i don't even really know what happened it went by so quickly. it was like those wax soda bottle candies - looks pretty but isn't actually ★2.87 stars★
i don't even really know what happened it went by so quickly. it was like those wax soda bottle candies - looks pretty but isn't actually that great...more
i don't know why this exists in audiobook form when it's a coffee table book but it was still fun to listen to... kind ofi don't know why this exists in audiobook form when it's a coffee table book but it was still fun to listen to... kind of...more
The best thing the book had going for it was the spice which was absolutely amazing. everything else was... just okay. that being said, i ★3.23 stars★
The best thing the book had going for it was the spice which was absolutely amazing. everything else was... just okay. that being said, i will be continuing with this author because holy moly... she can write a good sex scene...more
great concept - very poor execution. and yet... i enjoyed it? i was getting queer zombieland meets the ethical quandaries of Superstore. i★3.53 stars★
great concept - very poor execution. and yet... i enjoyed it? i was getting queer zombieland meets the ethical quandaries of Superstore. it could've been great but the queer representation was so heavy-handed and poorly done. it felt like the author just spun the wheel of 'which-queer-identity-will-we-include-today?' and then decided why pick one when we could use all of them? and they all felt like cardboard one-dimensional stereotypes.
that being said, the zombie action kicked off right away and was really well done. there was something almost cozy and campy about the apocalypse vibes that i really enjoyed for some reason. the corporation was realistically despicable so that's always fun.
my final complaint was the main character, Wendy, who was the dumbest dumbass to ever dumbass. i am SHOCKED that she survived her own stupidity. ...more
solidly just okay. which is disappointing. i'm still going to continue with the series because i want to see where things go but it felt ★3.00 stars ★
solidly just okay. which is disappointing. i'm still going to continue with the series because i want to see where things go but it felt like the first act made up 80% of the book. i didn't get really interested until far too late.
it was... fine. i kind of just kept going because i wanted to know how it ended and van was kind of a... i won't say compelling... as much★2.47 stars★
it was... fine. i kind of just kept going because i wanted to know how it ended and van was kind of a... i won't say compelling... as much as just attractive... character. my issue is mostly with margot who annoyed the hell out of me. she kept flipping back and forth between #GiRlbOsS and a mary sue with a heavy lean to mary sue.
additionally, literally everything that happened was just... so improbable and would never happen in real life. like, they were constantly stealing things and destroying national artifacts and art with minimal to no consequences.
it definitely reminded me of rough drafts of books i've written where i don't think about how real life works. i just know what i want the characters to do so i make it happen regardless of if it's grounded in reality....more
don't you math nerds come for me. i know 6 should be rounded up but the cosmic stupidity of the mcs drove me crazy. i unders★3.61 Stars, rounded down★
don't you math nerds come for me. i know 6 should be rounded up but the cosmic stupidity of the mcs drove me crazy. i understand that some amount of tension is required for there to be a plot but there came a point where i started to get irritated by the miscommunication
additionally, there was ZERO intimacy between the two characters. i won't deny that i adored the electricity between the two of them. it had me genuinely grinning from ear to ear. but it was the kind of puppy love that won't sustain a long term relationship. there was a problematic lack of true bonding beyond just lust and sarcasm. ...more
edit: why the FUCK did the UK get a better cover than we did?? life is so unfair
Not gonna lie. That was a bummer. I was here for cute, nerdy werewolf edit: why the FUCK did the UK get a better cover than we did?? life is so unfair
Not gonna lie. That was a bummer. I was here for cute, nerdy werewolf with anxiety... and there was basically none of that. Give me the dramatic transformations! Give me the sexy growls! Give me the fangs and claws dammit. I am so disappointed by the lack of werewolf.
The book focused much more heavily (almost completely) on Eleanora who is the only reason this isn't a 2.5 stars rounded down. I adored Eleanora. She was witty, clever, and fun (although the narrator's accent for her was a bit much and took some getting used to).
Basically, I was expecting a werewolf romance and got a vampire one. The vampire romance, on it's own, was good but it's like taking a gulp of orange juice expecting chocolate milk - distinctly different from what I was expecting....more
Increasing my rating to four stars because I have fallen completely in love with this world and its characters. ____________[image]
Re-Read on 12/30/24
Increasing my rating to four stars because I have fallen completely in love with this world and its characters. ____________
I have so many feelings about this book. Big, messy feelings. On one hand, this is literally the written execution my imaginary romances that I write as I fall asleep which was an absolutely blast to read. But on the other hand, it definitely could have been touched up some. I would have loved to have seen more emotional depth and stakes.
