savage_book_review's reviews
282 reviews

Purists, avert your gaze! While this is every word of one of the most classic love stories in history, a few extra scenes which would have caused certain scandal in Jane Austen's day have been added to this edition. It is a truth universally acknowledged that I have never been able to enjoy the classics, so I was hoping that this version may induce me to look favourably upon its countenance. But alas, I fear my affections and wishes are unchanged...

It has been years since I've tried to physically read this book, but it is always the classic I revert to whenever I get it into my head to try and convert myself to the ways of some of the pantheons of the English language. Mainly because I at least know the story, which makes the flowery language and interminable idle chatter easier to follow. Most of the time, I rely on audio versions, usually radio plays, or indeed the good old fashioned standby of the 1995 BBC TV adaptation (not a fan of the Kiera Knightley film...). So this is the first time in a long time that I've actually heard the words as written in their entirety. Now, this does mean that I can be entirely certain that Bloom Stories haven't made other little tweaks to the narrative, so I may be about to make myself look like a complete idiot... but I think this is the first time I've actually picked up on the genuine slow burn of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy's affections. It's always come across to me as a really sudden shift from enemies to lovers, but there was more examination of the complexity of the characters' feelings in here that I ever remember reading before. This made the story a little more bearable, but nevertheless it's still not a romance I can fully get behind. I just don't buy their story.

I think Elizabeth is the only character who doesn't annoy me, because she seems to have an actual personality, rather than being comprised of a single state of being - 'goody two shoes' Jane, brattish Lydia, hysterical Mrs Bennett... they all come across as so two-dimensional to me. And I can't say I particularly care for the story either - I can fully appreciate it's of its time and portrays the world Jane Austen moved in, but the fact that Elizabeth is the only one to stand up for herself and what she wants, while all about her are only concerned with how much money the potential suitors have and how quickly we can get everyone married off just makes my teeth itch. 

In respect of this specific version of the book, I will say that Alice Edwards' narration is top notch throughout. Her voice totally suits the story, she embodies Elizabeth really well and, for all that I would tune out because of the language, she made it very easy to listen to. I will also note that my understanding is this is the first full length audiobook produced by Bloom Stories, and if this is the case they've done a pretty good job for a first attempt. However, I do question some of the production decisions. It's an odd mix of a traditional audiobook and a graphic audio, with Alice narrating all of the characters throughout and an announcer introducing each chapter, but with music and ambient sounds to draw you further into the world of the Bennett family. The musical cues for the chapter breaks are a bit loud and I would probably just have let Alice advise the reader of the chapter number, or indeed not bothered with the chapter breaks at all to keep things flowing.

The single biggest oddity to me is that Noah White is credited as playing Mr Darcy, but he only makes an appearance during the *ahem* added intimate scenes. The rest of the time, Alice just drops her voice an octave. Given that Noah has a great voice for Mr Darcy, I cannot understand why this wasn't made a proper dual narration. Not only would it have made the story sing a little more, but I feel like it actually detracts from the additional scenes because suddenly this new voice comes out of nowhere. Just feels like a waste of talent...

As for the additional scenes themselves... I get it. I do. But for all the hype this production received precisely because of these additions, they are somewhat underwhelming. I had been hoping for scenes that perhaps added to the UST, or that they'd build to a proper climax (pun intended 😉). But they're just... there. The additional writing does fit with the source material extremely well, so it's not like they feel like they've been shoehorned in for no reason, but they don't really do anything for the story. The last of the scenes is more obviously inserted, both because it appears in the middle of one of the more famous scenes and because there's no build up to it - you go from the recognised dialogue in one sentence to clothes coming off in the next. And, well, let's just say it's these scenes that lean into the 'graphic audio' label and all that entails.

*sighs* I think it's time I accept that I'm never going to be a fan of pre-20th Century literature... even when it's trying to appeal to my romantasy tastes.

The subjects featured in this book are all people from history who today we would consider part of the LGBTQ+ community. However, these aren't the people celebrated as queer icons, role models or leaders. Instead, they are those that have a darker side to them, which might not be as progressive, liberal or accepting as you'd hope. Some are truly Bad Gays, others are a strange mix of admirable and deplorable. But ultimately, the writers explore who they were in their own time and why, although they should not necessarily be lauded, they should still be remembered.

