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Anthesis
Anthesis is the dark, alluring and tragic tale of the sirens who were cursed to kill for eternity.
As an immortal siren, Aglasia grapples with her body’s desire to enchant, kill and feed on men, all while pretending to be human. When the chaotic and secretive siren Rossa forces herself into Aglasia’s life, she reveals she needs help to transform a man into a siren. And though Aglasia has always craved solitude, she finds herself fascinated by this nomad and lends a hand.
But when the risks associated with creating such a powerful creature become life-threatening to Aglasia, Rossa and the innocent man who has become involved, Aglasia must uncover the truth of her past to save those she’s grown to care for, all while resisting her darkest desires.
As an immortal siren, Aglasia grapples with her body’s desire to enchant, kill and feed on men, all while pretending to be human. When the chaotic and secretive siren Rossa forces herself into Aglasia’s life, she reveals she needs help to transform a man into a siren. And though Aglasia has always craved solitude, she finds herself fascinated by this nomad and lends a hand.
But when the risks associated with creating such a powerful creature become life-threatening to Aglasia, Rossa and the innocent man who has become involved, Aglasia must uncover the truth of her past to save those she’s grown to care for, all while resisting her darkest desires.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2022
4 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
September 1, 2022
Sirens that actually eat people? Don't mind if I do.
Aglasia is a solitary siren who's set in her ways. She never visits the same hunting spots twice, and only eats those men who deserve it. Things start to change when another siren by the name of Rossa appears in her life out of nowhere.
The two strike up a friendship, which soon turns into a quest to turn a man into one of them. What could possibly go wrong?
This was really really good. Mermaids/sirens aren't my favourite supernatural creatures to read about, but I enjoyed the way they were written here.
The writing is beautiful and transported me straight into the world. I loved the plot/story too, it's unique and I don't remember seeing anything similar before.
The friendship between Aglasia and Rossa was the highlight of the book, their bickering was cute, even though Aglasia's side of it could annoy me at times.
Speaking of Aglasia, she was harder to like at the start and it took me almost the whole book to warm up to her. She'd call Rossa a child while behaving like one herself. By the end she does some growing, so hopefully in the second book (THERE BETTER BE A SECOND BOOK!!!) I'll fully like her.
Rossa was like a ray of sunshine, so you could say she and Aglasia have a grumpy sunshine dynamic, but platonically.
Hunter...I like him and his casual acceptance of all things supernatural, but the poor boy needs more confidence. His romance with Aglasia is sweet, hopefully down the line there'll be more fluff and less angst.
WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY WITHOUT SPOILING ANYTHING? Hmm...Well, you're just going to have to trust me and read this book when it's out, because it's worth it. BUT BEWARE, THERE IS A CLIFFHANGER. Or not a cliffhanger per se, because something does get wrapped up, but this isn't the full story (once again, I'm asking for a sequel).
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a(n imaginary) dip into the sea and grow a siren tail. Byeee.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Aglasia is a solitary siren who's set in her ways. She never visits the same hunting spots twice, and only eats those men who deserve it. Things start to change when another siren by the name of Rossa appears in her life out of nowhere.
The two strike up a friendship, which soon turns into a quest to turn a man into one of them. What could possibly go wrong?
This was really really good. Mermaids/sirens aren't my favourite supernatural creatures to read about, but I enjoyed the way they were written here.
The writing is beautiful and transported me straight into the world. I loved the plot/story too, it's unique and I don't remember seeing anything similar before.
The friendship between Aglasia and Rossa was the highlight of the book, their bickering was cute, even though Aglasia's side of it could annoy me at times.
Speaking of Aglasia, she was harder to like at the start and it took me almost the whole book to warm up to her. She'd call Rossa a child while behaving like one herself. By the end she does some growing, so hopefully in the second book (THERE BETTER BE A SECOND BOOK!!!) I'll fully like her.
Rossa was like a ray of sunshine, so you could say she and Aglasia have a grumpy sunshine dynamic, but platonically.
Hunter...I like him and his casual acceptance of all things supernatural, but the poor boy needs more confidence. His romance with Aglasia is sweet, hopefully down the line there'll be more fluff and less angst.
WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY WITHOUT SPOILING ANYTHING? Hmm...Well, you're just going to have to trust me and read this book when it's out, because it's worth it. BUT BEWARE, THERE IS A CLIFFHANGER. Or not a cliffhanger per se, because something does get wrapped up, but this isn't the full story (once again, I'm asking for a sequel).
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a(n imaginary) dip into the sea and grow a siren tail. Byeee.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
August 3, 2022
A dark gothic fairy tale of love, friendship and a little horror. The story follows Aglasia, a siren who lives alone grappling with her need to feed from human men. When she meets another siren, Rossa suddenly she becomes enveloped in her desire to support and connect with this being like her. Rossa wants to turn a human male into a siren, and what follows is a gory, dark tale of friendship, hope and love. The story features complex, layered and richly drawn characters. I loved the relationship between Aglasia and Rossa and seeing Aglasia grow over the course of the book. For a debut, this book is extremely well written and you can feel the author's passion come through from the page. My only criticism is that the story doesn't wrap up and I now have to wait for the next book (assuming there is one). After the slow burn start, the final third if the story really started to ramp up and go places that made me want to know more about these characters and the sirens in general. I'll be keeping an eye out for more by this author. I'd highly recommend this one, you won't be disappointed.
January 5, 2023
Dark fantasy involving a siren? Say less! 😍👏🏼
Will fill out my full spoiler-free review ASAP.
Will fill out my full spoiler-free review ASAP.
October 21, 2022
*Thank you to Lauren Elizabeth for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.*
I went into this with zero expectations and as blindly as possible. I'm so glad I did! I enjoyed this novel so much and am so glad I got to experience it with nothing externally influencing me.
This novel did such a good job of taking something terrifying, in this case sirens, and keeping it terrifying. These beasts are scary in the most entertaining way. They are also lonely, loyal and easily slighted. The author does an amazing job of creating imagery that you cannot help but be immersed in, I felt like I could almost taste the salt water!
Beautifully done!
I went into this with zero expectations and as blindly as possible. I'm so glad I did! I enjoyed this novel so much and am so glad I got to experience it with nothing externally influencing me.
