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A review by tab_reads
Zodiac Hybrids by Leann Belle
adventurous
challenging
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3⭐️ 2.5🌶️
MOOD: adventurous, challenging, sad, tense
TROPES: virgin main character,
GENRES: fantasy/paranormal, monster romance, college/academy
MAIN CHARACTERS: Lila Denton, Adrian Karras, Marcus Emery, Ceto Arya (introduced)
I had a really hard time rating this. I was going to give it a 3.5 but it didn't match another book that I recently gave a 3.5 and it definitely wasn't a 4 for me. This is the first Leann Belle book I actually finished - I have DNFed two. Why would I try again? Cause the descriptions always sound really good. I picked this one up because I read the description for the 2nd book - Zodiac Monsters but they have to be read in order.
THE GOOD: The lore/world that is introduced is interesting. The relationship between Adrian and Marcus is one of the bright spots of the book - it's complicated and that makes it a more grounding & realistic component to this fantastical world. Lila is a mediocre character at best so I am hoping that her development improves with the next book - which I do feel the need to read and continue the series.
THE NEUTRAL: There's potential but not a lot of follow-through and that could just be because it's a planned series, I don't know. There were also some little things throughout the book that didn't really make sense - like Lila continuously referring to, and treating, astrology club like a class.
THE MEH: I read the CW and I was still shocked by Somnophilia (without consent or knowledge) - I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that. That one is on me. It wasn't outside my reading content areas since I do read dark romance but it felt like an odd choice given the pacing and overall vibes of the characters up until that point. Lila is naive to the point of being annoying. She routinely ignores things that the other characters bring up and doesn't have an argument as to why she thinks what she thinks - just that she's lived 22 years this way so she must be correct even as she learns things about the world that she never knew.
CW: (provided by the author) Somnophilia, dubious consent, age gap/power imbalance, primal, pain/fear/blodd used in sexual context, choking, public sex, light bondage, tentacles, breeding kink
DISCLAIMER: I received an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
MOOD: adventurous, challenging, sad, tense
TROPES: virgin main character,
GENRES: fantasy/paranormal, monster romance, college/academy
MAIN CHARACTERS: Lila Denton, Adrian Karras, Marcus Emery, Ceto Arya (introduced)
I had a really hard time rating this. I was going to give it a 3.5 but it didn't match another book that I recently gave a 3.5 and it definitely wasn't a 4 for me. This is the first Leann Belle book I actually finished - I have DNFed two. Why would I try again? Cause the descriptions always sound really good. I picked this one up because I read the description for the 2nd book - Zodiac Monsters but they have to be read in order.
THE GOOD: The lore/world that is introduced is interesting. The relationship between Adrian and Marcus is one of the bright spots of the book - it's complicated and that makes it a more grounding & realistic component to this fantastical world. Lila is a mediocre character at best so I am hoping that her development improves with the next book - which I do feel the need to read and continue the series.
THE NEUTRAL: There's potential but not a lot of follow-through and that could just be because it's a planned series, I don't know. There were also some little things throughout the book that didn't really make sense - like Lila continuously referring to, and treating, astrology club like a class.
THE MEH: I read the CW and I was still shocked by Somnophilia (without consent or knowledge) - I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that. That one is on me. It wasn't outside my reading content areas since I do read dark romance but it felt like an odd choice given the pacing and overall vibes of the characters up until that point. Lila is naive to the point of being annoying. She routinely ignores things that the other characters bring up and doesn't have an argument as to why she thinks what she thinks - just that she's lived 22 years this way so she must be correct even as she learns things about the world that she never knew.
CW: (provided by the author) Somnophilia, dubious consent, age gap/power imbalance, primal, pain/fear/blodd used in sexual context, choking, public sex, light bondage, tentacles, breeding kink
DISCLAIMER: I received an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual violence and Blood