I’m a glutton for punishment bc katie may encompasses KU paranormal / fantasy romance. AND I EAT THAT SHIT UP EVERY TIME. I’m here to laugh and be entI’m a glutton for punishment bc katie may encompasses KU paranormal / fantasy romance. AND I EAT THAT SHIT UP EVERY TIME. I’m here to laugh and be entertained. However, the pain I have knowing katie won’t release the next book until NEXT MF YEAR (if im lucky)...more
this was so bad and yet i hoped so hard it would be good. unfortunate bc the covers are so pretty and i wanted to own the physical copies bc death loothis was so bad and yet i hoped so hard it would be good. unfortunate bc the covers are so pretty and i wanted to own the physical copies bc death look good damn good.
my issues for this book is quite similar to the last two:
1. the writing appears to have gotten worse over the course of the books. it’s as if the author gave up on writing bc there’s less development here. the imagery for their environment is gone. which was bloody annoying bc we get an annoyingly long book with the same damn nudge and pull scenes (not push and pull bc lazarus doesn’t even push that girl barely does a nudge)
2. i thought it would be fun to have a heroine who couldn’t die. but it made no sense as to why. if she was picked for a divine reason it’s not obvious. so far she’s the least interesting heroine even though the author tried to make her the opposite.
3. the women of the series are fickle and give in to betraying body syndrome. i get it, a hot male like death is appealing but he’s hot enough you’re going up on your life quests to take him down ???? funny enough, death was the most likable bc unlike the other horsemen, his sense of duty is duty. but there’s no enjoyment from it bc it just is: life and death.
4. it mildly interesting getting the other horsemen involved but even that was barely done well. i do wish we got to see more of them together. they’re different personalities is quite funny and i even liked famine bc he had me giggling from time to time.
5. i just wish the characters actually had real development. that’s my biggest issue with this whole series. there’s so little relationship building. i also wanted the horsemen to actually understand humanity more. to realize their capacity for cruelty yet also for love. that humans aren’t simple creatures.
i’ve come to the conclusion that after finishing two books in this series in the span of 24 hours, this series doesn’t execute a good romance at all. i’ve come to the conclusion that after finishing two books in this series in the span of 24 hours, this series doesn’t execute a good romance at all. which is unfortunate bc for some reason laura thalassa is an author i have so much hope for that im continuously going to pick her books up. i want to enjoy them so bad. i changed bk 2’s rating to 3 stars bc this was worse so alas, famine lost a pesky star and sits naughty with his 2 stars.
my issues:
1. i said in bk 2 (war) that i liked the writing stylistically. and for that book, i did. i could truly picture myself in the settlement. could smell the smoke of the fires, feel wars thirst for blood, and his brutality. this book didn’t make me feel much of anything and that’s due to the writing. it irks me a bit that these horsemen aren’t giving otherworldly energy. we’re told of their powers and slightly see it, but it’s not believable when they’re speaking like a common human. i get it, they’ve been around for eons and have picked up all forms of langue, but in all that time, you’re telling me they’re comfortable using crudish language that has them occasionally sound like a frat boy? it takes me out of the moment when they very base of them, language, is unrealistically written.
2. the romance wasn’t believable at all. i was 100% into the plot. i loved the idea of a second chance meeting and the fact that ana was a different type of survivor. i even enjoyed her flirty personality. the only issue is that the middle ground, scenes where we can see the two characters finding a sense of comfort with one another to make such interactions believable, lacked. it went 0 to 90 faster than a damn sports car. ana wasn’t fearful of him enough. i would’ve ignored this if it was intrigue replacing said fear but she didn’t even have that. simply just a memory of saving him and suddenly she’s okay. even after not initially choosing him.
3. speaking of 0 to 90, famine really went from “i shall kill everyone” to “maybe i’ll take a pause” without any development. i need some damn real development!!! the characters get some physical intimacy and suddenly the horsemen go “hm, maybe i should take a break from the mass cullings.” (to be fair, famine was a little more realistic bc he didn’t genuinely want to give it up as war did).
4. i do like ana. i even liked her stabbing mr aloof at the end which was fun. the whole ending has me contemplating bc i like the idea of horsemen ganging up on the strongest one left. now i need to finish the series, however, the mildly interesting ending doesn’t mean this was a good book overall.
5. i did enjoy his brutality. i think this is the one horsemen where we really see, from their eyes, the depravity of humankind. sure we’re all aware of it, but when your two main characters have suffered it makes you see it differently. i enjoyed that it had me as a reader contemplating if maybe his duty to punish humans were well deserved. i liked that even ana contemplated it.
