helllucifer's review
2.0
I mean. The first 45% was good. Felix is a character I absolutely adore and will love for the rest of my dies. He suffers a whole lot in this book, for absolutely no reason at all.
And John. John. He is ... I don't know, I don't like him. If you can have barely any character development as the protagonist, while other characters around you get some, he achieved that.
Lo and Cat were good, I liked them. Richard... Eh.
The ending was underwhelming to say the least, and Felix went through way too much for nothing. #justice4felix (thank you Vé) .
So yeah, this book had potential. That's all I can say.
Edit: rest of my life in the second sentence, but I don't want to edit it because it's strangely fitting.
And John. John. He is ... I don't know, I don't like him. If you can have barely any character development as the protagonist, while other characters around you get some, he achieved that.
Lo and Cat were good, I liked them. Richard... Eh.
The ending was underwhelming to say the least, and Felix went through way too much for nothing. #justice4felix (thank you Vé) .
So yeah, this book had potential. That's all I can say.
Edit: rest of my life in the second sentence, but I don't want to edit it because it's strangely fitting.
elfflame's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
heresthepencil's review
3.0
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 ☆
Okay, first things first: I could really do without the “raging homophobe is actually a closet case” trope. It’s the year 2000 and 17, this is doing absolutely nothing for us as a community but perpetuates bad stereotypes. When will people chill…
Apart from that? This is a truly fun book! The synopsis promises a vampire infatuated with a witch who seems totally uninterested in him & that is exactly what we’re getting. I mean, talk about a great choice of supernatural and rom-com tropes! But the fun doesn’t actually end there. We not only get more than one vampire and one witch, but also a great siblings relationship within those categories and some ridiculous yet totally endearing wooing. Throw in a curse or two and some mystery and we’re having a party!
All those cool parts wouldn’t build a fun book though if it wasn’t for the writing. It’s fairly simple but reads fast & grips the reader’s attention. And even if sometimes we are bombarded with way too detailed descriptions, it doesn’t spoil anything. Another thing I really liked about the writing, is that it’s very clear different people are speaking based on their dialogues. Granted, in some cases it was kinda over the top, but mostly? Good, solid work. I especially enjoyed Felix’s parts. He’s truly a five-year-old at heart (that he doesn’t have) & every single word out of his mouth confirms that. He’s just really open and doesn’t hide behind social conventions or worry about what people will say - he simply does what feels right at the moment.
But this also brings me to my second most important negative point. While I do love the relationship between Felix & John, because of how naive Felix can be at times, it doesn’t always feel equal. There were moments when I felt like John is just humoring him instead of treating him as his equal. (I’m not even touching on the whole age difference issue as a concept but also in this particular case, because of Felix’s character, you honestly feel like John is the older one…) And speaking of their relationship, it really is a central part of the book, which I adore. Even with all the question marks of morality, it's showed as something strong and beautiful. At the same time though, the shift between nothing & something was ridiculously abrupt. It was explained and that explanation makes sense to be honest, but it was still very hastily done.
It’s not the only thing that could have used a little bit more time and a few more words. There are a lot of magical elements in this story. We get supernatural creatures, we get magic, we get curses… And while a lot of them were explained and showed from some (at least a bit) fresh perspective, we were left with just as many that kind of don’t make sense. It was a weird experience because in one scene the author would describe how something works in this world but also totally dismiss another magical thing. Why pick and choose? The worldbuilding would really benefit if we knew more about ghosts and communication with them, and curses. And basically anything that Richard was doing. His whole witchery lowkey remains a mystery to me and the climax itself didn’t help in that particular case either. Again, it was not bad per se but kind of rushed.
All in all though, this was a fun read. It’s not perfect (and the sex scenes were awkward & numerous enough to make me skip them) but I got so invested in the plot, I didn’t do anything at work until I finished. I will definitely check out more of Sera’s works.
