cliffhanger ending.
This fits the bill for romantasy and is much heavier on the romance side and a little bit less developed on the fantasy side. I love the Norse Mythology and viking influence.
Overall, fantasy romance readers will love this book, and I can't wait for the next one!
~
"It is hard to keep oneโs wits when faced with a woman as beautiful as the sight of shore to a man who has been lost at sea".
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
This was a great read but missing just a little bit of the wow factor needed for it to be an incredible read.
Vikings, female rage, a strong FMC, a swoon-worthy MMC, betrayal, some surprising turns, amazing tension, and great banter can be found in the pages of this book.
As the reader, you can't help but feel for Freya, our FMC who is unfated and blessed by the gods; but who is also controlled and manipulated by those [men] who seek to use her power. She is a strong female lead but sometimes acts brashly because of her distrust of everyone around her. Bjorn, our male lead, is a swoon-worthy will-burn-the-world-for-her Viking warrior. The romantic tension that ensues is fantastic.
I did find that the plot was just a little bit too predictable. The use of the word "arse" bothered me (it was so frequent), and I was also a little disappointed with the fast-paced, cliffhanger ending.
This fits the bill for romantasy and is much heavier on the romance side and a little bit less developed on the fantasy side. I love the Norse Mythology and viking influence.
Overall, fantasy romance readers will love this book, and I can't wait for the next one!
~
"It is hard to keep oneโs wits when faced with a woman as beautiful as the sight of shore to a man who has been lost at sea".
The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields
This was a wonderful read - cozy, whimsical, witchy, and cottagecore with an interesting magic system. I feel like this book will be loved by any woman who has ever felt like a misfit.
Marigold has never fit into her surroundings. While her parents and siblings enjoy high society dinners and socializing; she feels a calling to run among the wildflowers and bask in the moonlight. She follows that calling and discovers a whole new world at her fingertips and new friendships, too. Marigold, Lottie, and August are wonderful characters, and I loved their friendship and found-family vibe.
I loved some of the passages and quotes in this book very much. The way the author describes emotions like grief or loneliness is exquisitely profound. Many of the passages resonated deeply with me. The writing and relatability in the first few chapters drew me in.
I did find the ending a bit rushed. The storyline overall is a little bit predictable, and some of the relationships and dialogue fell a little bit flat. The world-building was also a little odd in my mind, but I've forgiven my little qualms with it because it is a fantasy read.
Overall, it is an enjoyable, cozy, slow-burn sapphic romance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
This was a wonderful read - cozy, whimsical, witchy, and cottagecore with an interesting magic system. I feel like this book will be loved by any woman who has ever felt like a misfit.
Marigold has never fit into her surroundings. While her parents and siblings enjoy high society dinners and socializing; she feels a calling to run among the wildflowers and bask in the moonlight. She follows that calling and discovers a whole new world at her fingertips and new friendships, too. Marigold, Lottie, and August are wonderful characters, and I loved their friendship and found-family vibe.
I loved some of the passages and quotes in this book very much. The way the author describes emotions like grief or loneliness is exquisitely profound. Many of the passages resonated deeply with me. The writing and relatability in the first few chapters drew me in.
I did find the ending a bit rushed. The storyline overall is a little bit predictable, and some of the relationships and dialogue fell a little bit flat. The world-building was also a little odd in my mind, but I've forgiven my little qualms with it because it is a fantasy read.
Overall, it is an enjoyable, cozy, slow-burn sapphic romance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Grief
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Happy Publication Day!
This one deserves all of the stars.
This book was absolutely gorgeous. Rooted in Scottish folklore and based on the tale of "The Selkie Wife" this debut was absolutely mesmerizing. There is beautiful scene setting, page-turning suspense, amazing romantic tension, wonderful dialogue and also lgbtq representation contained within the pages of this sapphic love story and folklore retelling.
Part historical fiction, part fantasy romance, the story follows Jean, a midwife who has worked hard to reinstate her value to the community after being slandered for her choices in love. Afraid of making connections in her community, everything changes when she comes upon a laboring mother in need on a stormy night. Sensing that there is something dubious occurring, she forms a friendship with the woman and takes her under her wing.
If you love historical fiction with a little bit of a fairytale story included, I'd highly recommend this book. I loved the coastal vibe and Nova Scotia setting. The descriptive scenes and Jean's relationship with her natural setting is beautiful. I also love how the author reflects on nature and ties what's happening in the natural world into the occurences in our protagonist's story.
