What in the damn hell. RTC for the first time in forever and not just because I can’t get over the fact she went to a booty call in her scrubs after aWhat in the damn hell. RTC for the first time in forever and not just because I can’t get over the fact she went to a booty call in her scrubs after a 12 hour shift ...more
It’s forced proximity and kind of enemies to lovers. There’s a bad ass lady Professor and a bad ass environmental engineer who caThis is so much fun!
It’s forced proximity and kind of enemies to lovers. There’s a bad ass lady Professor and a bad ass environmental engineer who can take apart and fix an entire microwave if she needs to. There’s snark and flirting and lots of tv binge watching.
I honestly only have two complaints, and I understand that they are a little silly. But the prologue is unnecessary and gives away the ending I’m almost never a fan of a time skip prologue, but especially not in such a short novella.
Which brings me to point two this is too short. There’s a ton of character development I would have liked to see play out more. There’s a lot of backstory never filled in (like Liam’s friend? Why was she there what is there story?) and honestly anything about either Liam or Mara’s family. I think if this had been fleshed out into a whole book I’d have really loved it, but as is it’s still a lot of fun.
(They basically are the same characters from The Love Hypothesis but with different physical descriptions. Right now the Reylo fanfic vibe is still working for me, but I am interested to see what else Hazelwood can do!)...more
EDIT 5/3/22 Lowering my rating because I’m still mad about the Mor thing
3.5 Stars
There’s SO much in this huge book— so much to love and then some thEDIT 5/3/22 Lowering my rating because I’m still mad about the Mor thing
3.5 Stars
There’s SO much in this huge book— so much to love and then some that just felt really meh. But it’s still a really enjoyable ride and serves as a pretty strong conclusion....more
This is not a perfect book— for one, the sex scenes are a little too “animalistic” for me.
But hot damn I don’t remember the last time I was 5 Stars
This is not a perfect book— for one, the sex scenes are a little too “animalistic” for me.
But hot damn I don’t remember the last time I was so completely engrossed in a book. This is fun. The characters are great. Feyre is vulnerable and fierce and her whole character arc is beautiful.
The settings? The ships?? The magic twists??? That ENDING????
I can’t talk anymore— I’m looking for the next book ...more
This book isn’t perfect but it’s been two weeks and I cannot get it out of my head.
Hannah and Garrett were delightful characters with their own story This book isn’t perfect but it’s been two weeks and I cannot get it out of my head.
Hannah and Garrett were delightful characters with their own story arcs and passions. Their banter was top notch and this whole this was an emotional fun ride
Every little thing about you can be a weapon, if you’re clever enough.
Oh.my.god. This was my first Summers book, but definitely won’t be th5 Stars
Every little thing about you can be a weapon, if you’re clever enough.
Oh.my.god. This was my first Summers book, but definitely won’t be the last. Told both from the namesake’s perspective and as the dialogue of a podcast later discussing her disappearance, Summer’s writing created something unique and captivating.
”I’m going to kill a man. I’m going to steal the light from his eyes. I want to watch it go out. You aren’t supposed to answer violence with more violence but sometimes I think violence is the only answer.”
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: my aesthetic is girls with switchblades. Sadie clearly illustrates her motivation very early in the book, but it never felt heavy-handed. Interviews with her family members, discussion of her past and more time spent in her perspective only strengthens her motivation and the tension in the narrative. I adored her character. Every angry, broken, jagged and unlikable piece. She was so many things female protagonists aren’t allowed to be, and this parallels with the theme that strength takes many forms.
Sadie’s story is filled with people who’ve been victimized by family, horrible men, or life itself. This was often ugly, and worked to create a sullen, gritty atmosphere. But it doesn’t stop there, as the story also focuses on reclaiming power and some different ways that can look. (For Sadie, it’s a switchblade.)
At it’s core, this book is about the complicated nature of identity. Due to this layered narrative we consistently have to compare how Sadie perceives herself with how others see her. For example, we frequently see Sadie’s POV during interactions and West later interviews the character she interacted with. Jumping from deep in a character’s head and seeing how she rationalized behaviors immediately compared with other's theorizing about those same behaviors was trippy and fascinating. How much of what other's perceive is us?
