*dials phone* Hello, 911? Yes, I'd like to report a death. OF MY FEELS.
Song of the Current is everything I wanted from a fantasy pirate book! It's ad*dials phone* Hello, 911? Yes, I'd like to report a death. OF MY FEELS.
Song of the Current is everything I wanted from a fantasy pirate book! It's adventurous and swashbuckling. It's funny. The romance is a hate/love snarkfest. The politics are interesting. The character development is complex yet consistent. I am, quite simply, in love, and also desperately in need of book 2!...more
Rereading this one again. I really hate that rereads don't count toward GR challenge because it totally counts as a book I have read this year. *glareRereading this one again. I really hate that rereads don't count toward GR challenge because it totally counts as a book I have read this year. *glares at GR*
I'm rating this book 5 stars this time around (previous 4.5 star ratings for both the book and the audiobook) because I was just so happy to be back with Lilac and Tarver. I missed these two crazy kids and their amazing tension. Gah, the way these two hate on each other and boss one another around... it gives me life. As my friend Gillian sometimes says (usually in her Shippy awards): "I hate your face and I want to smash it with my face." Tarlac (as I am now calling them) are my favorite. Seriously, probably a top 5 ship of all time....more
4.5 stars. Thank you, Elle, for listening to the fans and getting new narrators! I didn't love Savannah as Allie, but she grew on me, and Andrew (who 4.5 stars. Thank you, Elle, for listening to the fans and getting new narrators! I didn't love Savannah as Allie, but she grew on me, and Andrew (who I just listened to in Walk the Edge) perfectly captured Dean. Definitely will be listening to this one again.
Added 1/7/18: Man, the fact that I've read this book at least 4 times and STILL get so emotional reading it is a testament to how real Elle's characters feel. WELL DONE, ELLE. I mean, DARN YOU for what you've done to my feelings, but WELL DONE....more
Well that was utterly delightful. Geekerella is charming and sweet. Cinderella retellings are a dime a dozen, but Geekerella takes on Cindy with a refWell that was utterly delightful. Geekerella is charming and sweet. Cinderella retellings are a dime a dozen, but Geekerella takes on Cindy with a refreshing and unique twist that really works and stands out from the pack with panache.
I adore the characters: sweet Elle, who is just hanging in there and trying to survive living with her overbearing stepmom and bratty stepsisters. Earnest Darien, who has been given the opportunity of a lifetime but doesn't quite know who he is. For both, the list of who they can trust is quite small or even nonexistent until a handful of secondary characters enter their orbit and stick there.
The fandom aspect of Geekella is absolutely brilliantly written. You might even say the force is strong with this one. Not only does Ashley sprinkly pop culture and fandom references (everything from Firefly to Princess Bride to three separate Batmans to Star Trek and back) throughout the narrative in a way that feels true (most "geeks" do know multiple fandoms, even if they have a favorite so it has always fruatrated me when these books ignore Fandom as a whole and focus wholly on one), but the fictional fandom--Starfield--Ashley created for Geekerella absolutely hooked me. The passion Elle and Darien and other characters use to describe their beloved series was contagious, and I became fully invested in it. I love how special it was to both Elle and Darien and forged the bond between Elle's parents, Elle and her father, Darien and his father, and, of course, Elle and Darien. I really appreciate that kind of parallelism. And Starfield! MAN! Not only would I love a Geekerella movie, I want a Starfield movie or show! It's strong enough that it could stand on its own, and that is absolutely due to the strength of Ashley's writing. I want to see the show that started it all, I want to see Darien's movie, I want to attend ExcelsiCon, I want to do it all.
This book is adorable and wholly precious. There's a great primary romance, but there's a secondary f/f romance I loved just as much! Geekerella's acknowledgements are a love letter to fandom and every fan that celebrates it, and I think Geekerella itself honors them. This book is perfect, and I'm so glad it made its way to my hands right at the end of the year so 2016 coupd close on a fan-tastic note, reading wise. Highly recommend!...more
This was a fantastic audio! I really love Nick and Saskia as a narrating team. Nick KILLED as Andy, especially during the sexy times. His inflections,This was a fantastic audio! I really love Nick and Saskia as a narrating team. Nick KILLED as Andy, especially during the sexy times. His inflections, my word! "COME ON, SEABISCUIT! GAAAAH!" I honestly think I died laughing. He also perfectly pulled off Andy's sweet yet earnest attitude, and I love Saskia as normally-confident-but-currently-shaky Blonde Katie. A++, 10/10 would listen to again, and I have actually listened to this three times already....more
Perfect and beautiful and wonderful and lovely and cozy. Like eating a grilled cheese and drinking hot chocolate while wearing your favorite sweater aPerfect and beautiful and wonderful and lovely and cozy. Like eating a grilled cheese and drinking hot chocolate while wearing your favorite sweater and yoga pants, curled under your favorite blanket. But also sunny like being outside on one of those late spring not-quite-summer days when the sun is warm and a breeze ruffles your hair while you drive and listen to your favorite music. And sometimes sad, like when your heart hurts, but it's the kind of hurt that you can always overcome. Upside is all of these things and so very much more. Full review closer to release. Definitely a favorite of mine and a must-read for all!...more
This was utterly adorable and full of swoons, but like a normal low-key kind of swoons. It took me a while in the Year We Hid Away to warm up to BlondThis was utterly adorable and full of swoons, but like a normal low-key kind of swoons. It took me a while in the Year We Hid Away to warm up to Blonde Katie, but eventually won me over, and this sweet novella cemented it. Katie seems quite shallow in Hid Away, but Blonde Date showcases a girl who contains hidden depths and emotional complexity and the most adorable unsure boy to ever grace the pages of an NA story. Adam is darling, and he has immediately jumped himself onto the book boyfriend list of guys Mary wishes she knew irl. I love that for once, the guy isn't Mr. Smooth, a witty or broody muscle-y superhunk. Instead Adam is calm but unsure, the slightest bit awkward but not in an affected way, he's tall and lanky, leanly muscled, and a complete gentleman. I love that Adam and Katie are both fair people. Adam believes in consent and courtesy, and Katie calls herself out for mentally slut-shaming a girl out with her ex and then helps a sister out with the kind of advice all ladies should freely dispense to one another. All this leads to the sweetest and possibly most entertaining sexy times I've read in an NA book because of its honesty and the feeling of being right with the characters instead of narrating it in a way that makes you feel like you're watching a movie. I fully wish these two were able to get their own full book, but at the same time, I'm thrilled to have read a book free from the typical dramas of the genre. Not that other NAS are bad, I do love them, but it was nice that for once, the couple had it pretty easy. ...more
Not sure if this is a true five star, but I have been enormously disappointed with my reads recently and ohhhhhh my gosh, this book was so satisfying Not sure if this is a true five star, but I have been enormously disappointed with my reads recently and ohhhhhh my gosh, this book was so satisfying so FIVE STARS FOR YOU, GLEN COCO I mean Emma Mills. I didn't entirely mesh with the mc's tone and voice in First & Then, but I really loved Slone in This Adventure Ends. She was so snarky, but not mean. Just dry and wry and ridiculous. I appreciated that a lot. I could have used a little more character development early on and some more doing. Halfway through the book I felt like I didn't have a good grasp on who everyone was, but it all evened out. I really like the relationship dynamics TAE (and Frank Sanger) presents (it's an inside joke. Please read the book, and then come back to my review to lol in a comment). There are friends, siblings, parents, crushes, exes, teenage romances, parent romances / marriage dynamics, step-parents, frenemies-ish, friendly acquaintances, and more. Although TAE doesn't get into all of it deeply because it is, after all, first person and centered on Sloane and her relationships, but I did get a good feel for the dynamics of the group overall. It made the story feel so much more alive, which I love. When everyone feels like they have real relationships other than their connection to the mc, they feel more real to me. Also, the book nicely balances the HEA that readers adore (which is discussed in great detail in several thoughtful conversations between Sloane and her dad) with realistic you-can't-always-get-what-you-want moments. Seriously, READ. THIS. BOOK. Even if you don't love it as much as I do, I think everyone will find something that speaks to them in its pages. Super good. Emma Mills is quickly becoming a star of the contemporary genre, and I adding her to my auto-read list if not my auto-buy.
Although Emma, can we please get some more kissing up in here? Kissing is AMAZING....more
Man, I love this book. First of all, A++ parenting romance. Ryker is the hot dad we all deserve, and I adore him with Ruby and Violet. It's awesome thMan, I love this book. First of all, A++ parenting romance. Ryker is the hot dad we all deserve, and I adore him with Ruby and Violet. It's awesome that he puts his kids first, always, and I like that he goes for what he wants. He's not a young dude looking to prove anything. He just goes for it. With hockey, with being a single dad with full custody, with Gray. I respect that.
Also, Gray. I mean wow. I'll have what she's having, but I also want way more women like her in the romance books I read. I like that she uses her intelligence and her experience to further her career. She's not afraid of the men who surround her—the players, the management, her dad—and doesn't pander or kowtow to them. She's unabashedly feminine in a traditionally all-male industry, and I like that.
The chemistry between these two was off the charts! Yes, it's definitely a conflict of interest so I'm okay with the way the story was resolved at the end of Ryker and even further in Hawke. Ryker (the book, not the character) is steamy, sexy, sweet, and awesome (okay, Ryker the character is too). Definitely a comfy romance that I'll be rereading often....more
Stunning. Can't quite say flawless because of a couple minor annoyances, but overall the narrators' performances and production effects were remarkablStunning. Can't quite say flawless because of a couple minor annoyances, but overall the narrators' performances and production effects were remarkable. The Illuminae physical book is quite a unique text so I had wondered and worried how anyone could adapt it to audio. Things represented in the text had to be edited or occasionally left out or don't hold the same weight as in the text (notably the schematics, art, and general design), but the audio managed to have its own unique twists (notably the effects and music). I find it fitting that both versions perfectly tell the story but each has special aspects that the other can't. Definitely recommend readers give both a try. This book is worth several reads in both formats.
Full review found .
lluminae is one of my favorite novels of all time. Full stop. It's funny. It's scary. It's thought-provoking. It's swoony. It's smart. It's so very many amazing things, all wrapped up in a creative and unique package. I LOVE the epistolary style Amie and Jay used. Illuminae is a visual pleasure, but that meant I was a bit trepidatious to give the audio a try. I wasn't sure how it would translate given that so much of the story relies on the documents and the art. HAVE NO FEAR, audio listeners! I was immediately put at ease when I started listening to the audio because of the talent of the narrators (of which there are many) and the production quality and the audio effects.
First of all, the narrators. I've always had narrator issues since usually it's one or two people performing a whole cast. Illuminae gives me what I want in a full cast! Everyone is distinct. Olivia is Kady, Johnathan is Ezra, Lincoln is AIDAN (I think?), and then all the major secondary characters—video surveillance analyst guy, Jimmy, Winifred, Syra Boll, Torrence, Byron, etc—all had their own narrators too, plus plenty of background people to make up the rest. I was never confused about who was who, and I loved the IMs and interviews where the characters interacted because it actually sounded like a conversation between two people! BRAVO! The only time I ever had an issue was when I was looking forward to a particular scene with Jimmy, but because it was "video footage," the analyst guy ended up reading that scene. That was kind of disappointing. It's a sad scene, but I wanted to hear Jimmy's narrator perform it. Overall, though, I was ridiculously impressed. Everyone wholly embodied their character.
Olivia-as-Kady was sarcastic and prickly, but then she also pulled off soft, uncertain, exhausted, and emotionally wrung-out. Johnathan-as-Ezra was earnest AND THE DRUNK EFFING EMAIL IS THE GREATEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE (it sounds particularly awesome if you slow down the speed. MAJOR lolz!). Lincoln perfectly encapsulates AIDAN's robotic AI tone, but he also manages to be superior, weirdly humorous, condescending, and even, at times, sweet (but only with Kady); plus he did a great job with the computer code and the damage AIDAN sustains (ie ""). It's a masterful performance. Syra is unsure; Winifred confident yet disapproving, the Marine with a heart. Jimmy is fun and a total bro, but I adored him. Everyone did such a great job, and I also love that listeners can hear a diverse cast reading diverse characters.
Illuminae the physical book has fantastic art, as mentioned, and yes, it's sad there's no way to really translate that audibly. Like Kady's space walk across the Alexander's hull, Ezra's rose, etc. But I thought the production team did a remarkable job creating unique aspects to the audio that couldn't be replicated on the page. There are sirens and alarms, blasters and gunfire, and more. We can't see the text bounce across the page during Kady's spacewalk, but we can hear her breathing in her envirosuit. We can hear Ezra's dogfight during the second encounter with the Lincoln. We can hear the afflicted tearing through the ship. It's visceral and intense, and you feel like you're IN the story. It's absolutely engrossing in the best way. I always know I love a book when it makes me forget the real world around and I feel like I live in the story's world, and this audiobook accomplishes that better than most.
I have been championing Illuminae for over a year now, and I have always recommended people both read and listen to it. Although I love to listen to books I've read before, I know not many people double up like that. In this case, for anyone who is able, I highly recommend it. The book is phenomenal and the audio perfect, but they are both wholly unique parts that create a whole story. It's incredible, and I don't know of any other book and audiobook that can do it....more
I feel like this book just had sex with my brain because I have been thoroughly mind⬛ed. More comprehensible review to come when I am able to brain agI feel like this book just had sex with my brain because I have been thoroughly mind⬛ed. More comprehensible review to come when I am able to brain again.
Edit: Gif review + giveaway for an arc + signed copy of Illuminae is ....more
Beautiful Player is still my favorite in the Beautiful series, and the audiobook is a cherry on top. Sebastian is in my top 5 favorite narrators, and Beautiful Player is still my favorite in the Beautiful series, and the audiobook is a cherry on top. Sebastian is in my top 5 favorite narrators, and Grace is also extremely talented. They both absolutely embodied Will and Hanna, and even more than that, they also had extremely great voices for opposite sex characters, which is something I tend to grade narrators pretty harshly on. If you're a voice actor, you need to be able to tone your voice for female and male characters, and Sebastian and Grace did so wonderfully. My one complaint is that both of them are incredibly inconsistent attempting Max's accent, but honestly, this isn't Max's book so I really didn't care. The Beautiful Player audio is a must-listen for fans of Christina Lauren, especially Willanna fans....more
Initial thoughts 11/25/16: Oh my gosh, that was absolutely delightful. I wasn't sure if it was 5 star worthy, but readingFull review can be found .
Initial thoughts 11/25/16: Oh my gosh, that was absolutely delightful. I wasn't sure if it was 5 star worthy, but reading Trouble was just so much FUN! The comparisons to Veronica Mars are absolutely true; Digby is a slightly more awkward Veronica, and Zoe is totally Wallace (but with V's attitude): at first she's just going along for the ride, but then she's in it to win it. I really liked the misfit Scooby Doo gang Digby and Zoe assembled, and wow, what a caper! While the plot is a little far-fetched for teens, I appreciate that the characters (for the most part) sound like real teens. I was definitely laughing out loud for much of this book. Highly recommend!
Full review posted 12/12/16: I heard about Trouble is a Friend of Mine last year, when it debuted, but I didn't hear about it, if that makes sense. I didn't see my friends reading it; if they did, I didn't hear them gushing. It slipped by the wayside, and I'm so sad it did because I recently received both a copy of Trouble and its sequel Trouble Makes a Comeback, and I ADORED them! So I want to put this review out in the universe and tell everyone that if you've skipped Trouble on your TBR, you need to push it back toward the top.
I'm usually extremely wary of comparisons (side-eying every outlet that compares contemp books to TFIOS or genre titles to Harry Potter meets The Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones), and I'm especially wary when the comparison includes something I love. In this case, Veronica Mars. I am therefore delighted to say that Veronica Mars is an incredibly appropriate comparison to Trouble both in plot/tone AND execution. With mysteries and thrillers, I think it's easy to allow the story to get really dark since common mystery plots include disappearances, murders, drugs, etc unless you're reading Nancy Drew or The Boxcar Children. I'm so grateful to Stephanie for not shying away from dark topics–disappearances? check. drugs? check–but keeping the tone balanced with a quirky sense of humor. It's exactly what I loved about Veronica, Keith Mars, and their wacky friends and acquaintances on the show. This rarely happens when I read (although has happened several times in 2016, which is a good sign), but I found myself laughing out loud several times. I don't read a lot of mysteries despite having loved Nancy, The Boxcar Children, and other formula series as a child, but I thought the mystery/mysteries in Trouble were intriguing and the humor definitely kept me reeled in.
Zoe is a wry kind of narrator but not in that way where you feel like it's the author allowing their jaded life experience to show through. She's just a teenage girl whose parents have split, and, as the new girl in town, she's looking for a place to fit in. I love how real Zoe felt. I work with teens, and she felt like an actual teenager to me. She's a little self-deprecating but also has her pride (when Digby says offensive things, even offhand remarks, her feelings are hurt the same as any teenage girl). She worries about things like grades and her parents/their post-divorce romances as well as boys and her clothes. She also lets the guys know when something is not okay such as their really sexist and hurtful comments, Felix's horrible t-shirts, etc. Zoe allows herself to be taken along for a ride (because Digby is kind of a steamroller), but she digs in her heels just enough and at the right places to be curious yet sensible, never truly naive. Random: I almost died when Zoe talks about periods in front of the guys, and they prove her point (cis guys can't deal with periods) absolutely correct.
Digby is a little more (a lot more) inscrutable. He has a tragic backstory, and so many characters are divided between the sympathy and scorn camps. Most of the town suspects that he and/or his parents are guilty of a crime, but, as Digby points out, he gets away with a lot because people who pity him don't call him out on his bizarre schemes. Digby is also incredibly smart. He pays attention to small details, and I found that as I read, I started paying closer attention to the little things Stephanie drops throughout the story. I thought it was fantastic that this complex character who has more than a little bit of mystery clinging to him helped me be a better, more observant reader.
I think one area the story could be a bit stronger is in the descriptions. It took me forever to get a sense of who the characters were because of some conflicting descriptions. I didn't know how Zoe looked for AGES (I know the main character looking in the mirror is such a cliche, but it helps form an accurate-ish picture, okay??), and I honestly though Henry was in his 20s for a few chapters. I think it's a sign of how engrossing Digby is that he got a lot of descriptions, but other characters weren't as thoughtfully defined. He's kind of like a planet with a major gravitational field. Although making everything realistic and... I don't know... everyman? Understandable to different readers? is an absolute strength of the book. I felt like everyone would be able to relate to much of Zoe's experience and obswevation. I would just like more physical descriptions.
One thing I would be remiss not mentioning is that at one point Digby pulls Zoe into the boys' bathroom. Another student make a comment about how he "heard she was a guy." Zoe objects to this statement, and Digby turns the whole thing into a Lifetime-esque movie joke. Zoe stands up for herself in this instance, but I'm not happy that she didn't object to Digby's (and the other boy's) transphobic language. This whole book kept me laughing, but this was definitely an instance where the "humor" fell flat, which is disappointing considering the rest of that entire scene was so strongly written. I do still love this book, and I've been recommending this book to everyone since I read it, but this scene has not gone unnoticed. One of my teens picked it up after seeing my recommendation on Twitter, and when she told me how much she enjoyed the book, she also said she didn't like that scene. Zoe does give a sense of not agreeing with the joke but more that it's directed at her instead of not agreeing with the sentiment's offense. I've reread the scene several times, and I think these two paragraphs could and should have been rewritten. The not-actually-a-joke didn't serve to further the plot so I am disappointed at its inclusion.
Overall, I really do love this book. It's actually hilarious, even with a misstep, and its characters are wholly believable and complexly written. I highly recommend everyone give Trouble is a Friend of Mine and its equally awesome sequel a shot....more
Beautiful. Satisfying. Heartbreaking. Swoon-worthy. Glorious. I could keep going for hours. Thank you, Mary, for writing Lia, Rafe, Kaden, Paulene, MoBeautiful. Satisfying. Heartbreaking. Swoon-worthy. Glorious. I could keep going for hours. Thank you, Mary, for writing Lia, Rafe, Kaden, Paulene, Morrighan, Venda, and Gaudrel's stories, and thank you Macmillan for giving them a home and sharing them with readers. Wow. Just wow. The series may have started shakily for me, but Heart of Betrayal upped the ante, doing the difficult job of holding the often-troubling middle of the series and carrying it into a strong, breathtaking finale in Beauty of Darkness.
