me to misha and ryen when they're out here writing handwritten letters to each other, while im here stuck with the likes of tindreread — 4.5 stars
me to misha and ryen when they're out here writing handwritten letters to each other, while im here stuck with the likes of tinder boys who thinks texting "dtf" or "u down 2 netflix n chill" is romantic
[image]
must be nice.
anywho. i LOVE rereading this. i just felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me because these were good times.
honestly, im just gonna come out and say it but i miss this kind of new adult romance where the characters have so much depth and the story is unique and it isn't ruined by unnecessary threesome/sharing/orgies that ruin character/romantic development... too soon? oops.
✧ plot
↳ Misha Lare (H) and Ryen Trevarrow (h) have been pen pals since they were 4th grade and has been exchanging letters for 7 years until suddenly, after they unknowingly meet each other (Misha knowing what Ryen looks like while Ryen doesn't know what he looks like), he stops writing her.
three months later, Misha goes to Ryen's school to solve unfinished business but he also gets to see who Ryen really is. she's not the dorky, nerdy girl he knows from the letters. she's the popular, mean girl bully.
➵ characters can i just say that i absolutely love the depth and complexity of Ryen's character?? she became a bully because of kids making fun of her and she felt alone when she only wanted to belong ughhh it was so sad. it may seem like a small thing but it really isn't.
"My eyes burn with tears, and I'm so tired. So tired of holding back everything I feel and want to say. So tired of being someone I'm not and making mistakes that I didn't have any fun making."
and her character development is so nice to read about. obviously, i lowkey hated her in the beginning because she was a bItCh but i just wanted to hug her and be her friend by the end. and that scene with Manny? where they hugged each other and told him it was gonna get better? kinda bawled my eyes out in that scene too to be honest with y'all.
and Misha... my god. what a man. tattoos? lip piercing? writes songs?? is in a band? aaand he's mature?! AND RESPECTFUL??!?!
[image]
✨ perfection ✨
➵ romance of course, there was a bit of hate to love in the beginning but the scenes filled with sexual tension which then added to their romantic development? love that.
"She can be a nightmare, but this still feels better than any dream."
and the quotes? iconic.
➵ Misha's "cousin" (spoilers) i actually really loved the cameo of the four (well, three this time) horsemen in this book. i remember the first time i read this i was hoping Misha's "cousin" would be Jared or Madoc or something but now that i've read devil's night series.. ehh. i kinda got excited that his cousin is the one and only, Will mo'fuckin Grayson but my excitement was kinda surpressed just cuz my mans Damon wasn't here. and that- that is a CRIME.
______________________________
i wish i forgot everything that happened in this book because i really did enjoy this more the first time i read it because i already knew all the plot twists ughhh.
but that said, i think this is my second favorite out of all pen douglas books?? i don't really know i can't choose between this, birthday girl, or until you. however, i think Ryen and Misha are superior af and dont @ me on this.
* * *
original rating (may 2018) — 5 stars
Merged review:
reread — 4.5 stars
me to misha and ryen when they're out here writing handwritten letters to each other, while im here stuck with the likes of tinder boys who thinks texting "dtf" or "u down 2 netflix n chill" is romantic
[image]
must be nice.
anywho. i LOVE rereading this. i just felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me because these were good times.
honestly, im just gonna come out and say it but i miss this kind of new adult romance where the characters have so much depth and the story is unique and it isn't ruined by unnecessary threesome/sharing/orgies that ruin character/romantic development... too soon? oops.
✧ plot
↳ Misha Lare (H) and Ryen Trevarrow (h) have been pen pals since they were 4th grade and has been exchanging letters for 7 years until suddenly, after they unknowingly meet each other (Misha knowing what Ryen looks like while Ryen doesn't know what he looks like), he stops writing her.
three months later, Misha goes to Ryen's school to solve unfinished business but he also gets to see who Ryen really is. she's not the dorky, nerdy girl he knows from the letters. she's the popular, mean girl bully.
➵ characters can i just say that i absolutely love the depth and complexity of Ryen's character?? she became a bully because of kids making fun of her and she felt alone when she only wanted to belong ughhh it was so sad. it may seem like a small thing but it really isn't.
"My eyes burn with tears, and I'm so tired. So tired of holding back everything I feel and want to say. So tired of being someone I'm not and making mistakes that I didn't have any fun making."
and her character development is so nice to read about. obviously, i lowkey hated her in the beginning because she was a bItCh but i just wanted to hug her and be her friend by the end. and that scene with Manny? where they hugged each other and told him it was gonna get better? kinda bawled my eyes out in that scene too to be honest with y'all.
and Misha... my god. what a man. tattoos? lip piercing? writes songs?? is in a band? aaand he's mature?! AND RESPECTFUL??!?!
[image]
✨ perfection ✨
➵ romance of course, there was a bit of hate to love in the beginning but the scenes filled with sexual tension which then added to their romantic development? love that.
"She can be a nightmare, but this still feels better than any dream."
and the quotes? iconic.
➵ Misha's "cousin" (spoilers) i actually really loved the cameo of the four (well, three this time) horsemen in this book. i remember the first time i read this i was hoping Misha's "cousin" would be Jared or Madoc or something but now that i've read devil's night series.. ehh. i kinda got excited that his cousin is the one and only, Will mo'fuckin Grayson but my excitement was kinda surpressed just cuz my mans Damon wasn't here. and that- that is a CRIME.