I heard an interview with the authors of this book on one of the 'History Hit' podcasts a while ago, and then was lucky enough to find a copy in a local charity shop. Having read it, I'd say this is a book you need to read with a dictionary in one hand, and a dick joke in the other. The tone in the first few chapters is a strange mash up of scholarly work, reading almost to the point where it doesn't feel aimed at a general audience (it's been a long time since I've had to refer to a dictionary on multiple occasions while reading), quickly followed by moments where the authors' inner teenagers seem to have come to the fore to giggle and put rude words into their essay. It does settle down after a while and find that happy medium, but it leaves the whole thing sitting a bit oddly in the reader's mind. There are several reviews and quotes that suggest this book is quite comical to read (even on the back of the book itself), but I didn't find this to be the case.

As usual for this type of book, I was only familiar with about half of the subjects included, and so it was interesting to learn about some new people and discover new things about those I've heard of. There is a relatively good balance between giving the reader an overview of the subject's life generally, and then focusing in on their sexuality and related anecdotes. Nothing is sensationalised, and for the mostbpart there is admiration and admonishment in equal measure. Clearly, the book cannot help but be political in some respects, with many of the characters displaying right wing leanings at odds with the authors' own persuasions. 

While all of the chapters have their own wisdom to impart, I feel like the most important (and most worrisome) one to read is the last chapter, on Pim Fortuyn. Mostly because the effects of his entering the political arena are within easy memory and the ramifications are still in evidence. It's also a really good illustration of how bad the media (and, let's be honest, society at large) can be at picking on one aspect of a person and praising or vilifying it to the exclusion of everything else that makes them human. I think this is the epitome of what the book is trying to do - look at these people in the round.

I did find myself zoning out in a few places (partly because I was reading while getting over a headache), where I wasn't as drawn to the subject or felt that the writing went a little too far off-topic, but it was an interesting enough read that I could keep going. However, it's going to be an unhaul as it didn't keep me engaged to the extent that I'd want to refer to it again.

Suffering from a horrendous headache again yesterday and today, so I did the only thing I can comfortably do in that situation; stick on my Musicozy eye mask and listen to an audiobook while trying to zone out. Except zoning out while listening to this one was not going to happen! The quote on the front of this book suggests it's got Neon Gods and Fifty Shades vibes going on. I'd say add in 'A Touch of Darkness' and you're pretty much there!

The characters, plot and worldbuilding will all be familiar; Fae from different Courts (with Night being our focus), a human woman drawn into their world, a brooding buff billionaire and his inner circle who own a casino etc. etc. etc., but that just allows you to sink into the story more quickly. At the same time though, there are enough twists and turns in the story to keep you engaged and interested, and a good enough plot for the book to stand on its own two feet, albeit one that is driven by the characters and their relationships. 

As you'd expect, all of the characters are lookers, and while there are no truly unique characters amongst them, they are all really well fleshed out and have their own personalities that really come through. I have to admit though, one of my favourite moments is where Caden repeatedly accuses Bryn of watching too much TV, and eventually she responds that she 'used to', but now she's spending his money on buying ebooks and reading five books a week. At that moment, I had never related to a character more (apart from the bit about spending his money... sadly my book budget comes out of my own bank account...)!

For the first time in a while, I enjoyed both the male and female narrators even when they were voicing characters of the opposite sex. Yes, it would have been even better if it had been a true dual narration, but for once I can let it slide. They both brought a lot to their performances and gave the whole thing an extra boost. I mean, Aidan Snow's deep, growling voice feels perfect for Caden's character, and quite honestly made me sit up and listen from the first rumble - even my husband noticed that reaction! And, of course, he put that voice to particularly effective use in certain scenes... 🫠

As the character states, Caden is known as 'The Dark King' fore more than one reason. His tastes aren't satisfied by vanilla. There is a great build in the sexual tension and relationship throughout this book, with each scene building on the previous experience. It reads in such a way that the reader is being initiated into submission alongside Bryn, with Caden being a patient, if possessive, teacher. Even in the moments where it's not the most comfortable to read, where you're not entirely convinced that his control is there, the author addresses those concerns within the narrative, always giving Bryn a way out and stressing the importance of consent. Overall, it makes for a truly hot read, with the spice complementing rather than overpowering the plot.

One ridiculous aside... I can't help it. Whenever I hear Bryn's name, my mind automatically supplies "it means 'hill' in Welsh". Which in turn means I needed brain bleach when at one point this Bryn was played by Rob Brydon... 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣

Adding the next two in the series to my Audible wishlist!

A sweet little holiday novella to round out the series, this effectively casts Atlas as Ebenezer Scrooge in the witchy version of 'A Christmas Carol'. But instead of persuading him to change his miserly ways, the three Spirits of Solstice will curse him to a life of solitude if he fails to let go of the darkness inside his heart...

