I found the book to be quite engaging. However, I didn't realize it was book 3 of a series. Even though I could follow the plot I think it would have been more enjoyable if I had read the previous two books in the series. Regardless, I recommend because the book was well written with amazing characters. The author also did a great job letting the book stand on its own without knowledge of the previous two books. 4 stars

Thank you, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for sending me a virtual ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review! I love vampire stories, so when I saw this listed as a sapphic vampire romance, I was so excited to read it. It’s a lighthearted, easy read, but the writing and pacing dampened my enjoyment.

As far as I can tell, Dying for You is not listed as part of a series anywhere on its NetGalley page. I requested it without realizing it was the third book in the Wild for You series. I don’t think missing the first two novels worsened my reading experience. I was still able to understand the plot, because Frame did a great job of explaining the main points in Books 1 and 2. From my understanding, each novel in this series focuses on a different main character, while including the rest of the side characters here and there. So, while Victorija and Daisy had appeared before, most of their characterization seemed to be happening in this installment. I’d definitely recommend reading them all in order for greater context into all of the characters and lore, but if you’re just interested in Victorija, you can also start here.

The story follows Victorija, a born vampire who is feared for all of the evil deeds she’s committed. She bit a human, Daisy, in the previous book, only to realize Daisy was part of a bloodline she had sworn to never drink from without consent. Unfortunately for them both, a blood bond was created from the bite. So, now Victorija can solely drink from Daisy, yet she does not want to betray her oath. Daisy seeks out Victorija, in an effort to sway her to be less evil. The two discover that they’re attracted to one another— but is it only because of the blood bond?

I’ll start with the positives of this story. I liked the romance between Victorija and Daisy. Victorija is an interesting character. I always enjoy books centered around villains, and I was amused by all of her sarcastic remarks. I liked how witty and self-aware she was. Daisy is a bit more boring (she reminds me a little of Bella Swan— she’s a human thrown into a paranormal world, feels magnetic attraction to a vampire, and acts recklessly for illogical reasons), but I thought she worked well as a romantic partner for Victorija. Their banter was cute, and I liked the chapters where they were alone together.

I also thought this book was lighthearted with some fun moments. The plot is convoluted, but the author explains it well. It was easy for me to understand, despite not reading the previous books. If you’re looking for a quick distraction from the stress of life, this story will probably do the trick. Plus, nearly all the characters are queer! I loved seeing all the wlw couples.

I did have a lot of problems with the novel, though. I can boil them down to two overarching issues: writing and pacing.

The writing felt shallow. There was just so, so much repetition. So many plot points and ideas were repeated between characters, sometimes in the same paragraph. Repeating ideas as a theme is fine, but it bothers me when novels repeat the same exact language over and over. Show me your themes, and don’t constantly tell them to me. Dying for You does the latter far too much. Here are a handful of things it became tiresome to read about:
- The idea that monsters are created, not born. Daisy is told this at the beginning of the novel, and she says it constantly. So do other characters. I got the point. Victorija isn’t supposed to be truly evil; the actions of others pushed her in that direction. I would have preferred to see that in the flashbacks rather than have it repeated to me.
- The blood bond is explained every two seconds. The characters seem incapable of not bringing it up in most conversations (I was also confused about why they were so common, because most of the main vampires seemed to have recently acquired them, but maybe that’s lore I missed in earlier books).
- Victorija has to tell everyone in the story that Daisy is brave and stubborn.
- Victorija’s health worsening and Daisy’s bite itching are like 20% of each chapter for the first half of the book. It didn’t need to be repeated so much. Readers could infer that it was happening every day.
- Victorija’s redemption arc is brought up by all the characters so much. Again, show me that she’s becoming better, don’t tell me.

The pacing was also strange. Everything happened so quickly. The characters would talk about an event a few days away, and then suddenly the story would skip straight to that event. Then the event would happen in one chapter, with major consequences, and be over. The characters would move on to the next thing, without really processing the major plot ramifications. It felt like no one ever stopped and absorbed the consequences of their actions. Sometimes massive revelations were dropped on characters, and the characters would immediately move forward as if nothing happened. There’s a giant reveal to Daisy about her heritage and family at the beginning, for example, and she’s seemingly unbothered by it.

I also didn’t like how the flashbacks were handled. In the beginning, Daisy discovers a notebook that shows her Victorija’s life before she became a full-fledged vampire. The flashbacks are monumental to Victorija’s character and Daisy’s choice to seek her out, yet they’re very short and barely described. I wanted so much more development and atmosphere in those parts. You could almost blink and miss them.

