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Serpentine Valentine: A Medusa Retelling
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Giana Darling comes a sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling about a woman who was wronged by her idols and refused to pay the price without getting revenge...
I was born a woman.
Raised by women.
In love with women.
Until I enrolled at Acheron University, I'd never known much of men. I certainly didn't know enough to fear them.
Then one stormy autumnal night, Professor Morgan tried to destroy me.
And when we were discovered by the university President, it was me who was punished for the unwanted seduction.
But they left me with two valuable lessons.
I would never let another woman be hurt by men again if I could help it.
And when someone hurts you, betrays you, and tries to rip out your soul, there is only one remedy for the pain.
Revenge.
And mine takes the form of the President's very beautiful, very virginal, very straight daughter, Luna Pallas.
Before the end of term, I'll destroy her innocence just as her mother and Professor Morgan destroyed mine.
I was born a woman.
Raised by women.
In love with women.
Until I enrolled at Acheron University, I'd never known much of men. I certainly didn't know enough to fear them.
Then one stormy autumnal night, Professor Morgan tried to destroy me.
And when we were discovered by the university President, it was me who was punished for the unwanted seduction.
But they left me with two valuable lessons.
I would never let another woman be hurt by men again if I could help it.
And when someone hurts you, betrays you, and tries to rip out your soul, there is only one remedy for the pain.
Revenge.
And mine takes the form of the President's very beautiful, very virginal, very straight daughter, Luna Pallas.
Before the end of term, I'll destroy her innocence just as her mother and Professor Morgan destroyed mine.
365 pages, Paperback
First published February 8, 2024
510 people are currently reading
12672 people want to read
About the author
Giana Darling
47 books10.1k followersGiana Darling is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Top 40 Amazon Best Selling Canadian romance author.
I love to write about all things dark, forbidden, and angsty.
★CONNECT WITH GIANA★
GOODREADS GROUP: http://bit.ly/GianasDarlings_Goodreads
WEBSITE: gianadarling.com
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NEWSLETTER: https://gianadarling.ck.page/0b909dc860
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@gianadarling...
I love to hear from readers so please contact me at giana@gianadarling.com if you have any questions or comments.
You can also contact my PA at gianadarlingpa(at)gianadarling.com !
I love to write about all things dark, forbidden, and angsty.
★CONNECT WITH GIANA★
GOODREADS GROUP: http://bit.ly/GianasDarlings_Goodreads
WEBSITE: gianadarling.com
FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/2tKhTKO
READER’S GROUP: http://bit.ly/2CFNVsK
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2J5Evtq
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2E5LPRW
BOOKBUB: http://bit.ly/2lI2UNn
IG: http://bit.ly/2eNG8Bp | @GianaDarlingAuthor
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/gianadarling/
NEWSLETTER: https://gianadarling.ck.page/0b909dc860
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@gianadarling...
I love to hear from readers so please contact me at giana@gianadarling.com if you have any questions or comments.
You can also contact my PA at gianadarlingpa(at)gianadarling.com !
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 956 reviews
January 13, 2025
'The snake felt like a gift. A promise. That someday, someway, I'd be able to move on from this horror- shed my old skin and be reborn something stronger. Something powerful and terrifying.'
"Most people are terrified of snakes."
"Most people are afraid of you."
"But not you."
"Not me."
"You make me feel a lot of thing I've never felt before, but not fear."
✴ ‧₊˚ ⋅ 4.25 𝓛𝓾𝓼𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼!! ✴ ‧₊˚ ⋅
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓞𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
Alexandra 'Lex' Gorgon lived a seemingly sheltered life at home with her parents. Her father in particular was not very fond of her being attracted to girls at a young age and ultimately she ran away from home and ended up with her chosen family with a loving mother and three sisters.
Through her mom's connection she's now living her life's dream and attending Acheron University on scholarship. An avid academic and a huge passion for classic tragedies, she finds herself in the class of the attractive and popular amongst the girls professor Morgan's class.
Lex stands out - she's extremely passionate about her major and Morgan takes notice of that, soon she is spending evenings with him discussing and debating literature. He becomes someone that Lex trusts and depends on...
Until one evening he spikes her tea and does the unthinkable..
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
This is the first book that I've read by Giana Darling and I'm super impressed! I find that even though I LOVE dark academia, I have a hard time finding authors that can keep my attention and immerse me in the story.
This isn't the case with Serpentine Valentine. I was pulled into this gothic academic world from page one and found myself tearing through the pages.
The story had me in a chokehold - I completely connected with Lex and her feelings of being violated. The rage and the anger that she felt.
The pacing was steady throughout, it never dragged and kept me engaged.
The romance!! I loved it!! It's been a while since I've read a really good F/F romance. Darling brought the steam, the tension, the angst. It was so seductive and lush. Don't even ask about the salted pasta water 🤭💦
At the heart of the novel it's a story about healing and discovering one self. A beautiful story of how you can go through something so life shattering and come out the other end fulfilled and whole.
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓒𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
🐍 Dark Academia
🐍 Sapphic Love
🐍 Grumpy Sunshine
🐍Revenge Story
🐍 Medusa Retelling
🐍 Bookish Heroine
🐍 Found Family
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
'She was pretty like Botticelli's Venus was pretty, the word didn't do either justice. She was... she was like something from a dream. Only I'd stop dreaming so long ago, I almost couldn't believe she was real.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'Love, they called it. How simple a word for such a complex and stunning structure built between two hearts and souls.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
' "Lux Mia" my light that shines in the darkness. The quality of her attention felt like sunlight on my skin.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I wanted to know that girl. I wanted to cherish and protect her. I wanted to love her.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I know it's not enough to erase what happened to you, but I'm going to love your body until it's singing, and any thought of him is lost, at least for now.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I'd always preferred sad stories, the kind that left an aching echo in my chest for weeks.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I want your teeth on my throat more than I've ever wanted someone else's mouth against my lips.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I don't think I'm capable of love, but also, I might be falling for you.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'It was then I knew how much I loved her. Because her pain, so acute, brutalized my own soul as if it were her own. Because her heart had become more precious than mine.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'The feel of her hand in mine took my breath away. The rightness of it made my eyes burn with tears.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
"Most people are terrified of snakes."
"Most people are afraid of you."
"But not you."
"Not me."
"You make me feel a lot of thing I've never felt before, but not fear."
✴ ‧₊˚ ⋅ 4.25 𝓛𝓾𝓼𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼!! ✴ ‧₊˚ ⋅
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓞𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
Alexandra 'Lex' Gorgon lived a seemingly sheltered life at home with her parents. Her father in particular was not very fond of her being attracted to girls at a young age and ultimately she ran away from home and ended up with her chosen family with a loving mother and three sisters.
Through her mom's connection she's now living her life's dream and attending Acheron University on scholarship. An avid academic and a huge passion for classic tragedies, she finds herself in the class of the attractive and popular amongst the girls professor Morgan's class.
Lex stands out - she's extremely passionate about her major and Morgan takes notice of that, soon she is spending evenings with him discussing and debating literature. He becomes someone that Lex trusts and depends on...
Until one evening he spikes her tea and does the unthinkable..
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
This is the first book that I've read by Giana Darling and I'm super impressed! I find that even though I LOVE dark academia, I have a hard time finding authors that can keep my attention and immerse me in the story.
This isn't the case with Serpentine Valentine. I was pulled into this gothic academic world from page one and found myself tearing through the pages.
The story had me in a chokehold - I completely connected with Lex and her feelings of being violated. The rage and the anger that she felt.
The pacing was steady throughout, it never dragged and kept me engaged.
