When it was good, it was so, so good. But real talk, its flaws were... persistent.
I have several spoilers marked below. Tbh most of them are barely spWhen it was good, it was so, so good. But real talk, its flaws were... persistent.
I have several spoilers marked below. Tbh most of them are barely spoilers, and sometimes only for book one. But I'm the most spoiler-averse person to ever refuse to read blurbs, so I am overly cautious on this point.
Midway through this book, I added it to my couples-hall-of-fame shelf — and since I've joined GR, they're the first straight couple I've put there. ...more
I don’t knoooow. This one was probably around 2.5 stars for me, surprisingly. I wasn’t tempted to set it down but that was largely due to the love I hI don’t knoooow. This one was probably around 2.5 stars for me, surprisingly. I wasn’t tempted to set it down but that was largely due to the love I have for this series and these characters… rather than this volume.
A strong element for me was the supporting characters, who were robust and held my interest. Also there were compelling world-building additions that definitely implied more of this story is to come.
But I didn’t really feel any progression with Cooper’s and Park’s character development. They were just kind of there for me. Several funny lines to be sure, but a lot fewer than in the previous volumes. One of the things I thought Adhara had done outstandingly well in the past was keeping their tension/interest without forcing drama between them, but this time I didn’t feel that tension.
So I went in expecting to love it, and it missed that mark. But on the whole it wasn’t bad, and it definitely piqued my interest as a setup for the spinoff. Which, unfortunately, might have been the primary objective....more
4.5 stars. I read fiction for so many reasons, but I’m almost always looking for an emotionally immersive experience. To that end, I seek out a certai4.5 stars. I read fiction for so many reasons, but I’m almost always looking for an emotionally immersive experience. To that end, I seek out a certain kind of book… one that I can’t really describe, but I know when I see it. (Yeah, that’s possibly the most unhelpful sentence in existence.)
But the point is, I didn't predict that this series was it. I went in not because it was my usual thing, but because of a raving endorsement from a trusted friend. And Teal, as it turns out, you could not have been more right. ;)
I found an immersive experience, indeed. Not just emotional, but adventurous, imaginative, and sumptuous. When I would begrudgingly set down my kindle, I found myself blinking a few times and wondering why I was hearing cars outside instead of horses clomping. Why I felt air coming from my vents instead of breezing through the trees.
Why my heart was beating like it had a vendetta with my ribs.
In a retelling like this, you might be tempted to think that the characterizations have been given a head start. Like you already know the people you’re going to read about. Maybe you’ve heard one, or dozens, or zero tales about Robin Hood, but regardless, I assure you that you don’t know *these* characters yet. They were developed as dimensionally as you could hope for, with no leaning on mythos for shortcuts. This includes both the main and peripheral characters, and even extends to the substantive personality written into the animals, who are as much a part of the characters’ lives as the air they breathe.
It’s only with characters like this — ones I grow to know, ones that jump off the page and slap me or kiss me or both — that I can lose myself in their adventures. I have not long considered myself a fantasy reader, and this has been why. I suppose I had several past experiences that convinced me of fantasy being more about plot and escapades than about characters and relationships, and my priority is decidedly the latter. But CLEARLY I had chosen poorly, because my experiences with fantasy over the past year have been amazing. And this is the story that has finally made me stop eschewing the fantasy genre.
I have to note, because I’m me and I can’t not, that this book isn’t perfect. I had pacing niggles in the last 20%, and there were one or two too many contrived plot elements for my liking. (IMO, those were more present here than in book 1.)
But. My decision to round up was easy, because living with these characters over the last week has been so thrilling that the letdown now is real. The last three books, which I’ll be LIVING come the end of April, will conclude with the series finale due to be released on May 1st.
Rob and Gamelyn (fight me, I’ll never call him Guy) are the latest addition to my couples hall of fame. They’re ones that I’ll revisit again and again, and I can’t wait.
Thanks, as always, to my fab buddy readers (Ele, Linda, Rosa, Shile, Teal, Xia) — this one would have been torturous not to be able to discuss, and you added so much to the experience!...more
I know I haven’t given any volume of this series all the stars, but damn if you aren’t going to have to pry the Cooper and Park stories out of my coldI know I haven’t given any volume of this series all the stars, but damn if you aren’t going to have to pry the Cooper and Park stories out of my cold dead hands. My life won't allow me to write a real review of this one right now, so I'll just say a few things:
• Hands-down the best mystery so far in the series • These two are still ALL THE HOT • Adhara is doing a fabulous job making their past-the-HEA interesting and still in character • Her writing is getting better and better; she's become an absolute autobuy for me, this series or otherwise • Carina needs to up their copy editing/proofreading game
March 2023: I don't know why I ever expect subsequent reads of this to be less impactful or emotional. They're not.
