I mean... Was this a masterpiece? HAHAHA No. Was it an entertaining way to kill an afternoon?? Heck yes.

The Laughing Listener
*I was graciously given a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
July 2019
Format: eBook
Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

Every time I sign up to do a blog tour, I’m very careful to make sure it’s a book that I think I’ll like. I mean, I don’t want to be pimping out books to everyone that I wouldn’t buy myself. Despite that though, sometimes a book comes along and punches me in the face anyway. But in a good way. A love punch?? Whatever, you get it. And this one totally hit me HARD. I went in with little to no expectations and it completely blew me away by the end.

When I read the description of this book, I saw the phrases “darkly humorous” and “utterly morbid” and signed the heck up. Don’t let my golden retriever Fred Rogers fool you guys because in this body beats the heart of an emo goth chick and I’m here for anything remotely morbid.



And let me tell you, this book DOES NOT disappoint. There are people drinking blood, dudes with horns, street fighters, stabbing, bone eating—a gothic delight! It’s definitely not for the faint of heart if blood isn’t your thing, but it actually pairs with this story really well. I liked the way this universe was set up and all of the bloody elements complimented it without being too distracting. It did take me a hot minute to acclimate myself with all the new terminology and magic in the beginning, but it was surprisingly easy to pick up and I actually had fun navigating my way through this world with Scarko.

Speaking of Scarko, I kind of love her?? She’s such a badass with her magic, wielding her knife like a pro. All of the other characters were awesome too and I enjoyed getting to know them all. I can’t really say more because I don’t want to give anything away, but they were all so rich. The entire time I was reading this I had absolutely NO idea where the story was going or who the bad guys were and I LOVED IT. It had a similar vibe to Wicked Saints, but for an older audience and was still uniquely it’s own. This completely had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I am SO HERE FOR BOOK TWO.

FINAL WORD

If you’re a goth at heart like me and needing a good adventure story with some twists, do yourself a favor and read this one.

#1 ↦ Stranger Rituals ↦ ✦✦✦✦✧
#2 ↦ [b:Shadow Palace|46117382|Shadow Palace (Stranger Rituals, #2)|Kali Rose Schmidt|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|71039878] ↦ ????

The Laughing Listener
April 2019
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Elizabeth Louise
Length: 16 hours & 49 minutes

Story Rating:1 Stars
Performance Rating: 3 Stars
Overall Rating: 2 Stars

“‘It must be exhausting,’ he says.
‘What?! What must be exhausting?!’
‘Acting like you don’t want me when we both know you do.’” *Gags*

YESSSSSSSS!! GATHER ‘ROUND it’s time to review another garbage fire! I’m kinda proud of myself for making it through this whole book. I don’t know why I love rejoicing in terrible pop culture so much, but it brings me so much joy. It doesn’t matter what it is—book, movie, music—if it sucks ass I’m going to have a lot of fun judging the crap out of it. And when I heard this was once a Harry Styles fanfiction, I grabbed a front row seat with some popcorn.

Man, where do I even START with this mess?? This is the exact middle ground between [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361039443s/41865.jpg|3212258] and [b:Fifty Shades of Grey|10818853|Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)|E.L. James|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385207843s/10818853.jpg|15732562]. Literally. If you wanted a more skin in Twilight, but without all the weird bondage of Fifty Shades then LOOK NO FURTHER. Like seriously guys, the parallels are astounding. This book has EVERYTHING.



- Hawt romantic love interest with a “troubled past” who’s also emotionally abusive and awful. BUT WHO CARES RIGHT?? WE LOVE HIM, HE’S SO BROODING

- Bland main character with no personality who’s never had sex before. Because her sexual history is really super important for some reason???

-It’s set in the rainy green lands of Washington state

- A main character who is SO DEEP AND SMART because she “loves classic literature” but only references [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320399351s/1885.jpg|3060926] and [b:Wuthering Heights|6185|Wuthering Heights|Emily Brontë|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388212715s/6185.jpg|1565818] (WHY IS THIS A THING? THERE ARE OTHER BOOKS!)

- A main character who doesn’t think anything through because WHO THE HECK NEEDS COMMON SENSE AMIRIGHT??