I didn’t hate this novel or anything. There were just many aspects that could have been improved, particularly given this will be a published book in a few days. Stronger editing could have helped with the repetition. If it were 100+ pages longer, perhaps the pacing could have been fixed, as well. As it stands, though, it’s still a quick read. If you’re looking for a paranormal, queer romance that isn’t weighed down by heavy worldbuilding, you might like it.

2 out of 5 stars.

Well for me this book was more like 3.5 stars, but it doesn’t seem right to only it 3. I really wanted to like this but this just could not hold my attention. I feel like the change V/T was just not balanced the flow of her transformation didn’t grab me. I feel Daisy is almost ditzy and I couldn’t feel any connection to the story.

This was a great addition to this series, and I’m am eagerly awaiting the next one since this ended in a cliffhanger. I am a sucker for vampire novels and have been since reading Anne Rice back in high school. This series has been so much fun to read. I have loved all the characters but Victorija Dred was definitely a stand out. It’s always interesting to meet the villain in a new way and get to understand how they came to be and this was a great peek into the life of Victorija. Daisy gives her a run for her money and added a lot of heart to this match. Great read, can’t wait for the next one!

LORD. I love lesbian vampire romances.

This is the third book in the series by Jenny Frame and by far my favorite. I read the other two awhile back and while I don’t quite remember them, I know that this one is my favorite so far.

The book follows Victorija Dred, the leader of the Dred vampire clan and Daisy MacDougall… a monster hunter. Due to an altercation in a previous book, Victorija and Daisy are bonded by blood. Long story short, neither want to be bonded to the other. The only thing stopping Victorija from killing Daisy is an age old promise she made to her first love. Daisy thinks Victorija is a monster and quite frankly she is; but she wasn’t always that way. Cue the childhood trauma.

Their relationship is sweet, snarky and sexy. Daisy isn’t afraid of Victorija and can see the person beneath the mask, even though Victorija claims that person is dead and she’s just a monster. I love the two of them together, Daisy is able to help Victorija see the light and that just because she’s done horrible things in the past doesn’t mean she’ll always a horrible or that she’s a monster at her core.

The book also follows/revisits Byron and Amelia; main characters from the first two books. My only issue with that was I wish I got more of Victorija and Daisy but maybe that because I like them better as a couple than Byron and Amelia. The ending is set up nicely for another book in the series which I’m excited to read. If you haven’t read the other two in the series I would suggest reading them before this one.

I received a copy from Bold Stroke Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

When originally requesting an e-arc, I wasn't aware that Dying for You is the third installment of a series, however that did not hinder my ability to follow the story too much.

Dying for You is a light-hearted, easy to read fantasy book that features several wlw couples and places the importance of family at the centre of a world that is faced with upheaval. I was rooting for Victorija and was so pleased with her ending. Her relationship with Daisy could've been slightly more fleshed out and explored, however they were very cute together. The pacing of the story was quick, which when coupled with the personalities of the characters made for a very enjoyable read. I'll be sure to go back and read the rest of series, as the characters are some I'd really like to become familiar with!

‘Dying For You’ is the story of Victorija Dred, Principe of the the Dred Clan, and arch enemy of Byron, Principe of the Debrek Clan. Feared by all, Victorija has a reputation for ruthlessness. So when she unexpectedly becomes blood bonded to Daisy McDougall, why won’t she take her? Even when blood sickness weakens her, she refuses to force Daisy to submit. Daisy feels a pull towards Victorija. Has her family history a part to play? As the pair struggle, threats within the Dred Clan could change everything. Is Victorija strong enough to fight?

I’ve read all of the books in this series and love it. I was delighted to find that Jenny Frame had decided to write Victorija’s story. At this difficult time we all need a bit of escapism – and this story did it for me. It had it all. Love, family and magic. It was fascinating to find out more about the Dred Clan, and the other paranormal elements working with them. Although this was Victorija and Daisy’s story, we still got to spend time with Byron, Amelia and the rest of the Debreks. And Jenny Frame has shown that there is so much more to this world. I can’t wait for the next one.

I was given this ARC to review.

I expected Dying for You to be a vampire romance book, but this is so much more than that. Dying for You is a vampire romance story, yes, but it is also a story about absolution, strong women, monsters, magic, courage, betrayal and forgiveness. Victorija is a vampire who is known throughout the world for cruelty and callousness, and Daisy is a human who is her blood Bond and unknowingly the descendent of vampire hunters. Victorija's blood bond means that she and Daisy need each other, but Victorija also must uphold an oath made centuries ago to her first true love to not harm any of her descendants. Victorija would die from being separated, but Daisy would not. However, Daisy is compelled by her ancestor to find Victorija and bring back her light.