______________________________
i wish i forgot everything that happened in this book because i really did enjoy this more the first time i read it because i already knew all the plot twists ughhh.
but that said, i think this is my second favorite out of all pen douglas books?? i don't really know i can't choose between this, birthday girl, or until you. however, i think Ryen and Misha are superior af and dont @ me on this.
"I love you... a crazy fucking amount," she whispered... "I love you too-" my voice cracked... "Most in the world."
you know those type of long "I love you... a crazy fucking amount," she whispered... "I love you too-" my voice cracked... "Most in the world."
you know those type of long ass books where you're satisfied but you still want more? yeah, that's how i feel reading this book and it's rare for me to feel this way. it's a perfect contradiction, really.
i don't know what to say but JUST. READ. THIS. BOOK. it's perfect. it literally has everything i never knew i needed. it's long because it has a lot of showing than telling. reading this, it honestly felt like i was there with all the characters, i didn't feel disconnected or anything because the characters felt so real.
the first book ended with a cliffhanger and this was the continuation of everything unresolved. Johnny FINALLY pulled his head outta his ass so him and Shannon are a couple, so everything that didn't happen in the first book, definitely happened here... if ya know what i mean.
"I'm going to keep you," he whispered... "if that's okay?" "That's definitely okay," I breathed... "I want you to keep me."
honestly, there's so much going on in this book and i dont wanna give anything away so imma just list out everything i love:
bromance & friendships: Gibsie's love for our H, Johnny, was just so UGHHHHH *insert a million heart eyes*. it was too cute for words. Gibise was so loyal and supportive with everything Johnny. i mean, there's so many scenes that made me love their friendship like the scene where Gibsie cried when Johnny was leaving for rugby, when Gibsie sat on *ahem* "tissues" because, ya know, teenage boys and their hormones, when Gibsie acted like a proud mom whenever Johnny accomplishes something, and when Gibsie was always there for Johnny when tragedy happened... WE NEED MORE MALE FRIENDSHIPS LIKE THIS.
and the bond between Claire and our h, Shannon? fucking great. Claire is definitely the female version of Gibsie and their sisterhood/friendship made me so happy, especially after what Shannon has gone through.
Johnny, Gibsie & Shannon's brothers i LOVED all of Shannon's brothers (except for Darren, he's aight). all her brothers are crazy and loveable, i mean how can i not love Tahdg, the 11-year-old potty mouth with no filter; Ollie, the most innocent and cutest 9-year-old kid who hustled Johnny for money and who is not ashamed of his cute lil tummy; Sean, the 3-year-old kid who made me aww so many times; and Joey, the second oldest of all the siblings and who basically raised/protected all of them from their abusive father and neglectful mother.
and Johnny's and Gibsie's (yes, I'm counting him), relationship with all of the brothers was so heartwarming to read. those kids was literally living in a nightmare for a looooong time and when Johnny supposedly "kidnapped" the baby brothers and took them to McDonalds and the park just because he knew they were all hungry was just so cute and adorable, my heart couldn't take it. and the scenes between Gibsie the manchild and the kids were one of the funniest things i've ever read.
Claire & Gibsie yes, yes. i know i've been going on and on about Gibsie but he's honestly the best character here. he completely outshines everyone, even the MCs. not even sorry that im completely more invested in Claire's and Gibsie's love story than Shannon's and Johnny's.
i mean, them being best friends since childhood and have been in love with each other since forever but of course, something happened and now Gibsie is a man ho and all that but still loves and protects Claire fiercely. honestly, I dislike characters/heroes who supposedly love the girl but goes on to be a man ho, but he still does things to the girl he "loves" that clearly shows how much he loves her but they're a "coward" and all that. thank god Gibsie didn't rub any of his OW escapades to Claire and i'm pretty sure he wasn't with anyone in this book, except for that creepy secretary. yeah, i dislike characters like him in other books but Gibsie was just... idk how to describe him because my words don't do him justice but just know that he's fan-fuckin-tastic.
they're story is literally the same as Knight's and Luna's from Broken Knight but in my opinion, Claire and Gibise are way more adorable and loveable and i just know their story is gonna make me cry.
"She freewheeled my hormones out of control and KO'd my heart"
anyways, I can't wait to read Joey's (Shannon's older brother) book and i DEFINITELY cannot wait for Claire and Gibsie's book
tw: emotional and physical abuse (scenes from the past) & murder/arson (off-page)
Merged review:
"I love you... a crazy fucking amount," she whispered... "I love you too-" my voice cracked... "Most in the world."
you know those type of long ass books where you're satisfied but you still want more? yeah, that's how i feel reading this book and it's rare for me to feel this way. it's a perfect contradiction, really.
i don't know what to say but JUST. READ. THIS. BOOK. it's perfect. it literally has everything i never knew i needed. it's long because it has a lot of showing than telling. reading this, it honestly felt like i was there with all the characters, i didn't feel disconnected or anything because the characters felt so real.
the first book ended with a cliffhanger and this was the continuation of everything unresolved. Johnny FINALLY pulled his head outta his ass so him and Shannon are a couple, so everything that didn't happen in the first book, definitely happened here... if ya know what i mean.
