Just a Bit Wicked

Look, 3 stars is a good rating for me, and I'm rating this based on the writing too, because Alessandra Hazard's writing is impeccable as usual. I just don't have it in me to give a book in this series a lower rating. But with that said... *sigh* I feel very meh about this story.

Sebastian was a delight to read about, and he carried this story for me. His personality was distinct; he's so emotionally strong, so resilient, snarky, but tender when it matters. He's so unabashedly himself at all times; how can you not be endeared by that? He was also hilarious during his initial animosity-driven banter with Vlad

Speaking of Vlad...

Trigger warning for intense indoctrinated homophobia and internalized homophobia. It was at times a lot to read about, but Vlad's severe internalized homophobia wasn't that big of a problem for me; it just made me uncomfortable, and that's okay because that's what it was meant to do. I don't want perfect characters in my stories, I like messy characters. Given the fucked up backstory we get about Vlad's childhood in Russia, it all makes complete sense. Do I support it? No. But I understand it, and it made sense in the story and was heavily contextualized as needed.

What I did have a problem with was Vlad's somewhat lacklustre characterization and development. The way he transitioned from fuming in his repressed sexuality to coming to terms with it was very... anticlimactic? Not that it needs to be dramatic, but the transition was odd considering all the unrealistic antics set up previously throughout the story.

Let's touch on the unrealistic parts of the story for a sec. I don't read any of the books in this series for realism; far from that. I like how the plots are deliberately over the top and total guilty pleasures, I'm all here for it. I have zero problems with suspending my disbelief when it comes to the plot. But when it comes to characters' behaviours? That's when things get tricky.

Vlad went from being emotionally stunted when expressing any form of complex inner emotions, to being able to be openly vulnerable with Sebastian too easily. I also wish we saw him grow out of his indoctrinated homophobic viewpoints more gradually. Rather, his perspective change of 'love is love' happened too abruptly. Nothing egregious really, but I just found his character so uninteresting to begin with that the inconsistencies in his character's personality didn't help the matter at all.

If the trigger warnings aren't a problem for you, and if you're making your way through this series chronologically like I am, then I think this book is a must read. But otherwise, I think any of the books prior to this would be much better options as an entry into Alessandra Hazard's books.