Unfortunately, the chemistry between Finn and Jaime did feel a touch shallow even with the intimate scenes. it felt very instalove-y. Additionally, and this is not a problem per se, the sex was just a bit too much for me. I like my sex scenes like a warm bowl of soup: flavorful, comforting, cozy with a hint of spice. These scenes were more like a spicy curry- burning, enthralling, a bit too much for my tastes. I'm really not into the breeding/bodily fluids stuff and there was a LOT of it. maybe a bit too much.
That being said, I'll probably continue with this author because despite the few complaints, I had a good time reading this...more
I... have mixed feelings about this. It teetered on the edge of being good but was way to reductionist and insta-lovey for my tastes. Also, the whole I... have mixed feelings about this. It teetered on the edge of being good but was way to reductionist and insta-lovey for my tastes. Also, the whole they grew up together, basically siblings, but now they desperately want to f**k each other thing was really uncomfortable. honestly, I don't think it's a trope that is easy to do well and it was not done well here.
also, I will say it again (and again until I die): gia. is. a. fucking. snake. ...more
2.5 stars rounded down - this book was such a tease. I had blue balls for scientific knowledge by the end of this book because it kept just barely bec2.5 stars rounded down - this book was such a tease. I had blue balls for scientific knowledge by the end of this book because it kept just barely becoming interesting and then quickly reverting back to boring.
See the problem with this book is that rather than being a well written exploration of sexology, this book served as a weird blend of memoir and meta-analysis.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the author’s life story could’ve been interesting but that’s not what I signed up for when I pick up this book. And it kept being randomly thrown in at awkward and inappropriate times.
Also, it felt like all the author did was read a bunch of research articles and Wikipedia and then compiled the data into a way too long research paper.
While I did appreciate the amoral view of sex and enjoyed some parts, this book somehow took one of the most tantalizing subjects and dried it out....more
Maybe I need to take a break from romance. Maybe it's cause I haven't had therapy in two weeks. Maybe I'm just depressed... but this just didn't do itMaybe I need to take a break from romance. Maybe it's cause I haven't had therapy in two weeks. Maybe I'm just depressed... but this just didn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, Frederick had some great funny moments and this novel inspired a lot of imaginary boyfriend material in my head (I definitely drove for a solid hour with the book paused just writing my own novel in my brain) but the book was lacking in spice and honestly in chemistry too. I loved Frederick as a character but Cassie not so much. I didn't really feel much between them beyond physical attraction....more
*3.5 stars - how deliciously creepy. I honestly wish I had paid more attention towards the end but life had me distracted. That being said, I thorough*3.5 stars - how deliciously creepy. I honestly wish I had paid more attention towards the end but life had me distracted. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the parts I did pay attention to ...more
Hmm. I am quite surprised to say that this book... was just okay. Tepid. Don't get me wrong, there were lots of steamy scenes and they were great but Hmm. I am quite surprised to say that this book... was just okay. Tepid. Don't get me wrong, there were lots of steamy scenes and they were great but I was just not into it. And the werewolf aspect didn't hook my either which was disappointing since I felt like it was done well. Honestly, I think I'm just in a rough patch of life and not in the mood for romance. [image]...more
I must say... I am quite disappointed. This book was a creepy, decadent horror novel that had all the makings of a brilliant story... but it fell shorI must say... I am quite disappointed. This book was a creepy, decadent horror novel that had all the makings of a brilliant story... but it fell short. And the hurt of that compounds on itself so much so that I would have given this two stars if it weren't for the deliciously creepy atmosphere.
The first thing I noticed was that this book couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Was it a mystery thriller? Was it a horror novel with a pinch of occult? Was it a freaking second chance romance? It couldn't decided and honestly, I don't think it wanted to. I think it wanted to be all three.
I would've previously said this couldn't be done but I recently read Monsters We Have Made which showed that it can be done well. This author just didn't do it well. Things were too scattered, at times too cliche, and overall too disorganized for it to work. The books strongest strength was the creepiness but it kept getting thrown off with random moments of romance or the desire to just move on to the next plot point already (which is hilarious because this is actually quite a short book at just under 300 pages)
Overall, it had all the right ingredients but unfortunately, ingredients are only half the work....more