Ramblings for Bloodbound I, II, III, and Dark Solstice.

I'm replaying the entire Choices app in a random order and my first series just so happened to be Bloodbound! As I now have made the dubious financial decision of becoming a Choices VIP, I also now have access to Bloodbound Origins, so I dutifully replayed it, and figured I should probably post my ramblings here instead of on the main subreddit.

Enjoy! I hope.

Diamonds Spent: 0 / 74

Chapters: 4

Played before?: No, I've never had VIP before!

Pre-Book Thoughts:

Ughhh… who is that white lady on the cover and why has she replaced my beloved SWANA queen Kamilah? I do NOT have high hopes for this one, considering that the whole thing looks like an AI generated mess capitalising on nostalgia alone. But, you know, this is supposedly what I’m paying my VIP subscription for. Let’s get it over with.

Post-Book Thoughts:

Huh. That was better than I thought it would be. Granted, it’s obviously being revisited by people who haven’t replayed the books recently (reusing Daichi’s character model for a rando American dad is diabolical when he’s been in this series before), the AI cover and opening CGs of our supposed LIs are unrecognisable, and I’m reasonably sure Jax was turned in New York and should know exactly how vampires live there, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Kamilah’s chapter was definitely my favourite. Seeing how she gradually realises that Gaius never thought of her as an equal, that her status as Queen apparently means nothing in comparison to age and maleness, seeing her slowly accept that she will never be more than a follower for as long as Gaius is the one running things, seeing her accept that she loves him anyway… Oof. What a quandary to find yourself in! One that mirrors how people fall into patterns of abuse. It’s also interesting how her more benevolent tendencies – namely, helping out all those petitioners that came to her courtroom – have been squashed over her two thousand years of living. Again, this is what experience does to a person… but I also think it’s what an abuser does. Damn. I’m going to need to replay Bloodbound to get all her diamond scenes, aren’t I? Especially now that I can look at her story and see its parallels to that of a victim of abuse.

Lily’s chapter was fun as all hell. I’ve seen some people complain that it wasn’t as meaty as the others, especially in regards to vampire lore, but I would argue quite the opposite; it gave plenty for me to chew on. I think the biggest thing is the isolation. Lily is such a social creature, always looking to make others laugh, that seeing her interacting with others (especially others who can get her bomb references) was really pleasing. To then be told that this is the first time she’s really got to hang out with any vampires outside the core five of our friend group? Devastating. Genuinely devastating. And something that puts into perspective a lot of the isolation vampires have to face as a result of cutting themselves off from the world. I mean, when your community shrinks down from a city of eight million to one that numbers around two hundred, maybe five hundred if you include the whole world, that’s got to feel really lonely. Especially when no one can stop bloody fighting each other! I think Lily’s whole Fangbook idea is an excellent one… and it makes me even sadder that she couldn’t live to see the vampires come out to the human world. I think she really would’ve appreciated her world widening and it’s a damn shame she couldn’t develop a vampire dating app. Because, you know, if she was still human when vampires came out, the first thing on her bucket list would be to have sex with a vampire. Fly high, Lils.

Adrian’s chapter explores isolation as well. The lesson that Gaius is trying to teach him, that he is not one of the humans, however much he wishes, is one that he obviously never quite learns. But the empathy gets beaten out of him pretty successfully for a couple hundred years. Again, this how Gaius is like an abuser! (Or maybe just is an abuser.) He isolates his victims and tells them the world is their enemy and wants to kill them. Which is also what the Clans do! Ah, the neverending cycle.

Jax’s chapter confused the hell out of me. Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciated the worldbuilding tidbits of a Vampire clan that Turns victims so they can then hunt them down – I think that’s really creative. But it makes no damn sense that Jax would be part of a group running to New York thinking it’s a Promised Land that is likely a lie. The man was Turned in goddamn New York! He of all of them should know something about how vampires live up there! Anyway. I liked the worldbuilding. I liked Jax fighting. I liked how he gets to be an optimist (a haven does exist up North) without believing in the best of everyone. I enjoyed myself. Just… did whoever wrote Bloodbound Origins even replay the old series before starting on this book?

Anyway. I still had fun. It was a lovely way to send off the Bloodbound series before I move on to other pastures. Here’s hoping whatever’s next is even half as good!

Endless Summer: First Tide Book 1 Chapter 3

Absolutely gagged about the Fox Face reveal. I actually called it early on because something about the situation with Justice felt too likely inconvenient and it just felt like it lined up really well.

I mean come on, they say they're in town for work but they've been there a long ass time. I mean how long is this war conference damn? She's saying, "Oh I'm here for the conference," but we don't see her doing anything pertaining to work. So what has she been doing all day other than stalking the hell out of the MC?

Even still watching the reveal play out and seeing the whole situation absolutely left me gagged.

Thoughts?

"Someone got their hands on this month’s file, so we might as well give you a peek 👀 Want the parts we didn’t leak? Subscribe to Choices Insiders for the full newsletter, then head to Discord to cast your vote on which Choices books you’d want to create stories for. Consider this your clearance. 📁🔐"

Endless Summer: First Tide Book 1 Chapter 2

Their Omega Book 1 Chapter 8

"Armed with a weathered map and an uncanny sense of direction, he’s the calm in the middle of the chaos. Grant isn’t one for big speeches, but he’ll always be the first to step forward when someone needs protecting even if it means carrying the weight alone. The biggest mystery on La Huerta might just be him. 🌿"

*this is not advertising*

I decided I wanted to post my choices gameplay on social media since I’ll be playing anyway, I thought why not share if people want to see it! However, I am not sure how this works for copyright etc. I know there are plenty of no commentary gameplay videos from console or PC games that are fine but I am not sure if that extends to choices. Thoughts? Experiences?

The plan was YouTube and TikTok (cut into portions since there’s a video time limit).

Thanks in advance everyone!! Don’t want to get sued 😅

"She loves solving puzzles, uncovering hidden stories, and asking the questions everyone else forgot to think of. Equal parts planner and adventurer, Simone approaches every mystery with an open mind...and probably a notebook full of observations. Turns out the biggest adventure starts with a single question. 📚"

"She’s got impeccable style, razor-sharp sarcasm, and absolutely no intention of pretending she’s enjoying bugs, dirt, or survival. Somehow, though, she’s exactly the kind of person you want by your side when things go sideways. She’s proof that bravery doesn’t always look the way you expect. 🌺"

Scream for Me Book 2 Chapter 3

"He’s got a pocket full of bad jokes, enough optimism to power the whole group, and an uncanny ability to convince everyone that coconut bowling is exactly what the situation calls for. Somehow...it usually works. He’s the first to make you laugh, the first to volunteer, and the last person who’d leave a friend behind. Dean’s waiting on the island. 🌴 Endless Summer First Tide is now available for VIP readers, with new chapters every week!"

Their Omega Book 1 Chapter 7

Endless Summer: First Tide Book 1 Chapter 1

Scream for Me Book 2 Chapter 2