Not even Ali Hazelwood can make me like a misunderstanding plot!
The only reason this was still enjoyable to me is because it’s a novella, not a full-lNot even Ali Hazelwood can make me like a misunderstanding plot!
The only reason this was still enjoyable to me is because it’s a novella, not a full-length novel. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Still, it was a fun, quick read even if I never found myself obsessed with Viola & Jesse....more
It was a nice change of pace from the last couple of books I’ve read, most of which sucked. The eerieness made3.5.
I liked this quite a lot, actually!
It was a nice change of pace from the last couple of books I’ve read, most of which sucked. The eerieness made for a perfect read on a bleak autumn evening.
The plot takes place over one sleepless night, so don’t expect deep character development. It’s a short story meant to take you on a quick, intriguing mystery—nothing more, nothing less.
I did find Hannah’s chapters the weakest, though. They strayed too far from the mundaness of the others, which made her seem jarring in comparison. She didn't feel quite as human. Perhaps that was the point? Nevertheless, I didn’t appreciate the shift....more
Very YA in the sense that there’s a lot of popculture references. I do think it helped characterise how young Andrew & Jamie were, but it was also oveVery YA in the sense that there’s a lot of popculture references. I do think it helped characterise how young Andrew & Jamie were, but it was also over done.
They just made a lot of assumption about each other’s wants and needs. Especially Andrew. He just assumed Jaime wanted to be around other people without asking him, which led to some terrible choices.
You’d think being stuck in the apocalypse together would foster some communication skills – for survival if not for anything else. They just never sat down and had a proper talk about what they wanted to do. Most of their decisions were based on a whim.
An uninspiring piece of work. I didn’t connect with the characters, I didn’t want to engage with the plot after the 35 pct. mark. I just wanted it to be done....more
I was either painfully aware of how young they were, or I’d completely forget and be brutally reminded and i4.5. This book made me sick to my stomach.
I was either painfully aware of how young they were, or I’d completely forget and be brutally reminded and it killed me every single time.
The relationship between Gaunt and Elly was a complicated one. They were both scared, and I think that was the driving force keeping them apart. It was most apparant with Gaunt who’d rather settle for a miserable friendship than risk losing Elly in his life.
It’s not a book I’d necessarily recommend but it is a book that kept me up at night. I thought about Elly & Gaunt when I tried to sleep, I thought of them on the train to school.
There was a bit too much OM/OW interference for this to be perfect 5.0. in my eyes. The only reason the book still worked was because everyone else was a clear substitute for who they truly desired + they both entertained other people throughout the story. This isn’t one of those books where one character whores around whilst the other yearns in celibate silence.
They both yearned and they both looked elsewhere for a cheap stand-in. The book was safe from OM/OW after CH16.
It also worked because I thought there was a genuine reason keeping them apart. The book takes place during WW1 where homosexuality was very much illegal, so it made sense that Gaunt was incredibly cautious and thinking ahead.
Elly was more naive. He was a dreamer who didn’t have the foresight to see the truth of his reality. Both Gaunt and I loved and hated him for that.
The book was brutal. The last In Memoriam killed me.
I thought I was prepared for characters to die throughout, but I wasn’t. It never happened when I expected it to and several deaths caught me off guard. Sometimes in their honest brutality, other times the sudden senselessness of it all.
My thoughts will continue to stray here, I think. At least for a while. ...more
It kinda had a Shameless-vibe but with hope at the end of the tunnel, which I appreciated. Even when things got tougA quick read that I enjoyed a lot.
It kinda had a Shameless-vibe but with hope at the end of the tunnel, which I appreciated. Even when things got tough, I knew the O'Shea family would figure it out.
I was a little scared in the beginning that Tommy was gonna steamroll over Bobby, but I was glad to see that Bobby didn't have a problem standing up to Tommy if pushed too far! Bobby was an angel but he also knew what he wanted and what he deserved.
I liked the pacing and Tommy's waddling made sense even if it was frustrating at times....more
Surprisingly, I enjoyed all the short stories. I went into this wanting only my Laurent & Damen epilogue, but every story added something new to the CSurprisingly, I enjoyed all the short stories. I went into this wanting only my Laurent & Damen epilogue, but every story added something new to the Captive Prince universe....more
I was prepared to rate this higher, but I can't justify it.
