Sometimes I wonder if I really even like bully romances, or even if I should. I know in real life if a guy showed even the tiniest fraction of the redSometimes I wonder if I really even like bully romances, or even if I should. I know in real life if a guy showed even the tiniest fraction of the red flags the guys in these romances proudly fly, I'd be screaming to the heavens for that lady to run for the hills. Why do fictional assholes get a pass? I don't know, and I also don't know why I'm aware there's gonna be abusive behavior in this genre, yet I still pick the books up, and still gripe about the MCs. I just love to hate a low-level villain with a redemption arc, I guess.
So kids, it's time for another round of ✨How TF is This Romance?!✨
It starts out strong, with some trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms, topped off by very hot sex in a seedy bar bathroom with a gorgeous stranger. Then we get to the school...
(view spoiler)[Declan and Elias are mostly just guilty of going along with what Gray (the aforementioned hot rando in the bar) wants and enabling him to be an unchecked monster. His excuse isn't good enough. It starts out as low-effort bullying for the genre, then goes into some pretty heinous behavior -- some of which we still aren't sure if they're responsible for since the whole school, staff included, is trash. The worst of it:
1. Legal and medical documents detailing her history of abuse, rape, abandonment and foster care, and medical trauma are shown at an assembly for the entire school to see. Was it the guys? Resident mean girl, Caitlin? What kind of monsters see this and think her extreme trauma is hilarious, and proceed to catcall and laugh and taunt the victim for weeks? Who finds out that someone was raped as a child and reacts by treating them like they're a slut and sexually harasses them?
2. Gray capitalizes on her being violated in the locker room when Caitlin took a video of her dressing while she and her skank friends made running commentary on her naked body. This was then posted to Instagram, giving Gray the repulsive idea to make a contest out of getting the best photos of her naked, knowing she's a victim of multiple sexual violations at this point. As a result, she's groped, stalked, and endlessly violated yet again by people trying to get the best pictures of her naked. Unforgiveable. I hate all these people.
Too far, Gray, you massive, gaping asshole.
These people aren't behaving like 18-22 year old adults. This is just extended high school, but far worse. Sophie is well-versed in abuse, so she's tough and takes a lot of all this in stride, but it's relentless. Her artwork is destroyed (still don't know who did that, but my money's on Caitlin or Cliff/both.) She's battered and nearly raped by Creepy Cliff. She's roofied and thrown down a flight of stairs, which may have been intentional or may be a botched attempt at another rape. It's...a lot.
I'm complaining about the characters' behavior here, but that's par for the course in bully romance. I love to complain about awful people, lol. Like I said before, I know what I'm getting into when I pick up these books. My only real issue is how fast they seem to go from full-throttle enemies to being in a fairly sweet romance with little natural transition. Gray decides one day that he doesn't want to punish her anymore for his issues (which I called at around 45%, go me!) and everything mellows out from there on the guys' end. (hide spoiler)]
Still waiting for the full development of the reverse harem, but I know it's coming and I'm definitely here for it....more
Is this a romance, or a domestic thriller? Vandal Valentine makes it hard to decide.
Let me start by saying I've really liked everything I've read fromIs this a romance, or a domestic thriller? Vandal Valentine makes it hard to decide.
Let me start by saying I've really liked everything I've read from Carian Cole. The relationships are complicated and the characters are flawed, and it's a nice change of pace. This is the first book where one of the main characters is actually despicable to me though.
Everything started out cool. It was sad and heartbreaking, but I was with Vandal and had a lot of sympathy until maybe the 20% mark. Then I started taking notes, which is what I'm posting here for my reference. (The epilogue turns some of what upset me on its head though.) Very long-winded rant ahead, and like Vandal, I'm not even sorry.
(view spoiler)[ 26%: Uhh..I get that the family is loaded and famous with all that sweet, sweet hush money and clout, but how did neither survivor know the names of the ones involved? Then he figures it out after stalking her FB and becomes obsessed, partly because she's the kind of sweet girl he never lets himself hook up with because it's too dangerous for his wee heart. He continues to stalk and study her FB, finds out her address and drives past her house, saves one of her pics for his spank bank (gross, from a stranger and especially in this context), and approaches her at the cemetery when he has no business inserting himself in her life (or anywhere else, but that ship will soon sail.) All of this while knowing who she is, his role in her tragic turn in life, and feeling turned on by her because her newfound "darkness" calls to his or some emo shit like that.
Tabby, being the TSTL simpleton who never learned about stranger danger, accepts the offer of a motorcycle ride from this tattooed and scary looking, buff man. She doesn't even blink when he drives all the way through a secluded area and to his cabin in the woods. Survival instincts: 0 They bone, as you do when you meet strangers at your husband's graveside. He's her only ride back, but she doesn't instantly feel a trap springing when he asks her to stay for the night rather than taking her. She then accepts a mystery pill from him, taking his word that it's a Valium. She never learns his name.
