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dianabookends's Reviews (308)
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was strange, Andrew thought, how when something moved in the dark, everyone's first instinct was to go inside and hide under the covers. As if monsters couldn't open doors and crawl into bed with you
I really enjoyed this book. It might turn into a 5 star read depending on how it settles in my brain as time goes. I feel like this is one of those books that would sit with you for a while and as you go through your life something will trigger a scene or a memory from the book.
C. G. Drews is a very descriptive author and I really loved the language and pictures that came from this story.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
"Women only want one thing, Hades, and that is power."
Hades had no doubt it was one of several things women wanted and among them, freedom to exist without worrying about predators like Zeus.
I enjoyed this rendition of Hades & Persephone's story! I really enjoyed getting to see Hades' POV here and watching their relationship unfold through his eyes. I read this as a tandem read with 'A Touch of Darkness' and it was refreshing to come and see all the work and admiration Hades put into their relationship and helping Persephone grow that I wouldn't have seen if I read just her book alone.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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:
Yes
He stared at her eyes burning into hers, and swore fiercely, "You will be my queen. I do not need the Fates to tell me that."
I enjoyed this book quite a bit! I really enjoyed that St. Clair told this story in a way that I didn't need to know much about Greek mythology to enjoy the story and the characters.
I read this book as a tandem read with 'A Game of Fate' and if you don't mind carrying around two books at once to do it I would recommend it! It was nice to see both of their POVs and watch them both interact with the world and the situations.
I love how Persephone wasn't 'babied' in this version. She is sheltered of course but even as she comes into her power and into herself she is treated like a goddess and a woman and I appreciate that.
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew that she was more than the sun and the stars. She was everything, and I was never going to let her go.
This book just wasn't for me. I can see the appeal of a book like this but we didn't vibe together like I was hoping we would.
I would recommend this one to someone looking for a fast pace romance with plenty of smut to go around.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Nobody wanted to huddle in a moldering church yard after midnight because there was nowhere else to smoke. But huddle they did. Misery loved company ad made strange bedfellows.
I think this book had a lot of potential but ultimately fell flat for me. I was really interested in the plot and I liked how these characters from different backgrounds came together to solve this mystery but it really felt rushed and incomplete. None of the mystery had enough time to be a mystery before suddenly it was solved and the story was done.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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:
Yes
"Nothing is certain in this, save the love of God. Life is not a story you can tell, De Leon. It's only a story you can live. The bright news is, you get to choose what kind yours will be. A story of horror, or a story of courage. A story of indulgence, or a story of duty. The story of a monster. Or the story of a man."
The doors to the Priory opened before us, and I saw light and warmth inside.
"What will your story be?"
This book is exactly what I think a vampire takeover would be like. It does not skimp on how brutal it would be and I appreciate that about it. It's refreshing to read a book where the vampires are the bad guys.
I enjoyed this book even though it does drag along sometimes. It's the story of Gabriel de Leon as he tells it so it reads like a history on occasion. It also had a lot of banger quotes in there.
I didn't really like how this one ended but there was really no other place for it to go as setup for the next book. I will have to take a break in-between but I'm excited to see how his story goes!
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
From as early on as I remember, my mother would say to me, "Listen. The confines of this neighborhood do not represent the confines of your life. You can go and do and be whatever you want. But whatever you choose, be yourself."
I wish I had listened to the audiobook of Bits and Pieces because this was definitely a dive down memory lane for Whoopi and I think it would have read better and been more impactful listening to her rather than reading her words.
I enjoyed this little insight to how Whoopi grew up and how her mother and brother shaped her life and her career. It was a nice quick little read and I am glad I took the time to read it.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Mortals are not impossible. Mortals are easy." He rested his head on the chair and regarded me aslant. "And yet you prefer our company to theirs"
"If something is impossible, you cannot be terrible at it." My hand tightened briefly on my pen.
He smiled again. "You are not so terrible, Em. You merely need friends who are dragons like you."
I really did not know what to expect diving into this book and it took me a second to adjust to this being Emily's journal of sorts that guided us through her adventure. I thoroughly fell in love with the characters in this book with all their little quirks and personalities!
I do see why people might have not continued reading this book because it did take a few chapters to really capture the essence of it and to feel like part of the story but once I did I was thoroughly engrossed.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoyed the Cruel Prince series as it has the same Fae Politic vibe and a slower burn.