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kittykels's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
I LOVE the cultural elements of this book. I love the general story. However, I found it very hard to keep interest. The important world-building information leaned more towards being told rather than being shown. A lot was told to us through the narration and dialogue in a very direct and info-dumping kind of way. It really should have been better woven into the story, the people, etc.
The FMC was a bit annoying, but by the end I was wondering if her naivety (to put it nicely) was intentional, before embracing her full self (phrased this way to avoid spoilers). She doesn't seem as dumb and naive by the end at least, but she very much was for most of the book.
A lot of people have complained about Sal and how he's forcing himself on her the whole time, so that's what I was prepared for going into this book. I was even prepared to DNF if it was too much. However, I didn't find this to be the case at all. Sal is dominant and brutal, but Xochi loves that about him from the beginning, despite it bristling her at first due to her whole shitty life she's lived until now.
So while I was expecting the sex to be the uncomfortable part, it wasn't at all and it was actually the gore for me, especially towards the end. If you're looking to avoid triggers, I'd be more worried about the gore and violence.
I think this is a series, but I honestly don't know if I'll continue reading it, especially if they're all long like this. I like long books but this one definitely could have been shortened. Some basic interactions took several pages to complete.
The FMC was a bit annoying, but by the end I was wondering if her naivety (to put it nicely) was intentional, before embracing her full self (phrased this way to avoid spoilers). She doesn't seem as dumb and naive by the end at least, but she very much was for most of the book.
A lot of people have complained about Sal and how he's forcing himself on her the whole time, so that's what I was prepared for going into this book. I was even prepared to DNF if it was too much. However, I didn't find this to be the case at all. Sal is dominant and brutal, but Xochi loves that about him from the beginning, despite it bristling her at first due to her whole shitty life she's lived until now.
So while I was expecting the sex to be the uncomfortable part, it wasn't at all and it was actually the gore for me, especially towards the end. If you're looking to avoid triggers, I'd be more worried about the gore and violence.
I think this is a series, but I honestly don't know if I'll continue reading it, especially if they're all long like this. I like long books but this one definitely could have been shortened. Some basic interactions took several pages to complete.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fatphobia and Panic attacks/disorders
avniavnipatel's review
adventurous
dark
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Cannibalism
Minor: Body shaming, Rape, and Murder
ninabest's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation
ireadinbed's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
4.5
I enjoued this book so much i moved up my rotating KU month a whole month because i couldnt wait to finish it :)
I think the prose is lovely. This reads so naturally and sucks you right in, just like you want from a dark romantasy!
The characters are really well done. Its super easy to fall in love with this cast (and easy to hate the villains which is a nice change of pace for me! Lol). The main characters are flawed people but no less lovable for it and i adored the large supporting cast.
The setting really transported me and i love the authors descriptions. It definitely inspired me to look up the myths that inspired the unique worldbuilding!
The spicy scenes are intense and compliment the dark elements of the book perfectly.
Tread carefully! There are TWs on the authors site :)
Honestly it would be a 5 for me except there were a few sections that i think could have used a bit of trimming (or it could have been two books and been expanded!) Because i found myself getting lost or skipping ahead. Also some of the ADHD related talk was a bit too close to indigo children type theory for me. But not so upsetting i couldnt move past it to keep loving the book!
I definitely want to continue the series and I am excited for the next one coming out soon.
I think the prose is lovely. This reads so naturally and sucks you right in, just like you want from a dark romantasy!
The characters are really well done. Its super easy to fall in love with this cast (and easy to hate the villains which is a nice change of pace for me! Lol). The main characters are flawed people but no less lovable for it and i adored the large supporting cast.
The setting really transported me and i love the authors descriptions. It definitely inspired me to look up the myths that inspired the unique worldbuilding!
The spicy scenes are intense and compliment the dark elements of the book perfectly.
Tread carefully! There are TWs on the authors site :)
Honestly it would be a 5 for me except there were a few sections that i think could have used a bit of trimming (or it could have been two books and been expanded!) Because i found myself getting lost or skipping ahead. Also some of the ADHD related talk was a bit too close to indigo children type theory for me. But not so upsetting i couldnt move past it to keep loving the book!
