“Grayson, this is over.” I hold up my hands. The ankle shackles slow his advance, but don’t stop him. “It’s never over.” He positions himself betwe“Grayson, this is over.” I hold up my hands. The ankle shackles slow his advance, but don’t stop him. “It’s never over.” He positions himself between the door and me. “For this to be over, one of us has to die.”
[image]
[image]
Have you ever heard about an amazing plan where so many different things can go wrong?
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The Plot I had so much hope for Born, Darkly and although the premise intrigued me, I was skeptical on how the author managed to pull a romance with a serial killer. After finishing I realized, to me... this really wasn't a romance.
It fell more along the lines of a psychological thriller, and it read like an episode of Criminal Minds rather than a New Adult novel. With that purpose in mind, it actually kept me quite interested, it held certain points of suspense that made me want to read on! However, this is supposed to be a romance and as much as I want to give this book any more stars... I really can't.
This is definitely not for the faint of heart.
"Decorative art hangs strategically at eye level to keep my high-paying clients from staring at the shackled criminals in the waiting room."
Trisha Wolfe put the D (pun intended) in Dark. Unfortunately, the D felt more like political philosophy rather than erotica.
Nothing really got me going, in hindsight - seeing all the amazing reviews for this. I feel like I'm the pickiest and stingiest person out here. It wasn't all that attractive, and being a pacifist - murderers and serial killers and people who take other peoples lives in general? Dry as the Sahara.
“No, I see myself as a hunter. They’re not victims; they’re predators stalking the woods in search of prey. If they fall into the hunter’s trap, then they were in a place they never should have been.”
[image]
The Romance
"No, I do not believe rehabilitation is achievable. Especially for the Bundys and Dahmers of the world."
I agree with this quote (taken from the book!) so much! Let me explain why....
Meet Grayson Sullivan He is our lead 'hero' in this story:
“My patient is the Angel of Maine. He kills ruthlessly. Without mercy, though his moniker suggests otherwise. And there’s not a bone in my body that can find fault with his logic. All his victims were deserving of punishment. And I identify with him, because I’m glad they’re dead.”
[image]
What they all have in common: They have all killed people. There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone.
This book set out to take the Robin Hood complex with it's romance, we saw the equally deranged and broken thought processes of both Grayson and London. It showed how Grayson was killing and torturing people that 'deserved' to be killed because they were killers, or rapists, or criminal themselves. This allowed Grayson to become a vigilante.
In all honesty, those criminals and sick rapists, and murderers probably deserved things worse than death. However, once Grayson chose to take the law onto himself and he himself, started killing and torturing people? He was no better.
There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone. Murder is NOT sexy, at least not to me.
"The rules of psychoanalysis are simple: there are no rules. In this safe haven, I can confess my excitement, my arousal at watching the woman be bound and racked until her limbs snapped. But I won’t admit that aloud. I refuse to give in to him."
The Writing I really enjoyed the writing in this story. The narration was a brilliant tone that created a chilling atmosphere. It's mood was perfect for the topics it dealt with. At times, the story could get confusing, but I learnt early that, that was the style of the flow and rhythm of the pace.
“I hate you,” I whisper. “You hate everything but me.”
It made me uncomfortable a lot of the time. The dialogue felt a bit robotic and monotone, but that was defeated by the over empowering monologue with both the characters. The structure of the book was also really cool. It was strategically orchestrated so that every little jigsaw piece the reader got, was put into place later on in the story. So hats off to the author for that!
The last handful of chapters threw me off completely! I did not see any of that coming and the twist had me at the edge of my seat. I wanted to give this two stars for all the points mentioned above, but I felt at the end of the day - It would be doing my beliefs an injustice.
I'm a massive fan of dark romance, and over the years I've read some pretty fucked up shit. I think the fact that we got a psychological and 'therapy' side to this story made things harder to deal with. Especially with everything going on in our world at the moment. With more and more girls coming out and saying they have been raped. With more murder cases and school shootings, I felt in the cultural context of things. I couldn't get myself to feel any empathy for their love.
“It’s a simple yin yang; dark and light feeding each side and devouring. A snake eating it’s own tail. A vicious cycle.”
Merged review:
“Grayson, this is over.” I hold up my hands. The ankle shackles slow his advance, but don’t stop him. “It’s never over.” He positions himself between the door and me. “For this to be over, one of us has to die.”
[image]
[image]
Have you ever heard about an amazing plan where so many different things can go wrong?
________________
The Plot I had so much hope for Born, Darkly and although the premise intrigued me, I was skeptical on how the author managed to pull a romance with a serial killer. After finishing I realized, to me... this really wasn't a romance.
It fell more along the lines of a psychological thriller, and it read like an episode of Criminal Minds rather than a New Adult novel. With that purpose in mind, it actually kept me quite interested, it held certain points of suspense that made me want to read on! However, this is supposed to be a romance and as much as I want to give this book any more stars... I really can't.
This is definitely not for the faint of heart.
"Decorative art hangs strategically at eye level to keep my high-paying clients from staring at the shackled criminals in the waiting room."
Trisha Wolfe put the D (pun intended) in Dark. Unfortunately, the D felt more like political philosophy rather than erotica.
Nothing really got me going, in hindsight - seeing all the amazing reviews for this. I feel like I'm the pickiest and stingiest person out here. It wasn't all that attractive, and being a pacifist - murderers and serial killers and people who take other peoples lives in general? Dry as the Sahara.
“No, I see myself as a hunter. They’re not victims; they’re predators stalking the woods in search of prey. If they fall into the hunter’s trap, then they were in a place they never should have been.”
[image]
The Romance
"No, I do not believe rehabilitation is achievable. Especially for the Bundys and Dahmers of the world."
I agree with this quote (taken from the book!) so much! Let me explain why....
Meet Grayson Sullivan He is our lead 'hero' in this story:
“My patient is the Angel of Maine. He kills ruthlessly. Without mercy, though his moniker suggests otherwise. And there’s not a bone in my body that can find fault with his logic. All his victims were deserving of punishment. And I identify with him, because I’m glad they’re dead.”
[image]
What they all have in common: They have all killed people. There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone.
This book set out to take the Robin Hood complex with it's romance, we saw the equally deranged and broken thought processes of both Grayson and London. It showed how Grayson was killing and torturing people that 'deserved' to be killed because they were killers, or rapists, or criminal themselves. This allowed Grayson to become a vigilante.
In all honesty, those criminals and sick rapists, and murderers probably deserved things worse than death. However, once Grayson chose to take the law onto himself and he himself, started killing and torturing people? He was no better.
There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone. Murder is NOT sexy, at least not to me.
"The rules of psychoanalysis are simple: there are no rules. In this safe haven, I can confess my excitement, my arousal at watching the woman be bound and racked until her limbs snapped. But I won’t admit that aloud. I refuse to give in to him."
The Writing I really enjoyed the writing in this story. The narration was a brilliant tone that created a chilling atmosphere. It's mood was perfect for the topics it dealt with. At times, the story could get confusing, but I learnt early that, that was the style of the flow and rhythm of the pace.
“I hate you,” I whisper. “You hate everything but me.”
It made me uncomfortable a lot of the time. The dialogue felt a bit robotic and monotone, but that was defeated by the over empowering monologue with both the characters. The structure of the book was also really cool. It was strategically orchestrated so that every little jigsaw piece the reader got, was put into place later on in the story. So hats off to the author for that!