The next day she lets him talk her into controlling all aspects of her person for the next month. He says he knows exactly what she needs and can take her pain away if she submits to him. She's depressed and doesn't give a shit, so she says, but some thoughts of self-preservation peek through before she remembers that she gives no fucks.
He spends time admiring the scars he caused and forces her to talk about where she got them, knowingly forcing her to relive her trauma...for what? I don't know. He makes her give him a BJ, something she says she doesn't do, but he manipulates her into doing it anyway. Somehow, despite her earlier declaration, she's a pro at it. Did her husband get the benefit of her porn-level talents? Or did she just give this sketchy stranger (still doesn't know his name, BTW) something she didn't do for him? If that's the case, imagine the extra feeling of guilt and disloyalty she'll feel when the truth that she was servicing her husband's killer comes out.
There's a lot of "I broke this woman and her darkness speaks to his darkness" He keeps telling her, with no hint of irony, that she has to give him unbridled trust. In all, by the 26% mark, Vandal has displayed peak bunny boiler behavior.
40-ish%: Vandal gets pissy that she's depriving him of the comfort he needs by not being the perfect, obedient sub when she asks if he's serious when he tells her she must ask permission to shower in case he wants to bathe her. Never mind that she's an absolute beginner with all of this. He talks about him needing her obedience and what it does for him. Pretty sick that he's deriving comfort from the person whose life he destroyed, but okay. I also feel like throughout this whole thing there's questionable consent, because she's agreeing to these things without all the information. (Note: I'm typing up my previous thoughts with the benefit of knowing the end, but I'm still sticking to this opinion since he went into all of this believing she was ignorant.)
42%: He seriously considers dominating her to the point of absolute seclusion so she can never find out who he is, what he does for a living, or be exposed to his "slutty" fans. He wants her locked in his house and monitored to protect his identity and wants to keep her like the doll she is, in his words.
She still does not know his name.
He thinks about what a bitch his skanky ex-stripper/groupie hook-up (again, the gist of his words) is because she wouldn't let him be around their baby for the first two years of her life while he was a drug-addict and alcoholic. What a terrible mother. This man has never been introduced to the phrase personal accountability.
57%: He has a brilliant idea to give tattoo wings on her back. No warning or real discussion prior, just a general "the room and equipment is set up, get comfy" out of thin air. At this point she finally knows his first name, so I guess full trust achievement unlocked, eh? She still has no clue who he is beyond the first name, so he does this with no thought (or maybe just no care?) that he's leaving a permanent reminder of himself that might add to her trauma when she learns the truth. (I know they'll make peace with everything and end up together, because...hey, romance novel...but that's beside the point.) Add to this that it's something her husband never approved of, so it might feel like another layer of perceived betrayal. She has a nightmare about the crash and cries that she misses her husband. His response is to be jealous and try to essentially erase that thought from her mind by screwing her, which is only stopped because her back is still healing from the tattoo. Afterwards he begins to have some awareness that maybe he's not doing the right thing here.
He begins to ask a lot of questions that he already knows the answers to because of his stalking. Like this is all a game or something. He really gives Joe from You a run for his money. They really share that penchant for predatory behavior.
66%: He's mad because she agreed to meet up with an old friend for dinner (at this point he doesn't know it's an old ex, just that it's a man) and had told the guy she was staying with a friend -- because why would she go into details of this weird arrangement publicly and with an old acquaintance? He makes a whole production out confronting her about it, angry about the "staying with a friend" part because he expects her to acknowledge them as more despite the fact that he told her this was only going to be for a month and that he doesn't do relationships. Also, the fucking audacity of him to be like this when he not only refuses to commit or define their relationship, but is also actively lying to her on an almost criminal level. This whole scene is so immensely unfair and infuriating that I want to reach in the page and throat punch him. But her reaction is to basically try to comfort him, tell him she's falling in love (after a few days?), and he rejects it and calls her delusional.
He goes on to get pissy about her accusing him of meeting up with women he previously banged -- days after he met up with a woman he previously banged.
During an attempt at anal, he reflects on how if she was anyone else he would just slam her to the ground and take what he wants, like he always has, and "not give two fucks how she felt or if it hurt her and split her apart. I would prove that I was in control and that her feelings didn't matter to me." But he feels like he can't be that way with her. She's special. What a gent, amirite?
After the truth comes out, she tells him she doesn't want him touching her. Never one to respect a reasonable boundary, he reminds her that they agreed he can touch her whenever he wants. WTF, read the room asshole. After they talk, she understandably needs space (I'd give him more space than NASA, but whatever) and he starts tripping, saying she can't because of their agreement (for her to be his kept woman/doll under the guise of the D/s relationship) and that she's going to break the sacred covenant between a D and his s or some other dumb, manipulative shit. Honestly, what did he expect?
She leaves, but he calls her relentlessly back-to-back for a while and sends her messages that she's still his property or some other fuckery. He can't let her breathe for five minutes while processing his truly epic betrayal and screaming red flag behavior.
