“I don’t want to die, but I want to live. People call that having a death wish.”
[image]
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.”
[image]
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!!
[image]
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.”
[image]
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!!
[image]
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
“Grayson, this is over.” I hold up my hands. The ankle shackles slow his advance, but don’t stop him. “It’s never over.” He positions himself betwe“Grayson, this is over.” I hold up my hands. The ankle shackles slow his advance, but don’t stop him. “It’s never over.” He positions himself between the door and me. “For this to be over, one of us has to die.”
[image]
[image]
Have you ever heard about an amazing plan where so many different things can go wrong?
________________
The Plot I had so much hope for Born, Darkly and although the premise intrigued me, I was skeptical on how the author managed to pull a romance with a serial killer. After finishing I realized, to me... this really wasn't a romance.
It fell more along the lines of a psychological thriller, and it read like an episode of Criminal Minds rather than a New Adult novel. With that purpose in mind, it actually kept me quite interested, it held certain points of suspense that made me want to read on! However, this is supposed to be a romance and as much as I want to give this book any more stars... I really can't.
This is definitely not for the faint of heart.
"Decorative art hangs strategically at eye level to keep my high-paying clients from staring at the shackled criminals in the waiting room."
Trisha Wolfe put the D (pun intended) in Dark. Unfortunately, the D felt more like political philosophy rather than erotica.
Nothing really got me going, in hindsight - seeing all the amazing reviews for this. I feel like I'm the pickiest and stingiest person out here. It wasn't all that attractive, and being a pacifist - murderers and serial killers and people who take other peoples lives in general? Dry as the Sahara.
“No, I see myself as a hunter. They’re not victims; they’re predators stalking the woods in search of prey. If they fall into the hunter’s trap, then they were in a place they never should have been.”
[image]
The Romance
"No, I do not believe rehabilitation is achievable. Especially for the Bundys and Dahmers of the world."
I agree with this quote (taken from the book!) so much! Let me explain why....
Meet Grayson Sullivan He is our lead 'hero' in this story:
“My patient is the Angel of Maine. He kills ruthlessly. Without mercy, though his moniker suggests otherwise. And there’s not a bone in my body that can find fault with his logic. All his victims were deserving of punishment. And I identify with him, because I’m glad they’re dead.”
[image]
What they all have in common: They have all killed people. There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone.
This book set out to take the Robin Hood complex with it's romance, we saw the equally deranged and broken thought processes of both Grayson and London. It showed how Grayson was killing and torturing people that 'deserved' to be killed because they were killers, or rapists, or criminal themselves. This allowed Grayson to become a vigilante.
In all honesty, those criminals and sick rapists, and murderers probably deserved things worse than death. However, once Grayson chose to take the law onto himself and he himself, started killing and torturing people? He was no better.
There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone. Murder is NOT sexy, at least not to me.
"The rules of psychoanalysis are simple: there are no rules. In this safe haven, I can confess my excitement, my arousal at watching the woman be bound and racked until her limbs snapped. But I won’t admit that aloud. I refuse to give in to him."
The Writing I really enjoyed the writing in this story. The narration was a brilliant tone that created a chilling atmosphere. It's mood was perfect for the topics it dealt with. At times, the story could get confusing, but I learnt early that, that was the style of the flow and rhythm of the pace.
“I hate you,” I whisper. “You hate everything but me.”
It made me uncomfortable a lot of the time. The dialogue felt a bit robotic and monotone, but that was defeated by the over empowering monologue with both the characters. The structure of the book was also really cool. It was strategically orchestrated so that every little jigsaw piece the reader got, was put into place later on in the story. So hats off to the author for that!
The last handful of chapters threw me off completely! I did not see any of that coming and the twist had me at the edge of my seat. I wanted to give this two stars for all the points mentioned above, but I felt at the end of the day - It would be doing my beliefs an injustice.
I'm a massive fan of dark romance, and over the years I've read some pretty fucked up shit. I think the fact that we got a psychological and 'therapy' side to this story made things harder to deal with. Especially with everything going on in our world at the moment. With more and more girls coming out and saying they have been raped. With more murder cases and school shootings, I felt in the cultural context of things. I couldn't get myself to feel any empathy for their love.
“It’s a simple yin yang; dark and light feeding each side and devouring. A snake eating it’s own tail. A vicious cycle.”
