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linnybear's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
2.75
I think the author had a wonderful idea for this novel, I loved how each part is separated by roses representing each rose Lilith gives to Vale, I loved the setting of a plagued human lands and a dangerous forbidden love between human and a vampire but at the same time this book felt way too short to establish any form of connection between two main characters that didn’t feel artificial. Compared to Oraya and Raihn from book one, Lilith and Vale didn’t have that much in common and instead were initially drawn together by a sheer force of fate called ‘the author’s imagination’. I also can’t say I liked them as individual characters, I’ve spent too little time with them to fully understand them and their attraction. I think the entire story as well as their relationship unfortunately lacked that sort of depth we could get in a full length novel (but I guess we had enough time for a whole chapter of smut, right?).
I was also hoping for some insight into human lives away from Obitraes and Nyaxia’s power but didn’t get much of that. I think it’s a lost opportunity to not introduce the whole White Pantheon, show their qualities and sort of compare them to Nyaxia in this installment especially given ‘the plague’ and how it was caused by one of the gods.
Not disappointed by the writing though, I think Carissa Broadbent has a way to write so much emotions and chemistry into characters even when seemingly there shouldn’t be that much there (seriously there’s one chapter around 50% mark when I suddenly was overwhelmed by Lilith’s words and how beautiful they were, given how one chapter earlier I didn’t feel any of that). I don't think about time with this book as really wasted, to be honest I oddly enjoyed it while acknowledging it didn't hold the standard of the first book at the same time. Definitely skippable piece if you are only interested in the main storyline of the series but short enough to give it a try if you need more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Death of parent, and War
eloquentmuse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this book. It’s a fantasy romance set in a world that runs on science, magic, and gods. The main character has been dying since she was born, and her love interest is the local vampire hermit.
I liked how well thought out the plot, the characterization, and even their growing romance seemed to be. The god of nature is cruel and fickle but not evil. The vampire-since-birth is ignorant of humanity’s most innate knowledge: the briefness of life, desperation of dying, the inevitability of death. The humans are stiff-necked and narrow in their views and stubborn in their refusal to risk their short lives to better the world. Love is presented in its many forms as the one thing worth living and dying for.
It was poetic in ways and lighthearted in ways. Well worth a read.
I liked how well thought out the plot, the characterization, and even their growing romance seemed to be. The god of nature is cruel and fickle but not evil. The vampire-since-birth is ignorant of humanity’s most innate knowledge: the briefness of life, desperation of dying, the inevitability of death. The humans are stiff-necked and narrow in their views and stubborn in their refusal to risk their short lives to better the world. Love is presented in its many forms as the one thing worth living and dying for.
It was poetic in ways and lighthearted in ways. Well worth a read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness
shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Torture, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
escsmith's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
A sweet novella, related to Broadbent's series in the same world.
This took a different tone from the Serpent and the Wings of Night, I liked the more cozy feeling to this.
The main character was curious and full of determination, which I liked. I felt like I didn't know these characters well enough yet to really connect to them and their story, the length of the book makes that difficult.
This took a different tone from the Serpent and the Wings of Night, I liked the more cozy feeling to this.
The main character was curious and full of determination, which I liked. I felt like I didn't know these characters well enough yet to really connect to them and their story, the length of the book makes that difficult.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
coveredinivy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and War
thevanessa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It was so cute. You could read this without reading the actual series
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Hate crime, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
doahdancer's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Fun, but very short with little world building or character development. I read books 1&2 of The Crowns of Nyaxia before picking this up and I think it's a pretty sensible order. This could be read between 1&2 also, but all the world building is in book 1. This couple plays a minor role in book 2 and it was fun to see afterwards how they came to be.
The MCs of this story are more likable than the MCs of the main storyline, but they are also less complex. The FMC is well developed because it is her view we're seeing it all unfold through, but the MMC is underdeveloped in my opinion.
Overall a nice read that I easily finished up in half a day.
The MCs of this story are more likable than the MCs of the main storyline, but they are also less complex. The FMC is well developed because it is her view we're seeing it all unfold through, but the MMC is underdeveloped in my opinion.
Overall a nice read that I easily finished up in half a day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
greyskale's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
4.75
I adored this little book so much! I related to Lilith, I loved her struggles with human connection. She is very clearly autistic and I love the representation as an autistic person myself.
I loved the blossoming love between Vale and Lilith and all the little ways he understood her when everyone else did not. Watching their relationship grow was truly something else. I loved these two so much 🖤
It had a satisfying, heart warming ending with a bittersweet tinge. Can’t wait to read more about these two.
The only reason this is not a full 5 star read is the lack of world building, I had a hard time visualizing where this all took place. But the characters and story were great!
Vale: I like her, I like that autistic woman
I loved the blossoming love between Vale and Lilith and all the little ways he understood her when everyone else did not. Watching their relationship grow was truly something else. I loved these two so much 🖤
It had a satisfying, heart warming ending with a bittersweet tinge. Can’t wait to read more about these two.
The only reason this is not a full 5 star read is the lack of world building, I had a hard time visualizing where this all took place. But the characters and story were great!
Vale: I like her, I like that autistic woman
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape
There is a passage about a needle that made me cringe at the description.v_____'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I will never shut up praising how Cassandra Broadbent describes things, especially Gods, until forever 🙏🙏
Plus: THIS is my new life motto now:😌
... about two centuries ago, I decided that I would never again do anything I didn’t want to do. And I don’t want to...
Plus: THIS is my new life motto now:😌
... about two centuries ago, I decided that I would never again do anything I didn’t want to do. And I don’t want to...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
kenziedugan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Terminal illness