The ending: What the hell?! So she knew all along and was playing him at first to get revenge, but caught feelings like five minutes into her plan? I like the twist, especially since I never saw it coming. I spent the entire book foaming at the mouth with rage thinking about how he was doing her wrong on a psychotic level, so I guess I'm glad in a way that she wasn't unaware. But...she fell in love with him anyway? Knowing he was taking advantage of her in her "ignorance" and lying to her? Why did she act all broken up and sickened by the revelation that he's the guy in the accident? Doesn't make much sense to me. If she wanted to screw him back, it would mess his head up if she was like, "Yeah, I know. I was playing you this whole time." Or if she didn't want him to know she was aware this whole time because she wanted to make it work, why wait 6 months to go back to him? Why not take a couple weeks for show and go back?
Ugh, so frustrating! Carian Cole, ya did me dirty this time, girl. (hide spoiler)]...more
There's a lot to unpack here, and I don't even know how to rate this book. I hated almost everyone in it but Tatum, who's an over-the-top perfect coolThere's a lot to unpack here, and I don't even know how to rate this book. I hated almost everyone in it but Tatum, who's an over-the-top perfect cool chick who seems tailor made for these guys. The situations are ridiculous, the adults are completely useless, none of the guys are Native American, but they appropriate a local Native American legend and try to personify this legend as a way to wield power over their little kingdom.
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Some of my notes as I read: (view spoiler)[ 14% in: So far we have casual sexual harassment, a little light physical assault literally over the breakfast table in full view of the entire school, and seriously appalling behavior from the adult PE teacher who has anger issues and a serious grudge against the kids he teachers.
Actual quote from him: “Male staff member coming in, cover up your tits and put your pussies back undercover. You’ve got five seconds to comply!” I barked.
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FMC is turned on by the verbal and physical abuse she's endured so far, which is just...great. At this point I can't look away, even though I know I should. This is a train wreck, but an entertaining one? I should hate it, but it's so deliciously over the top so I've decided to just go with it.
36% in: Blake, who was digging her the night before, essentially used revenge porn against her (audio from the secret sex tape he recorded), blasted over speakers while the entire school threw red fish stew on her in the dining hall. These guys are soulless animals, and everyone in that school are chickenshits. They've made her (and others) life hell and coerced her into "willingly" tethering herself in servitude to them for eternity or whatever in their appropriated Native American legend sham. Which came after kidnapping her and dragging her to the location, pinching, grabbing at her and pulling her hair while threatening her. Seriously, these guys are fucking vile. HOW are these love interests?! Afterwards, they force her to stay on the beach, unsheltered and in her uniform and in the cold, for literal hours while a severe lightning storm rages around her. She's not allowed to leave until they come back and get her.
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IRL, these assholes would've killed someone by now -- either by this extreme bullying which could lead to accidental death or suicide, or by dipshittery, like when Kyan all but casually drowned some dude with the beer keg when he wouldn't let him move from under the open tap and the guy couldn't handle it anymore.
51%: Saint almost drowns her in a basin as punishment for trying to leave. Kyan nearly stabs her in the heart when she wakes him up. Later, Blake digs a 6ft grave, forces her to walk to it, shoves her into it, and almost uses her own gun to kill her in the grave he dug for her. Her bed is the bathtub. Romantic, right?
These poor little rich boys are emo as hell. They're bored, have daddy issues, and lean toward sociopathic. They should just be boning each other, since they hate everyone else and worship each other.
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The guys constantly talk about their demons and how evil and broken they are. More examples of their superior sense of Edgelordship:
"There was a limited edition guitar leaning against my wall too which might have been interesting if it was mine. But it wasn’t. I’d taken it from some asshole busker who’d pissed me off with his pop bullshit. Dude was crying when I took it. That shit was still funny."
"I’m not afraid of the dead, I bet my heart is colder than theirs."
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"Didn’t she know that demons only thrived in the dark?"
"I was a wild animal and I wasn’t meant for a cage. Not even a gilded one." (Calm down, Teen Wolf.)
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Let's not forget that Saint burns the letters from her dead sister to punish Kyan for taking her out (and out of jealousy), and they don't care about her as anything but property for 95% of this long book.
[image] This literally happened.
In the end it gets pretty dystopian and when they kill that would-be rapist, something shifts within the group. Now Monroe (as expected) becomes the fourth member of this crazy boy band and they mutually agree that Tatum is their ultimate groupie. (hide spoiler)]
So it was an infuriating ride, but I'm kind of morbidly curious how it goes from here. Obviously Tatum will have to come to a point where every unforgiveable thing they've done to her will be left in the past because this is a 4 book series. And we're talking about a school where the adults literally bow to the horsemen of the apocalypse and one teenager decides which faculty and students get to stay or go, so a massive suspension of disbelief is now expected. If I'd known that going into this series, and known how vile the bullying would get, I would've been prepared. I know better now.
As it stands now, I think Monroe and Kyan are redeemable. Blake is a hard pass, and I absolutely loatheSaint. We'll see how selective my memory gets as the series progresses.
