Thoughts on Blood and Ash Series (Books 1-5)

Thoughts on the Blood and Ash Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Fangirling? A Defense of? Anticipation? 

~ Yes - All of the Above ~

Ah!!! Okay, so within the past couple of weeks, I have reread/completely caught up on Jennifer L. Armentrout's Blood and Ash series. To be clear, by this I mean books 1 through 5, listed below, without including the Flesh and Fire series. For that one, I've still only read book 1. I know there's a recommended reading order, but I just ~accidentally~ would start the next B&A one and then suddenly that book would be over and I'd end up doing the same with the next. Don't worry -- the rest of F&F will be read soon. :) 

Book 1 - From Blood and Ash

Book 2 - A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire

Book 3 - The Crown of Gilded Bones

Book 4 - The War of Two Queens

Book 5 - A Soul of Ash and Blood

I love love love this series and, as always, I love JLA's writing. This post is pretty much just going to be a combination of gushing and a defense of the series because I've heard a lot of nay-saying that I don't think is very objective. Or kind. Some of it is honestly straight-up ridiculous and can be used as evidence as to why Goodreads review numbers are partially bull****. Granted, all opinions are clearly that -- opinions. And so there is no real thing as an "objective" review. But I can see the pluses and the minuses for this series, and for her writing style, and so I want to just put some things out there because I think she and this series deserves that. 

First things first... Poppyhawke. Love them. Adore them. Flawed? Yes. Slightly messed up meeting? Yes. Do I care? Mmm... the world is nothing but a bunch of shades of grey and I think given their specific circumstances and story, no -- I don't care. Throughout the rest of the series? They are one of my favorite ships of all time. I can say that absolutely without a doubt. I love reading the genuine dynamic of support they have with each other, both in asking for it and giving it. That is really part of their core as a couple: loving support and balancing each other out. The sexual tension between them is also off the charts, of course, but I really love them because they are so much more than that and they are able to care about and love each other deeply. 

And then you add in Kieran. I remember being neutral about Kieran for the longest time. It's not that he didn't have a personality, but it was just a bit flat in book 2 I think? But he becomes more of an individual in book 3 and he takes on a lot more individuality in book 4 to the point where I am greatly intrigued by his relationship with and devotion to Poppy and Cas. The point is made several times that there is love between him and the two that is similar to what Poppy and Cas have, but is also different. And that's just such an interesting description to me because it 1000% is more than just friendship and it also seems more intimate than that of family/brother vibes. There's definitely more there that we haven't seen yet, but I know that as a person, I love Kieran. 

Also, I forgot how much I love Delano! Dear Lord, I love that little snowball marshmallow. There's not even too much that can be said about him because he's such a minor character, but there's something about him that makes me so happy. He's like the Poppy/Cas/Kieran kid they babysit. Or their child. Whatever it is, it's amazing and I love how he interacts with Poppy especially. 

Moving on to some more critical things... one of the biggest flaws with the series is that, I think, the rollout of the high fantasy elements are difficult to follow. Not as an excuse, but just for context, this is JLA's first high fantasy series. She is a pro (imo) at the urban fantasy genre, particularly for the YA readers. Literally amazing. So with this background, she knows how to build a world other than that of reality, but I wonder if that skill wasn't perfectly translated, especially early in the series. I feel like there's a unique fine line writers of high fantasy need to balance where they simultaneously explain the world and how it operates while also doing so in a way that is organic and doesn't interrupt the reader's experience or break their suspension of disbelief.  For me, I could have used more description on the rules of the world. Or maybe even a reduction in the number of rules of the world because it was overwhelming at times and I felt like I was missing details or that some details were just assumed instead of provided for. 

Speaking of how this is high fantasy, one of the things that really annoys me with other people's reviews is that they complain about how there aren't enough romance scenes in the later books. There is admittedly a switch away from focus on the romance aspect to focus on the fantasy aspect, but this is a romantasy series. That incorporates the term "fantasy," so I don't think it's a very fair review of the book for someone to mark it a low rating simply because they wanted something more romance-heavy. It's still a valid review (not one of the "ridiculous" ones that I mentioned earlier), but it is based solely on personal preference and not an objective review of the book as a member of the genre. It's just irritating when I see those. 

