I really like the idea behind this book, as well as some of the more imaginative contents. There were also a lot of analogies which I found to be quite witty and / or thoughtful. Otherwise, however, this book wasn’t really for me.

While still in the first half of this book, I could not figure out whether I couldn’t get into it because of the narrative style, or because I simply could not get attached to any of the characters. But as I continued reading, I realized that it’s a combination of the two. While, like the story itself, I liked the idea behind the characters, something about the way this book was narrated kept me from immersing myself into the world and caring for any of the personages, even though I really really wanted to.

Another factor was the dialogue (which I suppose is categorized under narrative style anyway), and how characters would take an exaggerated amount of time sometimes to get to the point, or to tell other characters something important.

I also really disliked Zoe, spending the first few chapters growling and shaking my head at her actions. X, on the other hand, I found to the likeable for the most part, and I would not mind reading more about him. The only downside to his character, in fact, was the insta-love he shares with Zoe. I am not a believer of love at first sight, and this will definitely have affected how I experienced this book.

Overall, it was an alright book, and I have noticed that many people loved it to pieces (and many who have yet to read it will likely love it as well). As for me, I left the experience disappointed, and unsure as to whether I will read the sequel when it’s released, or not.

Disons plutôt 2,5 étoiles.
Je suis mitigée ! Dans l’ensemble, je ne peux pas dire que je n’ai pas aimé ce livre, ce serait entièrement faux. J’ai vraiment aimé X, Ripper et toute la partie avec les Terres du Bas. Non, ce qui pêche ici, en plus d'une romance mal amenée et très clichée, c’est le personnage de Zoé. Alors c’est sans doute moi qui n’aime pas ce genre de personnage, mais je l’ai trouvé profondément égoïste et pas très futée. Du coup, j'ai eu un peu de mal à comprendre son point de vue. J'ai vraiment et largement préféré les parties dans lesquelles X se bat pour connaître la vérité sur sa naissance. J'aurais mis un 5 étoiles s'il n'y avait pas eu Zoé et cette romance que je n'ai pas trouvé crédible. Ma chronique complète sur Songe d'une nuit d'été : https://songedunenuitdete.com/2018/09/17/les-ames-perdues-t01-les-terres-du-bas-de-jeff-giles/

Based on the review from my favorite BookTubers, I was so excited to read this book. From the synopsis, I also thought that it's going to be interesting and thrilling. I liked the first hundred pages, it was great, but when then as I got into the middle part of the book, I was...bored.

This book actually made me not want to read any book at all, which is bad, because then I got into a reading slump for months. So then I decided that I didn't like this book as much as I wanted to. The ending of the book is okay, I guess. It is still full of action, but that just doesn't cut it for me.

I'm the kind of reader who will love any romance in a book, it's very rare for me to find a romance that I don't like, especially if it's the main characters' romance. But in this book, I DO NOT LIKE THE ROMANCE AT ALL! It's what you called insta-love and I just don't like it.

I also don't like the main character, Zoe. I don't know why, but I just don't. I couldn't connect with her, and I just couldn't put myself on her shoes. It was like I'm resenting it. Other characters, I kind of like. X's friends on Lowlands, Ringer and the other guy (I can't remember his name) were awesome. I was more interested on their stories rather than Zoe's.

I couldn't picture the Lowlands at all. In my mind it's just...a pit of hell and a cell. That's all.

Overall, I gave this book a 3/5 stars. This is the first book in a series, but I don't know if I'll ever continue this series.

A great start to a new series. Hope the momentum continues.

2.5/5

Although I enjoyed reading this book, and was never bored with the story, it all felt so familiar, like everything was pulled from a "how to write a YA paranormal romance" manual.

Check out my full review on Forever Young Adult.

DNF.

I wasn't too fond of the insta-love, like seriously insta-love? You know this random stranger who tries to kill another man for one night and you're so in love, swoon! Nope. Just nope. The rest of the story was decent, it was slightly dark and I found the Lowlands quite interesting but the insta-love just killed it for me. I would have preferred a story more about the people in the Lowlands than about Zoe in Montana and her boring friends who are so totally awesome dawg! This just read as a contemporary with a dash of dark paranormal love and it didn't grab me. I was on a camping trip and my mom murdered my other book with the ocean is probably why I finished it so quickly...

DNF: 9%

Wow this book is so, so bad. It's the perfect example of telling the reader what's going on rather than showing them. It's incredibly hard to believe that this author wrote for the New York Times and Rolling Stone.

I absolutely loved this story. The plot and story line was very interesting and new. I fell in love with the main character and how romantic he was.

This story had a very interesting premise with a unique storyline. I can understand why it has captured so many people however, while I did read the story from start to finish, it just wasn't my cup of tea. Instant love, lots of unanswered questions - I actually found this book a real struggle. However what I really did like about this story were the characters - all a little crazy, all extremely special in their own way. They are what made this story enjoyable for me.

No one recovered their dad’s body. Now both Zoe and her brother Jonah are haunted with the image of their dad’s bones lying cold and forgotten at the bottom of a cave. But their dad was not the hero they thought he was. During a sub-zero blizzard, a shady man from their father’s past attacks Zoe and Jonah. They are saved by X, a mysterious bounty hunter sent by the Lords to drag their assailants soul down to hell.

But X has sin’s of his own. And when he and Zoe fall hard for each other, X will do anything to get back to Zoe’s arms, even defy the Lords themselves. But when he is given one final task, both X and Zoe must face a trial that will test the limits of their love. Failure will cost Zoe and her family their lives… and X his soul.

The story is told from the dual POVs of X and Zoe, and despite them being from different worlds, apart from a couple of paranormal moments - for the most part this book was pretty contemporary.

The opening of this story really pulled me in. For the first 20% I literally couldn't put it down, but after that my excitement for it sort of fizzled. The story was intriguing, and the plot unpredictable, however I felt that everything that happened to X was centred around him trying to get back to Zoe. And this was where my biggest issue lay. In the romance.

While there were a few sweet moments between them - their love for each other seemed to sprout from nowhere. Zoe seemed dazzled by X’s otherworldliness, while X seemed ready to fall in love with the first person who was kind to him - like a puppy. And for all his badass skills, I did find X very puppy like.

Again with Zoe - I just couldn't understand where her feelings came from. Especially as she had another boy who doted on her with genuine affection. X only saved her life… albeit accidentally too, but after that she seems determined that X is the man for her.

The big saving grace for this story though was its cast of characters. Ripper being hands down my favourite. But generally all the characters were memorable with strong and distinct personalities. All the secondary characters also had a huge baring on both Zoe’s and X’s lives, and I liked how they helped push the story forward.

Something else I really liked was Zoe’s relationship with her younger brother, Jonah. Their feelings for each other were very strong and it was nice to see such a great sibling relationship, despite both Zoe and Jonah carrying their own emotional scars. I liked how they were each others supports and go to’s.

Overall I was pretty conflicted over how to rate this book. So I decided on 1 star for the characters + 1 star for Zoe & Jonah’s relationship, plus another for the general uniqueness of the story. In total, 3 stars!

A crazy, whirlwind of a read. I would be interested to see what else this author comes up with. :)