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4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy fantasy, adventure, and strong female characters, and you've read the other books.
Aileana's battle against evil continues. (I don't want to spoil anything!)
I wasn't sure how the last book would go after such a big change between books 1 and 2, but I thought that this was an extremely satisfying conclusion to the series. I thought that the plot was strong, the adventure was interesting, and that the resolution was clean and satisfying. I thought that the explanation of the world, the character's back stories, and the end goal was a lot clearer than the second book. I still really missed the element of invention and steampunk that were featured in the first book... but I did like this one quite a bit better than the 2nd. I like how this series continued to show strong female characters, and their struggles. Interestingly enough, this volume of the book had a much more horror-y vibe to it.
I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
Aileana's battle against evil continues. (I don't want to spoil anything!)
I wasn't sure how the last book would go after such a big change between books 1 and 2, but I thought that this was an extremely satisfying conclusion to the series. I thought that the plot was strong, the adventure was interesting, and that the resolution was clean and satisfying. I thought that the explanation of the world, the character's back stories, and the end goal was a lot clearer than the second book. I still really missed the element of invention and steampunk that were featured in the first book... but I did like this one quite a bit better than the 2nd. I like how this series continued to show strong female characters, and their struggles. Interestingly enough, this volume of the book had a much more horror-y vibe to it.
I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale!
This book picks up right where the first one left off. I don't want to give any spoilers!
When I started this book, it was just a little bit hard to get into. There is a change of setting, which took me a bit of time to adjust to. However, at about 25% through the book, it really took off for me, and I was really invested in the next chapter of the story. This chapter of the story is a bit more political and societal than the last one was, but I really enjoyed that part of it. Again, I marveled at how Arden wove together folklore with historical fiction. Her writing was just as full of detail and magic as in the first book. I am just as in love with Vasya as ever. What a wonderfully headstrong character. I love Solovey. I love Vasya's brothers. I love Morozko. Goodness. I'm SO excited to get my hands on the last book in the series. :) :) :)
*I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley! I was also given a paper ARC of this book by Del Ray books. Thank you!!
This book picks up right where the first one left off. I don't want to give any spoilers!
When I started this book, it was just a little bit hard to get into. There is a change of setting, which took me a bit of time to adjust to. However, at about 25% through the book, it really took off for me, and I was really invested in the next chapter of the story. This chapter of the story is a bit more political and societal than the last one was, but I really enjoyed that part of it. Again, I marveled at how Arden wove together folklore with historical fiction. Her writing was just as full of detail and magic as in the first book. I am just as in love with Vasya as ever. What a wonderfully headstrong character. I love Solovey. I love Vasya's brothers. I love Morozko. Goodness. I'm SO excited to get my hands on the last book in the series. :) :) :)
*I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley! I was also given a paper ARC of this book by Del Ray books. Thank you!!
3 Stars - I might recommend if you enjoy contemporary thrillers or mysteries.
This book follows Cass, as she returns home after being missing for 3 years. Her sister Emma disappeared at the same time, and now Cass's only goal is to find her sister. Told via an unreliable narrator this story will have you questioning what is true, what is not, and what actually happened to Emma and Cass.
I know I say this a lot, but I am not much for thrillers or mysteries. I find them a little bit boring sometimes, and I often find myself guessing "who did it" or the twists and turns in the plot. I read this in a day, so it is definitely compelling, but I found myself getting a little bored around 66%. Then by the time the rising action popped up... I was just kind of ready for the story to be over. I didn't find Cass to be that unreliable of a narrator... and I didn't really care where Emma was/what happened with her story by the time I got to the end. I enjoyed it enough, again, it just may not be my genre. If you like thrillers, you would probably enjoy this book, it's just not my cup of tea.
I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
This book follows Cass, as she returns home after being missing for 3 years. Her sister Emma disappeared at the same time, and now Cass's only goal is to find her sister. Told via an unreliable narrator this story will have you questioning what is true, what is not, and what actually happened to Emma and Cass.
