Wicked Flavors was one of the books I was excited to delve into, and I can say that it did not dissapoint at all.

I was gifted an ARC and I'm leaving this review with my own opinions for free.

I really liked Gwendolyn right from the start of chapter one. She is a character that can capture and hold attention easily, with how relatable her interactions with other people are and how the way she is passionate about her dolls and their customisation. It was really cool to see a character with a strong love for a hobby and the hobby itself. Although I have some knowledge about dolls and customasation from YouTube doomscrolling, it was fun to see some of it in the book. Gwen is also very determined to get what she wants (in this instance, the new doll for her collection) and her no-nonsence attitude was really cool. Just seeing her interact with Ambrosius for the first time, I already kind of fell in love with their dynamic. I think it really worked mainly thanks to the fact that both of the characters were nicely fleshed out, not shallow in any way. And both were monstrous as the horror label on this book promised. 

I think Gwen's journey as a character was one of the strongest and also most enjoyable points of this book, especially as it naturally progressed. I especially enjoyed how she found a more bold version of herself, ready to stand up when she was mistreated by people around her but also in her relationship with Ambrosius. This also shifted their dynamic, and although I already liked it in the beginning, it was even better when Gwen found her footing and embraced her monstrous nature.
The monstrosity was honestly such a fun thing, if I can word it that way. The horror was done extremely well, especially the body horror, and while it didn't exactly make my stomach turn, it was definitely a fascinating part of the book, along with the more mysterious plot apart from Gwen's transformation. I really liked how it was foreshadowed, how things clicked together later in the story and everything mentioned previously found its place. 

When it comes to representation, I was really happy to see so many in just the two main characters. Gwen's autism was so integral to the story, which is something that always makes the reading experience great. Both her and Ambrosius' Native Hawai'ian heritage also brought more to the story, not just in the terms of Ambrosius' origin backstory, but also in Gwen's experience among humans. 
The rep I have to especially highlight, as it made me extremely happy, is the ace rep. Both characters are demi, and I have to say this was one of the best depictions of it I have seen in a very long time. Like not only is it Ace4Ace, but there was no doubt that they are ace-spec. There was no skirting around the subject, like there sometimes is in (especially more mainstream) media, it was really clear in the dialogue and in Gwen's thoughts. And it wasn't just one mention, it was loud and clear, and it shaped the way they interacted. Nice.