Cover Image: Jack of Thorns

Jack of Thorns

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This was an interesting start to a new dark urban fantasy series. Laurence and Quentin are great MCs, and Jack is a nice villain counterpoint to them. I will warn you, this is a very slow burn romance, so don't expect anything steamy between Laurence and Quentin. It's easy to get caught up in the story, and you'll be turning pages dying to see how things play out. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store with this series!

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This is an ARC I've picked up at least twice in the past but couldn't quite get into it. But this time around I was determined and I was pleased to realise that this was another delightful surprise in the book/ARC department. I requested this one because I loved the cover, title and description but the start of the book was a lot darker than I thought it was going to be, especially when Laurence almost dies of a drug overdose and when he's recovered, he's being hounded by an ex-boyfriend who can't take the word 'no' for an answer.

But I ended up really enjoying this book. I loved the growing relationship between Laurence and Quention, how their paths crossed and how they became friends even while the attraction was simmering behind them. Laurence's mother was delightful and even his ex-boyfriend provided interesting conflict. Jack is a wonderfully creepy antagonist and I really loved learning about how he came into Laurence's life and how they got rid of him now.

The plot was interesting and I was rooting for Laurence and Quention all the way through. I loved the reveal of their powers and what it meant between them, as well as how they reconciled each other's secrets and powers with their own. The romance is a slow-build one and I was invested completely by the end.

Definitely a series I would continue with, though the start was a little dramatic for me.

4.5 stars!

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I'm going to keep this review brief.

CW for drug addiction (heroin), alcoholism, past childhood abuse, sexual assault (on page and heavily hinted at), and likely a few others I'm not thinking of right now.

I think the story had plenty of elements that could have made this book, but I had a lot of issues. First and foremost, the dialogue felt incredibly juvenile, especially when the character Jack was around. He spoke like an angry teenage boy, yet I'm supposed to believe that he's a god? No. And then whenever Quentin spoke, he sounded like a caricature of what Americans think British people sound like. If that part was meant to be satirical, it did not work.

I also felt incredibly uncomfortable with some of the thoughts Laurence had about Quentin, but I'm leaving it at that. I think the problematic scenes in this book could have been reworked, but it's also possible that I was not the intended audience.

This book was originally published in 2016 and rereleased in 2019. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I lost interest in this book after my taste changed. I haven't read it, but am thankful for the publisher to have given me the chance to read and review it.

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I am torn in between. Its comme ci comme ça. I like it yet I don't love it. The story was just not for me. The description was intriguing but the story not so much.

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The premise was really interesting. I liked how the book dealt with addiction and trauma. This was handled really well. Unfortunately, I could not connect to the plot. There was something missing for me.
Lawrence and Quentin were interesting, complex characters and I thought they were written really well. The author did a great job of writing their individual voices. Unfortunately, I could not connect with them.
Overall, this was a solid read.

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I read a fair amount of paranormal fantasy, but this is one that was a little too far-fetched for me. I couldn't really keep up with the character's abilities. He wasn't likeable enough for me to get invested.

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This was a weird one for me. The premise is interesting but it ends up a little off-the-wall. The way Branbury speaks was just... strange. The lack of communication was frustrating and the dialog that did exist was... soap opery.

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This book was eyebrow-raisingly steamy. It’s a LGBTQ+ romance featuring Laurence, a pagan who is recovering from a drug addiction when he meets the aristocratic Branbury. And then things really kick off, with romance, paranormal threats and a good dose of angst.

Sadly, while the premise was interesting, the story itself is less so, chock-full of unrealistic dialogue and a love interest who talks like an Edwardian butler for some reason. Faulkner does spend some time examining the internal lives of his characters, which is great, but when those interior lives are more clichéd than an ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ then we have a problem.

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The story of the books seemed super interesting, but the way it was written made the story slow and honesty boring. Thought the story it feels like the author is just barely telling the story without a lot of excitement even in the scenes that were supposed to keep the reader hooked.

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The premise of this book is good, but the execution is a bit lackluster. The way language is used is unrealistic and completely took me out of the reading of this book. I wish the author had simply written the book, instead of trying to make the character sound a certain way.

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Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I didn't connect to the story or the characters. The writing style was okay, but not for me.

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Wonderful book!
Really liked reading this fresh and outstanding book. It was a real pleasure to read it.
Thanks for the publisher for the opportunity to read this in advance

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For me this story was mediocre. I loved the idea behind it but I felt like I didn't connect very well to the characters. I do enjoy a slow burn romance and it was nice to see how Quentin and Lawerence's relationship grew. However, I just didn't feel too attached to them. Even with a cliffhanger ending, I'm not sure I'd want to read the next instalment

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I hate to say this, but, I DNF'd Jack of Thorns at around 30%. And I was disappointed by that because the premise sounded interesting.