This novel did such a good job of taking something terrifying, in this case sirens, and keeping it terrifying. These beasts are scary in the most entertaining way. They are also lonely, loyal and easily slighted. The author does an amazing job of creating imagery that you cannot help but be immersed in, I felt like I could almost taste the salt water!
Beautifully done!
August 11, 2022
i went in with expectations and it DELIVERED
first of all, i didn’t expect that little twist but loved it so much, the banter gave me all the giggles, the action & fights were so good
i love Ags, i said it once but i’ll say it again, she is my spirit animal, Rossa is so unapologetically funny, all the side characters really brought this story together
i absolutely love the entire concept and world building, it was done so well and i was so immersed with what was going on. the characters were written so perfectly imperfect, how they express themselves and their thoughts & beliefs
the start was a bit slow, but when it picks up, it REALLY picks up.. the last 50 pages raised my blood pressure and i NEED to know what happens next ASAP
(4⭐️)
first of all, i didn’t expect that little twist but loved it so much, the banter gave me all the giggles, the action & fights were so good
i love Ags, i said it once but i’ll say it again, she is my spirit animal, Rossa is so unapologetically funny, all the side characters really brought this story together
i absolutely love the entire concept and world building, it was done so well and i was so immersed with what was going on. the characters were written so perfectly imperfect, how they express themselves and their thoughts & beliefs
the start was a bit slow, but when it picks up, it REALLY picks up.. the last 50 pages raised my blood pressure and i NEED to know what happens next ASAP
(4⭐️)
August 13, 2022
first things first- wow.
Lauren Elizabeth’s writing was so beautiful yet relatable, fast paced, and tragic yet lighthearted. If you’re looking for dark fantasy with some horror, hints of greek mythology, a pinch of romance, and amazing story telling THIS IS IT.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
here’s why I fell in love with this book:
🥀 dark modern adult fantasy with the vibe of a classic retelling (think: circe by madeline miller)
🥀 amazing character development
🥀 strong female relationship
🥀 twisty plot with surprises throughout
🥀 mysterious & left me wanting more
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔：⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🧜🏽♀️ things to look out for:
check trigger warnings! there is a slight horror vibe to this story (I mean they’re sirens, come on) so there is gore, death, & all of the things.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🥀 Anthesis is up for preorder now and will release on November 3, 2022
Lauren Elizabeth’s writing was so beautiful yet relatable, fast paced, and tragic yet lighthearted. If you’re looking for dark fantasy with some horror, hints of greek mythology, a pinch of romance, and amazing story telling THIS IS IT.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
here’s why I fell in love with this book:
🥀 dark modern adult fantasy with the vibe of a classic retelling (think: circe by madeline miller)
🥀 amazing character development
🥀 strong female relationship
🥀 twisty plot with surprises throughout
🥀 mysterious & left me wanting more
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔：⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🧜🏽♀️ things to look out for:
check trigger warnings! there is a slight horror vibe to this story (I mean they’re sirens, come on) so there is gore, death, & all of the things.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🥀 Anthesis is up for preorder now and will release on November 3, 2022
September 22, 2022
First I want to say thank you to the author for giving me an ARC for her first novel!
Starting off I want to say I am not a huge fantasy novel gal but I LOVE mermaids/sirens. So I was definitely interested in the concept of this novel.
Starting off, I was intrigued by the writing style and how beautifully written it was. I felt like the way it was written was very mature and well put together. The way the author uses metaphors and adjectives to describe certain thing was very well done.
This book gives off MAJOR gothic, dark modern fantasy vibes. Which was very cool to be immersed in. I will say if you are someone that is not very good with gore/blood/guts I’d probably skip this one. Over all the tone of this
Aglasia as a character…partly annoyed me. I understand she is this “leave me alone”, “let me live my life” kind of girl. But sometimes I felt her character was just very mean, when there was no reason to be mean. But I did enjoy her tough chick vibes but also to see her sensitive and emotional side too.
Rossa was such a breath of fresh air when she was introduced. Her personality bounced off the page and really made me enjoy her character. She had me laughing😂
Personally I was looking for a little bit more romance in between Hunter and Glase. I know this is more of a fantasy/gothic novel but I was rooting for these two!! There were times that I felt this relationship was full of so much anger I felt like there was never really a happy moment between them. There was a lot of fighting…again I understand that there are lots of reasons they can’t be together but Aglasia is just so hotheaded…
Overall this book was an enjoyable read! I like dipping my toes in a little bit of fantasy every now and then…especially if it includes mermaids/sirens!
***NEXT PORTION OF THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS***
There were times in this book I just felt very loss. I would try to reread and figure out what was going on and what was happening but I ended up and kept reading.
The addition of Nanna/siren island to the story was very confusing to me at first. She wasn’t very helpful with Rossa and Glase in their attempts to create a male siren. So what was she there for?
Well…PLOT TWIST…Rossa and Aglasia are SISTERS. Oh AND they have a third sister named Thalia and they have no idea where she is. The three sisters use to be the “Grace’s” of Nanna aka Aphros.
To be honest did NOT see this coming.
Granted the reasoning in the end DID make sense. After thousands of years of being a siren…you forget things.
My only complaint is that I wanted to hear MORE history of the three sisters. When Aglasia finds out we just get little supercuts of certain info from when the sisters are together. Personally, if I had just remembered I had sisters, I wouldn’t be skipping around that history. I would dive deeper into it. And maybe this will be something done in the second book.
But for me I felt like it was moved on too quickly so that it could move back to the original plot.
In regards to the gory/action aspect of the novel. I’m the beginning it was good, everything made sense and I was happy with how it was presented to me.
Fast forward to the end of the book and there is this huge fight scene and I was loss and confused. The siren’s have wings, which is very interested I don’t dislike the idea at all, BUT the action scenes felt very rushed. And I felt as is there were too many things going on that my brain could not catch up. BUT understandably action scenes are so difficult to write and do well. I just thought I’d share my opinions on how I, as the reader, felt!
**** END OF SPOILERS ***
Like I said before an enjoyable book! The aspect of fantasy for me is always hard for me to get in to, nothing the author did wrong just who I am as a reader! The characters ended up growing on me and being an interesting read. I wish the author good luck💜
Starting off I want to say I am not a huge fantasy novel gal but I LOVE mermaids/sirens. So I was definitely interested in the concept of this novel.