The last handful of chapters threw me off completely! I did not see any of that coming and the twist had me at the edge of my seat. I wanted to give this two stars for all the points mentioned above, but I felt at the end of the day - It would be doing my beliefs an injustice.
I'm a massive fan of dark romance, and over the years I've read some pretty fucked up shit. I think the fact that we got a psychological and 'therapy' side to this story made things harder to deal with. Especially with everything going on in our world at the moment. With more and more girls coming out and saying they have been raped. With more murder cases and school shootings, I felt in the cultural context of things. I couldn't get myself to feel any empathy for their love.
“It’s a simple yin yang; dark and light feeding each side and devouring. A snake eating it’s own tail. A vicious cycle.”
“Rhiannon Hunter worshipped at the altar of no man.”
[image] The Right Swipe was my first time reading Alisha Rai; filled with promising tones o“Rhiannon Hunter worshipped at the altar of no man.”
[image] The Right Swipe was my first time reading Alisha Rai; filled with promising tones of empowerment and feminism, it held so much potential. Unfortunately, this one was not for me and while I loved discovering more about online dating and the power that female emancipation can show through text; I failed to enjoy it for what it was primarily advertised as -romance.
[image] _______________
Our Characters I will always credit an author for creating a unit comprising of diverse and unique characters. This book focused on people of color as well as different sexualities and ethnicities. However, my first problem arose when I couldn't relate to our main character, Rhiannon Hunter.
“This has to do with success.” If that success was also about revenge, well. Rhiannon couldn’t help that. “I’ll talk to Samson. Listen to him, talk to him, get my closure.” Rhiannon shrugged. “And then, I’ll ask him for a favor.” When he was feeling bad.
Firstly, do not get me wrong. I, like many others that read contemporary romance, absolutely loathe a main character (especially a female) that is a human rendition of a welcome mat. I love my gals powerful and confident! Yet, I found Rhiannon to be at the extreme side of this and her hard-headed and callous attitude towards quite a lot of things to be off-putting. I was hoping we would see her character traits develop through the novel, but she remained intensely indignant and cold throughout. Additionally, her character arc leaves so much room for the audience to want to understand more of why she is so hard, but I felt like everything could have just been more. On the other hand, I also found the love interest - Samson - to be bland and underwhelming for the most part. Their story (although slightly cliche) had such a great premise, and I enjoyed seeing the plot unfold (rather than being told what was happening).
During my initial read of this book, I was really excited and I enjoyed meeting all our characters and understanding their backstory. During this time, I thought things would pick up and the chemistry between Samson and Rhi would spark. Sadly, I didn't experience the usual flutters and satisfaction that I adore when reading an exhilarating romance novel. Yet, I still think many people will (and have) come to love this book simply for its different approach to romance. I also think many people will (and have) think this is a kickass book all in all. Still, I remain true to my "it's not you, it's me" mindset.
Our Plot I actually reached out to the author to understand a quote in this book that I was unsure of and her reply lead me to a bunch of articles on feminist theory that had me digging deeper. It started becoming apparent that I was more interested in that then the story between Samson and Rhi. In truth, there were just too many things that I didn't connect with in this book.
Even though this wasn't right for me, I can say that I could definitely feel the passion Alisha Rai has on certain topics and it showcases with a high degree of sophistication. I only wish I related to the characters or the storyline more.
The true intent and message of this book warrants five stars in itself but I was told I would be getting a swoon-worthy romantic comedy and while TRW is not without merit, I felt like it was lacking quite a bit in that department. It has a plot filled with relevant topics that debate the misogynistic and unequal demographics of the tertiary workforce as well as women empowering other women that isn't often found in contemporary romance. For that, it's a triumph.
The quotes in this review are taken from an ARC and are subject to change preceding final publication. ...more
“But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."
[image] [image] My heart is so entirely full, it's nearly overflowing. This book was in a“But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."
[image] [image] My heart is so entirely full, it's nearly overflowing. This book was in a word; matchless. I laughed, I loved, I cried but mostly loved every beautiful little thing that led up to the last page. Now, having finished, I wish for nothing more but to go all the way back to the beginning and start again. As readers, sometimes -very rarely- you come across a book that quintessentially becomes a mantra, a new sense of hope and a burst of something you never really knew existed. I don't think I will ever forget this novel.
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On the off chance this book hasn't already won you over...
For a glimpse on my current situation: i'm sporting sweatpants, haven't cooked for more than 24 hours, hair's an absolute mess, feel like screaming how gay i am out the window, and completely abandoned my responsibilities. my horoscope did not prepare me for this.
When this book is published, and readers pick it up for the first time, I'm going to be sitting and watching all the emotions unfurl and all the fan;art,fiction,girling commence. And while I sit and watch, I'm going to be so jealous of everyone that has the luxury of reading this for the first time.
It's equal parts funny and loving and clever and tragic. I made a note on my kindle at page 3 stating "this is it," because that's how much I could feel the energy of a fucking brilliant book in my hands. The camaraderie and friendship combined with rebellion and sexy banter is almost too good to be in one novel. This is quite possibly the easiest five stars I have ever given.
"So, you can hate the heir to the throne all you want, write mean poems about him in your diary, but the minute you see a camera, you act like the sun shines out of his dick, and you make it convincing.” “Have you met Henry?” Alex says. “How am I supposed to do that? He has the personality of a cabbage.”
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A Tribute
In more ways than one, the story behind Alex and Henry's relationship is magic. There is quite a lot of politics involved, quite a lot of drunkedness and quite a lot of soft moments that make you clutch your kindle slightly tighter.
"But he thinks about Henry, and, oh. He thinks about Henry, and something twists in his chest, like a stretch he’s been avoiding for too long."
This was an enemies to lovers romance with so much more going for it. A beautiful feeling arose throughout the book as I saw the family and the omnipresent feeling of hope through friends. Nora gave me life and made me swoon. June was someone we all need in our life, alongside Pez. Bea was the softest cinnamon role in the whole bakery and when they were all together, my heart started singing.
“Alexander, babes,” Pez says when he picks up. “How lovely for you to give your auntie Pezza a ring on this magnificent Sunday morning.” He’s smiling from what looks like the passenger seat of a luxury car, wearing a cartoonishly large sunhat and a striped pashmina."
I wish I could go up to every one that will ever have doubts about reading this book and beg them to give it a chance. Sometimes, I'm skeptical about picking up new authors - especially, when they are debuting with a genre that means so much to me. Yet, here I am, falling incredibly in love with everything this book is and will continue to be in my life.
"How beautiful it is to be human. That we can fall asleep drowning in tears and pain but wake to a new sunrise on a new day with a dry face."
[imag"How beautiful it is to be human. That we can fall asleep drowning in tears and pain but wake to a new sunrise on a new day with a dry face."
[image] [image] this made my heart ache and i loved every single second.
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Poetry and Prose Modern contemporary poetry happens to be a sweetspot for me. Add in touches of bittersweet understanding of love and life. Then encapsulate the whole anthology with a boost of girl power and you've got yourself a surefire way to make me sing with happiness.
A Love Letter from the Girls Who Feel Everything was more than just a collection of poetry and prose. It was little polaroid pictures of moments that happens in our lives. It was a series of heartbreaks and a journey where I could feel so many different stories meeting in the middle.