- Cast of “friends” who are actually terrible people and not real friends at all?????

- Dysfunctional, codependent romantic relationships

- Terrible parental figures

- A main character that wants to be a writer and works in publishing

- A suuuuuuuper long story with barely any plot that takes place in the span of like, two days

- DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA



This book is too much. Any time Hardin said anything I would picture Harry Styles saying it and cracked up. I laughed so much reading this damn thing, which is how it got two stars instead of one. Bonus points for pure entertainment value. There was just so much screaming??? They would all go from having a conversation to shouting in mere seconds. God forbid anyone has a normal argument without it turning into a friggin’ Jerry Springer episode. And the writing?? Oh my god, it’s awful. It’s all awful. I’m pretty sure you could cut this book in half and it would still be too long.

Also, is it just me or is there something extra creepy about fanfiction written about a REAL person. Books and fictional characters are one thing, but so much time must have been put into stalking the hell out of Harry Styles for this. So many vivid descriptions of his torso and tattoos. I just… UGH.

The movie of this is going to be…….. Interesting…



But just to give credit where credit’s due, I have to hand it to Todd for that ending. I was NOT prepared for that plot twist and it kind of blew my mind. In hindsight I guess I should have seen it coming, but I definitely did NOT. And damn, that was some Desperate Housewives level drama right there. This is a four or five book series, so I know these two crazy, dysfunctional kids probably end up together, but let me just say that if this happened to me there is NO F*CKING WAY. NO F*CKING WAY I WOULD EVER TALK TO THESE PEOPLE AGAIN. Are you serious??? I can’t believe Tessa would even CONSIDER letting them back in her life after this crap. HELL. TO. THE. NO.

Oh, and if I had to hear Hardin ask Tessa for “just one more chance” one more goddamn time, I was gonna reach through the book and punch him in the face.

FINAL WORD

The Laughing Listener
October 2018
Format: Ebook

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

This third book was AWESOME. By far my favorite in the series so far! Kaderin was so cool and badass and it was exciting watching her participate in the Hie doing all that crazy stuff for points. And I really loved Sebastian too!! I felt for the guy and liked that he loved Kaderin exactly the way she was and even helped her do all those crazy obstacles in the competition to be supportive.



Also, the whole Hie competition thing?? SO FUN TO WATCH. All those mythical creatures running around trying to kill each other and fighting for random stuff made this super exciting. I loved it!

It’s also starting to become fun for me to guess who the next books are going to be about too. Regin started talking about her true love who keeps getting reincarnated for her and I thought Well, there’s one. It’s fun how all these books and characters are connected together and it really gets me motivated to read more.

FINAL WORD

Two thumbs way up! The story was awesome and the romance was super cute. Loved it!!

The Laughing Listener
July 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Therese Plummer
Length: 8 hours & 17 minutes

Story Rating: 3 Stars
Performance Rating: 5 Stars
Overall Rating: 3 Stars

A cute finale to a cute series. For a throwaway romance, these books have been pretty good! I’ve had a lot of fun listening to them and I absolutely LOVE how quick they go by. At just over 8 hours, this one is by far the longest in the trilogy and it still went by really fast. That extra time was needed because Jolie and Hauk finally get it on, but you won’t hear me complaining. Those two are super cute together and I really liked watching their intimacy grow. There’s even some awesome action-y stuff that made this extra fun.

I had to knock the rating down from the previous books though because the ending of this was just so… random. These books have been toeing the line of fantasy in a subtle way that I’ve really enjoyed. I liked that these felt so contemporary with only a dusting of magical elements here and there. But the ending of this book completely crossed over that fantasy line in a way that had me like...



Fantasy is the genre I read most, so I’ve heard some pretty crazy things. Maybe the way this ended shouldn’t have thrown me so much, but when compared to the rest of the series it just felt so weird.