The romance!! I loved it!! It's been a while since I've read a really good F/F romance. Darling brought the steam, the tension, the angst. It was so seductive and lush. Don't even ask about the salted pasta water 🤭💦
At the heart of the novel it's a story about healing and discovering one self. A beautiful story of how you can go through something so life shattering and come out the other end fulfilled and whole.
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓒𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
🐍 Dark Academia
🐍 Sapphic Love
🐍 Grumpy Sunshine
🐍Revenge Story
🐍 Medusa Retelling
🐍 Bookish Heroine
🐍 Found Family
ೃ❤⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼 ✩࿐⋆*;༊
'She was pretty like Botticelli's Venus was pretty, the word didn't do either justice. She was... she was like something from a dream. Only I'd stop dreaming so long ago, I almost couldn't believe she was real.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'Love, they called it. How simple a word for such a complex and stunning structure built between two hearts and souls.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
' "Lux Mia" my light that shines in the darkness. The quality of her attention felt like sunlight on my skin.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I wanted to know that girl. I wanted to cherish and protect her. I wanted to love her.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I know it's not enough to erase what happened to you, but I'm going to love your body until it's singing, and any thought of him is lost, at least for now.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I'd always preferred sad stories, the kind that left an aching echo in my chest for weeks.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I want your teeth on my throat more than I've ever wanted someone else's mouth against my lips.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'I don't think I'm capable of love, but also, I might be falling for you.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'It was then I knew how much I loved her. Because her pain, so acute, brutalized my own soul as if it were her own. Because her heart had become more precious than mine.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
'The feel of her hand in mine took my breath away. The rightness of it made my eyes burn with tears.' ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
February 21, 2024
salted pasta water is still crazy...
when i heard sapphic medusa reimagining with a dark academia setting, i knew i couldn’t resist reading this for too long. and this book is that! and i really loved the romance! and i will always love seeing women getting revenge and healing the way they want to heal against horrible acts committed against them!! but this is a dark book that really centers on sexual assault at this college, so please use caution and take care of yourselves while reading. (i would say just skip chapter 2 when the on page rape happens, but different assaults happen and are discussed throughout this entire story.)
after chapter two, we get to see lex almost a year later, back at the university that did nothing to protect her and everything to protect her rapist, and she is ready to get that revenge that she deserves. she is also ready, with the help of her sister, to take revenge for people who feel voiceless and put fear in the men who walk around campus feeling untouchable after making people feel voiceless. but when a girl who is supposed to be part of lex’s personal revenge starts to feel like something she has always wanted, things get a little more complicated.
i really liked the romance in this. going into this book, i was scared because i knew it had a revenge element, but i didn’t feel any weird power dynamics, there was no bullying towards one another, and i felt like both girls just truly liked each other from the very start. i also felt like luna’s journey in realizing she is bi was really thoughtfully done and realistic. and i also really respected and enjoyed lex’s portrayal for always knowing she is a lesbian. i know the salted pasta water is still crazy, but the sex scenes were actually extremely well done - maybe some of the best i've read. and i just really enjoyed watching this romance unfold.
i just really respected what this book and story is, and i wish we got more books like this. i wish we got more empowering books about women getting revenge on the people who have committed these acts that our broken systems don’t accurately punish them for. And i also wish we got more books of just girls falling in love, girls discovering their sexuality, and girls having all different kinds of relationships - some quiet, some loud, some slow, some fast, some light, some heavy. (i feel like some of the comments i am seeing about the romance/sex in this book… you all are not saying this to the 500 m/m romances we get every year. i really appreciate this story and what it is doing for so many reasons, but also the reason the baseline fact that we need more sapphic stories of all kinds.)
i also “enjoyed” (it feels weird to say that for this but…. i just think it's an important conversation) seeing the discussion on how men/society can treat lesbians because the world cannot fathom someone not being attracted to men in some shape or form or way. How people will say you're just confused, or you just haven't had a good experience with a man yet, because it is impossible for some people to wrap their minds around their own unimportance (and their misogyny). i am pan, but i really respected that being shown in this book, because i sadly do think that is a reality for so many people who aren’t interested in men romantically or sexually and it should be talked about (and unlearned) more.
overall, i just really am happy this book exists for many reasons. i loved the sapphic romance and seeing these two girls heal and realize that they deserve good and safe things, maybe even with the unconditional help and support from one another. and i also really respected what the author did with these darker themes and the helplessness people often feel. i'm not saying this was a perfect book by any means, but i am thankful for it and i really hope this author writes more sapphic romance in the future, because i will be preordering.
trigger + content warnings: rape and sexual assault (on page, many different depictions, and talked about through the entirety of this book), not being believed after sa, predatory behavior, drugging, vomit, misogyny, snakes, blood, bullying, child abuse mentions, abusive parents, graphic physical abuse, ptsd, nightmares, harry potter mentions, torture, gore, violence, homophobia (in a negative light always), use of slur for lesbians, suicidal thoughts in past, murder
♡ buddy read with Penny
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
♡ Enthralled ★★★
when i heard sapphic medusa reimagining with a dark academia setting, i knew i couldn’t resist reading this for too long. and this book is that! and i really loved the romance! and i will always love seeing women getting revenge and healing the way they want to heal against horrible acts committed against them!! but this is a dark book that really centers on sexual assault at this college, so please use caution and take care of yourselves while reading. (i would say just skip chapter 2 when the on page rape happens, but different assaults happen and are discussed throughout this entire story.)
after chapter two, we get to see lex almost a year later, back at the university that did nothing to protect her and everything to protect her rapist, and she is ready to get that revenge that she deserves. she is also ready, with the help of her sister, to take revenge for people who feel voiceless and put fear in the men who walk around campus feeling untouchable after making people feel voiceless. but when a girl who is supposed to be part of lex’s personal revenge starts to feel like something she has always wanted, things get a little more complicated.
i really liked the romance in this. going into this book, i was scared because i knew it had a revenge element, but i didn’t feel any weird power dynamics, there was no bullying towards one another, and i felt like both girls just truly liked each other from the very start. i also felt like luna’s journey in realizing she is bi was really thoughtfully done and realistic. and i also really respected and enjoyed lex’s portrayal for always knowing she is a lesbian. i know the salted pasta water is still crazy, but the sex scenes were actually extremely well done - maybe some of the best i've read. and i just really enjoyed watching this romance unfold.
i just really respected what this book and story is, and i wish we got more books like this. i wish we got more empowering books about women getting revenge on the people who have committed these acts that our broken systems don’t accurately punish them for. And i also wish we got more books of just girls falling in love, girls discovering their sexuality, and girls having all different kinds of relationships - some quiet, some loud, some slow, some fast, some light, some heavy. (i feel like some of the comments i am seeing about the romance/sex in this book… you all are not saying this to the 500 m/m romances we get every year. i really appreciate this story and what it is doing for so many reasons, but also the reason the baseline fact that we need more sapphic stories of all kinds.)
i also “enjoyed” (it feels weird to say that for this but…. i just think it's an important conversation) seeing the discussion on how men/society can treat lesbians because the world cannot fathom someone not being attracted to men in some shape or form or way. How people will say you're just confused, or you just haven't had a good experience with a man yet, because it is impossible for some people to wrap their minds around their own unimportance (and their misogyny). i am pan, but i really respected that being shown in this book, because i sadly do think that is a reality for so many people who aren’t interested in men romantically or sexually and it should be talked about (and unlearned) more.
overall, i just really am happy this book exists for many reasons. i loved the sapphic romance and seeing these two girls heal and realize that they deserve good and safe things, maybe even with the unconditional help and support from one another. and i also really respected what the author did with these darker themes and the helplessness people often feel. i'm not saying this was a perfect book by any means, but i am thankful for it and i really hope this author writes more sapphic romance in the future, because i will be preordering.
trigger + content warnings: rape and sexual assault (on page, many different depictions, and talked about through the entirety of this book), not being believed after sa, predatory behavior, drugging, vomit, misogyny, snakes, blood, bullying, child abuse mentions, abusive parents, graphic physical abuse, ptsd, nightmares, harry potter mentions, torture, gore, violence, homophobia (in a negative light always), use of slur for lesbians, suicidal thoughts in past, murder
♡ buddy read with Penny
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
♡ Enthralled ★★★
September 17, 2024
Words can’t even begin to describe the experience of reading Serpentine Valentine by Giana Darling. Giana has always been someone I admire for her absolutely beautiful writing and how she creates a love story, and this book is no exception. Dark academia was made for her and I was so immersed in the world of Acheron University and Lex’s quest against men who have wronged women and everyone who had wronged her.
