Dae

This book has a lot of things you need to pay attention to and remember in order not to get lost at some points, but the real and main heft of what is happening in this story seems to take place in the latter half. That's where the threads start to really weave together and connect. I cannot say I was surprised by any of the twists and turns it took, but it was a fun ride nevertheless.

First half of this book is an exercise in frustration, but at least in the second portion the mystery starts to get good.

An interesting start.

It's not quite what I expected from the blurb and tags I saw while doing my preliminary research (before purchasing). I went in expecting more horror and wound up in a thriller-dystopian mash up.

The main character can be a bit dry and cold, but then you realize that's exactly what she's supposed to be. She's not out for peace and love, she's there for very serious reasons. She has the motivation and means to be a problem for people, and so she's going to fulfill that promise. Some might even call her kind of monstrous, but she's got plans to see through and little to no reason to stop before they're done.

There are certainly a lot of political issues in this world that don't start getting unpacked until the latter third of the book. (And they probably come more to the forefront in book 2). But overall the world building is good. The magic? - some of it sounds silly but makes sense. Some of it is more realistic and other bits lean heavier into fiction. It's a mixed bag.

(Undecided yet on whether or not to continue this trilogy.)

A wonderfully written story of desperation, the depths love will drive someone to, magic, and female power.

This book was agonizing to get through, and not in the fun way.

While the main characters had very real and valid things to unpack and work through, they also had minimal spark on the page together after the halfway point in the book, imo. The latter half became a drag to get through, and I honestly thought it could've benefitted from some trimming. Because 400 pages.

I expected so much more because I loved the author's other work (The Hazelwood). But this disappointed on so many levels, especially the horror aspects it claimed to have.

Beautifully written, could've read a hundred more pages.

BUT THAT ENDING THOUGH?!? OMG.

A lovely, cozy slow burn romance! (So slow in fact that you may scream, "just kiss already!!" at the characters like I did. Several times. But trust me, it's worth it!)

Noah is, to put it bluntly, a mess - and you soon realize why - but he's also trying his best to find his own truth and life. A struggle I think many people can resonate with. And Alex, the living embodiment of a golden retriever puppy, is endearingly oblivious to even his own growing obsession as he tries to make Noah his "friend".

And while Noah & Alex are certainly the stars of the show, it would be a disservice not to mention the friends/supporting cast. (Especially Yatesy! Whom my bff and I cannot wait to read about in the future.) All of them are the type of friends you might wish for; wise, funny, and most of all supportive.

The only thing I would say garners a deduction is that the Big Thing (tm) that seems to be a major hang up for Noah, and one of the hinges of the story (his own father) seems to get sort of hand-waved off and thinned to the point of hardly making an impact at all. There's no confrontation or repercussions to this apparent threat that has been dangling over Noah's head for the majority of the story. It all just..goes away. I think it could've been character affirming for Noah, who is shown to change and grow as he branches out, to at least have said he was done with his father to his face.

The darkness in this one hides where you least expect it.

It's not what I would call a "dark romance", but rather "a darker story with romance in it". In fact, the merman 'monster' could've been even more monstrous and I would've still loved him.

Had very high expectations for this one - especially since it's a Canadian author - but I think the hype train got to me. Because it didn't live up. It definitely feels and reads like a debut book; a little rough at the edges. (Which lends to the grit of this world in a beneficial way!) But my main problem with it is actually the writing style. It comes across very C-drama meets overdramatic fighting anime.

I expected more? The magic aspects were fabulous, but the characters were flat and felt rushed. Especially the enraged MMC and the constantly teary-eyed FMC - I'd expect those two to at least be well crafted.

The author also needs to learn the appropriate moments to use word "howled". Because it's used indiscriminately A LOT. Sometimes right out of the blue. Which is jarring.

And the whole "instant love" trope needs to go far, far away.

A solid, interesting story! I wish there had been more of the spooky aspects and creepy moments, because those excelled as they unfolded! The main characters also could have used more time to develop. Especially within their budding attraction to one another; it would've been nice to see it all start to really tangle together and offer even more of a threat over their heads.