Member Reviews
I expected this to be an older YA book but unfortunately, it was written way younger considering the subject matter. I had read many chapters in and although I wanted to get to know the characters more, I just could not get into the story enough to finish. I really wanted to like this one but it fell flat for me. The story line was a good one, that is why I gave 2 stars but I just had a hard time finishing due to the writing. A lot of others had really enjoyed it and you can check out their reviews HERE! |
DNF Review - I ADORE this cover. I just lost interest in reading this, it seems a little too familiar and I'm kind of sick of paranormal romance fiction at this point, so I don't think I can approach this fairly; I'd rather read other books I own. |
This book was dark but so good. It was one of those types of books that you couldn't put down because they really speak to you and make you want to keep reading. It was deep, dark, and such a delight! |
Unfortunately, thus book was a DNF for me. I just couldn't seem to get into it. Don't shy away from it based on my experience alone, though! |
I absolutely LOVED Kiss Me Kill You!! I was not expecting to be begging for book 2 as quickly as I found myself! |
*I received a free copy of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* I confess, the only reason I finished this book was because I felt obligated to do so. Had this been a book I borrowed from the library, I would have quit reading it and moved on to something else. I was hoping I'd at least be rewarded with an ending, but that didn't happen. You know how some books move along on their own, and it feels like the author is simply telling you something real? This isn't one of those books. The entire time I was reading, it felt like the events, the dialogue--everything--was being dictated. Like "this is how I want it to go, so this is how it will go." It felt forced and contrived. And as I mentioned in the first paragraph, there's not a real ending. It's left wide open (I know the author is hoping for a series). Even if it had closure (which it doesn't), the ending itself is very abrupt. A lot of things were left undone that I would have liked to know, but I don't want to know them enough to subject myself to a sequel. Note: Swearing, including several f words. Talk about taking souls via sex. |
I requested this book mostly because of the cover and the interesting premise. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a YA paranormal romance so I wanted to give this a shot. Kiss Me, Kill You is a debut novel from the author so I didn’t put any high expectations on it. This story is about a fifteen year old teen girl who isn’t aware of her true heritage but suddenly her life turns pretty much upside down when she discovers that she’s a succubus and she must learn to feed from the humans in order to survive. I liked the concept of this book and the characters but the author left most of things unexplained such as info on the Powers and how it works and who they really are. I enjoyed the story but it’s not my favorite. Nevertheless, it’s a good debut. Despite the flaws, I think many readers would definitely enjoy reading this book. Emmy is an okay-ish character. I liked her sweet, fun and naive personality. Most of her reactions were realistic for her age but I was a bit annoyed with her when she refuses to believe about the supernatural world when everyone tries to convince her. Paul is an interesting character. He’s an incubi which I already guessed but I wasn’t sure until it was revealed. He’s a good male lead and I liked him more than Emmy. I enjoyed the romance between Emmy and Paul. It isn’t the best but it isn’t the worst either. There are lots of angst and swoon worthy kisses between them which I really enjoyed but there also some parts which felt too cliched. At the beginning, I was little bit disappointed that both of them already has feelings for each other and we’ve no glimpse on how they first met and started to like each other. As for the secondary characters they aren’t that much interesting. I expected Lily to be a great friend but she turns out to be a total bitch. Melinda is not a perfect mom but she’s not a bad mom either. Unlike everyone else, she wanted her daughter to lead a normal life by keeping her heritage and the supernatural world a secret until she turns sixteen. Paul’s boss is terrifying as hell and seemed totally creepy with his voice. He loves doing physical abuse and we still don’t know how he looks like. The plot is good but I think it could’ve been better executed. Even though I enjoyed it, some parts felt dragged. I’m already familiar with Succubus and Incubus thing so it was easy for me to predict some parts of the story. I liked the writing and I’m glad the story was told in first person dual POV. The concept is interesting but I wish the author provided more info on The Powers and the supernatural world. So far, there’s only succubus and Incubi in this book but It would’ve been great if there’s also other supernatural beings in it. Overall, I liked it but I don’t love it! The book ends with no cliffhanger but it seems there’s going to another book and I thought it was a standalone novel. I’m not sure whether I would pick up the next book or not but I hope it’s even better than this one. |