3.5 ☆
Okay, first things first: I could really do without the “raging homophobe is actually a closet case” trope. It’s the year 2000 and 17, this is doing absolutely nothing for us as a community but perpetuates bad stereotypes. When will people chill…
Apart from that? This is a truly fun book! The synopsis promises a vampire infatuated with a witch who seems totally uninterested in him & that is exactly what we’re getting. I mean, talk about a great choice of supernatural and rom-com tropes! But the fun doesn’t actually end there. We not only get more than one vampire and one witch, but also a great siblings relationship within those categories and some ridiculous yet totally endearing wooing. Throw in a curse or two and some mystery and we’re having a party!
All those cool parts wouldn’t build a fun book though if it wasn’t for the writing. It’s fairly simple but reads fast & grips the reader’s attention. And even if sometimes we are bombarded with way too detailed descriptions, it doesn’t spoil anything. Another thing I really liked about the writing, is that it’s very clear different people are speaking based on their dialogues. Granted, in some cases it was kinda over the top, but mostly? Good, solid work. I especially enjoyed Felix’s parts. He’s truly a five-year-old at heart (that he doesn’t have) & every single word out of his mouth confirms that. He’s just really open and doesn’t hide behind social conventions or worry about what people will say - he simply does what feels right at the moment.
But this also brings me to my second most important negative point. While I do love the relationship between Felix & John, because of how naive Felix can be at times, it doesn’t always feel equal. There were moments when I felt like John is just humoring him instead of treating him as his equal. (I’m not even touching on the whole age difference issue as a concept but also in this particular case, because of Felix’s character, you honestly feel like John is the older one…) And speaking of their relationship, it really is a central part of the book, which I adore. Even with all the question marks of morality, it's showed as something strong and beautiful. At the same time though, the shift between nothing & something was ridiculously abrupt. It was explained and that explanation makes sense to be honest, but it was still very hastily done.
It’s not the only thing that could have used a little bit more time and a few more words. There are a lot of magical elements in this story. We get supernatural creatures, we get magic, we get curses… And while a lot of them were explained and showed from some (at least a bit) fresh perspective, we were left with just as many that kind of don’t make sense. It was a weird experience because in one scene the author would describe how something works in this world but also totally dismiss another magical thing. Why pick and choose? The worldbuilding would really benefit if we knew more about ghosts and communication with them, and curses. And basically anything that Richard was doing. His whole witchery lowkey remains a mystery to me and the climax itself didn’t help in that particular case either. Again, it was not bad per se but kind of rushed.
All in all though, this was a fun read. It’s not perfect (and the sex scenes were awkward & numerous enough to make me skip them) but I got so invested in the plot, I didn’t do anything at work until I finished. I will definitely check out more of Sera’s works.
losthitsu's review
4.0
This was about a third longer than it needed to be but an extra star for the world's most adorable gay vampire and his one brain cell.
cleo_reads's review
3.0
I am not a fan of vampire romances but this one worked pretty well for me - probably because the vampires in this story aren't sexy or sexualized. Felix is appealing despite being a vampire, not because of it. And he has to change and work pretty hard for his hea.
I found it compelling, even though the tone varies widely between the witty and the dark promised in the blurb.
I found it compelling, even though the tone varies widely between the witty and the dark promised in the blurb.
kaa's review
3.0
A free ARC of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The first half was frustrating and off-putting, the second half was wonderful. Averaged out, 3 stars.
I had a lot of issues with the set-up of the romance here. I found Felix's pursuit of John to be incredibly creepy. Stalking isn't romantic! I could put up with it when he was just out to scare John, but once he started pursuing John for a date, I was not okay with it. There is one line in particular, where John says, “You aren’t going to leave me alone until I say yes, are you?” and Felix basically agrees, that I found really awful. I did appreciate that it was identified in text as being creepy several times, but that was wiped out by the fact that he was rewarded for his inappropriate behavior by getting a date and then a relationship with John. Yes, I get that Felix is a heartless vampire who doesn't care about human feelings and autonomy - but the author is not a vampire, and she chose to write a story romanticizing and making a joke of stalking. Nah. After Felix and John get together and Felix starts to care about these things, the inappropriateness of Felix's behavior never even comes up.
