I skimmed through this book just to finish the series that took way too long to be published. The writing is flat and boring, and there's no emotion tI skimmed through this book just to finish the series that took way too long to be published. The writing is flat and boring, and there's no emotion to anything. A main character dies in the "climax" of the book and the FMC takes like two paragraphs to feel bad and then it's okay. Moving on like nothing happened. All of the mysteries revealed were nonsensical and just for shock, and the ending was super rushed and unsatisfactory. Terrible book....more
This book was awful. The plot is so far out there and the characters and their motives make absolutely no sense. Things happen just for the sake of crThis book was awful. The plot is so far out there and the characters and their motives make absolutely no sense. Things happen just for the sake of creating fake tension, and everything is somehow wrapped up in a nice little bow at the end. Poorly written, poorly executed. Just a shameless cash grab....more
I can't with these books. I finished this 'book' in one sitting, and like the previous ones before it, it's another flat story with no emotion behind I can't with these books. I finished this 'book' in one sitting, and like the previous ones before it, it's another flat story with no emotion behind anything. Nothing the characters say or do feels realistic in any way, and these books are clearly being rapidly churned out for a very young and immature audience. The romance is bland and lifeless, and the characters are all carbon copies of each other down to the way they speak and think and act. The plot of these books is so far out there for no reason other than to try and create drama, and it fails immensely.
The royalty system in these books makes no sense as they never seem to do anything except be called Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses. And I'm not sure why these authors are so adamant that 18 year old children find their soul mates and get married in every series, but it's tiresome and spreads a bad message to younger readers. The big twist at the end reveals several characters have completely different personalities than have even been hinted at, so it feels cheap, and it isn't even finished before it cuts off into a cliffhanger. All four of these books could have been easily one decent book, but that doesn't make money.
They're free for me with KU and I'm happy to try and support self-published authors everywhere, but it's frustrating when I've read books by these ladies that I've enjoyed. It's been years since they released anything that felt authentic and not like a cash grab. 1.0...more
I was intrigued by the idea behind this story, but felt like it fell kind of flat in the end. The payout wasn't as good as the buildup promised. We haI was intrigued by the idea behind this story, but felt like it fell kind of flat in the end. The payout wasn't as good as the buildup promised. We had an opportunity for a rebellion and espionage and secret society bonds. But all of that was pushed to the side for an insufferable FMC that acts like a spoiled brat--just like the MMC calls her.
I did enjoy the romance aspect and felt the slow burn was more realistic in regards to the tone of the story. Two people forced to marry for potential procreation don't magically fall in love overnight, and it was nice change of pace to see them at odds.
Overall, it was an okay read, but not overly thrilling. I'll be reading the next because it's on KU, but not a favorite. 3.5...more
A fresh take on vampires. Going back to their roots by relying on older vampire lore made them interesting and the stuff of nightmares. The idea behinA fresh take on vampires. Going back to their roots by relying on older vampire lore made them interesting and the stuff of nightmares. The idea behind this story was unique in a genre I’ve considered tapped dry for years, and most of the characters brought something important to the story. I did hate Riley, one of the main characters, and found myself wincing every time he took center stage, but the rest of the cast made up for him, especially Jazz and Sloane.
My big complaint was the writing style. I am not a fan of third person present tense and found a few of the POV switches to be confusing and/or unnecessary. It seemed the author overused commas in an attempt to avoid the natural (in my opinion) choppiness that comes with third person, and it felt awkward in places. That aside, the plot and the good characters really outshine the negative and I had fun reading this.
I wavered between 4 and 5 stars, so I'll settle for a 4.5 and round up. Definitely recommend for anyone tired of feeling like they've read the same vampire story fifty times. Fun characters and kind of a goofy plot that becomes serious....more
Laughably bad. Possibly the worst book I've read from these authors. In the span of like 3 pages, one of the girls finds out her boyfriend has not onlLaughably bad. Possibly the worst book I've read from these authors. In the span of like 3 pages, one of the girls finds out her boyfriend has not only had "sex" (rape, because she's a literal slave and he's a vampire who has total control over her with her sister, but immediately after she happily accepts his marriage proposal, and then finds out her sister is dead. In the span of like three pages. These are some of the most horrifyingly awful characters created--monsters with absolutely zero remorse for anyone they've ever hurt. Until they find "the one" who is different, "the one" who makes them rethink all of the awful things they've ever done.