Plus, some things happen that made me more than a little salty. I won’t give anything away, but Jolie and Hauk are forced to make a decision about their future and they really don’t agree. When they finally manage to work it out, I really liked where they landed. Their decision made for a good ending and I was pleased. Then RIGHT when I thought it was all over and I was happy, the author sneaks in this final thing in that NEGATES EVERYTHING THAT JUST HAPPENED. Both Jolie and Hauk agonize over what to do and when they finally decide, Garren is like JK GUYS IT ACTUALLY DIDN’T MATTER AT ALL. It was such a cheap cliche shot and I hated it! UGH.

And don’t even get me started on the logistics. I mean, Jolie’s wedding band is the thing that makes Hauk pretty again???? WTF. What happens when she needs to wash her hands? Or take a shower?? Or eat bbq ribs??? Because you KNOW that sauce gets everywhere! Is she just going to leave the ring on all the time? What if something happens and she needs to get it repaired? Are Hauk and Jolie just going to trap themselves in their apartment for days?? I. DON’T. UNDERSTAND.

They also never actually get rid of the bad guys???? The book just ends without the problem really being solved. All they managed to do was not get dead (#SpoilerAlert) and I was so confused. When it ended I was like, wait that’s it?? It was infuriating because this book had been great until the last few chapters!! GRRRR.

FINAL WORD

If you read the last two books and enjoyed them, then I vote you still read this too. Most of it was really fun, just don’t be surprised at the kinks in the ending.

The Laughing Listener
July 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Therese Plummer
Length: 5 hours & 57 minutes

Story Rating: 3 Stars
Performance Rating: 5 Stars
Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

Another super fast listen!



At this rate, I’ll get through this entire series in a couple days, but it’s kind of nice reading something so short. I’m so used to books being over 400 pages. Just like the last one, this was a super fun audiobook. I definitely get the feeling listening to it is the way to go and I don’t think I’d like this as much actually reading it. But Therese Plummer does an excellent job and I love that her voice has so much personality.

The story is super cute too! This one is a tad more tame than the last one, but there was more action, so I didn’t even really mind. Jolie is kind of an idiot too. More than once I was like, “Girl WHAT are you DOING??” But I love that she’s quick to own up to her mistakes and apologize. And don’t even get me started on Ashley.



Can’t say I’m surprised about how her storyline turned out *Rolls eyes* but I was definitely shocked at the twist in Hauk’s. Color me surprised. Of all the possibilities I thought up, that definitely didn’t enter my mind...

FINAL WORD

Another quick and breezy, fun romance with a little action! If you liked the first one, you’ll definitely like this one too. Gotta love a sassy, smart heroine!!

The Laughing Listener
July 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Therese Plummer
Length: 4 hours & 27 minutes

Story Rating: 3 Stars
Performance Rating: 5 Stars
Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

This was a fun story! I’m pleasantly surprised. Admittedly I set the bar pretty low when it comes to romances, but I liked this one. And I loved how short it was! At four and a half hours, I listened to this in one sitting and it was so nice listening to something short and easy for once. Plus, Therese Palmer did a stellar job narrating and made this a much more enjoyable experience than if I had simply read the book.

I really loved Jolie! She’s such an awesome, kick ass character and I love that she’s a smart, sassy dancer. And Hauk is an absolute sweetie and I love watching their relationship grow. The characters in this book are really what make it. Plus, the world building is pretty interesting and I was super intrigued by the whole Underlight thing.

My only gripe was Whitney. Oh my god, she never shuts up.



FINAL WORD

A quick and easy romance that was pretty fun to listen to with some nice characters. I’ll definitely continue the series to see what happens next!

The Laughing Listener
June 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Erin Jones
Length: 12 hours & 28 minutes

Story Rating: 2.5 Stars
Performance Rating: 5 Stars
Overall Rating: 3 Stars

This was pretty cute, but OH MY GOD was Aishlinn daft. It's understandable and easy to brush off in the beginning because she's been abused her whole life, but after a while it gets old. The whole second half of the book is basically her walking around confused at every sexual innuendo. And all the men just stare at her like, "Whatever, she's just SO BEAUTIFUL." It was physically painful sometimes and I ended up rolling my eyes. A lot.