Starting off, I was intrigued by the writing style and how beautifully written it was. I felt like the way it was written was very mature and well put together. The way the author uses metaphors and adjectives to describe certain thing was very well done.
This book gives off MAJOR gothic, dark modern fantasy vibes. Which was very cool to be immersed in. I will say if you are someone that is not very good with gore/blood/guts I’d probably skip this one. Over all the tone of this
Aglasia as a character…partly annoyed me. I understand she is this “leave me alone”, “let me live my life” kind of girl. But sometimes I felt her character was just very mean, when there was no reason to be mean. But I did enjoy her tough chick vibes but also to see her sensitive and emotional side too.
Rossa was such a breath of fresh air when she was introduced. Her personality bounced off the page and really made me enjoy her character. She had me laughing😂
Personally I was looking for a little bit more romance in between Hunter and Glase. I know this is more of a fantasy/gothic novel but I was rooting for these two!! There were times that I felt this relationship was full of so much anger I felt like there was never really a happy moment between them. There was a lot of fighting…again I understand that there are lots of reasons they can’t be together but Aglasia is just so hotheaded…
Overall this book was an enjoyable read! I like dipping my toes in a little bit of fantasy every now and then…especially if it includes mermaids/sirens!
***NEXT PORTION OF THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS***
There were times in this book I just felt very loss. I would try to reread and figure out what was going on and what was happening but I ended up and kept reading.
The addition of Nanna/siren island to the story was very confusing to me at first. She wasn’t very helpful with Rossa and Glase in their attempts to create a male siren. So what was she there for?
Well…PLOT TWIST…Rossa and Aglasia are SISTERS. Oh AND they have a third sister named Thalia and they have no idea where she is. The three sisters use to be the “Grace’s” of Nanna aka Aphros.
To be honest did NOT see this coming.
Granted the reasoning in the end DID make sense. After thousands of years of being a siren…you forget things.
My only complaint is that I wanted to hear MORE history of the three sisters. When Aglasia finds out we just get little supercuts of certain info from when the sisters are together. Personally, if I had just remembered I had sisters, I wouldn’t be skipping around that history. I would dive deeper into it. And maybe this will be something done in the second book.
But for me I felt like it was moved on too quickly so that it could move back to the original plot.
In regards to the gory/action aspect of the novel. I’m the beginning it was good, everything made sense and I was happy with how it was presented to me.
Fast forward to the end of the book and there is this huge fight scene and I was loss and confused. The siren’s have wings, which is very interested I don’t dislike the idea at all, BUT the action scenes felt very rushed. And I felt as is there were too many things going on that my brain could not catch up. BUT understandably action scenes are so difficult to write and do well. I just thought I’d share my opinions on how I, as the reader, felt!
**** END OF SPOILERS ***
Like I said before an enjoyable book! The aspect of fantasy for me is always hard for me to get in to, nothing the author did wrong just who I am as a reader! The characters ended up growing on me and being an interesting read. I wish the author good luck💜
August 13, 2022
Spice: 🌶/3
Quote: “He had a disturbing amount of desire to know me, to stare at me and listen to me and share the same air as me. He was deluded, deceived by the charm of a temptress.” 🐚
Summary: Aglasia is a 2,000 year old siren, with the beauty of a goddess. While she doesn’t remember much of her long life, she currently finds herself living one of peaceful solitude by the shore, primarily in her human form. However, she grapples with the monstrous side of her that longs to seduce and feast on human men in order to survive. Her solitude is suddenly interrupted by a spritely young siren named Rossa, who does not wish to live the same life of isolation as Aglasia- and wants her aid in turning a human man into a siren.
The word Anthesis is defined as “the flowering period of a plant, from the opening of the flower bud”, and this sums up this debut novel perfectly! It is a wonderful start to what I am sure will be an adventurous series! 🪷
The book was off to a bit of a slow start- Aglasia is kind of like a grumpy old lady set in her ways 😅 Looking back I now know that this is only the beginning, and the other people in her life really balance out her sometimes grouchy narrative! Especially Hunter 😍 who I hope to see more of, and with a bit more confidence!
I found each of the characters to be quite intriguing, and I’m excited for future books to delve deeper into their pasts. The concept of living for thousands of years throughout human history is so fascinating to me! I loved watching Aglasia and Rossa’s friendship grow, they balance each other out perfectly. And don’t even get me started on Nanna… 🧝♀️
I will say, this book was rather gory at times- her being a siren and all! If blood, bodies, mutilation, etc are triggering for you, please proceed with caution! If you love that sort of thing, you’re in the right place 😁
Overall, Anthesis was beautifully written and incredibly intriguing! I recommend this book for lovers of the found family trope, Greek mythology, action scenes, morally grey characters, and badass women who know their worth. I’ll be looking forward to reading the next book @authorlaurenelizabeth has for us! 💛
Quote: “He had a disturbing amount of desire to know me, to stare at me and listen to me and share the same air as me. He was deluded, deceived by the charm of a temptress.” 🐚
Summary: Aglasia is a 2,000 year old siren, with the beauty of a goddess. While she doesn’t remember much of her long life, she currently finds herself living one of peaceful solitude by the shore, primarily in her human form. However, she grapples with the monstrous side of her that longs to seduce and feast on human men in order to survive. Her solitude is suddenly interrupted by a spritely young siren named Rossa, who does not wish to live the same life of isolation as Aglasia- and wants her aid in turning a human man into a siren.
The word Anthesis is defined as “the flowering period of a plant, from the opening of the flower bud”, and this sums up this debut novel perfectly! It is a wonderful start to what I am sure will be an adventurous series! 🪷
The book was off to a bit of a slow start- Aglasia is kind of like a grumpy old lady set in her ways 😅 Looking back I now know that this is only the beginning, and the other people in her life really balance out her sometimes grouchy narrative! Especially Hunter 😍 who I hope to see more of, and with a bit more confidence!