I know I say this a lot, but I am not much for thrillers or mysteries. I find them a little bit boring sometimes, and I often find myself guessing "who did it" or the twists and turns in the plot. I read this in a day, so it is definitely compelling, but I found myself getting a little bored around 66%. Then by the time the rising action popped up... I was just kind of ready for the story to be over. I didn't find Cass to be that unreliable of a narrator... and I didn't really care where Emma was/what happened with her story by the time I got to the end. I enjoyed it enough, again, it just may not be my genre. If you like thrillers, you would probably enjoy this book, it's just not my cup of tea.
I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy travel memoir books, as well as reflections on self-discovery.
This book follows the true story of Kim and Brian Dinan's adventure as they sell their home and cars, quit their jobs, and embark on an unknown world journey. They are given a yellow envelope filled with money before they leave, and are instructed to give it away as they wish along the way. This book is a recount of their travels, but also the journey of Kim's self discovery.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book, but once I dove in I was pretty captivated. I always love reading about people's travels, and the struggles they deal with as they travel. While I have not traveled extensively or internationally, I can relate to how hard traveling often is. It's meant to be a journey, a struggle, and something that you learn from. I appreciated that honesty in this memoir. I also really loved that she tackled the complicated emotions and opinions related to the right way to live, the right way to travel, and the right way to give. It is so easy to think that anything we do is not "enough". Or to over-think our motives, or how our actions might look... but I appreciated that she acknowledges these things in herself and others and it all comes down to: we are all doing the best we can. And we'll all keep doing great things and also messing up, and it will be fine. We'll learn from it. I did have to stop reading this at one point, there is a portion where things are not going smoothly and Kim and Brian aren't communicating very well, I had to take a bit of a break because it broke my heart a bit. However, once I kept going it was fine. I think I was just consuming a bit too much media with a stark tone to it at the time.*
*Asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
This book follows the true story of Kim and Brian Dinan's adventure as they sell their home and cars, quit their jobs, and embark on an unknown world journey. They are given a yellow envelope filled with money before they leave, and are instructed to give it away as they wish along the way. This book is a recount of their travels, but also the journey of Kim's self discovery.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book, but once I dove in I was pretty captivated. I always love reading about people's travels, and the struggles they deal with as they travel. While I have not traveled extensively or internationally, I can relate to how hard traveling often is. It's meant to be a journey, a struggle, and something that you learn from. I appreciated that honesty in this memoir. I also really loved that she tackled the complicated emotions and opinions related to the right way to live, the right way to travel, and the right way to give. It is so easy to think that anything we do is not "enough". Or to over-think our motives, or how our actions might look... but I appreciated that she acknowledges these things in herself and others and it all comes down to: we are all doing the best we can. And we'll all keep doing great things and also messing up, and it will be fine. We'll learn from it. I did have to stop reading this at one point, there is a portion where things are not going smoothly and Kim and Brian aren't communicating very well, I had to take a bit of a break because it broke my heart a bit. However, once I kept going it was fine. I think I was just consuming a bit too much media with a stark tone to it at the time.*
*Asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
Right After Reading:
Kind of a mix of hygge, self-discovery/memoir, and highly researched book on Danish design and happiness. I quite liked a chunk of it, and could have done without some as well. Full review to come.
Full Review:
3 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a book that is more about someone trying out hygge in her own life than it is about hygge itself.
This book follows the author Charlotte Abrahams as she explores the concept of hygge in her own life. It is part memoir, part how-to, part Danish design resource, part philosophical discussion of happiness.