Every single chapter is told from a different character's POV. It's distressingly obnoxious to get repeat chapters from awful characters that have no actual baring on the plot. A single scene will be broken up and told from the POV of three different characters instead of giving us any other context as to what those characters are feeling. We can't be shown that character B feels a certain way, we have to get a three page chapter from their POV that tells us how they feel.
All around bad. Unrealistic characters, nonsensical plot lines, multiple POV's that are used solely to force the plot forward. All around bad. Unrealistic characters, nonsensical plot lines, multiple POV's that are used solely to force the plot forward. ...more
What I liked -Plot. The main story around this book was much different than what these authors have given us in the past, and I'm here for it. (Until tWhat I liked -Plot. The main story around this book was much different than what these authors have given us in the past, and I'm here for it. (Until the last two or three chapters where it becomes an academy series like all the rest.) I liked the idea of the dance and the bracelets was a really cool and individual thought that I haven't read about before.
Overall, this was an interesting enough first book to get me invested in reading the next, but I have a feeling it's going to be a boring, run of the mill academy story. Just different enough to hook you in. 1.5...more
What I liked: -Zac. He seemed different than the normal, run of the mill alpha douchebag that we normally get in books like this. He's got a cute accenWhat I liked: -Zac. He seemed different than the normal, run of the mill alpha douchebag that we normally get in books like this. He's got a cute accent that is surprisingly consistent, but we don't get to know him a lot in this first book. He's left mysterious, and I want to find out more about who he is and why he considers himself "dangerous". -No harem. This is a huge one for me, because the reverse harem books from these other authors all fall extremely flat. I appreciated there being only one love interest and the female MC not being some super special goddess that is destined to have four mates.
What I disliked: -Taylor. Stupid heroine. She accepts things far too fast to be realistic, and she doesn't have the right reaction to anything that happens. She says things like "oh wow" when told life changing secrets that directly impact her life. The way she interacts with her peers is realistic however, and I liked her budding relationship with her roommates and Zac. I just feel like I'm going to be banging my head against the wall in the future with her. -Writing. The writing style in this book is horribly simple. Paragraphs have two or three sentences max, and everything is directly told point blank, with no exposition or description. "I went to class. I took a seat in the middle of the room. A few minutes later, Zac came in." It's written like a sixth grader writing their first fanfiction. -Plot. Not much to speak of really happened in this book other than Taylor settling into life at her new academy, which I've read in five or six of their other books by now. These authors are getting very good at making entire books about nothing. And there are no shortage of dumb plot twists that are incredibly unbelievable. (view spoiler)["Oh, my ex-boyfriend from the human world is magically a werewolf all this time and I never knew, now he's here to cause unnecessary drama". (hide spoiler)]
Overall, it was marginally better than their reverse harem series, but the writing is extremely flat. If you can get around that, there's generally decent characters and a fast pace that will keep you reading until the end. I get them free with kindle unlimited and finish them in a day, otherwise I wouldn't read them. If you like werewolves and generic academy settings, you'll devour this for sure. But it's too young for me. 2.5...more
I can't with these books. The writing is absolutely cringey. The characters make the dumbest choices for no reason other than to add unnecessary dramaI can't with these books. The writing is absolutely cringey. The characters make the dumbest choices for no reason other than to add unnecessary drama or lengthen the book. Oh, someone we care about gets kidnapped and is threatened to be killed? Better not tell any of the powerful, magical, authority figures in our lives. Why? Because we don't want to look bad. We'll handle it all on our own. The writing is bland, straight-forward nonsense. It reads like sixth grade fanfiction. And the steamy scenes are terrible. Basically it sounds like "Oh baby, you make me so hard". Cringe. 0.5/5.0...more