At first I thought I was going to DNF this one. It had some parts where I ended up skimming it but once the story really got going I was addicted. This was a great short book about a girl who doesn't know what she is and I really REALLY hope we get a book two to it since this one ends on a pretty big cliffhanger. I do think that the MC Emmy got the short end of the stick. I mean your mother is going to raise you as a normal teen without one mention of why she did it. I mean did she want to give Emmy a normal childhood? We never really find out. This was a pretty all over pace of a book some parts were fast while others weren't. In this story we get a normal world setting with some very special creatures. Man I didn't see the kind of creatures they were coming and I am still reeling about it. We don't get new creatures and beings all the time and people haven't created anything new so this was a nice story out of the norm. If you want something new try this one! |
This book, Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa C. Hardesty is a phenomenal book. The main concept of this book is, one girl, Emmy Duivel, who is a hopeless romantic who just wants to find a one true love. She also has a crush on the other main character of this story Paul. What she doesn't know though is that she's a succubus and so is her mother, best and only friend and the mother to her. When she finally gets to go out with someone she is warned not to kiss him, whoever she does not understand why. A Succubus is commonly known as a sex demon, they usually kill their victims through sexual intercourse but they can also feed on them, or to be more precise their victims soul. This whole book is going on a journey with both Paul and Emmy seeing how they deal with Both genders being sex demons and trying to figure out their feelings for one another. While I was reading this it seemed very interesting in the beginning and throughout the story, however I did not personally like some of the things that happened throughout the story. In this novel you are able to read through two peoples points of view which allows you to see what is happening and how that one character is feeling through the story. This story does go into some unique topics but is overall great. I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars because I believe it could've gone a very different way towards the end that led it more open and allowed to keep the reader more engaged. Through all of this though I suggest you go and get a copy of this book to read it and have your own take and experience with this novel. |
(I received a copy from Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review - all opinions are my own) It's been a while since I've read a book that focuses on succubi and that definitely piqued my interest when I first came across this title. The story follows Emmy as she discovers the her mother has been keeping a secret from her for years and it's time to pay up. Normally, succubi stories tend to be a lot more sexualized but this one paints them in a darker light. Here, succubi and incubi are nothing more than henchmen for the Powers who live off of the souls that the succubi and incubi provide. There's not a lot of information regarding the Powers other than the fact that they enjoy hurting people and are pretty ruthless. Paul is one of the Watchers that work for the Powers and we see him get beat up pretty much every time he updates them on Emmy even if there's nothing to update. While the entire world is definitely interesting, I wish it could have been more developed but the ending hints that there will be a continuation. Personally, my biggest "issue" with the story is Emmy herself. While she wasn't a terrible character, she just didn't stand out to me and it felt like she was just a cardboard figure head instead of actually being in the story. Everyone throughout the book kept singing praises to how gentle she is that Emmy is essentially trapped in this bubble and doesn't get the chance to break out. I wish there could have been some sort of break through at the end where Emmy grows up a bit but she doesn't. (view spoiler) I guess cause the story follows a succubus and an incubus that I should address Emmy and Paul. I really liked Paul cause he was a very vital character - if he wasn't there, Emmy would have fallen apart a long time ago. Their dynamic was okay, there just wasn't anything that particularly stood out to me which I guess was what I was looking for since I couldn't really connect with Emmy. Okay...so aside for Emmy, I enjoyed the story. It was engaging and it got me through work when nothing was happening. I'm interested to see how the story continues especially with the ending events and I hope that in the following books we can see Emmy grow more into her powers and take a stand against the Powers. Find more reviews at Le Petit Photograph |
Honestly I preferred my romance to be slow-burn with that perfect combination of anticipation and swoon that leads to me having a new ship. Emmy seemed a little too love struck for my taste and Paul was a tad too obsessed with Emmy. Other than that, this was a pretty interesting read. I like going through the experience of discovering who Emmy is with her. I'm curious. Will this have a sequel? Because it felt like there were still a lot of things left unanswered. I received an e-arc to read and review. |