"I'm going to keep you," he whispered... "if that's okay?" "That's definitely okay," I breathed... "I want you to keep me."
honestly, there's so much going on in this book and i dont wanna give anything away so imma just list out everything i love:
bromance & friendships: Gibsie's love for our H, Johnny, was just so UGHHHHH *insert a million heart eyes*. it was too cute for words. Gibise was so loyal and supportive with everything Johnny. i mean, there's so many scenes that made me love their friendship like the scene where Gibsie cried when Johnny was leaving for rugby, when Gibsie sat on *ahem* "tissues" because, ya know, teenage boys and their hormones, when Gibsie acted like a proud mom whenever Johnny accomplishes something, and when Gibsie was always there for Johnny when tragedy happened... WE NEED MORE MALE FRIENDSHIPS LIKE THIS.
and the bond between Claire and our h, Shannon? fucking great. Claire is definitely the female version of Gibsie and their sisterhood/friendship made me so happy, especially after what Shannon has gone through.
Johnny, Gibsie & Shannon's brothers i LOVED all of Shannon's brothers (except for Darren, he's aight). all her brothers are crazy and loveable, i mean how can i not love Tahdg, the 11-year-old potty mouth with no filter; Ollie, the most innocent and cutest 9-year-old kid who hustled Johnny for money and who is not ashamed of his cute lil tummy; Sean, the 3-year-old kid who made me aww so many times; and Joey, the second oldest of all the siblings and who basically raised/protected all of them from their abusive father and neglectful mother.
and Johnny's and Gibsie's (yes, I'm counting him), relationship with all of the brothers was so heartwarming to read. those kids was literally living in a nightmare for a looooong time and when Johnny supposedly "kidnapped" the baby brothers and took them to McDonalds and the park just because he knew they were all hungry was just so cute and adorable, my heart couldn't take it. and the scenes between Gibsie the manchild and the kids were one of the funniest things i've ever read.
Claire & Gibsie yes, yes. i know i've been going on and on about Gibsie but he's honestly the best character here. he completely outshines everyone, even the MCs. not even sorry that im completely more invested in Claire's and Gibsie's love story than Shannon's and Johnny's.
i mean, them being best friends since childhood and have been in love with each other since forever but of course, something happened and now Gibsie is a man ho and all that but still loves and protects Claire fiercely. honestly, I dislike characters/heroes who supposedly love the girl but goes on to be a man ho, but he still does things to the girl he "loves" that clearly shows how much he loves her but they're a "coward" and all that. thank god Gibsie didn't rub any of his OW escapades to Claire and i'm pretty sure he wasn't with anyone in this book, except for that creepy secretary. yeah, i dislike characters like him in other books but Gibsie was just... idk how to describe him because my words don't do him justice but just know that he's fan-fuckin-tastic.
they're story is literally the same as Knight's and Luna's from Broken Knight but in my opinion, Claire and Gibise are way more adorable and loveable and i just know their story is gonna make me cry.
"She freewheeled my hormones out of control and KO'd my heart"
anyways, I can't wait to read Joey's (Shannon's older brother) book and i DEFINITELY cannot wait for Claire and Gibsie's book
tw: emotional and physical abuse (scenes from the past) & murder/arson (off-page)...more
when i saw that this book has groveling, best friend's brother, grumpy/sunshine trope, touch her and i'll kill you, i hate everyone but y2.75 stars ✩⋆
when i saw that this book has groveling, best friend's brother, grumpy/sunshine trope, touch her and i'll kill you, i hate everyone but you, a bed-sharing scene, great friend group, and revenge plan (???), i ran so fast and downloaded this real quick. plus, this was being hyped in booktok so might as well read it.
i don't know why but this book just made me evaluate my life- myself. why do you ask? well, WARNING FOR NON ROMANCE READERS THIS ⤵ QUOTE IS SPICY OK BYE:
"And your pussy is mine. Every inch of you belongs to me, and if you ever let another man touch you- he'll end up in pieces, and you'll end up tied to my bed and fucked in every hole until my name is the only one you remember. Do you understand?"
and at first i was like
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because there's things you need to know about me when it comes to my taste for irl men:
1. i hate bossy men (pls- i'm bossy enough as it is) 2. toxic? i rebuke this negative energy. 3. if you threaten to kill someone if they so much as touch me, therapy or 911? 4. if you call me questionable nicknames while having sex, BYE ✋
and normally, my attitude is why do men but when i read this? i don't know myself anymore.
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i don't know what came over me but suddenly i... i um.. that quote above... i LiKe it... so if you know me, no you don't.
but anyways, going back to the book, i like both Ava (h) and Alex (H) as individual characters. Alex is literally THE definition of a "fictional character" because that man is too perfect. basically, he has an IQ of 160, created a software thingy that made him a multimillionaire in high school and became the COO of a real estate agent development or something and has Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory aaand knows Krav Maga AAAND apparently fucks like a porn star? i-
that's too much perfection ma'am.
i thought Ava and her friend group were also fucking perfect because
✧ Bridget is a literal princess (i'm not joking) ✧ Jules is jessica rabbit (??) apparently (also, fingers cross for a Jules and Josh book) ✧ Stella is this influencer who has 400k followers (???)
can i be a part of this fictional friend group pls and thx.
i thought the romance was cute in the beginning. usually, in a brother's best friend book the girl is always pining for the guy while the guy plays a martyr act and becomes a ho to "push" the girl away even though he has feelings for her. i'm glad that's not the case here and love the fact that Ava was even a little indifferent towards him at first. and honestly? the smut scenes were kinda hot.
overall, this is a very chill book. at least for me. though there are some tw (spoilers) // parental deaths, violence, and child abuse
-`,✎ WHY NOT A HIGHER RATING?