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I felt like writing post it notes of the words that meant the most to me and taping them all over the house, so each day I could be reminded that I'm worth more than what society dictates I should be. Both Cherry and Steiner paint such powerful messages with their words that I can only imagine what are they could bring to this form of expressionism.
"I don’t want to lose you, and so I lose a little of myself, instead."
Verse and Contradiction I think it's safe to say that I swallowed this book whole. I'm pretty sure I will go back to it time and time again in the future so that I can digest the poems again. That's one of the beautiful things about poetry and verse, each time you read a passage; the meaning shifts according to what point you are in life.
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Some poems did contradict with both purpose and meaning. For example, we were told throughout that "you are enough" and "you will always be enough" but then there was a verse that threw me off because;
"One of the hardest lessons I have ever learned is that you can be the very best version of you, and still not be enough."
I assume they mean the worlds portrays of 'enough'. Some of the poems seemed very tumblresque and perhaps, that was another thing that fell short slightly. Some of them seemed like they were lathered, rinsed and repeated.
Still, that was a very minor issue I came across but I needed to state it somewhere. Overall, this was truly beautiful and if you have half the chance to pick it up and scroll or turn to a random page and read the short passages. I honestly think, it could change your outlook on that day.
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Values I think the authors were spot on with how they conducted and wrote the book. I know for a fact, after reaching the last poem and reading the acknowledgements I felt so empowered. I would love for younger readers, especially girls in their teens to pick this up and know that they aren't the only ones.
"Hug a stranger. Hug a friend. Text that boy —or don’t, so long as you’re being true to your heart and its desires. Kiss like it’s the first time, or maybe like it’s the last. Tell someone how you feel. Travel. See the world. Meet someone new. Let someone feel the way your heart beats, and ask them to let you feel theirs, too."
Some Of My Favorites
"It was on the silent nights, the ones she spent alone, that she understood lonely was not the absence of another person, but rather the absence of self-love."
"It’s pleasing to me the way your heartbeats kiss my ears."
"When you look at me you’ll see that I am the light that ignites my own way."
"You are the moon and I the sun, forever chasing. We cannot be together without one of us erasing what truths lie within, of feelings and thoughts untold. Where your desire for love is shadowed, mine is bright and bold. So as you disappear again, leaving with the dawn, I ask myself which is worse: letting go, or holding on?"
[image] This was such a warm book hug *heart eyes* _____________
The Plot I'm late to the love for this“It would always be summer on the island.”
[image] This was such a warm book hug *heart eyes* _____________
The Plot I'm late to the love for this book. On The Island has been on my tbr for the longest of time for one thing and one thing only; the premise. The story that Graves writes is so one-of-a-kind and unique (which is pretty hard to find in the Romance genre) that it begs it's readers to give it a go.
“I don't fit in your world." "Neither do I," he said, his expression tender yet resolute. "So let's make our own. We've done it before.”
Anna Emerson is a thirty year old teacher that flies to the Maldives with her summer tutor student - seventeen year old T.J Callahan. Packing her bags and leaving behind her boyfriend, John she hopes on a plane with her whole summer planned.
When they find out they have to take a sea plane into the island, their plans get changed. Then when the pilot suffers from cardiac arrest, both T.J and Anna realize that they're about to crash land in the middle of the ocean. (Re-writing the plot for this, makes me want to dive right back into it... pun intended)
Anna and T.J survive the crash but have to learn to survive in isolation on an island. All they have are the clothes on their backs and each other. The story follows their fight for survival, it is a coming of age in the sense both characters develop in different manners. Stuck on an island, learning how to find food, water and shelter is hard enough... and as nobody seems to be coming and saving them - they build a trust too.
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“Don’t let go,” I whispered. “I wasn’t going to.”
Little Gems There was so much packed into this book. Humor, love, survival, grief, growing up... It was such a wonderful treat to sit down with some chocolates and just escape. Although, the writing was mediocre - the author really does a good job with imagery and you end up being on the island with Anna and T.J.
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I read this in one sitting and it was like having a hot chocolate on a cold wintry night. This review seriously is filled with so many chocolate references... I guess, that should really just prove how I enjoyed it!
“I woke up with a hard-on. I usually did, and it wasn’t like I had any control over it. Now that we weren’t almost dead, my body must have decided all systems were a go. ”
One thing I enjoyed was the humor through the tragic. T.J is a cancer patient and their situation is so fragile. The pacing and the timing for when their bond started to form into friendship and later more, was so perfectly planned. It didn't feel too fast or too slow. I was skeptical about how the writer would pull of the age gap (also cheers for showing that women can be older too!) but it was done so meticulously!
I wish I read this sooner and during the time my GR friends did. I would have loved to seen the hype for this grow and see more and more people fall in love on the island <3
“You named the chicken, Chicken?" She looked embarrassed. "When we decided not to kill it, I got attached.”
“You ever just look at someone and know that if you let them, they could turn your life upside down…completely ruin you?”
[image] [image] Ever got yo“You ever just look at someone and know that if you let them, they could turn your life upside down…completely ruin you?”
[image] [image] Ever got yourself a massive pizza with stuffed crust and extra carbs on the side to go. Placed it on the kitchen counter top, stared at it and thought, "You are no good to me whatsoever, I have experienced your effects multiple times and have seen what you do to me." Then, just when you're about to close the box and outsmart that fucking pizza, you say damn it all to hell... and you stuff your "I deserve this" mouth.
That was a brief summary of what this book was like to read.
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Alex Explains the Pizza Symbolism Now, although a lot of the tropes and the cliches in this book were done before - I do want to go ahead and start this by saying this was a massive guilty pleasure. In fact, it was the epitome of one - because I know for a fact if I read this again and sit down and think about it, I would list out a whole bunch of reasons why this book and me wouldn't gel well.
However, beyond the cliches and the predictable plot lines lay a page-turner. True to every sense of the word. I don't know if it was because it was a slow burn romance or because it was humorous at times or even because I was stuck on a 5 and a half hour flight. I kept reading and I couldn't stop myself.
That being said, it does end in a cliffhanger and I feel no push to read the second book. It's a weird predicament I'm in. I found more wrong with this than right but I still really enjoyed myself. I can follow every literary criticism with a point that went well, yet that doesn't negate the fact that there is a plethora of those critiques.
See, it's weird!!!
The Plot Rebel Heir is centered around Rush and Gia. Both of them are sass queens and both of them fuel off each other - the minute they meet, sparks seem to fly and once the realization sets in that Rush is Gia's 'boss', the sexual tension rises to an all time high. A summer in the Hamptons is set in store for both characters as Gia tries to finish writing her upcoming romance novel and keep her mind off her new boss. Both of which, she fails terribly at doing.
I really enjoyed seeing the control that Gia had and how her demands for a serious relationship were actually taken... serious. I liked that the authors embedded a sense of realness in the relationship and didn't set it out to be artificial and 'perfect' like most NA writers do.
Then again, there were some instances were the dialogue was awkward and chipped off and could have really done with some heavy re-thinking.
I wouldn't be me if I didn't provide with example(s):
i)
"Of course, I was also borderline obsessed with being inside her—not just getting her off and finishing myself off either. I wanted to fill every orifice of that damn woman."
... ... every orifice??? [image]
ii)
"If I didn’t already dig this chick, she had to go and tell me she threw a baby doll into a fire. Something about that whole twisted story just warmed my black heart."