Merged review:
“Grayson, this is over.” I hold up my hands. The ankle shackles slow his advance, but don’t stop him. “It’s never over.” He positions himself between the door and me. “For this to be over, one of us has to die.”
[image]
[image]
Have you ever heard about an amazing plan where so many different things can go wrong?
________________
The Plot I had so much hope for Born, Darkly and although the premise intrigued me, I was skeptical on how the author managed to pull a romance with a serial killer. After finishing I realized, to me... this really wasn't a romance.
It fell more along the lines of a psychological thriller, and it read like an episode of Criminal Minds rather than a New Adult novel. With that purpose in mind, it actually kept me quite interested, it held certain points of suspense that made me want to read on! However, this is supposed to be a romance and as much as I want to give this book any more stars... I really can't.
This is definitely not for the faint of heart.
"Decorative art hangs strategically at eye level to keep my high-paying clients from staring at the shackled criminals in the waiting room."
Trisha Wolfe put the D (pun intended) in Dark. Unfortunately, the D felt more like political philosophy rather than erotica.
Nothing really got me going, in hindsight - seeing all the amazing reviews for this. I feel like I'm the pickiest and stingiest person out here. It wasn't all that attractive, and being a pacifist - murderers and serial killers and people who take other peoples lives in general? Dry as the Sahara.
“No, I see myself as a hunter. They’re not victims; they’re predators stalking the woods in search of prey. If they fall into the hunter’s trap, then they were in a place they never should have been.”
[image]
The Romance
"No, I do not believe rehabilitation is achievable. Especially for the Bundys and Dahmers of the world."
I agree with this quote (taken from the book!) so much! Let me explain why....
Meet Grayson Sullivan He is our lead 'hero' in this story:
“My patient is the Angel of Maine. He kills ruthlessly. Without mercy, though his moniker suggests otherwise. And there’s not a bone in my body that can find fault with his logic. All his victims were deserving of punishment. And I identify with him, because I’m glad they’re dead.”
[image]
What they all have in common: They have all killed people. There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone.
This book set out to take the Robin Hood complex with it's romance, we saw the equally deranged and broken thought processes of both Grayson and London. It showed how Grayson was killing and torturing people that 'deserved' to be killed because they were killers, or rapists, or criminal themselves. This allowed Grayson to become a vigilante.
In all honesty, those criminals and sick rapists, and murderers probably deserved things worse than death. However, once Grayson chose to take the law onto himself and he himself, started killing and torturing people? He was no better.
There is no scale in murder. Killing someone is killing someone. Murder is NOT sexy, at least not to me.
"The rules of psychoanalysis are simple: there are no rules. In this safe haven, I can confess my excitement, my arousal at watching the woman be bound and racked until her limbs snapped. But I won’t admit that aloud. I refuse to give in to him."
The Writing I really enjoyed the writing in this story. The narration was a brilliant tone that created a chilling atmosphere. It's mood was perfect for the topics it dealt with. At times, the story could get confusing, but I learnt early that, that was the style of the flow and rhythm of the pace.
“I hate you,” I whisper. “You hate everything but me.”
It made me uncomfortable a lot of the time. The dialogue felt a bit robotic and monotone, but that was defeated by the over empowering monologue with both the characters. The structure of the book was also really cool. It was strategically orchestrated so that every little jigsaw piece the reader got, was put into place later on in the story. So hats off to the author for that!
The last handful of chapters threw me off completely! I did not see any of that coming and the twist had me at the edge of my seat. I wanted to give this two stars for all the points mentioned above, but I felt at the end of the day - It would be doing my beliefs an injustice.
I'm a massive fan of dark romance, and over the years I've read some pretty fucked up shit. I think the fact that we got a psychological and 'therapy' side to this story made things harder to deal with. Especially with everything going on in our world at the moment. With more and more girls coming out and saying they have been raped. With more murder cases and school shootings, I felt in the cultural context of things. I couldn't get myself to feel any empathy for their love.
“It’s a simple yin yang; dark and light feeding each side and devouring. A snake eating it’s own tail. A vicious cycle.”
We got 22 pages. Let me deconstruct what I can after reading consuming th"I'm going to beat you fifteen-zero."
[image] [image] (Art by HamletMachine)
We got 22 pages. Let me deconstruct what I can after reading consuming those 22 pages in around 22 seconds.