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I just finished my sMarch 2023: I don't know why I ever expect subsequent reads of this to be less impactful or emotional. They're not.
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I just finished my second read within 2 weeks, and thinking that another read would get this story "out of my system" was just delusional par excellence.
Thrown Off the Ice is unlike anything else, but it's not just its uniqueness that has made it so dear to me. It's an honest and raw love story, with an affective narrative voice and on-point character evolution.
I don't know exactly what I expected from this reread, but what I didn't expect was how unlike the experience would be from the first. Even more impactful (and I wouldn't have said that was possible). The story looks so different from a read-between-the-lines perspective. If that's too vague, I can't even be sorry. I've never felt more strongly that a book should be entered into blindly than I do here.
Mike and Liam, you have a permanent piece of my heart, and I will always come back to visit you.
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First read: This is one of those. One of those that I'm not capable of reviewing....more
The Dark Tide — 4.5 stars. This mystery didn’t hold my attention as well as the last one, but it has solid importance to the story, and it’s one that The Dark Tide — 4.5 stars. This mystery didn’t hold my attention as well as the last one, but it has solid importance to the story, and it’s one that I’m curious to scrutinize much closer on my next read. A tornado warning could have gone off right by my head when I was reading Adrien and Jake’s scenes in this book and I wouldn’t have been the wiser.
This series is A Tale of Two Genres. And it’s also a cautionary tale about not throwing the baby out with the bathwater, from a reading perspective.
Have I already exhausted my cliché limit for this review? It’s going to get worse, because original thought isn’t my niche after I’ve just found a couple for my favorite couples of all time list.
They say Josh Lanyon is a mystery writer, but you aren’t going to be able to prove that by me. This woman is a relationship writer, and not just that — she’s among the BEST of those.
I’m not much of a mystery reader. But I’ve read my share, and when they work, they really work. The mysteries in the first 3 of these books were just in my fucking way. I was not engaged in them, and if I hadn’t been immediately captivated by the relationship between Adrien and Jake, I might have been tempted to set the whole series aside. Baby, meet bathwater.
However. Captivated is an understatement. Lanyon’s ability to create interpersonal tension — in every way except the predictable — is writing master class. I could c/p dozens of lines here to prove my point, but spoilers aren’t my style. Trust me or don’t. Or trust the bazillions of other people who’ve read this series in the last almost-20 years. ;)
Flawed, nuanced characters that you’ll need your 3D glasses for. JL made me experience the entire damn spectrum of emotion, and often using only a handful of words to do so.
I really don’t know what else to say, because if this isn’t already speaking your language, I can’t help. If we're friends, expect to be hearing things about this series for a long time. Both 1) while I try in vain to overcome the hangover that I'll have for at least a week, and 2) when I dive in for the scores of rereads that will happen in my lifetime.
Lastly, shout-out to my AMAZING buddy read partners. This was an incredible experience, full of spirited discussion, and fortunately it's showing no signs of stopping. Elena, Linda, Rosa, Shile, Teal, and Xia...more
Update Nov 17, 2019: Read #2 This book is the reason to read the series. Fight me.
—————————— Fucking hell, this book was perfect. It's the only one in tUpdate Nov 17, 2019: Read #2 This book is the reason to read the series. Fight me.
—————————— Fucking hell, this book was perfect. It's the only one in the series that was a full five stars for me. I was never tempted to skim the mystery bits, because that part of the plot was fascinating and had significant relevance to the relationship. I was WRUNG OUT in this one. Multiple times.
Non-spoiler review of The Adrien English Mysteries series: A Tale of Two Genres. And also a cautionary tale about not throwing the baby out with the bathwater, from a reading perspective.
Have I already exhausted my cliché limit for this review? It’s going to get worse, because original thought isn’t my niche after I’ve just found a couple for my favorite couples of all time list.
They say Josh Lanyon is a mystery writer, but you aren’t going to be able to prove that by me. This woman is a relationship writer, and not just that — she’s among the BEST of those.
I’m not much of a mystery reader. But I’ve read my share, and when they work, they really work. The mysteries in the first 3 of these books were just in my fucking way. I was not engaged in them, and if I hadn’t been immediately captivated by the relationship between Adrien and Jake, I might have been tempted to set the whole series aside. Baby, meet bathwater.