I always rate a book highly if it invokes an emotional response, and this story absolutely does.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one deserves all of the stars.
This book was absolutely gorgeous. Rooted in Scottish folklore and based on the tale of "The Selkie Wife" this debut was absolutely mesmerizing. There is beautiful scene setting, page-turning suspense, amazing romantic tension, wonderful dialogue and also lgbtq representation contained within the pages of this sapphic love story and folklore retelling.
Part historical fiction, part fantasy romance, the story follows Jean, a midwife who has worked hard to reinstate her value to the community after being slandered for her choices in love. Afraid of making connections in her community, everything changes when she comes upon a laboring mother in need on a stormy night. Sensing that there is something dubious occurring, she forms a friendship with the woman and takes her under her wing.
If you love historical fiction with a little bit of a fairytale story included, I'd highly recommend this book. I loved the coastal vibe and Nova Scotia setting. The descriptive scenes and Jean's relationship with her natural setting is beautiful. I also love how the author reflects on nature and ties what's happening in the natural world into the occurences in our protagonist's story.
I always rate a book highly if it invokes an emotional response, and this story absolutely does.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual violence
The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
adventurous
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a brilliant work of fiction loosely based on Chinese history. The story follows queer Asian men from three different timelines and settings who are all somehow interconnected.
The descriptive prose, sense of adventure, and emotions captured within this part retelling are incredible. Some passages resonated deeply with me (especially concerning finding one's self and becoming who you are). There is the perfect amount of suspense and missing context that makes you want to keep reading to figure out what is happening and you can't help but wish for a happy ending as you sort out who is who and how their stories are connected.
*Possible spoilers re: story direction ahead*
I wouldn't call this story a romance. The conclusion is a little open-ended, which I generally don't like, but I think in this case, it was done well (although I do wish we were left with a little more). It's bittersweet and alludes to significant character growth. There is a little bit of a lack of depth for our romantic partners but I think it supports the notion presented that love isn't easy - it's multi-faceted - and our actions in love speak more than our words.
At times while reading, I had the thought that this story wasn't meant for me, but I adored it all the same. I think that anyone could appreciate the suspense, the twists, and the turns. It is a spicy gay male fantasy novel. Some reviewers have labelled it erotica; however, I disagree. The actual incidences of sex support the writing and aren't at all a main plot point. I think that many readers are likely not used to having descriptive sex scenes from this perspective. I would urge readers to go into this with an open mind and the knowledge that everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in our stories. In my opinion, the beautiful story that Justinian Huang has created is groundbreaking for the LGBTQ+ community where stories like this one are just starting to emerge and become mainstream.
A breathtaking debut.
Note - TW: non-consensual sex
This book is a brilliant work of fiction loosely based on Chinese history. The story follows queer Asian men from three different timelines and settings who are all somehow interconnected.
The descriptive prose, sense of adventure, and emotions captured within this part retelling are incredible. Some passages resonated deeply with me (especially concerning finding one's self and becoming who you are). There is the perfect amount of suspense and missing context that makes you want to keep reading to figure out what is happening and you can't help but wish for a happy ending as you sort out who is who and how their stories are connected.
*Possible spoilers re: story direction ahead*
I wouldn't call this story a romance. The conclusion is a little open-ended, which I generally don't like, but I think in this case, it was done well (although I do wish we were left with a little more). It's bittersweet and alludes to significant character growth. There is a little bit of a lack of depth for our romantic partners but I think it supports the notion presented that love isn't easy - it's multi-faceted - and our actions in love speak more than our words.
At times while reading, I had the thought that this story wasn't meant for me, but I adored it all the same. I think that anyone could appreciate the suspense, the twists, and the turns. It is a spicy gay male fantasy novel. Some reviewers have labelled it erotica; however, I disagree. The actual incidences of sex support the writing and aren't at all a main plot point. I think that many readers are likely not used to having descriptive sex scenes from this perspective. I would urge readers to go into this with an open mind and the knowledge that everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in our stories. In my opinion, the beautiful story that Justinian Huang has created is groundbreaking for the LGBTQ+ community where stories like this one are just starting to emerge and become mainstream.
A breathtaking debut.
Note - TW: non-consensual sex
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Rise of the Cinder Fae by Whitney Dean
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this story. It has a part Cinderella retelling, faeries, a magical world, a little bit of rumplestilskin, and other famous fairytales intertwined with an immersing love story.