“Nico?” “What?” “Your come is running down my thigh,” she whispered. Fuck. That was the hottest thing I’d ever heard. My dick throbbed. I found the“Nico?” “What?” “Your come is running down my thigh,” she whispered. Fuck. That was the hottest thing I’d ever heard. My dick throbbed. I found the wetness dripping down her leg. Running a finger upward, I pushed it back inside her.
[image] [image] Watch the fuck out for this author. I'm calling it.
[image] ________
♪ The sound of panties dropping ♪ I spent a lot of time contemplating whether I should say yes to the review request when the author reached out to me, and I found myself coming back to that magnificent cover. Then I read the blurb and this seeped into me slowly. I found myself needing to know.
Best. Decision. *gif of Alex dancing awkwardly to The Sweetest Oblivion shrine*
Before I get into the plot, or the writing and even the characters. I want to take a moment and appreciate the sexual tension that resides in this one novel. There are some books out there, like this one that can single handedly make the whole room a sauna. I needed to put my kindle down a couple of times and just splash myself with water because hot damn.
The Sweetest Oblivion revolves around a girl named Elena Abelli. Elena is sweet on the outside because she needs it to survive being apart of a family that is a core member of New York's Cosa Nostra. Or, simply known as the Mafia. Elena's sister is set to marry Nicholas Russo, who is a boss of another family apart of the Mafia. When the two meet, sparks fly but both are too stubborn to face it. What happens after is a tale of love, loss, laughter and a whole lot of lunches.
"It was Cosa Nostra etiquette to pretend we were the classic example of a white-picket-fence family. Even if our homes were surrounded by an iron gate and security instead."
The tension is palpable on the pages, you can practically feel the stares across the room. I wouldn't necessarily call this a slow burn in terms of romance, but I would say it burns slowly and beautifully so. It's safe to say that Danielle Lori has now become one of my one click authors and I'm keeping an eye out for any more additions to this series, because god knows I'm thirsty for it.
♛Made Men♚
"My family could be as pissed as they wanted, but I’d appreciate at least one fucking thank-you for stopping a bloodbath from ruining a perfectly good Sunday."
I forgot how much I missed Mafia Romance, the drama and angst. All those hot to touch men. This book really made me want to say fuck the whole reading schedule and read more Mafia romances, it also restored hope in FM romance for me. So that's a plus ++
I loved that between the romance and the sexual tension, we also got little nuggets of awesomeness from the families. Although they are fucked up and completely abnormal - what do you expect?? I love the banter that we saw from side characters and all the walk ins on awkward situations. The humor was something I really enjoyed as well. I definitely want to read on and see how the other characters turn out. I'm secretly hoping Gianna and Christian get together, and I want to see Adriana and how she turns out! I'm so invested in these families and all it took was one book.
"I only spoke Italian when I wanted to curse. I hardly ever swore, except for damn, hell, and maybe ass with a hole on the end now that I’d met Nicolas."
I didn't want this one to end, I wanted to stay in Elena's world and see how the rest of the story unfolds. The pacing was so intricately galvanized that you needed to read on. I stayed up reading till 4AM one night and I didn't even realize until I looked at the clock.
Goes without saying, but this is one for the shelves.
"Burn that shirt.” He then left without another word. I glanced down at my pink Yankees t-shirt. I guessed Nico was a Red Sox fan. We really wouldn’t work out now."
🂱 The Romance 🂱 The writing in this book was what made the love story stand out. The prose was straight off the bat stellar and once I was in the world, I couldn't get out. Even though this was a new author for me, I'm so glad I gave this a chance!
"He took his time licking me, like he was doing it for himself and not me."
I think the only thing that threw off that one star, although I'd say it's closer to 4.5 stars (thanks Goodreads) was that some dialogue threw me off. Without going into too much detail, there was some instances between some of the men and other girls that made me go "Okay... but no??". Maybe that's just the feminist side to me - regardless, I can't lie when I say that was the only small thing that fell short.
(view spoiler)[There was an instance when there was mention of rape. And although, it was redeemed later on, I still felt like dialogue was unnecessary. There was another relationship between two side characters that threw me off a bit because of the hypocrisy. (hide spoiler)]
Looking beyond that, the romantic elements between Elena and Nico were damn near perfect. We got to see the growth of the relationship emotionally and physically.
I enjoyed that we got to see both POV's because it was essential to know that it wasn't just one sided. There was a distinct voice of character that each had. Overall, it was a really good read and I enjoyed myself!
"I wanted to fuck her and ruin her for anyone else. I wanted to crush her wings and then put them back together again so she’d become dependent on me. I wanted her to need me. That dark, possessive, and dangerous feeling crawled through me every time she crossed my path. Elena Abelli was my vice, and fuck if I’d let it kill me."
[image] [image] Here are three small things about One Small Thing: 1) It was a guilty pleasure. 2) It was “What’s your small thing for today?” “You."
[image] [image] Here are three small things about One Small Thing: 1) It was a guilty pleasure. 2) It was pretty cute (at times) 3) It was pretty bland (at times)
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Please note that this review is purely my own opinion, and I do not want nor intend for anyone to be swayed into not reading this book. If you want to give it a chance - it might turn out beautiful for you. _________
The Plot Whenever I have read 'Erin Watt' in the past, I always find myself coming to the same conclusion. I love reading the story because I need to find out what happens, yet somewhere or something falls short and it just feels mediocre in all. This does not go to say, that it takes away from the strengths of both the writing and development. However, it does make the storyline tedious at times.
I went into this story with no predispositions about the author(s) and the story. I read the blurb and I want to say that the blurb gives nothing away. Which worked in my favor, because it added the little bit of mystery value while reading. The story albeit cliche at very many occasions held it's own throughout and I read this in one sitting!
"Then I stumble midstep when I catch another glimpse of Blue Eyes. It’s fate. We’re supposed to meet tonight."
I don't want to give much away about the plot because I'd rather advise people to go into this blind and see where the characters take you instead. The pace is fast, sometimes extremely so - where I just sat there thinking "Didn't they just meet?? Haven't they known each other for approximately five minutes." I thought the storyline was fragmented and forced at times, but there is truck loads of angst and drama for all those that love high school romances with a soap opera atmosphere towards it!
" I could get drunk, but that’s too easy. I could get high, but that’s too dangerous. I need to do something between drunk and high that would make me feel good and piss my parents off. A f lash of movement catches my attention, and I turn to find a very good-looking guy stopping and leaning in the kitchen doorway."
The Characters The second most vital part both made and broke this story for me. Chase and Beth.
Straight off the bat, I could tell that Beth would be a problem for me. Her character was very naive and hypocritical and I wanted to see character development that happened but it felt like a complete cop out.
There's this greek stylistic device called deus ex machinawhereby a character or event that seems to exist just to effortlessly solve a problem that seems unsolvable. There is usually ancient greek gods and motifs involved, but taking that part away and focusing just on the 'cop out' former definition.
This felt exactly like that. The ending was just all too little and all too much for me. It didn't fit or feel right. It felt like there was a word limit to be met and the author(s) needed to get any ending in.
!!HOWEVER!!
I loved Chase. His character was a breakthrough for me, I loved that the stereotypical roles reversed and there was no magic dick syndrome. I REPEAT: there was no magic dick syndrome. I adored that he told it like it was and didn't follow that trend in young adult / new adult where the main male is an absolute dick all in the name of being an 'alpha'. Chase was this entire books saving grace for me.