It's fair to say that I am pretty much already sold on Nicholas and Seiji.
[image] [image] ___________________
HI HELLO, PLEASE 'READ ME LOUD AND QUEER'
The artwork is mouth-watering. I shit you not, Johanna the Mad has mad skills. The atmosphere that the artwork added in itself was beautiful enough to carry on the story. The only reason this is getting 3 stars, is I feel like it could have had more substance in it.
I know we are getting the sequel next month, December
But I still felt, like if I gave this anymore than 3 stars it would be a bias on the author and the artist, not on the story itself. Like a true reviewer, I would like to see how the rest of the story pans out and if it holds up to its greatness.
I really hope it makes us all burst. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ this is not a drill ladies and gentlemen. I repeat - this is not a fucking drill
[image]
Let me just catch you up on this wonderful thing that is going to swallow me whole and be a constant thought on my mind for the next 3 months.
*ahem*
★ C.S Pacat (need I say anymore?) ★ Fencing ★ Graphic Novel ★ Gay Love Story™ ★ Johanna the Mad's artwork ★ Ragtag group of boys ★ You don't know it yet but your next favorite comic series.
Meet the Characters [image] From Left to Right: Nicholas, Seiji, Harvard, Aiden, Jesse, Dante and Bobby
What we know so far:
Nicholas: "The main character is Nicholas. He’s sort of talented but roughly trained, he has the potential to be a world-class fencer but only if he can learn discipline and control. Unknown to everyone else in the comic, he's the illegitimate son of U.S. fencing Olympic champion Robert Coste. Nicholas grew up in tough conditions and gets in trouble a lot. He’s often in detention but he loves fencing. He's drawn to it out of a kind of yearning for his father."
Jesse: Nicholas' half brother. "Robert’s legitimate son, and fencing golden boy Jesse. Those two guys have never met before."
"As a result of Nicholas' passion, he gets a scholarship to an elite boys school called Kings Row where he's a fish out of water initially. But he learns to make friends and improve along the way."
Seiji: The other main character. "The best fencer on the team Japanese. Seiji is like a young fencing prodigy. He’s 16 years old and he's been training since the age of 6. All the other fencers either want to be him or beat him. But because of his talent, he's somewhat isolated. He spends his time with adult fencers or with coaches. Until he meets Nicholas he's lived quite an isolated life that's only about fencing and winning."
The supporting cast.
Aiden: "The mean playboy with a heart of gold" Harvard: "The goodhearted team captain" Coach Sally: "a former Olympic fencer in sabre, her lifelong rival in sabre, Alessandra, is coach of the rival team school."
So Nicholas and Seiji will be facing off against their coach’s greatest rival and her team throughout the series.
Sneak Peek into the artwork [image]
...
You guys, my heart is currently going through an asthma attack, and this book is its inhaler. I'm going to have to wait 3 months for my hearts metaphorical inhaler!!!!
Merged review:
"I'm going to beat you fifteen-zero."
[image] [image] (Art by HamletMachine)
We got 22 pages. Let me deconstruct what I can after reading consuming those 22 pages in around 22 seconds.
It's fair to say that I am pretty much already sold on Nicholas and Seiji.
[image] [image] ___________________
HI HELLO, PLEASE 'READ ME LOUD AND QUEER'
The artwork is mouth-watering. I shit you not, Johanna the Mad has mad skills. The atmosphere that the artwork added in itself was beautiful enough to carry on the story. The only reason this is getting 3 stars, is I feel like it could have had more substance in it.
I know we are getting the sequel next month, December
But I still felt, like if I gave this anymore than 3 stars it would be a bias on the author and the artist, not on the story itself. Like a true reviewer, I would like to see how the rest of the story pans out and if it holds up to its greatness.
I really hope it makes us all burst. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ this is not a drill ladies and gentlemen. I repeat - this is not a fucking drill
[image]
Let me just catch you up on this wonderful thing that is going to swallow me whole and be a constant thought on my mind for the next 3 months.
*ahem*
★ C.S Pacat (need I say anymore?) ★ Fencing ★ Graphic Novel ★ Gay Love Story™ ★ Johanna the Mad's artwork ★ Ragtag group of boys ★ You don't know it yet but your next favorite comic series.
