“I don’t want to die, but I want to live. People call that having a death wish.”
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DNF at 51%
As much as I wanted to love this book, both of us“I don’t want to die, but I want to live. People call that having a death wish.”
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DNF at 51%
As much as I wanted to love this book, both of us just did not get along. There was too many cliches and lately, I've been noticing that those seem to get on my nerves the most. This (short) review will be of my own and does not take away from the fact that everyone who is thinking of giving this book a try - should do it!!
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P.S This review is filled to the brim (staring now) with sexual innuendos. I'm making up for all the pent up sexual tension that this book did not deliver for me. ______________
Things I Shall Take Away From This Book - Try Skye Warren again, Alex. Perhaps this book just did not rub you the right way (all the sexual innuendos for my romance hoes out there) and you needed something....more.
-Many of your friends have loved her books, Alex. Perhaps her past work in dark romance will in fact hit all the right spots. (2 for 2, baby)
“A gentleman would add my name to the guest list.” “Did I give you the impression that I was a gentleman? My apologies.”
Things This Book Has Taken Away From me -My ability to tolerate love triangles. I thought I could do it folks, I really did. I used to enjoy love triangles and when this ARC traveling its way onto my kindle, I did a little happy dance because who doesn't want some angst and drama in their romance every once in a while?
-The amount of shits I give for overused tropes and cliches. Daddy issues, money vs. money, popping the cherry (pick me, pick me!!!), etc etc etc.
-PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH THE PLOT 'nuff said.
Overall, I think this was a stellar case of "it's not you, it's me" and I want to go out and say that the blurb, the author and the cover reeled me in from the get-go. Had it been any other time I read this when I hadn't already read a myriad of other books with cliche and cringe - I wouldn't have minded and perhaps actually enjoyed.
Merged review:
“I don’t want to die, but I want to live. People call that having a death wish.”
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DNF at 51%
As much as I wanted to love this book, both of us just did not get along. There was too many cliches and lately, I've been noticing that those seem to get on my nerves the most. This (short) review will be of my own and does not take away from the fact that everyone who is thinking of giving this book a try - should do it!!
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P.S This review is filled to the brim (staring now) with sexual innuendos. I'm making up for all the pent up sexual tension that this book did not deliver for me. ______________
Things I Shall Take Away From This Book - Try Skye Warren again, Alex. Perhaps this book just did not rub you the right way (all the sexual innuendos for my romance hoes out there) and you needed something....more.
-Many of your friends have loved her books, Alex. Perhaps her past work in dark romance will in fact hit all the right spots. (2 for 2, baby)
“A gentleman would add my name to the guest list.” “Did I give you the impression that I was a gentleman? My apologies.”
Things This Book Has Taken Away From me -My ability to tolerate love triangles. I thought I could do it folks, I really did. I used to enjoy love triangles and when this ARC traveling its way onto my kindle, I did a little happy dance because who doesn't want some angst and drama in their romance every once in a while?
-The amount of shits I give for overused tropes and cliches. Daddy issues, money vs. money, popping the cherry (pick me, pick me!!!), etc etc etc.
-PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH THE PLOT 'nuff said.
Overall, I think this was a stellar case of "it's not you, it's me" and I want to go out and say that the blurb, the author and the cover reeled me in from the get-go. Had it been any other time I read this when I hadn't already read a myriad of other books with cliche and cringe - I wouldn't have minded and perhaps actually enjoyed....more
Let me tell you about my favourite NA fantasy book of 2019. _______"It doesn’t end in death. It ends in hope."
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Let me tell you about my favourite NA fantasy book of 2019. _______________
A Story About A Witch Getting Hitched But Much More. Serpent and Dove stole my heart in so many ways and all I want to do is go back and read it all over again. This lush tale full of magic and intrigue is wildly imaginative but soft at the same time and if you're a fan of romance + fantasy, I highly recommend trying this!
The sales pitch; - enemies to lovers - kickass heroines - lovable side characters (ansel is the floofliest cinnamon roll) - THE ONE BED TROPE™ - witches and witchhunters - one badass song about a lady named Big Titty Liddy.