I found each of the characters to be quite intriguing, and I’m excited for future books to delve deeper into their pasts. The concept of living for thousands of years throughout human history is so fascinating to me! I loved watching Aglasia and Rossa’s friendship grow, they balance each other out perfectly. And don’t even get me started on Nanna… 🧝♀️
I will say, this book was rather gory at times- her being a siren and all! If blood, bodies, mutilation, etc are triggering for you, please proceed with caution! If you love that sort of thing, you’re in the right place 😁
Overall, Anthesis was beautifully written and incredibly intriguing! I recommend this book for lovers of the found family trope, Greek mythology, action scenes, morally grey characters, and badass women who know their worth. I’ll be looking forward to reading the next book @authorlaurenelizabeth has for us! 💛
October 7, 2022
3.5 rating
Two man-eating sirens living in modern day Australia connect to hatch a plan of turning a human man into a siren companion. But how can they do this without killing him first?
The Pros:
All the content warnings were listed, so I was prepared.
I really enjoy folklore where we don't redeem the evil/nefarious creatures. If they are evil, let them be evil and explore that. And boy do we get that in this book. These sirens are always talking about their next meal and human life is generally treated as cavalierly as any snack you might crave, or at best an annoying animal.
The Cons:
This book isn't for the squeamish. If violence, gore, are your thing, this is for you! Snapping if bones, blood, and decomposition galore. Lots of profanity and innuendo. However, the ick factor got me in the sexualization of the feeding. The world building was generally lacking except for the island bit which was very good. I also felt like I didn't get any resolution with Hunter.
Conclusion:
This book is for a specific kind of person. For me there were things that were too much, but overall I liked it. The writing was very good and it was easy to immerse myself in the story. I was very invested.
Thank you so much to Lauren Elizabeth for gifting me a free ebook copy of her novel.
Two man-eating sirens living in modern day Australia connect to hatch a plan of turning a human man into a siren companion. But how can they do this without killing him first?
The Pros:
All the content warnings were listed, so I was prepared.
I really enjoy folklore where we don't redeem the evil/nefarious creatures. If they are evil, let them be evil and explore that. And boy do we get that in this book. These sirens are always talking about their next meal and human life is generally treated as cavalierly as any snack you might crave, or at best an annoying animal.
The Cons:
This book isn't for the squeamish. If violence, gore, are your thing, this is for you! Snapping if bones, blood, and decomposition galore. Lots of profanity and innuendo. However, the ick factor got me in the sexualization of the feeding. The world building was generally lacking except for the island bit which was very good. I also felt like I didn't get any resolution with Hunter.
Conclusion:
This book is for a specific kind of person. For me there were things that were too much, but overall I liked it. The writing was very good and it was easy to immerse myself in the story. I was very invested.
Thank you so much to Lauren Elizabeth for gifting me a free ebook copy of her novel.
November 4, 2022
"Anthesis" tells the story of a man-eating, lonely, troubled siren whose orderly life is turned upside down when another siren shows up at her doorstop and refuses to leave again. Together they attempt to create a male siren, men are usually just food for sirens, but need to dive into the past and unravel the mysteries there. A fascinating book yet world building, characters, and story left something to be desired, it felt unfinished, created in broad strokes, especially the ending left me unsatisfied. Will there be a sequel? I guess so? It was a very adult and realistic take on these mythological creatures, yet the binary and almost stereotypical depiction of gender annoyed me. I also didn't understand what the point of the character of H. was, apart from making him suffer needlessly? I am not sure what to think about the novel. 3.5 stars
December 26, 2022
If i find enough time this review will be up by the end on January!
August 11, 2022
Thank you Lauren Elizabeth for this ARC!
The way I devoured this in less than 2 days 😅 For being the author’s debut novel this was so beautifully written!
I loved that this focused on building the friendship between Aglasia and Rossa. The way their relationship went from pure disdain to the strongest and most unbreakable bond was absolutely beautiful. For having complete opposite personalities they love each other like sisters and it brought about the most hilarious banter I’ve ever read.
There was a lot of focus on Aglasia and her emotional turmoil when it comes to what she has to do - as a Siren - in order to survive. At first, her wet blanket personality was a huge turn off for me (honestly I’m still trying to figure out what our love interest saw in her tbh) but God bless Rossa for showing her some love.
There isn’t much in terms of romance here; think Frozen - there is a romantic relationship, but the main focus is on the sisters friends. (🔥)
The gore was pretty prominent so keep that in mind and check CW’s before you pick this up.
I definitely recommend it!
The way I devoured this in less than 2 days 😅 For being the author’s debut novel this was so beautifully written!
I loved that this focused on building the friendship between Aglasia and Rossa. The way their relationship went from pure disdain to the strongest and most unbreakable bond was absolutely beautiful. For having complete opposite personalities they love each other like sisters and it brought about the most hilarious banter I’ve ever read.
There was a lot of focus on Aglasia and her emotional turmoil when it comes to what she has to do - as a Siren - in order to survive. At first, her wet blanket personality was a huge turn off for me (honestly I’m still trying to figure out what our love interest saw in her tbh) but God bless Rossa for showing her some love.
There isn’t much in terms of romance here; think Frozen - there is a romantic relationship, but the main focus is on the sisters friends. (🔥)
The gore was pretty prominent so keep that in mind and check CW’s before you pick this up.
I definitely recommend it!
September 14, 2022
This is an ideal book for the spooky time coming up!
Full of darkness and murdering sirens, this book hooks you up from the start. I loved the idea of sirens in the modern world and wasn’t expecting at all how much I would love the friendships in this one!
The way these characters grow separate and together is amazing, the found family in this book made my heart oh so full. I loved the banter and the way their bond was developing throughout the book and these sirens never failed to entertain me!
We get a bit of “opposites attract” in this book which made the plot even more fun. It was also really interesting to see Aglasia fight with her feelings for Hunter and I can’t wait to see more of them.
I loved how the plot really develops throughout the book with so many twists and turns, it made me so immersed in the story and I was dying to know where it was going.
I’m really looking forward to the next book, I can’t get enough of these characters!
If you like:
🧜🏽♀️ dark adult fantasy with sirens
🧜🏽♀️ found family and strong friendships
🧜🏽♀️ lots of twists and turns
🧜🏽♀️ flawed and villainous(ish) characters
🧜🏽♀️amazing character development
Then look no further! Anthesis is out November 3, 2022
Thank you so much to Lauren Elizabeth for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Full of darkness and murdering sirens, this book hooks you up from the start. I loved the idea of sirens in the modern world and wasn’t expecting at all how much I would love the friendships in this one!