Meet the Characters [image] From Left to Right: Nicholas, Seiji, Harvard, Aiden, Jesse, Dante and Bobby
What we know so far:
Nicholas: "The main character is Nicholas. He’s sort of talented but roughly trained, he has the potential to be a world-class fencer but only if he can learn discipline and control. Unknown to everyone else in the comic, he's the illegitimate son of U.S. fencing Olympic champion Robert Coste. Nicholas grew up in tough conditions and gets in trouble a lot. He’s often in detention but he loves fencing. He's drawn to it out of a kind of yearning for his father."
Jesse: Nicholas' half brother. "Robert’s legitimate son, and fencing golden boy Jesse. Those two guys have never met before."
"As a result of Nicholas' passion, he gets a scholarship to an elite boys school called Kings Row where he's a fish out of water initially. But he learns to make friends and improve along the way."
Seiji: The other main character. "The best fencer on the team Japanese. Seiji is like a young fencing prodigy. He’s 16 years old and he's been training since the age of 6. All the other fencers either want to be him or beat him. But because of his talent, he's somewhat isolated. He spends his time with adult fencers or with coaches. Until he meets Nicholas he's lived quite an isolated life that's only about fencing and winning."
The supporting cast.
Aiden: "The mean playboy with a heart of gold" Harvard: "The goodhearted team captain" Coach Sally: "a former Olympic fencer in sabre, her lifelong rival in sabre, Alessandra, is coach of the rival team school."
So Nicholas and Seiji will be facing off against their coach’s greatest rival and her team throughout the series.
Sneak Peek into the artwork [image]
...
You guys, my heart is currently going through an asthma attack, and this book is its inhaler. I'm going to have to wait 3 months for my hearts metaphorical inhaler!!!!...more
"Seven years, and this is how you want to meet, angel?" [image] [image]
HOLY MOTHERF#@%....
I'm going to start right off the bat by saying if this revi "Seven years, and this is how you want to meet, angel?" [image] [image]
HOLY MOTHERF#@%....
I'm going to start right off the bat by saying if this review was going off how hot this book got me, it would break my rating scale. I needed a cold shower multiple times while reading this. I needed to close the book and calm my heart. If you look close enough, you'll find little tiny shatters of my heart lying somewhere on my carpet.
The Steam Well, Shit. If there was one thing this book did not lack in - it was sexual tension.
"Did you fantasize I kept them? Maybe with a little red bow tied neatly around the stack as I jerk off to them, because I love your pretty words so much?" [image]
Penelope Douglas knows the exact words to get you feeling hot and bothered in 2 seconds flat. All be it, at times the extreme mood and atmosphere changes between Ryen and Misha gave me whiplash, that was only a minor fallback I had.
"I part my lips, running them over the lip ring and savoring the feel as he groans and digs his fingers into my thighs. I tighten my legs around him, needing to feel him.
'Bitch' he whispers. 'Loser.' "
[image]
The Twists I loved that every small questionable aspect that I went through as a reader, led up to something - and a lot of the time, it was never something that I suspected. It really kept me on my toes. Overall, the story was fleshed out well and didn't get lost under all the sexual tension between the two main characters. In my eyes, there was more to it than just your regular romance.
I also really enjoyed the dual points of view we got and we got to go through the story with both the known and unknown variables in the plot. Both Ryen and Misha had distinct voices through the story that added to it.
Misha was a character that I hated to love. I loved the way we got to see the little vulnerabilities that cracked through his tough exterior but we also got to see his journey of loving and losing.
NOT TO MENTION THE DAMN DIRTY TALK!
"I'm his. All of me. I want him all over me." [image]
This is where the rapid breaths and the spiked heart rate comes in because woooowwww. I was a hot mess and not gonna lie - still kinda am. [image]
The Romance Love - Hate romances are almost always a hit with me, I tend to enjoy the banter and the tension that comes with it. In all aspects, Punk 57 did not fail to impress.
"You're my tribe, Ryen" [image] "Tell me I'm yours"
The romance was high-school centered which could make it hard for the author to make it realistic enough for the readers to believe that these characters are teenagers. At points, I had a little scrunch of the brows and couldn't really imagine high schoolers doing, or saying some things that occurred in the story. That got over-ruled really fast by the myriad of realistic moments that happened in the story-line. Overall, Punk 57 is definitely a book I will read again sometime and its already found its place on my favorites shelf.
Merged review:
"Seven years, and this is how you want to meet, angel?" [image] [image]
HOLY MOTHERF#@%....