I got intrigued by the synopsis as it didn't reveal much about the plot. The story sounds like it will be full of action and unexpected occurrences. After all, Emmy doesn't know she is a succubus and why is Paul required to watch over Emmy? Wouldn't Emmy have her family members to help her with all the succubus issue? This novel is a disappointment, for me. The characters are ordinary, and there isn't much emphasis on the world building. The plot throughout the novel is just Emmy following her friend, Lily, around, listening to whatever she says and kissing guys almost every paragraph. Overall, it is pretty mundane. I expected Emmy to bring some flare to the plot since she is a supernatural creature. But, it didn't. Moreover, this novel seems to be more of a middle-grade novel as compared to a young adult novel. The heated kissing scenes are the only thing that categorizes it under the young adult category. Emmy... Gosh... She is an extremely naive and simple minded child. She just blindly follows Lily around whenever she asks. I hate people with such characters since they should at least have some opinions of their own and not be led by the nose by someone else. Moreover, Emmy is the main protagonist in the novel! Well, at least she stands her ground when her mother and Lily ask her to stop hanging out with Paul. There is also the issue with the higher-ups, i.e. The Powers. The people whom the succubus and incubus report to. Throughout the novel, The Powers remains a mystery. They are so heartless and vicious through the use of force to threaten their underlings into submission that I want to know their true nature and how they actually look like. But, the only time I get to 'see' them in action is when the succubus/incubus use incense to summon them. Even so, The Powers aren't in physical form. The only thing which prompted me to continue on with this novel is the overwhelming curiosity to find out the nature behind The Powers. Sadly, they remained a mystery. ~SPOILERS~ The romance in this novel made me facepalmed... Chemistry between Paul and Emmy is present at the start of the novel since they already like each other. However, at one point in the novel, Paul told Emmy he wanted to go out with her only to reject her over a phone call that very night. By then, my reaction was 'okay...' What made me facepalmed was the part where Paul 'stalks' Emmy the next day before confessing his undying love for her again, and they start going out. I don’t know if I’m being too harsh on the novel. But, it is pretty frustrating when the novel has so much potential and yet it underperforms. 😦 Well, this novel is a very quick read since it is pretty short. However, I’m pretty bummed that I didn’t like this novel as much as I wanted to. Finally, I would like to give a huge thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this arc in return for an honest review. 🙂 |
I was not expecting this book to be as paranormal as it is. And after reading it, I don’t think this should be a stand alone book. This is the book that you’ll think you’re prepared enough but then changes your expectation altogether. One thing I know, there must be a Book 2! |
Jasmine B, Reviewer
This is a first for me, I don't give bad reviews, purely because from a synopsis I can pretty much tell if it's for me or not. What I was hoping was to really enjoy this story, I liked the premise and it intrigued me as I haven't read any books with succubus in before. However, though I finished this story I did not particularly enjoy it. This is a first for me, I don't give bad reviews, purely because from a synopsis I can pretty much tell if it's for me or not. What I was hoping was to really enjoy this story, I liked the premise and it intrigued me as I haven't read any books with succubus in before. However, though I finished this story I did not particularly enjoy it. The maturity of the theme was not reflected in the actually writing of this story. I felt -aside from the theme- I was reading a book for 10 year olds. The writing to me felt very bland and basic. I like description, the feeling of being immersed in a story and with this I found myself skimming the pages with nothing drawing me in. The characters were very one dimensional and I didn't warm or really care for any of them. Then there was The Powers, no real information about them or why they are in control or why they need souls... I think that was the real problem with this story, there was no explanation for anything! The characters were very one dimensional and I didn't warm or really care for any of them. Then there was The Powers, no real information about them or why they are in control or why they need souls... I think that was the real problem with this story, there was no explanation for anything! |
Excellent book! I got lost in this world so quickly! Can't wait to pass this one on! |
4 Stars. This book was an absolute delight! I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but Kiss Me, Kill You was such a fun, amazing and cute read that I couldn't recommend it enough, especially if you're looking for a different sort of supernatural story, then this book is definitely for you. The aspect of this book which really made it for me was the inner voices and banter of the characters. They were just such a delight to read. I loved reading Emmy and Paul especially! There dialogue really made this book for me, and enhanced the plot overall (otherwise, it might have dragged in places) but I just couldn't help but be swept up in the world, story and crazy stuff going down because I became so invested in the characters so quickly - huge round of the applause for the author there, that is a tough thing to do and not everyone succeeds. The