The way these characters grow separate and together is amazing, the found family in this book made my heart oh so full. I loved the banter and the way their bond was developing throughout the book and these sirens never failed to entertain me!
We get a bit of “opposites attract” in this book which made the plot even more fun. It was also really interesting to see Aglasia fight with her feelings for Hunter and I can’t wait to see more of them.
I loved how the plot really develops throughout the book with so many twists and turns, it made me so immersed in the story and I was dying to know where it was going.
I’m really looking forward to the next book, I can’t get enough of these characters!
If you like:
🧜🏽♀️ dark adult fantasy with sirens
🧜🏽♀️ found family and strong friendships
🧜🏽♀️ lots of twists and turns
🧜🏽♀️ flawed and villainous(ish) characters
🧜🏽♀️amazing character development
Then look no further! Anthesis is out November 3, 2022
Thank you so much to Lauren Elizabeth for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review!
August 16, 2022
Woman who shred men apart and then eat them? ‘Twas quite a pleasure.
This is one of the best, and well written books I’ve ever read and I am literally speaking with 100% truth. Like I took MY time with this book because I was so mesmerized by evrey detail that I couldn’t put it down. The writing is and breathtaking, and the plot?? 😍😍😍😍😍😍
Basically without spoilers if u like sirens luring men and then killing them but also trying not to fall in love with one…. THEN I SAY PICK UP THIS BOOK. IT IS THE MOST INTRACTALEY MOST BEAUTIFUL AND DEVESTATING THING I’ve EVER read. THIS- this to me is what I want to see in books more. The story was immaculate and literally had me gasping😫🤧 there’s no way there won’t be a book 2 because I NEED BOOK 2. I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
Also plz check tw before u read:)
This is one of the best, and well written books I’ve ever read and I am literally speaking with 100% truth. Like I took MY time with this book because I was so mesmerized by evrey detail that I couldn’t put it down. The writing is and breathtaking, and the plot?? 😍😍😍😍😍😍
Basically without spoilers if u like sirens luring men and then killing them but also trying not to fall in love with one…. THEN I SAY PICK UP THIS BOOK. IT IS THE MOST INTRACTALEY MOST BEAUTIFUL AND DEVESTATING THING I’ve EVER read. THIS- this to me is what I want to see in books more. The story was immaculate and literally had me gasping😫🤧 there’s no way there won’t be a book 2 because I NEED BOOK 2. I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
Also plz check tw before u read:)
October 27, 2022
I’d first like to thank the author for the ARC of this book. I was gifted a copy, with a personalised note in the front as well (so kind!) for review and am sharing my honest opinion.
This story is a dark, gritty fantasy with a dash of romance. When I say dark, I do mean dark, so please check trigger warnings before reading. Nothing is sugar coated here.
The book follows Aglasia, a siren who lives hidden among humans. From the outside her life may look fairly normal, but on the inside it’s anything but. This story tells of how she meets another siren called Rossa, who barges her way into her life and offers her the chance to try and make a male siren; as a way of giving both of them some companionship and to help them deal with their desire to kill any human male they meet.
Firstly, I have never read a story about sirens before. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I dove right into it and was very pleasantly surprised. The book is part urban fantasy, part mythology, part grimdark and part romance. The mix is done really well. I found the world building and the explanation of the magic well done, and interesting to follow. The descriptions can be quite intense, which adds a lot to the overall vibe of the book. The gothic vibe is very cool! I liked the idea of siren’s living in the modern world. This story shows these creatures for what they are. They are not glorified at all. The book really explores the evil side of them, while at the same time developing a main character who we grow to care about and empathise with. If you are a fan of morally grey protagonists, here you go folks!
Another aspect I really liked was the strong female characters and relationships. Aglasia is a great FMC who grows throughout the book to let people into her life in a way she never did before. The way we get inside Aglasia’s head as she literally eats men to quell her desires was not the focus of the book overall, but we get enough introspection to help us feel connected to her as a character and to her struggles and guilt. Her relationship with Rossa and the portrayal of found family was really heart warming here. It’s like Aglasia is a grumpy old nana and Rossa is a bubbly ball of personality who just won’t leave her alone, and the dynamic really worked for me. I also really loved how the dark tone of the book was offset by the use of a lot of dark humour, particularly through Rossa’s character. Many scenes had me smiling and genuinely laughing. I really felt like this added a lot to the book overall.
My main improvement suggestions would be that it would have been nice to see Hunter’s character developed a bit more. He was a great addition and I feel like there is potential for more from him in this story moving forward. Hopefully we get to see that in the next entry. I also wanted more history of the three sisters as this would have helped flesh out the reveal at the end. I did fell that things with this aspect could have been slowed down and explored a bit more.
Overall, this book was really enjoyable and I would love to read the next works by this author. A great debut novel! This is a type of fantasy I may not have read if I hadn’t been given the chance, as I tend to stay away from squeamish things, but I was so surprised at how much I loved this book. Thanks again to the author for the copy.
This story is a dark, gritty fantasy with a dash of romance. When I say dark, I do mean dark, so please check trigger warnings before reading. Nothing is sugar coated here.
The book follows Aglasia, a siren who lives hidden among humans. From the outside her life may look fairly normal, but on the inside it’s anything but. This story tells of how she meets another siren called Rossa, who barges her way into her life and offers her the chance to try and make a male siren; as a way of giving both of them some companionship and to help them deal with their desire to kill any human male they meet.
Firstly, I have never read a story about sirens before. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I dove right into it and was very pleasantly surprised. The book is part urban fantasy, part mythology, part grimdark and part romance. The mix is done really well. I found the world building and the explanation of the magic well done, and interesting to follow. The descriptions can be quite intense, which adds a lot to the overall vibe of the book. The gothic vibe is very cool! I liked the idea of siren’s living in the modern world. This story shows these creatures for what they are. They are not glorified at all. The book really explores the evil side of them, while at the same time developing a main character who we grow to care about and empathise with. If you are a fan of morally grey protagonists, here you go folks!