In some respects this retelling is a little 'on the nose'; with the world she's built, the author could have given it more of her own twist while keeping things reminiscent of the Dickens classic. However, what we have does work well, and it's a nice little twist to have the happy-go-lucky character be the target of the ghosties' ire. Likewise, the introduction of Marley as the 'spirit wrangler' was a cute idea. 

Once you get into the story, it's exactly what you'd expect and so that element does make it an easy read. But, like the second book, there are moments where I questioned whether I'd skipped something, which dulled the flow. It's like I can see the author has this fully built world inside her mind and a great story to tell, but the tiny little details get lost in translation. As before though, if you can let your imagination fill in the gaps, it works really well.

Just like A Christmas Carol, the visions proffered by the ghosts are not all light and fluffy. But, they give you a wonderful insight into Atlas' character, which is exactly what I was after. He now means so much more as person to me because I understand his backstory better, as well as what he's feeling and perceiving about himself. Yes, I would have liked a similar deep dive with Bash, but actually Atlas's character arc really needed this to bring him up to a top tier MMC. 

I'd call this one fluff with substance. And the little glimpses of the future make for great fanfic fodder! Even if it does just stay in my head.

While the conclusion of this duology gave me all the emotional connections and feels you could ask for from the sass to smouldering chemistry to sadness, I found it harder to read than part one. It's written well enough, and the story is good, but it just didn't flow quite as well for me; I kept feeling like I skipped paragraphs or even pages and was missing information. But, if you use your imagination to fill in the gaps, it's still a great experience.

What makes this book is the development of the relationships between the various characters; the bonds between friends, lovers, brothers and generally as a 'found family' are beautifully crafted. The new characters that are introduced very quickly become familiar and loveable, and you'd swear they've been there all along. However, I would have liked each individual to have a bit more in the way of character development - they're great characters, but just aren't quite three dimensional enough to truly feel real in your head. Even the existing characters don't quite feel as fleshed out as they should. I do wonder if this is because there are quite a lot of characters, places and events and there just isn't the space for those moments to drill down into each character's personality etc.

In some respects, it's also quite hard to keep track of where everyone is and what they're doing. For much of the book, the core group splits up and uses 'magic doors' to travel around the land - it's really difficult to work out where you are when travel is instantaneous! Not only that, but the worldbuilding and descriptions of place don't really come across well enough for you to be able to orient yourself properly. It's a shame because the author has clearly put a lot of effort and thought into the worldbuilding - there's even a map at the front of the book to help - but there's just not quite enough of a sense of place within the writing. Ultimately, sometimes there's just a bit too much going on with an ensemble cast and a big old world for them to play in.

I did like the 'resolution' of the cliffhanger from part one - it was cleverly done and meant I could quite quickly relax back into the story. I think I'd have been on tenterhooks otherwise! And likewise, the climax of the story is beautifully done (although there is one small moment that I had to read two or three times before it made sense). It's one of those books where I found myself desperately hoping for the traditional fairy tale HEA and, while it doesn't quite tick all the boxes, it's still a satisfying conclusion. 

There's a little novella to follow on, which I'll pick up later. But all in all, another author I'll be more than happy to visit at RARE25!

We have an early contender for most mental book title of the year, that's for sure! I was just in need of a bit of fluffy filler for a couple of car journeys, and I found this on Audible Plus and had to give it a try. It certainly fulfilled its intended purpose, with humourous situations, a straightforward premise and some sweet 'found family' feels.

I would consider this more of a collection of short stories; there are five self-contained stories within the book, with a definitive break in between each. It does flow as a single story and each serves to introduce a new character or two, but there are some elements of repetition and recap in each. The writing style is spot on for the story, and the performance of the lead narrator only enhances this - it's engaging and descriptive, while being witty in quite a dry way and completely encapsulating the 'sweater-vest and pocket protector' nerdy character that Fred is. It makes him really easy to picture pretty much from page one - for some reason I could not stop picturing him as the Instagrammer eezekat! I'm sure that's doing Jaysen a great disservice, but that's where my mind went!

Each story has a similar structure; what should be a simple, relaxing evening/event/outing takes a slightly mad turn, leading to danger and daring, followed by a (usually equally ridiculous) resolution. One in particular had me giggling; it felt like the author had probably not long watched the film 'A Knights Tale' when he wrote it. There are a couple of moments with great action sequences that really pull you in and feel like they're going to change the course of Fred's (after)life, but equally a couple of the stories have quite lacklustre endings, where the 'adventure' is essentially rendered as just a lightly humourous anecdote about how characters met. I do think this would make a great long form story if some more worldbuilding and story development were considered, but at the moment the short stories are a mere hint of the characters, world and plot. 