“I know if you aren’t swearing or singing about well-endowed barmaids, something is wrong.”
I honestly inhaled this and if it weren't for actually having to adult, I would have finished it in one sitting. Before I get into the crooks of my review, let's meet our two main characters;
Lou: [image]
Reid: [image]
If there's one thing about this book that completely sold me was the fact that I loved so many characters. Especially these two! The characters in this book had me crying, laughing and turning every page like an addict. Lou stayed true to herself throughout the entire book and was never sorry for being a badass female! I enjoyed her company right from the beginning and it was such a journey to watch her story unfold. Enter Reid... Reid was the horniest mess all encapsulated within the perfect gentleman. He was everything, to be honest. For all those people that mentioned their dynamic is so similar to Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows... you're absolutely right.
“You really think I could knock two fully grown men unconscious?” My husband’s reply came instantaneously. “Yes.”
Their banter was off the charts, and their chemistry practically flew off the page. Because this book was told in dual POV's, I thought it was going to be a problem to distinguish two separate voices, but that was not the case. Both these characters had such a wonderful character development throughout the story and even better, was seeing them grow together. I do have to say that this is completely a New Adult book, and not a YA. Reid and Lou definielty get hot and heavy ;)
“When you weren’t in bed, I thought maybe—maybe you’d—” “Left?” I said shrewdly. “It’s still on the agenda.”
For those who know my reviews, you know that I often fall into the overhype trap. I get very excited about books that have very high ratings and come in highly recommended, but then end up disappointed. I think I've finally found the winner, folks. The world-building (a lavish french renaissance-esque setting with a hub full of of illegal magic, a pleasure house with a mysterious lady, and the men of the church) was fantastic, and embedded within the story rather than separated by info-dumps. There were so many plot twists and character arcs that I was invested in more than just the romance between Reid and Lou, the story itself was fan-fucking-tastic. Truly such a magnificent debut! It was so easy to love this book.
“Can you put something on?” He waved a hand in my direction, the other firmly pressed against his eyes. “I can’t talk to you when you’re sitting there—sitting there—” “Naked?” His teeth clamped together with an audible snap. “Yes.”
I didn't want this story to end to put it plainly. I loved it so much that I'm just going to ignore the randomness of the last couple of chapters (hehe). One shoutout that I would also like to mention is the fact that this book had LGBT characters but didn't make it a big deal or put any spotlight on them. It was briefly mentioned as a passing comment that Coco had female lovers and then when the fucking Prince of the kingdom all but asked if Reid and Lou wanted to join Coco and him on a sexcapade??! Hell yes to queer characters that don't have "being queer" as their major character trait.
"You focused on the battle and lost sight of the war.”
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The first three chapters were a solid 5 stars, everything after felt like"You focused on the battle and lost sight of the war.”
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The first three chapters were a solid 5 stars, everything after felt like reading a completely different book. _______________
This was not it, chief. Firstly, this review is not going to talk about or explain the controversy behind this book... If you want to know why it got pulled and then set to be re-published, there are so many great reviews and articles out there that explain the situation. All this review is going to be is just that... a review.
Sooo... it happened again. I got excited over something and ended up severely disappointed. Honestly, a lot of the issues I had with this book are similar to the issues I had with Wicked Saints. I was really just bored out of my mind.
Blood Heir is promising. Its premise and magic system is really refreshing (although it has very similar inklings of the Grishaverse), I think had the execution been much better, this would have been a great new take on YA Fantasy. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
"My name is Anastacya Mikhailov. Except it wasn’t. Anastacya Mikhailov was the name of the Crown Princess of Cyrilia, drowned eleven moons past in her attempt to escape execution for murder and treason against the Cyrilian Crown. Anastacya Mikhailov was a ghost and a monster who did not, and should not, exist."
I'm going to start off with what I enjoyed, because I did actually enjoy a couple things. The writing in this book was really phenomenal at times and if it weren't highly repetitive in its nature, this might have even been a three star read. I also really enjoyed the action in this book. The main reason I kept reading though was because of the narrative dealing with human trafficking. It was the main reason why I picked it up this book. I think if anything deserved for this not to be a DNF, it was this one fact. Okay, moving on.