Another aspect I really liked was the strong female characters and relationships. Aglasia is a great FMC who grows throughout the book to let people into her life in a way she never did before. The way we get inside Aglasia’s head as she literally eats men to quell her desires was not the focus of the book overall, but we get enough introspection to help us feel connected to her as a character and to her struggles and guilt. Her relationship with Rossa and the portrayal of found family was really heart warming here. It’s like Aglasia is a grumpy old nana and Rossa is a bubbly ball of personality who just won’t leave her alone, and the dynamic really worked for me. I also really loved how the dark tone of the book was offset by the use of a lot of dark humour, particularly through Rossa’s character. Many scenes had me smiling and genuinely laughing. I really felt like this added a lot to the book overall.
My main improvement suggestions would be that it would have been nice to see Hunter’s character developed a bit more. He was a great addition and I feel like there is potential for more from him in this story moving forward. Hopefully we get to see that in the next entry. I also wanted more history of the three sisters as this would have helped flesh out the reveal at the end. I did fell that things with this aspect could have been slowed down and explored a bit more.
Overall, this book was really enjoyable and I would love to read the next works by this author. A great debut novel! This is a type of fantasy I may not have read if I hadn’t been given the chance, as I tend to stay away from squeamish things, but I was so surprised at how much I loved this book. Thanks again to the author for the copy.
October 27, 2022
Thank you to Lauren Elizabeth for sending me a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a wild ride, I tell you. Good thing I saved it for October because it was bone chilling at times.
This is a story about a lone siren that eats men. No embellishment, she straight out rips into them.
Please look up trigger warnings because there is plenty of gore in this book. And it is in no way "a light read".
Aglasia is the lone siren and the MC of our story. She isn't likable and I don't think she is supposed to be. Not at first, at least. She is definitely a villain and the writer didn't romanticize her either. She is a monster pretending to be human and even though she has feelings, she can't fight her nature to kill and eat men. One day she meets another siren named Rossa and her life becomes intertwined with hers, whether she likes it or not.
Even though this is described as a love story, for me it was a story about friendship more than anything else. Rossa is my favorite character and I would love to read more about her in the future. The story is slow paced and pretty dark. Despite the slow pace tho, there are quite a few plot twists and unexpected turns. It ends on a cliffhanger so I'm pretty curious as to what happens next.
The writing is simple to follow and I have never read anything like this before. So it's definitely unique for my standards. I recommend it to everyone who likes dark fantasy stories.
This was a wild ride, I tell you. Good thing I saved it for October because it was bone chilling at times.
This is a story about a lone siren that eats men. No embellishment, she straight out rips into them.
Please look up trigger warnings because there is plenty of gore in this book. And it is in no way "a light read".
Aglasia is the lone siren and the MC of our story. She isn't likable and I don't think she is supposed to be. Not at first, at least. She is definitely a villain and the writer didn't romanticize her either. She is a monster pretending to be human and even though she has feelings, she can't fight her nature to kill and eat men. One day she meets another siren named Rossa and her life becomes intertwined with hers, whether she likes it or not.
Even though this is described as a love story, for me it was a story about friendship more than anything else. Rossa is my favorite character and I would love to read more about her in the future. The story is slow paced and pretty dark. Despite the slow pace tho, there are quite a few plot twists and unexpected turns. It ends on a cliffhanger so I'm pretty curious as to what happens next.
The writing is simple to follow and I have never read anything like this before. So it's definitely unique for my standards. I recommend it to everyone who likes dark fantasy stories.
October 26, 2022
The story started out slow for me. Around half way, more started happening and the pace picked up immensely. It was interesting learning about sirens through Agalaisa’s internal thoughts and how she felt about being one. I appreciated Aglasia’s struggle with what she had to do to survive. This made her more relatable because Rossa didn’t seem to care why or whom she perused. At first it seemed like all Aglasia and Rossa did was argue which annoyed me a little and why the pace felt slow.
Once more sirens were introduced, I flew through the rest of the book. I never knew what to expect because the twists not only brought a lot more action to the plot, it explained a lot of Aglasia and Rossa’s past. I was hoping for a little more romance. I really liked Hunter and how he challenged Agalsia to the point where I wish more happened with them romantically. I have mixed feelings about the ending. A lot happened in the last 50ish pages and plot lines were left open but I liked where they were heading. I am not sure if there is a book two but I want to know what happens next. It was gory at times, but the gore was not overkilled, it had a place and purpose. Overall, a nice debut.
Thank you @authorlaurenelizabeth for the gifted copy.
Once more sirens were introduced, I flew through the rest of the book. I never knew what to expect because the twists not only brought a lot more action to the plot, it explained a lot of Aglasia and Rossa’s past. I was hoping for a little more romance. I really liked Hunter and how he challenged Agalsia to the point where I wish more happened with them romantically. I have mixed feelings about the ending. A lot happened in the last 50ish pages and plot lines were left open but I liked where they were heading. I am not sure if there is a book two but I want to know what happens next. It was gory at times, but the gore was not overkilled, it had a place and purpose. Overall, a nice debut.
Thank you @authorlaurenelizabeth for the gifted copy.
August 21, 2022
I was able to read a snippet of the first chapter before I received the physical book and I could just tell I was going to love this book. The plot itself is nothing like I’ve ever read before. This book is a mix of a lot of genre like fantasy/horror/mythology/romance. Sirens shredding men apart and then eating them!?? 🤌🏻this was exquisite. Elizabeths beautiful writing captures your attention from the first few lines. I read through this book so quickly I was sad it was over. Each character was so unique, I’m intrigued to see what their life was like before they met each other. Hope we get to continue this story in a series because I am still not over this book. Warning there are some gory and bloody scenes so I would take precaution if those are not your cup of tea.
Thank you so much to Lauren Elizabeth for a ARC and the beautiful personalized note. I will cherish this copy forever 🤍🤍
Thank you so much to Lauren Elizabeth for a ARC and the beautiful personalized note. I will cherish this copy forever 🤍🤍
September 7, 2022
This was an amazing feminist asf siren story with some mythology hm thrown in for good measure.
The characters are brilliant and real which is something I’m so glad to have read.
I hope there are more of these to come 💕👏🏻
Full review coming soon
The characters are brilliant and real which is something I’m so glad to have read.
