So...the cute hot guy who used you, lied to you, GOT YOU FIRED because he thinks "you're bettSPOILERS***
I'm a bit in shock right now so bear with me~~
So...the cute hot guy who used you, lied to you, GOT YOU FIRED because he thinks "you're better than that place...you deserve better", and then stalks you until you hear him out etc is in fact the love interest (let that sink in) AND the solution to all your problems
Winter's Fairytale started out great, the heroine, Izzy, was so likable, quirky and funny, and I was especially happy about the fact that I was readinWinter's Fairytale started out great, the heroine, Izzy, was so likable, quirky and funny, and I was especially happy about the fact that I was reading another holiday romance with a nice male love interest, nice as in "not a jerk with extreme mood swings who’s only interested in sexing up the heroine until after much angst and denial when he finally admits he loves her like a madman", I’m done with this type of plot and it was a relief to see how Rob, the main male character, was always so kind and sweet and thoughtful towards Izzy, a gentleman really.
...And then the second part of the book happened.
Here’s the thing, I don’t mind the occasional misunderstanding born from the inane choice of not communicating, even if the result is always unnecessary internal havoc, all the angsty feelings and tears, I really don’t, sometimes I even find this plot device entertaining, BUT this book takes it to the extreme, because pretty much the entire romance is built on misunderstandings and it’s so frustrating, he thinks she wants this, she thinks he wants that, no one ever says what they want to say, their actions don’t reflect what their hearts and minds want so badly, and somehow, amongst all this nonsense, love is still happening. (???)
Summing up: good writing and witty dialogues, the main characters have great chemistry, and I particularly enjoyed their easy and friendly banter, it’s just a shame that they assume so much all the time instead of being honest with each other and talking things out. It’s also a shame that this situation turns Rob partially into the jerk I mentioned earlier, those mood swings were very, very unpleasant.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.) ...more
In Real Life had a lot of potential, I love the whole idea of “two people become best friends online and eventually fall in l***Mild spoilers ahead***
In Real Life had a lot of potential, I love the whole idea of “two people become best friends online and eventually fall in love without ever meeting in person�, it’s the new millennium love story but with a touch of classic romance to it, like two lovers who live far, far away from each other and only have their letters to each other to keep their romance going.
So, why didn’t this book work for me? Well, first of all, I could never relate to the main character, Hannah, I felt like she was always whining about something to someone or to herself, which means that she got on my nerves pretty early on.
Next thing that bothered me, and this was not just regarding Hannah, but also Grace, her slightly older sister, and Lo, the hometown best friend, was their totally reckless, risky, seriously stupid behavior, I mean, these three girls drive all the way to Las Vegas so Hannah can finally meet Nick, the online best-friend-possibly-more-than-that, and once they get there and things don’t go exactly like Hannah was hoping, the sister and the best friend basically ditch her to hook up with strange boys. In Las Vegas. While Hannah is upset and heartbroken, and at some point even drunk for the first time ever. Her sister and best friend totally forget about her and let her roam about the city, the casinos, hotels and shady rooms with strange guys. A teenager. Drunk. Honestly, I read the entire Las Vegas part of the book in a deep state of unease and horror.
I honestly don’t want to give anything major away, and I swear I’m trying my best not to reveal Nick’s secrets and why Hannah gets so upset and heartbroken (although you can probably guess), but I have to say this, so please bear with me, or please stop reading if you fear spoilers: the way both of them behave when they finally get some alone time is NOT okay. It was shameful, really. Both Hannah and Nick’s behavior: shameful. Lowkey or not, cheating is NOT okay. Flirting/actively seeking out alone time with someone who’s in a relationship because you think “he/she was mine first� is NOT okay. Even if you love this other person, you don’t do that to your girlfriend/boyfriend or to some else’s girlfriend/boyfriend. Nothing about this was cute or romantic---it was sh*tty. I’m sorry but I call it as I see it.
Also, what’s up with all these kids parents? The entire book: not even one lousy phone call.
The ending felt too forced for me, like everything and everyone was running out of time. Also, that last Nick-and-the-band big secret wasn't the least bit surprising because it was kind of obvious and I guessed it in the first couple of chapters.
In conclusion, can’t recommend this one based on the plethora of things that bothered me about this story and these characters---there was honestly nothing in it or about them that I could relate to. I basically spent the entire book shaking my head at the wrongness of it all: the silly and careless behavior, the many annoying misunderstandings and lies, the NOT OKAY romance. Read at your own risk.
(I received an eARC of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.) ...more
This book tells the story of a young man, Jake, who finds a letter from a girl who went missing along with a friend many years ago in his hometown andThis book tells the story of a young man, Jake, who finds a letter from a girl who went missing along with a friend many years ago in his hometown and that makes him want to investigate the disappearance. Well, at least that's the idea, and one would think this book is full of interesting detective work scenes, enigmatic clues, dramatic plot twists and the likes, but the reality of things is that this story gives way more importance to a silly, eye-rolling romance going on between Jake and the new girl at school, Julie. The investigation of the cold case happens almost as an afterthought between all the romantic drama and in the form of various trips here and there to interview someone who knew the missing girls.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for romance in any given form, but it has to be GOOD, and certainly not an annoying love-triangle/square that feeds on a series of foolish misunderstandings, starring a very immature boy who has no problem calling a girl "bitch". Call me crazy but, yeah, this is not my favorite type of romance.