This began as a well needed interlude to Captive Prince which had me going through the rinI was prepared to rate this higher, but I can't justify it.
This began as a well needed interlude to Captive Prince which had me going through the ringer and I needed something complete opposite to even the scales. So for that, I thank this book.
The start was better than the end and at first, I thought this would be the perfect amount of silliness.
Super unserious and the humor was slapstick-ish at times and crude the other half of the time. Which was fine until it wasn't. Towards the end it felt juvenile. I’m not familiar with the author but I lost some respect for her when she had Taylor fart in front of all his coworkers after he quit his job…
But honestly, I have 0 critical thoughts on this.
Nothing really happened either, so? What’s there to think about. There’s no plot for the majority of the book. You think the plot will be Taylor discovering monsters and coming to terms with a new reality, but that gets sorted within the first 20 pct. The rest is all fluff and smut.
Personally, I found Larkin super annoying. Did he really have to interupt every single scene? It was too much interference to the point where it bothered me. I much preferred him once he toned it down.
The book was also too long. I feel like we could’ve easily cut out 150 pages without it changing anything in the story.
I haven't necessarily been inspired to continue this series, but we’ll see, I guess...more
For a good chunk of this book, I was a child of divorce.
Not as good as Book#2, but I don't care.
(view spoilerI’ll never emotionally recover from them.
For a good chunk of this book, I was a child of divorce.
Not as good as Book#2, but I don't care.
(view spoiler)[ I wish we’d spent more time with the Regent and Laurent revelation? We knew. Let’s be honest, we knew. But having it confirmed was something else, and I wished we’d gotten more of Damen truly processing what that meant. I wished we’d gotten a conversation between Laurent and Damen about that. (hide spoiler)]...more
Laurent was a snivelling little rat in Book #1 and he hasn’t even changed, but I’m obssesed with him! He’s got everyone running in circles, (he’s got Laurent was a snivelling little rat in Book #1 and he hasn’t even changed, but I’m obssesed with him! He’s got everyone running in circles, (he’s got me running in circles.) I honestly can’t predict any of his moves. I’m blindsided every single time. Just when I think I've got him figured out, he pulls the rug out from under me.
The subtle evolution of their relationship is immaculate. The slow building trust!
Also, the way Damen describes Laurent is insane. I continue to love Damen’s narration, I love the growing internal conflict inside his head. He’s fighting alongside these men, but they’re his enemies? But they’re also his comrades?
This is not a romance, I was lied to. This is politics.
Laurent once more offers Damen’s sexual prowess to an orgy, but this time it’s consensual. Make of that what you will.
Luckily for the author, I’m genuinly invested in this royal conflict, so I’m actually having fun seeing them scheme and go on little side-quests. Their dynamic is so interesting.
I’m just not good with manwhores who continue manwhoring after meeting their love interest. Like, I know they’re not together in the beginning, but itI’m just not good with manwhores who continue manwhoring after meeting their love interest. Like, I know they’re not together in the beginning, but it’s just shoved in my face all too frequently how often Tristan will screw anything that moves.
This meant that the first 8 chapters didn’t work for me.
That being said, if you manage to push through that or it simply doesn’t bother you, I recon there were some cute moments between Tristan & Leo.
Tristan’s 180 felt a little uncharacteristic, but I did prefer insta-love Tristan more than playboy Tristan, so the change worked for me.
The rest is kinda just fluff? (And smut.) Nothing really happens besides them learning to be a couple together and meeting the parents.
A 2.5 rounded up to a clean 3.0, because sometimes I’m nice....more
Definitely check the TW/CW on this one before reading!
It’s about a prince and a pleasure-slave, need I say more? The dynamic is obviously going to be Definitely check the TW/CW on this one before reading!
It’s about a prince and a pleasure-slave, need I say more? The dynamic is obviously going to be fucked.
The court of Vere is depraved and rape is put on display for entertainment.
On one hand, I just don’t think this could ever be romantic. I mean, Laurent lets Damen be sexually assaulted in CH5?