"Your home life problems aren’t solved with my dick."
[image] [image] ♫ i ♪ ♩predicted ♬ ♭everything ♮ ♪ that ♬ ♫ happened♭
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The Writing I'"I never dared hope for a love such as you"
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The Writing I've read Tillie Cole before. Maybe that's a wrong way to start. ... I've read Tillie Cole's dark romance before.
I never read "A Thousand Boy Kisses" and right from the synopsis, and the reviews I could tell that this was going to be somewhere along those lines. So I knew I was in for sap and mush and lovey dovey romance. I was genuinely looking forward to it.
A Wish For Us is centered around two people that have music running through their veins. Think of it like a life source, and both these 'patients' are attached to it through an IV drip. Cromwell and Bonnie meet through a series of coincidental events and when Cromwell signs up for the same university that Bonnie does, a whole lot of shit goes down.
I'll give nothing more, and I suggest you read it and formulate your own opinion! This review is purely my own and I would really love if I could lie and give this a high rating because the cover is mouth-watering, the blurb is hooking enough and even the first 40% of the book was a solid 3-4 star read. But then I read on.
The imagery and the color synesthesia was something that I actually really enjoyed, it was unique and beautiful and I completely understood how vital it played a role in the plot. However, the first main problem for me was the dialogue.
"You get pussy by the truckload, huh?” “I do all right.”
See, I understand the whole ideal of narration through the characters voice, and because this character is a guy - THERE JUST HAS TO BE 'locker room talk'.... So even though it made me cringe and a massive stamp with the word "stereotypical" was right next to my kindle waiting to be used. I held off.
The Romance But then there was the chemistry. (or lack there-of)
I felt like we were told Cromwell and Bonnie had tension - but I couldn't necessarily feel it. Which paired with now really cliche and cringey dialogue can be a bit hard to swallow.
Yet still, I persevered like the true romance reader I am.
It did get better. The middle quarter of the book was filled with pathos and emotional scenes. It made me want to throw away any 'stamp' I had on the book and just keep reading it with no past ideals about it.
“Cromwell doesn’t speak much with his voice, but he screams what he feels with melodies and notes and the change of keys.”
I love romance books that integrate a form of art in it. Be it music, theater, art, literature etc. A lot of the time it's like adding magic to magic - I love the atmosphere and the desperation, which all in all can create some serious heavy tension between the two MC's. This was a star in itself for this book. So if there is another thing I would like to point out, it's that Tillie Cole very beautiful stitched in the element of music with romance - so much so that I felt like I was falling for the art more than the romance.
Even though both were main plot lines in the story, the artistic element of it shone brighter than the chemistry between the Bonnie and Cromwell.
"Her voice was violet blue. I closed my eyes. It was my favorite color to hear."
So even though it made me cringe and a now massive stamps with the words "stereotypical" and "cliche" were right next to my kindle waiting to be used. I held off.
The Plot But then there was the plot.
Ooh my.
I'm not going to stretch this one out. But I would like to just....
♫ i ♪ ♩predicted ♬ ♭everything ♮ ♪ that ♬ ♫ happened♭...more
"Beautiful. Like a captured angel." This review just about sums up my thoughts on this book. What started off really strong and pulled me in left m"Beautiful. Like a captured angel." This review just about sums up my thoughts on this book. What started off really strong and pulled me in left me high and dry....more
American Gods Ms. Scarlett is perhaps one “I examined the risks and you’re worth the fall.”
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I swallowed this whole. ___________
American Gods Ms. Scarlett is perhaps one of the cleverest authors with the publication of this prequel. She has safely guarded a fanbase for three characters, who we met very briefly but most likely have already fallen in love with. This novella is brilliant in its purpose.
There are many authors out there that set prequels in order to build the hype around the rest of the series. So that there is a readership before the read. I find, more times than not - that can go severely bad for me. There are times when I completely lose interest in the prequel and then once the first of the series is published, I'm not anticipating it at all. Because I have already met the character that it's about and don't connect.
So, she gives us Nathaniel and Juliette. Let's break down the level of brilliance.
i) Same world = in which we meet the other three characters. Gabe, James and Arsen.
ii) Different Story = in which we fall in love with Nathaniel and Juliette, so either way we are reading the series to see them again.
❮ cue the damn applause ❯
The Romance
“His ocean eyes, dark and hard—held the universe in them. A universe he was offering to me.”
This was a brilliant read and the romance was scorching hot. After seeing the whole goodreads buddy read this and end up giving it 5 stars, I refused to go with missing out.
So granted, there is only so much legroom for an author to work with when it comes to novellas and short stories. You have to gain your readers attention, build the world, achieve characterization and make two people fall in love all in a short page span.
This was honestly so close to perfect.
I felt that the characters were a bit two dimensional at times, and some of the lines were slightly cringey. I love me some dirty talk though, and damn did Nathaniel Radcliffe deliver.
The whole premise of the secret society of the elite and wealthy reminded me a lot of "The Riot Club". The premise of wealth, power, and fame is a trope that has been done before but she brings a whole new freshness to it. Where we don't get assholes and cocky bastards. But kind and loyal ones??? (See? Brilliant)
Another thing that got on my nerves a tad was the commands that Nathaniel kept giving to Juliette. The whole "sit", "open", "close" etc. did not do it for me. At first it was a bit infuriating because no woman should be spoken to like a dog. (this is not a pet play erotica, please don't mistake it for one). However, later on it just got funny. I get the premise of two controlling people on the streets and one controlling person on the sheets. But that was just a tidbit that rubbed me the wrong way.
That does not go to say that it took away from the romance at all! I loved witnessing Nathaniel and Juliette fall in love together and honestly cannot wait for the first of the series to release!! Arsen is my new fucking favourite and just my luck that he's book three.
Thankfully, all of them are set to be published this year apparently so !!!!!!!
“He stared at me like I was precious, like I was the stars he had searched for and I couldn’t breathe”
"That was the best part of the day--waking up with his boy in his arms."
This was a cute and pure read. If I reviewed it at the time I finished, I "That was the best part of the day--waking up with his boy in his arms."
This was a cute and pure read. If I reviewed it at the time I finished, I probably would give it 3 stars - however, if it weren't for the notes on kindle, this was a unmemorable. Unfortunately, I only got into it after about the 60% mark and wish it was beautiful all the way through. Fans of MM romance and Captive Prince would enjoy this read... (i hope) ...more
"My stomach was full of butterflies. With knives instead of wings."
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I saw the cover of Birds Of Paradise one day on my Facebook Feed "My stomach was full of butterflies. With knives instead of wings."
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I saw the cover of Birds Of Paradise one day on my Facebook Feed and what happened after that was a series of butterfly effects. I read the blurb, saw the teasers on the authors page and then somehow I was so enthralled with wanting to know more about the story, I requested an ARC.
I'm extremely conflicted on what rating to give this and whether or not I should give it a rating at all. I feel like there should be three things I explicitly state before getting into the actualities of the review.
i) This book is filled to the brim with heavy topics, and know that I cannot think of a trigger warning that will do any of them justice.
ii) This book is not for everyone. Seriously.
iii) This book, at least to me was more than just a dark romance. It was a comment on life and both the socratic and platonic way in which we live it.
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"May you see that broken is beautiful. The most beautiful of them all."
