5-Star Series Review: Seasons of Carnage by Brynne Weaver

Books Review: Tourist Season + Harvest SeasonRating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Currently: Impatiently waiting for Hunting Season 👀🔪

Okay, I am officially obsessed with Cape Carnage.

Give me a picturesque little seaside town, two homicidal love interests, suspiciously well-fertilized gardens, a whole collection of morally questionable residents, and enough dark humor to make me question what I should actually be laughing at, and apparently I am happy.

Only two books of the Seasons of Carnage trilogy are out so far, but after Tourist Season and Harvest Season, this is already a five-star series for me.

And after that ending?

April cannot get here fast enough.

Tourist Season

I loved this book from the beginning.

Harper and Nolan’s homicidal tendencies are established pretty much immediately, and I loved that we also understand why they are doing what they are doing. They are both killers. They are both incredibly stubborn. And they are both absolutely convinced they know exactly what kind of person the other is.

Spoiler alert: they absolutely do not.

Nolan showing up in Cape Carnage believing Harper is the monster he has been hunting, only to slowly realize there is so much more to her story, was so good. I especially loved discovering how interconnected their histories actually were, even though the truth was nothing like Nolan believed.

And their dynamic?

Grumpy/grumpy might be one of my new favorite things.

They are constantly poking at each other, challenging each other, threatening each other, and somehow falling hopelessly in love in the process. Their banter had me laughing throughout the entire audiobook, and I loved every second of their chaotic little murder romance.

And Nolan Rhodes’s dirty talk?

Sir.

I was trying to mind my own business and listen to an audiobook, and suddenly I was fanning myself like a Victorian woman who had just seen an ankle.

Arthur and Lucas were absolute gems, too. Cape Carnage would not be nearly as entertaining without its collection of bizarre side characters, and I became way too attached to everyone. This town is weird, dangerous, suspicious, and somehow full of people I would absolutely read ten more books about.

Then that ending happened.

Needless to say, I started Harvest Season immediately.

Harvest Season

How did so much happen in one book?

Harvest Season took everything I loved about the first book and cranked up the mystery, danger, emotion, and general what the hell is happening in this town? energy.

Getting deeper into Harper and Nolan’s histories added so much to their characters. I loved watching their relationship develop and seeing just how far these two would go to protect each other and the people they consider theirs.

Because apparently murder is a love language in Cape Carnage.

And honestly? Tracks.

There were also a few chapters that genuinely gave me the creeps, which was exactly what they were supposed to do. If you know, you know.

But somehow Brynne Weaver still had me laughing constantly.

That is probably one of my favorite things about this series. It can go from creepy and unsettling to hilarious to spicy to emotionally devastating without making those elements feel like they are fighting against each other. The tone should not work as well as it does, and yet it absolutely does.

I spent so much of this book mentally screaming at Harper and Nolan.

Open your eyes.

Look around you.

Something is wrong.

Watching everything slowly unravel while knowing they were not seeing the full picture was stressful in the best and worst way. I wanted to reach into the audiobook, grab both of them by the shoulders, and force them to connect the dots.

And then…

That ending.

Excuse me?

I was literally stocking shelves at work listening to the audiobook while trying not to cry.

And Harper, babe. I love you.

But come on.

Someone made sure there was enough evidence left behind for you to figure out who actually killed him, and instead she bought the frame job completely.

Meanwhile, poor Nolan cannot even defend himself.

I was internally yelling, “Harper, think about it!” while attempting to look like a functioning employee.

Which, honestly, was rude of this book. I had tasks to complete. I had shelves to stock. I did not have time to emotionally unravel in public over fictional murder spouses.

Now We Wait for Hunting Season

And I already know it is going to be absolute chaos.

There are so many secrets still buried in Cape Carnage, relationships hanging by a thread, questions that desperately need answers, and a certain misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up immediately.

If Tourist Season planted the seeds and Harvest Season started digging everything back up, I have a feeling Hunting Season is about to burn the entire garden to the ground.

And honestly?

I am ready.

Well.

Probably not emotionally.

But that is an April problem.

Final Thoughts

So far, Seasons of Carnage has everything I love in a dark romance series: morally questionable characters, villain x villain energy, murder, mystery, ridiculous humor, fantastic side characters, obsession, emotional depth, delicious spice, and two people who would happily commit homicide for one another.

Harper and Nolan are completely unhinged, completely obsessed, and somehow completely adorable.

Cape Carnage has me in a chokehold, and after the way Harvest Season ended, I need Hunting Season now.

Five stars for the series so far.

Now please excuse me while I sit here impatiently waiting for April like a totally normal person.

Obviously.