However. Captivated is an understatement. Lanyon’s ability to create interpersonal tension — in every way except the predictable — is writing master class. I could c/p dozens of lines here to prove my point, but spoilers aren’t my style. Trust me or don’t. Or trust the bazillions of other people who’ve read this series in the last almost-20 years. ;)
Flawed, nuanced characters that you’ll need your 3D glasses for. JL made me experience the entire damn spectrum of emotion, and often using only a handful of words to do so.
I really don’t know what else to say, because if this isn’t already speaking your language, I can’t help. If we're friends, expect to be hearing things about this series for a long time. Both 1) while I try in vain to overcome the hangover that I'll have for at least a week, and 2) when I dive in for the scores of rereads that will happen in my lifetime.
Lastly, shout-out to my AMAZING buddy read partners. This was an incredible experience, full of spirited discussion, and fortunately it's showing no signs of stopping. Elena, Linda, Rosa, Shile, Teal, and Xia...more
4 stars for this volume, 5 stars for the series as a whole. OMG the mystery in this one drove me batty. Two reasons: it dominated a higher percentage 4 stars for this volume, 5 stars for the series as a whole. OMG the mystery in this one drove me batty. Two reasons: it dominated a higher percentage of the page count (not a scientific deduction, just my perception), and I lost any patience I ever might have had for words that weren't directly related to Adrien and Jake and what they were going through. Their problems were my problems, their lives were my life. GET BEHIND ME, SATAN.
Non-spoiler review of The Adrien English Mysteries series: A Tale of Two Genres. And also a cautionary tale about not throwing the baby out with the bathwater, from a reading perspective.
Have I already exhausted my cliché limit for this review? It’s going to get worse, because original thought isn’t my niche after I’ve just found a couple for my favorite couples of all time list.
They say Josh Lanyon is a mystery writer, but you aren’t going to be able to prove that by me. This woman is a relationship writer, and not just that — she’s among the BEST of those.
I’m not much of a mystery reader. But I’ve read my share, and when they work, they really work. The mysteries in the first 3 of these books were just in my fucking way. I was not engaged in them, and if I hadn’t been immediately captivated by the relationship between Adrien and Jake, I might have been tempted to set the whole series aside. Baby, meet bathwater.
However. Captivated is an understatement. Lanyon’s ability to create interpersonal tension — in every way except the predictable — is writing master class. I could c/p dozens of lines here to prove my point, but spoilers aren’t my style. Trust me or don’t. Or trust the bazillions of other people who’ve read this series in the last almost-20 years. ;)
Flawed, nuanced characters that you’ll need your 3D glasses for. JL made me experience the entire damn spectrum of emotion, and often using only a handful of words to do so.
I really don’t know what else to say, because if this isn’t already speaking your language, I can’t help. If we're friends, expect to be hearing things about this series for a long time. Both 1) while I try in vain to overcome the hangover that I'll have for at least a week, and 2) when I dive in for the scores of rereads that will happen in my lifetime.
Lastly, shout-out to my AMAZING buddy read partners. This was an incredible experience, full of spirited discussion, and fortunately it's showing no signs of stopping. Elena, Linda, Rosa, Shile, Teal, and Xia...more
Update Nov 15, 2019: Read #2 It's such a crazy voodoo these guys have, and it's working its magic on me just as strongly this time as it did the first.Update Nov 15, 2019: Read #2 It's such a crazy voodoo these guys have, and it's working its magic on me just as strongly this time as it did the first. While I'm reading their story, I am driven to distraction in my real life, just wanting to get back to them.
Having said that, this is my least favorite mystery in the series, and I had no more patience with it this time. But it's a small price to pay in order to experience the evolution of one of my favorite fictional couples of all-time.
—————————— 4 stars for this volume, 5 stars for the series as a whole. I couldn't have cared less about the mystery in this one, but Adrien and Jake's relationship is so much everything. I can't even talk with you about it until I deal with it extensively in therapy. Book 3, here I come.
Non-spoiler review of The Adrien English Mysteries series: A Tale of Two Genres. And also a cautionary tale about not throwing the baby out with the bathwater, from a reading perspective.
Have I already exhausted my cliché limit for this review? It’s going to get worse, because original thought isn’t my niche after I’ve just found a couple for my favorite couples of all time list.
They say Josh Lanyon is a mystery writer, but you aren’t going to be able to prove that by me. This woman is a relationship writer, and not just that — she’s among the BEST of those.
I’m not much of a mystery reader. But I’ve read my share, and when they work, they really work. The mysteries in the first 3 of these books were just in my fucking way. I was not engaged in them, and if I hadn’t been immediately captivated by the relationship between Adrien and Jake, I might have been tempted to set the whole series aside. Baby, meet bathwater.
