This was such an interesting, gritty world. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but I ended up devouring this book. It’s written in first person present tense, which especially sets the tone for Ondine’s chapters. You never really know what’s going to happen next. The FMC clearly doesn’t.

The book is filled with INCREDIBLY flawed characters, and we are forced to see things from their perspective. At the start: -The FMC, Ondine, doesn’t pay attention half the time, tunes people out mid-sentence, and allows herself to be shuffled about by everyone else and is like “whatever guess this is happening.” She’s also very cunning, but doesn’t realize/acknowledge it. -Then there’s Jake, the leader of Pack Meier, who is a fucking diagnosed narcissist. Readers are told this plainly, but it really shines through with some of the less obvious show-not-tell writing. Example: he texts Ondine “what are you doing?” while Sebastian texts “how are you feeling?” He is a right asshole, treats people like objects, and then doesn’t understand why no one confides in him when something’s wrong.
-Then there’s Sebastian, who is a Himbo, but he follows so mindlessly that he would jump off a bridge if Jake told him to. Jake asks him to stick his penis somewhere? 🤷🏻‍♀️ okay. He’s also a prejudiced asshole. -And fucking emo Shadow, who is the “problem” because he is epically depressed after bonding to an alpha who is (surprise) a narcissist who used him up and was done with the romance in 2 weeks. But somehow Shadow is the problem. …Makes him the most sympathetic of the batch, except he uses his past heartbreak (like long time ago past) to act like a fucking asshole and mope around and neglect everything

They all suck. It’s all a big clusterfuck. But they all have such surprisingly endearing character arcs. Idk. They won me over by the end. Don’t get me started on the side characters, who are all so much more balanced and normal. Fucking loved Freddie from the start. I don’t know what to make of Boone.

The plot was interesting. I have questions still (particularly about the ‘assault’). The writing needed a few more edits, grammatically. Overall, a fun read.

The start of this book was dark and promising. But after Juno got through it, things flopped for me. It’s a light read. But I didn’t feel a proper connection to the characters, and I felt like Juno’s early interactions with the men she meets were incongruous to the trauma she suffered (even with therapy and passage of time, the first encounters brought up zilch?! No processing? No true fumbles to navigate?). It took 90% of the book before a real trauma flashback occurred, and it had more to do with a jealous female character. I enjoyed the concept of bond dissolution, but overall this book just didn’t hit the spot for me!

Why are we using the r word in 2026? Even if it’s “said” by two teens. One of them is a main character I’m supposed to like? The other is said person with an unnamed issue (at one point, another character says they are “brain damaged”) Also. Why include racist jokes? What did that bring to the story? The gnats with the “gn” schtick was heavy-handed. I wanted there to be more symbolism. It never really came around.

I guess what I’m getting at is: I felt like a lot of the humor was hollow. It failed to adequately connect to a greater thematic choice or cultural commentary. I get that this book is snarky-humor-lit, but there wasn’t enough of a message for me. Funny… okay… but why? To what end?? Shouldn’t we focus on that..?

I struggled to find a review that touched upon a deeper meaning, because I did look! Sometimes, I miss obvious things, and I genuinely wanted to read some discourse & expand my view on this novel. The closest I got was the idea that the “crazy family” was the one to actually reveal the crazy of the town. That feels weak to me, but maybe that’s my personal preference shining through. I found an article that talks about lost innocence (directly from title), and the search for connection/validation in a corporate/capitalist world. How do we rectify that with the ending? The unsatisfying character arcs? Is a happy ending contingent upon everyone finding their romantic partner? Converting to obtain that? Being a minor in HS dating someone in their 20s? 😬 ok. I’m gonna back away before I go on a long rant.

Kaz thinks multiple times about how he wishes he never left House. Isla wishes he hadn’t left House. I wish he hadn’t left the House. A character like Kaz Koren belongs securely in House Deviant and not out in society. I want to read about his broken toys. ((Kaz & Isla enjoy blood play & tears. If you get horny for tears, this will work for you. He’s a sadist, but he holds back for her. Kinda.))

There wasn’t as much smut in this—ok, I’m probably not being reasonable. Characters weren’t great. Plot was nonexistent (compliment). Other books in the series had stronger premise leading in. Or a more horny premise leading in, tbh. I think this author does a good job with playing on the illicit feeling of anonymity (Is it? Is it not? Do they know? Will they reveal themselves?). That’s what was missing from this story.

Rating of the Deviant universe will depend on your naughty interests. I need to reread them, for research of course, but I think my rating goes: 1. House Deviant (kidnapping, caging), 2. Hotel Deviant (anonymity, stepsibling), 3. Camp Deviant (primal, BDSM more broadly) & 4. Club Deviant (blood, tears, (step)sisters bf)

*as ALWAYS, you never saw me here 😘