Breezing through with another set of mini-reviews! Although I probably need to start doing full ones soon, because I’m going to be running out of reviews to post on this blog soon!
The Hacienda
To be honest, after being disappointed with The Vampires of El Norte, I went into this book with caution. I was told it would be much better than the first book I’ve read of Isabel Canas, but again, I was reserving judgment until after I read the book. And boy, am I glad to have read this after being disappointed!
I was kind of sad to let this go, and was hoping for more development on the ending. But all that said, this book scratched that Gothic horror itch and I’m GLAD.
This Vicious Grace
Most of all, I lived for the banter, especially between Alessa and Dante. Yes, I also loved the interaction between Alessa and her Fontes, but Dante and Alessa bicker and talk to each other and treat each other like they’re already married. And that’s not even the case! In fact, being together was not part of the plan, especially when he’s not one of the Fonte candidates she needs to choose from. So it makes this whole forbidden love angle even more delicious. Heck, I’m here for all of it.
I did wish there was more about the magic system and the history of the Fontes, though, because I felt like the plot and the looming death-by-insect scenario didn’t quite hit me as dire enough. Then we had some 50 pages when the “day of doom” finally came, and honestly, it was a bit anticlimactic. Hopefully the sequel focuses on delving more into the history and magical theory of being a Finestra and the ghiotte, because I’d be disappointed if Dante himself didn’t just go off on a long narrative about a book he just read about either of those topics. (Please oh please I need this like I need air.)
Tropes include: bodyguard, chosen one, forbidden romance, touch her and die (in the loosest sense of the term considering, lmao), only one bed
Story and Somnomancy 