Chris L > Recent Status Updates

Library book got accidentally returned - on home again.

A story about power and fathers and sons and young love. So much of this so far overlaps with the first book, just a slightly different perspective. And Gordo’s childhood is so much like Ox’s. This makes it feel repetitive - where is the new storyline? Not seeing it yet, just the first book again. Want more Mark and Gordo as adults not boys. Or more “current” Ox and Joe.

Struggling with this one. All the characters are deep in sadness and pittty. Like the first book, most of the few human female characters are not well treated by their husbands and are treated as less than. The MMCs want approval of powerful (deeply flawed) powerful men.

Not sure why I continue with this series. I don’t love the writing. I guess the complex story and romance/sex provides enough, but I truly don’t enjoy the writing. Reads like a YA novel. And despite the sex it’s rather conservative in the way relationships are depicted.

The Avalon libraries seems like a college research project. Not sure how I feel about the new Queen and her vengeance.

Halfway through no 🌶️, lots of info dump and self-pitty, and a fair amount of torture. SJM puts a lot of detail into her web building but I don’t think I live her writing. Not sure what draws me in.

Felt like an Asriel and Nesta side for Bryce… just filler, just to get an overwhelming cross-series info dump. Meanwhile filling time with torturing the boys, all while filling time by having meat market fights with the other boys. Feels a bit like filler and stalling.

This book throws you right in where the other left off. I found it hard to remember everything from the previous book series, which are now all intertwined. no romance yet - lots of torture and storyline revelations.

What a pair of unhealthy people.

Not brilliant but I’m interested to see where it goes.

The unconditional love and acceptance is good though.

Kinda over the delayed satisfaction, v card, good girl, big D cliches.

Good so far, though the werewolf kink certainly isn’t for everyone.

Whine, whine, whine. In the middle of a major disaster, and sure the FMC comments in that, but this is mostly a woe is me pity party.

Feels exploitative having a man write about the horrors of child birth. And while many birth stories are difficult, author leans into this too hard. It’s like cultural appropriation - not his story to tell.

Switched to audiobook at 200% speed. Most of the horror is just childbirth. After FMC has baby she dilusionaly acts like she knows it all - she’s seen how hard life can be. It’ll never be the same… eye roll.

Switched to audiobook at 150%
Chanting in chapter 19 is too much!!!

Audiobook narration is like false excitement of a children’s book with a think of condescension for the listener. Just social abused kids, not much witchcraft. Also not living how pregnancy is both exaggerated and glorified.

Snooze town. When does this get good. Audiobook narration sounds like reading a kids book.

Still struggling. This is just people who have been kept ignorant trying to survive in a world who doesn’t care about them. No witchcraft yet. I almost don’t want any if the vibe stays the same. A quick 180 is needed soon.

Struggling with the first few chapters. I get it, it’s a bad situation, but it’s a real downer.

Good, except for when the FMC goes on rants about her internal thoughts on identity, power, race, otherness etc. Though the topic is interesting it comes out like shotgun fire - all over the place instead of precise. It’s like a brain dump rather than a thoughtfully composed statement. Perhaps that’s the point.