plot was fast and fun - I liked how the author dealt with the mythology for succubus and all the reveals and stuff. The reactions were realistic and thoughtful. I actually really liked how the villain component worked out (I'm not saying much, because spoilers) and I found the development to be really organic and natural. I understood why that happened, so I could respect it and it didn't just feel like a generic this person is evil villain background, so *claps again* I also liked the romance! Yes, it is a little insta-love, I didn't mind it at all and felt it was handled really well. I think that may have been because there was an implied friendship between the two before the book started, so it made more sense to me as a reader. The ending was suitably fascinating and I'm curious to find out what happens next for the characters facing the next set of challenges! So, if you're a reader on the hunt for a quick, fun, enjoyable read with succubus, a huge dash of romance and intense feeeeelings, then Kiss Me, Kill You is certainly your next read! *Thank-you to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review* |
I was drawn into the story from the first page, and even though succubi/incubi aren't my personal favorite, I still found Paul's and Em's story intriguing. I thought the pacing was good, and the emotions were nicely done. It's an unusual and interesting world portrayed here, and I will enjoy finding out what happens next! |
It’s been a while since I read a young adult paranormal romance, so I was really excited to read Kiss Me, Kill You. The synopsis really intrigued me and of course I was excited about the promise of a forbidden romance. However, as much as I wanted to really love this, the story just felt a bit rushed and all over the place. I devoured Kiss Me, Kill You in less than 8 hours and usually, about 99% of the time, that’s a really good thing. The first few chapters got me hooked – there was humor, intrigue, and some mystery. But after reading about 30% of the book, I felt like I’ve been running a marathon without a breather that I just wanted to stop. I was slowly losing interest. Everything was just being thrown out there without enough oomph. I ALMOST DNF this book, but since some parts were quite enjoyable and amusing, I continued to read. Looking at the whole story, I wish that there was more story development and world building because that would have been fascinating to read. The premise of Kiss Me, Kill You is unique and one of the reasons why I was drawn to this book. The story line had such great potential and I kept reading hoping I would be immersed in the succubi/incubi paranormal universe. Instead, I got bits and pieces here and there. The story tried so hard to be mysterious and suspenseful, but there just wasn't enough build-up for those moments to have an effect on me. I found myself kind of laughing or having no reaction in situations where I should have been feeling anxious or terrified. There's obvious threat, death, pain and sadness, but I just couldn't feel for the characters. The story also ended so suddenly and felt like there was no closure. One minute you're going through the climax then bam the end. I walked away thinking "What the fudge cake was that?" and a long list of unanswered questions. Since there's a forbidden romance between Emmy and Paul, I expected there to be more excitement, thrill, butterflies and A WHOLE LOT of feels. I wanted that strong push and pull, and the undeniable attraction between the characters. Sadly, I really didn’t like the love story that much. I did like Emmy and Paul together and thought they could have been such an adorable couple. They had some cute scenes and a lot of kissing that did make me smile, but the moments that should have sent butterflies through the roof didn't really do that for me. I needed more background information about their feelings for each other and the chemistry needed a little more build-up. I normally enjoy reading dual and multiple POVs (they keep the story interesting and it’s fun to know how the other characters are feeling), but I just wasn't into it with this book. I didn't really like Emmy's POV very much and found her to be quite dense and flat which just annoyed me. I couldn’t relate to her at all and felt no emotional connection. Even the times when I know I should be feeling some type of reaction to what was happening to her in the story, I actually could care less. On the other hand, Paul’s POV was much more interesting, relatable and enjoyable to read. He was charming and adorable as a love interest, but also flawed, conflicted and vulnerable. Paul's inner struggles as he tried to fight his feelings for Emmy kept me turning the pages. I didn’t swoon over him that much, but he definitely gave me the feels and made me care about the story. That was pretty much the saving grace because without Paul’s POV, I think I probably would have DNF at some point. Kiss Me, Kill You is an easy read, quite fun and a cutesy romance with a paranormal twist. It didn’t sweep me off my feet and make me feel all the feels, but I still enjoyed some parts of the story. |