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The Writing
Dear Ms. Malcom,
If I could find the words to describe your words. Then maybe this review would turn out differently. There are phrases and sentences in your book that I can imagine paintings being based on and writers only dreaming of having written them themselves. This is more than a talent, and if there was one thing that kept me reading on - it was your ability to keep both your character captive and the reader too.
"A hollow shell with shards of my soul rattling around inside."
The Plot
I lost interest. I have been trying to find a polite way to say this the reason for my lack of interest after the 50% point could be due to reasons on me, not on the book. This was the first book that I read after going through a major book slump and believe it or not, sometimes that can affect your desire to read even the most beautiful of books. Secondly, the time jumps started to get under my skin, it felt very surreal and dissociative and maybe that was the point - Regardless, it did not work for me.
I felt like the plot dragged on in the latter 75% of the book and It was hard to keep myself invested. So to quantitatively put it into words.
- First 25% ⇒ 5 stars - Later 75% ⇒ 1 star
“You want to know your captor’s name?” I nodded once, even though the motion was near impossible with the weight of his stare. “Elizabeth Helen Hades is the name of your captor,” he said, his voice smoothing over the name fluidly. My name."
It's so hard for me because I know that I am going to be the black sheep. This book really has the potential to embed itself in so many hearts out there and it already has. It puts you in the heart of the action from the first chapter and you can see the careful and meticulous motifs and metaphors scattered around the paragraphs.
The author really put her heart and fucking soul into this book and I wish her nothing but the best on her future works.
"Some stories aren’t beautiful. Some lives aren’t beautiful. But those stories need to be told. And those lives need to be lived."
"A single drop of rain falls on her nose. She looks up to the night sky, and I want to get lost in her. She’s my end, my middle, and my beginning. "A single drop of rain falls on her nose. She looks up to the night sky, and I want to get lost in her. She’s my end, my middle, and my beginning. But in another life. Not this life."
[image] [image] As reviewers, you're unlike the standard reader. When you read, you have certain things to be cognizant about at the back of your mind. Because, you are reading not just for you but anyone else who is reading your review. The thoughts that go through your mind, the reasoning behind your rating etc.
It's safe to say, I was absolutely speechless after reading this and I had no idea what or how to express my thoughts. So just like this book - this review is going to be a hot mess.
Note: If ever you don't want to read this whole review but do end up reading this book, please see the third section at the end. This is the most important thing in this whole review and I cannot press the issue hard enough.
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"As he ripped his lips from mine, he also took my breath with him. Fucking bastard."
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The Good
"I want to bend and snap her in ways that shouldn’t be legal or even written about. I want to fuck her so hard, all she can see and hear is me."
This is not your conventional love story. If the title was any indication, I wouldn't even consider Saskia and Ryken's love to be love. If I had to put a name to it - it would be more like deep rooted infatuation to the point of toxicity.
I enjoyed a lot of this story, more than I initially thought I would - because a friend of mine mentioned that there was a lot of cheating in the book. Which, by the way - I'm having mixed feelings about. Since it was pivotal in the plotline and the whole "I fell for him, he fell for her" trope, I gave it a chance and I'm happy I did!
"Every action has a reaction. As she looks up at me with those mocha-colored eyes, I know right here, and now, even if I tried to convince myself I hate her, I would never be able to achieve it."
During the first three quarters, I was going to rate this 4 stars and be done with it. Gush about all the good things, and leave little space for the 'bad'. But that would be dishonest, and although a lot of people loved this book - I guess I ended up just liking it.
"Maybe I don’t need that heated spark all the time. People go years, or sometimes lifetimes, without ever feeling that special link everyone talks about. Some people settle, and that’s even an okay thing to do. I just have to work out if it’s tolerable for me."
Something I really enjoyed was the realistic construction of how people don't always end up together because even though you 'love' them - they are not good for you at the time. I really did not like Ryken, and I will talk more about that below but I hope the author doesn't go the mainstream way to a 'happily ever after' when the characters deserve better than a unhealthy love.
"Look at our start, if it’s this rocky already... Imagine how our ending would be."
The Bad The writing took a lot of getting used to, but once I got used to it - it felt like the next issue was the flow. This was a biggie for me, the flow and the movement of the passages was too jumpy. The timing that was spaced was unclear and the dual POV's got confusing because sometimes we would jump back or forward in time and it wasn't mentioned anywhere.
There is cheating in this book. Be warned, if you plan on going into this wanting a 'safe' read. The whole concept of cheating and atypical endings is something of a complex quandary in the New Adult / Romance readership audience. I have some friends that stay clear of all books that aren't a HEA or that have cheating in it. I have a lot of friends that like when it is explicitly stated before the book begins so that the reader knows what they are going into. I also have some friends who just don't care.
"It’s a funny thing falling in love with someone unexpected. Especially, when you have eyes for someone else. Even more so when you know you want that other person more than the one you’re with, but there’s nothing you can"
What started off as unfamiliar territory to me slowly made me come to realize what the author was trying to convey. The cheating was a background story arc that added to the all-in-all high levels of angst in the novel. Even though it was necessary, I really wish there was a mention of how wrong it all was by the two main characters. After a lot of "But what about him/her?" mentions, there was nothing that shouted "this is wrong on all levels, and everyone should know that."
"Even then I’m afraid somehow I’ll find my way back to her. She’s that never-ending love. That uncontrollable fascination. It hasn’t died and it probably never will. I’m afraid I’ll love her even when I shouldn’t. I’m afraid I’ll want her even when I can’t have her."
I really did not like Ryken. At the start, it was due to his two dimensionality. There was nothing that I could flesh out of him, I still don't have a clear understanding of his motives and him as a character personally. Towards the end, I didn't like him because he became a pushover and knelt down to his fathers criminal industry and became the legacy that his father wanted him to be. I really hope he redeems himself in the following novel and stops the organization that he now runs.
"He kisses me like he can’t get enough of me, and I kiss him like I can’t find my breath, and the only way to find it again is to kiss it from him."
I also kind of wanted her to end up with Stiles. I really just wanted her to be happy without Ryken because in my personal opinion - I thought she deserved way better. There was a lot of mind fuckery and brain games that the two played with each other that just got repetitive after a while.
"She’s fire and ice. I could burn her in gasoline, then step into the fire and burn right along with her."
That being said, I actually really look forward to reading the following additions to this series and I have high hopes for both Ryken and Saskie. This does end in a major cliff hanger, so I'm on my toes waiting for the next ARC to come my wayyy <3
The Ugly When writing a book that deals with topics such as sex trafficking - I really wish authors would go into it the same way that other topics such as suicide or self harm are dealt with.
At the end of every book that deals with suicide, the author posts a note on how if you know someone or if you are someone that struggles with suicidal thoughts or tendencies, here are the following numbers or links that you can contact people to find help. I love that, because it means that whoever reads your book till the end will fucking see the message and it raises that little bit of awareness that could end up saving a life.
All the way back in Grade 11, I did a personally conducted project for my community and service credits on the topic of Sex Trafficking. I still get nightmares today from some of the stories I read, and some of the testimonies that people came out with. I really wish the author put a note at the end that specified where and how a survivor can get help, or if you knew any knowledge on the topic in your neighborhood or in your city even, who you can contact or give an anonymous tip too. Moreover, if readers wanted to learn how they can help by advocating or sharing - there can be social media links to that too.