I really couldn't see why John was initially attracted to Felix, given how obnoxious and intrusive his behavior was. They go on a single date that Felix basically forces John into, and then all of a sudden they're in love? Really?
To be honest, if I hadn't been required to finish the book for the review, I might have given up there - but I'm glad I didn't, because the second half was so much better. Despite the terrible introduction, once they were together John and Felix made a really sweet couple with great chemistry, and I really enjoyed seeing them work together to overcome the challenges facing them. Felix's obliviousness went from completely annoying to just silly and a bit endearing. I loved getting to know Cat and Lo, who both turned out to be fantastic characters ().
In addition to its other problems, the first half of the book was really slow, but in the second half the pace picked up. Once it got going, the story was really interesting, with a lot of tension and a real sense of risk for the characters. In contrast to Felix's complete disregard for John's wishes in the first half, the second half actually had some pretty nuanced discussion of morality, which I enjoyed.
Overall, I might recommend this book on the strength of the second half, but I would have liked it much better if the first half had been shortened and less stalker-y.
The first half was frustrating and off-putting, the second half was wonderful. Averaged out, 3 stars.
I had a lot of issues with the set-up of the romance here. I found Felix's pursuit of John to be incredibly creepy. Stalking isn't romantic! I could put up with it when he was just out to scare John, but once he started pursuing John for a date, I was not okay with it. There is one line in particular, where John says, “You aren’t going to leave me alone until I say yes, are you?” and Felix basically agrees, that I found really awful. I did appreciate that it was identified in text as being creepy several times, but that was wiped out by the fact that he was rewarded for his inappropriate behavior by getting a date and then a relationship with John. Yes, I get that Felix is a heartless vampire who doesn't care about human feelings and autonomy - but the author is not a vampire, and she chose to write a story romanticizing and making a joke of stalking. Nah. After Felix and John get together and Felix starts to care about these things, the inappropriateness of Felix's behavior never even comes up.
I really couldn't see why John was initially attracted to Felix, given how obnoxious and intrusive his behavior was. They go on a single date that Felix basically forces John into, and then all of a sudden they're in love? Really?
To be honest, if I hadn't been required to finish the book for the review, I might have given up there - but I'm glad I didn't, because the second half was so much better. Despite the terrible introduction, once they were together John and Felix made a really sweet couple with great chemistry, and I really enjoyed seeing them work together to overcome the challenges facing them. Felix's obliviousness went from completely annoying to just silly and a bit endearing. I loved getting to know Cat and Lo, who both turned out to be fantastic characters (
Spoiler
and obviously I was really excited when they got togetherIn addition to its other problems, the first half of the book was really slow, but in the second half the pace picked up. Once it got going, the story was really interesting, with a lot of tension and a real sense of risk for the characters. In contrast to Felix's complete disregard for John's wishes in the first half, the second half actually had some pretty nuanced discussion of morality, which I enjoyed.
Overall, I might recommend this book on the strength of the second half, but I would have liked it much better if the first half had been shortened and less stalker-y.
beeziereadsromance's review against another edition
3.0
Adorakably fun read
I thoroughly enjoyed this slightly madcap paranormal romance. It's got kooky characters who defy logic, a solid and engaging plot plot and lots of humour.
The relationship between the MC's was a little odd and a little hard to connect with, but overall I really enjoyed the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this slightly madcap paranormal romance. It's got kooky characters who defy logic, a solid and engaging plot plot and lots of humour.
The relationship between the MC's was a little odd and a little hard to connect with, but overall I really enjoyed the story.
lbcecil's review
3.0
the beginning of the book was so good but then it kinda went downhill around the mid-way point. :(
___tamara___'s review
4.0
John, who is a witch, is cursed to die a violent death and to know the face of his attacker the moment he falls in love. He has already fallen in love once (before the start of our story) and knows what the man who will kill him looks like. So it is no wonder he has little patience for the vampire Felix who tries to feed on John, only to realize John is immune to vampire attacks because he doesn't fear them.