➳ since uh, when? i really did think the romance and the whole Operation Emotion thing in the beginning was cute, though, their feelings for one another went from 0 to 100 very fast because Alex really went from not caring that Ava was having a nightmare and acting all cold and "heartless" to:
"She was mine. She just didn't know it yet. I hadn't known it myself until I saw her in Colton's arms and every instinct raged at me to tear her away. To claim what belonged to me."
i only sensed attraction but i didn't get the feeling they were already at the "she's mine, he's mine" stage. one chapter he's acting all nonchalant and cold and then in the next he “desires” her and tells us how badly he wants her and i was like bish when? most of the things he talked about in his pov was about his revenge and a little bit of attraction and with ava's pov it was all the operation emotion so them having intense feelings for one another felt kinda quick.
their banter was cute the scenes were cute but personally it wasn’t enough for me to be convinced with his new macho man personality towards her. there wasn’t enough depth to be honest. like i didnt get the vibes he cared enough for her to call her “his” because even when he saw her having night terrors in the beginning, i got the vibes he didnt care for her that much and still acted like she was a nuisance.
➳ telling >>> showing when they got together after the first time they had sex there was a lot of telling >>> showing of how they are as a couple and that really bugs me because i'm the type of person who wants to know everything. apparently, they went on dates, alex was suddenly making jokes (?), and they talk through the night but because of the 0 to 100 energy and telling >>> showing, I. STILL. DONT. SEE. THEM. DOING. ALL. THAT. like- what do they even talk about?? and because of this, i wasn't really convinced with their “love”, i just didnt feel it because
[image]
i wanted all the details of how they are as a couple and we didn't really get that. once they have sex, most of the romance were written in the inner monologue and it's mainly because the last half focused more on the revenge plot. also, even the the grovelling was telling >>> showing. noo, i need more.
➳ Vicious reincarnated no, but everyone is right tho- i can definitely see the Vicious in Alex. he likes fucking classy women, has insomnia, and has a revenge plan that includes the heroine. i see no difference.
➳ OW drama don't worry, it's nothing bad but i just find it icky when Alex says that the OW fucks like a porn star or when he was about to go on a "date" with the OW (don't worry, Ava ruined his plans) or when the OW says this to Ava's face:
"Alex doesn’t do either of those things. It’s well known amongst a certain segment of D.C.’s female population. No kissing, no face-to-face contact during sex. But he will take you from behind. Choke and fuck you till you see stars. Call you the filthiest names and treat you like a slut."
and then Ava thinks this is hot. personally, if someone says this to my face about the guy i'm into, i will dip because that's an ick for me (please blame my virgo sun and my high standards). you're telling me you're gonna fuck your girl the same way you've fucked your past hookups? ew no thx.
-`,✎ OVERALL THOUGHTS
again, i thought the romance was cute but it was just ok. the first half was full of cute moments but the last half kinda went down with all the telling >>> showing and i was kinda disappointed with the groveling because of this. like- you're just gonna describe how Alex has grovelled for a YEAR in just a page? no ma'am i want to see everything. also, i wanted more scenes of them of how they are as a couple because i just don't see Alex being all soft towards Ava.
i'm excited for the next book, aka Bridget's book tho! i love the whole princess/bodyguard, forbidden trope. plus, her future mans name is RHYS. that name will forever be sacred so this fictional man who has the privilege of being named after that sacred name better live up to my high af standards.
»»━━ Twisted series ━━«« #1: twisted love — ava x alex ➳ 2.75 stars #2:twisted games — bridget x rhys ➳ tbr #3:twisted hate — jules x josh ➳ tbr #4:twisted lies — stella x christian ➳ tbr...more
thought the main dude was meh, hated the main girl (sorry but her victim complex at the end irked the fuck outta me), liked all the talk about sex worthought the main dude was meh, hated the main girl (sorry but her victim complex at the end irked the fuck outta me), liked all the talk about sex work and the stigma that comes with it and how it affects people, and the romance? lol. this is another case of surface level romance where it’s all physical attraction >>> emotional connection and y’all know i hate that shit.
all in all, i am once again apparently a psychopath because i felt nothing....more
well this was kind of a mess. i should not read friends to lovers books back to back - *cough* malina *cough* - they're giving me a headac2.5 stars ✩⋆
well this was kind of a mess. i should not read friends to lovers books back to back - *cough* malina *cough* - they're giving me a headache.
friends to lovers/unrequited trope would always be a double-edged sword for me because sometimes, the angst is just *chefs kiss* even though there are some elements that i absolutely loathe and i guess i just love stressing myself out so sometimes i like it, i even welcome it so there's that. but sometimes... it's just- well, (childhood) friends to lovers usually goes like this:
1. girl and boy are childhood bffs 2. girl has been in love with boy since forever but boy is obviously a blind dumbass 3. girl stays in the sidelines (never dating and is a virgin- this is very specific by the way) while boy becomes, you guessed it, a ✨ho✨ 4. someone is suddenly interested in the girl, boy finally gets his head outta his ass and "sees" his best friend for the first time because obviously when another dude is sniffing around it's unacceptable.
and well, ya know. this is annoying af because you're telling me if there hasn't been another man interested in the best friend, the boy wouldn't have "seen" the girl?? yeah, no.
for the most part, this is exactly what happened here but the difference is there are TWO girls in the trio of best friends, Liv (OW), Bloom (h) and Carter (H). Carter noticed Liv first and had a thing with her for a couple months and then Benj (OM) suddenly comes along and shows interest in Bloom so obviously that's when Carter started "seeing" Liv for the first time. so there's this weird love square thing in the first half.