Another thing that baffled me, and had me rolling my eyes constantly, was how this guy who presents himself as an unpopular high school nerd, who complains about only having ten dates and one girlfriend in his 18 years of life, and who cuts his hair and dresses like his father, suddenly has at least 3 girls hitting on him, and they're all hot and extremely beautiful, and some even stay overnight at his house when he's home alone, wear his clothes and cook meals for him. Soooo realistic, right?
I'm sorry, but this to me sounds more like a never-in-your-wildest-dreams chain of events.
Back to the cold case, honestly, I guessed what had happened to the girls pretty early in the story, so that ending was no surprise to me.
Can't recommend this one.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)...more
I'm just going to forget I read this book. I refuse to let a silly insta-love, horrible just horrible jerk of a hero, or a extremely annoying and repeI'm just going to forget I read this book. I refuse to let a silly insta-love, horrible just horrible jerk of a hero, or a extremely annoying and repetitive story taint my love for JQ....more
DNF. This guy is so disgusting and abusive that I can't even read past chapter 5. DNF. This guy is so disgusting and abusive that I can't even read past chapter 5. ...more
Utterly heartbroken to say this but: I DIDN’T LIKE A LISA KLEYPAS COUPLE. They just didn’t do it for me in any way, hence the rating, which only gets Utterly heartbroken to say this but: I DIDN’T LIKE A LISA KLEYPAS COUPLE. They just didn’t do it for me in any way, hence the rating, which only gets to be positive because of everything else going on in this book, mainly the other characters, the Ravenel sisters are awfully adorable and amusing, and West grew so, so much I was constantly surprised and so proud of him, plus the sheer cuteness of the dogs and the pet pig! [image]
Back to the couple, Kathleen looked to be a promising character in her first appearance but *cue Devon* and she immediately became a submissive, annoying, hypocrite damsel in distress. It infuriated me to no end how Devon would order her about and she’d act all offended but ended up obeying anyway. Like, excuse me?? And the way she lectures everyone all the time on propriety but *cue Devon* and yiiss, let’s have wild hardcore sex on the floor of the dining room at breakfast hour.
???? Other thing I disliked immensely: all the talk about Devon's past affairs and how he would deliberately mention them to Kathleen, Gods, at some point he even tells her could get her references of his performance from past lovers.
I mean, I already hate when in romance novels guys even remember past lovers/affairs, but to actually have one launch whole dialogues about it with the heroine makes me exceptionally nauseous. Honestly, Devon is downright obnoxious. And rude. And domineering. A jackass through and through.
And don't even get me started on the constant offensive bickering, they pretty much do it after kissing or banging or just after trying to have a normal conversation. Exhausting.
Now that I got that off my chest, I can say that I really enjoyed the story that was going around the main romance, the whole thing reminded me a lot of The Hathways, as in, The Ravenels also live in a problematic house in the country and the sisters are all a bunch of lovely misfits who don't really know how to play by the rules of society. The family ties were my absolute favorite thing about this book, with the twins Cassandra and Pandora winning the cake. I also loved how West quickly became to adore them all, these cousins he had never even seen before. Fraternal love is without a doubt one of LK’s strengths.
And just like in The Hathaways, there’s a secondary romance blossoming in this first book of the series, and just like in The Hathaways, I was WAY more invested in it. Despite Winterborne’s actions in the end, I have high hopes for his story with Helen. Why you ask? Well, (Reason #0.5. His first name is Rhys. Rhys Winterborne. I love that. Rhys.)
Reason #1. The fact that they met under those specific circumstances. Excuse me but I’m a total sucker for the sick/bedridden/physically-challenged hero trope. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Reason #2. Savage but I’m also a total sucker for arranged-marriages. The most awkward the better.
Reason #3. Even though Rhys behaved dreadfully towards both Helen and Kathleen in the end, he reminded me an awful lot of: Harry Rutledge from Tempt Me At Twilight, Simon Hunt from Secrets of a Summer Night and Sebastian St.Vincent, The Devil in Winter himself, circa It Happened One Autumn. Seriously, Rhys seems to be the personification of these three when they were still behaving like assholes 24/7. That said, and being that I ended up loving the three aforementioned idiots by the end of their respective books (Sebastian is still my number one *hearteyes*), I can’t help but rooting for Rhys. I mean, yes, at the moment I want to strangle him, but I also want to see him grow and make amends and be the man dear Helen deserves to have by her side.
Reason #4. He took such good care of the orchid!! I was dying of laughter when Helen was listing all the things he had to do so it wouldn’t die and I couldn’t wait to see how the hell he was going to remember all that or if he was going to do it. And yay! It lives! Blue Vanda happy!