Worst book in the series so far. Evil twin drama that any idiot wouldn't believe, lost memories, more brand new rules introduced at the drop of a hat,Worst book in the series so far. Evil twin drama that any idiot wouldn't believe, lost memories, more brand new rules introduced at the drop of a hat, characters acting like idiots for no reason. The book is full of grammar problems and plot inconsistencies. Characters names are used incorrectly multiple times, words are missing or repeated, but that's not the worst part. Entire chunks of the plot for this book are completely wrong. One character reveals his intentions for something he's doing, and it's treated as brand new information that Juliana doesn't know, but he told her IN THE LAST BOOK! She DID know this already, but the authors literally forgot it! At one point a teacher is introduced as having two elements under her power, and then pages later, they use the wrong two! First she's water and fire I think, and then she's water and air? They can't keep their own stories straight anymore, but that's what happens when you crank out a dozen books in a year from six or more different series. It's laughable at this point....more
Par for the course, this book had bad writing, bad plotting, bad characterization, and the world makes no sense. Rules for supernatural races change wPar for the course, this book had bad writing, bad plotting, bad characterization, and the world makes no sense. Rules for supernatural races change when needed, new powers are introduced as the plot demands it (Oh I forgot fairies can totally do this necessary thing to keep the ball rolling!), and all of the girls talk the same, and all of the boys talk the same. There are four potential love interests, but none of them have any chemistry and none of them have any real personality. The "steamy" scenes aren't steamy at all, and come off very flat. Every chapter brings a new crazy twist that makes no sense except to draw readers in. Overall, just a bad book, but they're free with my kindle unlimited and I support self-published authors, so I keep reading when I have nothing better than to do....more
I get some sick, masochistic thrill from reading these authors. The writing in this book was the worst yet, filled with countless grammar and spellingI get some sick, masochistic thrill from reading these authors. The writing in this book was the worst yet, filled with countless grammar and spelling mistakes. Words were incorrectly used, or they were just gone completely. This book was NOT edited in any way, shape, or form. And the actual writing was not fluid or descriptive. It read like 5th grade level, but with semi-adult situations.
The FMC Tessa is obnoxious, too trusting, and a Mary-Sue. She's oh-so-special but doesn't understand why everybody and their mother wants a piece of her. The love interests (all four of them) are so indiscernible from one another that it feels like there's only one of them. The multiple POVs just help confuse the reader because every voice sounds the same except for Tessa. We constantly get these small 1-2 page "chapters" from another character's POV just to push the story along because there isn't another way to do it with an actual plot.
This story suffers from the same problem as the majority of the Morse sister's newer books. Everything happens just for shock value. Nothing makes sense, nothing is the slightest bit realistic, and it's tiring. The world is unrealistic, the characters are unrealistic and flat as cardboard, and the books are getting so far out there it's laughable.
But still I keep reading. If I didn't have KindleUnlimited, I wouldn't touch these books....more
The Bride Hunt of Elk Mountain is a far-cry from my usual type of book, but having read Monster Midwife by this author (another fantastic read!), I juThe Bride Hunt of Elk Mountain is a far-cry from my usual type of book, but having read Monster Midwife by this author (another fantastic read!), I jumped at the chance to get my hands on an ARC. This book proves that you don't need fairies or werewolves to have an interesting story. The characters are the driving force behind this story, and I fell in love with Lizzie especially, but all three of the Marlow girls are interesting in their own way. Dan is a terrific narrator, his dedication to the family felt natural, and you can't help but root for him.
The story is interesting, and I like that a majority of the book is spent building tension to what you know is coming at the end, unescapable for the girls. I did feel like the overreaching conflict was resolved a little too easily to be believable, but I'm not sure what the author could have really done differently. I was satisfied with the ending, though the buildup to it was the highlight for sure. This was an incredible book that I finished in a day.