“This isn’t a revolution. This is a massacre."
My first issue with this book was the characters. I did not like a single character. Everyone just felt unpleasant and unkind. Ramson started off a jerk, and although I could see how the author intended for their to be development in his character, he ended up as a jerk too. Ana was immature and often made hasty decisions - this is a trait that I absolutely cannot stand with main characters. I mean... give me a powerful female lead that isn't a clutz, a damsel in distress or childish and you'll have me hooked. Every character that came along irritated me in some way.
The predictability was at an all time high, folks. I mean... I made notes on my kindle on what I think would happen to certain characters or situations or "twists," just so I could play a game with myself later on to see if I got it right. I predicted 90% of the events correctly in one way or another. Also, the fact that I took that amount of time out just goes to say how bored I was throughout reading. I wasn't hooked or reaching for my kindle every chance I got.
The next major aspect that pissed me off was the flashbacks and character history became too much. What makes a great Fantasy for me? If an author manages to embed the character's backstory and "reasons why" within the narrative. There were entire chapters full of only flashbacks... I didn't find this necessary in the world building and although some of them were key to understanding the motives behind characteristics of the story, all of them were drawn out.
The pacing. This was the internet explorer of YA fantasy books that I have read this year. Was that a tad harsh? Yes. Am I going to take it back? No. Everything in this book felt like it took forever to reach there.
While the writing in this book was great, the dialogue was certainly not. There were a lot of cliche statements, tropes between characters that have been repeatedly done before. Some conversations were so jarring and uncomfortable, I visibly cringed. My last issue was the chemistry (or lackthereof) between the two main characters. I didn't root for them, it felt forced to me.
Overall, this book was meant to be amazing to me. I was anticipating it for a while and I just could not get passed a couple things. It felt like the entire novel was a case "yeah this is okay, but...."
The images above are taken from an art account, and other than the edit, credit to this talented person....more
“Strip, Little Bird. Show us what you’ve got,” King whispers, just as he shoves me back to my feet. “Dance like you fuck. Like exactly how you tast“Strip, Little Bird. Show us what you’ve got,” King whispers, just as he shoves me back to my feet. “Dance like you fuck. Like exactly how you taste.”
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Amo Jones didn't come to fucking play, fellas. _______________
Ever wonder what would happen if Cirque Du Soleil went rogue and ended in an orgy? In Peace Lies Havoc was a thrill-ride amongst many other rides, pun very much intended. It was addicting and full of angst that had me on the very edge... again, pun very much intended. The story was dark and gritty and never had me losing interest.
Before I start my review, I should probably mention that Amo Jones books are not for everyone. They weren't for me either until I tried this book on a whim because I am a die-hard fan of the circus-romance trope. I read a book by her last year that just did not sit right with me. I still hold strong to the points I made in that review but this just went to show me that surprises do really happen. Part of my reluctance to often try authors that I have had bad experiences with, again is the fact that I alike many others, loathe writing negative reviews. Because who really, wants to sit down and write all the things you felt were personally wrong with something?
I was so captivated by this book, it was almost dramatically ironic. Almost.
"I stopped breathing when I felt him behind me, his breathing on my nape. “We’ll be back for you, Little Bird.” The Shadow pressed into me from behind, his hard chest to my back. “I’ll always be back.”
I don't want to give a summary or a blurb to what this book is about because to be quite honest, I still don't know. It's a clusterfuck of emotions and stories that are so bizarre, you might actually believe them. I think I'm quite scared of Jones' mind because if she managed to whip up this story, who knows what else she's capable of?
I mean... this was a dark "captivity" romance set around a travelling sexual performance company had characters that made me want to hide. Then there was the mind games, angst games, murders, gangs/mobs, plot twists, stockholm syndrome (if you can call it that) and a seriously underrated trailer driver. Oh, and let's not forget this little nugget;
“Heads, I suck your pussy until you scream, to show this fool how a real man fucks. Or tails, I cut off each of your fingers and fuck you with them. Both will have you screamin’, baby. So, what will it be?”