Although Daisy and Victorija are the main characters of this book, there are also lots of side characters, human, vampire, and other that we get to learn about and fall in love with throughout the story. Nearly all of the characters in the story are queer women, and I loved this representation. I also loved seeing the story play out from many different perspectives and points of view. We even got glimpses into the past, told through Daisy's visions and communication with her and her best friend's ancestors. We see Victorija truly change through the story, and although she accepts that she can never be forgiven for the harm she has done and the pain that she has caused others, she does turn a new leaf and even chooses to face those that she has hurt, to offer them her testament despite knowing it can not fix what has been done. There is a deep love and passion between Victorija and Daisy that transcends their blood bond.

I do wish we got to know even more about the lore of the world, especially Anka's magic. Despite obviously not being the main focus on the series, I felt that her magic and goals were fascinating, and I'd love to know even more about her past and how she acquires her powers. all in all, This was an enjoyable read, dark and seductive, but filled with hope.

Wow. I don’t know where to start when it comes to this book. Family, love, sex, blood, magic, villains, heroes, gray-area concepts of good and evil, and all of it wrapped up in a nearly five-hundred-page book sounds like a good time on an unscheduled day of my life. However, even after four days of me reading this due to me being on vacation; this review took me two-weeks to write as there is a lot to talk about when it comes to Jenny Frame’s Dying for You. So far, I’ve read all of Ms. Frames Paranormal Books from Wolfgang County to now the Wild for You Series; and when it comes to this book there is an array of messages that I would like to discuss. Dying for You by Jenny Frame in my opinion could be described as an enduring exhaustion of the most non-epic proportions; now, that is not to say that there were no enjoyable parts to this book. While there were a small handful of parts that I found to be entertaining; a lot of the book suffered from the misguided measures of pacing, and in turn hindered a lot of my interest. For example, some parts that needed detailed explaining were sped up, and some parts that needed the least explaining were slow and near dead-on-arrival when it came to my interest. Still, I managed to capture some good moments as listed below.

1.Victorija and her snarky sarcasm towards the end was one of my favorite parts. I think its safe to say from book one Vic was a fan-favorite of mine in my opinion, because of her complexity and ingenuity as a character. She was entertaining, and a small part of me would like to see what her snarky sarcasm and lovable annoyance as Byron’s Aunt could do in the future.

2. I liked Daisy a lot in this as she was much more malleable and palatable as a character. As a reader she didn’t give me this Entitled-Diva-Femme feeling like Amelia and Katie, nor did she give off this energy of a helpless Femme in need of a Masculine Butch to save her. Daisy was passionate and had strong convictions, and I felt that she wasn’t a Submissive Femme doomed to the fate of Internalized Heteronormative Policies that I normally read in Ms. Frames books. While oddly dumb at times with her choices like escaping to find Victorija; Daisy was oddly charming when it came to being paired with Victorija, and the chemistry of both women stood out and I enjoyed it. Well, I enjoyed most of it, minus the overly cheesy moments.

3. I did like the around the world kind of vibe that Daisy and Victorija had while they were running away from the Dred’s. The story gave a feeling more akin to Around the World in 80 Days, but it was fun to read even though majority of it was centered in Paris. Even on the run Victorija and Daisy’s chemistry felt light at times despite the ensuing danger; and it blended well into the small, but few moments of decent pacing within this book.

4. Sara was always a delight, as I feel like next book is going to be centered on her. I did enjoy the psychological sparring match that Anka and Sara had when Sara was captured. I would’ve liked to see more of it.

5. The sex scenes were a good steamy improvement; as it didn’t scream cringey Heterosexual Sex, and it didn’t make me want to skip it.

6.There were some funny parts that made the inner fat-kid in me chuckle; most of it coming from Victorija, as her flamboyant casualness about her situation towards the end had me laughing. I did enjoy the Driver’s License bit, and the arguing in the car. So far, that is all my good points when it comes to this book; unfortunately, I must move on to the hard part.

Paulo Coelho- ‘If a book isn’t self-explanatory, then it isn’t worth reading.’