And to wrap up, here are a few of my favorite clapbacks from Tatum:
“I imagine the only one you deem special enough to fuck you is yourself. So give your right hand my regards. She’s a very lucky girl.”
“You lost, baby?” he purred as he towered over her and her jaw ticked as her gaze dragged over him.
“I was told to take a seat beside the biggest asshole in the room so I’m pretty sure I found the right place,” she replied coolly.
“You look like shit, Saint,” she purred. “What happened, did your house elf forget to iron your uniform today?”
“I don’t need an escort, Kyan. Especially if you’re the male prostitute kind. And judging by your shady no-sex with high school girls rule, I’m gonna assume you spend your time pleasing dusty vag for cash.”
“If I find out you’ve been so much as dry humping a tree, I’ll make you regret it.” “Wow, you really know how to sap the fun out of life, don’t you devil boy? Tree humping is my favourite activity,”
I want to love this series, truly, because the premise is right up my alley. I can see a lot of people love it. I just can't get into how the story isI want to love this series, truly, because the premise is right up my alley. I can see a lot of people love it. I just can't get into how the story is unfolding. I can't connect to the characters or their world and problems. Everything feels like a shallow rush to get to the sex. And I still have trouble getting past how fast and loose the characters are with consent. Non-con isn't my favorite, but if I know I'm reading a dark romance, I can reasonably expect it might be on the table. This doesn't read as an intentional dark romance. I think that makes a huge difference in my perception.
Some other notes I made while reading:
(view spoiler)[ * He's supposed to be the leader of this clan, but he stands by while she's bullied, even by her teachers, and receives seriously sub-par education from them, even though learning her magic is critical? As informed as he is about everything regarding her, it makes no sense that he didn't know this was happening. Why isn't he putting his foot down? At the very least, he should consider it an insult to himself as a leader that his "pet" (ugh) is being treated badly and his orders are being ignored in favor of pettiness.
* He finally confesses to technically raping her while she was, in his own words, "on her deathbed" and all she can say is that she should be angry, but isn't because she wanted more, and she would be angry if she were still with Jared. Girl-you were with Jared when this happened, and this is the least of the issues here! What the hell?! Then this scene happens:
"You were on your death bed. It was beyond stupid and irresponsible and creepy."
"I creeped you out?"
He shook his head in frustration. "I made love to a sleeping girl with a fever without first getting her permission. No, you weren't the creepy one."
So then she smiles and runs her hands through his hair and assures him that it might be creepy, but she doesn't care. Keep in mind that until this point, she's gone on with her life for a while thinking it was all just a dream, and he knew she was unaware but never told her what happened.
Then, they bone. She floods him with feelings of deep love, totally out of the blue. We knew she lusted after him, but now they're 0-100 soulmates I guess.
* After the confession and subsequent bone session, he marked her without her consent, knowledge, or educating her about what it means and its consequences.
* So much talk about procreation and them going at it with only birth control between them and parenthood? She'll definitely be knocked up soon, mark my words.
* Series is littered with misused words and mixed up sayings. A lot of the quips are...not the best. It's a shame. I love a good snarky heroine.
* Even his enemies call Stefan The Boss?
* Why is she goading the white mage into killing her quickly when Stefan and his army are fighting at the door to rescue her? TSTL. (hide spoiler)]
I still have the next two books to go in my bundle, but I'm not sure I'm going to read them at this point. I guess I'm mildly interested? I know some of her later works showed her writing matured, so maybe this series also matures with her experience....more
I'm sticking with this series for at least the duration of my audiobook box set of 1-4 because I've liked other things this author has written and I'mI'm sticking with this series for at least the duration of my audiobook box set of 1-4 because I've liked other things this author has written and I'm trying to trust the process. At its roots, there's an entertaining story going on here. These are the things I'm going to willfully ignore:
(view spoiler)[1. Main character is TSTL. She's addicted to throwing herself into situations where she should've been killed many times over, despite being warned and against all common sense.
2. Main character knows exactly nothing about her powers, yet goes out of her way to fight with the powers that she doesn't know how to use, or even the extent of them.
3. This whole society of whatever-they're-called is super horned up (fine) and has issues with consent (not fine.) I didn't expect casual and consistent non-con when I picked this up and it was a nasty surprise. I see now that there's a warning to check reviews first, but I never check reviews because too many people don't hide spoilers.
4. I'm not the biggest fan of cheating. Sasha and Jared had sex whammys put on them, so I get that, but Sasha was making out hot and heavy with Stefan on their second or third meeting without a single thought to the guy she'd been with for like 6 years.
5. I'm annoyed that Charles is such a loveable, raunchy little goof through almost the entire book, but his introduction is of him planning to rape Sasha and drink her blood while his friend does the same to her boyfriend. My brain can't put the two halves of this character together. (hide spoiler)]...more
Each installment of this series is better than the last! But first, a rant in three acts...
(view spoiler)[ 1) I knew this would happen, but I'm still aEach installment of this series is better than the last! But first, a rant in three acts...