* Cue the nervous laughter *
This wasn't perfect, I definitely found myself getting frustrated with some plotholes and annoyed at some of the events that unfolded. I wanted Dove to fight back harder and not be so oblivious, but then we might not have our story...Overall I was so hooked. The Brothers of Kiznitch are psychopathic and deliriously yummy even though they shouldn't be. If you're a fan of dark romance and haven't already read this gem, trust me... you won't regret it.
Also just a note: I need Kohen's story. I need Val and Rose to get together and kill all that sexual tension already. Kyrin and Kenan make my heart melt and we only got a second of them.
"Intimacy is just like murder; they both make your heart race and your palms sweat while leaving your thoughts in disarray, but then when you’re done, you’re left with the remnants of someone else’s soul or blood on your hands."
Amo Jones doesn't make any stops with this book. It's a rollercoaster from start to finish and I was left with my mouth hanging open, not knowing what the everloving fuck I just read. I'm kinda still speechless, don't let the review fool you.
This had a really interesting premise and the scenes were steammmy. Unfortunately, both the plot and the characters felt like they were lacking somethThis had a really interesting premise and the scenes were steammmy. Unfortunately, both the plot and the characters felt like they were lacking something and I didn't really like either. ...more
“Blood and blood and bone. Magic and monsters and tragic power.”
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[image] Everything that has needed to be said has probably alr“Blood and blood and bone. Magic and monsters and tragic power.”
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[image] Everything that has needed to be said has probably already been said about this book. I wanted to love this one so bad and what started off as a great exposition went downhill very fast. I'm still kinda just sitting here blinking... confused...unsure
Wicked Saints is truly a lavish tale that echoes nostalgic memories of all your favourite YA high fantasy novels. I think if it had been published sometime during 2013, this would have taken me by storm. The magic system (only winning factor) and the world building (although lacking) was both interesting and enticing. Unfortunately, I wish there was something else that helped me cling to the story and keep reading but I felt like I was forcing myself to finish instead.
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The first thing I would like to say that I almost always say if it is an issue: Do authors feel embarrassed if they don't address their trigger warnings? I mean surely, it shouldn't be up to the reader to go look for them prior to reading the book! This has been and will continue to be a problem with me. I think trigger warnings should clearly be stated before the reader begins... Any-which-way;
Secondly, there seemed to be no plot. It didn't quite reach a stream of consciousness writing style, but it also didn't seem like anything was moving. It felt like we were following the characters through snapshots and the plot was just something that could have been done. Serefin was the only saving grace for me, and we got little to no arc development or character development for HIM. I was also struggling to differentiate the voices between the dual POV's. Other than the fact the Gods can speak to Nadya mentally, the voices very rarely differed.
“Nadya was supposed to remain a secret for another year, training in the holy mountains with priests who—while they did not have magic themselves—understood the fundamentals of divinity. Like how a peasant girl could be the one thing that would save Kalyazin from the heretics’ torches. But war didn’t care for carefully laid plans.”
I really wanted to dnf at the 50% mark. I felt like I was trudging through this entire story and I wanted to be able to love it as much as my GR and book reviewing buddies did. I can say that although there were a lot of filler chapters, I loved being "thrown into the action."
The romance.... I love reading romance. I love all the tingly feelings and the magic in the air. I enjoy rooting for the character's and seeing them fall for each other in real-time. BUT THIS... I felt no connection at all and the romance felt more like a friendship because there was so much insta-love. I also ended up wanting the two characters NOT to be together. Every two seconds we were reminded by Nadya that; he was a monster, he was cruel and evil, he's not to be trusted however pretty he is!... I didn't feel the enemies to lovers trope at all.
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I really feel like everything was just meh. I wanted so much more and nothing really delivered. Which brings me to the point that everything was just so boring... So much in the story was left undeveloped and open to surface interpretation. I feel like the problems that the characters went through and the hurdles they had to overcome diminished to nothing when it was game time. There was such big talk of having to fulfill a certain event, and the event would come and go without me even realizing it.