1. Information Dump, Pacing, and Plot-Holes
While nearly five-hundred pages of Lesbian Paranormal Activity would normally make my heart skip a beat; as previously stated, I felt like this story suffered from a lot of pacing issues and information dumps without any tangibility. For example, the beginning of the book was so boring as it felt like one large info-dump; and to make matters worse Frame spent her time explaining the other two books. To me that information could’ve been spent explaining the Hunters, as I felt like their historical duties when it came to the Paranormal and Human world overall could’ve been explained especially since the Brassard’s are involved. Even if Frame wanted to explain the over-arching plot within the story; it did not blend in well, and it made the moments of tension seem random and watered down. For example, when it came to Daisy and her family being hunters; that should’ve been something filled with tension as Daisy had been lied to all her life. I found that scene to be annoying and dead-on-arrival, as there had been no connection to Daisy’s grandmother that rooted her as a figurehead to the world of hunters. Not only had we been introduced to Daisy’s grandmother a few pages back, I felt like as a reader I hadn’t even gotten comfortable with Daisy and her character before Frame casually dumped her grandmother on us. In my opinion, a narrative sentence or paragraph at the very beginning of the book with just only Daisy’s grandmother and someone else like Sybil could’ve brought an array of emotion into the reveal of the Brassard Family Secret. Yet the reveal felt shallow due to the bombardment of information from the previous books that attached itself to the beginning of the book. In addition, I felt like the handsy Zane and predator male narrative did not need to be in the beginning; to me that is an overused plot point in Lesbian Fiction that needs to go, as being a Lesbian Writer doesn’t mean let’s equate every male in our books to a predator or sexual assaulter. Overall, it made the opening scene suffer a lot.

For Frame I think she needs to work on her pacing and nuance if she’s going to attempt five-hundred pages. Along with pacing a lot of organizational issues had been another large issue for this book; in certain moments main and sub-plots and there goals felt as if it were all-over the place. There were parts that were too slow and needed no attention, and there were other parts of the book that carried on too fast giving no nuance to the scene. For example, the scenes of the past weren’t set up very well and came off sloppy. Not to mention, there was no ease when it came to Daisy’s world being reframed by the past when it came to the visions that Angele showed her. Just as well there is Daisy and her time in the Dred fortress, along with Victorija and Daisy’s escape. Most of those scenes really came too quickly, they weren’t threaded with dread or horror, and nothing left me on the edge of my seat; it was as if everything had been dialed down to a non-existent crisis. Just as well as Victorija freaking out over a bunch of apathetic ghosts and passing out in hallways doesn’t seem to give off anything at stake; I mean if the ghosts were a bit angrier it would’ve helped a lot with the idealism of emerging guilt. Now let’s get to Daisy going to the enemy. I understand that Daisy had confidence to change Victorija and she thought her plan to go to her was stupid, but it would’ve been great if she found a dead body or two to solidify the horrifying position she was in. As for Victorija I would’ve liked to see the political maneuverability of her when it came to Drasas and her betrayal; there was some, but it wasn’t drawn out in its entirety.

Everything felt like a pause and start moment, and the frequency in which it happened wasn’t to my liking; and while I could give many more examples of poor pacing in this book, I think if I did I would be at this review all day. I know pacing could be a hard thing to juggle for a lot of authors, but this was abysmal. By the time I got to the last three chapters of the book, mentally I was beyond exhausted. Between the over declarations of love and overly cheesy talks of self-sacrifice, I wanted it to be over so badly. I just felt like the last three chapters could’ve gone into the battle rather than the same repeating lines of I love you and I’m dying for you. It’s like we get it! You are dying for her!


2. Victorija, Redemption, and Hunters
Victorija and her redemption arc, good god give me strength. While Victorija is my only and favorite character, and her redemption arc was needed; I don’t think Book 3 was the right book to do it. To me it really felt like the Blood-Sickness bit cheapened a lot of what was trying to be conveyed; from what I counted Victorija only had three encounters of guilt when it came to the ghosts of her past, and these ghosts weren’t even angry with her. I would’ve preferred the pissed-off ghost approach, as it would’ve shown the severity of her crimes. Really there was a lack of enrichment when it came to Victorija’s struggle, I mean if the strife between Torija and her present-day-self had been spread out more in future books, it could’ve really solidified the idea of her redemption.