I hope there are more of these to come 💕👏🏻
Full review coming soon
August 17, 2022
I’ve rounded this up from 4.5 because this story deserves it. The dark romance mixed with a fairytale plot line was stunning. You need to read this book!
October 27, 2022
The writing is incredible! There were so many beautiful and poetic lines, lush descriptions and just all around amazing writing. It’s an easy fantasy read, no crazy world building, nothing too hard to grapple with. The plot was rather slow at the start, but things got interesting in second half when events start to unfold. LOVE the reveal towards the end!
The characters were fun, though none I particularly liked or connected with. I thought some parts of the plot could be edited down, and some scenes particularly the dialogues were too long.
The characters were fun, though none I particularly liked or connected with. I thought some parts of the plot could be edited down, and some scenes particularly the dialogues were too long.
August 14, 2022
Review to come
August 12, 2022
The first half of the book started a little slow for me. I found her relationship with Rossa to be a littlest unbelievable after only a few short weeks together BUT by the end of the book It all made sense and I liked it!
The pace definitely picked up for me in the second half. I liked the twists and turns and thought Aglasia and Rossa were both very well written, likeable characters even though they are morally grey.
I thought the writing was beautiful and descriptive but not too much.
I didn’t really love Hunter as a character, he grew on me a little but I would’ve liked more substance to him and also more angst and build up between him and Aglasia.
overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend! A great debut novel. I would love a prequel exploring Rossa, Aglasia and Thalia in their early days with Aphros!
The pace definitely picked up for me in the second half. I liked the twists and turns and thought Aglasia and Rossa were both very well written, likeable characters even though they are morally grey.
I thought the writing was beautiful and descriptive but not too much.
I didn’t really love Hunter as a character, he grew on me a little but I would’ve liked more substance to him and also more angst and build up between him and Aglasia.
overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend! A great debut novel. I would love a prequel exploring Rossa, Aglasia and Thalia in their early days with Aphros!
August 11, 2022
This book started out slow and at first I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. After Rossa made her plans known it got more interesting and the introduction of nanna made its more interesting. I’m for sure looking forward to the continuation of rossa and aglesias story to finding their sister!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2022
Absolutely beautifully written debut novel! I was not sure what to expect going into this but I was intrigued with the siren premise and I will say I was pleasantly surprised with how well written and intense this story was. Although it did start off a bit slow, it definitely picks up and I found myself completely immersed in the characters and the story. I devoured this book in a little over a day and I often found myself thinking about it while I was at work and anticipating being able to read more. Anthesis is such a gritty, dark, riveting read and I am very much looking forward to the next book, I definitely need to know what happens!!
July 27, 2022
Thank you Lauren Elizabeth for this ARC!
Anthesis is a new dark fantasy romance book and Lauren Elizabeth‘s debut novel. I still can’t believe this is the author’s debut, it is very well written and I really enjoyed this amazing story!
Aglasia is a siren, she needs to literally eat men to survive and after each “meal” she struggles with terrible guilt. She lives alone and pretends to be human, but one day another siren, Rossa, forces herself into Aglasia’s life. Rossa is Aglasia’s total opposite and they argue and fight constantly, but when Rossa reveals the real reason she came to her, Aglasia reluctantly agrees to help and that’s where the real action begins.
First of all, I really liked the idea of sirens living in the modern world and it was fascinating to read the mentions about their struggles to survive and blend in during different times in their 2000+ years of life (I would have liked to know even more!). And when I say it’s a dark fantasy I mean it’s really dark, the author is not sugarcoating sirens’ dining habits and fight scenes.
Aglasia is a great main character and the friendship unfolding between her and Rossa was so beautiful, the way she went from being always alone and not wanting to feel anything to enjoying Rossa’s company and admitting she had feelings and wanted some company in her life made me emotional, she really grew as a character. When it comes to romance, I was surprised to learn who the love interest is and didn’t care about him in the beginning, but he also grew as a character and I ended up enjoying his and Aglasia’s cute romance, it was a slow burn and I hope to see more of them in the next books.
I really enjoyed reading Anthesis, it is a great story with incredible characters and the book is fast paced, I couldn’t stop reading and finished it in one sitting. If you like dark fantasy romance you will definitely enjoy reading this one.
Anthesis is a new dark fantasy romance book and Lauren Elizabeth‘s debut novel. I still can’t believe this is the author’s debut, it is very well written and I really enjoyed this amazing story!
Aglasia is a siren, she needs to literally eat men to survive and after each “meal” she struggles with terrible guilt. She lives alone and pretends to be human, but one day another siren, Rossa, forces herself into Aglasia’s life. Rossa is Aglasia’s total opposite and they argue and fight constantly, but when Rossa reveals the real reason she came to her, Aglasia reluctantly agrees to help and that’s where the real action begins.
First of all, I really liked the idea of sirens living in the modern world and it was fascinating to read the mentions about their struggles to survive and blend in during different times in their 2000+ years of life (I would have liked to know even more!). And when I say it’s a dark fantasy I mean it’s really dark, the author is not sugarcoating sirens’ dining habits and fight scenes.
Aglasia is a great main character and the friendship unfolding between her and Rossa was so beautiful, the way she went from being always alone and not wanting to feel anything to enjoying Rossa’s company and admitting she had feelings and wanted some company in her life made me emotional, she really grew as a character. When it comes to romance, I was surprised to learn who the love interest is and didn’t care about him in the beginning, but he also grew as a character and I ended up enjoying his and Aglasia’s cute romance, it was a slow burn and I hope to see more of them in the next books.
I really enjoyed reading Anthesis, it is a great story with incredible characters and the book is fast paced, I couldn’t stop reading and finished it in one sitting. If you like dark fantasy romance you will definitely enjoy reading this one.
August 24, 2022
I received a free ARC copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
What a beautiful and gothic tale! I wasn’t sure what to expect but it delivered a brilliant romance with a great dark atmosphere. The book gives off a tragic Greek tragedy feel which is a welcomed experience!
The characters are fun to explore and I really love to follow how they interact. The romance had a great development, with just the right amount of pacing.
The prose is crafted great here. I adore how they help set the atmosphere. It’s definitely a great way to contribute to the overall feel of the book.
The ending didn’t feel quite wrapped up but I get the feeling, it’s set up for a second book. Which I eagerly look forward to!