I love books that fly by, but with this I had to re-read paragraphs a couple times, multiple times in order to understand what was happening. It wasn't that the language was hard to interpret or the layout was difficult to read. Simply, my mind kept wandering off to different things and I kept losing interest.
Additionally, when it comes to diversity and representation, this book seemed to have so many cannon LGBTQ reps. There were also so many indicators to other representations such as Serefin's potential alcohol addiction. I just wish it was developed further instead of being left to the sideline. That said, I don't need any and all representation to be part of the primary plotline or story, but I felt like the presentation of it as a whole was overall lacking.
“Blood wasn’t a thing to be made light of, not in these times.”
This story had so much potential for breaking the boundaries of YA fantasy and spotlighting much needed topics. I loved the focus on faith, philosophy, religion, moral and ethics. I even loved the fact that this time the villain, was very easy to root for even through their destruction. I wanted to unpack this book and theorize all sorts of different outcomes and routes that the characters and the plot would take but it really turned a different path for me.
“You know what happens when a thirty-four-year-old man watches a sixteen-year-old girl?” “But I’m not… I’m not sixteen anymore.”
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[image]“You know what happens when a thirty-four-year-old man watches a sixteen-year-old girl?” “But I’m not… I’m not sixteen anymore.”
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[image] *sigh* I guess I needed time to absorb this story as well as the level of disappointment I felt while reading DO18. This story had so much potential and I honestly could not have been more excited. Saffron Kent has written one of my all time favourite romances, Medicine Man and I always do a little dance whenever she comes out with new material. This one fell very short for me.
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Hit or Miss Right so, I guess I can say with some certainty that Kent's books and I have a love-hate relationship. I guess my main issue with DO18 is the fact that I had so much hope for it! This author can do a lot of things with smut and often her books will call for the holiest holy water, but I was so stuck on the issues within this book that I couldn't even enjoy that.
Everything felt way too rushed and underdeveloped. I started feeling this from the second chapter. The writing was watered down and the random bursts of purple prose would give me a sense of whiplash. It was like someone randomly yelled at the author to be "more deep" in the middle of random scenes. There's something to be said though, about the tension that this book derives because I definitely wanted to keep reading, even though I wasn't necessarily adoring what I was reading. (Does that even make sense, Alex?) I only wish that there was something more unique to this book, rather than just "this happened, then that happened, then we lived happily ever after." I wanted to be more invested with the story itself and the characters.
"You can eat me up all you want. You can eat me up a hundred different ways. I’m gonna like your teeth and your tongue and I’m gonna fall in love with the sting of it all. You’re my Strawberry Man. At least, that’s what I call you in my head.”
The Romance Age-gap romances can really go one of two ways. I actually think Kent handled this aspect pretty well. I had more issues with the amount of cringey one-liners and cliche "he's just such a man" statements that I got bored. Which is the crux of my rating, there was nothing of substance that I held onto. I wasn't drawn to Violet or Mr. Edwards, so I wasn't really invested in their romance. The first part of the story definitely captivated me more than the second half, if only for the reason that there was something between Violet and Graham that left me wanting more. This seemed to lose itself as the story progressed.
DO18 is also packed full of angst, which is not always a bad thing. Although, I feel like it was mostly "telling" me about how it's angsty, instead of making me feel the angst. This seemed to regress during the latter part of the book. Soon, I just felt like I was in a very mundane story that wanted to be taboo, instead of yknow actually being taboo.
I also seriously struggled with the way Violet's mental health was approached. I wanted her to push through the spiralling thoughts and stand her ground for some things but the story was bordering "magic dick syndrome," and it made me feel very uncomfortable. There were also some scenes that just did not sit right at all. Specifically, there was a scene in the start of the book where Graham asks (a drunk) Violet quite explicitly to step away from his personal space, but she refuses and go aheads and kisses him instead. I kept thinking, if the situation was reversed and a lady was asking a man to move away from her... it would be absolutely disgusting so why shouldn't this be seen as the same?