Luna’s self discovery and choice to explore her identity in a life that didn’t want her to was empowering and inspiring. The romance was everythhinngggg I wanted in a sapphic romance and I loved the push and pull of the relationship. There was definitely angst and spice and I loved watching them fall for each other.
And can we talk about Giana's writing?? It was so beautiful and, as someone who loves literature, I loved how her characters discussed their love and connection to literature as well. Everything was so poetic and fit the vibes of this story so perfectly.
Remember that this is a dark romance, so there is a lot explored here about assault and getting revenge on men who take advantage of women and never see any repercussion for their actions.
I adore every page, word, and letter of this book and hope you pick it up when it releases on February 8th
Luna’s self discovery and choice to explore her identity in a life that didn’t want her to was empowering and inspiring. The romance was everythhinngggg I wanted in a sapphic romance and I loved the push and pull of the relationship. There was definitely angst and spice and I loved watching them fall for each other.
And can we talk about Giana's writing?? It was so beautiful and, as someone who loves literature, I loved how her characters discussed their love and connection to literature as well. Everything was so poetic and fit the vibes of this story so perfectly.
Remember that this is a dark romance, so there is a lot explored here about assault and getting revenge on men who take advantage of women and never see any repercussion for their actions.
I adore every page, word, and letter of this book and hope you pick it up when it releases on February 8th
July 19, 2024
dnf at 65%
y’all as soon as she said her vajayjay tastes like “salted pasta water” i mentally checked out. i was really looking forward to this especially because it’s a sapphic dark academia romance and we don’t get much of those, but i was just extremely disappointed. it takes a LOT for me to dnf a book, so yeah…we really need better sapphic dark romances because i’m losing my mind
y’all as soon as she said her vajayjay tastes like “salted pasta water” i mentally checked out. i was really looking forward to this especially because it’s a sapphic dark academia romance and we don’t get much of those, but i was just extremely disappointed. it takes a LOT for me to dnf a book, so yeah…we really need better sapphic dark romances because i’m losing my mind
February 19, 2024
‘I think you’d like it. The way I taste. Like salted pasta water.’
Yeah…my reaction to this quote just about sums up how I felt about this book.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
A sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling with a revenge romance? Sold, you got me. But good lord this was disappointing.
Firstly, this didn't feel intended for sapphic readers. Maybe others will feel differently, but as a bisexual woman myself, so many aspects of the portrayal of queer women just rubbed me up the wrong way…
‘Could I say that sex between two women was life-affirming? I knew there was no hope of procreation, but it still felt that way.’
‘Being gay isn’t something I externalise’
‘She was cute too, in a boyish way with cropped hair and a propensity to wear clothes from the men’s side of the store. She pulled it off with the confidence that came from being out for a long time.’
The undertones to these comments…
And to traumatise you thoroughly, ‘SALTED PASTA WATER’ used in DIRTY TALK to describe pussy. Brilliant.
Heteronormativity and misogyny ran rife in this book, alongside the sexualisation and objectification of women. I couldn’t find myself at all empowered by a book that intended to condemn these events when the MCs’ inner thoughts and actions just fell prey to them.
The way Lex approached their relationship made me vividly uncomfortable. She intends to seduce a ‘straight’ girl to get revenge on her rapist’s defender. How is sexually manipulating another girl feminist in any way, shape or form? The way Lex approaches Luna’s sexuality, denying she isn’t straight even though Luna repeatedly states she is, and essentially forcing her to come out, didn’t sit right. Her inner monologue surrounding this was disgusting. And then Luna’s perspective showed she was into her from the get-go so this plotline really didn’t make any sense.
Also, as Lex has been sexually assaulted, and repeatedly brings up consent many times, why does she then go on to have sex with Luna when she has been drinking? This all made me feel very uncomfortable with their relationship.
There was so much male influence in this book. I felt subjected to the male gaze just reading it. I don’t know how to explain it, but it felt like the equivalent of two women kissing for the sole purpose of men’s enjoyment. It was a sapphic romance made palatable and somehow felt heterosexual. These aspects negated every element that should have made this book a story of a woman’s strength and revenge, and a good queer romance.
Finally, the writing and plot was simply terrible. I am usually a fan of Giana’s writing, but this did not hit the mark. There was reference after reference to Greek mythology thrown in your face randomly which didn’t serve anything other than the ability to call this book a medusa retelling. It was just laughable, really - for example, the professor had a boat called ‘Poseidon’.
The revenge plotline (which should have been empowering) just ended up making me cringe because they called themselves the ‘Maneaters’ and Lex wore a snake mask thing (seriously…). The references to Harry Potter forced me to throw my kindle across the room multiple times, because you can’t call a book dark academia and then have one of the MC’s wear a Slytherin blazer and say she’s obsessed with Draco Malfoy. I mean to the latter, same, but that right there belongs in the deep depths of AO3, not my sapphic spicy romance. To all authors: please stop mentioning harry potter in your books. It is insanely embarrassing, not to mention incredibly ignorant.
Everything that should have made this book good (the sapphic romance, the dark academia setting, the references to Greek mythology, the revenge plotline and battle against sexual violence) was executed so poorly that alongside the poor writing, all-over-the-place plot, and cringy quotes, it completely missed the mark.
I can appreciate that the intention of this book was to address the sensitive topic of sexual assult, but I just think it was executed badly, despite the good intentions. I am also so sick of forcing myself to give a writer credit for writing a sapphic novel, simply because I am happy they are finally giving sapphic romance a chance. If this were a straight romance, it would be getting one star.
Yeah…my reaction to this quote just about sums up how I felt about this book.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
A sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling with a revenge romance? Sold, you got me. But good lord this was disappointing.
Firstly, this didn't feel intended for sapphic readers. Maybe others will feel differently, but as a bisexual woman myself, so many aspects of the portrayal of queer women just rubbed me up the wrong way…
‘Could I say that sex between two women was life-affirming? I knew there was no hope of procreation, but it still felt that way.’
‘Being gay isn’t something I externalise’
‘She was cute too, in a boyish way with cropped hair and a propensity to wear clothes from the men’s side of the store. She pulled it off with the confidence that came from being out for a long time.’
The undertones to these comments…
And to traumatise you thoroughly, ‘SALTED PASTA WATER’ used in DIRTY TALK to describe pussy. Brilliant.
Heteronormativity and misogyny ran rife in this book, alongside the sexualisation and objectification of women. I couldn’t find myself at all empowered by a book that intended to condemn these events when the MCs’ inner thoughts and actions just fell prey to them.
The way Lex approached their relationship made me vividly uncomfortable. She intends to seduce a ‘straight’ girl to get revenge on her rapist’s defender. How is sexually manipulating another girl feminist in any way, shape or form? The way Lex approaches Luna’s sexuality, denying she isn’t straight even though Luna repeatedly states she is, and essentially forcing her to come out, didn’t sit right. Her inner monologue surrounding this was disgusting. And then Luna’s perspective showed she was into her from the get-go so this plotline really didn’t make any sense.