I would’ve personally liked if she especially had been the one to bring back Balor instead of Anka; it would’ve added more to her ambition of being the strongest when it came to the Debek Clan. If Victorija had moved on to summon Balor and succeed; only to be betrayed by Drasas it would’ve given more of a wakeup call to Victorija’s misdeeds, and then the process of redemption could’ve started. Also, it would’ve put more at stake when it came to Byron’s group and the narrative of the end of the world. I think a lot of opportunity was wasted in this book and the previous books. Really there should’ve been more scenes of Victorija being haunted and burdened by her past, and while the Blood-Sickness bit was a catalyst for that event; all the way until the end Victorija’s redemption wasn’t giving what it was supposed to be giving. I’m sorry, but if I was a dead person and my life was cut short by Victorija, I would have much to say about her redemption. Instead, we just got Angele and Lucia as Victorija’s Spiritual Defense Attorneys at Law; and a rushed process that felt so anticlimactic to a point that I had to question the ghosts and their presence when it came to haunting Victorija in the first place. At least we got Monopoly scenes, incomplete lore, and mediocre sub-plots to pass the time...I guess.
Now while Victorija and her part was questionable, there was another issue I had with this novel as it is a bit of a personal gripe as a reader. Now I know this could be taken with a grain of salt; still, I wouldn’t feel right not speaking about it. While I’m not accusing this author of plagiarism, the idea of the Brassard Family line being Hunters in my opinion seems to come out of nowhere like a lot of this story’s lore. While the initial set-up was not properly given to us readers in this book; nor was it foretold clearly in the other two books, the idea of a team of Hunters felt a bit unoriginal. Now, as I seem to be on a supernatural kick these days as I’ve been reading a lot of Paranormal Books, you can guess that I’ve read a lot from different authors on Amazon and from other Publishing Houses. For example, I seem to recall a book with Werewolves and their enemies being Hunters, as the Hunters are integrated into society under an organization of religion and corporations undetectable to humanity. Note that this book I read a few months back before receiving a copy of this one.

I know the concept of Hunters and the supernatural always plays into shows, movies, and books; but this one slightly seemed like another person’s idea as it held no original rooting to Daisy and her story before Book 3, and as I’ve said I’ve read this series before and have a clear comprehension of it. Just as well I know Frame went for the star-crossed lover’s approach when it came to Hunters and Vampires, but the tension between Hunters and Vampires never showed itself with Victorija and Angele. I felt like a lot of telling was done and not showing; as Angele and Victorija were supposed to be enemies, and from their meetings within Daisy’s flashback it had not given the essence of a longtime blood feud between humanity and the paranormal. Overall, it resembled a patronizing idea of tension; not the real workings of it.

In conclusion, when it comes to Victorija; unfortunately, her journey of redemption hadn’t hit a decent note with me. Everything felt light and escapable. Like we knew Victorija was in trouble; but not really, as once again love would save the day. I don’t mind love saving the day, but I don’t want the obviousness of it. Even Victorija’s confession to those she’s wronged in the spirit world feels written off as something easy. No ghost gave her a hard time, no moment was painted with dread or existential fear that Victorija would not make it out alive; and to top it all off it didn’t mix well with the green poisoning plot or the May Queen and Horned Man plot either. Personally, I feel if the ghosts wanted to truly hold Victorija accountable, the author could’ve made Victorija clean up the mess of her past kills by taking in her victim’s families just as Byron did; to me that would’ve served as a good form of atonement.

3. Anka, The Great Darkness, The Concept of Good vs Evil
Anka. *sigh* I don’t know where to start, but I’m not going to make this quick since its Black History Month and I feel as this needs to be said. Now complaint two and three are going to slightly merge but work with me here. Since I got a sample of this and was supposed to review it and post it on Beyoncé and Blue Ivy’s Internet; I felt like Frame really messed up a few books back with Anka and her introduction. While I normally like to see Black Women of all shades in positive power, I don’t like to see it from this angle of negativity especially when it comes to reading lesbian fiction. To me there is something off about Anka being a Black Witch with Dark Magic, verses a team of White Witches who name themselves “The Descendants.” All of this to me screams red flags. Not to mention these White-Light-Witches have a vast amount of fiscal power and privilege, then to add more on they have immortal vampire lovers. Just as well there is the issue with these so-called villains, so are we going to sweep their horrid actions and plans and all tie them into Anka? Really to me it’s giving off Public Lynching vibes. The whole thing of trading Victorija as a villain for Anka is giving racist vibes with a sprinkle of let’s kill the black woman because she’s the root to everyone’s evil actions. To me this ideology is not so well hidden within the message of this book, and it just seems off putting to me as a reader and ally to social injustices in so many ways. While I’m not going to get into the social and political commentary on how this looks; I’m sure a person of color who might read this series, might also agree with me as well.