But despite all these complicated themes and ideas, there’s never a moment the story fails as a thriller. It’s tightly woven and masterfully paced. Each scene builds anticipation and propels forward like a train on a track we aren’t always certain we like.
In Conclusion: I’m obsessed. I give so few five-star ratings because I’m saving them for books like this.
”But love is complicated, it’s messy. It can inspire selflessness, selfishness, our greatest accomplishments and our hardest mistakes. It brings us together and it can just as easily drive us apart. It can drive us.”
““I cried out to the fae to appear for me. It was my ill fortune that it was a goblin who answered.”
This wasn’t really bad, but it wasn’t partic
““I cried out to the fae to appear for me. It was my ill fortune that it was a goblin who answered.”
This wasn’t really bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either?
Taking place in the small, Northwestern town of Bellwater, the story revolves around four friends as they try to escape the spell-work of the clan of mischievous Goblins that live in the woods. Overall, it was a fun, inventive story, but definitely felt more NA Romance-y than Paranormal Adventure.
All of the mystical elements are referred to in colloquial modern English and all the description very straight-forward making them instead feel commonplace. Maybe this is just personal taste, but when I read about twisted goblins and fantastic fae, I want it to feel magical? Not just see our main character haggle with them and tons of debating their evilness.
While the story is rater short, a large amount of it is dedicated to the two romances. Again, they weren’t bad but they weren’t particularly engaging either? I was left feeling very ‘meh,’ but this may be entirely because I was expecting more focus on the paranormal aspect.
In Conclusion:
- If you’re looking for a New Adult romance with urban-fantasy elements, this is the book for you. - If you’re looking for a whimsical, magical story about devious goblin creatures… maybe look elsewhere.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley, thanks to Central Avenue Publishing for the opportunity! (And sorry this is 15 years late whoops) ...more
Verb: Past tense Kaylin’s feelings about this book
I could write a review recapping this evil-angel infused fantasy world, or pro3 Stars
Con ● flict ● ed
Verb: Past tense Kaylin’s feelings about this book
I could write a review recapping this evil-angel infused fantasy world, or promoting the ‘two-strong-willed-female-protagonists-hundreds-of-years-apart-with-somehow-linked-stories’ but I don’t think there’s anything new I can add to that conversation? Those elements are fun There’s some issues with execution, but nothing that ruins them?
So I’m going to focus on the three things I’m conflicted about. Aka: the things bringing this book down.
1. That Prologue
Objectively, it’s a phenomenal first chapter. If you pull it from the rest of the story and focus only on how it serves as an introduction to the characters and magic system… it’s fantastic. The writing immediately creates this high-tension environment that sucks you in. But it also, spoils almost every single plot twist the book works so hard to create.
I don’t think this kills the tension…. and I think there’s intrigue in watching something unfold. Even when you know the ending, that doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy the ride, right? But… It also really kills all the impact of those ‘twists?’ While the narrative and characters are screaming and all:
[image]
I’m sitting there like:
[image]
And I can’t help but wonder how I would have reacted if the story had time to build and slowly twist and turn?
2. That Bi Rep
This is a really tricky conversation. Because I don’t ever want to police someone’s sexuality. I don’t want to come across like I’m gatekeeping or like I get to decide what’s ‘bi-enough.’ But advertising this book as “bisexual rep” seems like a stretch?
First, a woman who identifies as bi and is dating a man is still bi. Period. Send Tweet.
But neither woman seems to identify that way? They never discuss their sexuality nor is it ever really mentioned on the page. Instead what we are left with is a sort of vague “well they hinted about being with a woman before… so I guess we are supposed to interpret that as them being somewhere on the bi-spectrum?”
I mean that literally. For both characters there is only one line of text each that hints towards the MC’s not being strictly hetero.
I don’t believe labels are necessary for representation. But I also don’t believe every woman who references finding another woman attractive would consider themselves bisexual?
The whole thing just feels messy. Because while it could have opened so many important, relevant discussions… it just stays muddled and unclear instead? And sometimes sexuality is messy and unclear, that’s okay. But maybe… acknowledge it?