i did like some parts as i thought the sexual tension was immaculate and the writing was good! i can also appreciate the author giving a trigger warning in the beginning (spoilers // h's dad committed suicide) so thanks for that. if you like angst, and have no qualms about love square drama, then you'd like this.
but anyways, because of the dumbassery of the characters imma rant a little bit so,
✧✦ SPOILERS AHEAD ✦✧
we know Liv and Carter have been keeping their "thing" a secret while Bloom is "sister-zoned" for 2 months(?) now but obviously Bloom isn't a dumbass
"It's in the way he watches her sometimes, in the moments she's looking away or laughing at someone else's joke. It's in the intensity of his gaze when she's off on her own. He's always watching her, in different ways than he usually watches me."
that's lovely.
and you know, in almost all of these childhood friends to lovers books i've read, it's usually just the main characters having special connection right? well here, both Liv and Bloom are equally close to him because they've all been best friends since they were kids buuuut again, he noticed Liv first
"I like her, I do. More than a friend, definitely. She's bright and beautiful and supportive. She's hardworking and devoted and funny as hell when she wants to be. I definitely enjoy making out with her, and I love how she knows what she's doing."
first of all ew (because he thought about this even after he kissed Bloom). and second, im still salty about this by the way because eeeww. and Carter was exploring a relationship with her until Benj comes along and Carter finds out that Bloom is a virgin... and now suddenly Carter has all these feelings for Bloom just because of... this..??
[image]
i'm not convinced whatsoever because i mean- that fast? really? is he a fucking gemini is that it (no offense to geminis by the way, as a virgo i love geminis)? how can one's feelings switch up so quickly and so strongly i don't understand. and then this lovely scene comes up where Carter and Liv are making out, touching her ass and grinding on each other (around 32%), even after Carter started to have all these feelings for Bloom and we find out that these two have actually been making out behind Bloom's back for a couple of months now.
"But damn she feels good, and it's not like we haven't kissed or made out before. We have, far too many times than I'd like to admit, and for some reason, a jolt of guilt sparks in my chest when I think about the fact that Bloom hasn't known for a while."
hahaha *eye twitches* that's cute.
and you know, what happens next?? you guys know what happens next??? well, this dick went to Blooms workshop because she was upset and well, one thing lead to another, and they hook up when he literally just made out with the OW moments ago. and this isn't the only time by the way, a week goes by and he's still spending time with Liv (idk if they did anything) and during his football game Liv kisses Carter, Bloom goes to the bathroom because she saw this and then Carter kisses her, AND THEN she goes out to stargaze with Benj AND THEN makes out with him, goes home because she's confused af AND THENNN hooks up with Carter...
[image]
so basically, they're all just exchanging DNA's at this point i guess. Chuck? Blair? Serena? Nate?? is that you?
silverlining tho, Carter ended it with Liv faster than Bloom ended it with Benj. i also like the fact Carter longed for Bloom more and Bloom wasn't hung up on Carter but obviously, her feelings with Benj was annoying as hell too. but guess what!! this isn't the end of this weird ass love square by the way, we find out that Liv and Benj were sleeping together behind both of Carter and Bloom's back so here i am thinking... wtf was the point??? and y'all know how they found out? huh? well, Carter and Bloom hid in a closet because they heard a couple going inside the room, said couple was Liv and Benj, they start having sex, and Carter and Bloom watch while, ya know, Carter touches her... yeah.
in conclusion, everything is a mess and they're all f a k e f r i e n d s
honestly, i just couldn't connect with all of the characters because they annoyed me too much. and Carter's feelings switched real fast and when i mean fast, i mean in a day. he had genuine feelings for Liv who he most likely shares the same connection he has with Bloom and then when he finds out about Benj and the fact she's a virgin he suddenly has these intense feelings for Bloom? he went on and on about how he was exploring a relationship with Liv and suddenly he doesn't care anymore and just wants to bone Bloom? nah i don't buy it.
and that whole love square resolution wasn't really addressed properly. like, does Carter still have not-so-friendly feelings for Liv? did Liv even have real feelings for Carter? or was she using him to make Benj jealous? were Liv and Benj sleeping with each other this whole time? i need answers pls.
✦✧ ✧✦
there are some cute parts here that i liked, the pottery scene inspired by the movie Ghost? *chefs kiss* (but obviously Carter making out with Liv before this scene happened tainted things). and i do actually like the writing and how i can feel the longing from the characters (mostly on Carter's side). and the storyline with the dad made me tear up a little bit that was really sad.
but ugh i just can't with the love square drama y'all.
anyways, if there's a book about Liv and Benj, i ain't opposed to reading their side honestly. i wanna know why they're dumb af so there's that....more
Cheyenne (h) was so freaking cute and my inner momma bear naturally came out because she seemed so sw2.5 stars ✧
ok, ok so the prologue got me HOOKED.
Cheyenne (h) was so freaking cute and my inner momma bear naturally came out because she seemed so sweet and innocent and she did not deserve to be treated the way she was treated aaand the fact that she didn't even know she was being treated like shit? by her own father and stepmom??? ugh just felt my soul weep a little.
so a little backstory,
⤷ back in highschool, we find out that she has something and she's been misdiagnosed A LOT, her mother died and we don't know why, she moved to her uncle's house because her dad don't want nothing to do with her, she went to college with her dad's money, years go by, she had a crush on her stepbros best friend, Cut (H) who's an NHL player and BAM. the book begins and umm....