I struggled with reading, synthesizing, and reviewing this book. I love hygge, and so I was very excited to read this book. Once I started reading, I quickly realized that this is more of a memoir than it is a book about hygge. It was still interesting, but definitely not marketed correctly (at least as an ARC). Part of why this took me so long to read is that it really hops back and forth between subjects. As mentioned above it is part memoir, part how-to hygge, part Danish design resource, and part philosophical discussion of happiness. It was a little bit hard to "get into" as it switched around so frequently as to the topic and style of writing. I am not interested in design in the way that this book approaches those sections. I'm not particularly interested in the movements, specific chairs, where to get them, etc. I did, however, appreciate her tips on how to set up a hyggelig room. The sections on design were much too long for my taste.There is also a part where she talks about her struggles with dieting and eating which I felt were a little bit of a tangent. On the one hand it is good to draw from personal experience, and I see what she is saying. On the other it felt different. As I expected this to be more of a how-to type of book, or an explanation of hygge, it felt very very personal to me. Abrahams shares a lot of personal details related to her divorces, blended family living, family feuding, etc. It was a lot to take in, and while it explained why she turned to hygge and her journey through it... it felt like a surprise to me. There was also a rather long bit about the philosophy of happiness that eventually tied in to Denmark's rank as the happiest country in the world, but it took too long to get there. This is coming from someone who loves to learn and research, and took notes on the entire book. From time to time I really enjoyed Abraham's writing voice, the dry British humor is always something that I really enjoy. Toward the end of this book there were more sections that were both practical and actionable - which is how I prefer my non-fiction, so I really enjoyed that part. I think if you are interested in a multi-layered memoir/how-to/design/happiness book, go ahead and check it out. If you are looking for a book on hygge, I wouldn't recommend this one. If I hadn't been reviewing it I might have just skipped some sections. Lastly, I appreciated that she brought up that hygge is something that people of privilege enjoy. I agree with what she is saying, and am glad that she addressed it, but it was quite a short section and I felt a little un-thoughtfully (maybe just succinctly?) worded.
Kind of a mix of hygge, self-discovery/memoir, and highly researched book on Danish design and happiness. I quite liked a chunk of it, and could have done without some as well. Full review to come.
Full Review:
3 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a book that is more about someone trying out hygge in her own life than it is about hygge itself.
This book follows the author Charlotte Abrahams as she explores the concept of hygge in her own life. It is part memoir, part how-to, part Danish design resource, part philosophical discussion of happiness.
I struggled with reading, synthesizing, and reviewing this book. I love hygge, and so I was very excited to read this book. Once I started reading, I quickly realized that this is more of a memoir than it is a book about hygge. It was still interesting, but definitely not marketed correctly (at least as an ARC). Part of why this took me so long to read is that it really hops back and forth between subjects. As mentioned above it is part memoir, part how-to hygge, part Danish design resource, and part philosophical discussion of happiness. It was a little bit hard to "get into" as it switched around so frequently as to the topic and style of writing. I am not interested in design in the way that this book approaches those sections. I'm not particularly interested in the movements, specific chairs, where to get them, etc. I did, however, appreciate her tips on how to set up a hyggelig room. The sections on design were much too long for my taste.There is also a part where she talks about her struggles with dieting and eating which I felt were a little bit of a tangent. On the one hand it is good to draw from personal experience, and I see what she is saying. On the other it felt different. As I expected this to be more of a how-to type of book, or an explanation of hygge, it felt very very personal to me. Abrahams shares a lot of personal details related to her divorces, blended family living, family feuding, etc. It was a lot to take in, and while it explained why she turned to hygge and her journey through it... it felt like a surprise to me. There was also a rather long bit about the philosophy of happiness that eventually tied in to Denmark's rank as the happiest country in the world, but it took too long to get there. This is coming from someone who loves to learn and research, and took notes on the entire book. From time to time I really enjoyed Abraham's writing voice, the dry British humor is always something that I really enjoy. Toward the end of this book there were more sections that were both practical and actionable - which is how I prefer my non-fiction, so I really enjoyed that part. I think if you are interested in a multi-layered memoir/how-to/design/happiness book, go ahead and check it out. If you are looking for a book on hygge, I wouldn't recommend this one. If I hadn't been reviewing it I might have just skipped some sections. Lastly, I appreciated that she brought up that hygge is something that people of privilege enjoy. I agree with what she is saying, and am glad that she addressed it, but it was quite a short section and I felt a little un-thoughtfully (maybe just succinctly?) worded.
