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caitlinemccann's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed the dark academic setting and the overall twist on the Medusa mythos. If anything, I just wanted more of this--the pacing in particular felt rushed and I would have loved to see the tension stretched out. But this was a quick and compelling read and I'm excited to try more from Giana Darling in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Outing
Minor: Vomit
The author warns in the beginning that the on-page sexual violence are explicitly in Chapter 2, which she says you can skip. It is referenced throughout the book, but less graphically. So if you need to skip that chapter, you can.colorcrystals's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
booked_deafkailyn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Words can’t even begin to describe the experience of reading Serpentine Valentine by Giana Darling. Ok never read her books before and I found this interesting to read book. She is having absolutely beautiful writing and how she creates a love story, and this book is no difference. Dark academia was made for her and I was so into very deep in the world of Acheron University and Lex’s quest against men who have wronged women and everyone who had wronged her.
Luna’s self discovery and choice to explore her identity in a life that didn’t want her to was empowering and inspiring. The romance was everything I wanted try to read in a sapphic romance style and I loved the push and pull of the relationship. There was definitely fear and spicy and I loved watching them fall for each other.
And can we talk about Giana's writing?? It was so beautiful and, as someone who loves literature like me, I loved how her characters discussed their love and connection to literature as well. Everything was so poetic and fit the vibes of this story so perfectly. Also Giana Darling blended dark academia with female rage in this sapphic Medusa-inspired romance that was beautifully tragic.
Again remember that this is a dark romance, so there is a lot explored here with trigger warnings about assault and getting revenge on men who take advantage of women and never see any repercussion for their actions.
Thank you for let me read this great book for the honest reviews.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
queerafictionado's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Serpentine Valentine was poetry in prose. Words strung together that paint pictures in your mind and dance around in your soul. Captivating. Alluring. It will take you on a journey through the whole range of human emotions. It will rip your heart out, smash it to pieces, and string it back together. Broken. Bruised. Changed. Just like the characters on the pages. I have so many highlights in my ebook - sometimes entire paragraphs! I devoured this book, just like the twin snakes in the ouroboros devouring themselves.
This story wrenched itself in my heart and gave me words for feelings I hadn’t yet been able to name for myself. And Lex and Luna’s bond - the way the light and darkness in them commingled and pulled pieces of themselves out that might have otherwise remained hidden in the shadows of darkness or been blinded by the light of other’s expectations. Their story was tragic and beautiful and raw. And I found bits of myself in each of them. But especially Lex as she struggled to see anything good as real, instead waiting for the ticking time bomb to explode in her face. As she grappled with the darkness inside her and what it meant about who she was and her worthiness for love. As she clawed her way out of that darkness and slowly let the light that was Luna seep into her weary soul.
This was a narrative about feminism, and female empowerment. But also female rage. And the lengths women identified people must go to in order to be heard and seen and taken seriously. About why silence is so often the answer in a world that vilifies victims and parades them around as pariahs, while the real monsters wander free- their crimes covered, their reputations protected. It was powerful and heart wrenching and it will burn the fires of rage within your soul. Because the truth is…this might be a fictional story, but it is rife with truth and there are far too many real stories like this in our world.
I wanted to be able to give this book 5 stars. But there were just some parts that were problematic for me. The Harry Potter references for one. I would be engrossed in some part of the story and then an HP reference would jar me and pull me out of my reverie. They just weren’t needed, and I wish people (especially writers of queer books) would stop referencing the works of a blatant transphobe. The other big one was the whole premise of Lex using Luna as a pawn in her revenge while simultaneously claiming to be protecting women. It was contradictory to everything she stood for. I think the story could have been just as powerful if that part of the story had been written differently. There were some other cringy things but they were minor and didn’t impact my feelings on the book as a whole in the same way these two things did.
TRIGGER WARNINGS! Please read the trigger warnings. This book is a Medusa retelling and as such involves rape and sexual assault. There are some on page (not a lot of graphic details) and some off page accounts, but it is also an overarching theme of the whole book. Read with caution and check the other trigger warnings as well.
🏳️🌈Rep: Lesbian FMC, Bi FMC, queer and POC SCs
📝Tropes/Themes: Dark Academia, Medusa Retelling, Revenge, Found Family, Coming Out, Sapphic Romance, Feminism, Female Empowerment
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Biphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death and Murder
booksplussky's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
While I really enjoyed parts of this story, overall it fell a little short for me and there were parts I just couldn't get behind. This is a sapphic Medusa retelling. Assault is a major plot point in this story and is what drives much of what the main character goes through and experiences. While I loved the lyrical writing that comes with any Giana Darling book, there were parts of the story I found completely unnecessary and almost harmful. Some of the dialogue felt unnatural and stereotypical. I also firmly believe that when authors are writing outside of what they know, they do not need to include slurs in any way even if it is to further the characterization of an antagonist. For example, a lot of the antagonists in this story use slurs towards LGBTQ people that are written out in their entirety, and they were very jarring to read. I think the same point could have been made if the author simply said "they called us slurs" vs using the actual slurs. I also think referencing Harry Potter in a story like this was unnecessary and harmful in it's own way.
I enjoyed the revenge plot and this felt similar to Mindf*ck, which is one of my favorite books of all time. I do think the parts of this story that I disliked could be taken out and it would better the story overall. I do not know if there were sensitivity readers for this book but it felt like more were needed.
Overall, I love Giana's writing style and always will. I liked what she was trying to do with this book but the harm in it outweighed anything else for me.
Thank you Valentine PR for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I enjoyed the revenge plot and this felt similar to Mindf*ck, which is one of my favorite books of all time. I do think the parts of this story that I disliked could be taken out and it would better the story overall. I do not know if there were sensitivity readers for this book but it felt like more were needed.
Overall, I love Giana's writing style and always will. I liked what she was trying to do with this book but the harm in it outweighed anything else for me.
Thank you Valentine PR for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting