When the human scientist bravely gets close enough to see his deformities, her honey & citrus scent and the melody of her pulse awaken dormant instincts.....The ancient vampire can't decide if he wants to 🎇 her or🩸her dry...Only that he can't keep his many hands off of her.Buckling under the pressure to end the pandemic viscously claiming the nation’s dogs, Cassandra refuses to lose Zero, her Australian shepherd and the only family member she’s still in contact with. A note from a mysterious benefactor challenges her resolve, claiming to have the formula for a treatment but requiring full anonymity.From inside his magically camouflaged mansion, which he inherited after assassinating the Mad King, Qadaire singlehandedly pioneered the scientific revolution. The veterinary pathologist blindsides him by brashly discarding his offer. When the human anomaly winds up on his doorstep, his bruised ego proposes a they work together to cure the pups.The reclusive, brilliant, intriguing scientist rekindles Cassandra’s passion for her work, but she refrains from getting too close. Work is her life. The last time she let someone close, they showed her how selfish she was. She doesn’t want to Cass this up.Engrossed with the human’s luscious curves and magnificent mind, Qadaire pines in silence, for who could love something so hideous?Collected by the Crow is a standalone romance novel in the Freedom, Love, Monsters series. Please find a full list of sensitive content and more information on the author's www.delilahdarebooks.comThis book Smart, successful, confident, curvy, queer, tatted, 30-year-old FMC!Wholesome sibling reconnectionHe falls firstMutual piningScience & magicBroody cinnamon roll cursed vampireCrow courtship with warbles, nuzzles, and shiny thingsNeurodivergent repSome sensitive themes (please visit the author's website for a full list):Difficult family relationshipsBody insecurity (male main character)
Head canon this book is called The Crowening and I'm sorry for that.
I dropped 1 star because the first few chapters were a bit clunky with setup, like you're telling me Cassandra is super smar and well respected in her field yet she doesn't have keys to the office??? Why? Why does no one but 1 person have keys? Seems silly. Also Cassandra is just like such a workaholic. Has no time for anything including food shopping (seriously, where's the food in this book? Things like this tend to take me out of it).
Qadaire, what a precious little gwumpy guy. I loved him honestly even though he said things like "His desire for her teetered on the line between claim and kill" okay there Edward Cullen. But he redeemed himself by being a selfless lover and ability to change his viewpoints like a real man (crow) of science.
I was confused about why Cass stayed at the mansion though if she was in walking distance...is it because she's a workoholic? I dunno it was never fully explained. And the time jumps/time in general, what were they? Days? Weeks? I decided on days in my head canon so be prepared for time confusions.
The humor was good Q made some great dad jokes (my fave) he was quick witted and we stan a funny guys who deadpans his deliveries. Cass was surprisingly open about her issues (yay). However, her sexuality was not fleshed out really more than to say she had a difficult time with her family over it. Like, it was a big deal (duh) but yet she never talks about it to Q. Which okay maybe they did off screen but it seemed strange to review that internal dialogue but not have her discuss it with her partner.
Anyways, loved the overall premise of the reclusive scientist. The smut was pretty good (although the talons never got addressed), not too long but not too short. Masturbation was a full thing (refreshing) and so was many jizzinings.
I liked the tie in to the other world/book (I didn't read the first book)
Anyways, thanks for this ARC and I look forward to more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Qadaire was such a broody sad boy, and for good reason. His isolation made him an…. Interesting conversationalist. Cass was determined and compassionate. These two scientific minds ended up working on a project together, because Qadaire reached out and it didn’t take long for feelings to develop. There were strong themes of body positivity and neurodivergent acceptance.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: murderous orgy depiction (MC sees painting of it), discussion of torture, isolation, sick pet, depressive episode references, cult-like religious upbringing, family estrangement, homophobia, blood, stalking
"A thrill ran through her as she recalled his little joke about feeding on her. She'd been terrified at first, but then she'd sort of wanted it to be real. Not for any freaky reason. For science. Obviously."
I can't say that I've ever felt the need to google the mating habits of crows before, but now I can say that I've done that. I'll never look at a crow the same again.
I absolutely fell in love with Qadaire. He's equally adorable and sweet but oh so sexy. I loved reading him trying to court Cassandra with all the tips he got from the crows. It had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. And his nickname for her....swoon.
I didn't relate very much to Cassandra. And at times I felt very annoyed by her choices or how often she seemed to change her mind almost immediately. The timeline of the story was a bit confusing for me. I had a hard time figuring out how much time had passed between events and found myself going back to reread quite a few times to try to figure it out.
The world building was interesting and the story behind Qadaire's condition was heartbreaking. I loved how other characters from different books in this world were brought into this story. I'm definitely going to have to go back and read those to get more of them!