However. Captivated is an understatement. Lanyon’s ability to create interpersonal tension — in every way except the predictable — is writing master class. I could c/p dozens of lines here to prove my point, but spoilers aren’t my style. Trust me or don’t. Or trust the bazillions of other people who’ve read this series in the last almost-20 years. ;)
Flawed, nuanced characters that you’ll need your 3D glasses for. JL made me experience the entire damn spectrum of emotion, and often using only a handful of words to do so.
I really don’t know what else to say, because if this isn’t already speaking your language, I can’t help. If we're friends, expect to be hearing things about this series for a long time. Both 1) while I try in vain to overcome the hangover that I'll have for at least a week, and 2) when I dive in for the scores of rereads that will happen in my lifetime.
Lastly, shout-out to my AMAZING buddy read partners. This was an incredible experience, full of spirited discussion, and fortunately it's showing no signs of stopping. Elena, Linda, Rosa, Shile, Teal, and Xia...more
The two strongest elements of this book — and really, this series — are hilarity and sexiness. And squeeee, this volume brought both of those in a DELThe two strongest elements of this book — and really, this series — are hilarity and sexiness. And squeeee, this volume brought both of those in a DELIGHTFUL package.
Cooper and Park just continue to wiggle deeper into my heart, and we got a much more profound view of Park this time. Not just his backstory (though that too), but personality, strengths and weaknesses, motivation, etc. Cooper's character was still strong (and freaking hilarious omg), and his interactions with his cat Boogie absolutely stole the show.
Except for the sex… that stole it more. I've said this before in my previousreviews from this series, but Adhara has a really creative talent for writing sexy times. They remind me of NOTHING else I've read, and that is saying so much when it often feels like there isn't anything new under the sun from that perspective. She makes things work that, if I were to try to describe them to you, you'd think would be epic fails. But they aren't — in the context of these two guys, they're perfect. And totally in character. The scenes are unique, hella sexy, never repetitive, and many times actually move the story forward.
The relationship development between Cooper and Park in this book was 5 stars for me, the strongest it's been. I loved the depth and evolution of that element. The relationship itself isn't perfect, and it's approached from a surprisingly healthy perspective — a lot of psychologically intelligent narrative that is rare to see in romance novels.
The weak part of this book was the mystery. It felt like a whole lot was bitten off and then not really fully developed. The reveal at the end seemed told to me, rather than coming together in an "aha" kind of feel.
But still highly recommend. I loved it and am currently planning to reread the series before book 4 comes out. Which can't be too soon for me.
Howl at my buddy readers, Hayley and Ele! You two made the fun funner. xx...more
Yep. Yep yep yep. In spite of myself and a handful of imperfections, I’m officially a fan.
You might be aware that this is not my normal kind of read. Yep. Yep yep yep. In spite of myself and a handful of imperfections, I’m officially a fan.
You might be aware that this is not my normal kind of read. It’s basically a vanilla, no-depravity-in-sight, contemporary romance. (I know I know, but even that part falls a little shy of my kink baseline. ...more
It's complete bs that this wasn't included in Kings Rising, but it was beautiful, amazing, everything.It's complete bs that this wasn't included in Kings Rising, but it was beautiful, amazing, everything....more
I have had no success lately, trying to review my 6-star books. Sometimes muuuhh hurrma weeerrlly just isn’t sufficient.
I feel too close to this serieI have had no success lately, trying to review my 6-star books. Sometimes muuuhh hurrma weeerrlly just isn’t sufficient.
I feel too close to this series to review it. Like I’m trying to describe my best friend to someone I’ve just met. I’m protective of him, and I’m a little resentful about having to explain my feelings for him. And most of all, how can I say anything that will actually measure up to him? Measure up to seeing the light in his eyes, to the way he makes me laugh, to how it breaks my heart when he’s in pain, to the looks we share across a room.
I held off on reading this series for a while. You know those ones that you’re sure you will love but you’re also worried they won’t live up to the hype? High expectations generally aren’t my friend.
I needn’t have worried.
I expected a slow burn... and dear me, we need a new word for slow burn. Book edging at its absolute finest.
I expected an epic AU historical tale... and I got it. Nothing about the politics or battles was dry. I hung on every word.