The total lack of communication, or even miscommunication, between Lawrence and Branbury was painful. They couldn't be more opposite of each other. With Lawrence's insecurities, and Branbury's English aristocratic upbringing, I'm surprised they are even taking to each other.

I did like where Lawrence as a character was going. Coming into his own. Shedding your past and your insecurities is a very real thing. And I do love British aristocratic characters. Especially like Branbury, who are very humble about it. And genuinely curious about others and their way of life.

But, I just couldn't. Overall I didn't like them.in this book, and plot. I didn't really see the plot.

Triggers; addiction (drug abuses), sex magic ... That's all I got.

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

Main character Laurence works at his mom's flower shop... is struggling with addiction and is deeply into his pagan religion..... while praying at the altar of Cernunnos, the God of the Green, things suddenly change...a nd that's where this journey with "seeing the future" begins.

Jack of Thorns is an interesting step into the sci-fi/fantasy/magical genre. Great concepts, unique storyline... just missing .. something i can't put my finger on yet.

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Lawrence Riley is coasting through life, suffering from drug addiction, despite numerous rehab attempts, while running a florist shop in San Diego with his psychically gifted mother. In an attempt to overcome his addiction, he prays to his pagan gods to help him get his act together and one appears. But there is always a price to pay and he's not sure if he's willing to pay that price.

This book deals with issues such as trauma and addiction (drugs, alcohol, etc.)

This is fast-paced paranormal/supernatural fiction with an M/M romance. The main focus is on the struggles and personal demons of the two main protagonists rather than relying on the fantastical elements within their world.

The writing is noteworthy because I really "heard" Laurence as a character and felt I knew him within the first few pages. I was really drawn into his feelings and world with how well his visions & overdose experiences were, and the same happened with Quentin.
However, Quentin's POV was too awkward with his """posh""" way of speaking (ie: referring to himself as "one" rather than "I", "dear boy"-- he talks as though he was pulled out of the early 1800's) so I wasn't a big fan of that, especially considering it's a contemporary novel..
Also there's a lot about Quentin that isn't explained, such as the way he disconnects from reality, and what form of trauma he most likely suffered through-- he shows the symptoms of great trauma, though the way he shows them comes across as being a normal thing for him, which puts his trauma some years back.

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If you love slow burn romance, then this is for you. I enjoyed the characters, their stories but the book post me halfway through. Still, I am interested to see where the story goes.

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Unfortunately not a fan of this one :(.

Trigger warnings - heroin addiction, alcoholism, past child abuse, possible past sexual abuse, threatened sexual assault, dissociation and mental illness

This book sounded like it would have been right up my alley so I was super excited to get into it. Unfortunately this story just wasn’t for me and currently I don’t know if I will be continuing on with the series - even with the crazy cliffhanger.

This book is a M/M romance where we follow Quentin (an Earl) and Laurence (a recovering heroin addict and psychic). Both characters were interesting with pretty good back stories and the slow burn romance was great.

Quentin’s dialogue and naivety definitely left something to be desired. I have never come across a fully grown character to speak like Quentin and to have reached adulthood and not understand blatantly obvious flirting and come-ons really did irk me.

I thought the concepts were great and it could have been a fantastic book. It dealt with numerous difficult subjects but just not in a way I found enjoyable. The ideas themselves were super interesting but the execution just wasn’t up there.

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4.5/5

I read this so long ago, but god damn did I enjoy this!! Jack of Thorns is about Laurence Riley who is a little lost with his life. He lives about his mom's flower shop and helps run the business. He can also see the future, but his gift has never helped him deal with the addictions that plague him or the mind games of his controlling ex-boyfriend.

When Laurence makes an offering to a god, Jack comes to answer his prayers literally. However, Laurence must keep him fed with regular offerings of sex, but Laurence's heart belongs to someone totally out of his league. Laurence must either feed Jack quickly or face the consequences.

Quentin d'Arcy is a British lord on the run from an awful family life. He moves around constantly to keep his father from finding him. When he runs into Laurence, he finds himself attracted to him and unsure how to process those feelings. As the two become closer friends, they must determine how to best control their gifts and keep Jack from taking over the San Diego area.

This was such a fucking slow burn. Every god damn interaction between Laurence and Quentin kept me on my toes. They'd take three steps forward, but then five more back. God their relationship was addicting! I need more ASAP. I loved the Pagan influences in the religion and worship in the book. It felt a little bit like Greek mythology mixed with Celtic influences and I definitely enjoyed it.

The ending had me in shock. There's so many secrets that need to be uncovered about Laurence and his powers and I need those answers right now!!

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