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celestial_ink's reviews
166 reviews
Crown of Blood and Ruin by LJ Andrews
Became too predictive. Part of what built the Night Prince's character so well in the earlier books was that he had lost all his family, it made him who he was and made him crazy over losing Elise when danger came calling. But I feel in this final battle of their war, the whole arc for building his character becomes retcon just for the sake of it. I could've understood maybe just the siblings coming back for the final stand, but the parents and the parents of the Shades was going too far with it. The author lazily writes that there was still great sacrifices and not all were saved but for the reader.... uh yeah ALL WERE saved because the only backstory characters the reader had any attachment to or knowledge of are back by the end of the war. You can't just write in (basically within the same character breath) at the end that Halver, a side character at that, lost his mom and youngest brother (you know back before the curses) and expect the same pay of for the stakes of over coming war to feel complete.
The saving grace of such a horrible retcon is Elise. --Poor dear Elise-- Because she DID lose everything. Mostly... kinda... but not really... Let me rant a little-- she lost a mom who cared about her for about a day and a half before dying after spending Elise's entire childhood degrading her worth. Okay, maybe I can get on board with that. Maybe there just wasn't enough time in the story to dive in deeper with it, whatever. Then her sister and her father never came close to any small redemption, but she still has fond childhood memories and thinks of all the societal torture she endured for her father only to watch both die in front of her, and one of them at her hand. So did she really lose anything when she says herself that she gained a family not lost one? Yes, and no. She lost her old life, but 'three hells' as they say... she isn't going to be grieving ANY of that old life. This series began strong, and fun and its one of the few war storylines I've been able to muster through without grinding my teeth (I'm looking at you Red Queen) But the author really took the easy way out here where the other books kept you on your toes.
adventurous
medium-paced
3.5
The saving grace of such a horrible retcon is Elise. --Poor dear Elise-- Because she DID lose everything. Mostly... kinda... but not really... Let me rant a little-- she lost a mom who cared about her for about a day and a half before dying after spending Elise's entire childhood degrading her worth. Okay, maybe I can get on board with that. Maybe there just wasn't enough time in the story to dive in deeper with it, whatever. Then her sister and her father never came close to any small redemption, but she still has fond childhood memories and thinks of all the societal torture she endured for her father only to watch both die in front of her, and one of them at her hand. So did she really lose anything when she says herself that she gained a family not lost one? Yes, and no. She lost her old life, but 'three hells' as they say... she isn't going to be grieving ANY of that old life. This series began strong, and fun and its one of the few war storylines I've been able to muster through without grinding my teeth (I'm looking at you Red Queen) But the author really took the easy way out here where the other books kept you on your toes.
Court of Ice and Ash by LJ Andrews
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
First half felt slow as the first book didn't have the changing point of views so I felt like the author was trying to figure out the voice for love interest, but it picked up after awhile though some stuff was becoming too predictable in the plot
Whispers of the Deep by Emma Hamm
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Bioshock meets mermaids/sirens. The book had some points that threw me off a little bit but overall it didn't hinder the reading experience too much.
Craving in His Blood by Zoey Draven
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Felt too much like the first book was copy and pasted into this one.
Desire In His Blood by Zoey Draven
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Nearly perfect in my book. Had great pace, tone and character voice. An A+ read. Everything came full circle by the end and the world building was well done. Even when they use alien species' language interchangeably for various social or select cues it's not always shoved down the reader's throat to immediately explain what those things mean. They come out naturally on the cahar after voice instead and is only explained in thoughtful monologue moments or when the MC being explained to since she isn't priorly educated to those terms based on the culture she was raised in. Very nicely well written and a 5 star in terms of technicalities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Reaper Ink: A contemporary dark MC biker romance by Hayley Lane
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Torture, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Rape, Grief, and Alcohol