I know color shouldn’t matter in books, only deeds; but I felt like this went some kinda way to signal something or someone. Not saying that people of color do not exist in Europe; but in my opinion, it would’ve been better if Anka wasn’t mentioned as a person of color. I think Frame like a lot of white writers are not that skilled or equipped with the mental tools of historical context to give us a villain of color without a prejudice or racist bias attached to it. To me it would’ve made sense to bring in the first witches that were in the first book as villains because of their exposure to Victorija. The point is I know several books with villains written by white authors that don’t mention race, ethnicity, or nationality as ignorance is bliss. Which leads me to another point as a reader of all of Frames Paranormal Series, I wonder why the other characters weren’t mentioned in the way Anka was? Really, it’s kind of obvious that there are darker shades of Europeans in Europe, and why wasn’t that context of description given to Alexis, Bhal, Katie or Amelia? I mean is Bryon the darker Southern Italian or lighter Northern Italian? It seems like a big finger was pointed at the black woman; and she was given more description as if to say look and gawk at this evil woman, while the others were not given much attention. Now a part of me wouldn’t have been so critical about this if she described her characters fairly no matter what color they were, as I would’ve applied that to Frames writing style rather than something else more subliminal. However, reading the other two books from Frame both the vampire and werewolf series with Anka’s presence in it; I feel as if it’s just impossible to free myself from the undertones of subtle racism that are spread out within this book.

Now to my next part about this book that solidifies more of my claim; the fetishization to Anka and her character. The Black Dominatrix thing between Drasas and Anka made me very uncomfortable when it came to her scenes; while I like forms of safe and consensual BDSM, this gave off a Black Mammy Disciplinary feeling along with the “Greedy Bisexual Trope” as well. There is always this level of fetishization when it comes to Black Women in Dominate Roles when dealing with the White Gaze, as it is a role normally seen in lust and never of loving and understanding. So, to read about this dominatrix thing she has with Drasas from Frame instead of getting a reasoning behind Anka’s goal of power, makes the story feel incomplete to Anka’s character and comes off as disrespectful. I believe sex is a form of self-empowerment, but when it comes to Black Women it should be handled with care and not under the White Gaze of limitations. I felt like Anka, and her goals of evil were shallow as the authors interpretation of her felt cartoonish; I mean, does Anka exist to only bring about the Great Darkness of Balor? Just as well there is little to no back story on Anka, all this paint’s is a picture that is one-dimensional as it seems like the author had not wanted us to sympathize with Anka, only blindly wish for her destruction. This was especially alarming to me since the “Monsters are Made, not Born,” phrase kept popping up every fifteen seconds.

To that end it also makes me question the logic and legitimacy of this book when it comes to its politics of good versus evil. How is it that Anka’s story is painted by a broad brush of being evil for the sake of evil, but Victorija is complex and like I said gets a “pass” due to magic and “light” and the resurface of memories happening? As much as I like Victorija; it feels like her complex character was a fluke made by Frame, and if you compare Victorija to Frames two-dimensional writing style when it comes to other characters the evidence speaks for itself. No real consequences were delivered in this book by Ms. Frame, not even Byron was mad due to her aunt killing her first lover; the basis of logic and emotional intelligence in this book is sorely missing.

4.Failed Plot Points, Abductions, Side Characters, Confusing Lore, Paganism, and Conclusion.
If I had to say what annoyed me in this book from a clear aesthetic level, I would have to say the Failed Plot Point of Balor and it’s more than confusing lore and magic systems. The ending of this book made no logical sense, while Vic clearly died and was launched into the “Spirit World” why wasn’t Balor present or around? Technically by Frames rules, Anka had accomplished what she came to do when it came to getting power from Victorija; I mean she did die as you don’t get any deader when you’re in the spirit world. At this point the ring should’ve been powered and Balor ready to return; overall, for all intents and purposes Anka’s spell should’ve succeeded, and that is if I use the terms of what the author had written. Yet towards the end, everything was written so sloppily that not even Anka was properly ejected from her own scene, and Balor didn’t even show. Really what was the point of Balor in this plot? It was just all so unnecessary.
I felt like too many ideas in this book were borderline drenched in hypocrisy, and just plain messy and un-inspired. Jenny Frame’s Magic System clearly needs work; for example, how was Daisy someone who just found out she was a Witch/Huntress, able to help Amelia a Novice Witch open and keep open a portal to the spirit world? Especially since Amelia had issues speaking to the other side just chapters before. Make it, Make sense. It would’ve been better to have Sybil or Magda with her to help channel it, but instead it felt rushed and not well paced or worded. Which leads me to the many side-characters that were mentioned in the book; most of them held no gravity or place, as some characters had been there since book two. Even as Frame kept adding characters chapter after chapter, none of them struck a chord as a side-character nor did they add much to the lore. (Not that there was much creativity in that process to begin with.)

