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zydecovivo's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Blood, and War
Moderate: Stalking, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, and Torture
Minor: Domestic abuse
tiffanne11's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had read one Ali Hazelwood book before this and wrote her off as not an author for me. But after seeing people rave about this one and how it was so different from her other books, I decided to give it a try. And I am so glad that I did.
Misery is a vampire that has lived among humans (not always by choice) for most of her life. Lowe is a were, alpha of the pack. As a form of a treaty, the two are wed in an arranged marriage, but they each have their own motives.
This story is full of deception, surprises, and some mild spice scenes. I could not put this down, and lost sleep because of it.
Not only was the couple compelling, but the tensions from the conflicts between the species, as well as the thread of mystery, made it a non stop read for me.
Spice: 2/5 đ¶ïž (on page in some detail, not overly graphic)
Misery is a vampire that has lived among humans (not always by choice) for most of her life. Lowe is a were, alpha of the pack. As a form of a treaty, the two are wed in an arranged marriage, but they each have their own motives.
This story is full of deception, surprises, and some mild spice scenes. I could not put this down, and lost sleep because of it.
Not only was the couple compelling, but the tensions from the conflicts between the species, as well as the thread of mystery, made it a non stop read for me.
Spice: 2/5 đ¶ïž (on page in some detail, not overly graphic)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, and War
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Racism, War, Kidnapping, and Xenophobia
waldtochter's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death of parent, and War
lawbooks600's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Score: Five out of ten.
What an underwhelming reading experience. Again.
Let me get this straight: Ali Hazelwood is not the author for me. Bride is the third book I've read from her, but she always disappoints and never seems to improve. I gave her three chances when I read The Love Hypothesis and then Check & Mate, but Bride was at the same level, not above it. Perhaps I should stop reading from her.
It starts with a prologue that lasts for a few pages, then it cuts to the central storyline with Misery Lark, a vampire, sorry, Vampyre (I'm cringing at this) living in the Human (uppercase) world. The pacing is slow at first and continues to be so, as Bride is around 400 pages. Bride only appeals to three types of people, those who like paranormal romances, those who enjoy fantasy romances (romantasies for short) and Hazelwood enthusiasts. I am not any of them. Hazelwood's latest creation stumbles in every possible aspect, so I'm unsure where to start, but I'll try.
First, the plot. As implied by the term romantasy, the narrative revolves around the relationship between Misery and Lowe Moreland, a Were (uppercase, and presumably short for werewolf.) Is it me, or romantasies don't work for me? I like fantasies with strong worldbuilding, not novels about romances in a fantastical setting with no worldbuilding (contemporary and urban too.) It leaves behind so many unanswered questions. Expanding upon the world would improve the romantasy genre. Where do the Weres and Vampyres come from? Why are they at war with each other and the Humans? Bride doesn't explain that. The characters lack depth, so saying they had chemistry would be a stretch. Increasing depth and character development would've made me enjoy Bride more, but I can't recommend this one in its present state. Those also looking for compositions with literary value should look elsewhere. At least the conclusion is heartwarming, as the couple is together in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Full trigger warnings: War themes, physical assault and injury, blood, grief and loss depiction, death of peopleraelkeru's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: War and Violence
mzquirk's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Cursing
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Death of parent, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Confinement
Minor: Child death, War, Torture, and Murder
linnybear's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was my first Ali Hazelwoodsâ ever and because Iâm not a romance type of girlie I was so glad she introduced a fantasy theme into one of her books so I could read it myself. I went into it pretty much âno thoughts, head emptyâ though being fully aware sheâs known for her âgigantic men + small womenâ couples and a bit of cringey dialogue. Not gonna lie, this type of approach saved my whole experience with this book. The outcome (meaning my enjoyment and final review) would be SO DIFFERENT if I decided to treat this book seriously from the beginning till the very end.
The book itself is written in a very unserious almost satire-like manner and I enjoyed how self-aware it was. I am used to heroines playing dumb, constantly asking the wrong questions and jumping to âmade up from thin airâ conclusions so seeing Misery speaking her mind so openly and thinking what I was thinking was like a breath of fresh air. The writing wasnât anything spectacular, definitely more âfanfiction likeâ but I had an insane amount of fun reading all the banter and realistic(!) dialogues between characters (and these spicy scenes, damn). The characters fit the vibe of the book perfectly, each one of them adding some value to the main plot whether itâs for the mystery, drama or the family relationships. Basically we get the funny moments, thriller or found family bits when it feels necessary so there was no chapter where I felt itâs too heavy to digest.