(view spoiler)[ 1) I knew this would happen, but I'm still annoyed that the author is downplaying the relationship Grier and Boaz were building. By just about anyone's standards they were dating, and within the context of their shared history there was an understanding that this was heading somewhere serious. It wasn't a situationship. In fact, but the end of book 2 it was so obvious that poor Linus was carrying a torch for Grier and she would end up with Boaz. I was already primed for hopelessly shipping "team throuple." [image]
2) I liked Boaz a lot before, and I get why taking this path of least resistance was the most logical, but he did Grier so dirty. It was never a fair fight, and he was trash for how he handled this. You have someone who's been in love with you since childhood, who has endured relentless trauma and is still trying to get her life together. A young woman with no romantic experience, who stuck her neck out for your sister and saved her, despite what she did, despite Ambrose almost killing her, and despite her dangerously tenuous position within the society. Someone who is as good as family, but better.
You don't start something with a woman like this unless you mean it. She isn't the flavor of the week. You don't move in the shadows behind her back and continue on like nothing changed. You don't make all these permanent plans with another woman while she's at home waiting for phone calls that won't come, thinking she finally gets her much-earned happily ever after with you. Thinking she's special and different from the other women you've played with. [image]
He enjoyed the adoration and dangled hope in front of her each time he flirted without a thought. Must have been quite the ego boost. He lied and maneuvered and was slimy enough to still act affectionately to her face. He had the nerve to lecture her and try to order her around, and made snide comments about Linus and insinuate that no one would choose Linus over him, and that he trusted Grier to be faithful to him. [image]
I'm done with Boaz. Good luck to Addie, who I hope never knows the man she's about to spend a super long life with said, "Does it matter what her name is? It doesn't matter to me as long as she gets to the Lyceum in time." [image]
3) Amelie's involvement in this is pretty bad, too. After everything she'd done, after Grier bailing her out and saving her from Atramentous, she conspired with Boaz to act like everything is peachy while slowly pushing a knife into her back. Cherry on top, she doesn't even realize she's placing all the blame on Grier. You know, the one who actually has been victimized throughout the series. "But, but, all these awful things that happened to you were so hard on meeee!" [image] (hide spoiler)]
Whew, I feel better!
I'm excited to see where the story and the interactions between Grier and Linus goes. I've had a theory since book 2 that Linus's mom pushed Linus's visits on Maud while he and Grier were kids because she expected an arranged marriage to take place between them. Of course, this was all derailed when Grier went to Atramentous, but if I'm right the Grand Dame's plans haven't changed. Possible drama to come? We'll see if my theory is true.
Random thought before I go: Hubert gave off strong Mr. Collins vibes. [image]
"If there's anything I can do for you, as the excellent son of the most exalted Lady Catherine de Bourgh Grand Dame, I am your humble servant."...more
Firstly, I read a little of this on KU and was completely confused. The first two sentences of the synopsis is a giaI don't even know where to start.
Firstly, I read a little of this on KU and was completely confused. The first two sentences of the synopsis is a giant spoiler for book 3, but I didn't expect this entirely new story to be happening from the jump as though it was a different series. So after reading a couple chapters, I hopped over to listen to How to Break an Undead Heart. After a couple hours of that, I was...not happy.
I see from the release dates that this is a retcon, hence being titled after his redemption. At this point in the series I'm not feeling the redemption very much.
(view spoiler)[ Scratch what I said in #2 about Boaz and Linus being in a throuple with Grier. He's being a complete dick here. Grier isn't some random girl or a hookup. She's his sister's best friend, the person who bailed her out, and the woman he knows has been in love with him since childhood. He seemed to love her too. Why would he choose to pursue her now, with the society stacked against them, if he hadn't decided he wanted to be with her?
I understand why he needs to marry Addie, even though the plan to make Amelie Addie's sister is weird. What I don't understand is why he's playing with Grier too, and being a massive coward by not letting her know what's going on. She's at home, thinking they're together (though it looks like the author might pull a "but they sort of aren't exclusive" justification, which would be BS.) Meanwhile he's out here with a whole fiancee on the side while she's totally clueless.
Where I stopped in book 3, he's ghosting her, but shows up after she bites off part of her tongue during training. He acts like nothing changed. He tells her she has to stop the training with homegirl (can't think of her name right now) because she's too rough, and basically scolding Grier when he was the one who asked that chick to train Grier in the first place, all while knowing she has a reputation for being savage. Make it make sense.
And how does he have the balls to be snarky about Linus? Basically saying, "Are you into him?" like it's his right, and then saying, "He's Linus and I'm Boaz." like it would be ridiculous for anyone to be attracted Linus over him. As though she's supposed to be waiting until her dying breath for him while he knows he's going to crush her heart. Then saying, "I trust you." Duuuuude. YOU can't be trusted, because again, you have a whole ass fiancee on the side! Points for sheer audacity, I guess.