Also, as Lex has been sexually assaulted, and repeatedly brings up consent many times, why does she then go on to have sex with Luna when she has been drinking? This all made me feel very uncomfortable with their relationship.
There was so much male influence in this book. I felt subjected to the male gaze just reading it. I don’t know how to explain it, but it felt like the equivalent of two women kissing for the sole purpose of men’s enjoyment. It was a sapphic romance made palatable and somehow felt heterosexual. These aspects negated every element that should have made this book a story of a woman’s strength and revenge, and a good queer romance.
Finally, the writing and plot was simply terrible. I am usually a fan of Giana’s writing, but this did not hit the mark. There was reference after reference to Greek mythology thrown in your face randomly which didn’t serve anything other than the ability to call this book a medusa retelling. It was just laughable, really - for example, the professor had a boat called ‘Poseidon’.
The revenge plotline (which should have been empowering) just ended up making me cringe because they called themselves the ‘Maneaters’ and Lex wore a snake mask thing (seriously…). The references to Harry Potter forced me to throw my kindle across the room multiple times, because you can’t call a book dark academia and then have one of the MC’s wear a Slytherin blazer and say she’s obsessed with Draco Malfoy. I mean to the latter, same, but that right there belongs in the deep depths of AO3, not my sapphic spicy romance. To all authors: please stop mentioning harry potter in your books. It is insanely embarrassing, not to mention incredibly ignorant.
Everything that should have made this book good (the sapphic romance, the dark academia setting, the references to Greek mythology, the revenge plotline and battle against sexual violence) was executed so poorly that alongside the poor writing, all-over-the-place plot, and cringy quotes, it completely missed the mark.
I can appreciate that the intention of this book was to address the sensitive topic of sexual assult, but I just think it was executed badly, despite the good intentions. I am also so sick of forcing myself to give a writer credit for writing a sapphic novel, simply because I am happy they are finally giving sapphic romance a chance. If this were a straight romance, it would be getting one star.
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February 8, 2024Now available!
Grab your copy today. Read for FREE with KU!
https://geni.us/SerpentineValentineGD
A sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling.
“They would all pay for what was done to me but none more than good girl Luna Pallas.”
What you can expect:
🐍 Contemporary Medusa Retelling
🖤 Dark Academia
🐍 Sapphic romance
🖤 Opposite sides of the track
🐍 Grumpy/sunshine
🖤 Found family
🐍 Revenge fuelled seduction
Grab your copy today. Read for FREE with KU!
https://geni.us/SerpentineValentineGD
A sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling.
“They would all pay for what was done to me but none more than good girl Luna Pallas.”
What you can expect:
🐍 Contemporary Medusa Retelling
🖤 Dark Academia
🐍 Sapphic romance
🖤 Opposite sides of the track
🐍 Grumpy/sunshine
🖤 Found family
🐍 Revenge fuelled seduction
April 30, 2024
4⭐️ 3.5🌶️
This book is so fucking necessary, everyone needs to read this!
It’s very heavily centred around SA, so be aware of that going into, and it’s the premise of the entire book, so it’s a heavier read, but also so empowering at the same time.
It’s a dark Medusa retelling, academic setting, revenge plot, sapphic romance, and the feminine rageeeee in this book is 🤌🏼✨✨
“The thing about heartbreak was that it wasn’t a single hammer hit to the organ. A one time shattering. It was ongoing. A withering with time, a flux and contraction of fruitless hope paired with the bitter reality of unrealised dreams dying slow deaths.”
^^ IM SORRYYY?!!?! 😮💨
Just go and read it, great fucking book, the writing was INCREDIBLE, my first giana darling book did not disappoint 🙌🏼
This book is so fucking necessary, everyone needs to read this!
It’s very heavily centred around SA, so be aware of that going into, and it’s the premise of the entire book, so it’s a heavier read, but also so empowering at the same time.
It’s a dark Medusa retelling, academic setting, revenge plot, sapphic romance, and the feminine rageeeee in this book is 🤌🏼✨✨
“The thing about heartbreak was that it wasn’t a single hammer hit to the organ. A one time shattering. It was ongoing. A withering with time, a flux and contraction of fruitless hope paired with the bitter reality of unrealised dreams dying slow deaths.”
^^ IM SORRYYY?!!?! 😮💨
Just go and read it, great fucking book, the writing was INCREDIBLE, my first giana darling book did not disappoint 🙌🏼
February 7, 2024
“it takes courage to love someone who thinks they are broken,”
i am conflicted. the first half of this book felt to me like the new “tryst six venom”, the token sapphic romance for dark romance readers. is that inherently bad? no, there’s nothing wrong with liking either of these books. i’ve read both and enjoyed aspects of them while also being critical of others that raised issues for me personally. much like that one, this read like it wasn’t really written for sapphic women. everyone’s experience is different, and other sapphic women might relate to and find the representation in this book true to themselves, but i struggled with some elements of it. as a lesbian myself, who’s been sexually assaulted, at first i didn’t feel as the target audience for this book, and it took me a long time to get into it.
first of all, the story tried to tackle many things at once, and some were lacking because of it, mainly the romance. the romance wasn’t bad per se, in the slightest. but given the nature of the book, the trauma it portrayed and issues it tried to raise awareness to, it needed to be longer to develop and give more time to the couple. was that the most important thing to the book? no, that was the empowering message and almost love letter to sisterhood as a whole, and i wouldn’t take anything away from it. but since it was marketed as a romance and me, as a queer woman, having so little good representation in dark romance, i hoped and yearn for that from this book. on the other hand, the romance started as a subplot to the revenge itself, and using another woman as a pawn when this was a feminist novel didn't sit well with me.
secondly, how the male gaze was approached – “the male gaze sees the female body as something for the heterosexual male (or patriarchal society as a whole) to watch, conquer, and possess and use to further their goals” – but often times fell under its influence due to internalized misogyny and stereotypes, which takes years to dismantle and i can’t solely fault the author for given the society we live in. however, there was this overall objectifying (and other people hypersexualizing the victim) element to the book that contradicted what the story itself was trying to condemn, or perhaps shed light to it but from the perspective of the male gaze rather than the female gaze. some descriptions of how both male and female bodies were perceived rubbed me the wrong way, for example:
“satisfaction warmed my blood like arousal. my heart beat too fast. my mouth watered. my stomach felt achingly empty. i wanted to devour him. break this predator apart piece by piece and eat him. something about taking him into my body against his will felt like dark poetic justice. if he wanted to violate women so much, we would violate him.” the sexualization of this passage triggered me. i know victims have different reactions. there’s no right “response”. but this read too sexual to me. and the fact that it was between the lesbian fmc and a man affected me even more.
“they looked right together, a picture of young, carefree men in workout gear with two pretty girls in ripped jeans and little tops adorning them like bulbs on a christmas tree.” the perception of women as accessories to men.
“i think you’d like it. the way i taste. like salted pasta water. i think you’d become addicted to that slick sweetness.” i don’t even know where to begin, i’m offended and confused. not that pussy tastes like pepsi cola, but it’s not salted pasta water either. it feels too much like a comparison, or rather approximation to men’s cum to somewhat seem palatable or relatable to straight readers.