There look to be several more books in this series and I would consider reading them... but only if they were on the Audible Plus/KU/my local library  catalogue. I'm just not entirely convinced it'd be worth spending a credit on. This is a book which I could happily have in in the background while working or doing chores and it does keep you entertained, but equally it can very easily fade into the background.

On the upside, I now have another reason to never attend a school reunion!

So it appears my inner mood-reader thinks it's spooky season, as I'm currently in the middle of my witch era. This is the second book that I've read this year with the basic premise that a witchling must compete in a trial to try and become the new leader of their coven, so I felt on firm ground from the off. But the characters, chemistry and magic system gave it its own USP, and made it a really enjoyable read. It also gives off vibes similar to the Shepherd King series by Rachel Gillig, so if you enjoyed that I'd highly recommend picking this one up!

The writing is extremely focused on our main character, Raven, and although it's written in the third person it comes across as being completely from her point of view. As a result, many of the secondary characters are held on the periphery of your notice - they are named and you get a sense of them, but unless they have a direct affect on her outlook they don't really get fleshed out to the extent that one might hope. Even the main competition, while described in more detail, doesn't necessarily pop off the page in the way that they should. However, this means that all of your attention is drawn to the core cast. I personally am particularly intrigued by Grey... I feel like he needs his story told!

The premise of the story is set out well, but there are elements that you just have to go with as the depth of explanation isn't always there. For example, the magic system is really well developed throughout the book, and the fact that Raven is an Unmarked Witch is clearly important and sets her apart from the rest of the coven. But it's not as highlighted in the narrative as you might expect. And when it does become central to the plot, it's explained in a 'blink and you'll miss it' way. I feel like there could have been a lot more done with it, even though there is enough there for your imagine to fill in the gaps.

Similarly, the start of the relationship development between Raven and Bastian is incredibly good to read; sweet and yet totally inkeeping with the type of character he is, and yet it does feel a little abrupt - I was expecting things to go in a very different direction. BUT  *Shadow Daddy alert!* Bastian is everything you'd hope for; dark, brooding, sexy and powerful, the villain in everyone's narrative but his own and would burn down the world for his girl. And he has wings. And a mountain cabin. With soup. Need I say more?

There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises in here, with moments I was genuinely not expecting. While they didn't cause me to drop my Kindle in shock or launch it across the room, they're the sort of events that make you wonder just how the author is going to bring things back around because surely she didn't just do that?! This continues right to the conclusion, and to borrow a phrase it definitely ends on a cliff dangle! And I have to know what happens next! So there's another KU book jumping the TBR queue...

In the latest instalment of the 'Dark Olympus' series at the time of writing, we turn to Ariadne and the Minotaur's story. Trouble edges closer to Olympus, the Thirteen are under threat and no-one is safe. This one does feel like we've finally struck a balance between the lovers' story and the series arc, and it opened up another level of enjoyment for me. 

While the characters have known eachother since they were teenagers, there is a hint of the obsessive stalker type romance in the way Asterion seems to fixate on Ariadne. His character traits, plus the wider foreboding of the plot, makes this feel like probably the 'darkest' book yet, but at the same time it also feels like the closest to the most 'conventional' love story. He has some wonderful, if fleeting, moments of softness towards Ariadne and feels very much like a brooding, overprotective alpha with "touch her and die" vibes radiating off him. In other words, yum!

I'm also enjoying how my feeling towards other characters in the series keep changing. Hera, in particular, started off for me as a woman to be admired; strong, feisty, independent and willing to sacrifice herself for the love of her sisters. But in this book it really feels like she has become one of the Thirteen proper, and something just feels 'off' about it to me. I'm sure all will be revealed and resolved in Zeus and Hera's book when it comes out, but in the meantime while I'm not a huge fan of that particular character development, I love that there are clearly still twists and turns to come!

There is part of me that wishes the previous books had been written in this way. While I really do enjoy the specifics of each relationship as they are fleshed out throughout the series, it feels to the detriment of the stories that the overall series arc has taken quite some time to set up. I feel like the earlier books could have done with this level of 'exterior' action and worldbuilding to really bring the stories to life, and perhaps give the underlying tension more of a slow build. 

Also loving that this book ends with a nice hook into the next one... and that I only have to wait until April for it! Overall, while I can't say it's the best series ever written, it gives me a lot of things I enjoy, it sparks my imagination with some great visuals, and it's just a great ride.

My brain needed this today. Something familiar, with enough substance to keep me engaged but not so complex that it would fight for space amongst the buffering processing of Onyx Storm. This book turns to the story of Orpheus, Eurydice and Charon and gives it the usual magic Katee Robert spicy retelling treatment. And it's a hot one!

