Tori > Recent Status Updates

A male survivor of sexual abuse??? In this sci-fi-fantasy-dystopian novel??? Actually being portrayed really fucking well so far???
On a technical level I think the Curse Bearer series is better but enjoyment wise I'd say it's about the same. I am living and breathing this book rn.

“Do you think letting me hurt you would absolve you of what you’ve done?”

- !!!!!!!!!

He wants to disappear. More than that, he wants—not to die, exactly, but to be unmade. To have never been.

- Hey, Veronica?? If you could stop making your characters so relatable in uncomfortable ways that would be great!! Ugh. He's so!!! Traumatized! And sad!

Whump again? A pathetic little knight? A prophecy with a main character going "fuck prophecy actually"? The political stakes??? Veronica Roth, the woman you are!!!

Is this book predictable? Yes. Am I still eating it up? ABSOLUTELY yes. I don't think anyone familiar with gothic lit or body horror will be the least bit shocked. But it's a fun/terrible time if you have big feelings about bugs.

OH YUCK WE'RE IN IT NOW!! I'm both disgusted and delighted. Ugh.

If I wasn't on a time crunch rn and scrambling to finish my fantasy bingo card, I'd have dropped this book tbh. Thought it would be for me but it's BORING. Also if I read the phrase "rosebud mouth" ever again it'll be too soon.

Goodbye, Maysilee. Miss you already. You were a real one.

I am unwell. Probably not 5 stars unwell. But damn I've missed this world. It's nice to feel this pain again lmao.

NO!!!!!!! 😔

On one hand, love the writing style. On the other..... really?? An immediate "eat pray love" name drop? Ick.
Thankfully, I don't need to like a main character, especially when I'm reading horror. I just need to be invested.
Unfortunately, I can easily see the mixed media bullshit wearing on me fast. Not sure I'm sold on how it's done, here.

Finished ch 2 and Sam???? Is a cute lil puppy boy I'll tell you whattt.

That prologue was killing me!! Thankfully, I'm partway through ch 1 now and it's much improved. These hobbits are kinda cuuute ngl.
(Also I skipped the notes and foreward before the prologue, maybe I'll go back to it after I finish but I DO NOT CARE rn lol)

I'm SO BORED and I'm sad about it!!!

I wish I was liking this one more than I do.

I have an OC that would like to ruin Josh's life (affectionate)

Definitely take the “smut” tag on Lights Out seriously. Literally every chapter these weirdos are horny. GET HELP 😂
Jokes aside, I'm enjoying this for what it is even if it's a bit cringe, and obviously it's insta-lust so eh. Gotta be in the mood for that kind of thing. I get why people have bounced off this book so hard.

Josh: *breaks into someone's house*
Also Josh: it's unacceptable how easy this was, I'll place an anonymous order and get you better security asap

He's a fucking freak and I kinda love him? What's happening lol. He's a puppy!!!

Ugh. The Regent saying Laurent was a "lovely boy" sure makes my skin crawl. IYKYK.

At this point, I can't say I'm rooting for either of the main characters. It feels very “lesser of the two evils.”
I care about Erasmus and the other slaves, though. Gods that scene with Damen and Erasmus!! Good stuff. Horrible. Interesting. I wanna see more of it.

Feels rude to complain already but... oof. I'm not loving the prose. It's passable. But a bit grating. That doesn't bode well for me lol.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa fuck. Well that was literally so obvious and predictable but I can't deny things are tense and interesting rn

The hunting scene with the fox pup and a certain someone???? Toxic evil lesbian time let's goooo!

Okay..... honestly? I feel like we needed 50-100+ extra pages, besties. Even with half of the book left to go... I can tell. I'm still having a lot of fun! I'll probably finish tonight or tomorrow. But I find myself yearning for more dynamics and interactions that this book, quite frankly, doesn't have time for. And that's a shame.

“You know, I should quite like to have a taste of you, as Lisavet did. Just to know what it is she saw in you when she partook.”

😱😱 ugh I knew this damn book would make me want bloodmaid x bloodmaid shenanigans. So rude lol.

I've seen a lot of people call this book “slow” and “melodramatic” and “boring” and “not scary.“ And listen. A boring book is absolutely a sin. I dislike them more than bad books. But this???? Imo, so far, HoH fits the hallmarks of gothic literature.

I agree with all the reviewers who've said this isn't a romance. This man... has so much to answer for.

“And then I find you, exactly where everyone said you’d gone, and you’re walking around the corner in your starched school uniform and I’m thinking to myself: ‘She’s grown up. She’s a woman, and Nampeshiweisit, and nothing is the same anymore.’ But then you ran and hugged me.”

Gods. Am I gonna cry?? When did I become so soft...