-First Read-
4.5 Stars - I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction or fantasy. It is a lovely blend of the two that was just right for me. I especially recommend if you are looking to read about a different culture or time period. This is extremely fascinating and lovely to read.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I loved this book because I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading it. I knew there was a fantasy element to it, and that was it. It turns out that this book was a lovely surprise. It reads more like historical fiction, but weaves the folktales the children learn into the narrative. I took a Slavic Folklore course in college, so it was very fun to look back on that and remember things about Russian culture that I had learned. I like how well researched and imagined the setting, culture, religions, and myths are in this book. Arden really did her work. She does give a disclaimer about a bit of the language though, but that didn't bother me (as I know nothing about Russian language..). This is the kind of book where you become completely swept up in the setting and plot, and that will leave you wanting more. I saw someone say there will be more books later, I don't know if that is true. The ending is not quite a cliffhanger, but does leave me guessing. I would highly recommend this, and look forward to reading more books should there be some later. I recommend glancing through the glossary at the end to familiarize yourself with some of the terms, etc. It will help if you don't have a lot of background knowledge on Russian language, myths, etc. - of course you can always reference it on a case-by-case basis as well. :)
-Second Read-
5 Stars - I highly recommend if you are looking for gorgeously descriptive tale of coming of age, adventure, and a little bit of magic. It reads like historical fiction, and is beautifully woven.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I re-read this one so that I could get to my ARC of The Girl in the Tower, a little later than I would have liked. I was worried, especially with the lovely slow pace of the book that I wouldn't enjoy the second read nearly as much, I also rarely re-read... but I loved it just as much, if not more, the second time around. Every season is so lushly described, the setting is so fascinating, the mythology woven so seamlessly into the plot. I loved every moment of the re-read, and it definitely helped me upon reading the sequel!
*I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
4.5 Stars - I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction or fantasy. It is a lovely blend of the two that was just right for me. I especially recommend if you are looking to read about a different culture or time period. This is extremely fascinating and lovely to read.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I loved this book because I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading it. I knew there was a fantasy element to it, and that was it. It turns out that this book was a lovely surprise. It reads more like historical fiction, but weaves the folktales the children learn into the narrative. I took a Slavic Folklore course in college, so it was very fun to look back on that and remember things about Russian culture that I had learned. I like how well researched and imagined the setting, culture, religions, and myths are in this book. Arden really did her work. She does give a disclaimer about a bit of the language though, but that didn't bother me (as I know nothing about Russian language..). This is the kind of book where you become completely swept up in the setting and plot, and that will leave you wanting more. I saw someone say there will be more books later, I don't know if that is true. The ending is not quite a cliffhanger, but does leave me guessing. I would highly recommend this, and look forward to reading more books should there be some later. I recommend glancing through the glossary at the end to familiarize yourself with some of the terms, etc. It will help if you don't have a lot of background knowledge on Russian language, myths, etc. - of course you can always reference it on a case-by-case basis as well. :)
-Second Read-
5 Stars - I highly recommend if you are looking for gorgeously descriptive tale of coming of age, adventure, and a little bit of magic. It reads like historical fiction, and is beautifully woven.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I re-read this one so that I could get to my ARC of The Girl in the Tower, a little later than I would have liked. I was worried, especially with the lovely slow pace of the book that I wouldn't enjoy the second read nearly as much, I also rarely re-read... but I loved it just as much, if not more, the second time around. Every season is so lushly described, the setting is so fascinating, the mythology woven so seamlessly into the plot. I loved every moment of the re-read, and it definitely helped me upon reading the sequel!
*I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
3 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy YA fantasy with strong female protagonists.
This story follows Haven, the newly crowned queen of her kingdom. She must learn to lead her kingdom as the entire world is under siege by an evil queen. She must encourage her people, form alliances, and make quick decisions. When the evil queen comes for her own kingdom, how will she react? How will she save everyone?
This one has been in my Netgalley queue for a good long time. I am glad that I finally got around to reading it. At first I didn't feel very connected to Haven or the story line, but the plot picks up fairly quickly. As the story went on, I felt more invested in the world and characters. I thought that some parts of the plot were resolved quickly, and that overall a lot happens in this book. I appreciated that Bogle added some diversity to her story, that Haven challenges tough issues like discrimination, slavery, rape culture, and consent. There are also some really strong female characters in this book, which is fantastic. This book is part of a series, which I did not know when I downloaded it. Since I was only medium on the story, I may or may not decide to keep reading it. I would imagine, however, that the world, writing, and characters only become more vivid and fleshed out as you read. We shall see!