... i almost dnf'ed this (many times by the way) but then half of my brain said:
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and i was like. alright brain I FUCKING WON'T. i ain't no quitter ...more
why do i keep doing this to myself? honestly. whyyyy??
i literally dnf'ed this a few months ago because of the first chapter but like- as y'al2.5 stars
why do i keep doing this to myself? honestly. whyyyy??
i literally dnf'ed this a few months ago because of the first chapter but like- as y'all know me, i don't listen to myself and hurt my own feelings so alas here i am (again).
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so this is like any other new adult book out there. we have: Aspen (h) being the loner type of character + Blaise (H) is your typical popular kid + they have dark past + they connect through trauma and shit + H helps h get out of her shell + h makes H want to be a "better man" + add a little OW drama + family drama and BAM = ✨NEW ADULT ROMANCE✨
✦✧ SPOILERS AHEAD ✧✦
k first of all, what is up with all this voyeuristic, OW shit i've been reading this month. seriously ...more
you're telling me that Mr. Richard Connor Cobalt, an alleged asexual dude who was like a "sponge" and wouldn't "notice if you hit on him", is 4 stars
you're telling me that Mr. Richard Connor Cobalt, an alleged asexual dude who was like a "sponge" and wouldn't "notice if you hit on him", is actually what Christian Grey thinks he is but could never be???
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biggest plot twist of 2020. imma show you guys a little preview as to why i am shook:
"You may compliment my cock, you may beg, and you may politely ask for more. I don't want to hear anything else and if I do, I'll stuff your mouth with your panties so you can't speak."
BRO- chill. i already have 1984398+ book boyfriends i can't handle more ...more
after overcoming trials and tribulations of school after withering a brewing storm of papers and assignments after vanquishing the horrendous 3.5 stars
after overcoming trials and tribulations of school after withering a brewing storm of papers and assignments after vanquishing the horrendous ordeal known as "midterms"
I FINALLY FINISHED THIS.
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honestly this book feels more like a very very long prologue to Calloway Sisters series so i'm not complaining.
so this is the continuation of Lo and Lily's story when they reunite after 3 months of Lo being in rehab. there is a bit of drama here where someone is blackmailing Lily and threatening her that they'll out her as being a sex addict and then... that's it.
↬ Lo & Lily ↫ okay ya know what...? there IS character development/growth here and i really appreciate that. they were so toxic in the first book, always enabling each other, being selfish and unlikeable, not seeking help, etc. but these two characters are genuinely trying their best. Lo helping Lily with her sex addiction and how he's even scheduling their intimacy and supporting her? it was very sweet actually. im genuinely proud.
↬ Daisy & Ryke ↫ let's talk about these two for a sec because imma need to rant a little bit okay? okay.
FIRST OF ALL. these two had more drama (mainly OW drama) than the main leads. SECOND, i'm Melissa, the OW's name is Melissa... i- i don't want my name to be associated with an OW especially if that OW is with Ryke tf?? the one time i finally see my name in a book and im an OW?
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no thanks. why can't i be a main character for once ...more
is it just me or does the book cover model lowkey look like my husband #3849 Chris Hemsworth??
you know weirdly enough i've been looking for a3.5 stars
is it just me or does the book cover model lowkey look like my husband #3849 Chris Hemsworth??
you know weirdly enough i've been looking for a book where it's all soft, cute and chill and whaddaya know? this book just showed up on my feed and i was like eehhh why not. and this was actually very cute and adorable!! aaand the fact that Dillon (H) is waaay more into Serena (h) and spent the majority of the book chasing her and fighting for her??
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so the premise also drew me in because Dillon first saw Serena (he was a freshman and she was a junior) at a bonfire and apparently whoever you kiss first at that specific bonfire, they end up being your soulmate so he kisses her and never sees her again until 3 years later. and for those years, she was still "tormenting" his mind even though he had no hope whether or not he'll see her again - but SIKE they meet each other again.
and basically this has a lot of things im trash for like:
— H simping for h // Dillon was SO into her guys i can't even explain it → cute scenarios where there's tons of sexual tension → h "playing hard to get" while H still fights for her → emotional connection // bonding over their trauma of losing a family member → semi slowburn // y'all when i say the h played hard to get she really played hard to get → cute girl friendships // aaahhh i wish there were more scenes of this → paintball scene // The Hating Game anyone?
you guys see this? all chef's kiss material.
// Serena Jensen (h) // ok i LOVED this girl. this bishh KNEW...more
this book is filled with all of my guilty pleasures (well, is it really guilty?) because this has:
↬ unrequited love // Salem (h) is in love w
2.5 stars
this book is filled with all of my guilty pleasures (well, is it really guilty?) because this has:
↬ unrequited love // Salem (h) is in love with her sister's ex bf, Arrow (yikes) ↬ forbidden romance // Arrow is Salem's soccer coach in her school ↬ boarding school aesthetic and girl squad ↬ angst // cuz duh did you see what i wrote above? Salem is in love with her older sister's ex bf!!! ↬ athlete // Arrow is a famous soccer/football player
as you can see, the tropes are all chefs kiss material because honestly, i was in a bit of a semi book slump period because i've been lazy- too lazy to even read so i was hoping this book would get me out of that funk because i mean come onnn!!
« p l o t » ↠ Salem being in love with Arrow who happens to be her older sister's ex of 8 YEARS, then he finds out Sarah (Salem's older sister) was cheating on him with his best friend and then Arrow beat the dude up, which made him suspended from the team, then suddenly becomes Salem's high school soccer coach??