Despite Aishlinn, this was kind of a cute throwaway story. After reading an emotionally heavy book not long ago, I wanted something light and easy, which is what I got. I'm a sucker for the whole Highlander thing and the secondary characters were fun. Plus, Erin Jones did a spectacular job narrating and doing the Scottish accents! I'm curious enough to read the second book because Aishlinn isn't the protagonist and she was really my only gripe. My real endgame is to see what happens to Wee William, but that's book three, so... *Shrugs*

FINAL WORD

Aishlinn was annoying as all hell, but this was still a pretty cute, light romance to pass the time.

The Laughing Listener
June 2018
Format: Kindle Ebook

Rating: A MILLION BILLION STARS

Well readers. I’m here. I made it. This book tried to break my spirit with it’s adorableness and heartbreak, but I survived. Somehow. My heart exploded a couple times and I had to use Scotch tape to piece it back together again, but I pulled through. Although quite frankly, I’m a little concerned about the state of my emotional health.



I had never heard of this novel before and knew nothing about it until my wonderful, glittery, happy blogging friend Malanie recommended it to me. To be honest, I saw that it was about werewolves and didn’t pay attention to much else. Because apparently werewolves are becoming a weakness of mine?? And if Malanie loved it, I knew I would too. Cut to me days later completely WRECKED BY THIS BOOK. I know I’m probably scaring everyone away, BUT GUYS. IT’S SO GOOD. I just???? Oh my god. Where do I even start?

Okay, first of all, Ox. He was my absolute favorite and such a pure, amazing character. He’s a simple, shy guy who doesn’t say a lot, but there’s so much more going on underneath the surface and I LOVED that. It was such a relatable quality to me. And his character arc over the course of the novel is so beautiful. We get to see this quiet, insecure kid grow into a wonderfully strong leader and Klune did a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC job emphasizing this growth in his writing style. In the beginning when Ox is at his lowest, the sentences are short and clipped. There’s nothing too flowery about them and they cut right to the chase, much like Ox himself. But over the course of the book as Ox gains more family and friends and learns to love, the writing gets longer and more detailed. It’s such a subtle, small detail that makes an enormous impact. And when he finally realizes his feelings for Joe it’s just… Ugh. Heartachingly good.

”Sometimes, when your heart gets so full, it takes away your voice and all you can do is hold on for dear life.”

And Joe! My small ray of sunshine and love. Well, when he’s not being a revenge-ridden wolf consumed with rage. With good reason too (MY POOR BABY JOE *Sobs again*). But ahhh he’s so adorable!! Watching him befriend Ox and bring him into the Bennett family was so fun to see. And their relationship grows into something so real and raw, it made me heart hurt in the best kind of way.

”I don’t even know! I don’t even know! You gotta smell him and tell me why it’s all candy canes and pinecones and epic and awesome.”

Plus, the secondary characters are amazing too! The entire Bennett family is too precious for this world, the paternal relationship between Gordo and Ox is adorable, and Ox’s mother has a quiet kind of strength. I absolutely loved that this wasn’t just a book about romance, it was a book about family and the definitions of family. And THANK GOD for Rico and Chris because my spirit would have been completely shattered without their excellent comedic relief.

”It smells like feelings in here.”

Okay, I’m almost done gushing. I swear. But I just have to say that the writing in this book IS BEAUTIFUL. I couldn’t get enough and I think I saved like, fifteen quotes from this thing. For some odd reason it gave me a vague [a:Maggie Stiefvater|1330292|Maggie Stiefvater|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1460918410p2/1330292.jpg] vibe and reminded me a little of [b:Shiver|6068551|Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)|Maggie Stiefvater|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1409283154s/6068551.jpg|6244926] or [b:The Raven Boys|17675462|The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)|Maggie Stiefvater|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477103737s/17675462.jpg|18970934]. Not because they're anything alike (I mean, I hated Shiver), but it had the same gritty, dark magic kind of mood to it. Also, that ending was maniacal-evil-genius level type of stuff and I’m pretty sure my heart stopped beating for moment. This book made me cry guys! Multiple times!! I’M A MESS.



FINAL WORD

This is the longest review ever and I don’t even care because Wolfsong is worth every word. I have been SLAYED by this book, but I love it so damn much. READ IT!!!