This story follows Haven, the newly crowned queen of her kingdom. She must learn to lead her kingdom as the entire world is under siege by an evil queen. She must encourage her people, form alliances, and make quick decisions. When the evil queen comes for her own kingdom, how will she react? How will she save everyone?
This one has been in my Netgalley queue for a good long time. I am glad that I finally got around to reading it. At first I didn't feel very connected to Haven or the story line, but the plot picks up fairly quickly. As the story went on, I felt more invested in the world and characters. I thought that some parts of the plot were resolved quickly, and that overall a lot happens in this book. I appreciated that Bogle added some diversity to her story, that Haven challenges tough issues like discrimination, slavery, rape culture, and consent. There are also some really strong female characters in this book, which is fantastic. This book is part of a series, which I did not know when I downloaded it. Since I was only medium on the story, I may or may not decide to keep reading it. I would imagine, however, that the world, writing, and characters only become more vivid and fleshed out as you read. We shall see!
This is more historical fiction than fantasy. I enjoyed it and appreciated that it wasn't "silly" as so many mermaid books are. However, I wanted a little bit more description, I didn't feel like I understood the characters well. I would have enjoyed more of a look into Amelia's life before Barnum's show, that section was too short for me! Overall I recommend if it sounds like your cup of tea.
Full Review:
4.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance. Head's up: this is verrrry sexy. Pick up at own risk.
Journalist Catarina Everhart is the newspaper's relationships girl. In order to boost the paper's viability and relevancy, the editor comes up with a scheme to get more readers: have Catarina date the NFL's bad boy Barrett Fox. He's known for making a scene, being hard to deal with, and breaking the rules. Catarina is a straight-laced as they come, and is not thrilled by the idea of fake dating Barrett Fox. As their "relationship" begins, and their he says, she says articles appear in the paper the hype is huge, and their relationship reaches a grey point. Are they really dating? Or is Catarina being played by Fox?
This book was a LOT of fun. It definitely takes the love-to-hate trope to the max. Barrett Fox is absolutely horrid in the beginning of this book. He's just cringe worthy... he does all of the things I abhor... and yet, you definitely love to hate him. Then all of a sudden he's super charming. His bad boy contrast with Catarina's rule-following nature was absolutely top notch and makes for very good chemistry. I found this book to be super funny, very entertaining, and quick to read. (I read it in just a day.) I love the fake dating to real dating trope, so that didn't hurt... and as far as the tons of football player romances in existence go, this one was my favorite so far. I appreciated how smart Catarina's character was, she was witty, intelligent, a hard-worker, and I loved her nerdy LOTR and Hobbit references. There was a little bit of lady on lady hate... which I could have done without, but some of it was acknowledged as too quick a judgement. I'd just like to see it removed from all fiction in general! As a head's up this book is verrrrry sexy, pick up at own risk!
Right After Reading:
4.5 Stars - this was so funny and verrrrrry sexy. Pick up at own risk. Takes love-to-hate and fake-to-real-dating tropes to the max. Barrett was INSUFFERABLE and the chemistry between him and Catarina was top notch. Definitely enjoyed!
I was given advance access to this title by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley
4.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance. Head's up: this is verrrry sexy. Pick up at own risk.
Journalist Catarina Everhart is the newspaper's relationships girl. In order to boost the paper's viability and relevancy, the editor comes up with a scheme to get more readers: have Catarina date the NFL's bad boy Barrett Fox. He's known for making a scene, being hard to deal with, and breaking the rules. Catarina is a straight-laced as they come, and is not thrilled by the idea of fake dating Barrett Fox. As their "relationship" begins, and their he says, she says articles appear in the paper the hype is huge, and their relationship reaches a grey point. Are they really dating? Or is Catarina being played by Fox?
