I love a good info dump as much as anyone. I feel it is important to add depth and building blocks to the world, but this kind of took the piss, considering the plot was practically non existent. 

It amazes me that a series that has some of the best worldbuilding and fantasy elements I've ever read, can also feel so cringy, cheesy and completely exhausting. The writing isn't fantastic but I can look past that, because i do enjoy vampire fantasy. 

Alot of things seemed to contradic themselves and it felt we were getting new information out of nowhere about poppy's heritage every other chapter that just confused and dragged everything out. 

At times it felt like she wasn't sure the direction she was going in and kept changing her mind. 

The repetivness of that bloody journal or how stabby poppy is, or the joke of "I have a question," is boring and beyond dry. We get it, and all three don't need to be brought up twice in every chapter. 

Actually, the repetivness of everything. This book could have easily been 350 - 400 pages, but no, please let's keep having the same conversations over and over.

I'm really over all the alpha male growling and the way Casteel and Poppy are together make me feel ill. He's always crooning "so strong, or so violent," at her and if someone constantly tried to help me get dressed or undressed to take a shower, i'd punch them in the face. 

Cas is the first person to stand up to people and say "poppy can protect herself, ect ect," but in private he treats her like precious glass that will break at the first touch, when she just seems to be getting bucketloads of power with each book. 

The sex is boring and I'm over it. It adds nothing to the story whatsoever and feels like its just added in for the sake of making the book longer. After the third sex scenes in as many chapters, I started skipping. They are so cringy and if I have to read "my center or my softness," one more time I'm going to scream. 

Be an adult and call it what it is. 

Also the lack of diversity when it comes to LGBTQ+ characters with authors such as JLA and SJM is outstanding and it speaks volumes. 

You can't suddenly mention that a character who doesn't really have a big part in the story is gay halfway through the series. It feels like its just put in so you can say "see, look? I'm inclusive. I'm an ally." Sorry, not good enough. 

We exist, and we sure as hell exist in fantasy worlds. For supernatural creatures that are known famously for being fluid in their sexuality, everyone seems to be straight. 

The fighting was ruined with declarations of love and lust and the stakes didn't feel very high in this one because anyone who speaks out will just get brutal murdered by Casteel 

There were some nice twists thrown in the shaked things up, but some things that should have been big plot points were over too quickly, in favour of a big info dumpy speech or Cas eating poppy out. 

Im generous with my 2.5 stars because I enjoy the world and Kieran, but something needs to give because I'm really on the fence about continuing this series.