“Mr. Edwards?” “Step. The fuck. Away.” There’s a warning in his tone. An urgency, even. Or maybe it’s me. I’m the one filled with all the urgency that this is my only chance. The only chance to know how it feels. I keep watching his mouth. “It’s my birthday.” “Go. Home.”
Overall, I feel like this story had so much potential and having loved Kent's novel's in the past... I was just very severely disappointed. I"m not losing hope because I know I trust Saffron's writing style and plot devices, this one just didn't hit a lot of the marks....more
This author has caught my eye for a while and I am definitely going to try her stories out again. I think this was just a tad too slow for~ dnf @45% ~
This author has caught my eye for a while and I am definitely going to try her stories out again. I think this was just a tad too slow for me and it took a while for me to get remotely get attached to the characters. There was too much time-jumping and the angst/flashbacks felt unnecessary a lot of the time. I loved the premise but unfortunately, it just did not stick. ...more
“No offense, sir, but one of your daughters is entirely too young for me, and the other is entirely too Daria for me.”
[image] [image] [image] [ima“No offense, sir, but one of your daughters is entirely too young for me, and the other is entirely too Daria for me.”
[image] [image] [image] [image] Is this happening? Can it be? Did Alex just rate an L.J Shen book more than 3 stars? Did Alex just actually enjoy the everloving shit out of this problematic as fuck book? *Owen Wilson voice* WooOOWwW _______________
Explain yourself, Alex
So in the past, Ms. Shen and I have not gelled well together. I find her books very heavily controversial and are often filled with many tropes and triggers that I just can't get past. Her male heroes are often assholes known for how awful they can treat their girls, but somehow it works for people. It never really did for me, until this pretty little storm made its way into my hands.
"He gave me the rarest thing in the world, and I gave him heartache."
Don't be mistaken, Pretty Reckless still has asshole leads, both of them (Daria and Penn) treat each other like shit for the most part of the book and the writing, although enjoyable still has plenty of triggers. Somehow, someway, I still really enjoyed this! I loved the banter between the group of friends and I flew through this very fast. I was so scared to pick it up but once I did, I was completely captivated. I love enemies-to-lovers but bully romances can be very hit or miss depending how the subject is treated, and in all honesty - I felt like Daria held up her own in this very well! Granted, it was because she too, was a bully but semantics, amiright??
“Mess with me, Followhill, and I will ruin you.” “Not if I ruin you first.”
This was angsty and gritty all through and every chapter had me at the edge. The plot-twists weren't shockers but I really didn't mind because I fell in love with each broken character. The character development was so subtly and beautifully done, I didn't even know I was falling for them until I finished and realized that I had. L.J Shen took my breath away with this one, simply for the fact that she can write up the tragic tales of highschool seniors that hits all the feels. It was so very addicting... I haven't read the Sinners of Saint series so I don't know the backstory of the parents in the All Saints series, but this book really made me want to pick it up.
"You are the fucking equation, I want to yell in her face. The riddle and the answer and the numbers within it. You’re math. You make sense. “Don’t go,” I croak. "
This book reminded me of the show, Euphoria. So if you're into that and want something in between waiting for Season Two, here's your little golden nugget! Another thing that I really want to draw attention to is the fact that this book is advertised as YA (Young Adult), when it is seriously not! It is definitely NA (New Adult) with all the steamy and graphic scenes you could expect in one. Which brings me to the fact that this is an absolute panty-dropper, folks. If it's not entertaining you, making your heart ache or asking you to pull your hair out - it's being the book equivalent of a sauna. If you haven't already read this (which is highly unlikely, I just live under my safe rock) and you're a fan of "hate to love you, love to hate you scenes," then you're going to devour this book. I know I certainly did.
"Because I want to kill Daria. Daria made everything fade into the background the first time I saw her, and while I was busy admiring, everything around us burned."
"He wanted me broken. A beautiful, hollow shell to break open and fuck into. It wasn’t enough to own my person and rape my body. He wanted to empty"He wanted me broken. A beautiful, hollow shell to break open and fuck into. It wasn’t enough to own my person and rape my body. He wanted to empty my soul so that the only thing I was filled with was his cock and his cum."