“she was cute, too, in a kind of boyish way with cropped hair and a propensity to wear clothes from the men’s side of the store. she pulled it off with the confidence that came from being out for a long time.” these almost gender-swap attributes to present queer women as manly or masculine fell into old heteronormative and binary stereotypes that diminish and invalidate our identities and sexualities. she was cute, period. why make it about men? about gender? (this was also one of the only other queer people in the book as well, and she only served to further the couple instead of being her own character.)
on that note, i didn’t understand the need to beautify “ugly” men, and expressively go into detail about their conventionally attractive looks (again, it felt like it was there to appease to a straight audience, to keep them interested in the sapphic romance). it fits the mythology quota, yes, a metaphor to the rapist gods and reality alike, but it came to a point in the story where the book focused more on myth than plot. for a sapphic romance, but most of all, for a women’s war cry, men had almost as much of a focal point to the story than women themselves, they were direct and indirectly the driven force of the action. which, given the vengeful nature of the plot, is understandable to some extent since it was exposing them, but still conflicting.
and lastly, but certainly not least, it was extremely insensitive to mention the harry potter series, written by a blatantly transphobic author, in a sapphic book (trans women are included in the sapphic identity/experience). it was completely unnecessary, the continuous nods to that universe, even naming characters after them. it’s one thing to have a nostalgic attachment to those books, it’s another thing entirely to, in this day and age, include, and in such a positive light no less, those works and on a queer story on top of that.
i am conflicted. the first half of this book felt to me like the new “tryst six venom”, the token sapphic romance for dark romance readers. is that inherently bad? no, there’s nothing wrong with liking either of these books. i’ve read both and enjoyed aspects of them while also being critical of others that raised issues for me personally. much like that one, this read like it wasn’t really written for sapphic women. everyone’s experience is different, and other sapphic women might relate to and find the representation in this book true to themselves, but i struggled with some elements of it. as a lesbian myself, who’s been sexually assaulted, at first i didn’t feel as the target audience for this book, and it took me a long time to get into it.
first of all, the story tried to tackle many things at once, and some were lacking because of it, mainly the romance. the romance wasn’t bad per se, in the slightest. but given the nature of the book, the trauma it portrayed and issues it tried to raise awareness to, it needed to be longer to develop and give more time to the couple. was that the most important thing to the book? no, that was the empowering message and almost love letter to sisterhood as a whole, and i wouldn’t take anything away from it. but since it was marketed as a romance and me, as a queer woman, having so little good representation in dark romance, i hoped and yearn for that from this book. on the other hand, the romance started as a subplot to the revenge itself, and using another woman as a pawn when this was a feminist novel didn't sit well with me.
secondly, how the male gaze was approached – “the male gaze sees the female body as something for the heterosexual male (or patriarchal society as a whole) to watch, conquer, and possess and use to further their goals” – but often times fell under its influence due to internalized misogyny and stereotypes, which takes years to dismantle and i can’t solely fault the author for given the society we live in. however, there was this overall objectifying (and other people hypersexualizing the victim) element to the book that contradicted what the story itself was trying to condemn, or perhaps shed light to it but from the perspective of the male gaze rather than the female gaze. some descriptions of how both male and female bodies were perceived rubbed me the wrong way, for example:
“satisfaction warmed my blood like arousal. my heart beat too fast. my mouth watered. my stomach felt achingly empty. i wanted to devour him. break this predator apart piece by piece and eat him. something about taking him into my body against his will felt like dark poetic justice. if he wanted to violate women so much, we would violate him.” the sexualization of this passage triggered me. i know victims have different reactions. there’s no right “response”. but this read too sexual to me. and the fact that it was between the lesbian fmc and a man affected me even more.
“they looked right together, a picture of young, carefree men in workout gear with two pretty girls in ripped jeans and little tops adorning them like bulbs on a christmas tree.” the perception of women as accessories to men.
“i think you’d like it. the way i taste. like salted pasta water. i think you’d become addicted to that slick sweetness.” i don’t even know where to begin, i’m offended and confused. not that pussy tastes like pepsi cola, but it’s not salted pasta water either. it feels too much like a comparison, or rather approximation to men’s cum to somewhat seem palatable or relatable to straight readers.
“she was cute, too, in a kind of boyish way with cropped hair and a propensity to wear clothes from the men’s side of the store. she pulled it off with the confidence that came from being out for a long time.” these almost gender-swap attributes to present queer women as manly or masculine fell into old heteronormative and binary stereotypes that diminish and invalidate our identities and sexualities. she was cute, period. why make it about men? about gender? (this was also one of the only other queer people in the book as well, and she only served to further the couple instead of being her own character.)
on that note, i didn’t understand the need to beautify “ugly” men, and expressively go into detail about their conventionally attractive looks (again, it felt like it was there to appease to a straight audience, to keep them interested in the sapphic romance). it fits the mythology quota, yes, a metaphor to the rapist gods and reality alike, but it came to a point in the story where the book focused more on myth than plot. for a sapphic romance, but most of all, for a women’s war cry, men had almost as much of a focal point to the story than women themselves, they were direct and indirectly the driven force of the action. which, given the vengeful nature of the plot, is understandable to some extent since it was exposing them, but still conflicting.
and lastly, but certainly not least, it was extremely insensitive to mention the harry potter series, written by a blatantly transphobic author, in a sapphic book (trans women are included in the sapphic identity/experience). it was completely unnecessary, the continuous nods to that universe, even naming characters after them. it’s one thing to have a nostalgic attachment to those books, it’s another thing entirely to, in this day and age, include, and in such a positive light no less, those works and on a queer story on top of that.
December 23, 2025
rare aesthetic: trying to flirt by describing the taste of your coochie as salted pasta water
February 8, 2024
That was bloody incredible. I have no idea what to do with myself now.
When I say this book had me on my knees, in my feelings and by the throat I mean that!!!
There are no real words to describe what it was like reading this book. The setting, the vibes and mood were everything. I FR felt like I was inside this story with these characters. The angst and push and pull between them was chefs kiss (Fanny was def fluttering). As a bisexual woman, I felt so represented while reading Serpentine Valentine and I adore both Lex & Luna so much!!!
When I say this book had me on my knees, in my feelings and by the throat I mean that!!!
There are no real words to describe what it was like reading this book. The setting, the vibes and mood were everything. I FR felt like I was inside this story with these characters. The angst and push and pull between them was chefs kiss (Fanny was def fluttering). As a bisexual woman, I felt so represented while reading Serpentine Valentine and I adore both Lex & Luna so much!!!
January 20, 2024
One of the most powerful romances I’ve read. Giana Darling blended dark academia with female rage in this sapphic Medusa-inspired romance that was beautifully tragic.
Lex Gorgon was a mystifying heroine to follow and i found myself pulled to her just like Luna was. Their romance was woven with such care and I was entranced by it and Lex’s unfiltered rage.
Giana also has a writing style that is just unlike anyone else. The prose is out of this world and evokes so many emotions.
Giana did Medusa justice. (I also loved all the other mythology allusions in this book, from the Gorgon Sisters, to Diana Strong, to Pierce Argent - she included so many hints to their myths and it was artistic genius.)
Please go into this carefully as SA/r*pe is a major trigger and featured on page a handful of times, in addition to homophobia and PTSD.
Lex Gorgon was a mystifying heroine to follow and i found myself pulled to her just like Luna was. Their romance was woven with such care and I was entranced by it and Lex’s unfiltered rage.
Giana also has a writing style that is just unlike anyone else. The prose is out of this world and evokes so many emotions.
Giana did Medusa justice. (I also loved all the other mythology allusions in this book, from the Gorgon Sisters, to Diana Strong, to Pierce Argent - she included so many hints to their myths and it was artistic genius.)
Please go into this carefully as SA/r*pe is a major trigger and featured on page a handful of times, in addition to homophobia and PTSD.
