A review by koistyfishy
Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I did. not. like. this. book.
This book starts off immediately after the first book ends. From page one it’s tense, threatening, there is action, and stuff going on. But none of this is grasping and it’s feels like the entirety of the book we are just trudging through the trenches to get through to the next book.
I was under the expectation that book two would go more into explaining the vague magic system, but besides the mention of “magic take balance” it’s not really elaborated on at all and I still don’t know how it works!
I did not like the split POV in this book. In book 1 because of the main distinction between Lou and Reid you could easily determine who’s head and POV you were in. This book muddled the lines of internal monologue. They blurred together and often times I had to reread sentences because I was unsure if the chapter was from Lou or Reid’s perspective.
I also have no idea what the actual fuck was going on with their relationship in this book. I really wish sometimes that I had the ability to knock some sense into characters. It bothered me at the start that these two who didn’t know each other really long are this devoted and obsessed with each other… it almost borders on “instant lovey/infatuation vibes” and that type of love does not resonate with me at all! I missed the sassy banter between the two from book one… then a third into the book some sick twist happens and for basically the rest of the book these two basically despise each other due to their judgemental and selfish thoughts and ideals. It’s immature and annoying and the animosity between the two drove me insane.
By page 150 I was wishing for this torture to be over… I need a break before starting book 3 cause I don’t think I can step right into it.
This book starts off immediately after the first book ends. From page one it’s tense, threatening, there is action, and stuff going on. But none of this is grasping and it’s feels like the entirety of the book we are just trudging through the trenches to get through to the next book.
I was under the expectation that book two would go more into explaining the vague magic system, but besides the mention of “magic take balance” it’s not really elaborated on at all and I still don’t know how it works!
I did not like the split POV in this book. In book 1 because of the main distinction between Lou and Reid you could easily determine who’s head and POV you were in. This book muddled the lines of internal monologue. They blurred together and often times I had to reread sentences because I was unsure if the chapter was from Lou or Reid’s perspective.
I also have no idea what the actual fuck was going on with their relationship in this book. I really wish sometimes that I had the ability to knock some sense into characters. It bothered me at the start that these two who didn’t know each other really long are this devoted and obsessed with each other… it almost borders on “instant lovey/infatuation vibes” and that type of love does not resonate with me at all! I missed the sassy banter between the two from book one… then a third into the book some sick twist happens and for basically the rest of the book these two basically despise each other due to their judgemental and selfish thoughts and ideals. It’s immature and annoying and the animosity between the two drove me insane.
By page 150 I was wishing for this torture to be over… I need a break before starting book 3 cause I don’t think I can step right into it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Torture
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Murder