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but... ehhh im sorry. this kinda wasn't for me sooo y'all know the drill, im about to rant so
~ SPOILERS AHEAD ~
first of all, // Salem // is one of the most extra heroines i've ever read. hmmm... how do i describe her... well, she's kinda super nutty and imagine us fangirling over fictional boys but multiply that by a 1000 and make it poetic. that's how lovesick she was towards Arrow. also again she's a bit nutty and dramatic like-
"He can do whatever he wants with me. He can stab me with a knife and I'll be lying on the ground, dying, drawing little hearts in blood."
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dude... Salem. nooo. to be fair, her dramatic inner monologue made me laugh sometimes because she's that extra and lowkey reminded me of me when i think/talk about fictional men *cough* draco malfoy, rhys, damon salvatore, warner, percy jackson *cough*
she was honestly all about the Hero and never about herself so i was like, Salem.. girl... think about YOURSELF for once. what about your pain??? what about YOU?
anywho moving on to // Arrow // i actually liked his character depth when it comes to his obsession with perfection. it honestly made him interesting and i could understand why he was with Sarah (the ex aka Salem's sister) for 8 years and why he suddenly turned into an asshole once he found out she cheated on him with his best friend.
but what bugged me here is that in his chapters during the romantic development stage between him and Salem, we barely get any insight as to how he really feels towards her because he barely even talks or thinks about her. all he did was talk about himself and how Sarah's betrayal "hurt" him.
as for the // ex drama // okay so Sarah and Arrow were together for 8 years (since they were 15 years old) and have been together ever since, planning their future together, living together and he was also about to propose to her until he found out about the affair. Arrow said it "made sense" for them to be together because they're practically the same - both striving for perfection. Both Arrow and Salem's inner monologue about Sarah hurt to read because like ✧ S A L E M
↳ "All I know is that when I was falling in love with Arrow, he was falling in love with someone else. With my sister, Sarah. And they are perfect for each other. Perfect."
✧ A R R O W
↳ "Because I'm empty... I'm hollow. Because whatever I had, I gave it to her. Whatever fucking love I had, she used it up and threw it away. She took it and flushed it down the toilet understand?"
also, thanks for letting us know about this Arrow: ✧ A R R O W
↳ "And sex between us has always been pretty fucking hot. She's small in all the ways I like and I'm big in all the ways that makes things tight and interesting"
this was said around 67% mark and for a sec, with his ex looking at his lips, it "almost got him going" and he thought about this when he already had sex with Salem numerous times. so again, thanks for the lovely information Arrow!! totally needed to know that.
honestly, throughout the book (until 67% mark) everyone thought he was still "in love" with Sarah and he was hurt and tormented by her betrayal because Sarah "took eight years of their love and ruined it". though by the end, he finally realized that he was never in love with Sarah because their relationship was not love, it was "convenience".
and as for the // romance // well, if you know me you know i like emotional connection >>> physical attraction/lust/all about sex kind of romance and their romance is definitely the latter. i don't know... the dude just wanted to have sex with her and Salem just goes with whatever HE wants for most of the book. i can appreciate the sexual tension buuut.. this is all about unrequited love sooo i would hope i would read more about Arrow's emotional romantic connection but nahh this only happened by the end of the book.
aaand i really don't like how she agreed to be his "rebound girl" and let him use her body to get over her sister i-
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nooooooo. again, what about YOU. jesus h. roosevelt christ, think about your own pain and heartbreak not his.
* * *
all Salem did was give, give, give and all Arrow did was take, take, take. so the roles have reversed and now Salem is like Arrow, and Arrow is like Sarah if that makes sense.
and all i ever did while reading this book and while Salem would say something like this:
"I'm not asking him to love me, am I? I'm only asking him to use me, use my body, and he won't even do that. And I'm too hurt and too much in love with him so I've lost my mind over it."
was think about giving her a lecture about ✨ self-respect ✨honestly, i feel like Arrow doesn't even deserve Salem's love and devotion for him but that's just me.
also, i wish there were more moments with the girl friendships and i wanted to see their development but most of it was mentioned and not shown which sucks because this had potential.
i don't know... i just feel like Salem's love was kinda one-sided (except at the end when Arrow gave her a speech) and if it's like this in an unrequited romance, i just know i wouldn't enjoy it and i didn't, mostly. oh well.
im looking forward to the other books tho! there's a snippet between Callie and Reed for the second book and im exciteddd!
this book really made me realize how ✨desensitized✨ i truly am when it comes to new adult heroes' "assholery" because when the dude was horrible to ththis book really made me realize how ✨desensitized✨ i truly am when it comes to new adult heroes' "assholery" because when the dude was horrible to the heroine? i was like
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is- is it me? is it the copious amounts of new adult books i've read? is it the characters and their lack of ~spice~ ? is it the fact that i've read worse "asshole" characters and the dude here is just- meh?
because suddenly... his assholery was MILD (at best). i know i shouldn't compare but... i'm wayyy more of an asshole towards my brother whenever he eats my food, than the Hero was towards the heroine. because whenever a situation arises when the Hero was being a "jerk" to the heroine, all i could ever think about was... THAT is an asshole for you??