February 9, 2024
this is a sapphic, dark academia, medusa retelling. the female rage and empowerment in this had me wanting to seek revenge on every man who has ever wronged me! i loved lex & luna, they are so well matched and i loved watching them each come out of their shells and find their place in the world. there were some parts that felt a little incomplete or inconsistent with the rest of the book, some things that were never addressed. but overall it was enjoyable.
the narrators did such an amazing job bringing this story to life!!! the voices are exactly what i would’ve imagined for these characters, definitely recommend the audio if you’re an audio person! check tw!!! deals with heavy topics
the narrators did such an amazing job bringing this story to life!!! the voices are exactly what i would’ve imagined for these characters, definitely recommend the audio if you’re an audio person! check tw!!! deals with heavy topics
February 19, 2024
I went into this book so fucking excited but was quickly let down when I came across my first Harry Potter reference. There were more scattered throughout the entire book. I was so disappointed! this is a sapphic book with a queer awakening storyline and I was naive to think I would be safe from mentions of works written by a TERF in these pages.
February 12, 2024
THE ff of the year, THE dark academia of the year
i for the most part am extremely speechless with this one, i was captivated from the very start and had the hardest time putting it down to do other things over the weekend.
however, salted pasta water is a comparison i could’ve forever lived with out 💀
i for the most part am extremely speechless with this one, i was captivated from the very start and had the hardest time putting it down to do other things over the weekend.
however, salted pasta water is a comparison i could’ve forever lived with out 💀
September 20, 2025
It was too sweet for me. I expected darker story with more drama and emotions. Also this book was more about healing, not revenge. However, I adore the author's beautiful writing. This was probably the best sapphic romance I've ever read. So sensitive and passionate. And the sisterhood is a chef's kiss.
Read
February 11, 2024DNF @ 37%
Some of this will be considered spoilers so proceed at your own risk
.
.
.
.
.
This book was influenced by Greek mythology, which I love, so I was very excited about this story. Add in dark academia and revenge plot and I was sold. Unfortunately, this marketing did not match up with the story we were presented. This story had me, until it lost me.
Lex was raped by one of her professors and I saw so much promise on where the story was heading, but it quickly lost me not long after this incident. First, the headmaster of the university (Mina) doesn’t believe Lex when she accuses her professor of rape. Which made zero sense to me. The headmaster is supposedly good friends with Lex’s foster mom. Why wouldn’t she believe her and why wouldn’t Lex have met Mina’s daughter prior to enacting this “revenge plot?” Lex gets suspended for a while and when she returns, she has created this vigilante girl group with her foster sisters. They seek revenge on all the guys across campus that are sexual assaulting girls. Now don’t get me wrong, I know this happens in real life. However, it was like every guy on campus was a rapist. That’s just ridiculous, unrealistic and sends a terrible message that all men are bad. I’m not down with that mentality. I don’t understand why Lex wasn’t focusing her energy on HER rapist. I just thought the whole vigilante thing was weird.
I think my biggest hang up though is the dynamic between Lex and Luna. I thought Luna was supposed to be some innocent girl in all of this but she clearly was attracted to and intrigued by Lex. Lex also seemed very sexually charged in her conversations, which given her history, was confusing to me. We knew she was a virgin prior to the rape and then there was no mention of sexual history afterwards. It all felt very instalust on Luna’s part, which again, was not at all how this book was marketed. Lex calling Luna “Lux” was random.
I wanted this to work so bad but I knew it wouldn’t end in a positive rating so I DNFed. I was told how the book continued from where I stopped and I know I made the right decision.
Some of this will be considered spoilers so proceed at your own risk
.
.
.
.
.
This book was influenced by Greek mythology, which I love, so I was very excited about this story. Add in dark academia and revenge plot and I was sold. Unfortunately, this marketing did not match up with the story we were presented. This story had me, until it lost me.
Lex was raped by one of her professors and I saw so much promise on where the story was heading, but it quickly lost me not long after this incident. First, the headmaster of the university (Mina) doesn’t believe Lex when she accuses her professor of rape. Which made zero sense to me. The headmaster is supposedly good friends with Lex’s foster mom. Why wouldn’t she believe her and why wouldn’t Lex have met Mina’s daughter prior to enacting this “revenge plot?” Lex gets suspended for a while and when she returns, she has created this vigilante girl group with her foster sisters. They seek revenge on all the guys across campus that are sexual assaulting girls. Now don’t get me wrong, I know this happens in real life. However, it was like every guy on campus was a rapist. That’s just ridiculous, unrealistic and sends a terrible message that all men are bad. I’m not down with that mentality. I don’t understand why Lex wasn’t focusing her energy on HER rapist. I just thought the whole vigilante thing was weird.
I think my biggest hang up though is the dynamic between Lex and Luna. I thought Luna was supposed to be some innocent girl in all of this but she clearly was attracted to and intrigued by Lex. Lex also seemed very sexually charged in her conversations, which given her history, was confusing to me. We knew she was a virgin prior to the rape and then there was no mention of sexual history afterwards. It all felt very instalust on Luna’s part, which again, was not at all how this book was marketed. Lex calling Luna “Lux” was random.
I wanted this to work so bad but I knew it wouldn’t end in a positive rating so I DNFed. I was told how the book continued from where I stopped and I know I made the right decision.
April 24, 2024
I am disappointed that this feminist LGBTQIA+ retelling is not a safe space for all those affected by patriarchal violence. Publishing a queer book in 2024 that repeatedly mentions things from the HP universe is somehow a statement, because it is no longer a secret that the author of the series is doing everything she can to make trans people live less safely - for years.
The term “sapiosexual” is thoroughly problematic because it is not a sexuality, it's just classism - just a fancy name for "My privileged ass hates poor people". Being "uneducated" has far more to do with circumstances than intelligence - you're not special just because you can quote the brain farts of old white men, sorry not sorry.
Wouldn't it have been a perfect opportunity to mention more female or "anonymous" writers instead of mainly Shakespeare and Homer? Just sayin'.
The love story between Lex and Lux, as well as the theme of the novel and the implementation could be an absolute highlight, but only if the feminist aspects were intersectional - dropping Marsha P. Johnson's name in passing isn't enough to respect the T in lgbTqia+.
Unfortunately, misogyny and heteronormativity were dealt with much worse than the book promises - yes, it definitely has potential, but even some of the sentences from the two protagonists made me feel rather uncomfortable.
They are young, yes - but the author is not, which is why I was hoping for a more sensitive approach...
This leaves the question for which audience the book was written for? For queer people? I doubt it. TERFs are sure to find it outstanding.
Nonetheless I want to leave this beautiful quote here:
"I want to fill your mouth with me again. My flesh, wet for you, my name aching on your tongue as you beg. I want to be everything you taste and breathe and speak. I want to be the only thing on your mind because you're the only thing on mine, and that's the best f*cking gift you could give me."
The term “sapiosexual” is thoroughly problematic because it is not a sexuality, it's just classism - just a fancy name for "My privileged ass hates poor people". Being "uneducated" has far more to do with circumstances than intelligence - you're not special just because you can quote the brain farts of old white men, sorry not sorry.
Wouldn't it have been a perfect opportunity to mention more female or "anonymous" writers instead of mainly Shakespeare and Homer? Just sayin'.
The love story between Lex and Lux, as well as the theme of the novel and the implementation could be an absolute highlight, but only if the feminist aspects were intersectional - dropping Marsha P. Johnson's name in passing isn't enough to respect the T in lgbTqia+.
Unfortunately, misogyny and heteronormativity were dealt with much worse than the book promises - yes, it definitely has potential, but even some of the sentences from the two protagonists made me feel rather uncomfortable.
They are young, yes - but the author is not, which is why I was hoping for a more sensitive approach...
This leaves the question for which audience the book was written for? For queer people? I doubt it. TERFs are sure to find it outstanding.
