IonyWinter

Obsessed!

Revisado: 04-23-25

I’m obsessed with this series! It’s such a guilty pleasure. I loved this story. It was filthy and dark in all the best ways, but I don’t particularly like any of the characters. Cade’s inner monologue was repetitive and wishy washy and as fun as it was, it got old pretty fast. The repetition made the story feel a bit too long with too much time of spent not driving the plot along. So I guess it was just slow to get started. And Amaya was better, but still not necessarily interesting. Her “transformation” was kind of sudden and unrealistic? I just wasn’t emotionally invested in this couple or their romance. But I just love the shock value of all the dirty and violent details. It was fun, but unlike the other books in this series, this one is not a reread for me. It was fun while it lasted, but I’m fine with it being over. Didn’t even finish the epilogues.

Narration was great! Good ranges. Mostly all the characters sounded different.

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GAG

Revisado: 04-21-25

Ugh. Can’t take this series anymore. What a let down. Pae and Kai were annoying in the first book, exhausting in the second book, but holy moly they are insufferable in this book. They alone are the reason I only made it 3 hours.

The relentless angst between these two is nauseating. Every other sentence is “I longed to touch her” “I longed to be in his arms” “I’m jealous of the ring that gets to wrap around her skin”, blah blah blah. Like seriously, their entire focus is on each other nearly 100% of the time and it so boring!

I never liked their romance as it was. We’re never really given a reason why these two like each other so much. They just do. So I’ve never been able to be emotionally invested in it.

And oh my gosh, Kai’s POVs are criiiiingy! I’m not convinced this author has ever had a conversation with an actual man. His chapters sound like they’re written by a preteen girl trapped in the body of a pretentious poet.

I just cannot stand this book. I think there is a good story hidden in this series somewhere, but it’s overshadowed by the constant angst. I can’t believe I sat through as much of the series as I did. Do not recommend. I will be returning this.

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What a ride!

Revisado: 04-18-25

This was very entertaining. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but once I did, it kept me on the edge of my seat. The narration was pleasant and perfectly paced. The ending however, though thrilling, was so abrupt and came out of nowhere. It almost feels like the author cheated because there was absolutely no indication that it was coming. But I loved it! I recommend. Made my work day fly by.

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Worth it

Revisado: 11-22-24

I enjoyed this book, although I didn’t care for the MMC at all. He’s supposed to be a Shadow Daddy, but he’s just another walking red flag. He was tolerable, but he makes me far less invested in the love story. I even fast forward through all the sex because I just did not care for them together.

I liked the FMC much better. She’s a badass. And all the friends she made were very likable characters as well.

The story was pretty original despite all the tropes and I’m very excited to see what happens next. The world building was thorough and there is a great plot not driven by the romance. I do recommend. It was worth the sale price I paid, but I’d have been okay spending a credit on it as well.

Narration was good. They both have decent range.

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Painfully Boring

Revisado: 11-21-24

Wow. I cannot sit through another second of this book. I made it to chapter 12 and I’m out. It’s so boring. There might be a good story here, but if so it needs some serious editing because so far it’s mostly fluff.

I do like the author’s sense of humor. It’s probably the only reason I’ve made it so far. But the plot is pretty weak. The FMC sends the MMC the wrong book and instead of just telling him the truth she withholds that information to the detriment of her physical health. It’s kind of dumb. And I get she doesn’t like the story she was supposed to send, but oh well. She could still be honest about all of it. That’s pretty immature and makes it hard to relate to or feel sorry for her. I think the author tried a bit too hard to make the FMC quirky to the point that she’s just annoying.

The narration also isn’t great. CJ’s voice for the MMC is not remotely attractive and Joe’s pretty monotoned throughout. Maybe he was just as bored as I was. Not the quality I’ve come to appreciate from the both of them.

I’m disappointed I wasted money on this. Even the sale price I paid. I do not recommend. Maybe I’ll try again at a later date and if the story gets better, I’ll edit my review.

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Criminally Underrated!

Revisado: 10-31-24

This sat in my library for far too long. I’m kicking myself for not starting it sooner because this series is FANTASTIC! It’s SO suspenseful and literally kept me guessing until the very end! The FMC is a tiny bit of a Mary Sue in the first book, but still worth rooting for. I like her a lot and she proves her worthiness over and over. I love her and the MMCs as well. Costa in particular is very complex and I loved rooting for him too. The story is perfectly paced and the character development is so satisfying. There is romance, but it doesn’t drive the plot and it’s the most delicious slow burn.

Narrator did a great job. All her characters had distinct voices. She made this journey so fun!

