unsuccessfulbookclub's Reviews (916)

An absolutely bananas premise and plot line but some of the most intimate emotionally moving conversations between a couple I have read. Historical romance at its absolute finest.

The characters really GO THROUGH IT but the moral and ethical dilemmas as well as social and political commentary are far more complex and deeper than prior books/series. BUTTTTTT—-

I have now lowered my rating on this book three times because the more distance I get from it the more annoyed I become. The plot is a mess, the characters are not acting like they should, and the

time we get in Velaris is so freaking annoying and UNDERGROUND THE WHOLE TIME??? WTAF, SARAH?

The more I ruminate the angrier I get about Bryce’s complete 180 as a character and her treatment of Hunt. The trauma in the first half of this book is off the chain - so much worse than Kingdom of Ash - and for what? Why? To what end?

I enjoyed the Icelandic folklore and a heroine who did not need saving, but I struggled a little with the instalust-to-spice balance. The tension was great in this but the payoff was a little lacking? I will definitely be reading the next book in the series though, because I need to know what happens and I am loving the world this is set in.

One of those books where I was CLINGING to the promise of romance as a genre: the happy ending. Again Hoyt surprised me by taking two characters and getting them to that happy ever after against all odds. Charming Mickey has been a favorite for me since Wicked Intentions, and this book was an excellent story about him, and Silence as well - I am so glad she got what she deserved - a real, passionate love with a man who loves her back. This book is definitely darker than the first two with mentions of Mickey’s difficult past and more focus on the Vicar of Whitechapel.

Wowwwwwww. Dark, fascinating, exciting, deep, complex… a perfect dystopia. With an end filled with a strange hope. 

I was in knots reading this the entire time, wondering how Hoyt was going to let Hero and Griffin be together without ruining absolutely everyone’s lives and she did it! But not without a LOT OF ANGST. 

I am still so curious as to the identity of the Ghost of St Giles, and I have a theory, but we shall see if it’s right!! (I think it’s

Winter

)

Extremely important topics and I’m glad Hernandez took this project on… but I wish she had had a better editor. I switched to the audio about 75% through and that was a much better format. 

The book has many repeated words (however, oftentimes, continue) as well as repeated sentences. The style feels like someone speaking very informally, so it’s no surprise that the audio just *works better*. Additionally, the way the book is structured with headlines and sub headlines reads like an academic paper or a term paper that one might write. A solid edit could really make the prose on-page shine, and it’s such a shame that the publisher or Hernandez’s agent didn’t get that for her, because in listening to her narrate this book, her voice and style shine, and her passion for the topics she covers comes through very strongly.

I liked the in-depth stories about Central America and the Indigenous people throughout the Americas as well as the multiple intersectional points of view that Hernandez brought to the table. I found Hernandez’s interviews with her family and Indigenous activists valuable and interesting. She covers so many stories and topics that I have never encountered, and this book feels important. Recommended ON AUDIO.

Sweet and hot. I loved Tunbury and it was so satisfying to watch him embrace himself and shrug off his crappy trustees. Delilah was a delight. 

A really well done wallflower/rake story. I loved Callie’s insistence on getting to have adventures and it was so lovely watching her come into her own. Ralston is a real Dum-Dum(tm) but his soft middle was so lovely. I can understand the hype about Sarah MacLean.

I do think this was about 50 pages too long - there were a lot of details for the side story and explanations of action that I probably could have done without, but very very good!