This book has me ... stunned? No that's not the right idea. Rethinking my entire life choices? No. Maybe. I have never once imagined a world with... vampire crow smut. But here we are and I'm living for it. The smut was absolutely top tier. 6/5 ⭐️'s The timing did have me through a loop. Which is why I dropped a star for the over all rating. Like in my mind this took course of like a few weeks or even days. Which was super fasted paced. But hey, we've all had our "fast" moments 😜 Some chapters and situations just seemed rushed. And the whole "whats your pronouns" kinda threw me off, don't really care for that in books. But thats about it. The whole vampire story and background was good and I really wish there coulda been way more detail into that history lol
Collected by the Crow, Book 3 in the Freedom, Love, Monsters series had a little bit of everything in it. Delilah Dare writes with the full gambit of emotions. She indulged in a very wide variety of subjects from pathology to astronomy and on to magic. She also ticked off many boxes in societal history and personal life. A pandemic in dogs, social anxiety, mental health, loneliness, feeling unworthy of love, family estrangement, and so much more awaits the reader as Dr. Billings and a half-crow/half vampire, cursed by dark magic, work to find the cure that will save Zero, Dr. Billings dog from the canine pandemic sweeping the human world. Read it and enjoy it!
This book, omg this book! I am a HUGE fan of Delilah Dare and own everything she has printed. This is the 3rd book in the series and it was so beautiful. This story healed parts of me I never expected a book to touch, truly. Cass is extremely relatable and Q is the perfect anchor to bring her back every time. I loved everything about this story. The uncertainty, the dedication, the draw, the reassurance and encouragement of being deserving. Let's not forget seeing familiar faces again!!! Addison, Traeyr, Raythm, and Dana all make an appearance and it warmed my heart so much. Read the book. Read the first two. Read the next one when it comes out. They are all so amazing!
*Get the books from the author directly and she has swag packs too! The art is 10/10 every time!*
This short erotic monster romance is definitely different. An inventive mixture of multiple monster tropes. There isn't much depth to the characters' personalities, but there is character growth. The storyline seems genuinely plausible, even though it's only fiction. The only part of this book that threw me off balance while reading, was her use of identifying pronouns. It's just too confusing to have the author refer to a single character as "they" or "them". Overall it's a good read for both Vampire and Monster Romance fans.
Well it started good. But then the description doesn't match with where this book takes place. And the animals don't match. I have never read a book were the author felt like the characters have to announce their pronouns. Really out of place with that. I feel like this book had potential. But was super rushed and too much in too short of a story. Almost Dnf, which would've been a first for me. But I was skipping lots towards the end.
…there’s a lot to unpack here. I’m not going to lie, I was more interested in the side plot of them curing the tick-borne virus in dogs than I was in any of the romance. The FMC was confident and a nice contrast against the MMC who despite being in his new form for centuries still struggled with his appearance. It was a change up from the self-conscious plus size girl and the muscled up monster man. You are handsome, crow person, even with your extra arms and your half-formed cloaca.
Hey, on that note - so like he’s a half crow person because someone tried to curse him into being a crow but they died halfway through the curse but like, crows also don’t have an extra pair of arms so where did that even come from?
A soul-gripping tale of love with a complexity that engrossed me in the story right in the 1st chapter. Well written, with a captivating and often complex plot and storyline, detailed settings and characters that are unique, multilayered and feel real with traumas and insecurities that add deph to the story. An absolute must read!
I'm absolutely in love with this author and cannot wait for whatever she comes up with next!!! This entire series is spicy but well written and Soo sweet! I typically prefer reverse harems and would love to see this author branch out into that... But these stories are so good I love them as they are!
When Qadaire first gets in touch with Cassandra he has no idea how much that action is going to change both their lives. This story centers round very lonely people. I love Qadaire he is an absolute sweetie. Cassandra is a little difficult at time and he needs his patience. I enjoyed this story and look forward to more stories in this series.
Cassandra and Qadaire were a wonderful couple, and I loved seeing their relationship build. These two have met many challenges that filled them with a harsh look on how they viewed themselves, but together, they learned to value their bodies and one another.
I wanted to love this, I really did. I love any kind of monster or paranormal romance. This was just lacking for me, I loved the story, I liked the characters, the spice was even great. I just feel like there could have been more.
Was this book necessarily good? No. Was it too long and could’ve been ended around 70% of the way through? Yes. Did it also have graphic sex scenes that lasted for pages and pages? YES. Did I exclusively finish it for the sex scenes that had me questioning myself? Absolutely.
This was an entertaining read. I'm curious how the other books in this series will go. I'll probably reread this after I've read through the others just to get the full atmosphere.
Cassandra, an esteemed Veterinary Pathologist, has been working non stop to find a cure for an illness that has been infecting canines, including her own sweet pup Zero. One day she finds an anonymous letter from a mysterious stranger saying they could have the answers that she seeks.
Qadaire is a vampire and also half cursed. Centuries ago he did the world a favor by killing one of the most ruthless, sadistic, evil men on the planet. The man was in the middle of cursing Qadaire by turning him into a crow when he died, however the curse didn’t fully take.