Now, to address a love-hate tug of war between different types of readers... some people love JLA's writing style and sense of humor, and other people hate it. Personally,  I love it. And I don't think there's anything to say about her writing style other than it makes the story fly by when you love it and, from what I've heard and read, makes you cringe hard when you don't like it. I just wanted to point this out in case someone reading this is considering picking up the books because there are a lot of reviews out there that are rooted in her writing style. *shrugs* Pick up a copy and test out a page. Download the sample and check it out. You'll be able to tell right away if it's a style that you vibe with or not. 

Lastly, one of the things that I have loved so far about the series is that it is connected to another one that takes place in this world. And I love love that the characters are directly connected to each other and that their storylines are intertwined in history. 

However, the big drawback because of this... it makes a complicated history and rules-of-the-world even harder to follow. There's just so many things to know or that can happen. You would think it makes things simpler, and JLA certainly does a great job of making sure that you don't need to read both series to understand them individually, but it really just makes for a giant cast of characters to follow at some points and it feels like there are a dozens of ways for people to become gods, or demis, or primals, versus a true primal, or an Atlantian, etc., etc. I'm exaggerating a LOT with that statement -- I know the differences now and have kept them straight in my head now. But there really are a lot of rules and loopholes and one-offs regarding what happens to person with X status ascending another person with Y status versus Z status and all of that is different again if it is done by a person with A status instead of X status. See what I mean? I don't even know if I'm explaining it correctly, but there are so many combinations of species and ascension results that my head was spinning and there were points when it was simply more confusing than it was entertaining. 

But I think we've finally stilled the world-building waters enough to be prepped for and fully enjoy the ride of book 6, The Primal of Blood and Bone, which comes out this upcoming summer! I'm so pumped for this release. It's one of the few books of 2025 that I have saved on my calendar to make sure that I don't miss the release and I am dying to see what goes down with Kolis back in the picture and we've now gotten to the core of what has been driving the plot this whole series. Plus the characters. I live for their interactions and am so excited to see how they keep interacting and growing with each other. And the snark and sarcasm. Eeeee! Yayyy!!! :)

Hopefully this all made sense and was at least slightly helpful for those looking to read the books or if they are feeling unsure about whether or not they should pick them up. Personally, unless you really don't like the writing style, I would highly recommend it. It sucks you in and can be the best kind of investment of your time. 

Thanks for reading!

2025 Books I'm Looking Forward To

2025 Books

I'm Looking Forward To

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone has had a great start to the year, whether it has been hardcore straight out of the gate or you are still easing into it. :) 

With every new year, there is guaranteed a great flooding of new book titles that flows into everyone's headspaces and TBRs. You can look at Goodreads, Popsugar, Book Riot, various news outlets, TikTok, etc., etc... everyone has books they are anticipating for the year and are telling everyone else to anticipate this year. 

For me, I honestly only have a small few that I'm going to share. I feel like the online conversations around books have exploded and there are simply too many things to keep track of at the moment, and far too many opportunities to be led astray. So I'm going into this new year of books mostly curious, and simply open to whatever may fall onto my lap. What's "popular" or "outrageous" or anything else...? I find it hard to take some of these collective judgements at face value anymore so I'm blocking out a lot of that noise. These are the small few that I have read the descriptions of (or in the JLA case, simply love her) and I am looking forward to reading when they come out.  

~~~

How GORGEOUS is this??

*Descriptions from Goodreads*

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

January 14, 2025

The million-copy bestselling Queen of Twists Alice Feeney returns with a gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage. . . 

. . . and revenge.

The Forest King's Daughter by Elly Blake

February 11, 2025

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely demon boy. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket... or so he thought... because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the demon queen and forest king declared war. 

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

February 27, 2025

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue meets This is How You Lose The Time War in this fantastical love story that defies death as two souls reincarnate through the centuries. 

The Primal of Blood and Bone by Jennifer L. Armentrout

June 10, 2025

In the thrilling penultimate chapter of the viral BLOOD AND ASH series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, Poppy and Casteel face their most perilous challenges yet as old enemies rise and ancient powers stir from their slumber.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone

July 1, 2025

Perfect for fans of Saltburn, For the Wolf, and House of Hollow,  Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantasy in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic demon with the help of a son of a rival family to save her family's legacy -- and herself -- from ruin. 

~~~

I'm sure there will be more as I still have a lot of fantasy books from last year I need to read and whose sequels/next installments come out this year, but I don't want to put them on this list prematurely. 

I'm excited for this upcoming year and can't wait to see what books surprise me and that I fall in love with!

Thanks for reading!

A Touch of Chaos (Hades x Persephone Saga #4) by Scarlett St. Clair REVIEW

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair

3.76 out of 5 Stars

*May contain spoilers*

I forgot how long and hard I could go for these reviews... holy crap. 

Short version -- check it out here or just know that I really liked it! 

Three years after A Touch of Malice, the final book in the Hades x Persephone saga came out last spring and wrapped up this epic retelling of the classical Greek relationship where the characters are still alive and well in a modern day version of the world where New Athens is the seat of the gods and all the legends and creatures are real. I have been WAITING for this book for all three of those years (tragic, I know), but I honestly didn't pick it up until just now because it was so long ago that I read the previous one that I just wasn't itching to read this one. I also have only read one of the Hades books (Hades Saga), which apparently enriches the reading experience, but I thought I was fine without it and still really enjoyed myself. If someone has been reading the Hades Saga though, they would have only waited a year for this to come out because A Game of Gods came out only last year. 

As I'm outlining this review, I'm realizing there weren't as many *sparkling* moments between Hades and Sephy that are causing me to fangirl... not a great thing, but also not the worst. They were still amazing, and I don't think it really takes away from the book at all, but it wasn't like I was pining for more scenes with them. If anything, I felt that way about Ari and Dionysus (more on that later). 

While the majority of the series is romantasy with emphasis on the romance between Hades and Persephone, I would say this installment is actually more fantasy than romance. So for all those complaining about "the spark" between characters is different or there were fewer "spicy scenes," please take a second to remember that romantasy is derived from combining romance with fantasy. And we've clearly been building up to an epic plotline like this one over the course of the other books, so it shouldn't be a surprise that we get to see the characters in action more than in lovey situations in this book. Personally, I really appreciated that. It made the romance more grounded and provided a more realistic feel to the story because not everything can always be about a relationship. Life exists. Life is more than heart eyes. 

Plot

I thought this had a really great plot. It wasn't the most seamless in transitions between scenes, but it wrapped things up and kept moving. It brought satisfaction to the main cliffhangers and resolution to the important points of the story in a way that was excellent. Also, there were some great battle scenes in this book! There wasn't just one epic ending. There was a series of tasks and skirmishes and obstacles and I am so happy that there was so much going on and it was to a level of detail that every character had a critical role. There were also some really funny moments too which broke things up nicely. *Cough Dionysus delivering a baby Cough* 

I think one of the things this book struggled with on the whole though was balancing the multitude of things that were happening (and necessarily so) with keeping all those threads properly tangled or untangled as needed and then weaving them all together and tied up by the end of the book. There were so many subplots that I'm actually a little annoyed that a handful were left dangling because they were good and I wanted more. But at the same time, if I'm thinking critically, I can understand why more time wasn't afforded to those subplots because the book was already almost 600 pages long in paperback format. You're just going to get messy if you give breathing room to too many things when the book is already that large. I don't know what the editing decision would be in that situation -- what could have made that better. I wouldn't have wanted another book. I wouldn't have not wanted the subplots to exist. And there were elements to the subplots that were necessary to put characters into position for them to serve their purpose. So, because I can't think of a solution to this conundrum, I feel like I can't really hold it against the author. 

Maybe we can just get a bunch of bonus scenes or novellas for Christmas based on those subplots. :):):) 

Okay so, one of the bones I had to pick about the plot specifically was that I really wish there was some sort of resolution for Hera's soul. I get that she was an awful bitch and what Theseus did to her was a result of her own actions, but to have her broken like that and wandering forever? I can't. My heart hurts even just remembering that scene where Hades sees her and realizes her fate. Even though she was horrid, and its all fictional, it bothers me so much that she will never find rest. 

Lastly, I want to briefly touch on Theseus's death and atrocities toward Ari. Firstly, I'm okay with Theseus's death being somewhat pathetic because he is pathetic and deserves no epic way to die. There was also something I think very Greek about his downfall being a bit anti-climatic and directly tied to his flaw of hubris. Plus, it was a workaround to an oracle. Secondly, one of the things that I saw repeatedly be mentioned in other people's reviews is how the scenes between him and Ari played out. For me... I have mixed feelings about them. I'm glad they weren't brushed aside and dismissed like they meant nothing, but at the same time, I think maybe they were a tad overdone? I don't think we needed more than one because then you can just refer back to that one somehow... I don't know. I don't really want to dwell on it much further. I suppose I just wanted to touch on it because I don't think it was as poorly handled as I've seen some people describe it. 

Characters

Persephone -- I love this retelling of Persephone. I think her modernity contrasted against all the other gods and goddesses jadedness from years of divinity really makes her stand out. She's strategic and hardworking and in the final stages of discovering who she is as a person as well as a goddess, but there's something really unique about this Persephone being both modern and like a normal woman that I just really love. Plus, I love that she can be equally worried about getting Hades back and pissed that he's kept so much information from her.

Persephone by unsidhe (DeviantArt/creativecommons)

Hades -- From what I remember in the other books, Hades is a suave badass in this retelling. Grumpy and closed off, but he, like, makes deals with mortals at a nightclub. By no means would I think he could ever be described as dusty, but those attributes that are so attractive were a little flat in this book and could kind of hint at dustiness. Which is really unfortunate because I love a great Hades! And this is a great Hades! But it was like he didn't fully show up to the party. 

Hermes -- WE LOVE HERMES AND DIONYSUS!!! Hermes especially though is a favorite of mine. He's so goofy and so loyal and I love when there's a sincere character like that where they, just by being themselves, break up the heaviness of a scene or a story. Apollo served that role a little too, but sadly, we had to say goodbye. Although, thinking about Apollo, if he had had more page time, I think I would have been more upset about his death. As it is, if Hermes had died I would have been crying. But with Apollo, I was just plain said. 

Hecate -- I love Hecate so freaking much. She such a great motherly figure to both Hades and Persephone and I love that she will soundly scold anybody. I'm really glad that she had a good story in this book. It was nothing huge or dramatic, but she remained vital and loved, which makes me really happy. 

Dionysus x Ari -- I don't remember them existing before this book!! Did they exist before this book??? I don't think so?!?!! I really really fell hard for this little ship that is really just a subplot. But I fell for it SO bad that I'm slightly upset. Even if I wasn't obsessed though, I still would have wanted more of the Ari x Dionysus arc especially at the end when Ari emerges with the baby wrapped around her because there is so much there. She had suffered through so much and that I think needs some sort of resolution to that and I think Dionysus is a part of that resolution.

Theseus -- Vomit. Just absolute vomit-inducing filth. Literally one of the worst characters I've ever read. Developmentally, he was alright. I think there were a few times when his character was almost overblown and exaggerated as if St. Clair was really trying to make sure we all understood that this is  a character with no redeemable soul, and it didn't need to be. 

Not specific to any character development, but ummmm... Thanatos and Lexa?? More please???? We get a whole conversation between Lexa and Sephy where Lexa is upset because she kissed Thanatos and then he said it was a mistake and CLEARLY it's just Thanatos being stupid about his job and what he thinks is right versus wrong when it comes to caring for the souls but she doesn't know that and thinks she instead that she did something wrong! Not okay! I need to see Persephone kick Thanatos's ass in line and get him to wake up and realize that he's hurt Lexa and he doesn't need to! Ulghhhh, I need this.... not as badly as I need an Ari x Dionysus spin-off... but I still need this.... 

Writing

I wouldn't say there's anything uniquely spectacular about the writing of this, other than it flows so damn easily. It would feel like I'd blink and 30 minutes had gone by while reading. One of the best things about this book, and really all of Scarlett St. Clair's books, is that it's just so fun and distracting in the best way possible. It is true entertainment where you can turn your brain off, fall into the story, and just live somewhere else for awhile. It's ability to do that is not the most common thing, so whenever a book is able to do that, it gets huge props from me. The simple task of having a story effortlessly draw you in is not so simple of a task at all, and I think it is incredibly underappreciated. Huge, huge props to St. Clair for being one of the authors who can do this. 

It's weird to think that this series is over... I tore through this book within a couple of days and it is so strange that a series that has been on my mind for years is now finished. I think especially for this series it's weird because there was such a large break between this book and the others, but it's such a good retelling of Hades and Persephone. There are so many out there now, and this is one of the ones that I think I'll always recommend to people because it doesn't feel tired or overused to me. I'm going to be sad that there are no more. Also, I will forever believe that this series has some of the best book covers I've ever seen. 

Random note though before the end of this review in case the author ever somehow stumbles across it... I would LOVE a Dionysus spin-off. Anyone else??? I think there is so much there, and the way he is handled as a character? Fabulous. Absolutely stunning. Can we manifest this for 2025? Send happy creative vibes to the author? Lol, let's be real, I love Scarlett St. Clair so I'm sending those vibes anyway. 

Thanks for reading!
Xo

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair SPOILER FREE REVIEW

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair

3.76 out of 5 Stars

*Spoiler Free Review*

If you would like the full review, with spoilers, details, and fangirling, follow this link to the full review!

Three years after A Touch of Malice, the final book in the Hades x Persephone saga came out last spring and wrapped up this epic retelling of the classical Greek relationship where the characters are still alive and well in a modern day version of the world where New Athens is the seat of the gods and all the legends and creatures are real. I have been WAITING for this book for all three of those years (tragic, I know), but I honestly didn't pick it up until just now because it was so long ago that I read the previous one that I just wasn't itching to read this one. I also have only read one of the Hades books (Hades Saga), which apparently enriches the reading experience, but I thought I was fine without it and still really enjoyed myself. If someone has been reading the Hades Saga though, they would have only waited a year for this to come out because A Game of Gods came out only last year. 

While the majority of the series is romantasy with emphasis on the romance between Hades and Persephone, I would say this installment is actually more fantasy than romance. So for all those complaining about "the spark" between characters is different or there were fewer "spicy scenes," please take a second to remember that romantasy is derived from combining romance with fantasy. And we've clearly been building up to an epic plotline like this one over the course of the other books, so it shouldn't be a surprise that we get to see the characters in action more than in lovey situations in this book. Personally, I really appreciated that. It made the romance more grounded and provided a more realistic feel to the story because not everything can always be about a relationship. Life exists. Life is more than heart eyes. 

I think one of the things this book struggled with on the whole was balancing the multitude of things that were happening (and necessarily so) with keeping all those threads properly tangled or untangled as needed and then weaving them all together and tied up by the end of the book. There were so many subplots that I'm actually a little annoyed that a handful were left dangling because they were good and I wanted more. But at the same time, if I'm thinking critically, I can understand why more time wasn't afforded to those subplots because the book was already almost 600 pages long in paperback format. You're just going to get messy if you give breathing room to too many things when the book is already that large. I don't know what the editing decision would be in that situation -- what could have made that better. I wouldn't have wanted another book. I wouldn't have not wanted the subplots to exist. And there were elements to the subplots that were necessary to put characters into position for them to serve their purpose. So, because I can't think of a solution to this conundrum, I feel like I can't really hold it against the author. 

Maybe we can just get a bunch of bonus scenes or novellas for Christmas based on those subplots. :):):)

One of the best things about this book though, and really all of Scarlett St. Clair's books, is that it's just so fun and distracting in the best way possible. It is true entertainment where you can turn your brain off, fall into the story, and just live somewhere else for awhile. It's ability to do that is not the most common thing, so whenever a book is able to do that, it gets huge props from me. The simple task of having a story effortlessly draw you in is not so simple of a task at all, and I think it is incredibly underappreciated. Huge, huge props to St. Clair for being one of the authors who can do this. 

It's weird to think that this series is over... I tore through this book within a couple of days and it is so strange that a series that has been on my mind for years is now finished. I think especially for this series it's weird because there was such a large break between this book and the others, but it's such a good retelling of Hades and Persephone. There are so many out there now, and this is one of the ones that I think I'll always recommend to people because it doesn't feel tired or overused to me. I'm going to be sad that there are no more. Also, I will forever believe that this series has some of the best book covers I've ever seen. 

Random note though before the end of this review in case the author ever somehow stumbles across it... I would LOVE a Dionysus spin-off. Anyone else??? I think there is so much there, and the way he is handled as a character? Fabulous. Absolutely stunning. Can we manifest this for 2025? Send happy creative vibes to the author? Lol, let's be real, I love Scarlett St. Clair so I'm sending those vibes anyway. 

Thanks for reading!

Xo

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson REVIEW

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

4.14 out of 5 Stars

** Originally posted on The Broke Wanderlusty Reader **

The Summer Book is a collection of vignettes that provide a look into the life of Sophia, a small child, and her Grandmother who live on a Finnish island. It was, undoubtedly, one of the most heartwarming things I have ever read. Sophia is a little bit of a bratty child, but not in an obnoxious way. More like in a child-that's-learning-the-world kind of way. Nothing bad, but a part of her age. And the Grandmother is a bit tired, but there are glimpses of a really strong spirit within her that are great when they come to the surface. 

The dynamic between these two was just so, so sweet. They really just purely love and care about each other that I didn't even care there wasn't a main plotline because it was all about them and their love and that was perfect. 

I think my favorite short story was Playing Venice, where Sophia receives a postcard from Venice in the mail and the next handful of days are filled with her and Grandmother recreating their own Venice out in the forest. When a storm comes through and drowns it all, Sophia freaks out and Grandmother goes out for her to find Venice and save it. Of course, she can't find any of it. But then to calm Sophia down, she recreates the main structure where the Venetian mother lived (Sophia's own is dead) before Sophia wakes up. Sophia can't tell the difference when she wakes up and is so happy that Grandmother had "saved" it. 

The stories do a fantastic job of describing the setting as well. Holy cow, I want to see the forests, the islands, the Gulf of Finland, the Three-Country Cairn and then just generally a lot more of any wilderness that Finland has. The stories really take place on an island somewhere near or in the Gulf of Finland, and that alone was so much to take in. Jansson did such an amazing job of describing the wilderness that Sophia and Grandmother explore and live in with lush greenery and strong winds and pockets of forests where they could build their own creatures and little worlds. It was insane and it is definitely something I would love to see in person one day. 

Also, this was just turned into a movie??!?!! With Glenn Close?!?!?! I was just googling a cover of the book and was asked if I wanted results for the book or for the movie and the shock there was a recent movie out was crazy. It came out like, a couple months ago. It looks like it's not available for streaming yet, which is sad, but hopefully it will be out like that by next spring. I think this would be a really good book to reread or movie to watch around that time of the year. 

This was such a great collection of short stories. I really really enjoyed them and it definitely helped take me to Finland. 

Thanks for reading!

My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci REVIEW

My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci

3.22 out of 5 Stars

**Reposted from The Broke Wanderlusty Reader** 

Mmmmm... I have NO idea where to start with this. For one thing, it's literary fiction, which is not my go-to genre. But then also, I didn't look up anything about this book before reading it. And it's a bit whack when you go into it without knowing there's magical realism involved. I straight up thought the dude was tripping and I was operating on that assumption for way too long before I realized the cat was a literary device.  

First things first though, I didn't realize half of the story took place in Yugoslavia. Like I said, I didn't read anything about the book before I dove into it. It came up in a lot of lists about Finnish literature, so I felt like an almost obligation to include it. I don't really have a list of places or foods or anything from Finland that I can add to a master list of things I would hope to experience in Finland in-person some day. Culture-wise, all I really got from this book was a general coldness and hostility toward immigrants and the LGBTQ? I really hope that the Finnish culture isn't actually so cold because I've actually read a ton of articles and such about how it's welcoming and inclusive. This book is hardly a ringing endorsement of those things though. 

On the whole, I enjoyed the book, but my enthusiasm for it is as flat and simple as that statement is. The magical realism was a bit too much at times and there were really important themes and ideas that were introduced, but then nothing was ever really fleshed out or brought into the limelight. 

Characters

There are two main characters, Bekim and his mother Emine (side note - I love her name), whose stories take turns with each other. While they are the only two main characters, I unfortunately need to mention the influence of Emine's husband Bajram, who is just a constant negative presence throughout the whole thing. For a quick second, I actually liked him because I thought he was going to be good for Emine. And then it's like a flip is switched and I wanted to gouge his eyes out. And you can see the trickle effect of his immaturity and anger and cruelty because there is an undeniable impression that he has on the development of Bekim and Emine. 

Bekim and Emine themselves were alright. I was frequently frustrated with both of them, but then the further along you go and the more you learn about Bajram, the more their frustrating qualities make sense. It's not excusable, but it isn't out of nowhere either - it makes sense. 

Plot

This is where literary fiction tends to lose me... there was almost no plot. Like, at all. The whole book was the development of these characters and the exploration of their environments and their subconscious. Which is a kind of plot. But to me, I prefer more active events in a plot. Here, there's Bekim meeting a cat and buying a snake and traveling back to Yugoslavia and then meeting a guy at the end of the book. And for Emine, there's a bit more of a plot because it follows her meeting Bajram and getting married and raising kids and eventually breaking away. But, as much as my heart bled for her, it's also a basic storyline that didn't captivate me too much. 

Writing

Simply put, the writing was beautiful. I really deeply appreciate the skill that Statovci has in creating a story with these long extensive metaphors that reveal so much about the characters and the setting. The damn cats and snakes... really great use of these animals and their specific meanings, but I wish it had been better executed from the beginning so that the effect began earlier and carried stronger throughout the rest of the book. By the end of the story, I could fully understand the importance of handling snakes and the profound meaning of what a cat represents to the country, to Bekim, and to Emine. But those things weren't drawn out until the damn near end of the book when suddenly it's being explained that Bekim used to have nightmares about snakes and cats are unwanted in Yugoslavia. Those are such small details that carry SO much weight, I wish that they had somehow been introduced earlier in the story. The emotional punch of their role would have been so much stronger. 

Finland Travels

Like I said above, I've got nothing to really add about Finland itself based on this book. There's mention Helsinki, but other than that there's really no locations or foods or events or anything that I can add to a description of "traveling" to Finland. 

SOMEONE please tell me though that Finland isn't so cold and judgemental? Please? 

*Shrugs*

Thanks for reading!

Xo

Highest Bidder Collection by Lauren Landish and Willow Winters REVIEW

Highest Bidder Collection by Lauren Landish and Willow Winders

3.59 out of 5 Stars

Okay, so it's been a minute since I wrote a review, so... give me a minute, lol. :) Plus, on top of that, this is a review of a collection. Chaos may ensue. The whole thing will be Spoiler Free however, so if you're curious about them, you're safe from anything being ruined. 

This four book collection contains stories that could be standalones, but they have common characters which, for me, means I tend to enjoy reading all of them in publication order as they reference prior things later on. 

They are ALL dark romances with BDSM and some other pretty heavy themes. They also all have typos (only one or two and nothing major), so if you're absolutely unable to get over those, don't engage and bring the vibes down because of that tiny detail. 

TW: SA

** Continue below if you are okay with that TW **

Bought (Dahlia x Lucian)

3.72 out of 5 Stars (Second favorite for me)

Dahlia is a young professional looking for some extra money to get her through a tight period and Lucian is struggling to get over his hang-ups with having a new sub after his relationship with his wife ended disastrously. She is introduced to Club X, where rich dudes and women members can safely indulge in their fantasies, and early in the book gets into a relationship with Lucian. I really liked them together! Dahlia's character development was shaky, which bothered me a bit, and overall I wish the story was longer, but on the whole it was very enjoyable. (Side note: All the books were short and could have used more plot development.) 

I need to strongly preference something at this point -- and this applies to all of the mini-reviews: I am not a psychologist or mental health professional or any other kind of medical professional, so I may be completely off the mark here. But, what I really appreciated in this book especially is how Dahlia's past of SA is not brushed off. Furthermore, it's something that becomes part of the relationship she has with Lucian and he wants to help her heal from her experience and achieve the goals that she has set for herself in the healing process. I just really appreciate that because it isn't treated like a drama-enhancer or is reductive. Their story explores some of the nuance of how a past experience affects a present experience and how the present can help heal the past, which not every story does. 

Sold (Katia x Isaac)

3.5 out of 5 Stars (Third favorite for me)

Katia is simply trying to build a normal life for herself after surviving a worst-nightmare history and she captures Isaac's attention when she goes to Club X. They really fit each other's needs and Isaac's goal also becomes to give Katia what she needs to process and heal. The best part about Isaac is that he's suuuuuper protective of Katia. But, I actually think I liked Isaac the least of all the MMCs though. I just didn't entirely like his attitude or his approach to the FMC. It's not like he's an asshole per say, but it just wasn't for me. Katia was a pretty good character, but also a bit plain? I'm not quite sure how else to describe it, other than it seemed like she was kind of just filling in the role of FMC.

Owned (Lilly x Joseph) 

3.26 out of 5 Stars (Least favorite for me) 

Lilly is completely new to the BDSM lifestyle, but from watching and taking her time to learn everything, she is ready to explore that side of herself and has a good idea of what she wants. Joseph on the other hand, knows exactly what he needs and, like a good one, gives Lilly room she needs to explore what she wants and is ready for her when she decides to make that leap. However, his past comes knocking and throws a deep wrench in their happiness that he needs to sort out. 

Lilly is the only FMC of these four books that doesn't have a history of some sort of SA. I'm not mentioning that because I think it adds or takes away from the story, but because in case someone is looking for one of these without the trigger warning, it's this one. 

The reason why this one is my least favorite is simply because I felt like it was the one with the most potential for development, and it actually had I think the least amount. When you're loving something so much, you want it to be done well! And then when it falls short, it is the most frustrating thing in the world. Compared to Katia and Isaac, I liked Lilly and Joseph's relationship way more, but I feel like they weren't done justice, so I can't rank this book above the others. Like, Lilly's subplot alone could have been woven in so much better and used to heighten their dynamic, but... *sigh*.

Given (Arianna x Zander) 

3.88 out of 5 Stars (Favorite for me)

Arianna has a shitty POS abusive partner at the beginning of the book. He's manipulative, and gaslights, and is a definition of bad BDSM etiquette. I can go on a full rant, but I won't because this review is small. Zander (not the POS) is one of those MMCs where he portrays himself to the world one way, but then really he's super intense and people who know him know not to mess with him. I LOVE characters like that. Zander actually from the get-go has issues with Arianna's POS partner due to business beef, and it becomes part of the reason why the two get together. From there, there is a sort of dance between these three characters as business gets dealt with, the relationship between Zander and Arianna grows, and tensions with the POS relationship explode. 

One of the things that I really loved about this book wasn't just the dynamic between Arianna and Zander, but was how there is a clear moment where Zander realizes what has been happening between Arianna and Danny and is like, "Hell no, this is not okay and will never happen again." Which, I would like to think that a man stepping up to protect someone is a low bar, but maybe it isn't anymore because I'm totally obsessed with this moment that Zander has. We love to see it. :) 

*** *** ***

I forgot how much I love doing these reviews! They're a bit of brain-work as well when I'm not absolutely fangirling over a title, but still worth it. 

Thanks for reading!

(And I guess welcome back??)