titaniumtammy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
5.0
Pestilence by Laura Thalassa is one of the most captivating romances I’ve ever read. Moreover, the fact that it is a dark dystopian romance but somehow has me swooning more than I thought possible is the most fascinatingly unexpected feats & I stand in awe & bow to the author for creating this.
This is book #1 in The Four Horsemen series & now I am beyond curious to continue on with this series. Pestilence was recommended to me through one of the most compelling suggestions I’ve ever read & I am so glad I listened. This is like nothing I’ve ever read before & it was transfixing & enthralling.
Pestilence is the perfect read to fans of…
🖤Dark Romance
🖤Dystopian
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🖤Forbidden Romance
The way in which Pestilence speaks is an enchanting song that you can’t help but swoon over. In the midst of such darkness & horrors, the author magically is able to write such a beautiful love story that also somehow includes humor, angst & so much heart!
I’ve seen so much about this series & now I totally get why everyone is raving on about it. It’s truly a story for the ages.
If you are looking to be swooned & enraptured by a dark dystopian romance, I highly recommend reading Pestilence!
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Bloom Books for the gifted arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.
This is book #1 in The Four Horsemen series & now I am beyond curious to continue on with this series. Pestilence was recommended to me through one of the most compelling suggestions I’ve ever read & I am so glad I listened. This is like nothing I’ve ever read before & it was transfixing & enthralling.
Pestilence is the perfect read to fans of…
🖤Dark Romance
🖤Dystopian
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🖤Forbidden Romance
The way in which Pestilence speaks is an enchanting song that you can’t help but swoon over. In the midst of such darkness & horrors, the author magically is able to write such a beautiful love story that also somehow includes humor, angst & so much heart!
I’ve seen so much about this series & now I totally get why everyone is raving on about it. It’s truly a story for the ages.
If you are looking to be swooned & enraptured by a dark dystopian romance, I highly recommend reading Pestilence!
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Bloom Books for the gifted arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.
abrado's review against another edition
4.0
This book is surprising. I was prepared for a full smut read, but in reality this is a good storyline with a layer of spice to it. After contemplating, this book series is a romance series not a smut series.
The focus of this book stays on its two main characters, Sara and Pestilence. I enjoyed their banter and the way they grew to need each other even when that need conflicted with every moral belief they each had.
I appreciated the style of writing: we are privy to Sara’s thoughts which flow easily onto the page. In a way that I frequently checked for quotations to understand which she was saying and which she was thinking but chose not to say. This style worked very well for the character and for the concept of this book.
Other author stylistic choices kept me smiling. Choosing to fixate on one word “please” and giving it almost its own character presence in the story. Tricksy vs Trixie was an endearing layer. And many others.
The angelic being destined to bring about the end of the world meets a girl determined to stop him. How she desires to stop him fluctuates throughout the story. Their fates intertwine, they live and die together in the most complex of ways. Through hatred and eventually love, their journey tugged at my heart. We see the best of humanity and the worst of humanity on display. People are horrible and yet one fights to save them all.
Looking forward to the rest of this series.
—- Quotes —-
“He never wanted me to go to university… ‘Too impractical’, my Dad had told me. ‘What are you going to use a degree for anyway?’ “ - pg. 36
“… being vulnerable around someone who's both hurt you and tended to you.” - pg. 64
“But it is the smetest misery I have ever felt. I don't want it to stop.” - pg. 177
“You’re changing him just as he's changing you.” - pg. 191
“I’ve stood in ancient bazaars, I've walked through city centers, I've lingered in castles and alleyways and everything in between. I've stayed in a thousand different houses, and I've kissed the brow of countless humans, and I've lain with each one. I came to earth and I touched and the world knew terror." - pg. 196
“And we might each be bulldozing our morals, but at the very least we’re doing it together.” - pg. 206
“I come to you now like a thief in the night, for I fear you’ll never listen to me under the light of day.” - pg. 219
“ ‘We only get so many minutes alive,’ I say. ‘When you find someone worth spending that time with, you don't want to share those minutes with anyone else.’ “ - pg. 229
The focus of this book stays on its two main characters, Sara and Pestilence. I enjoyed their banter and the way they grew to need each other even when that need conflicted with every moral belief they each had.