I definitely want to continue the series and I am excited for the next one coming out soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Stalking
Minor: Fatphobia
thirdeyeangel23's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
This story is so incredibly rich and captivating. Angie is at a tipping point in her life when she’s forced to take a business trip to El Salvador. There she meets Sal, a broody and doting stranger that seems too good to be true. But Sal isn’t a stranger and their connection runs deeper than Angie could imagine. This is my first experience with the story of the cadejo and I am hooked. This story is tense, primal, and seductive. A must read if you love dark and/or shifter romances.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Gaslighting
discarded_dust_jacket's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I have such mixed feelings about my experience with this book, and my thoughts are sort of jumbled. There were some things I really really loved, and some things that disappointed me. (This entire review is going to be spoiler-y so I’m just gonna hide it all, and read at your own risk.)
I should say first and foremost, I really appreciated the focus on Indigenous culture, lore, and characters. Experiencing a glimpse into the lives of Latin American Indigenous people through this story was a treat and a privilege, even if the cultures were somewhat altered to fit in a fictional world. I deeply respect that, and absolutely no criticism of the crafting of this book is meant to reflect anything but the crafting of the book itself.
Now. Having said that. It took me a really long time to actually like and want to root for Sal to be honest. Both he and Xochitl were so all over the place for the first half of the story (maybe intentional? Idk). Sal goes from being this sort of suave, mysterious figure when we first meet him to overbearing, immature, and volatile so suddenly it gave me whiplash. The literal ONLY CHARACTER I liked from the moment they appeared on page to the very end and formed any sort of deep emotional attachment to was César, and I’m so glad that it looks like the next book will center him more (if the final chapter is any indication).
I also feel like there were a lot of plot threads that got dropped in the end (Xochi’s father/grandparents? The neighboring totoco? The broken goddess?) Are these all questions that will get resolved in future books? I know the series will include more, but I’m unsure whether those will be standalones centering different characters or if they’ll be continuations of this particular story.
As far as what I loved about this book, I have to say: it’s like 550 pages long and I managed to read it in basically two days, so. That’s saying something, lol. There was something about this story that had me wanting to keep turning the page, even when I felt tempted to skim, so it definitely managed to capture and hold my attention.
The sex scenes were really good, I’ll say that. And as an avid monster smut reader, the scene where Xochi and Itzatecuani do it while he’s in his spirit form was *chef’s kiss*.
Now. Having said that. It took me a really long time to actually like and want to root for Sal to be honest. Both he and Xochitl were so all over the place for the first half of the story (maybe intentional? Idk). Sal goes from being this sort of suave, mysterious figure when we first meet him to overbearing, immature, and volatile so suddenly it gave me whiplash. The literal ONLY CHARACTER I liked from the moment they appeared on page to the very end and formed any sort of deep emotional attachment to was César, and I’m so glad that it looks like the next book will center him more (if the final chapter is any indication).
I also feel like there were a lot of plot threads that got dropped in the end (Xochi’s father/grandparents? The neighboring totoco? The broken goddess?) Are these all questions that will get resolved in future books? I know the series will include more, but I’m unsure whether those will be standalones centering different characters or if they’ll be continuations of this particular story.
As far as what I loved about this book, I have to say: it’s like 550 pages long and I managed to read it in basically two days, so. That’s saying something, lol. There was something about this story that had me wanting to keep turning the page, even when I felt tempted to skim, so it definitely managed to capture and hold my attention.
The sex scenes were really good, I’ll say that. And as an avid monster smut reader, the scene where Xochi and Itzatecuani do it while he’s in his spirit form was *chef’s kiss*.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, and Fatphobia
Minor: Colonisation and Deportation
kbairbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
A huge thank you to the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
WOW. This is what I call an explosive debut!! This was incredible! The descriptions were rich and decadent like chocolate cake, the enemies to lovers genuinely made me dislike Sal before loving him, I LOVED the side characters and how they added such fullness to the story instead of merely existing, and I couldn’t go to sleep last night without devouring the rest of this story. It was one of those stories that I HAD to know what happened and couldn’t sleep until I did! What a lovely feeling this has given me and a joyful reminder of why I read. I loved all the culture, I loved Xochi, I loved the magic, and the found family, and just everything about this book. Also can we talk about the cover?!?! Hello?!? It is stunning!! Brava! I loved this read and can’t wait for more from the author.
WOW. This is what I call an explosive debut!! This was incredible! The descriptions were rich and decadent like chocolate cake, the enemies to lovers genuinely made me dislike Sal before loving him, I LOVED the side characters and how they added such fullness to the story instead of merely existing, and I couldn’t go to sleep last night without devouring the rest of this story. It was one of those stories that I HAD to know what happened and couldn’t sleep until I did! What a lovely feeling this has given me and a joyful reminder of why I read. I loved all the culture, I loved Xochi, I loved the magic, and the found family, and just everything about this book. Also can we talk about the cover?!?! Hello?!? It is stunning!! Brava! I loved this read and can’t wait for more from the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
bittersweetcritiques's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
Thank you for the arc!