Here are a couple ways that I found on methods that you could help:
i)If you are located in the US and get an inkling that someone may be a victim of sex slavery or human trafficking - there is a around the clock hotline that you can call : 1-888-373-7888. Any tip would help the fucking world, and you would help those who cannot help themselves.
ii) Listed here are some indicators that can help you decipher if a person is a victim of sex trafficking and/or human trafficking.
iii)If you are an employer, educator, business person, or even just a person that can share this to a major audience. Get people to take the human trafficking awareness training program here.
There are so many more ways that you can raise awareness, volunteer and even vouch for and about survivors and make a little change with the sex trafficking industry. It is the second largest criminal industry in the world, folks. Be that voice. ...more
“I love you more in this moment than any moment that has come before it.”
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[image] This book was a raw and emotional reminder of why I read ro“I love you more in this moment than any moment that has come before it.”
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[image] This book was a raw and emotional reminder of why I read romance. It reminded me of the small magic within the big hardships we conquer for love. This speed-train of a novel hit me hard enough for it to become one if not the best of my reads this year. All Your Perfects acted very slowly like a vice on my heart and before I knew it - it had taken it and shattered it. I shall now write a resemblance of a review whilst picking up the pieces.
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“If you only shine light on your flaws, all your perfects will dim.” “I’m a grammar snob. It should be your perfections.” “That’s what makes me like it. The one word they misuse is perfects. Kind of ironic.”
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The Story Emotional whiplash, Ms. Hoover. That is what awaits every single person that picks up this book you've created.
I'm still crying. I finished this book at 4:06 in the morning and I'm still sitting here re-reading some of the paragraphs and sobbing to myself. I don't think I have ever not regretted reading a book like this one. (Sorry for the double negative, it's one of those days, bear with me) I don't plan on writing a small ass summary of what this book is about or a blurb. I can't, because nothing I can possibly write will do it justice. I also recommend going into this one blind. Let it hit you full force, you may be on the ground for the next couple of days - but I guarantee you, it's worth it. At least it is for me.
" Sometimes I look at him and feel such an overwhelming appreciation for him, I almost want to write thank-you notes to our exes."
Sometimes, I think I appreciate Colleen Hoover when she marries the romance genre with sensitive and usually, skirted upon topics within literature. This very rarely is approached in today's writer society and so, it's colossal in it's results.
I don’t five star often. In fact, those of you on here that are accustomed to my reviews know that it literally psychically hurts me to five star a book. That book would have affected me in such a way that every time I go back to loving it, there would be that familiar sting of worship. Not because I hate loving books, but because to me that last star is the seal of perfection. That last star means that I would take that book into fresh hell and back and still hold it like it’s everything beautiful in life. And near nothing - not even Shakespeare wrote perfection.
I’ve also found that every book has many little imperfections. The Old Bard of Avon included in this, but it’s about how all those tiny little imperfections (this metaphor is becoming very rhythmic with this book’s title) wrap up to make it perfect. That’s that last star - in a world where nothing can be perfect, that last star is handed to how beautiful an author can execute it's imperfections.
"I recently concluded that there’s no other explanation for how you and I could end up on the same planet, in the same species, in the same century, in the same country, in the same state, in the same town, in the same hallway, in front of the same door for the same reason at the exact same time. If God didn’t believe in me, then I’d have to believe you were just a coincidence. And you being a coincidence in my life is a lot harder for me to fathom than the mere existence of a higher power.”
The Romance
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Here's where I think Colleen Hoover will win and lose some readers with this book:
It's real.
It. Is. So. Real.
And in reality, happily ever afters don't come by the kilogram.
"If a scientist could figure out how to align the heart with the brain, there would be very little agony left in the world."
The focus of this book was partly infertility. However, in my opinion - I think it was more so hope. It was inextricably embedded with every chapter. Hope is a fucking horrible thing that humans feel. Even more so, when there's nothing you can do to help you get what you are hopeful for.
This love that Graham and Quinn shared was messy, beautiful and absolutely filled to the damn brim with hope. Their story showed an ugly truth to life, that hope isn't always something to lean on, rather something to keep close. There were some aspects in this book that I will talk about in the next section, only because I'm making everything above that last section spoiler free.
I thought this story was chemical, it broke my heart in the best way and as much as I hurt - I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to leave Quinn and Graham. I wanted to see every detail of what their lives would turn out to be.
“What’s the secret to such a perfect marriage?” The old man leaned forward and looked at me very seriously. “Our marriage hasn’t been perfect. No marriage is perfect. There were times when she gave up on us. There were even more times when I gave up on us. The secret to our longevity is that we never gave up at the same time.”
Trigger Warnings [Please Do Not Read This Section If You Don't Want To Be Spoiled For The Book]
There are a lot with this one. Some blatantly obvious, and some hidden under the surface: -Grief -Self Harm -Infertility -Infidelity -Anxiety -Miscarriage -Self Hate
I want to address one of the above that links to all of the above. The Cheating
Cheating in romance books are a hard pass for me and very rarely do I overlook it, unless the character walks away from whoever they have been cheated by. Because THAT is a good role modeling system for any young people that decide to read this book. I would hate for younger me to read a book where one of the MC forgives the other for cheating on them.
Yet, here I am - giving this book five stars.
This is not a bash on anyone that disliked this book because of this, nor does this in any way make your opinion inconsistent. We all feel differently when we read, and that's one of the most beautiful things about reading.
All this is, is an explanation.
Please note: Cheating is never justified. (view spoiler)[ 1) When we find out that Graham cheats on Quinn with a girl from work named Andrea. “I never slept with her, Quinn. We just . . . it never got that far. I swear.” He kissed her two work days, and only told Quinn because she found out.
2) Quinn DOES NOT make any excuses to justify his action. "He didn’t sleep with her? Does that make a difference? Does it hurt less? No. Does it make me less angry at him? No. Not even a little bit. The fact is, Graham was intimate with another woman. It wouldn’t matter if that consisted of a conversation, a kiss, or a three-day fuck-a-thon. Betrayal hurts the same on any level when it’s your husband doing the betraying."
3) Graham gives a false reason as to why he did it, which he later on told Quinn the truth in his letter. His initial reason was "the whole time I had my eyes closed, I pretended it was you.”.
4) Quinn ONCE AGAIN did not make any excuses for him and called him out on his bullshit. “So it’s my fault? Is that what you’re saying?” I turn my whole body toward him in my seat. “You don’t get the attention you want from me, so you find someone who reminds you of me? I guess as long as you pretend it’s your wife, it shouldn’t count.” I roll my eyes and fall back against my seat.
5) Ater Grahams explanation of why HE fucked up and his address that their marriage is collapsing in that house, we hear this “I am not blaming you for what I did. It’s my fault. It’s my fault. I did that. I fucked up. But I didn’t fuck up because I was attracted to her. I fucked up because I miss you. Every day, I miss you.
6) Quinn ONCE AGAIN calls bullshit stating that even through her depression and grief and infertility - "a good husband loves his wife through the good and the bad times. A good husband stands at his wife’s side through sickness and health, Graham. A good husband—a husband who truly loves his wife—wouldn’t cheat on her and then blame his infidelity on the fact that he’s lonely.”
7) Later on we find out why Quinn forgives him and she clearly states "The reason HE allowed himself to fuck up is because he gave up on us."