Now, I’m not saying that side characters need to be the center of attention, but when there moment comes there should be something that gives a bit more to the story. After reading this I just feel as if Frame fell into the pattern of broadly painted villains, and the re-used and abused plot of abduction by comically braindead villains. Come on people! Katie, Amelia, and Daisy have all been abducted at one point or time within each book. I think it’s time for a different plot point and more of a structured effort on Frame or the publisher’s end.
I know I maybe overthinking this book but honestly, I feel like the message of good and evil contradicts the very message that Frame tries to put out about redemption and forgiveness. To use a gray-area message such as “Monsters are made, not born,” then apply it to a plot that values simplistic black and white politics of good vs evil makes no sense to me and serves as an insult to my intelligence. To simply put it, it feels as if the idea of redemption and depth only serves the exclusivity of white people in this story; and the average reader would miss out on this message because there is the basic tunnel vision of the good white guys are in love, so clearly the Black Witch with no depth or background is clearly evil.

Just as well I don’t see the logic of a Black Witch such as Anka worshiping a Celtic Deity like Balor. Paganism has no color, but I think if Frame wanted Anka as the villain she should’ve had Anka use her own deities of her ethnic and racial background to display a culture war in the world of the paranormal; it would’ve given Anka more agency and depth to what she was doing. There are serval Black Cultures that are African and African American that deal in Witchcraft that could’ve been used when it came to Anka, but an opportunity was missed.

At this point I feel like the Black Characters both good and bad like Magda and Anka are only meant to serve white characters or pagan systems drenched in privilege. As no independent agency is given to the Black Characters, they were told they were strong, but they weren’t used in scenes that needed strength. Even as Anka was being researched by Daisy, that whole plot was dropped as it felt like Frame didn’t feel as if the effort should be given to Anka unlike her white characters like Alexis, Daisy, Katie, Amelia, or Byron.
The whole Balor and Anka thing just doesn’t seem practical in a sense especially since this is playing racially on White European themes to build its lore. Just as well I’m not a fan of the magic sequences nor the action parts of this book, it comes off clunky and a bit childish to me as there is nothing vivid or tangible that puts me in the moment.

In conclusion, this book was a big miss for me as there were certain mistakes that were in the previous books that just didn’t translate well into this book. Would I say that this is something the masses should read? No. However, if they did I don’t think in the foreseeable future that anyone would be jumping for joy when it comes to the lack of effort in this book. Like I said in the beginning there were some bright moments and funny moments, but as someone that has read all of Frames Paranormal Series and retained most of what the plot was about; I don’t think there was enough gripping moments in this book to off-set its many weaker points. So, when it comes to my reading experience with Dying for You by Jenny Frame unfortunately, I’m going to have to give this a 2.5 out of 5.

It's the emotions. The rage. The Audacity.

The book is well written and the chemistry between Daisy and Victorija is fine. The build up, the pace, everything is good. I can't deny that, but my heart and head has refused to accept the romance in this book. It just seems so unfair, their romance is believable, slightly, but I was so emotionally wired to hate Victorija since book one's events and now if you expect me to join hands and clap and wish her happily ever after. I THINK NOT. SHE DID NOT DESERVE IT. YES HER PAST WAS TRAGIC, I do get that and I sympathise. But after all those poor people she killed. I don't care that she was haunted by those ghosts. I was so happy when she was going to kick the bucket because that would have been true redemption for her character. And then she came back, like you don't say.

And that girlfriend of hers was another issue. I am not a huge fan of Alexis but the way Daisy got in Alexis' face, had me wanting to slap her and then some. Alexis had every right to hate her, so I was so happy when she didn't join in, in the kumbaya..


Now about the PLOT TWIST: SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. 🤯🤯🤯🤯


⁠
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

This was a very engaging read which had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The tension between Victorija and Daisy was delicious, and Victorija’s redemption story was very well written. However, the chemistry fizzled a bit towards the end as there was simply so much going on with various factions of the paranormal world fighting for control. Either way, the cliffhanger ending left me hungry for the next instalment and I hope we don’t have to wait long!

I requested this book because I've read the author's speculative and contemporary fiction. I didn't realize this is the third in a series. I could follow the plot but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous books. Victorija Dred is leader of a vampire clan. She bit Daisy MacDougall and they learn they are blood bonded. Meaning that Victorjia is slowing getting blood sickness and needs to drink from Daisy to gain her all strength and powers back. But Victorija made a vow to Daisy's grandmother that she would never take blood or hurt one of her descendants. Is her love vow stronger than her desire for power?