What a beautiful and gothic tale! I wasn’t sure what to expect but it delivered a brilliant romance with a great dark atmosphere. The book gives off a tragic Greek tragedy feel which is a welcomed experience!
The characters are fun to explore and I really love to follow how they interact. The romance had a great development, with just the right amount of pacing.
The prose is crafted great here. I adore how they help set the atmosphere. It’s definitely a great way to contribute to the overall feel of the book.
The ending didn’t feel quite wrapped up but I get the feeling, it’s set up for a second book. Which I eagerly look forward to!
September 10, 2022
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of this book! The cover is insanely gorgeous and I love having it on my shelf.
This book was not what I expected. I guess I didn't know much about siren lore, but I found the concept of them living as humans and morphing once they're in the sea really interesting. Especially the description of how their bodies change, it's quite violent and intense and I was so here for it.
I thought this would be more about Aglasia's identity as a siren, and while her guilt and her feeding habits are a part of it, it wasn't the main focus. I didn't mind that so much, but I guess I was wondering more about the specific world/lore for this particular brand of sirens.
When Rossa first shows up, the time passes really quickly and I struggled to understand why Aglasia didn't push back more. I didn't really get most of Ags's decisions at the beginning and I'm not sure if I even really liked her for the first half. She's quite prickly, a bit difficult to like, but that's part of her arc and character growth. I will say for the first half, it seemed to be more Rossa's story and Ags was just a tagalong, so I did wonder why it was her POV. But as the story went on, things started to make more sense. The second half, and the ending especially, really drew me in and made me understand what was going on in the first half. There were twists and turns at the end that kept me gripped. It finally made sense why we were in Aglasia's POV, and I do think it was the right decision. She's a bit of an unreliable narrator too which was quite fun.
I loved Hunter. Something about a lovesick dude who will accept the most insane truths about the person they love just really gets me. There could have maybe been a bit more exploration of their relationship before he really got to that level, but I'm a sucker for love so I didn't really mind.
Aglasia and Rossa's relationship is really fascinating to me. I love the kind of bond where they can't quite figure out why they feel so intensely about each other, only that they do. I honestly thought Ags was gonna end up being Rossa's mother, what with all the comments about how she wasn't her mother. But in the end I really liked where their relationship went.
It was a very fast, fun read. I truly couldn't put it down and finished it in about 24 hours. I'm really hoping for a book 2 because I'd love to dive back into this world!
This book was not what I expected. I guess I didn't know much about siren lore, but I found the concept of them living as humans and morphing once they're in the sea really interesting. Especially the description of how their bodies change, it's quite violent and intense and I was so here for it.
I thought this would be more about Aglasia's identity as a siren, and while her guilt and her feeding habits are a part of it, it wasn't the main focus. I didn't mind that so much, but I guess I was wondering more about the specific world/lore for this particular brand of sirens.
When Rossa first shows up, the time passes really quickly and I struggled to understand why Aglasia didn't push back more. I didn't really get most of Ags's decisions at the beginning and I'm not sure if I even really liked her for the first half. She's quite prickly, a bit difficult to like, but that's part of her arc and character growth. I will say for the first half, it seemed to be more Rossa's story and Ags was just a tagalong, so I did wonder why it was her POV. But as the story went on, things started to make more sense. The second half, and the ending especially, really drew me in and made me understand what was going on in the first half. There were twists and turns at the end that kept me gripped. It finally made sense why we were in Aglasia's POV, and I do think it was the right decision. She's a bit of an unreliable narrator too which was quite fun.
I loved Hunter. Something about a lovesick dude who will accept the most insane truths about the person they love just really gets me. There could have maybe been a bit more exploration of their relationship before he really got to that level, but I'm a sucker for love so I didn't really mind.
Aglasia and Rossa's relationship is really fascinating to me. I love the kind of bond where they can't quite figure out why they feel so intensely about each other, only that they do. I honestly thought Ags was gonna end up being Rossa's mother, what with all the comments about how she wasn't her mother. But in the end I really liked where their relationship went.
It was a very fast, fun read. I truly couldn't put it down and finished it in about 24 hours. I'm really hoping for a book 2 because I'd love to dive back into this world!
August 24, 2022
I had a hard time with this book. I don't know why.
First I want to state that this author did incredible and 5 stars alone s to writing style. Her words scream a form of elegance and delight, I just absolutely loved that. I also love the characters, And, and Hunter being my favorite.
Now, I'm unaware if there is a sequel, and if I learn there will be more then I will change my rating but based off this ending... not meeting my needs for an Hea
Also the book comes off less of romance and more of an adventure. But it was amazing, really good and quite enjoyable once you get into it.
First I want to state that this author did incredible and 5 stars alone s to writing style. Her words scream a form of elegance and delight, I just absolutely loved that. I also love the characters, And, and Hunter being my favorite.
Now, I'm unaware if there is a sequel, and if I learn there will be more then I will change my rating but based off this ending... not meeting my needs for an Hea
Also the book comes off less of romance and more of an adventure. But it was amazing, really good and quite enjoyable once you get into it.
October 13, 2022
For a debut novel the writing in this book was absolutely amazing. There was a clear vision with Anthesis and the writing delivered the mystical, gothic, and romantic elements beautifully. Unfortunately the storyline and characters themselves were what fell short for me. I was hoping to be much more enthralled by what was going on, but I ended up feeling like everything was dragging along. With the main character (Aglasia) I never really felt that I knew her for anything other than the fact that she was a siren that felt trapped by her biological need of killing men. The male love interest I couldn’t get myself to care for either, mostly because the majority of what I saw from him was just his need to be with Aglasia. I also couldn’t understand why the male love interest (Hunter) was so in love when he knew close to nothing about Aglasia’s personality and had only just met her. She was also incredibly closed off and rude towards him during 90% of their interactions, so again that’s why I couldn’t get myself to care for their relationship. I think the only character I was fond of was Rossa, who was a siren that forced herself into Aglasia’s life. Her personality was fun and comical which brought some entertainment to the book. Overall I think the storyline just wasn’t capturing my attention and I wished the characters had more to them than just their role in the book (if that makes any sense). Again I did find the writing beautiful and I feel like there’s a lot of potential with a plot like this, but for me it just didn’t click as well as I’d hoped.
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