But also… yay for diversity in YA? And it could be said that showing two characters who don’t label themselves but lie somewhere on the spectrum… could be really progressive? (Not in my opinion, because again… it’s never acknowledged and just makes the narrative look really unaware??)
So. Make up your own mind. But, as a bisexual woman, when looking for stories that make me feel seen and understood… this isn’t one I’d reach for.
3. The SexyTimes
Brace yourself ya’ll. There’s explicit sex in this. Frankly, I’m kind of surprised we’re still having this conversation? Not having sex is normal BUT so is having sex. This normalized sex and discussed it as a real, tangible thing. It’s also the first book I’ve seen where female friends actually have a conversation about birth control?? Which is just SO important.
So with as hard as this worked to normalize sex and show that empowered women can STILL be sexual if they choose… why was the sex literally ground-shaking.Why was the actual sex painted like some huge-grand-life-changing event??
In Conclusion:
See earlier definition. I still don’t know, dude. This was stuffed with a lot of ideas and conversations. Some work… some just… don’t....more
I only read this because I used to read Hazen's fan fiction.
Scratch that-- I pre-ordered this book because I used to read 3.5 Stars
Confession time?
I only read this because I used to read Hazen's fan fiction.
Scratch that-- I pre-ordered this book because I used to read her fanfiction. I have never preordered a romance in my life. But the stories Hazen wrote for The Vampire Diaries fandom (still listed on Goodreads!) were some of the strongest 'amateur' fiction I've ever read.
All that meaning? I had high expectations for this. Some of them were met, and some weren't.
Something I was completely satisfied with was the incredibly strong, addictive narrative voice.This is why I love Hazen's writing. She understands her characters, and she makes you understand them too. Jera is a smart, passionate woman with goals unrelated to her romance. While flawed, she's intensely lovable and you can't help but root for her.
Another plus is the healthy, consent-focused perspective on sex. When I initially read the blurb, I was worried this story had potential to be discriminatory against asexuals. (The driving conflict revolves around Jera 'giving up' sex after several bad experiences) Instead, this story focuses on the importance of communication before/during/after sex.
Examples:
"We’ll take it slow and I can tell you right now that wherever our relationship goes, we’re never going to do anything you don’t want to do.”
"Did you know that seventy-five percent of women have trouble experiencing orgasm through vaginal sex?"
"You get to say no, Jera,” he reminds me.
The actually sexy scenes featured both characters asking for permission to touch and checking in on the other. It all felt effortless and sweet and really appreciated in a genre that often writes out communication for some misplaced fear of 'killing the mood.'
That being said, this does have a few problems typical for the romance genre. Namely, a love interest who's unflinchingly perfect. I get it. I really do. I understand the story revolves around Jera's commitment and intimacy issues, and how they're still present even when she meets a man "perfect for her."
"With a crappy guy, I wouldn’t feel pressured to watch him to see if I’m living up to everything he is, everything he might want."
I get it. The character development is done well. But Jacob still doesn't feel real. He remembers all the little details. He works two jobs and cares for his younger brother. He's good at sports. He fixes cars. He has a 6 pack. He's an actual model. He'll buy a cooler just to give her ice-cream. He simply doesn't feel like someone who could exist in the same world as me, especially when compared to a more grounded, flawed MC.
My other problem? The intense lack of female characters. It's not that this book doesn't pass the Bechdel test--it's that I had to seriously think to remember if there WAS another female present. Jera's band mates are both male, her father manages the band, her love interest is male, the guy she does business with is male... Almost every side character is male. She does have dinner with her mother (during which they only discuss how Jera isn't in a relationship) and Jera does ask a female classmate about the "hot guy" standing outside. (Aka future love interest) Said classmate is never seen again.
What 21 year old female has no female relationships at all? No friends? No coworkers? No discussions with mom? It felt odd, and didn't look anything like the world I live in. It also made Jera's word choice more jarring when she calls her band mate's girlfriend a "crazy bitch" and says she wants to "slap her with a refrigerator" (Because all the female interaction here revolves around boys, off screen GF is jealous of Jera. Despite them never having a moment of interaction.)
In Conclusion: Features a dynamic main character with a romance that manages to be steamy and healthy. Trips into genre typical pitfalls with absent female characters and unrealistic love interest....more
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