list under: books that did not have to be this long
i was vibing for a while, but this started feeling like those aimless fanfics where you can tell thlist under: books that did not have to be this long
i was vibing for a while, but this started feeling like those aimless fanfics where you can tell the author is flying by the seat of their pants and isnt sure how to end their story. (as someone who has been this author, i'd know, but i dont do it professionally and charge money for it, so i think mine is a lesser crime)...more
DNFed midway... I have to agree with everyone who said this book came of preachy or like it's trying to prove how progessive it is at the expense of tDNFed midway... I have to agree with everyone who said this book came of preachy or like it's trying to prove how progessive it is at the expense of the actual story. Klune... this is a sequel to an mlm book featuring an oppressive government and orphaned magical kids. Why would you think the audience reading *this book* would need to be handheld through issues like... being kind and not bigotted?? Sheesh....more
I can't risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there's also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, you will miss so mucI can't risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there's also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, you will miss so much by being so guarded.
overhyped, boring, and tried to ruin the words 'pretty boy' by repeating it an obscene amount of times.overhyped, boring, and tried to ruin the words 'pretty boy' by repeating it an obscene amount of times....more
its not BAD, but it's not what i was expecting and i just cannot connect to the characters.its not BAD, but it's not what i was expecting and i just cannot connect to the characters....more
DNF at 92 percent. You know a book's boring me when I cant even read the last 8 percent of it. Honestly, I feel kind of bad for how much I didn't likeDNF at 92 percent. You know a book's boring me when I cant even read the last 8 percent of it. Honestly, I feel kind of bad for how much I didn't like this? But I was so so bored. And the antagonist was so incredibly obvious that it made me question how dense Meadows thinks the average reader is.
I do see how this could be enjoyable for someone of different tastes, but for me this was immensely disappointing....more
I'd been really excited for this since I loved A Dowry of Blood, but this... did nothing for me.I'd been really excited for this since I loved A Dowry of Blood, but this... did nothing for me....more
Too many characters were introduced too early on, leaving me confused about who was who and what their relation to Orquídea was. Even after getting soToo many characters were introduced too early on, leaving me confused about who was who and what their relation to Orquídea was. Even after getting some grasp on the characters, thete was nothing of substance. The entire story revolved around Orquídea to the point that everyone else became shadows to fill out the story. There was just no personality to connect to, which is sad because the writing is quite nice otherwise. Even Orquídea herself, the most fleshed out character, wasn't particularly likeable and it was taxing to read about her life with a man who only wanted to own her. Having the line "when a man dismisses other women as nothing then he will eventually do the same to her" followed up immediately by her taking him back anyway was so offputting.
I also kept getting annoyed that the characters would remark on things like superstition or impossibilities while they literally have flowers growing out of their bodies and grew up surrounded by Orquídea's magic. Like... come on, now.
A very generous two stars for the cool concept. That's it. That's the only thing I found worthwhile.
Truly, how do you write a 548 page long book wherA very generous two stars for the cool concept. That's it. That's the only thing I found worthwhile.
Truly, how do you write a 548 page long book where practically nothing happens? This could have been a novella, a short story even. A whole lot of moving around and getting captured and planning escape and talking talking talking while the most boring, one-dimensional villain in the world demands that people read for him.
I feel betrayed by how many people recommended this to me. ...more
This was perfectly...fine. I think this would have worked better as a fanfic, something light and silly where the characters are Extra Oblivious and wThis was perfectly...fine. I think this would have worked better as a fanfic, something light and silly where the characters are Extra Oblivious and worldbuilding doesn't really matter. As an original work though, this is kind of a miss for me. I didn't care that much about the characters, the worldbuilding was nonexistant, and the plot was tenuously held together by the main characters refusing to just talk to each other.
This wasn't a terrible book to read, like I said it's very light and silly, but I wish I hadn't actually spent money on it. (I actually bought three FT Lukens books before I had bother reading any of them and I'm regretting that now.)...more
4.5 I loved this but I have a feeling I won't love the sequel so I probably won't read it. 4.5 I loved this but I have a feeling I won't love the sequel so I probably won't read it. ...more
i mean it wholehwartedly when i say this book has changed me. sometimes i look at my average rating here on goodreads and think i am too picky to lovei mean it wholehwartedly when i say this book has changed me. sometimes i look at my average rating here on goodreads and think i am too picky to love reading this much, but then i read something so exquisite that all of the lackluster books become worth it. i am so eternally grateful to past me for finishing dark rise despite how slow it was in the first half. i am going to be thinking about this book constantly until the next comes out....more
halfway in, i thought this would be a strained 4 stars. as it continued, it lowered to 3 stars. but the ending makes me so angry i bothered reading thhalfway in, i thought this would be a strained 4 stars. as it continued, it lowered to 3 stars. but the ending makes me so angry i bothered reading this. it sells itself as a cute romcom but they don't even end up together. it's unbelievably frustrating to go on this whole journey of crest learning that all humans aren't terrible and them falling in love and getting not one but TWO opportunities for them to be together only for them to both say no. like why am i here what was the point who the hell writes a fake dating trope that ends in nobody actually dating?
and this doesn't even begin to cover my other problems with the book. the deus ex machinas, the overly convenient plot points, the lowkey biphobia ('hearts not parts'), the overt horniness of the characters, the bestie being an awful and selfish friend, etc. geez, i wish i could return this one to the store......more
My second Twisted Tale and possibly my last, if the rest are the same. It's like someone asks "how could we make a Disney movie worse?" and then writeMy second Twisted Tale and possibly my last, if the rest are the same. It's like someone asks "how could we make a Disney movie worse?" and then write that story. There's no magic, no love, no wit. Who are these characters? Tiana would never act this way. Naveen is so boring. Both them and Dr. Facilier are shadows (no pun intended) of their film selves. And not every villain needs to be given some sympathetic backstory. ...more