John just wants to wait peacefully for his curse to finish him off. In his mind, he has surrendered to what he perceives as his inevitable fate and just wants to not hurt anyone else in the process. That means he forces himself to solitude, as anyone attached to him would inevitably suffer when he dies. But everyone knows vampire have no real feelings, so he lowers his guard around Felix.
Felix on the other hand finds himself fascinated by the man who treats him more as a pest than the ferocious predator he is. So first he tries to attack John, then he tries to just scare him just to prove he can, and slowly becomes curios about him. But how can it grow be any more than an obsession when vampires have no hearts?
Overall I really enjoyed this story.
Felix in particular was a fun character to read - this fearsome creature of the night who is also quite silly and naive at times. He made me laugh out loud throughout the book.
The world is interesting. It feels different than what I have come to expect from a vampire romance novel, and I would like to explore it some more. I would like to read more about witches and their hierarchy. What about the witch council? And what about other paranormal creatures besides vampires? The world has great potential for a series. I'd definitely read Lo's story.
I have read all of Sera Trevor's stories so far. My favorite is still [b:Consorting With Dragons|22826002|Consorting With Dragons|Sera Trevor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406532927s/22826002.jpg|42380591], but this one comes damn close.
John just wants to wait peacefully for his curse to finish him off. In his mind, he has surrendered to what he perceives as his inevitable fate and just wants to not hurt anyone else in the process. That means he forces himself to solitude, as anyone attached to him would inevitably suffer when he dies. But everyone knows vampire have no real feelings, so he lowers his guard around Felix.
Felix on the other hand finds himself fascinated by the man who treats him more as a pest than the ferocious predator he is. So first he tries to attack John, then he tries to just scare him just to prove he can, and slowly becomes curios about him. But how can it grow be any more than an obsession when vampires have no hearts?
Overall I really enjoyed this story.
Felix in particular was a fun character to read - this fearsome creature of the night who is also quite silly and naive at times. He made me laugh out loud throughout the book.
The world is interesting. It feels different than what I have come to expect from a vampire romance novel, and I would like to explore it some more. I would like to read more about witches and their hierarchy. What about the witch council? And what about other paranormal creatures besides vampires? The world has great potential for a series. I'd definitely read Lo's story.
I have read all of Sera Trevor's stories so far. My favorite is still [b:Consorting With Dragons|22826002|Consorting With Dragons|Sera Trevor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406532927s/22826002.jpg|42380591], but this one comes damn close.
lifeamongpages's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Ninestar Press for sending me this egalley in return for my honest review.
This book is odd. Like I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this... But it got... Weird.
It was a roller-coaster of paranormal nonsense and shenanigans that was at times quite difficult to keep track of.
Underlying the story is the romance between John (the witch) and Felix (the vampire) who meet when Felix fails to scare and attack John so he decides to stalk him and then... They fall in love. It is odd okay.
Then you add in the fact that Felix and his sister Cat are being kept under the thumb of a deranged powerful witch, John is cursed to die and is being haunted by his mum and his coworker is a witch without realising and you have lot of nonsense. Some is fun and fluffy and more of it doesn't make logical sense. And then the end of the book just kind of felt rushed as the author worked really hard to create a Happily Ever After.
Overall, I don't know how I felt about this book. It was enjoyable but I wouldn't read it again.
This book is odd. Like I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this... But it got... Weird.
It was a roller-coaster of paranormal nonsense and shenanigans that was at times quite difficult to keep track of.
Underlying the story is the romance between John (the witch) and Felix (the vampire) who meet when Felix fails to scare and attack John so he decides to stalk him and then... They fall in love. It is odd okay.
Then you add in the fact that Felix and his sister Cat are being kept under the thumb of a deranged powerful witch, John is cursed to die and is being haunted by his mum and his coworker is a witch without realising and you have lot of nonsense. Some is fun and fluffy and more of it doesn't make logical sense. And then the end of the book just kind of felt rushed as the author worked really hard to create a Happily Ever After.
Overall, I don't know how I felt about this book. It was enjoyable but I wouldn't read it again.