A review by readinginthegarden
All You Desire by Kirsten Miller
5.0
5/5 stars! *Spoilers*
I can’t help but feel that this duology was supposed to be a trilogy because that ending felt so open ended. I still feel like I have a million questions.
Even though I felt this book was very entertaining, fast paced and actually quite gripping, I still felt that the book went a little too overboard. I liked the first book a lot better. Small town girl has vision of a previous life and a star-crossed lover. It was much more simple than the actual chaos of this sequel. It felt a bit too bloated and over the top. Even though the premise is very unrealistic, I felt that Kirsten took this to new heights in All You Desire.
I felt that Iain was so underwhelming. I actually thought up until the end he wasn’t even end game. He was a very flawed character even more flawed (than dare say) Adam. Adam let Haven do and be whatever she wanted. He loved her unconditionally. Sometimes Iain came across possessive, jealous, a liar, judgemental, rash and so much more. His character gave me the ick from the minute he was introduced in the first book. Adam is far more likeable and dangerous. I think if we were going to be really over the top and outrageous Haven and Adam should of just ruled the world for eternity in my opinion.
I do think less is more but in this case more was needed for Adam and Haven. In the blurb we were promised she would have to seduce Adam. We didn’t really get much of that. They barely even interacted. I was hoping it was going to be hot and steamy but just like how Adams body is described it was cold as hell. Far too much nonsense with this Oubouros Society business. Who cares about Alex and Calum but I defiantly don’t. All this prophecy crap I honestly couldn’t care less about. It was so over the top I just couldn’t really take any of that plot line seriously.
This book took me on a roller coaster of what I thought the hell was going on. Not until right to the last minute did we know everyone’s true intentions. And I’m still not 100% sure. Was Adam really that bad? Was Ian bad? Was Phoebe evil? I actually quite liked being kept on my toes in that regard. It was dizzying at times but I enjoyed the uncertainty. You never even know if Haven is a reliable narrator. I liked being kept on the edge of my seat.
Something I was also on the fence about was this past life stuff. I enjoyed what it was in the first book. It felt like a Haven thing. Something miraculous, something special. But then every Dom dick and Harry had a previous life, I rolled my eyes at people being ‘Marilyn Monroe’ previously. Just keep it simple! It makes the plot that much less exciting. It’s supposed to be special and unique and have a purpose, it just made it have no purpose. I also which it was explained more at the same time. So if Haven died in 1920 what about her life in between the one now? How does it work? Do you get reborn straight after you die or 100 years later or something. I feel like Kirsten explained everything else in extensive detail but not the small important stuff. Maybe I’m just giving the series too much credit but it would of been nice to have less of this Ourborus society about sex slaves and more but going back to the basics.
Even though I think this series is over the top and unrealistic and so on it is very entertaining. A guilty pleasure read if there ever was one. I enjoyed it from start to finish. I honestly couldn’t put it down once. When I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about reading it. I loved it! I wish there was more because I’m hoping Adam would come out of that tomb (like it was implied) and just take Haven away from boring Iain, she deserved better.
I can’t help but feel that this duology was supposed to be a trilogy because that ending felt so open ended. I still feel like I have a million questions.
Even though I felt this book was very entertaining, fast paced and actually quite gripping, I still felt that the book went a little too overboard. I liked the first book a lot better. Small town girl has vision of a previous life and a star-crossed lover. It was much more simple than the actual chaos of this sequel. It felt a bit too bloated and over the top. Even though the premise is very unrealistic, I felt that Kirsten took this to new heights in All You Desire.
I felt that Iain was so underwhelming. I actually thought up until the end he wasn’t even end game. He was a very flawed character even more flawed (than dare say) Adam. Adam let Haven do and be whatever she wanted. He loved her unconditionally. Sometimes Iain came across possessive, jealous, a liar, judgemental, rash and so much more. His character gave me the ick from the minute he was introduced in the first book. Adam is far more likeable and dangerous. I think if we were going to be really over the top and outrageous Haven and Adam should of just ruled the world for eternity in my opinion.
I do think less is more but in this case more was needed for Adam and Haven. In the blurb we were promised she would have to seduce Adam. We didn’t really get much of that. They barely even interacted. I was hoping it was going to be hot and steamy but just like how Adams body is described it was cold as hell. Far too much nonsense with this Oubouros Society business. Who cares about Alex and Calum but I defiantly don’t. All this prophecy crap I honestly couldn’t care less about. It was so over the top I just couldn’t really take any of that plot line seriously.
This book took me on a roller coaster of what I thought the hell was going on. Not until right to the last minute did we know everyone’s true intentions. And I’m still not 100% sure. Was Adam really that bad? Was Ian bad? Was Phoebe evil? I actually quite liked being kept on my toes in that regard. It was dizzying at times but I enjoyed the uncertainty. You never even know if Haven is a reliable narrator. I liked being kept on the edge of my seat.
Something I was also on the fence about was this past life stuff. I enjoyed what it was in the first book. It felt like a Haven thing. Something miraculous, something special. But then every Dom dick and Harry had a previous life, I rolled my eyes at people being ‘Marilyn Monroe’ previously. Just keep it simple! It makes the plot that much less exciting. It’s supposed to be special and unique and have a purpose, it just made it have no purpose. I also which it was explained more at the same time. So if Haven died in 1920 what about her life in between the one now? How does it work? Do you get reborn straight after you die or 100 years later or something. I feel like Kirsten explained everything else in extensive detail but not the small important stuff. Maybe I’m just giving the series too much credit but it would of been nice to have less of this Ourborus society about sex slaves and more but going back to the basics.
Even though I think this series is over the top and unrealistic and so on it is very entertaining. A guilty pleasure read if there ever was one. I enjoyed it from start to finish. I honestly couldn’t put it down once. When I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about reading it. I loved it! I wish there was more because I’m hoping Adam would come out of that tomb (like it was implied) and just take Haven away from boring Iain, she deserved better.