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but moving on, obviously, like any other reader out there, i was intrigued af. i mean childhood bffs to lovers, brothers best friend, and enemies to lovers? that's all a yes for me. so this book is basically about
↳ Lavender (h) and Kodiak (H) who both have anxiety. something happened when they were kids because their parents realized that their codependency for one another is "toxic" and Kodiak also realizes this so he pushes her away and says all these "little lies" (lol see what i did there? ugh right ok anyways) to make her hate him. he becomes a martyr and doesn't want to ruin her. years later they're both in the same university, Kodiak still being an "asshole" and Lavender "hating" him.
apparently this book is like second gen to the characters from Pucked series and All In series so there's that. if you're like me and haven't read either series, need not worry, there's a family tree in the beginning which i actually appreciate because with all the exams in my life right now... you know.. i only have 2 functioning brain cells at the moment and i can't comprehend the amount of names i had to learn.
✧✦ SPOILER WARNING AHEAD ✦✧
lemme start off right away and say that Lavender and Kodiak barely interacted in the first 65%. literally, their interaction in the beginning was quite repetitive. here's what happens:
1. they have a brief conversation 2. Kodiak is a dick. 3. Lavender "flips the bird" 4. she says i hate you. 5. then she runs away. 6. repeat.
and let's not start with the weird scene where Kodiak was a nude model for Lavender's art class to mess with her. i wish we read that scene in his pov because like- wtf. whowhatwherewhenwhyHOW? WHAT...more
sooo we all know the main characters here are from the first book aka Not My Romeo and we all know the slight unfortunate drama that occu2.75 stars ✩⋆
sooo we all know the main characters here are from the first book aka Not My Romeo and we all know the slight unfortunate drama that occurred there where Giselle (the h here) got with her sister's boyfriend and thus ruining their sibling relationship. so starting this book im kinda... meh. i ain't judging but like...
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it's natural OK. when someone hurts a main character in their book, especially when it revolves around cheating, obviously imma have a little bit of dislike towards the character who hurt them. plus what Giselle and her ex did was shitty i mean seriously?? you're gonna get with your sister's mediocre sized-dick boyfriend, rub it all over her face, and choose him over your own sister?? i- ANYWAYS.
『 p l o t 』↠ 5 months after Giselle Riley (h) found out her fiance cheated on her, she's suddenly desperate to be a part of the dating game and finally wants to lose her virginity to someone. because of unfortunate circumstances which made her homeless, Devon Walsh (H), a wide receiver of an American football team and her brother-in-law's bff, decided that they should be roommates and he should help her with her dating life.
the summary drew me in because look at the tropes:
↬ forced proximity & friends to lovers ↬ forbidden romance // h's brother in law don't want them together ↬ push and pull // H wants her but ~ commitment issues ~ ↬ H is a famous American football player, h is a physicist by day, alien romance writer by night ↬ roommates ↬ H being h's wingman when she's on dates
reading the summary where this apparently has the whole experienced dude teaches inexperienced girl how to date trope similar to before jamaica lane y'all know i snatched this book real quick but not gonna lie, i didn't really feel the tropes here if that makes sense. i don't know. it's weird.
･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ c h a r a c t e r s･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･
➷ ｡ Giselle Riley (h)
"No wonder I can't keep up in my classes. I live in my own head too much to focus on the facts."
⤴ lol same. i'm on season 5 episode 21 of my enemies to lovers, ceo romance starring me and henry cavill in my head so. ok first of all "heartbreakingly innocent"? i dont think so. sure she's a virgin but she reads romance like us... are we innocent?? HELL NO. we're the least innocent people ever. i don't get why female characters who read romance are deemed "innocent" like ma'am please... everything in our head is rated r.
even though i had a slight "dislike" towards her before i started this book... eh im kinda neutral. i didn't hate her, i just felt nothing?? she made me laugh sometimes with her weird one-liners. she's chaotic because one moment she's writing an alien romance book called Sexy Alien Warrior and His Captive Earth Girl, and then the next thing you know she's smashing pots and vases at an old barn, dyeing her hair blue, or going on a date with a random guy just because he has an emu in his profile pictire. but sometimes, even though she makes me laugh, i'm just like yes girl we get it you're quirky ...more
ok so we can all agree that Wicked Princess was just a long ass prologue for this book right? RIGHT??3.75 stars; ☆
~ this right here was chaotic good ~
ok so we can all agree that Wicked Princess was just a long ass prologue for this book right? RIGHT?? ok. now that that's settled, Oakley and Bianca never took a break cuz it was drama after drama, tragedy after tragedy like sheesh let them breathe a little damn.
✧plot
↳ 8 months after Stone (OM) proposed to Bianca (h), Oakley (H) finally got out of prison but because of guilt and the fact that the love of his life is engaged to another man, he decides to leave her alone until Bianca felt a sudden connection when she sees him again.
they then become friends and suddenly, all the memories of her and Oakley comes back and now she's not sure about everything.
so apparently everyone's theories are mostly correct. i don't think this is a spoiler but Stone is indeed trash and BiancaOakley are endgame!!! fuck YESS
yes, yes. Clay and Olivia are fucking adorable (most of the time) with their enemies to lovers, hate to love, mutual long3.5 - 3.75 (idk yet) stars ✩⋆
yes, yes. Clay and Olivia are fucking adorable (most of the time) with their enemies to lovers, hate to love, mutual longing, scenes filled with sexual tension where they're pretending to hate each but actually wanna bone, and character growth where they're just simping or being horny for one another BUT THEN...
... ... ...
[insert the oldest brother with emo and loner hermit tendencies who gave up his whole life to take care of everyone but rarely shows emotion and affection but you can tell he loves his crazy af siblings deeply even if he doesn't show it and is VERY protective and probably has a traumatic past aaand cue all the dark shit and inner demons he most likely keeps to himself because duh any quiet and mysterious characters are like this]
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