I'm going to start right off the bat by saying if this review was going off how hot this book got me, it would break my rating scale. I needed a cold shower multiple times while reading this. I needed to close the book and calm my heart. If you look close enough, you'll find little tiny shatters of my heart lying somewhere on my carpet.
The Steam Well, Shit. If there was one thing this book did not lack in - it was sexual tension.
"Did you fantasize I kept them? Maybe with a little red bow tied neatly around the stack as I jerk off to them, because I love your pretty words so much?" [image]
Penelope Douglas knows the exact words to get you feeling hot and bothered in 2 seconds flat. All be it, at times the extreme mood and atmosphere changes between Ryen and Misha gave me whiplash, that was only a minor fallback I had.
"I part my lips, running them over the lip ring and savoring the feel as he groans and digs his fingers into my thighs. I tighten my legs around him, needing to feel him.
'Bitch' he whispers. 'Loser.' "
[image]
The Twists I loved that every small questionable aspect that I went through as a reader, led up to something - and a lot of the time, it was never something that I suspected. It really kept me on my toes. Overall, the story was fleshed out well and didn't get lost under all the sexual tension between the two main characters. In my eyes, there was more to it than just your regular romance.
I also really enjoyed the dual points of view we got and we got to go through the story with both the known and unknown variables in the plot. Both Ryen and Misha had distinct voices through the story that added to it.
Misha was a character that I hated to love. I loved the way we got to see the little vulnerabilities that cracked through his tough exterior but we also got to see his journey of loving and losing.
NOT TO MENTION THE DAMN DIRTY TALK!
"I'm his. All of me. I want him all over me." [image]
This is where the rapid breaths and the spiked heart rate comes in because woooowwww. I was a hot mess and not gonna lie - still kinda am. [image]
The Romance Love - Hate romances are almost always a hit with me, I tend to enjoy the banter and the tension that comes with it. In all aspects, Punk 57 did not fail to impress.
"You're my tribe, Ryen" [image] "Tell me I'm yours"
The romance was high-school centered which could make it hard for the author to make it realistic enough for the readers to believe that these characters are teenagers. At points, I had a little scrunch of the brows and couldn't really imagine high schoolers doing, or saying some things that occurred in the story. That got over-ruled really fast by the myriad of realistic moments that happened in the story-line. Overall, Punk 57 is definitely a book I will read again sometime and its already found its place on my favorites shelf....more
Let me tell you about my favourite NA fantasy book of 2019. _______"It doesn’t end in death. It ends in hope."
[image] [image] [image] [image]
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.”
[image] [image]
The first three chapters were a solid 5 stars, everything after felt like"You focused on the battle and lost sight of the war.”
[image] [image]
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
"Every minute you’re alive is a second chance to start over. I honor my past, but I don’t live in it. I choose this moment instead. Right here." "Every minute you’re alive is a second chance to start over. I honor my past, but I don’t live in it. I choose this moment instead. Right here."
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Siri, how do I put my heart back together after Emma Scott so elegantly broke it in two? [image] _______________
I'm not crying, you're crying.
This book. This. heartbreakingly. beautiful. book. Emma Scott achieved the impossible with this book.
I want this book to be in every high school library. I want this book handed out at Pride. I want this book to be read by every single person that thinks that they're alone in love.
This book is ugly. It's heavy and more times than not, you feel like you can't carry it. It's tough to chew and harder to swallow. It made me wince and cringe and I had to put my kindle away many many times. But this book is necessary. It took many different forms of hate and showed how there is only one universal form of love.
Emma Scott will always be one of my favourite authors. This book is no exception and only deepened my love for her writing and aptitude for storytelling. Except, with this book - it wasn't really a story because the things that happen in this book are still happening. Someday, Someday deals with the plight of love. It deals with Max Kaufman who was thrown out of his house by his family for being found with a boy. Then, Silas Marsh who at a very young age was sent to sexuality conversion therapy where he was tortured and terrorized. It portrays the destructive and futile values of homophobia whilst dealing with people who are undergoing immense mental battles. It shows how Max and Silas find each other as recovering drug addicts but mostly, how they find themselves through each other.
So yes. Whatever you're imagining when I say that this book is heavy and deals with topics that are necessary, double it.
"Don’t let go. Hold on and you’ll be safe. Let go and you’ll never be the same again."
