itslorei's reviews
1014 reviews

Took me a while to finish this novel (many things happened 🙈) anyway, I'm proud to say that I did after many days of not reading at all.

So, about this book, I was really expecting something like Emily Henry like of feels because this book made me really think of Emily Henry's books while reading, so that's that.

I would like to appreciate that this book touches the struggle of being an oldest sibling. I did like how the book tackles it and presents it in Emily's character, which I really relate to in some aspects.

The dynamics between Emily and Jack were quite okay? There were some flirty moments, but I wasn't just invested in it? Like the book failed to sell it to me, and that left me underwhelming. Like the whole rivalry was a meh to me.

There wasn't really something that made me stop reading and breathe because of the current event in the story. So that's that. 

With that being said, Sarah Adam's readers would definitely appreciate this and love this more, I think. 3⭐️

Thank you, PRH International, for the e-arc via Edelweiss.

The first 20% was intriguing enough for me, but the rest was a miss. I wasn't really sold with the horror content like I was expecting, and it turns out to be more of romance with minor horror content, in my opinion.

Thank you, author, for the e-arc opportunity. 

I was pretty intimidated while reading this at first because of the artwork that really depicted a rather edgy,  dark, and gloomy mood throughout the story. Probably to emphasise the intensity of the topics here covered here. 

The story covered sensitive topics such as body-positive, identity, slurs, drugs, queerness, depression and self-harm, as well as bullying in Cleo's part. It was quite highlighted so many times. However, it feels like there's no route to going to the positive things.

The story also depicted friendship here and not really on the positive light if I'm being honest. It's quite a little bit toxic, in my opinion, or is it just me.

I also wish the fonts or the dialogues are clearer for a smooth reading because this one is really my main problem while reading this.

I'd definitely check onto the next volume of this edition. I'm pretty interested in the story and how it goes after the end.

Thank you, Oni Press, for the e-arc opportunity. 4⭐️

𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓


Haunting, compelling, and engaging story. The striking gothic atmosphere really was prominent here and alleviated the dynamic of Laura and Carmilla's relationship. 

Carmilla's presence was mysterious, and the fact that she's been many times honoured and revelled with her ethereality, as well as her sensuality towards her regards on Laura's person even made her more compelling and addicting.  (Let's all blame this on Laura's perspective because the majority of the story, she was so awestruck by her otherworldly and otherness disposition).

Laura and Carmilla's relationship was in every word, in my opinion, complex, suggestive, perhaps in Carmilla's part as what had been revealed towards the end, and more often than not, Laura had vaguely or perhaps in sensored narrative comments about the feelings Carmilla evoked on her as something of horror which is nod to the culture and time this was set to be something frowned upon and also a nod to gender and sexuality topics.

The vampirism was also very, I daresay beautifully presented? Especially the accounts related to it that the story presented.

The part towards the end, how I wish it was more drawn out on dealing with the fiend creature. However, it was not. In my opinion, it was anticlimactic to me? Their was no panic nor horrors of the aftermath that I believed would have been perfect for the narrative built upon the storyline.

There's also a kind of plot twist at the end that I had mixed feelings about. I thought that it was added to sensor the queer suggestions here, but that's just me, I think 🙈

With all of that, this was still a really good read. I wish vampire novels do vampirism just like this more. 4.5⭐️

First things first, I just finished this. LIKE AN HOUR AGO. Also, this is not a review but a review? Just treat this post as my initial reaction to this book. And my January really started with a bang with this book.

Honestly, there's so many things I want to talk about this book, from the family context, the war in Vietman and the tragedies the war brought upon, their migration to the US, their integration to the new land, Little Dog's journey on their identity. So many angles.

I couldn't put to words on how and what I really feel about this book. There's so much to be unpacked and have been unpacked. I was silenced. I was stricken. My heart was clenched so painfully hard that I felt numb as I was finishing the story. It's the thing that's been on my head as I started reading Carmillla.

Give another 10 of this, please.

I'll probably post again for the proper review, probably after I finish my analysis on this for our presentation in class and probably after that, or perhaps later. 

This is an 11/10. 5⭐️

I also attached a few highlights I made. I literally have a lot, LIKE LOTS OF THEM 🙈

P.S. If you love this, read The Best Girls by Min Jin Lee as well ♥️

P.S. There's a lot of trigger warnings for this book, I recommend checking all of them first before starting this.

P.S. If you've read this, let's talk about it on the DMS 🙈

First things first, cover is pretty. It will really make you think that this is some cutesy story.

However, I think the only thing that is cutesy or good in this story is the cover, and the rest was just l– disappointing.

There were some technical errors I found, and honestly, that took my focus out and made me not enjoy it.

Although I find it intriguing, the povs of the characters and the story flow just throw me from the limbo, I had trouble following the storyline.

Thank you, author, for the e-arc opportunity. 

The family irked me so much tbh. Another thing, the pairing could use more chemistry and developments tbh. Could have been better.

Interesting concept and plot. I was definitely rooting for this one since everything that has vampires/ shifters is aplus points.

Unfortunately for this one, this was just straight-up smut. I mean, I don't mind a smut, but my problem is it kind of overshadowed the plot and other things in the story for me? Those parts just made me not enjoy this one.

I'll probably check the next book, and let's see if the things here will be expounded on that other book.

Thank you, author, for the e-arc copy.

I had high hopes about this one— or more like a second chance given for this series after the last book, which I didn't enjoy.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this one.

I really didn't like the ML at all. There's a bunch of things that could have been better, but it didn't happen. I feel like this could have been edited better to make it or the story delivered.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-arc copy.

Watched the kdrama adaptation on this, and that one was also hilarious and sweet at the same time.

Anyway, I've been meaning to start the comic about it and was lucky enough to be able to get a review copy.

Obviously, I really enjoyed it. Both main leads are really hilarious and goofy. To be honest, I really enjoyed their dynamics. The developments are slowly filling in, and I can't wait to see how the story goes.

Thank you, Yen Press, for the review copy via Edelweiss