6. i still have yet to really grasp their purpose for killing off humanity and what comes next. don’t get me wrong, famine has more passion than war in this case, but even then it was lukewarm overall. i don’t mind not having all the answers but this is book 3. by now she should’ve given us some clues as to why besides humans are awful. ...more
this was oddly disappointing bc i held hope it would be better than it’s predecessor (and it was to an extent) yet as a romance it was simply not goodthis was oddly disappointing bc i held hope it would be better than it’s predecessor (and it was to an extent) yet as a romance it was simply not good nor believable. i’m going to finish this series but this is the third book i’ve read by this author and i can see how stylistically the author writes well, but it’s as if she misses the mark every time for the execution.
i’m not opposed to the point bc in theory it works well. four horsemen as self righteous “bad guys” doing the work for some god to rid humanity of its plague towards itself. yet see the horsemen as closer to humans as the fall in love with actual humans that make them ponder said duty. the actual problem is the execution fell completely flat for numerous reasons.
1. it wasn’t explained enough as to why war saw miriam as his wife instantly. why was she made for him? why was she wholly unique to be the love for a being so old he probably was created when time existed?
2. not enough was explained as to the purpose of these horsemen. humans have a capacity for horror. sure i can believe that. but i think, if your purpose is to eradicate said existence bc they’re just so bad, there should be a passion behind it. at least towards the sense of duty your god assigned you. not once part of his personality depicted the fervid purpose were told about.
3. as i said, humans do have a capacity to commit horrible act. one almost happened in the book and they were punished for it. it would’ve made it a more complex story to have a scene or two were war notices and comprehends humans capabilities toward love, kindness, and empathy. we’re not one dimensional creatures. and he only gains some sort of sympathy, when spoiler alert, he gets into a position where someone he cares for is at risk.
4. i didn’t buy into miriam’s tirade against simply bc it lacked feeling. i know we’re told how passionate she is to combat war and his cullings but it just felt silly bc she never truly succeeded. it mostly felt like she was fighting her attraction and used these combats as a way to punish him. don’t get me wrong, her intentions were good in theory. but the way the story was written it just didn’t work for me. the one scene in the aviary was the only one where i felt like the authors attempt was successful.
5. that ending????? war so easily fooled. miriam can suddenly take down these killers like some slightly trained professional?? the dual surrendering scenes?? if i could unread those parts i simply would.
6. not once did war redeem himself. i don’t care that he begs for miriam at the end. that’s not enough, especially after his punishment for her in some chapters beforehand. i’m okay with morally grey characters in some sense, but at least make it believable. in this it’s obvious he’s meant to have some redemption arc, yet it was failed....more
this might only be the second i’ve read in the series but i loved it??!!!????!! and i’m entirely confused why others said books 3 & 4 were meh. i meanthis might only be the second i’ve read in the series but i loved it??!!!????!! and i’m entirely confused why others said books 3 & 4 were meh. i mean kiran was different. he didn’t seem as rough as the other H from bk 2. but mainly it’s bc he wasn’t ever rough with maeva (besides in his youth). he pined for her and i loved it. the push and pull between them was slow and romantic and sweet and painful at times. i’m obsessed. ...more
this was quite interesting bc it gives you fantasy that feels like it’s hundreds and hundreds of pages, yet it’s so tastefully concise it’s not draggithis was quite interesting bc it gives you fantasy that feels like it’s hundreds and hundreds of pages, yet it’s so tastefully concise it’s not dragging on. it was very lowkey and almost calm in a way that only fantasy books can do. but it was also so unbelievably romantic. if i’m being honest i loved the intimacy of the two characters. i wish the drama and groveling was extended more. only bc i felt like it happened and was resolved too quick for my personal taste. (however it didn’t take away from the story i just want more)
everyone i knew compared this to ruby dixion and honestly it’s nothing like her work. the sci-fi aspect is very minor, the rest is all fantasy. also they’re like apple and oranges. i will be reading this out of order but at least i’ll be continuing on!...more
i can see the hype for this series bc cardan wanting jude to come home even if it’s just to break his heart ?? i’m sold. however , everyone years ago i can see the hype for this series bc cardan wanting jude to come home even if it’s just to break his heart ?? i’m sold. however , everyone years ago who called this a romance obviously isn’t a romance reader. and the best part of this series is the whole court plotting and scheming. it’s the main point and holly black executed the fuck out of it !...more
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