10000% recommend. Officially one of my new favorite series! And while I normally hate comparing books, this reminds me of the Powerless series, but this is MUCH MUCH better. That book left me disappointed because I felt it was a bit juvenile and felt it was missing something. But THIS series has it. And it came out first.

Don’t delay! Download this now and enjoy the ride! Then hype it up so it can get the recognition it deserves!

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FRUSTRATING!

Revisado: 10-03-24

This book had me yelling at my phone so many times. These characters are FRUSTRATING and I found myself waffling back and forth constantly on whether or not I hated these MCs. I cant tell if the blatant lack of communication skills of these MCs is meant to show their character or is just a lazy way to create conflict but it got so old. I do see the benefit in it. The MCs have been really well developed. I understand then so much better than I did at even the halfway mark and I’m glad I hung in there.

I love a long book, but this one felt a bit too long. I think some of that length could have been better used. Sadly most of it was spent on Theon withholding even the simplest of useful information and Tessa being a brat with zero sense of self preservation.

But all that aside, I really liked this story. I feel there is a really good plot under all the needless drama and I’m very excited to find out what happens next. The author really did a great job with world building and all the ground work. Nothing felt rushed or half assed. This has all the makings of a great series! I hope the next book doesn’t disappoint. I recommend this. Just be prepared for infuriating MCs.

Oh and the performance was pretty good. The male was better. The female doesn’t have as much of a range. But I enjoyed them both!

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WHAT?!

Revisado: 08-09-24

Wow, okay, no spoilers but the ending was probably one of the craziest plot twists I’ve never seen coming and then it just ended with no explanation and I am REELING. So, if you hate cliffhangers, don’t start this until the next book is out because damn!

This book was not as good as the first. The romance was just too drawn out and completely overshadowed the weak plot. Trying to stretch this series into a trilogy is doing this story a disservice. It’s a very exciting and interesting concept with likable characters who I’m very invested in, but Kai and Paedon’s relationship struggles are so repetitive that I found myself eventually fast forwarding through their chapters just to get to the end. To what the whole book was building towards. I really hope the last book has more action and less romance because I can’t take another book of angst between Kai and Paedon. But something tells me that’s exactly what I’m gonna get.

Regardless, I did enjoy this book just as I enjoyed the first. Can’t wait for the next one!

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Darling

Revisado: 08-07-24

First and foremost, Kai’s use of “darling” in every sentence was absolutely grating and I literally almost stopped listening a couple times because of it. That, and the book just took a long while to get going. But once it did, I really liked it. There’s definitely room for improvement, but I still recommend it to YA lovers. I know this is a pretty unoriginal concept, but I haven’t read many stories like this so it didn’t feel like the same old story. If you’ve read a million of these, you might not like this one.

This was a bit more romance heavy than I would have preferred especially since it never really got going before the book ended. I’m all for a slow burn, but this barely got hot. However, I’ll take this over instalove any day! I just would have liked a bit more action chapters and less will-they-won’t-they chapters. I have a feeling the next one will be better. I’m assuming the first book just had a lot of fluff since she was trying to stretch this into a trilogy.

There is a lot here that keeps you wanting to read on! I wanted to see who won the trials, learn why the King banished the ordinaries, see how the princes would react to Paedon’s choices, and of course, which prince would she end up with.

The narrators were just okay. Very little range from either of them. But they definitely performed instead of just read. I would never seek them out, but they were good enough to get me through all the “darlings”.

Anyway, I’m off to read the next one. I’m very interested to know what happens!

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Meh

Revisado: 07-31-24

Love this author! I’ve read quite a few books by her and loved them so much I’ve listened to them multiple times. But this one was a chore to finish. By the end I was listening at 2x speed.

The story itself is great. Feels very original and it unfolds throughout the book so you’re left hanging on for answers. The execution though, not good. And the writing is surprisingly juvenile. It needed some serious editing. There was a lot of unnecessary information like “I woke up and looked out the window. I took a shower and put on yoga pants and a tshirt. I made a cup of tea and dipped it slowly thinking about all I had to do today. I headed out the door and picked up my dog and put her in the basket and got on my bike and peddled down to the lake.” And that was like every scene. It got annoying.

The first 3/4 of the book went by okay but it really started to drag and I skipped to the last chapter just to see how everything resolved itself. It’s a predictable and satisfying enough ending. The language used to describe the sex was cringy at times. Any time I hear anything along the lines of “wet folds” or “engorged nub”, I check right out. So gross.

The performance was fine. Not amazing, not awful. They did well. I had no problem with them.

3.5 stars. I did enjoy it for the most part, but won’t listen to it again. This is far from her best work.

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