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ivylucia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
WTF?! This book is a roller coaster ride and the ending is… ugghh. The spicy scenes are A1 but there’s too much happening for true character development and too much to unpack. Reading the 3rd when it’s out bc I must know what happens next… but also, what the actual 🤬
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
kbowles24's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and War
obiterocelot's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Read if you love: vampires, Slavic monsters, shapeshifters, werewolves, witches, showing your love with violence, fight scenes, taking charge, fated love tropes, girl power.
Avoid if you don’t love: trashy romance novels, everyone trying to kill you, second books in the series, toxic relationships, SA trauma that builds character, betrayal, over complicated narratives.
—————
This definitely suffers from second book syndrome and a problem I’m finding with a lot of fantasy romance books lately where they want to be the next Sarah J Maas and can’t stick to the romance that was the entire point of me picking this series up in the first place. The spicy scenes aren’t bad, but it’s completely free of any real tension.
Unfortunately I’m probably not going to pick up the third book. First one was fun, but this one struggled to capture my attention.
There was also the matter of the big bad having some creepy sex dungeon and r*ping main characters and that being a trauma bonding experience. And I thought we had all collectively agreed that it was 2024 and there are plenty of other ways to hurt women. And perhaps that particular way, out of all of them, should be kept out of our romance novels?
We know that they’re already toxic enough.
Avoid if you don’t love: trashy romance novels, everyone trying to kill you, second books in the series, toxic relationships, SA trauma that builds character, betrayal, over complicated narratives.
—————
Unfortunately I’m probably not going to pick up the third book. First one was fun, but this one struggled to capture my attention.
There was also the matter of the big bad having some creepy sex dungeon and r*ping main characters and that being a trauma bonding experience. And I thought we had all collectively agreed that it was 2024 and there are plenty of other ways to hurt women. And perhaps that particular way, out of all of them, should be kept out of our romance novels?
We know that they’re already toxic enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, and War
emcdonald's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
yliana's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I hoped that the world building and plot would be more developed in this one but it still kinda fell flat for me. The romance also was kinda meh tbh😭 I dont really see how isolde and Adrian are actually into each other you know?
I really do like isolde though, I think she's a badass and she's so okay with the violence and punishments against traitors I fucking love ittt
Even though I this book is just okay, I think I'll still read the next one just because I wanna know how it ends
I really do like isolde though, I think she's a badass and she's so okay with the violence and punishments against traitors I fucking love ittt
Even though I this book is just okay, I think I'll still read the next one just because I wanna know how it ends
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
billies_not_so_secret_diary's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Queen of Myth and Monsters
by Scarlett St. Clair
Adrian X Isolde #2
Fantasy Porn
Hoopla
Ages: 21+
The second (and not last) book of the series picks up where the first left off, Isolde trying to find her place as Queen, among the politics and hatred. There are those who want to see her dead because Adrian would rather be in her bed than be king.
While the author tried to pretend to keep up with the plot that I was interested in, which is why I read this one, she failed big time! because she was more worried about the porn every sixth page, (to go on for at least seven) than the characters and what their and their country's/people's struggles were. Out of the 400 and some odd pages, maybe 300 was storyline, and most of it wasn't detailed. A major 'change' in this story was buried under porn, which I skipped over, so there were no 'emotions' to go with it.
This is porn not romance! When the f-word is used, (in just about every 'scene'), to me that is not romance, it's degrading. And I feel that whoever is saying this word, is only a couple of steps from taking what they want, forcefully if necessary, and to me that is porn. If my man said that to me, I would walk, maybe even run away. That can be a scary word because it can be associated with violence, so it's not romantic.
As for the book's title, I have no clue what the author was trying to hint at. The creatures, those she rules in Adrian's kingdom and her own, while most could be considered monsters, both human and 'creatures', they are real in this world, not myths.
It was a very boring read because there failed to be a plot or any reasons to care for the characters.
Of course, it's a major cliffhanger, but I'm not hanging around for the next book.
1 Star
by Scarlett St. Clair
Adrian X Isolde #2
Fantasy Porn
Hoopla
Ages: 21+
The second (and not last) book of the series picks up where the first left off, Isolde trying to find her place as Queen, among the politics and hatred. There are those who want to see her dead because Adrian would rather be in her bed than be king.
While the author tried to pretend to keep up with the plot that I was interested in, which is why I read this one, she failed big time! because she was more worried about the porn every sixth page, (to go on for at least seven) than the characters and what their and their country's/people's struggles were. Out of the 400 and some odd pages, maybe 300 was storyline, and most of it wasn't detailed. A major 'change' in this story was buried under porn, which I skipped over, so there were no 'emotions' to go with it.
This is porn not romance! When the f-word is used, (in just about every 'scene'), to me that is not romance, it's degrading. And I feel that whoever is saying this word, is only a couple of steps from taking what they want, forcefully if necessary, and to me that is porn. If my man said that to me, I would walk, maybe even run away. That can be a scary word because it can be associated with violence, so it's not romantic.
As for the book's title, I have no clue what the author was trying to hint at. The creatures, those she rules in Adrian's kingdom and her own, while most could be considered monsters, both human and 'creatures', they are real in this world, not myths.
It was a very boring read because there failed to be a plot or any reasons to care for the characters.
Of course, it's a major cliffhanger, but I'm not hanging around for the next book.
1 Star
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
mjhughes's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This book fell short against book 1. While I do love Adrian, I feel like he completely disappeared as a character and was treated like a reason to write smut. Isolde says it herself, “all we do is fight and fuck.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and War
Moderate: Child death, Sexual violence, and Torture
Minor: Miscarriage
julienicole1106's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
zimmerlemon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
3.5
Not sure how to feel. I definitely liked the first book better. This one falls into a lot of the classic traps of fantasy sequels where there is just a LOT going on, a few too many twists and turns, a lot to keep up with…and it just loses its center a bit. I’ll definitely read the next book whenever it comes out because I’m attached enough to the characters that I’m really curious what will happen, but oof.
Also be warned this one is MUCH darker than the first. It’s honestly so dark that then the spice just feels like an intrusion/inconsistent with the rest of the plot and mood.
Also be warned this one is MUCH darker than the first. It’s honestly so dark that then the spice just feels like an intrusion/inconsistent with the rest of the plot and mood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual violence
stephwatsford'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault