Reviews with content warning for Stalking - Butcher & Blackbird

This book is plain bad. The characters act like teenagers, they talk like teenagers, and they have the common sense of teenagers. Sloane and her twenty-three year old under developed frontal lobe miraculously hasn’t gotten her serial killer self caught even though she is the least careful person in the fucking world and Rowan - with his dick for brains - isn’t that fucking far behind her.

I couldn’t even enjoy the homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter because they were so poorly executed.

The miracle is that I finished this book. I hate read this book in the hopes of reaching a satisfying conclusion or that someone would make one fucking intelligent decision.

Everything that happens in the plot is so freaking convenient for these two it’s laughable. Some of the writing is just laughable as well. I’m no stranger to the gross, gore, and the transgressive, but trying to make this shit cutesy is places was just plain dumb. (Who labels the ingredients on their own homemade ice cream? Complete with bodily fluids? When they are a cannibal serial killer who has no interest in getting caught?) (Who uses someone’s dead mother a la Norman Bates to give a killer a heart attack and scare them to death? Wtf? That was so fucking idiotic d it wasn’t even satire)

I might read the second book in hopes that Rose or Lark will show up again, because they were the only two remotely interesting characters.

Content Warnings

sassy_vixxen's review against another edition

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dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This book was laugh out loud hilarious. Definitely read your trigger warnings! Rowan and Sloane are so fun to follow in this crazy serial killer dark romance. I was completely grossed out by some of the descriptions and yet the I couldn't put it down! I have read/listened to this book twice and intend to read it again in the future.

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jordanlongoria's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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cedar_says's review against another edition

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dark funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I had seen this book everywhere and it seems like it is right up my street. This is one of the booktok’s recommendations that I trust, and I’ve already bought the rest of the series.

This book has two points of view and when a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive – the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

I love these two. I love the competition between them and how they are both after shittier people and not just killing for the sake of it. They are killers who are killing murders. I love the storyline and love the banter between Sloane and Rowan but also between the brothers. I love that they are all teasing each other about their relationships with the doctor brother and the girl staying at his house, the other brother and Sloane’s best friend and Sloane and Rowan and how they all rip each other to shreds but would also die for each other. I love Rowan and how he named a restaurant after her and he has a permanent table reserved for her. I love Sloane and how she has this hard shell and is a badass when she’s on the hunt, but she has this gooey centre and just wants to be love and I love the friendship between her and Lark and how they would both die for each other. I also love the mystery aspect of the book and the fact that there was no third act breakup though I was certain that there was going to be a third act breakup. Also, the smut in this book was adorable and spicy and just chef’s kiss.

The only thing that stopped this from being five stars was the insta love from Rowan to Sloane. It was an instant connection from Rowan, but Sloane didn’t want to date or get into a serious relationship.

I love that these men are Irish and I cannot wait to see more of them within the trilogy and I cannot wait for Leather to not look after Lark but fall head over heels for her.

Content Warnings

sfergie's review against another edition

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dark funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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cocozbooks's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

3.5

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quelbell's review against another edition

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dark funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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