Okay, that’s enough, I’ve said too much already. So yeah, even though the romance didn’t do it for me on this occasion, this book is still necessary because it’s the introduction to a hopefully fantastic HR series, and just because it's Lisa Kleypas. I already love all the other characters and seriously cannot wait to read their stories. ...more
Wow, this book was PAINFUL. The whole time I was reading it I felt like I had this massive weight sitting on my chest, and it kept getting heavier, anWow, this book was PAINFUL. The whole time I was reading it I felt like I had this massive weight sitting on my chest, and it kept getting heavier, and heavier, and heavier, and I couldn't breathe, and I was dying, and then the dementors arrived and sucked all the happiness out of me, and then the book ended, and now I'm just a shell of a human being, a body totally empty of feelings and happy thoughts and happy things in general. Miss Rutkoski, I beg thee to fix this situation, fix meeee****
Seriously, this was one hell of a sequel, a genius second book in a trilogy, with beautiful, lyrical, flawless writing, and just the way the author wovens the whole story together is mind-blowing, how she doesn't reveal everything at once, how she makes you wait for it. I love when something apparently minor happens, and it really just looks like a detail with no importance whatsoever in the great scheme of things, but then 10, 20, 30 chapters later the thing becomes vital to the plot.
About the characters,
Kestrel - After this book I'm fully on team Kestrel, I certainly liked her before but I didn't love her--turns out I love her now, and BAM! that ending happened. Worse than that? The one year wait to know what happens next. MADNESS. But yeah, I cannot stop thinking about everything she did, everything she tried to do, all the risks she took, all the times she had to put an act for Arin, hurt him, make him give up on her, hate her, while basically dying inside. Like I said before, this book is painful. This should be the offical blurb for this book, printed on the cover in bold letters: "Painful af."
Arin - I kind of get it, I mean, what more could he have done? He tried, oh he tried, he tried to get close to Kestrel at every opportunity but she kept pushing him away--unfortunately he couldn't hear her internally screaming the entire time. I do wish he had used his brain cells a bit more in that final scene, think Arin, THINK. Why aren't you thinking?? X_X
Kestrel's father - SAME. So disappointing. And I'm so, so afraid that Kestrel won't be able to put her heart aside if, for some reason, the Emperor decides to use her father to get her to do things, after everything that happened in this book---Kestrel, please, you must think about yourself. That monster of a father doesn't deserve her love anyway. GOD DAMMIT, I'M SO ANGRY ABOUT THIS, AND I'LL KEEP BEING ANGRY, UNTIL I'M NOT ANGRY ANYMORE.
Emperor - I cannot wait to read what awaits this character in the final book. I hope it includes lots of excruciating pain. Hours and hours of it.
Jess - Can you believe this b****? No, seriously, the nerve of this spoiled brat... what kind of friend acts that way? The kind you need to get rid of asap.
Roshar - I liked this guy, he's an ally, he's friendly, and he was probably the only character that amused me for a couple of seconds during the whole book. I needed it.
SO. Dear person reading this review and hopefully considering reading this book/series: if you can, do yourself a favor and wait another year, and then on March 2016 get the entire trilogy and read with gusto, because *really* those last pages, that horrible, so horrible final scene between Arin and Kestrel, and then the one between Kestrel, her father and the Emperor, AND THEN that cliffhanger****aaaargh! so much angst, so much despair, so much anger, so much paaaiiin. Make it stop.****
Sadly, this is another Twilight copycat -- with aliens instead of vampires. I say "sadly" because I actually liked the heroine, who is a book blogger,Sadly, this is another Twilight copycat -- with aliens instead of vampires. I say "sadly" because I actually liked the heroine, who is a book blogger, and it pains me to give her story such a low rating, but I must. Oh and the male lead is beyond obnoxious, please somebody kick him in the mouth.
Ugh, I'm so annoyed and frustrated with this book. I wanted to love it so much, especially when I think the author did a great job with the worldbuildUgh, I'm so annoyed and frustrated with this book. I wanted to love it so much, especially when I think the author did a great job with the worldbuilding, and that she totally nailed the grand task of retelling Persuasion, YA-dystopia style---I recognised most of the scenes, Elliot, the protagonist, has a beautiful and kind heart, just like Anne in the original story, and I think the letters exchanged between little Elliot and little Kai were a nice touch, because they gave me Jane Austen vibe all the time, BUT in the end I cannot love this book or give it a higher rating because the male lead and the romance just...
I'm sorry, but spiteful and abusive heroes are not my thing, and in the end I just wanted to cry because goddamn it Elliot, have some self-respect. I can give him a break when he's young and gets all angry because the girl he likes refuses to run away with him, I mean, he's 14, why would he understand her motives? But please, 4 years later he still doesn't get it, and he's still angry, and he's been badmouthing her to his buddies, and even has the nerve to behave like an asshole every single time she's around, well excuse me if I can't swoon over this sonofab*tch or be happy that Elliot forgives him. So yes, the author did everything right, except Wentworth, because, really, this Kai character is a total disgrace, in every scene I just wanted to knee him in the groin. I've read Persuasion a long time ago, but I don't remember ever hating Wentworth, because he was never cruel to Anne, cold and distant, yes, but never cruel. When will the trend of the 'jerk love interest' end, seriously, this concerns me. O_O...more
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