Elora is a wonderful fmc. She is kind, loyal, and a victim of circumstance. Finnian is a swoon-worthy mmc. He is the crowned prince of a wicked kingdom, and although he is morally ambiguous, he is desperately loyal to those he loves.
One thing that prevented me from rating higher is that the story is a little bit long. There is a lot of information and events that occur. The ending is fast-paced, but there were definitely moments where I felt the story could've been cut back a little bit.
Despite the length and sometimes larger information loads, I thought the premise was brilliant. I can't wait for more of this series.
I really enjoyed this story. It has a part Cinderella retelling, faeries, a magical world, a little bit of rumplestilskin, and other famous fairytales intertwined with an immersing love story.
Elora is a wonderful fmc. She is kind, loyal, and a victim of circumstance. Finnian is a swoon-worthy mmc. He is the crowned prince of a wicked kingdom, and although he is morally ambiguous, he is desperately loyal to those he loves.
One thing that prevented me from rating higher is that the story is a little bit long. There is a lot of information and events that occur. The ending is fast-paced, but there were definitely moments where I felt the story could've been cut back a little bit.
Despite the length and sometimes larger information loads, I thought the premise was brilliant. I can't wait for more of this series.
Wings Of Redemption: A Tale of Broken Hearts by Gemma A. Summers
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
The author provided me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm choosing not to leave a star rating because I'm feeling a bit conflicted on how to rate this book.
Gemma writes beautifully. The descriptive text and scene setting paints a very vivid picture throughout. Although, at some points while reading, I thought that the descriptive quality took away from the storybuilding. The worldbuilding was interesting, and I appreciated the magical qualities of the world, but a lot of the information comes in large info dumps, whether through dialogue or excerpts from articles within the world itself, and it is a lot at once. I didn't feel particularly attached to our main character. Everything kind of happens to her, and she's just along for the ride. I also noticed a few inconsistencies or repetitions of phrases that I think could've been improved by editing. The story is fast and slow-paced at once. It seems the actual action happens very quickly - with long journeys in a matter of pages - but the scene setting and descriptions sometimes span the same length. The dragons are definitely awesome, and I did love their banter and connection to our MC.
Thank you again to the author for giving me a chance to read and review your book. I wish you success with this book and future endeavors.
Gemma writes beautifully. The descriptive text and scene setting paints a very vivid picture throughout. Although, at some points while reading, I thought that the descriptive quality took away from the storybuilding. The worldbuilding was interesting, and I appreciated the magical qualities of the world, but a lot of the information comes in large info dumps, whether through dialogue or excerpts from articles within the world itself, and it is a lot at once. I didn't feel particularly attached to our main character. Everything kind of happens to her, and she's just along for the ride. I also noticed a few inconsistencies or repetitions of phrases that I think could've been improved by editing. The story is fast and slow-paced at once. It seems the actual action happens very quickly - with long journeys in a matter of pages - but the scene setting and descriptions sometimes span the same length. The dragons are definitely awesome, and I did love their banter and connection to our MC.
Thank you again to the author for giving me a chance to read and review your book. I wish you success with this book and future endeavors.
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book. It's not something I'd normally pick up, but the combination of vengeant serial killers, a sweet romance, great spice, amazing banter, and well-developed characters had me hooked.
The book has very Dexter-like vibes (but it's better) - and follows two serial killers who kill serial killers. It's funny, kind of gross at times (good thing I rarely eat orzo pasta), and the story just has a little bit of everything. It's a fast-paced, slow burn... from friends to lovers.
Rowan and Sloane are so captivating as characters. Sloane has a bit of an introverted, moody vibe; Rowan has big golden retriever energy, and the way he loves Sloane is absolutely swoon-worthy.
"๐จ๐ธ๐พ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ป๐ญ๐ต๐ ๐ด๐ท๐ธ๐ ๐ถ๐ฎ," ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ผ๐ช๐๐ผ. "๐ก๐ฎ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐? ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ช๐พ๐ผ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ ๐ด๐ท๐ธ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ช๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐น๐ช๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ช๐ท ๐ช๐ท๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ. ๐๐พ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ด๐ท๐ธ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ช๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐น๐ช๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ถ๐ฎ. ๐๐ท๐ญ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ, ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ต๐ต ๐๐ช๐ท๐ฝ ๐ฝ๐ธ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ท๐ฐ ๐ธ๐พ๐ฝ ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ฎ. ๐๐ธ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐ช๐ท๐๐๐ช๐." ๐ ๐ผ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฎ ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ท ๐ข๐ต๐ธ๐ช๐ท๐ฎ'๐ผ ๐ซ๐ป๐ฎ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ช ๐ผ๐ธ๐ฏ๐ฝ ๐ต๐ช๐พ๐ฐ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ป๐ช๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ต๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ป๐ธ๐พ๐ฐ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ท๐ฎ. "๐ฅ
If you like dark comedy, well-written spice, a little bit of morbidity, a swoon-worthy MMC, and a book that hooks you from the first page, this is a great pick.