The dynamics here work really well; this feels like it strikes a perfect balance between the standalone plot and the development of the series arc, and all of the characters have been introduced previously, so there's no need for set ups and introductions to get in the way of the story. It drops a big revelation but still leaves you with questions, and it starts the build towards the ultimate climax of the series without leaving you on tenterhooks. 

As is usual for the author, the story doesn't span that long a time frame and the pace does move quickly to reflect that, but there are plenty of moments where everything slows down to prolong your pleasure. The scenes where our three main characters take the time to talk to one another settles them into what feels like a more natural relationship than some of the others in the series, even if the timescale does seem to take them from 0-100mph in 3.5 seconds. This also has the appeal of making things feel incredibly domestic, despite the underlying tension and juxtaposing action scenes worthy of any Michael Bay movie (or, at least, that's what I'm seeing in my head). 

All of the author's books are a banner for diversity and representation, but it feels particularly prevalent in this one. People of different races, sexual orientations, relationship statuses and genders are all in evidence, and the author is diligent at making sure the reader knows exactly what to picture when talking about any given character, and using a wide variety of pronouns to expand the world beyond the simple binary. I will admit to not being completely au fait with the less 'common' ones; if someone could educate me regarding if ze/zir and xe/xer denote different genders, both are the same just with different spellings, it's a 'dealers choice' kind of situation etc. I'd be most grateful - I'd like to picture those character in the right way!

Charon was definitely my favourite character here - quiet and brooding, yet thoughtful, kind and considerate, whilst also being a BAMF when called upon. It's a great mix of character traits that brings him vividly to life in my imagination. It makes him a great foil to Eurydice, whose developing character is in full evidence. She still comes across as a little immature in places, but nevertheless seeing her step out from behind her sisters' shadows and stand on her own two feet feels like more growth than we've seen from other characters in the series to date. The same can be said for Orpheus; his willingness to atone for his previous poor treatment of Eurydice allows the reader to experience both the sweetness of his deferral to both Eurydice and Charon and see him start to deal with his own demons. 

Plus, there's plenty of Hades and Persephone in this book too! It's not about them, but still love their partnership!!!

THIS IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW

I'm currently feeling ALL the emotions, and processing the fact that there's now a looooong wait to find out what happens next! That was one hell of a rollercoaster; if you choose to read this, prepare for your flabbers to be gasted and your thunders(or lightening 😉) to be struck; prepare for your heart to sink, to jump into your throat, to break and to leap; prepare for questions to be answered and more to take their place; prepare for... oh, who am I kidding? There is no possible way to prepare for this. Just mount your dragon and enjoy the ride!

Even with my reread to jog my memory of characters and plot, it wasn't quite enough to get me situated immediately, so I would recommend doing a proper deep dive into Fourth Wing and Iron Flame before heading into this one. But, what was clear from very early on is the amount of time and energy expended by the author in getting all of the elements of this story to coalesce. The narrative feels so much more 'put together' than Iron Flame, and even with the sheer volume of people, dragons, places and plot devices in here, everything flows really well and builds beautifully, layer by layer. I don't think there's a single wasted chapter in here. And while I am definitely a 'passenger princess' when it comes to reading, there is PLENTY to speculate about until book 4!

I listened to the audio version, and while I can't say I was the biggest fan of the narrator, I still have to give her points for her enthusiasm and nuanced delivery. I think the Graphic Audio version that's coming in a couple of months will probably help with the separation of characters (the different actors made it so much easier for me to follow FW and IF), but for the time being it was definitely worth investing in the audio. However, overall I suspect I would probably get more out of a physical/ebook read as I'd get through it far quicker and thus be able to follow each character more closely. I did find that, in places, it was hard to differentiate when characters would switch between speaking aloud and mind-speaking through a bond, for example. 

Some random spoiler-free exclamations that came out of my mouth while reading:-

- "Well that didn't take long..."
- "Slow burn, now? Really?!"
- "Rebecca Yarros, that was MEAN!!!"
- "For such a smart girl, that took you WAY too long to figure out!"
- *in the style of Admiral Ackbar* "IT'S A TRAP!!!"

I'm going to let this digest for a while; let my grain ruminate on the possibilities and the bits I'm still a bit confused over while I wait for the graphic audio version, then after that wait for the paperback version of the book to come out to read, and only THEN will I be able to pass final judgement. But immediate impressions; this book deserves the hype, deserves the midnight openings and the billboard in Times Square, and deserves every accolade that can be thrown at it.