I think this was the toughest out of all Emma's books that I have read. So many times during reading, I found myself sobbing. Because through all the animosity, hatred and trauma within this book, it is nothing if not a story of forgiveness. I struggled with this book a lot, in all honesty. It's very hard to focus on a love story, a romance between two people who have such tragic histories. The narrative we were given was not light in any way and then we got these screenshots of Max and Silas slowly falling in love. But by then end, I realized that, that was the entire point.
It goes to say that I'm only a reader, and a very small drop in the ocean that is Emma's Entourage but I am so, so fucking proud of Emma Scott because of this book.
Someday, Someday is a heart-wrenching tour de force that steals the air right from your lungs. It's ambitiously driven by hope and after hurting you and ripping you apart, it builds you back up again. I'm proud of Emma because no matter how painful and upsetting Silas and Max's story was, she refused to make it pretty, because that wouldn't be the truth. That's why it's her most beautiful book to date.
My heart hurt for so many people (Eddie deserves nothing more than a hug and the best life). My only slight problem was that I found some things (mostly dialogue) to be jarring and occasionally insensitive. Although the story started off somewhat slow, I was captivated a third way in and then it became unputdownable. I can so safely say though that Emma writes the stories that I wish I had the chance to experience for the first time, every time I re-read them.
“It’s funny to think,” Maria chipped in, “but if this was an actual rom‑com, you’d end up with the arrogant writer who, it would turn out, was only“It’s funny to think,” Maria chipped in, “but if this was an actual rom‑com, you’d end up with the arrogant writer who, it would turn out, was only using his massive ego to hide an endearing lack of confidence.” There was a moment of stunned silence in which we both stared at her. “I’m kidding! You’d never fall for that cockhat.”
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This was such an amazing book to curl up with. A feel-good, laugh-out-loud, insane romcom with a whole bunch of meet cutes that'll have you constantly turning the page! [image] _______________
Made for Netflix Before I start on my actual review of this book, I just want to say that this has all the ingredients for a perfectly unrealistic Netflix romcom that would be a complete hit! All the while I was reading this, I could just imagine it going from page to screen...
So, this was actually really enjoyable! I thought it was cute and inherently light enough to make me fly through it in more or less a couple days! I think it's perfect that this book is set to release in the month of December because it would be such a fluffy Christmas-time, Holiday-esque read... (even though it has nothing to do with either. There is a passing christmas scene, and that's pretty much it.) But, it's the atmosphere that had me reading this and gobbling it up like chocolate! It truly felt like a silly, insanely dramatized romantic comedy that you would see on the big screen. It was comical and didn't take itself too seriously, so I will definitely be reading this author again!
“No, she is not okay. For sodding’s sake, Janet, pass me a moist towelette.”
Rachel Winters delivers a really fun, hilarious and event-packed book that had me loving Evie Summers by the minute. Evie has to recreate a bunch of famous meet-cutes in order to keep her job. So begins a classic tale of awkward moments, adorable side-characters, class A dialogue and "love interests" that had going from cringes to smiles. The humor in this was very tongue-in-cheek and so many bizzare things ended up happening. Evie stayed true to herself from start to finish, and I loved seeing a female lead that didn't have that "damsel in distress" characteristic that most romcoms lean towards.
While I found it really addictive, there were some elements that I struggled with. Notably, there were A LOT of cliches in this book. From the gay best friend to the group of girls as support and even the single hot dad (which isn't to say that I didn't love Annette... she had my heart and soul). The ending was unique and although I didn't see it coming, some scenes lacked the bravado that I enjoyed during the first half of the book. The magic slowly simmered down towards the end, and everything felt fragmented and rushed. Yet, this is not to say that I didn't really like the "lesson" this book teaches, I did! I found the message behind this book deeper than it let on and I wasn't expecting that at all.
(view spoiler)[The main thing that ended up making this 3 stars was the fact that I found both the main love interests to be manipulative and unkind at times. While I loved Evie, I hated Ezra and began to be irritated with Ben towards the end. (hide spoiler)]...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.
“Can you please stop being so beautiful and real and alive all over my house like you own it or something?”
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I finished this in a d“Can you please stop being so beautiful and real and alive all over my house like you own it or something?”
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I finished this in a day and now the bags under my eyes are Gucci.