This started really good and I really enjoyed Giana Darling's descriptive (although sometimes grammatically incorrect) writing. There were some awkward phrases but I really got into it. Yes, this was really dark and really gritty! There are many triggers and frankly, it wasn't the fact that this was too dark for me. I really just couldn't get into the MCs. The language was unrealistic and the rape felt too easily passed over. I wanted Cosima to have more of a backbone against her master. Alexander felt like a spoilt rich brat that was often very repetitive. The twists were predictable and all in all, I just wanted more. I might consider reading the next installment but *shruggg*...more
This had so much potential but I really wish it felt more taboo. There was a lot of talk about how forbidden they were, but when it came downdnf @45%
This had so much potential but I really wish it felt more taboo. There was a lot of talk about how forbidden they were, but when it came down to atmosphere and characters, it seemed like everyone was okay with them being together??? I really wish it was more slow burn, were we could feel the sexual tension between them. The fact that he was her guardian since she was twelve and then proceeded to have a sexual attraction towards her seemed to be taken very normally by everyone. ...more
"There’s something about the warmth and depth of her eyes that makes it impossible to think. It’s like slipping into a warm bath until you’re so en"There’s something about the warmth and depth of her eyes that makes it impossible to think. It’s like slipping into a warm bath until you’re so enthralled you wouldn’t even notice if you drowned."
[image] [image] I was really looking forward to getting into this one, and although it's around the 2.5 rating - I enjoyed myself in some occasions.
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A Nordic KingI'm going to keep this review really short.
This is my first Karina Halle book. I've heard so much about how lovely her writing and her books are, I actually squealed a bit when I saw this on my kindle.
I think I need to stop hyping books and authors in my head. It's not fair for both parties.
When Aurora finds out that she is going to be the nanny for the two little princesses of Denmark, she never expects her boss - The King Of Denmark - to be a royal pain in the ass. King Aksel is fourteen years older than her and completely off limits - but Aurora can't help but feel a sense of attraction to him.
"There is no one way to fall in love. It may scar you, make its mark, but that fall, that impact, is different for everyone."
That was the main falling factor for me. I really couldn't feel the spark or the chemistry. This book was humorous and such a little gem to cuddle up to. Yet, it seriously felt like it was lacking some sparks! With a story and a trope that has been done before, it did contain its fair few of cringe lines and cliche "the girl trips over and looks up at the guy" moments, but I actually enjoy all those if it's paired with some killer steam.
I enjoyed many moments though and will be reading more of Halle in the future!...more
"I would always remember that, the way he made parts of me ache that I had never felt before. I would always be thankful for that."
[image] Having r"I would always remember that, the way he made parts of me ache that I had never felt before. I would always be thankful for that."
[image] Having reasonably enjoyed Anna Todd's After Series, this was something of a letdown for me. It had its perks that made you want to read on... but they were a few and a well-spaced few.
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To Begin, I have always taken notes on the books I read. I used to highlight, jot down and (vandalize) every book that meant something to me. However, when I started blogging late last year - I ended up doing it with every book I read. Regardless of its format.
I do this so when it comes to review time, my review ends up being an honest interpretation of what I was feeling whilst reading the book. Sometimes that affects the rating, sometimes it doesn't. I often do it to remember the good moments, but there are some books that I highlight quotes so I can back up the claims I'm making on my review.
While I was reading back my notes in time for this review, I ended up laughing because;
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I can explain that last one. I found myself to be so unfocused on the plot that my head had managed to subconsciously think of all the other things I should be doing, and so I wrote down that I had to buy groceries on my kindle so I would remember the next day. I bought the milk, don't worry babes ;)
That long winded introduction leads me to the first thing about this book that didn't mesh well with me. It had a premise and blurb that seemed so promising and unique, yet nothing really hooked on to me. I was reading because I had to and not because I want to. That being said, I actually remember enjoying her After series and her writing albeit atypical really works well with me. This book just didn't .