I am not in anyway justifying infidelity, because even in this case it was hard for me to get over. But what let me get over it was the fact that even the book didn't justify it. Sure, Quinn may not blame him - but the author opens up account for US to blame him. Additionally, for Graham to blame him. Through the love we see that he shines on Quinn is beautiful and magical - until it's not. But that's life. Cheating happens in life, but justifying never should.
We get Quinn's depressive state and her self hate through her not blaming Graham. She is so broken at the time that she understands why he did it. I understand why he did it. That does not in any which way make it okay. She forgives him because his infidelity is one of the lesser evils in their whole clusterfuck scenario. Yet, she know's it's him that fucked up and not her. (hide spoiler)]
“You say that like marriage is a Category 5 hurricane.” “Not all the time. But I definitely think there are Category 5 moments in every marriage.”
"I can see it. You've got that look in your eye that says you know where every exit to this dormitory is."
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The Foxhole Court was definitely "I can see it. You've got that look in your eye that says you know where every exit to this dormitory is."
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The Foxhole Court was definitely a surprise, wherein I didn't get anything that I was expecting. However, I got a lot of which I didn't even know I needed.
Note: All rights belong to the different artists that have created the (fucking amazing) fanart attached to this review. __________
Meet The Foxes
"The Palmetto State University Foxes were a team of talented rejects and junkies because Wymack only recruited athletes from broken homes. His decision to turn the Foxhole Court into a halfway house of sorts was nice in theory, but it meant his players were fractured isolationists who couldn't get along long enough to get through a game."
Danielle Leigh Wilds, #1 → Offensive Dealer Kevin Day, #2 → Striker Andrew Joseph Minyard, #3 → Goalkeeper Matthew Donovan Boyd, #4 → Backliner Aaron Michael Minyard, #5 → Backliner Bryan Seth Gordon, #6 → Striker Allison Jamaica Reynolds, #7 → Defensive Dealer Nicholas Esteban Hemmick, #8 → Backliner Natalie Renee Walker, #9 → Goalkeeper Neil Josten, #10 → Striker
“Andrew bets you can outrun everyone on this team. Coach said you clocked a fourminute mile back in Arizona. That true? You're a little short to run so fast." "I like running," Neil said. "Fuck running," Seth said. "Learn to score. Word is you still can't score on Andrew." "No," Neil admitted. "Not yet." "When you do, you can talk to me," Seth said. "Until then, stay out of my way and try not to drag down my line too much." "Welcome to the Foxhole Court," Matt added”
For those of you who go into this and aren't familiar with Exy (the sport that the foxes, alongside a bunch of other teams play - it's broken down on the authors tumblr
I think the gang of misfits that all hated each other was one of the aspects of this book that I fucking loved. I can see how the comparisons with The Raven Cycle come in, especially with all the hardass and badass shenanigans that go around. However, in a way it is way more deep than what is shown on the surface. We get elements that I wouldn't have even dreamt this book could cover.
"We have to talk. Something went wrong this morning." "We're Foxes. Something is always going wrong," Seth said, but he fished the remote out from
The LGBTQIA rep is phenomenal in its soft approach. We get the Mafia, mental health, crime and justice, family... and most importantly - teamwork with a team that is hellbent on not working.
"You lost. Your school is the laughingstock of the NCAA. You're a team with no concept of teamwork." "Lucky for you," Neil said. "If we were a unified front you wouldn't have a chance against us."
The Plot
The amount of hype that surrounds this series is something that you can't even put to words. With a fanbase that strong, one is cautious treading into the story.
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So here I am, about to make an ass out of myself. Although, I loved how character driven this plot was, I also felt like it was one of the story's shortcomings. It dragged on for quite a bit, and I only found myself getting into the story at about 75%. After reading a couple reviews on this however, I found that a lot of people say that the storyline reallllllyyyy picks up in the second and third book. Because I actually did like TFC quite a bit, I'm most probably going to read that this week if not next up.
As much as the Foxes disliked each other at times, they disliked their opponents more. They were still too fractured to be truly great, but they were good enough to give him chills. Neil finally understood how the Foxes made it to third place last fall and scored a spot in championships.
The writing felt very mediocre, as it skipped through a lot of character names and it felt confusing following a heavy scene sometimes. I wish I could say it thrived through its amateur cliches, but...
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The Banter
"Coach says he's got potential." Matt looked at Neil. "Andrew says you're fast." Neil frowned. "When did he say that?" "When do you think, wiseass?" Seth asked. "We talked all kinds of shit about you after you booked it."
The banter in this book was amazing to say the least. If I could rate the book only on the humor and the quirky hits we get between characters, it would hands down be a 5 star read. I also loved that the author integrated three girls on the team with completely opposing personalities to even out all the testosterone that was flying around. That goes without saying however, that each and every guy on the team had such a brutally honest and real persona to them, that the whole thing mixed together gave you the best fucking Exy team on the planet.
"We'll tell everyone you're there for conditional early practice. Chances are half of them will believe it. You won't be able to fool the rest, but that doesn't matter. Foxes are Foxes for a reason and they know we wouldn't sign you if you didn't qualify. That doesn't mean they know specifics. It's not my place to ask, and I'm sure as hell not going to tell them."
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Furthermore, the dynamic between the coach and the kids was something I loved. I fucking loved Wymack, not just as a side character but as a coach! He was one of those characters that I was skeptical about in the beginning, but as I read chapters I slowly started to like him more and more. Although, the dialogue was at times unrealistic, it was a very minor fallback in the grand scheme of things.
"All right," he said, then promptly forgot what he was saying when he got a good look at the back of the bus. "Damn it all to hell. Hemmick! You were supposed to wake them up ten miles ago." "I don't want to die," Nicky said.
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Neil and Andrew
"Hey, Pinocchio," he said without looking at Neil. The cheer in his voice was too mocking to be real, but Neil doubted anyone but the Foxes noticed. "Time to run. This one's for you."
Someone scream 'slow burn' louder for the people at the back.
Andrew and Neil was something of a conundrum for me. During the first 3 quarters of the book, I really did not know how the writer was going to be able to pull the chemistry between the both of them off. It all seemed like a mess to me, and both of them did not look like they would be good together.
I really loved Andrew... he's still a mystery to me and I can't wait to slowly solve him through this trilogy. He is the foxes' "deadliest investment" and if that doesn't get you intrigued, then damn.... I thought I was a tough crowd. I also can't wait to read how Neil's time with the foxes unfolds, he is truly a cinnamon role that needs love and a family because fuck knows, he's suffered enough.
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But then the last 25% of the book turned up, and it hit me like a bag of bricks. It's unconventionally perfect and I love how it was broken and not yet there and everything that a Young Adult book needs when there are so many serious overtones in it.
“God damn it, Minyard. This is why we can't have nice things.”
I also love when an author bends the rules of YA, and shows that it doesn't really take romance (or dense romance) for that matter, to make a book successful. The chemistry between the characters and the feeling of a group of misfits coming together to make something bigger is enough.
"Remember this feeling. This is the moment you stop being the rabbit."
Between the pep talks, powwows, bus rides and midnight practices - I could feel why so many people have fallen (like myself) in love with these group of outcasts just trying to live life. It's so much more than what you think it is and if you haven't already read it... then give these kids a chance. You (probably) won't regret it.
"You play like you have everything to lose." "Welcome to the line."
Alex ✰ Comets and Comments ✰
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