I expected great character development... but it was perfection, and even the secondary characters jumped off the page. And Laurent? Everything. So fully developed and three-dimensional, I might even start using him as an example in my real life. To quote Damen at one point, What would Laurent do? I need that on a bracelet. ;)
What I didn’t expect was the dry humor… it was masterful. I laughed out loud so much, and it took the story to another plane entirely. It broke through the tension and drama, it gave the characters intelligence and personality, it made the discourse sexier.
This year so far, I’ve rated six books with 5 stars (not including this series); I’ll re-read all of them at some point. But I’ll probably come back to this set annually for the rest of my life. I already want to.
March 2019 reread: My favorite book of this fucking incredible series. Full review here. ------------------ Can't talk now, see you after volume 3.March 2019 reread: My favorite book of this fucking incredible series. Full review here. ------------------ Can't talk now, see you after volume 3....more
I’ve been sitting here with my fingers poised over my keyboard for a few minutes. Occasionally I’ve typed a word or two, then deleted. I don’t know hoI’ve been sitting here with my fingers poised over my keyboard for a few minutes. Occasionally I’ve typed a word or two, then deleted. I don’t know how to review this, so I’m starting with that inaneness.
I often begin thinking of my review while I’m reading a book, especially toward the end, wondering what (if anything) I have to say. At 80% of Finches, I thought I wouldn’t write one at all. My thoughts just felt too incoherent, too impossible to put into words.
Then, during the last couple of hours I spent with the story, I was struck with some breathtaking feelings, like I was walking through a gallery and being overwhelmed by the artistry. This book, this series, is a work of art. Or even a thousand works of art, all coming together in a perfectly cohesive masterpiece.
I have no idea how Suanne Laqueur’s brain works, to be able to write a book like this. It has so many freaking layers, and it’s all so connected that it feels wrong for it to have a front and back cover. In truth, it should present itself more like a slide carousel. And I’m a babbling idiot.
So much insanely difficult and profound subject matter is covered here, all with intense reverence. Laqueur didn’t take any of these topics lightly, and I can’t imagine the effort and the emotion that must have gone into the research. Your trust is heavy in my hands. Being as spoiler averse as I am, I am choosing not to list those topics, but there are plenty of other reviews with content warnings you can reference if you’re concerned.
It has amazing romance elements, but it isn't a romance book. It has the darkest of dark elements, but it isn't a dark book. It has gut-wrenching suspense elements, but it isn't a suspense book. I smiled, I laughed, I got nauseated, I got brain-explodingly angry, I got butterflies, I got hungry, I got turned on, I cried, I got hope.
I’m as conflicted about how to wrap up this review as I was about how to begin it and how to write it. I feel... actually changed. I experienced the characters and their stories inside and out, but moreover, I learned about my own character and my own story along the way.
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March 2019 reread: Everything. Ev.er.y.thing....more
The puppet could only sever the strings and refuse to walk, not walk of its own free will.
This gritty, rough, intense story owns me. OWNS. ME.
SomeThe puppet could only sever the strings and refuse to walk, not walk of its own free will.
This gritty, rough, intense story owns me. OWNS. ME.
Sometimes when I am as enveloped as I became with this one, reviewing it is hard. Really hard. I lose my words. One of my friends who's buddy reading this one with me suggested that I take some of my text messages to her and turn them into my review. So I'm going to give that a shot.
It doesn't get more intense than the setting for this love story, where the characters are living in war conditions that make our (well… at least my) problems seem downright insignificant. They save each others' lives many times over and it's so real. What makes it feel that way is not only the excellent storytelling (though it definitely is). But in reality, there are so many true scenarios like this — wartime relationships that kept people alive.
It's heartbreaking and hopeful and endearing and gut-wrenching all at the same time. And it's so damn three-dimensional that I felt like my real life was the fictional part of my world during the week I was reading.
So many things that I would normally gripe about — constant POV changes, typos all day long, stream-of-consciousness style writing that was riddled with comma splices — I forgave every one. Because when you've created one of the most epic stories on the planet, and then offered it for free, you get my amnesty. Which is worth nothing, but there you have it.
Note: I will be continuing with book 2 shortly, which I'm well aware contains content that many of my GR friends loathed. I have done my best to avoid spoilers about this, so if you want to discuss now or later in the comments, please employ the spoiler tag. ...more
4.5 stars. Unbelievably good. I had high expectations, and it surpassed them.
I'm going to put an RTC pin in thislink to my book 2 review, which doesn4.5 stars. Unbelievably good. I had high expectations, and it surpassed them.
I'm going to put an RTC pin in thislink to my book 2 review, which doesn't have any spoilers even for this first volume. But in case you need more than my vague ringing endorsement, go here. It even has pretty pictures. :D
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