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A Note From Alex (after reading all the notes in this book, especially the chocolate one).
Whenever I finish a book, Goodreads (my number one cheerleader) always sends me an email telling me that I have actually finished the book (as if I didn't know it myself, you'd think). But this time when GR sent me this;
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I felt like Goodreads just knew (call it kismet) that this book and I are undergoing some challenges. Initially, I gave this four stars but upon looking back, I'm sticking with my 3 star rating. This is honestly the hardest rating I have ever had to debate. Because, if I'm being honest with myself... I probably enjoyed this a lot but I know that I shouldn't have.
Here's the thing. This book was fucking addicting. I burned lasagna while reading this book... I didn't hear the oven ding and then my lasagna burnt. So in order to truly know this book's rating for me; I'm asking myself now: "What it worth burning the lasagna, Alex? Was it worth having to scrape all that cheesy goodness into the bin and feel immense guilt whilst doing so?"
Here's the dilemma. During the time, yes. It was very worth it. Now? Not so much.
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In The Unlikely Event is something so different to what Shen normally puts out that I couldn't help but pick it up. It's not really a "christmas" romance, but it's a winter one. We follow Mal and Rory's story of love, loss and heartbreak. It was comical and didn't take itself seriously at all, and I loved it even more because of that. It was hot, captivating and so nail-bitingly, page turningly addictive that I really didn't get much sleep.
I loved the different narratives and I found myself laughing out loud during some moments. That is also to say though, that this book is not all comedy. It deals with really sensitive issues and in true LJ fashion, the angst is so unbearably thick, it's better than any soap opera or reality TV show I've ever watched. It's also safe to say, that I unfortunately can no longer look at chocolate the same way. This is not a bad or a good thing. Just different.
The banter between Rory and Mal was probably my favourite aspect of this book. Also, if there is any one romance writer that can take the same trope (enemies to lovers) in all her books but still manage to keep me captivated... it's this one. I rooted for so many different people in this book and although it drained me when I came to the end chapter, I felt like I went on a really long holiday.
"Want to know if you love someone? Watch them suffer and see how much it tears you apart."
But then why do I also feel like I wasted such a great (it was mediocre, I fuck up cereal on my best days), awesomely-dished lasagna? For one thing, it's always heartbreaking when you have to compost carbs. But, for reasons more suited to this review; this book frustrated the fucking lights out of me.
Yes, we already know that Shen writes up the most problematic, toxic and dysfunctional relationships but still manages to make you hooked over wanting to know what happens. I knew this going in, I came prepped for the assholes and the triggers. Just to let you know, the hero in this book is manipulative, conniving and so rude for a good part of the book. The heroine is also frustratingly juvenile and oblivious to so much. Half the time, I wished Rory would have just demanded to understand what was going on. Regardless, Rory and Mal end up being sickly cute and this book definitely amped up the steam.
But I'm going to lay some other things out. Spoilers Ahead
❄︎ The relationship in this book is based on insta-love. This usually never works for me but I looked past it in this book. ❄︎ The amount of miscommunication in this book could give an airline company's customer service rep a run for their fucking money. ❄︎ If LJ Shen ever writes a book with 100% women supporting women, I might actually slip into a coma. There is so much animosity between female relationships in this book that just hurt my heart immensely. ❄︎ Something that would have been so mindblowingly unique is if the topic of "loving someone whilst being in a relationship" was tackled with no cheating involved. It was so obvious that I actually thought that no one would cheat in this book. I was so wrong. ❄︎ Another thing I really wished for was for Callum (Rory's boyfriend) not to be villainized in order to cop out of the relationship. I cant stress this enough but breaking up with someone because you don't have feelings for them anymore is a very valid reason. I wish authors didn't villainize the significant other in order to "make up" for the fact that they are being broken up with because suddenly if they're not the best person, then it's okay for the MC to move on and be with someone else. ❄︎ This last one is probably the most important one. There is a rape scene in this book, and I won't put this section under a "hide spoiler" thing because this is an important trigger warning to anyone that is going to read this book. I wish it was given as a caveat in the book itself but *sigh.* The rape scene in this book needed to be dealt with so much more care and importance, rather than just being an event that occurs in the storyline.
Through all those problems... I still soldiered on. LJ Shen is really truly my biggest guilty pleasure. I know that all of the tropes and aspects of her books are so fucking problematic and controversial, but I still read this like a fanatic. This book is far from perfect but I swallowed it entirely....more
“There was something else afoot that October, something else stretching and straining and panting, but it was mostly as of yet unseen.”