Nonetheless I want to leave this beautiful quote here:
"I want to fill your mouth with me again. My flesh, wet for you, my name aching on your tongue as you beg. I want to be everything you taste and breathe and speak. I want to be the only thing on your mind because you're the only thing on mine, and that's the best f*cking gift you could give me."
April 2, 2024
3.5 stars
This was a really gut wrenching read and at i point i wasn’t sure I wasn’t going to be able to get through but Lex did and so did I.
However, I’m pretty sure salty pasta water is never going to taste the same ever again 😭🤣
This was a really gut wrenching read and at i point i wasn’t sure I wasn’t going to be able to get through but Lex did and so did I.
However, I’m pretty sure salty pasta water is never going to taste the same ever again 😭🤣
February 10, 2024
Wow!!!! Giana Darling's Serpentine Valentine was a Fantastic!!!!
As soon as I saw this book was a Medusa retelling and read the blurb I was hooked!
Out of all the tales of mythology her story broke my heart! It wasn't bad enough that she was raped but to then be cursed was unthinkable! But instead of going quietly she became a monster feared by all! But what Giana Darling did with this retelling was show the after affects of rape! No you just can't get over it! And yes they relive that moment in time again and again in nightmares! What happened to Lex was horrible!! Giana warned that chapter 2 was going to be hard to read. While not graphic it still had me in tears!! Reading it broke my heart because not only did someone Lex trusted drug and rape her repletely but throw her broken body into the woods like fucking garbage!!But Lex like Medusa spoke her truth only to be called a liar and public opinions damned her as well. So in order to get her revenge she too becomes a monster! She sets a plan in motion to make not only her rapist pay but the one woman who she thought would believe her and when she doesn't Lex makes her pay by seducing her daughter! Luna is a beautiful innocent who's always been a good girl but something about the beautiful and dangerous Lex pulls her from the beginning and the attraction takes them both by surprise! Luna brings light into Lex's dark world and what started out as revenge becomes so much more!! I adored this couple so much!!! I haven't read a lot of F/F romances but I get the whole being attracted to another woman! This is a true love story so to me its beautiful!! I am so impressed by Giana Darling's writing! She is a amazing writer and her characters beautifully flawed! Don't let the fact that this is a F/F romance put you off. I'm mostly a M/F reader but I've read all kinds of romance and what they all have in common is love! This is for all the Medusa's out their that wouldn't stay silent! You have more strength then you'll ever know! Until next time Luv's💕💋
As soon as I saw this book was a Medusa retelling and read the blurb I was hooked!
Out of all the tales of mythology her story broke my heart! It wasn't bad enough that she was raped but to then be cursed was unthinkable! But instead of going quietly she became a monster feared by all! But what Giana Darling did with this retelling was show the after affects of rape! No you just can't get over it! And yes they relive that moment in time again and again in nightmares! What happened to Lex was horrible!! Giana warned that chapter 2 was going to be hard to read. While not graphic it still had me in tears!! Reading it broke my heart because not only did someone Lex trusted drug and rape her repletely but throw her broken body into the woods like fucking garbage!!But Lex like Medusa spoke her truth only to be called a liar and public opinions damned her as well. So in order to get her revenge she too becomes a monster! She sets a plan in motion to make not only her rapist pay but the one woman who she thought would believe her and when she doesn't Lex makes her pay by seducing her daughter! Luna is a beautiful innocent who's always been a good girl but something about the beautiful and dangerous Lex pulls her from the beginning and the attraction takes them both by surprise! Luna brings light into Lex's dark world and what started out as revenge becomes so much more!! I adored this couple so much!!! I haven't read a lot of F/F romances but I get the whole being attracted to another woman! This is a true love story so to me its beautiful!! I am so impressed by Giana Darling's writing! She is a amazing writer and her characters beautifully flawed! Don't let the fact that this is a F/F romance put you off. I'm mostly a M/F reader but I've read all kinds of romance and what they all have in common is love! This is for all the Medusa's out their that wouldn't stay silent! You have more strength then you'll ever know! Until next time Luv's💕💋
September 16, 2024
That’s it. I’ve fallen for it too many time. I’m never reading a book with a playlist ever again.
This book hands every single little piece of information to you like you’re a toddler. The character ‘Lex Gorgon’ having snake tattoos and ‘serpent like’ hair should’ve been enough. Or when her voice is like a hiss. Or when something ‘coils’ or ‘rattles’. It’s like the author was holding back from adding ‘(Get it? Like a snake. Like Medusa. Wink.)’ after every paragraph.
You’d think a beta reader would do her a favor and let the author know her rape-revenge story is written like a middle grade novel.
For a book about ‘women's empowerment’, this book sure has a lot of weird misogynistic undertones. 00’s chick-flick level mean girls. The constant stereotyping of women. The constant sexualization of women. Lex spends the majority of the book, not getting revenge on her rapist, but on a woman who doesn’t believe her. This book comes with a trigger warning for sexual assault, obviously, but describes the blatant predatory lesbian trope as ‘exploration of sexuality’. Whatever.
It makes it really hard to like the main character after she sexually assaults the love interest 25% into the book. The parallels between Lex’s assault and then the ‘romance’ scenes between Lex and Luna is so foul.
On every page, this book tries it’s very hardest to be radical and edgy. On every page this book is a hypocritical mess. This story is not ‘taboo’, and it is absolutely not ‘empowering’. it’s just full of repetitive writing, thinly veiled internalized homophobia, and a poor understanding of all it’s core topics.
And if someone compared their cooch to ‘salty pasta water’ in my presence, I’d take on a life of celibacy.
This book hands every single little piece of information to you like you’re a toddler. The character ‘Lex Gorgon’ having snake tattoos and ‘serpent like’ hair should’ve been enough. Or when her voice is like a hiss. Or when something ‘coils’ or ‘rattles’. It’s like the author was holding back from adding ‘(Get it? Like a snake. Like Medusa. Wink.)’ after every paragraph.
You’d think a beta reader would do her a favor and let the author know her rape-revenge story is written like a middle grade novel.
For a book about ‘women's empowerment’, this book sure has a lot of weird misogynistic undertones. 00’s chick-flick level mean girls. The constant stereotyping of women. The constant sexualization of women. Lex spends the majority of the book, not getting revenge on her rapist, but on a woman who doesn’t believe her. This book comes with a trigger warning for sexual assault, obviously, but describes the blatant predatory lesbian trope as ‘exploration of sexuality’. Whatever.
It makes it really hard to like the main character after she sexually assaults the love interest 25% into the book. The parallels between Lex’s assault and then the ‘romance’ scenes between Lex and Luna is so foul.
On every page, this book tries it’s very hardest to be radical and edgy. On every page this book is a hypocritical mess. This story is not ‘taboo’, and it is absolutely not ‘empowering’. it’s just full of repetitive writing, thinly veiled internalized homophobia, and a poor understanding of all it’s core topics.
And if someone compared their cooch to ‘salty pasta water’ in my presence, I’d take on a life of celibacy.
February 19, 2024
YIKES.
This book has left me utterly confused. At just over halfway through, I was on the verge of writing a scathing review, ready to express my frustration and disappointment. However, I found myself compelled to push through, partly due to the incredibly sensitive topics it addresses.
Upon reaching the end and reading through the acknowledgments, I am even more bewildered than before. So, rather than attempting to articulate my thoughts further, I'm just going to leave it at that.
This book has left me utterly confused. At just over halfway through, I was on the verge of writing a scathing review, ready to express my frustration and disappointment. However, I found myself compelled to push through, partly due to the incredibly sensitive topics it addresses.