Garbage. Bad writing, bad pacing, bad plotting, bad characterization, bad sex. Things happen in this series just to push everything forward, with no sGarbage. Bad writing, bad pacing, bad plotting, bad characterization, bad sex. Things happen in this series just to push everything forward, with no sense or thought behind it. Characters act stupid constantly. The sex scenes are horribly un-steamy, like not even the slightest bit hot. One of the most annoying things for me about this series is how every adult acts like a child. Nobody in this series feels mature. I'm gonna keep reading because being a self-published author is a lot of hard work, but damn this series is atrocious....more
So ungodly stupid. The quality of these series is in a sharp decline, spiraling towards rock bottom. The writing is stale and childish, and the story So ungodly stupid. The quality of these series is in a sharp decline, spiraling towards rock bottom. The writing is stale and childish, and the story makes no sense most of the time. Beyond that, every single character acts like a moron. Things happen just for the sake of adding shock value to the story, scenes between mates are not steamy at all, and the MC is insufferable in her back and forth....more
Disclaimer: I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked: -Alanna. The main character is believable in her dedication to helping thDisclaimer: I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked: -Alanna. The main character is believable in her dedication to helping those in need, and she holds onto her ideals despite several trials she faces along the way. She is a woman who unapologetically puts other women first, even at risk to herself and her own freedom. She was brave when necessary, and always smart and pragmatic when approaching a situation. I never felt she was too brave, or too cool, or too smart to be realistic. -Plot. The story starts off with a bang, drawing you in immediately and holding your attention. It slows down for a short time, but things are always happening in the background to move the story forward and develop the characters. Things never felt like they happened just to move the story forward, reaching a natural conclusion without feeling contrived. -Worldbuilding. The world Monster Midwife takes place in feels very realistic with fantasy elements thrown in. It never feels like it's too far out there, and the magic meshes with the mundane perfectly. Even readers with little experience in magical settings won't get lost, and those with more experience will still find something new to interest them. -Writing. The writing style is 1st person present tense, and it really helps to draw the reader into the story. I felt like I was being immersed in the world, that I was experiencing things through Alanna's eyes as she did. I read this book in one sitting, unable to put it down.
What I disliked: -Killian's characterization seemed a little overdone to me. I liked him well enough in the beginning, but felt the shift in his attitude and actions was too sudden to be realistic. It maybe could have been a little less abrupt, showing more of his thoughts and feelings that made him the way he was.
Overall, this was a fantastic read. The story, characters, and writing all work perfectly together to craft this tale. The themes are prominent but not to the point you feel like you're being hit over the head or being lectured. This is the third book by Lumen Reese I've read, and I've yet to be disappointed. 5.0...more
What I Liked: -Lily. The main character was one of the stronger parts to this book. She felt like a normal teenage girl, but without being too annoyingWhat I Liked: -Lily. The main character was one of the stronger parts to this book. She felt like a normal teenage girl, but without being too annoying or whiney. She was thrown into a world she didn't know existed, and she handled it fairly realistically. Her thoughts were very repetitive (which is a writing fault, not hers), but she was kind and somewhat intelligent. -Cruz. Of the four love interests, Cruz is the only one that even mildly interests me. Putting him in the positive section is a stretch, but he's a head and shoulders above the rest. He's the only one that I can actually feel the intensity of his feelings towards Lily. The others just seem "meh" in comparison, or even downright cringy. Travis especially gets on my nerves.
What I Disliked -Writing. For being a reverse harem novel, the actual steaminess was very weak to almost nonexistent. The very first sex scene we're treated to is 77% of the way through the book, and it lasts for a total of half a page. One half of a page. And it's written in a very simple and straight forward way that doesn't elicit any feelings of desire. Almost as if a 16 year old with no experience in sex was trying to write fanfiction of their favorite couple. The rest of the writing was poorly edited in many spots, with words missing or misused, and the pacing is outrageous. Entire weeks go by with one paragraph given to what went on. Things could have been fleshed out much better. There's a serious lack of detail. -Plot/Nonsensical "reveals". The plot in these books is often times completely unrealistic and way too far out there. Things happen just for the sake of shock value, characters make stupid and irrational decisions that make absolutely no sense, serious events are glossed over without a second thought, and characters don't react to situations how they should. The farfetched nature is honestly dumb at times, and it can be hard to finish the book when you feel like there's no reason for the things that are happening. -Secondary cast. Almost the entire cast of this book is a throwaway. Friends don't mean anything, teachers don't mean anything, roommates don't mean anything. The only people that matter are Lily and her Guardians. Nobody else gets any detailed characterization, none of them have any relevance to the plot except to provide useful exposition when needed (versus showing instead of telling).
Overall, this book was faaaaaar better than their other reverse harem book I read, though that isn't saying much. It was a decent way to pass the time and it kept me mildly entertained, even if some of that amusement comes from the sheer absurdity of some of the writing and plot. 2.5. I'll probably pick up any future books as long as they're on Kindle Unlimited....more
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