He has no right to keep flirting with her, dangling her on the end of his string. I really liked his character up until this. All of the passages where he's emotionally bonding with Addie was upsetting, knowing Grier is totally in the dark. After what she's been through, after what she's done to help Amelie, for the love she always had for Boaz and Amelie, and for who she is as a person, she deserves better.
I liked Cass a lot, and Addie is just as clueless about this as Grier is, sadly. Before I start How to Break and Undead Heart again I'm going to guess that he slides through this with minimum consequences. I already know, ugh. Thanks, I hate it.
I've discovered since picking up my first book by her that I'm trash for Penelope Douglas. These are not the safe Harlequin romances of the past -- heI've discovered since picking up my first book by her that I'm trash for Penelope Douglas. These are not the safe Harlequin romances of the past -- her characters are always flawed, have complicated issues in their lives, are ever-so-slightly toxic at times, and definitely all need good therapists.
Misha and Ryen are no exception.
The premise of childhood pen pals meeting, one aware of who the other is and one still in the dark, and measuring the real person against the one they've known on paper all these years was interesting. I liked that Ryen was flawed and sometimes such a terrible person that I wanted to reach into the pages and slap her, but it made me anticipate her redemption arc all the more. Misha was harsh at times, but just what Ryen needed to get her crap together and definitely one of my favorite PD heroes to date. Bonus points for being a musician.
I loved everything about this book, even when I hated the characters. I'm adding two new bookshelves in honor of this little gem (which I loved enough that I bought a physical copy of it for my library): Book Hangover and Insta-buy Author.
By the way, what is it with PD and utterly useless adults, hot guys with tats, and vehicular sex (especially trucks?) ...more
Seems like people either love this one or hate it. Maybe I'm more impressed since thrillers aren't my usual go-to, but I really enjoyed this one a lotSeems like people either love this one or hate it. Maybe I'm more impressed since thrillers aren't my usual go-to, but I really enjoyed this one a lot. The narration was great, the plot was infuriating and twisty -- seriously, the reader suffers as much gaslighting as Joanne -- and knowing all of it was avoidable if only one character hadn't been so much in denial is maddening. I was frustrated with Joanne and hated Rick the Dick and Conniving Chloe, so my blood was boiling through a lot of this book. I was also on the edge of my seat throughout the last day in the house, and even though I suspected the (view spoiler)[ fake-out (hide spoiler)] ending all along, it was still wild to have it confirmed.
I still have so many questions.
The biggest thing is that I was fully engaged with the story, something I haven't been in a while, which makes it a winner for me. I think the narration had a lot to do with it. It's definitely one of my top favorite thrillers and a favorite read of this month....more
I liked Ava. I suspect she might be a self-insert, but that's neither here nor there. When she wasn't making terrible decisions with dangerous people,I liked Ava. I suspect she might be a self-insert, but that's neither here nor there. When she wasn't making terrible decisions with dangerous people, she was funny and delightful. I would totally be friends with Ava. But she'd need to leave her crazy boyfriend at home.
Alex is hot, tortured, and a bit of a sociopath. His go-to move is to use his money and influence to threaten to ruin people's lives, even for the smallest things. What he wants, he gets. He's not above slightly choking a woman out to get the answers he wants. And like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, he doesn't allow kissing. No emotions, just using women's bodies to get off, thankyouverymuch and don't let the door hit you on the way out. He's a tyrant and a bully. But he's a hot, brilliant billionaire, so it's all okay.
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The plot gets wildly unbelievable, with all of the pieces falling in the most improbably serendipitous way until this wacky rollercoaster makes its final approach back to the station. (view spoiler)[ Ava's dad somehow knows her unnamed mother dies at 4:44, the same time Ava keeps waking from her nightmares, and "the unluckiest time" according to murderous Daddy Dearest. Alex's almost supernatural reach and influence keeps all the shenanigans of this book away from the authorities. When the big reveal happened with Ava's dad, he was literally like a movie villain with no common sense, and Alex kept launching surprise guests at him until he was dragged away by the FBI. (hide spoiler)] These are only some of what went down that had me like:
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The unnecessary drama in the last chapters, though. The stalking. The singing. WTF was the singing about?! I had legit secondhand embarrassment, and this wasn't even something I witnessed in real life.
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So I didn't hate it, but it was kind of ridiculous like a telenovela. I legitimately wonder if she had random plot points on a wheel and just gave it a spin to figure out what happened next. But this series is really popular, so there's that....more
Oh man. Okay, I really wanted to like this more. It wasn't bad, and in some cases was silly fun. I might even continue with the next book, to see if IOh man. Okay, I really wanted to like this more. It wasn't bad, and in some cases was silly fun. I might even continue with the next book, to see if I vibe with it better (as the whippersnappers these days say.) Several things keep me from connecting with the story and characters, but I'll try not to harp on all of them (too much.)