Qadaire sees himself as an abomination and knows how humans view and react to what they can’t explain so he has isolated himself with only Crows for company. He uses his knowledge and abundance of time as an immortal to invent and cure illnesses anonymously, encouraging others to take the credit for his breakthroughs so mankind can still benefit from his work.
What I loved most about this book was how relatable it was for me. The FMC is Pansexual and Demisexual and so am I. I love seeing that representation. She is also a thick woman who has struggled with self esteem issues her whole life and Hello!👋🏼 Me too babes!🥺
When conversations about beauty and deserving love and being enough came up I literally bawled because I feel like I needed to read it.😭🫶🏼
There is plenty of spice🌶️🌶️🌶️ AND we get a cameo appearance from Traeyr and Addison from Married To The Mahr as well as characters from another one of Delilah’s books that I have not read yet (but plan too). This wonderful read ends in a happily ever after.❤️
3.5 stars. Cassandra, the female human lead, is a veterinary scientist, desperately searching for a cure for a canine disease that will kill her beloved pet in the near future. When a strange note arrives offering her a solution, she laughs it off, not interested in claiming work she didn’t do as hers.
Qadaire, the male crow/vampire hybrid lead, was transformed from a vampire several centuries ago by his master, Dracula, as he died due to Qadaire’s assassination. Having hidden in shadows whilst still pursuing his calling as a scientist, he has passed off many discoveries via some of the most famous scientists. He’s never had his offer refused and that intrigues him even more.
When Cassandra is enticed to Qadaire’s hidden castle home, she’s shocked but curious about Qadaire. Qadaire, however, is sure he’s an unloveable abomination. They’re racing against the clock to find a cure but that means spending time together and building…a relationship?
This story is dual POV, and an interesting premise with a unique male lead. I enjoyed the author’s creativity around Qadaire’s appearance and attributes. I enjoyed watching both lead characters work past their historical trauma to form a relationship.
I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.
Delilah Dare writes some pretty unique monsters. He’s a vampire but he’s also a half crow man due to a long time curse placed on him. He has helped many scientists/scholars behind the scenes
Which is exactly what he is attempting to do with Cassandra, who is having none of it. She decides to work with him for a cure for a deadly disease that has overwhelmed the pets/animals.
I really liked how insecure/vulnerable Qadaire was & how passionate Cassandra was about her work.
The plot/story line was so interesting I do feel like I was hung up on a few things. Like how come she was so chill about meeting a blood sucking bird man. It made me think that paranormal was an every day/ normal occurrence but then at the end I found out that it wasn’t and people were freaking out (rightly so I would have had a hard time believing lol). I just wish it was a bit more detailed and flushed out.
That being said I really did enjoy reading this book and love how the author always weaves in the previous books love interests into the story at the end of the book🥰🖤
I received this book as a ARC from the author and this is my honest review. One thing I really appreciate about Delilah Dare is that she really strives to make unique monsters and this one is probably the most unique of the 3 so far! I really liked having two scientists and overall really liked the general story. I also loved seeing it get tied to the other two books in the series. I did find parts clunky and confusing. Why did she have to stay in the mansion? How long was she there? Why couldn't she get keys to her lab? Also I felt the "conflict" when she left to be a bit forced and didn't have believable motivation.
This book was phenomenal. Im not sure if I liked it more than Dare's other book Married to the Mahr but it was great regardless. Has such a sweet mix of spice and romance even if it was aggravating at times 🤣 Qadaire was the carrying character in this book. I'm not sure if it's because I see him in my spouse or if he's just that loveable. These two share a similar love that I do in my current relationship and I think that's why I can't choose a favorite between this and Mahr. I particularly loved how Dare tied in her other books near the end and I'm so excited to read Falling for the two headed dragon now. As well as her upcoming Mating the Elements books!!
This is a sensational story. The world building is incredible. The characters are so rich and inviting. I loved some of the scenes between them. Watching them lean and grow together was truly a wonder to behold. The spice scenes were intense. The plot was a very interesting one. I loved some of how well it worked to create this amazing story. Sometimes you see stories that are a love story and then the other plot also happens, this story was the beautiful blend of them both happening at the same time. Such an amazing author.
This plot is there, and it has a basic structure, but you never feel any tension or urgency. There are a few sentences I highlighted that I have dubbed "A Series of Unfortunate Sentences," and I feel like an editor should have crossed these out with the note "NO." The characters are interesting, and the relationship is sweet, but I feel like the romance between them could have been more fleshed out.
I like this one much more than Married to the Mahr. Both were good but this one had so much more character depth to them. Explaining troubles. I loved the banter it had as well as gave a more realistic feel to telling people you fell in love with a vampire. But at the same time the people around you who you know closely are just like "okaaay..... whatever floats your boat girly."
At the beginning it felt like the author just had a list of buzzwords that they were trying to check off that didn't really fit in the story or go anywhere after they were brought up. Things got better farther in, so it was easy to look past and after a while. I did like the idea of the plot and the MMC. His design felt unique and interesting for the story. I wish there was a little more about the other land they traveled too, but it was okay for the length of the story.