Upon reaching the end and reading through the acknowledgments, I am even more bewildered than before. So, rather than attempting to articulate my thoughts further, I'm just going to leave it at that.
February 17, 2024
Writing a sapphic tragedy while continuing to reference a piece of literature written by a transphobic author is a choice. The irony isn’t lost on me.
This felt like a sapphic “romance” written for the male gaze. One day we’ll be free from the hold of the heteropatriarchy.
And to be petty, women don’t taste like salted pasta water.
This felt like a sapphic “romance” written for the male gaze. One day we’ll be free from the hold of the heteropatriarchy.
And to be petty, women don’t taste like salted pasta water.
August 5, 2024
Underwhelming.
The first half of this books premise was so promising i was very excited for some toxic seducing & revenge plot. Unfortunately at the halfway mark i realized i wasnt going to get what i was promised as their relationship developed rapidly and I never got that “revenge of the daughter” thats literally promised on the cover of the book.
There’s a few other things I disliked about this book for one the
Constant harry potter references . I had to check when this was published? 2024. Yikes
The lack of violence? Maybe mindf*ck ruined me for female rage revenge plots. Idk
And dont get me started on “I think you like the way I taste. Like salted pasta water”
What in the cinnamon hell?
Anyways overall the book was OK, but it just was not what I wanted
The first half of this books premise was so promising i was very excited for some toxic seducing & revenge plot. Unfortunately at the halfway mark i realized i wasnt going to get what i was promised as their relationship developed rapidly and I never got that “revenge of the daughter” thats literally promised on the cover of the book.
There’s a few other things I disliked about this book for one the
Constant harry potter references . I had to check when this was published? 2024. Yikes
The lack of violence? Maybe mindf*ck ruined me for female rage revenge plots. Idk
And dont get me started on “I think you like the way I taste. Like salted pasta water”
What in the cinnamon hell?
Anyways overall the book was OK, but it just was not what I wanted
April 15, 2024
If you’re the light, I’m the darkness. Violence becomes me like kindness does you.”
5/5 ⭐ 2/5 🌶️
This was my first Gianna Darling book and now I understand what all the hype is about! To say I loved the book, it's an understatement! The writing was spectacular!!! The emotions of the fmcs were so potent and elegantly articulated, that they overwhelmed me and thoroughly suffocated until I was part of the book. A lonely wanderer observing the journey of Luna and Lex. And what a journey that was!!!
Lex and Luna are the yin and the yang. Where Luna is the light, Lex is absolute darkness. Kindness versus hateful vengeance!
Lex's story was agonizing. I felt her searing pain soaking through every page. Although this was a medusa retelling (well…kind of), I was glad that the myth was naturally threaded throughout the stories and personalities.
I can't choose between Lex and Luna. They were both ends of the extreme but together they created a wonder. I admired Lex’s power, her terrifying nature, the strength she carried and her vengeful plans! If you look for a spectacular, kick-ass fmc, Lex it is!!!
But also Luna with her kind, heartwarming nature, her courage and rightfulness. It was in her light that Lex truly shone. Her journey of self explanation was captivating!
I really loved this book. It felt like a tide that pulled me under and I honestly didn't want to escape. The plot was interesting, the fmcs were amazing. The chemistry between them was honeyed and blazing, I couldn't get enough. Even the side characters were amazing. And the writing was incredible!!!
Did I like it? Looooved every page.
Would I reread it? YES.
5/5 ⭐ 2/5 🌶️
This was my first Gianna Darling book and now I understand what all the hype is about! To say I loved the book, it's an understatement! The writing was spectacular!!! The emotions of the fmcs were so potent and elegantly articulated, that they overwhelmed me and thoroughly suffocated until I was part of the book. A lonely wanderer observing the journey of Luna and Lex. And what a journey that was!!!
Lex and Luna are the yin and the yang. Where Luna is the light, Lex is absolute darkness. Kindness versus hateful vengeance!
Lex's story was agonizing. I felt her searing pain soaking through every page. Although this was a medusa retelling (well…kind of), I was glad that the myth was naturally threaded throughout the stories and personalities.
I can't choose between Lex and Luna. They were both ends of the extreme but together they created a wonder. I admired Lex’s power, her terrifying nature, the strength she carried and her vengeful plans! If you look for a spectacular, kick-ass fmc, Lex it is!!!
But also Luna with her kind, heartwarming nature, her courage and rightfulness. It was in her light that Lex truly shone. Her journey of self explanation was captivating!
I really loved this book. It felt like a tide that pulled me under and I honestly didn't want to escape. The plot was interesting, the fmcs were amazing. The chemistry between them was honeyed and blazing, I couldn't get enough. Even the side characters were amazing. And the writing was incredible!!!
Did I like it? Looooved every page.
Would I reread it? YES.
February 21, 2024
DNF
Love the narrators.
Love the narrators.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2024
The salted pasta water took me out but other than that this was really good. Do check CW though.
February 18, 2024
This was a really heavy read! Tw for SA! But I thought this was so unique and I hadn’t read anything like it! Also happened to be my very first sapphic romance and it certainly has me excited for other ones on my TBR!
I thought giana did such a great job with this and her writing was stunning in it! She handled such heavy topics with great care!! The feminine rage in this was IT!! I love to see it!
I adored all the moments between lex and Luna! I wanted more romance from them but I can understand why with this certain story that the romance wasn’t the biggest component to it!
I thought giana did such a great job with this and her writing was stunning in it! She handled such heavy topics with great care!! The feminine rage in this was IT!! I love to see it!
I adored all the moments between lex and Luna! I wanted more romance from them but I can understand why with this certain story that the romance wasn’t the biggest component to it!
January 24, 2025
4.25/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
I loved the two FMCs in this story. I thought there was a lot of strength and beauty in this. I loved the dark academia setting as well.
I do love me a good revenge plot so I was very intrigued with this story.
Do check TW as this book does have some very dark themes in it.
I also will say I didn't care for the HP comments as we all know JK Rowling is not a fan of the LGBTQ+ community so that threw me off. I also hated the salted pasta water reference.. that was.. kinda gross?
Overall, there were a lot of things I enjoyed about this one but a few things I disliked.
2/5 🌶️
I loved the two FMCs in this story. I thought there was a lot of strength and beauty in this. I loved the dark academia setting as well.
I do love me a good revenge plot so I was very intrigued with this story.
Do check TW as this book does have some very dark themes in it.
I also will say I didn't care for the HP comments as we all know JK Rowling is not a fan of the LGBTQ+ community so that threw me off. I also hated the salted pasta water reference.. that was.. kinda gross?
Overall, there were a lot of things I enjoyed about this one but a few things I disliked.
February 13, 2024
3.5 Slytherin coated stars 🐍
Not usually an FF reader, but this is an author I love, so I had to try it.
Giana delivered a great love story filled with love, heartbreak and feeling.
Highly recommend this author and this story if you’re looking for a great, angsty love story.
The only negative for me was that I wouldn’t say that Lex seduced Luna, but Luna more so seduced Lex. I think this may have been intentional, but the books description makes it seem the other way around.
Side note: I need a book about Pierce! I loved him so much and he was so supportive and lovely when Luna came out. I also want a dark hockey romance written by Giana. Both or either would be great.
Not usually an FF reader, but this is an author I love, so I had to try it.
Giana delivered a great love story filled with love, heartbreak and feeling.
Highly recommend this author and this story if you’re looking for a great, angsty love story.
The only negative for me was that I wouldn’t say that Lex seduced Luna, but Luna more so seduced Lex. I think this may have been intentional, but the books description makes it seem the other way around.
Side note: I need a book about Pierce! I loved him so much and he was so supportive and lovely when Luna came out. I also want a dark hockey romance written by Giana. Both or either would be great.
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