The plot was mainly two dimensional and so were the characters for me. There were some really cliche and "instal-love" moments that had me cringing and wishing that the execution was better. I ended up fleshing out the setting and the context more than the characters and that made it really hard to invest myself into their chemistry.
Cliffhanger Warning If you've already read the reviews, I'm pretty sure a lot of them will warn you that this is a part of a series. When the book had just been added to Goodreads, there was no indication that it wasn't a standalone and I went into it thinking that it was. There is a cliffhanger ending but I don't know if I plan on reading on.
There wasn't any dialogue that felt realistic, a lot of lapses in narration and just an overall awkward feeling. The writing often had an "I did this then that then went there and did that" undertone with the flow and pace. I'm used to Anna Todd's unusually lengthy bouts of inner monologue in her text. However, in this it completely swallowed the romance and the story of the characters and their development.
I think there was a reach for a slowborn but all I could feel was the slow... ...more
“You go after one, you go after all. You know the rules.”
[image] [image] [image] [image] This review took a while because of the following; - personal“You go after one, you go after all. You know the rules.”
[image] [image] [image] [image] This review took a while because of the following; - personally, this book dragged too much and it took self motivation to finish - I really wanted to like this and I kept forcing myself because I really want to experience the hype behind TIJAN.
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Meet The Crew i. Jordan Pitts ii. Zellman Greenly iii. Cross Shaw iv. Bren Monroe
I nearly had a problem with all fucking four;
i. Jordan was probably the only one I didn't really mind, and that was purely because his dialogue and scene presence was minimal.
ii. “She gives good head.” Zellman shook his head. “You know how rare that is? Not a lot of girls give good head. They’re not properly taught.” - Enough said.
iii. Cross felt too one dimensional. He is our love interest, and let me just say - I did not even get a hint of chemistry. I actually was confused in the start and spent time trying to decipher who the love interest was because it felt like there was no spark. Then there's Bren...
iv. Bren Monroe pissed the living hell out of me. I understood why she was the way she was, but I just couldn't get on board with how childish she acted. Mind you, she is a child and I often looked past different situations because of this. There was occasional moments where I sympathized with her, but those moments were short and far spread.
"That was my crew. Along with Jordan, there were two others besides myself—Cross Shaw and Zellman Greenly. My name is Bren Monroe, and even though I’m in the middle of this whole dark diatribe, and even though we look like the bad guys right now, things aren’t always as they seem."
The Plot I feel like this was the biggest issue I had with this book. Nothing hooked me enough that I didn't forget about the page count. I love that feeling when you're so into a book that you suddenly realize you only have three chapters left because HOLY SHIT! you've been glued to the page.
no. this did not occur in this one, folks.
Half the time, I had no idea what the hell was going on - nearly every second chapter there was a brawl or a fight and it had nearly no advancement in the plot or character development. This is definitely a slow burn in the romance department as well. Yet, I didn't feel a spark in the start to even start the burn; so when the h and H actually ended up getting together it felt like a straight forest burner. The plot moved way too slow for me and it dragged.
I know a lot of people who really enjoyed this, and I've been recommended the Fallen Crest series various times. So in my plight of trying to salvage love for both TIJAN's characters and writing, I might venture into that series later this year.
However, this one contained slut shaming, unrealistic teacher-student relationships and personal space violations galore. Not for me.
The "Normals"
"Sunday night. People had been to church this morning, and we’d beaten someone bloody this evening."
I felt like the concept of "crews" vs. "normals" and that segregation was too pushed. The concept was something really simple, yet the world building was inorganic because every possible time Crew was mentioned and the 'rules' that surrounded being in one, I felt like it was a research chapter. The idea is so unique and the blurb really had a lot of potential in my eyes but unfortunately, I felt like the execution could have been done better.
This review is really straight to the point and I feel like it might come out harsh in that way. I really do hope people don't experience what I did while reading this. You could completely tell the author spent a lot of time building both her world and her characters. You can also tell that there are subjects that could be so relevant to today's youth. Overall, I just couldn't get behind it (doesn't mean you cant ;)...more
[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.”
Alex ✰ Comets and Comments ✰
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