This book was a LOT of fun. It definitely takes the love-to-hate trope to the max. Barrett Fox is absolutely horrid in the beginning of this book. He's just cringe worthy... he does all of the things I abhor... and yet, you definitely love to hate him. Then all of a sudden he's super charming. His bad boy contrast with Catarina's rule-following nature was absolutely top notch and makes for very good chemistry. I found this book to be super funny, very entertaining, and quick to read. (I read it in just a day.) I love the fake dating to real dating trope, so that didn't hurt... and as far as the tons of football player romances in existence go, this one was my favorite so far. I appreciated how smart Catarina's character was, she was witty, intelligent, a hard-worker, and I loved her nerdy LOTR and Hobbit references. There was a little bit of lady on lady hate... which I could have done without, but some of it was acknowledged as too quick a judgement. I'd just like to see it removed from all fiction in general! As a head's up this book is verrrrry sexy, pick up at own risk!
Right After Reading:
4.5 Stars - this was so funny and verrrrrry sexy. Pick up at own risk. Takes love-to-hate and fake-to-real-dating tropes to the max. Barrett was INSUFFERABLE and the chemistry between him and Catarina was top notch. Definitely enjoyed!
I was given advance access to this title by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley
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Full Review:
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy paranormal romance. Major emphasis on *ROMANCE*.
The world is ending, the four horseman have come to earth. The first horseman, Pestilence, is making his way across North America spreading a vicious plague. Sara is a firefighter who's picked to stay behind and kill Pestilence while the rest of her city escapes. After thoroughly killing him, she finds that he is not dead... and quite angry with her. He takes her prisoner as he spreads plague through the rest of the country. The two form an unlikely bond. Shenanigans and steamy situations ensue.
Holy Toledo, I feel the sudden need to start a rating for how steamy a book is. This book would be 5/5 flames. Let's start by saying, this story is 85% romance, so I would not pick it up unless you're wanting something like that. This book obviously follows the "hate to love" trope, and I feel like Thalassa does it really well. I have only read a few romance novels, but I feel like this story works. Do I love fantasy? Yes. Do I love incredible world building? Yes. Did this book have a lot of those things? Not really. Am I mad about it? No. I think it's totally fine that this book focuses on the romance, but again, don't pick it up if the lack of these things will bother you. I loved Sara and Pestilence. I thought there was a lot of character development. I enjoyed the contrast of the heart breaking bits about the plague victims. I thought the ending was a little bit choppy, but I haven't been satisfied with many endings lately... so do what you will with that. The epilogue is cliff-hanger-y, I'm intrigued to see where the series will go... especially with a little bit of a time gap between books.
Right After Reading:
*flame emojis* - full review to come.
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy paranormal romance. Major emphasis on *ROMANCE*.
The world is ending, the four horseman have come to earth. The first horseman, Pestilence, is making his way across North America spreading a vicious plague. Sara is a firefighter who's picked to stay behind and kill Pestilence while the rest of her city escapes. After thoroughly killing him, she finds that he is not dead... and quite angry with her. He takes her prisoner as he spreads plague through the rest of the country. The two form an unlikely bond. Shenanigans and steamy situations ensue.
Holy Toledo, I feel the sudden need to start a rating for how steamy a book is. This book would be 5/5 flames. Let's start by saying, this story is 85% romance, so I would not pick it up unless you're wanting something like that. This book obviously follows the "hate to love" trope, and I feel like Thalassa does it really well. I have only read a few romance novels, but I feel like this story works. Do I love fantasy? Yes. Do I love incredible world building? Yes. Did this book have a lot of those things? Not really. Am I mad about it? No. I think it's totally fine that this book focuses on the romance, but again, don't pick it up if the lack of these things will bother you. I loved Sara and Pestilence. I thought there was a lot of character development. I enjoyed the contrast of the heart breaking bits about the plague victims. I thought the ending was a little bit choppy, but I haven't been satisfied with many endings lately... so do what you will with that. The epilogue is cliff-hanger-y, I'm intrigued to see where the series will go... especially with a little bit of a time gap between books.
Right After Reading:
*flame emojis* - full review to come.