Emmy has had a crush on her class partner, Paul, forever. But unlike her best friend and mother who live by the no serious relationship rule and mess around with guys, Emmy wants love just like the ones in her novels. But after she gathers up her courage and asks Paul out, she's heartbroken when he rejects her. And suddenly, guys are starting to pay attention to her so when the most popular guy in school asks her out, there's no way she'll say no especially after being rejected by Paul. After making her date unconscious after her first kiss, Emmy is in for a surprise when she learns of her true heritage. Paul on the other hand, works for the Powers. His mission is to make sure Emmy doesn't expose their existence and as an Incubi, he can't be in relationships either. He wanted more than anything to accept Emmy's offer but with The Powers breathing down his neck and controlling his every move he couldn't put her at risk. Not after he'd paid the price for a similar mistake before. The plot and idea were really original but personally I think that the supernatural aspect of the book should have been more developed. I needed much more info on the world of the succubi and incubi, we were given some insights here and there but I really wanted more. I have to say thought, the author wrote some amazing love scenes!!! I really liked Emmy. For a fifteen year old, she was incredibly mature. She talks to herself A LOT. She's the typical awkward, clumsy and shy teenager and comes off as super naive and sweet-we'll get to her character development later. I liked Paul at the beginning but as the story progressed he kind of lost me when he started getting all sappy and lovey dove. What could have been an amazing romance turned out a little whiny for me. At first it was excellent! You had both these characters that had feelings for each other but Emmy still had that innocent high school crush aspect going on. And as it developed, the romance got super sweet! But then at some point it just got a little too...sweet? And the characters turned sappy and suddenly badass Paul turned into this : "I love her but maybe she doesn't love me. Do you love me Emmy? I told you I loved you but you didn't say it back. So do ya?" And then Emmy who at the beginning was feeling insecure about herself and was always like "Does he like me? Oh he likes me! I want to kiss him. He's gonna kiss me. OMG why would he want to kiss me. Oh he stopped kissing me. I knew it, I knew he didn't want to kiss me. Okay we're making out in the library now while we're supposed to be doing a school project. OMG now he said he only wanted to give me a 'quick kiss' and I imposed a full on make out session. He didn't want this, I'm too much." But she grew out of it which I am so thankful for!!!! Great character development! But it's like she transferred a little of her sappiness onto Paul :D ! Overall a nice read with a unique concept! |
Kiss Me, Kill You is Larissa C. Hardesty’s debut novel and is an enjoyable paranormal tale that is perfect for those looking for a sharp, romantic and entertaining YA with plenty of supernatural elements. Fifteen year old closet romantic Emmy Duivel has always dreamed of her first kiss, but she certainly never expected it would end with her date being taken to hospital. A few weeks before her sixteenth birthday, everything changes when Emmy learns she’s a succubus and that she’ll need to feed on the life force of men to be able to survive. The idea of seducing unsuspecting victims is hard enough but add to the fact Emmy can’t seem to stop thinking about her classmate Paul, being a succubus sucks. Relationships aren’t an option when you have to kiss a different boy every day, but with Paul making her heart race and her soul sing, staying away from him just doesn’t seem to be an option. Paul Andinn had one job; watch over Emmy as she came into her abilities and make sure she didn’t hurt anyone. Taking his eyes of the ball for one second was all it took for an accident to occur, but as he struggles with his own growing feelings for Emmy and what he must do as part of his job, Paul must decide how far he’s willing to go to to be with the girl he loves, even if it means going against a powerful enemy that will stop at nothing to protect its way of life. In the vein of the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent and featuring a similar feel as a whole, Kiss Me, Kill You is a romantic and entertaining paranormal tale that is fun and easy to read. A quick tale, Kiss Me, Kill You introduces readers to teens Emmy and Paul who find themselves falling for one another as the story unfolds. Told through both their alternating POV’s, Kiss Me, Kill You featured aspects of supernatural including, succubus, incubus, demons, sizzling romance with some electric kissing scenes and unexpected betrayals. Overall I did like the characters; Emmy was a normal teenager girl whose whole world had just been turned upside down, and Paul was really appealing as a true and honourable young man. I admit, I struggled occasionally as Emmy tried to adjust to her new reality and wasn’t too fond of the way Hardesty wrote some of the other succubus’s in Emmy’s life, but overall I liked the way the characters interacted, especially Emmy and Paul who had a great relationship in my eyes. I have to admit though I was somewhat unsatisfied with the ending of Kiss Me, Kill You. At this point in time, I’m not sure if this book will be a standalone tale or a part of a larger series, but seeing how abrupt the ending was and the amount of large events that occurred, I feel like Larissa C. Hardesty still has a lot more she needs to answer. And if this is a standalone tale she hasn’t successfully done that. That being said, I do hope to see more of Emmy and Paul in a sequel and see what happens next. |