(view spoiler)[It doesn’t matter that it wasn’t a “violent” assault. Laurent let another pleasure-slave perform oral sex on Damen even though Damen explicitly said no! That’s insane. You’re telling me these two are the main couple? (hide spoiler)]
On the other hand, I’m so curious as to where this will go? I'm invested.
Not a book I’d recommend and the only reason I didn’t DNF is because I knew beforehand that this contained heavy themes. If I hadn’t known or been mentally prepared, this would have been a very different rating.
I went into this expecting a fucked up and intense dynamic, which the author certainly delivered. I’m also here because I was promised actual good political intrigue, which also seems to be the case, I think the next two books will dive deeper into the political landscape now that Damen is becoming more involved with Laurent’s schemes.
What I will say, I loved being in Damen’s head. He’s so funny! He has the best insults. Whenever he compared Laurent to a reptile or whatever else he came up with, I had to giggle.
The beginning of the book was a little slow, but picked up towards the end. Rating: 3.5....more
The way I did not give a shit about this plot for 40 pct. of the book and then became obsessed towards the end? Spectacular. Give me 50 more of these.The way I did not give a shit about this plot for 40 pct. of the book and then became obsessed towards the end? Spectacular. Give me 50 more of these.
Finally the plot begins to make sense. Ignore Part 1 it’s basically a glorified prologue with confusing worldbuilding.
The romance/connection between Tennal & Surit isn’t as well-developed as in Winter’s Orbit. I don’t fully understand why they’re lowkey into each other. When did it happen?
Part 3:
Now we’re talking.
Part 4:
Look at the state of them! I’m obsessed. They’re feral. Like, I know they’re kinda killing each other, but what a fascinating dynamic.
Part 5:
A little rushed but CH30 was divine.
Final Thoughts:
Tennal was not particularly sympathetic as a character for a good chunk of the book, but I did end up lowkey adoring him. Never did understand his reasonings for being contrary prior to the beginning of the book as well as throughout Part 1 & 2.
He was an annoying little shit at the start.
Surit was my baby!
Saw a review that called him annoying and now I’m beefing with some random reviewer in my head.
Surit’s ending felt bittersweet but I also understand his reasonings for bowing out. I just loved when he went into full Architect-mode, but that also didn’t align with who Surit was as a person.
Tennal & Surit grew on me! I still can’t completely grasp where they began, but I loved wherever we ended up. Would have loved some domestic scenes for them, but the stakes where so high in this book that they never got to slow down.
The politics ended up being more intriguing in Ocean’s Echo than in Winter’s Orbit, however the relationship progression between the leads seemed better developed vice versa. Hopefully, Everina Maxwell writes a third book that's perfectly balanced!
Difficult book to rate, but it ended on a high so I’ll rate it accordingly. (hide spoiler)]...more
I don’t think I’d necessarily consider this a scary book? There was certainly body horror and creepy manifestations, but I didn’t struggle with fallinI don’t think I’d necessarily consider this a scary book? There was certainly body horror and creepy manifestations, but I didn’t struggle with falling asleep afterwards. That being said, I still think this would make for a great read at Halloween!
Because it did unnerve me just not enough to truly freighten me.
Interestingly enough, I think the true horror lied in how awful regular people can be. We get to see what inspired Misha to write his spooky fictional villains and those chapters unsettled me the most.
I wouldn’t recommend this as a romance despite Misha & Zeke being super cute. It’s just that that wasn’t truly the focal point of the book. Zeke was more of a supporting role, playing the perfect and understanding boyfriend to a semi-closeted Hollywood screenwriter.
I think you should read this if you want to explore an aspect of queer erasure and dive into the potential depths of corporate greed. And also for the horror, of course!...more
Don’t expect anything remotely close to realistic to happen in this book. It’s actually diabolical how nothing made any sense. It was so, so dumb.
And Don’t expect anything remotely close to realistic to happen in this book. It’s actually diabolical how nothing made any sense. It was so, so dumb.
And still! I was willing to give this 3 stars for the vibes, you know? Because I’ll admit it was a little cute at certain times. But then the ending happened.
(view spoiler)[His half-sister, the princess, tried to have him assassinated… Why? Because she “couldn’t stand by and watch a man become king.”(hide spoiler)]
What?
When I tell you I laughed out loud, I mean that....more
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