(view spoiler)[One problem I have, maybe the biggest, is with the idiot alpha bro sheriff. He comes in hot in the beginning with the attitude and accusations and doesn't respond to her call about a demon attack (because reasons, I guess) even though the town has already had one recent demon-related death. He tells not only her family, the town's founding family, btw, that they can't work for the town anymore, but that she specifically can't work for her family's company. Not your call, my guy. Let's not forget him constantly discrediting her even though she's the only one getting anything done. I guess he's less of a douchecanoe in the end, but wtf is his problem and why should we like him?
The townspeople are kind of awful. So many rude and entitled people.
The magic system fails to follow its own rules or methods of vanquishing demons. Also, she has basically zero training but is sent out into life-threatening situations. But don't worry, she face rolls through it all just fine somehow.
There's a scene where someone left their shower in a panic because a neighbor was being eaten by a demon. He was screaming for help, crying, very distraught and out of his mind with fear. She laughs at this because he's naked. There are many inappropriate reactions to things in this book, but I feel like this was one of the worst. (hide spoiler)]
It might be partly due to the narration or because it's the first book of the series, but I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. I still want to check out the next book, just to be sure....more
I've never read a book with this premise before and I was interested, but it wasn't quite what I expected. The build-up was there, but the last quarteI've never read a book with this premise before and I was interested, but it wasn't quite what I expected. The build-up was there, but the last quarter of the book gave me serious whiplash. And though it's not really important, I've lived in Florida most of my life and always get excited when a book takes place there, but in no way did the location stick out at all. It could've been anywhere, for all the bland description it got. Basically, there's a beach, some palm trees, and it's hot. Again, not important, but still left me feeling a little disconnected to the setting which was a contributing factor to my lack of immersion. There were a couple points where it took me a minute to realize which state they were in, that's how interchangeable Maine and Florida were. Meh, whatever.
I deeply disliked Slade through almost all of the story and Blythe from start to finish. It felt like there was more work to repair the damage this characters caused, but it was all swept under the rug. Maybe this is a "me" problem, because it is meant to be a fluffy romance, after all. Nothing has to be as deep as real life. I think my main problem with the book is that I wanted more substance. Also Slade's narrator sounds almost identical in voice and style as another romance narrator that I've never been into, and I think my perception of the book as a whole suffered as a result. I can still hear the way Slade's mom sounded like Sheri Moon's Lily in The Munsters reboot......more
I'm so glad I had no idea what this story was about before getting into it! I thought it might have taken inspiration from the Bluebeard's Wife tale, I'm so glad I had no idea what this story was about before getting into it! I thought it might have taken inspiration from the Bluebeard's Wife tale, based on the description, but nope. I finished feeling unsettled, angry, a little betrayed, and with a ton of questions. There's a lot of room for interpretation and analysis here. Definitely worth the very short commitment of time to listen to the audiobook.
Filing under alpha male jerk, dystopian, and toxic romance. The husband, at his core, is a murderous spoiled brat, and I hate him....more
Hide sits in a kind of funny place, because it's at once exactly and nothing like I thought it would be. Here be spoilers. (view spoiler)[
What I thoughHide sits in a kind of funny place, because it's at once exactly and nothing like I thought it would be. Here be spoilers. (view spoiler)[
What I thought it would be: Mostly (if not all) Mack's POV, as a traumatized ghost of a young woman who survived a horrific tragedy and is now using her past as a strength to win an unusual contest in a creepy location. I knew it couldn't be a legit contest, but my earliest guess was that it was a sort of "Most Dangerous Game" situation with the twist of bored uber rich people in a secret society betting on who would be the survivor. After the first day in the park, I shifted that to uber rich people serving up sacrifices to a demon, a la "The Cabin in the Woods." Almost nailed it there.
What it actually is: Horrible uber rich people sacrificing "diluted" relations to a beast in order to remain protected and siphon excessive wealth and success from the world. The more they rationalize their participation, the more sickening the whole thing is. You can put gorgeous wallpaper on a rotting wall, but it's still decaying underneath. And make no mistake, these vile people are rotten.
What it also is: An allegory. I didn't go into this looking for anything deeper than surface value, but the author's notes at the end talking about school shooters and essentially preparing kids for them being something like bringing a paintbrush to a gunfight, made it clear what the book is really about. The system, and humanity, is flawed. It's unequal and unjust. The vulnerable and marginalized are crushed under the feet of the powerful. Generational wealth feeding off those "beneath" them is a tale as old as time. It's David vs Goliath. It's not a fair fight.
It's like bringing a paintbrush to a gunfight.
Other thoughts: The setting and the retro park map inside the cover were top notch.
Many characters were given a sketch of solid bones and interesting/diverse backgrounds, but most were underutilized to the point where you don't really care when they're eliminated. I think if the reader was given more to connect to than the outline of who the character was, it would matter more when the monster gobbled them up.