This is an exciting and fast paced story. Victorija is evil except for this one part of her life. And Daisy is helping her remember and keep the part of her that is good and redeemable. I was surprised at the twists and drama while learning how Victorija came to be. Daisy and Victorija are great working together with friends to try and fight the blood sickness. I'm not a big fantasy reader but I will look for the other books in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

Dying For you by Jenny Frame is book 3 in the ‘Wild for you’ series and takes off around the same place we left off in book two. This book focuses more on Daisy and Victorija.

Never been a fan of Victorija but she’s like an entirely different character in this book. I’m not sure if this got retconned or something but wasn’t she Bryon’s cousin? She’s her great aunt in this book. Either I missed some reveal or it just randomly changed.

Anyways, this was an okay read.

Having read the other books and being familiar with the author I wasn’t expecting anything too serious and you shouldn’t either. This and all the other books in the series follow a very nonsensical light and easy supernatural setting. So if you’re like me and you’re not a big fan of all those long winded over complicated supernatural books then maybe check this series out. What also helped was the author clearly got some inspiration from a certain CW vampire show that gave some familiarity.

I wouldn’t say this is my favorite book in the series, that would probably always be the first but it was a fine read. A lot of things didn’t make sense, a lot of things weren’t relevant and the book was rather repetitive this time around. In fact the moment I realized Victorija was Bryon’s aunt was actually in a chapter where Victorija said it like fifty times for some reason like it was at all useful.

But the thing is, no matter what Jenny Frame writes, they put all their energy into it. You can just feel the good vibes through the book. Even if it doesn’t make, even if the writing isn’t as in depth as it should be, it’s enough.

Yes, I would’ve loved more build up to Daisy and Victorija. No, I don’t like the ending.

But man was it such a smooth and entertaining read. A bit more humor would’ve been appreciated but the setting Frame was able to create without much stress on the writing is slightly admirable.

Victorija is very honorable and just all around a totally different person from book one in this, I liked that. As much as I like her, she did not deserve what she got at the ending. After all the things she’s done, no. That’s all I’m gonna say on that…

Do I recommend? If you’re looking for something simple, not over the top, short, slight ridiculous, slightly nonsensical and with a few hot sex scenes, sure.

If you’re looking for a page turner, depth, perfectly logical explanations, ethical behavior, morally good characters? No.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for a honest review!

Dying for You is the exciting third novel in the Wild for You paranormal series. I suggest this series be read in order for better understanding.

Clan leader Victorija Dred is the most vicious and feared vampire on earth. Even though she blood bonded with Daisy MacDougall, Victorija refuses to to have her brought in to feed her hunger. While Victorija tries to find a way to break this bond an ancient witch is plotting to overtake her clan and use dark magic to conquer the world.

Wild for You is an imaginative and riveting series. I am thoroughly captivated by the storyline.

In Dying for You, Frame’s writing engages the reader from the first page and never loses your interest. The variety of characters and multiple plot lines keeps the action going at a quick clip. The power of Frame’s writing had me totally invested in Victorija and I was almost devastated by the end.

If you are a fan of paranormal novels then Dying for You is a must read.

I received an advance review copy from Bold Stroke Books and NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Victorija is one of the most feared vampire but she is slowly succumbing to blood sickness. Daisy is struggling not to go to Victorija because of the blood bond they share for one Victorija is reluctant to use her despite not having a problem before but what Daisy and the clan don’t know the vow she took I won’t say what it’s is but it’s a good. I like that although I wanted to scream at Victorija I love that she was honorable and Daisy how she holds her ground and fight. I’m really enjoying this series it’ll be so cool if the author did crossover with her Wolfgang County series.

Jenny Frame has created another successful vampire novel. Bryon and Amelia are present in this sequel and blend seamlessly with the story and main focus of this book, Victorija and Daisy.

I can’t give away the ending, but wow! I never saw that twist coming. Fantastic! I look forward to the ultimate show down. Hopefully in the next book! I don’t want to share much of the plot, so I will focus on why you should read this book!

Victorija and Daisy are beautiful written, sexy, funny, and their connection written with an authentic voice and emotional truth. The enjoyment of reading Victorija study Daisy in her bedroom, to the dungeon scenes, to the horse ride were just a few of the many moments in the book that were fantastic.

The plot and story arch of Victorija character was amazing. I went from wanting her harmed to rooting for her at the end. And Daisy, what a terrific character who can love and still stand her ground.