I appreciated the style of writing: we are privy to Sara’s thoughts which flow easily onto the page. In a way that I frequently checked for quotations to understand which she was saying and which she was thinking but chose not to say. This style worked very well for the character and for the concept of this book.
Other author stylistic choices kept me smiling. Choosing to fixate on one word “please” and giving it almost its own character presence in the story. Tricksy vs Trixie was an endearing layer. And many others.
The angelic being destined to bring about the end of the world meets a girl determined to stop him. How she desires to stop him fluctuates throughout the story. Their fates intertwine, they live and die together in the most complex of ways. Through hatred and eventually love, their journey tugged at my heart. We see the best of humanity and the worst of humanity on display. People are horrible and yet one fights to save them all.
Looking forward to the rest of this series.
—- Quotes —-
“He never wanted me to go to university… ‘Too impractical’, my Dad had told me. ‘What are you going to use a degree for anyway?’ “ - pg. 36
“… being vulnerable around someone who's both hurt you and tended to you.” - pg. 64
“But it is the smetest misery I have ever felt. I don't want it to stop.” - pg. 177
“You’re changing him just as he's changing you.” - pg. 191
“I’ve stood in ancient bazaars, I've walked through city centers, I've lingered in castles and alleyways and everything in between. I've stayed in a thousand different houses, and I've kissed the brow of countless humans, and I've lain with each one. I came to earth and I touched and the world knew terror." - pg. 196
“And we might each be bulldozing our morals, but at the very least we’re doing it together.” - pg. 206
“I come to you now like a thief in the night, for I fear you’ll never listen to me under the light of day.” - pg. 219
“ ‘We only get so many minutes alive,’ I say. ‘When you find someone worth spending that time with, you don't want to share those minutes with anyone else.’ “ - pg. 229
sezola's review
5.0
Wow
You could cut the sexual tension in this book with a knife. I couldn't put it down. I loved the relationship between Sara and Pestilence. Absolutely fabulous.
You could cut the sexual tension in this book with a knife. I couldn't put it down. I loved the relationship between Sara and Pestilence. Absolutely fabulous.
novuyob's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
efruitsnack's review
2.0
I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers, but this one takes it a bit too far.
I’m not sure what was the first red flag: if it was the fact that he made Sara watch children die, made parents watch their children die, or just the fact that he’s super down with kids dying in general (and then we’re supposed to feel bad for him when it’s revealed he doesn’t like killing people… like that’s makes it better).
The full blown torture was also not it for me; and not even BDSM, like full-blown medieval shit.
I know we’re supposed to find him sexy but all of the shit I’ve listed above really puts a damper on that.
The narrator is supposed to be snarky but the prose comes off super juvenile.
Overall, it’s a no from me chief.
I’m not sure what was the first red flag: if it was the fact that he made Sara watch children die, made parents watch their children die, or just the fact that he’s super down with kids dying in general (and then we’re supposed to feel bad for him when it’s revealed he doesn’t like killing people… like that’s makes it better).
The full blown torture was also not it for me; and not even BDSM, like full-blown medieval shit.
I know we’re supposed to find him sexy but all of the shit I’ve listed above really puts a damper on that.
The narrator is supposed to be snarky but the prose comes off super juvenile.
Overall, it’s a no from me chief.
leaps's review
3.0
"" We draw matches.""
I thought this was going to be an easy romance books with some weird story but I was pleasantly surprised. It had more depth than I thought. Looking forward to reading the next one.
3.5
I thought this was going to be an easy romance books with some weird story but I was pleasantly surprised. It had more depth than I thought. Looking forward to reading the next one.
3.5
annaclairereads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kaaydejong's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0