“The moon is jealous of your beauty, Xochitl.”
First of all, it's a 5🌟 read for me. But it is DARK. Please check CWs.
Xochi is one of the most lovely characters. She's fat, beautiful, glorious, kind, thoughtful, and as we see her begin to heal from her trauma, she is fiery and badass. I cannot wait to watch her bloom in the next book.
Sal is harder for me to love. He's hot, absolutely, but he is such an alphahole. Regardless if you love a "I'll burn it all down for her" attitude and were disappointed when the Beast transformed into the Prince at the end of Beauty & the Beast... this is the leading man for you.😏
Beyond the characters themselves, the plot is what really had my attention. The Cadejos were fascinating. I had never read about their lore before and if you're thinking European werewolves...it's definitely not that. Trading shadows and being two in one body (one spirit, one human) + how they feed -- W O W
Much of the novel surrounds Xochi & Sal as they try to define their relationship, but there is always an undercurrent of mystery. What is the deal with Xochi's mother? What happened to her sister? What are those pills she takes that smell like rot & death? We are gifted quite a few answers by the end, but it definitely leads into even more questions and a perfect set-up for book two.
Yes, it is SPICY. CW kind of spicy. Spicy that made me feel like vanilla ice cream🍦
Finally, N. Cáceres is an incredible writer. Her use of language and the feelings she conveys with the words she chooses....Let's just say, I've rarely read her equal.
As one of my most challenging & enticing reads this year, I highly recommend Obsidian Feathers🖤
“The moon is jealous of your beauty, Xochitl.”
First of all, it's a 5🌟 read for me. But it is DARK. Please check CWs.
Xochi is one of the most lovely characters. She's fat, beautiful, glorious, kind, thoughtful, and as we see her begin to heal from her trauma, she is fiery and badass. I cannot wait to watch her bloom in the next book.
Sal is harder for me to love. He's hot, absolutely, but he is such an alphahole. Regardless if you love a "I'll burn it all down for her" attitude and were disappointed when the Beast transformed into the Prince at the end of Beauty & the Beast... this is the leading man for you.😏
Beyond the characters themselves, the plot is what really had my attention. The Cadejos were fascinating. I had never read about their lore before and if you're thinking European werewolves...it's definitely not that. Trading shadows and being two in one body (one spirit, one human) + how they feed -- W O W
Much of the novel surrounds Xochi & Sal as they try to define their relationship, but there is always an undercurrent of mystery. What is the deal with Xochi's mother? What happened to her sister? What are those pills she takes that smell like rot & death? We are gifted quite a few answers by the end, but it definitely leads into even more questions and a perfect set-up for book two.
Yes, it is SPICY. CW kind of spicy. Spicy that made me feel like vanilla ice cream🍦
Finally, N. Cáceres is an incredible writer. Her use of language and the feelings she conveys with the words she chooses....Let's just say, I've rarely read her equal.
As one of my most challenging & enticing reads this year, I highly recommend Obsidian Feathers🖤
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
booksandcurlz's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think I am still processing Obsidian Feathers at the moment. That said, I still wanted to take some time to at least write some of my initial thoughts on this book. I loved it, it was dark, mystical, and mysterious. It touched on some heavy subjects that would be too much for some people. Please for the love of everything you find holy please read the TW/CW. This is a DARK FANTASY ROMANCE, and it is DARK This is not for everyone, be warned!
What I loved?
♥️ Xochitl (FMC) - Her journey as a character was so incredible, I was immediately heartbroken for her and as I saw the growth, and ultimately her flourishing into the goddess she was born to be I was just so happy for her, I cheered a little bit.
♥️ Itziquetzal (MMC) - I don’t know how to describe Sal without sounding obsessed. OK, he was swoony, but also feral, savage, and when his shadow swapped with him 😮💨 He was a total simp for Xochi. Fine, I’m obsessed.
♥️ The side characters - They were funny, full of wisdom, and kind of savage too. Julia was always throwing around threats of chopping appendages LOL was a huge favorite.
♥️ The pet names - I don’t care how many times Sal called Xochi nayeli or nonayeli (means princess and my princess in Nehualt) , I always swooned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Deportation