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A review by tianabooks
Lovely Bad Things by Trisha Wolfe
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is for the criminal minds girlies. In fact, this is for the girlies who wanted to read something with tension and interactions like the cat/spencer scenes but a bit more unhinged. 😇
Definitely check your trigger/content warnings before going into this if you know there are things that might make you uncomfortable or put you in a vulnerable position. At least in terms of violence and gory descriptions, there are several ones on page.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you."
"You are the bad thing."
"And you are the loveliest bad thing."
There is not a single green flag in sight. Nothing at all lmao.
And I guess that's the whole point, morally at least it's challenging and HIGHLY questionable but it somehow works?? The relationship and interactions between Halen and Kallum are what made the story interesting. They don't trust each other, they're trying to outsmart one another, and you can't tell half of the time (if not all the time) if it's attraction or vengeance that drives their actions. Which works here very well. You don't know who's reliable and who isn't.
This book can at times be heavy on the pagan/occult lore and elements as they're part of the plot and it's Kallum's area of expertise. So I'd also say be mindful of that before going into this. I personally didn't mind this aspect but that might not work for everyone.
I don't know how to feel about the ending yet. Lots of twists and turns and lots of revelations but I think I'd like to read the second book and then come back and revisit my feelings on this! It’s not a bad ending and it definitely insinuates that there’s a continuation to the story.
I'll say though: I was reading this on my kindle AND listening to the audiobook at the same time and it was the best experience honestly. Lucy Rivers and Joe Arden narrate this and LET ME TELL YOU. I'd heard both of them before in your usual contemporary romance but never in a dark romance and they both did such a good job. I am now a changed person. 😮💨🫠 also the narration fits the atmosphere perfectly!
Oh and definitely leave your moral compass behind going into this lmao.
Definitely check your trigger/content warnings before going into this if you know there are things that might make you uncomfortable or put you in a vulnerable position. At least in terms of violence and gory descriptions, there are several ones on page.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you."
"You are the bad thing."
"And you are the loveliest bad thing."
There is not a single green flag in sight. Nothing at all lmao.
And I guess that's the whole point, morally at least it's challenging and HIGHLY questionable but it somehow works?? The relationship and interactions between Halen and Kallum are what made the story interesting. They don't trust each other, they're trying to outsmart one another, and you can't tell half of the time (if not all the time) if it's attraction or vengeance that drives their actions. Which works here very well. You don't know who's reliable and who isn't.
This book can at times be heavy on the pagan/occult lore and elements as they're part of the plot and it's Kallum's area of expertise. So I'd also say be mindful of that before going into this. I personally didn't mind this aspect but that might not work for everyone.
I don't know how to feel about the ending yet. Lots of twists and turns and lots of revelations but I think I'd like to read the second book and then come back and revisit my feelings on this! It’s not a bad ending and it definitely insinuates that there’s a continuation to the story.
I'll say though: I was reading this on my kindle AND listening to the audiobook at the same time and it was the best experience honestly. Lucy Rivers and Joe Arden narrate this and LET ME TELL YOU. I'd heard both of them before in your usual contemporary romance but never in a dark romance and they both did such a good job. I am now a changed person. 😮💨🫠 also the narration fits the atmosphere perfectly!
Oh and definitely leave your moral compass behind going into this lmao.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Murder