The end with them blowing up the gate and setting the monster free is an interesting eff you to the founding families. A literal "eat the rich" situation. But if the beast has to feed on 14 people in the bloodlines every 7 years, and it's invisible to everyone else and indestructible, that means they've unleashed this thing to hunt freely for its victims and absolutely any descendants of the original 7 families are in danger forever. It almost makes Hide the origin story for future "a monster is hunting my family and no one but us can see it" books. That could be a cool idea, actually! (hide spoiler)]
All the little nuggets of unease until it's revealed what's really going on make the reader a bit uncomfortable and tense. Still, I can 100% understand why this book didn't hit the mark for so many people. It could've been punched up on the characterization, the suspense, and the horror and that could've made it a perfect book. I think the author wrote it rapid fire and almost impersonal on purpose.
Side note: I loved the idea of Brandon, LeGrand, Ava and Mack all living together as a little found family in a happy ending. ...more
Were we supposed to get fuzzy rom-com vibes from this? Because I just feel like breaking something.
I have just under an hour left of this book, but itWere we supposed to get fuzzy rom-com vibes from this? Because I just feel like breaking something.
I have just under an hour left of this book, but it's making me so angry I have to review as I go for this last bit. First, it took me a couple hours to get into the groove of the story, and I think a lot of that has to do with the narration. Carina's narrator is the same as the Experiment in Terror series, and though she reads well, her voice and cadence bug me. It's just a personal thing, and has nothing to do with the content of the book. The narration of the sex scenes is mostly fine, but there are many moments where I want to laugh because it sounds like a low budget porno with the dirty talk/exposition in the tones the male narrators use.
BUT, that's not the real problem. I'm actually heated right now, and not in a good way, because of the fuckery going on here.
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Finished the book. Long-winded, rambly rant ahead!
(view spoiler)[ Homegirl is a third wheel in her own relationship. She opened up her heart and invited Jackson, who I really liked and rooted for BEFORE in Voyeur, into their bed, paving the way for them to hook up behind her back and sleaze their way into a side relationship. Gross.
What she thought it was going to be:
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What it was:
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A chunk of the book is Jackson doing this...
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...while biding his time, waiting like a spider to pounce as soon as Jake dumped Carina. Which he finally did.
Now his mom is all, hey it's cool! You can adopt and I only ever wanted you to be happy, you shouldn't feel bad about that! That's basically the line everyone takes -- "your happiness is all that matters!" Let's get real; if this was about a man cheating with another woman, no one would be okay with it. Cheating is a shitty thing to do to someone you claim to love. Just because it was with another man does not make it okay!
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But even Carina's dumb ass basically says this is all fine, that his happiness matters most of all, and that they'll be besties again soon. So there's no accountability. The reader is supposed to be happy for this couple who stomped all over Carina's HEA in order to grasp their own. I would've been thrilled with, and even expected when picking this book up, a poly situation. Instead we get whatever the hell mess this is. She gets tossed to the side like the condom they used after boning behind her back. Thanks, I hate it. This is not romance. This is cheaters not only getting by with it, but being enabled and praised for their relationship.
Again, just because it's same sex does not make it okay!
Then Jake has the balls to be like, "Well this is a bummer, but I feel light and carefree because now I'm not hurting Carina anymore." Like, dude. You didn't do this for Carina. The breakup benefitted you, and now you can go be with the real love of your life after using this woman as your beard for 5 years. You're not a hero here.
Side note: We should make a drinking game and take a shot every time he protests that he's "not gay!" even though he just had a dick in his mouth. But I digress.
Oh, and now the mom is like, "Aww, poor Carina, but I'm thrilled because and excited to plan a possible wedding and when will you adopt?!" Gag. Let's just forget that five minutes ago you were asking about plans and kids with Carina, right? Fuckery. I like how she earlier asked if he manned up and talked to Carina himself and he confidently assured her that he did, like it was a point of pride for him, when we all saw that he only talked to her about it because she cornered him. Props for not lying, I guess? Grrr.
He goes on and on about how Jackson was his best friend, but now Carina is and he could never hurt her, then proceeds to betray her by screwing Jackson. Figure that out! And their pillow talk after getting together, laughing about the confrontation between Carina and Jackson and then congratulating themselves for being happy for her that she can now move on? Give me a break. You're just happy you can bone each other without the pesky fiancee and teeny shadow of fleeting guilt in the way. Carina was nothing but the buffer while Jackson decided he was juuust gay enough to party and catalyst for the two of them to finally hook up. "She's so strong, and now she can be happy. Aren't we saints?" GTFO of here! So condescending. And everyone, including themselves, saying they shouldn't apologize for their feelings and what they've done? Are you SERIOUS?!
That kiss in the bar... Everyone clapped. Really? Also, lovely of Jake to give Jackson the beautiful and romantic proposal he never gave Carina -- IN FRONT OF CARINA. Fuckery, I tell you.
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Carina's isn't entirely blameless. Her justification is ass. Suddenly "we knew things weren't right between us?" Ok, HOW? It looked pretty freaking wonderful to me! Other than procrastinating on setting a wedding date and sometimes feeling a little bored after the sex was over and they were chilling (I mean, we can't all be ON at all times, it isn't reasonable to expect this!) there were no other signs of them having issues. In fact, they looked like goals before! But keep excusing him and his actions, I guess. (hide spoiler)]
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