The book has very Dexter-like vibes (but it's better) - and follows two serial killers who kill serial killers. It's funny, kind of gross at times (good thing I rarely eat orzo pasta), and the story just has a little bit of everything. It's a fast-paced, slow burn... from friends to lovers.
Rowan and Sloane are so captivating as characters. Sloane has a bit of an introverted, moody vibe; Rowan has big golden retriever energy, and the way he loves Sloane is absolutely swoon-worthy.
"๐จ๐ธ๐พ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ป๐ญ๐ต๐ ๐ด๐ท๐ธ๐ ๐ถ๐ฎ," ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ผ๐ช๐๐ผ. "๐ก๐ฎ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐? ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ช๐พ๐ผ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ ๐ด๐ท๐ธ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ช๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐น๐ช๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ช๐ท ๐ช๐ท๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ. ๐๐พ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ด๐ท๐ธ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ช๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐น๐ช๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ถ๐ฎ. ๐๐ท๐ญ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ, ๐๐ธ๐พ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ต๐ต ๐๐ช๐ท๐ฝ ๐ฝ๐ธ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ท๐ฐ ๐ธ๐พ๐ฝ ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ฎ. ๐๐ธ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐ช๐ท๐๐๐ช๐." ๐ ๐ผ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฎ ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ท ๐ข๐ต๐ธ๐ช๐ท๐ฎ'๐ผ ๐ซ๐ป๐ฎ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ช ๐ผ๐ธ๐ฏ๐ฝ ๐ต๐ช๐พ๐ฐ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ป๐ช๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ต๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ป๐ธ๐พ๐ฐ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ท๐ฎ. "๐ฅ
If you like dark comedy, well-written spice, a little bit of morbidity, a swoon-worthy MMC, and a book that hooks you from the first page, this is a great pick.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Murder
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a good read... but missing some elements to be a fantastic read.
I did enjoy the worldbuilding and the lore in this story. The writing is beautiful too. As far as having diverse characters; this is an amazing read. It has some light disability representation, LGBTQ representation (including m+f and sapphic relationships), and non-binary characters. While reading, I felt captivated by the politics and structure of the world. There was also a decent amount of romantic tension and relationship building (a note that it is marketed as romantic fantasy).
A downside for me is that the pacing of the story was quite slow at times. I also feel that because of the slow pacing, the writing lacked some description. I'm still a little bit confused about the scene setting, I'm unsure what an Obeah (a creature central to the story) looks like altogether, and some other details felt vague but were major plot points. Aspects of the relationships also felt kind of unbelievable or rushed at times. The characters change their minds about how they feel very quickly, but this does work because the stakes are high in a world of ongoing war and prejudice. I still don't feel like I am attached to any of the characters, but I think in subsequent books, they could grow on me.
Without saying too much (at the risk of spoilers), the animal companions are amazing.
Overall, I'm looking forward to where the story goes in the next installment!
I did enjoy the worldbuilding and the lore in this story. The writing is beautiful too. As far as having diverse characters; this is an amazing read. It has some light disability representation, LGBTQ representation (including m+f and sapphic relationships), and non-binary characters. While reading, I felt captivated by the politics and structure of the world. There was also a decent amount of romantic tension and relationship building (a note that it is marketed as romantic fantasy).
A downside for me is that the pacing of the story was quite slow at times. I also feel that because of the slow pacing, the writing lacked some description. I'm still a little bit confused about the scene setting, I'm unsure what an Obeah (a creature central to the story) looks like altogether, and some other details felt vague but were major plot points. Aspects of the relationships also felt kind of unbelievable or rushed at times. The characters change their minds about how they feel very quickly, but this does work because the stakes are high in a world of ongoing war and prejudice. I still don't feel like I am attached to any of the characters, but I think in subsequent books, they could grow on me.
Without saying too much (at the risk of spoilers), the animal companions are amazing.
Overall, I'm looking forward to where the story goes in the next installment!