Now to the romance itself, I definitely could feel lots of chemistry there to the point I found myself giggling and laughing out loud many times (the comedy style of the book definitely adding to that). I think Misery and Lowe worked really well together as a couple without losing their individual personalities in all the other scenes they were not seen together. The introduction of more heavy topics and conversations really helped me see them as more than just a fling but as a long term relationship that could get through all the hardships together and not break up right after the book is finished (looking at you Emily Henry).
Overall it really felt like a palette cleanser for me,very lightweight and fast paced, perfect when youâd love to stay up all night reading fanfictions but in a standalone book form. I definitely wonât actively avoid Ali Hazelwoodâs books from now on, even if they are just contemporary romances.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Murder, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Death, War, and Medical content
fandomsandfiction's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
this one's for the twilight kids who are now all grown up! (me) đ§ââïžđșâ€
what to expect:
- vampire x werewolf
- marriage of convenience
- politics of the supernatural
- found family
daughter of the vampyre councilman meets dangerous alpha werewolf in a forced marriage meant to broker an alliance between the supernatural factions. while the interspecies love is not a new concept, this specific take puts a refreshing twist on a well-told tale!
Ali Hazelwood is known for her STEMinists romcoms, so I was intrigued when I saw her releasing a fantasy đ but this book is so quintessentially Hazelwood! she somehow managed to werewolves and vampires SCIENTIFICALLY POSSIBLE??? like there's a whole rational biological explanation for these beings existing in this world and I love that!! the lore and worldbuilding is a mix of science and fantasy, which was my favourite part of this book!!!
okay, no, maybe the characters were my favourite part đ„ș
MISERY LARK AND LOVE MORELAND YOU WILL FOREVER BE IN MY HEART â€
I really enjoyed this book, some parts more than others. I must confess, some parts were strange and confusing to me đ I realised this was my first time reading non-human đ¶ ! I'm not really a smut reader, so don't ask me to comment on it đ
overall a good read with great tension, great character-building, great dialogue, and HILARIOUS POWERFUL CONFIDENT SNARKY BADASS MAIN CHARACTER (MISERY, I LOVE YOU DESPITE YOUR WEIRD NAME AND PEANUT BUTTER ADDICTION AND THE FACT THAT YOU SLEEP IN THE CLOSET INSTEAD OF IN A BED (it's a "vampyre thing" apparently))
one thing I *did not like* was the third act break up scene.... not sure why these scenes are so crucial to romance books because sometimes it just doesn't work for me...
nevertheless, I would actually like a book 2 featuring the potentially new couple that was hinted at towards the end! đ€
what to expect:
- vampire x werewolf
- marriage of convenience
- politics of the supernatural
- found family
daughter of the vampyre councilman meets dangerous alpha werewolf in a forced marriage meant to broker an alliance between the supernatural factions. while the interspecies love is not a new concept, this specific take puts a refreshing twist on a well-told tale!
Ali Hazelwood is known for her STEMinists romcoms, so I was intrigued when I saw her releasing a fantasy đ but this book is so quintessentially Hazelwood! she somehow managed to werewolves and vampires SCIENTIFICALLY POSSIBLE??? like there's a whole rational biological explanation for these beings existing in this world and I love that!! the lore and worldbuilding is a mix of science and fantasy, which was my favourite part of this book!!!
okay, no, maybe the characters were my favourite part đ„ș
MISERY LARK AND LOVE MORELAND YOU WILL FOREVER BE IN MY HEART â€
I really enjoyed this book, some parts more than others. I must confess, some parts were strange and confusing to me đ I realised this was my first time reading non-human đ¶ ! I'm not really a smut reader, so don't ask me to comment on it đ
overall a good read with great tension, great character-building, great dialogue, and HILARIOUS POWERFUL CONFIDENT SNARKY BADASS MAIN CHARACTER (MISERY, I LOVE YOU DESPITE YOUR WEIRD NAME AND PEANUT BUTTER ADDICTION AND THE FACT THAT YOU SLEEP IN THE CLOSET INSTEAD OF IN A BED (it's a "vampyre thing" apparently))
one thing I *did not like* was the third act break up scene.... not sure why these scenes are so crucial to romance books because sometimes it just doesn't work for me...
nevertheless, I would actually like a book 2 featuring the potentially new couple that was hinted at towards the end! đ€
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping and Blood
Minor: Abandonment, Violence, and War
zombiezami's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Stalking, Outing, Hate crime, Body horror, Kidnapping, Violence, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Medical content
Moderate: Self harm, Infertility, Grief, Cursing, Bullying, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Infidelity, War, and Car accident