[image] [“There was something else afoot that October, something else stretching and straining and panting, but it was mostly as of yet unseen.”
[image] [image] [image] [image] [image] Call Down the Hawk didn't hit like a freight train, nor did it call for any fantastical shocks... The true magic of this novel is the fact that it is a subtle triumph. Stiefvater wrote a tour de force that caused me to lose my breath through its soft complexities. _______________
Tamquam, Alter Idem Without giving much away, Call Down the Hawk explores the world of dreamers as well as the dreamed. It presents a fresh new cast of characters (including the Lynch brothers) that you'll both love, hate and hate to love.
→ Our first main character, Ronan Lynch discovers that his dreams have been infiltrated by a voice that wants him to both understand his capabilities as well as the world around him. → Jordan Hennessy is struggling with herself, she's not living a life that's her own and if there is a single character that you should begin this story knowing nothing about, she is the one. → Carmen Farooq-Lane is a huntress that tracks both dreamers and their visionaries, hers is a tale of the end times. → Declan Lynch wins your heart by stealing it first. He has a handful of lies, a handful of truths and very interesting shoes. → Matthew Lynch was made to hug. He possibly has the shortest page time, but has a story to tell nevertheless, and I feel like we are going to be seeing a lot more of him in the coming sequel.
“No idea sounded like a good idea when you had only one shot left.”
These characters made the entire book for me. It would be hard to talk about CDTH without mentioning The Raven Cycle, so I'm going to get it over with now. Maggie Stiefvater has a talent with her characters, each so unique and tragic in their own way. I loved Ronan during TRC and if possible, I love him even more so after this book. It was wonderful to be in Ronan's mind and understand his conflicts and desires throughout the novel. There is seemingly nothing better than the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his bird, Chainsaw. (Except for maybe the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his boyfriend, Adam Parrish).
"Tamquam,” said Adam. "Wait," said Ronan. "Tamquam,” he said again, gently. "Alter idem," Ronan said, and found himself alone.
The character dynamics within the different relationships were so cleverly written. Alongside the development and growth you see from start to finish is captivating to say the least. This book is not without its flaws but I feel like none of them warranted a four-star rating. A caveat; I will say that although the character engagement is alike TRC - the similarities stop there, the atmosphere of CTDH is very different. The world of dreamers is desperately darker than the world in which a group of teenagers hunt down a dead welsh king. The way the plot is handled and the pacing is also very different, so my thought would be to go into this with the understanding that it's completely separate to that of TRC.
“You think it's hard for you to hear the dreams when you're far away from your mountains. From our ley line. From your forest. from Lindenmere. That's not right. It's not wrong, but it's only half right. It's hard for the dreams to hear you.”
This book made me ache, laugh, pine and hope... so much hope. I want to put another cautionary note that although Adam and Ronan have moments in CDTH. This novel is not in anyway focused on their relationship. Adam is a large part of Ronan's life but they're now on different paths going different directions in an effort to come to themselves. But this is not to say that they aren't still the two soft cinnamon rolls desperately in love with each other. Also, for those that are expecting ride or die friendships like the gang in TRC, this is not that either. It's darker and more dire... it focuses on a very different dynamic. I fell in love with the slow-building in this book because of that reason. If anything, Maggie Stiefvater just proved to me that she can write more than one trick.
“You are made of dreams and this world is not for you.”
Another major contributor to my adoration of this book was Stiefvater's writing. To give you an idea, I read the prologue and everything inside me felt at peace but electric at the same time. Her writing is lyrical and the effect is somewhat of a trance; I could not put this book down. I flew through the pages and was consumed with the need to know what happens!! In an effort to try and encapsulate what a gem of a book this was;
What it was: the interconnected lives of a bunch of misfits, some who dream, some who have come from dreams and some who want the world to stop dreaming. What we didn't know we needed in life: For Parsifal Bauer to reach peak Parsifalness. What we got: ronan and declan making a routine list, a room full of murder crabs, a Lynch falling in love, a black market for weird fantasy objects, ronan being soft for adam and adam being adam, the many frustrating exchanges of business cards and, a return to Lindenmere.
“We fool ourselves better than anyone when we're afraid.”
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