Full review posted .
THIS BOOK IS GLORIOUS AND PERFECT AND I LOVED IT THE END. Wait, what do you mean that's not an acceptable review? *huffs breath* FINE. Prepare for ranting and crying and gnashing of teeth and swooning and cuddling (just so we're all on the same page, I mean I'm cuddling the book, not you, dear reader. Not that you're not cuddly. I just really love this book).
Before you continue, let me just say that this review is going to be somewhat more spoilery than my reviews generally are because this is the last book in a trilogy, and ALL THE THINGS HAPPEN, and I just have a lot of feelings okay?? So continue reading at your own risk. Spoilers for books 1 and 2, but not really for Beauty.
Okay. First of all, we can stop arguing about who is going to become the next US President because CLEARLY the only acceptable candidate is Lia. LIA FOR PRESIDENT 2016 AND ALSO 2020 AND FOREVERMORE. Lia has always been a ballsy character. Nobody puts baby in a corner and attempts to marry her off and gets away with it. Lia has basically been saying "EFF YO COUCH" since page one of The Kiss of Deception, but it's EVEN BETTER in Beauty. See, Morrighan the kingdom is in a whole lotta trouble because while Lia was in Venda with the terrifying yet most amazing villain Komizar, she uncovered a plot to basically bring destruction and death and the end of the world to Morrighan. The problem is, Morrighan thinks she's a traitor, and if she shows up there, she could be killed immediately. Lia don't care. She's like, "BRING ME A HORSE AND LET'S GET SHIT DONE."
What I really love about Lia and her development especially in Beauty is that she is strong in character (she's also not bad physically) and tender of heart, intelligent and intuitive. She has actively learned throughout all her experiences throughout the series AND she seeks out the advice of others, and it has led to her being incredibly well-balanced emotionally and physically. She uses all her gifts, all the tricks she's learned, everything, to become a strong and capable ruler, even though she's a teenage girl. When men because she's just a girl, she basically tells them to shut the fuck up and get back in line or else she'll find them another job. She's constantly told she's not a soldier, not capable, not worthy, and each time, whether with Rafe, a general, a political cabinet, an enemy, a common soldier, or WHOMEVER, she demonstrates she knows what she's doing. Basically, Lia is a badass.
I think Beauty also does a good job balancing the end of the world political/war plot with the romance. Mary masterfully weaves them together, sometimes giving one or the other more attention in a way that's realistic—for instance, wanting the comfort of being close to someone physically during an emotionally tense time—and prudent. Rafe and Lia have never had an easy road. In Kiss, Lia had spurned Rafe by abandoning him on their wedding day. Then she's kidnapped, and upon their reunion, they're both taken into enemy territory. In Heart, they're still in enemy territory, and to protect one another, they have to stay apart. In Beauty, they're together, but they have obligations that threaten to separate them. I appreciate that although they occasionally give in to their feelings—they're still teens deeply in love—they also are mindful of those obligations and act accordingly. It makes it hard because OMG this ship is amazing, but I would love them less if they said "screw everything" and kissed instead of doing things that are more pertinent and necessary. But don't worry. There's P L E N T Y of kissing and cuddling and, um, comforting. They both make some hard choices, and I absolutely respect the decisions they make. I love that Rafe in particular makes some bold decisions, even though they're heartbreaking. There was another great recent fantasy series in which another beloved prince faces many of the same problems Rafe does, but he chose wrong so I found his character to be weaker, and I like him and respect him less than Rafe.
I ADORE the ensemble cast Mary has created. The Remnant Chronicles is so much more than "just" Lia's story. It's Morrighan, Venda, and Gaudrel's story. It's Pauline's. It's Rafe and Kaden and Lia's mom and dad and brothers and Griz and Aster and Eben and Gwyneth and Berdi and all the Dalbreck guys and everyone's story. Granted, an amazing supporting cast is a terrifying thing to have when everyone is going off to war, but by golly, this cast. There's a ship that comes out of NOWHERE, and I jumped on it with such FERVOR (the Komizar would approve. Of my word choice, I mean, not this ship. Actually, he'd probably be pretty pissed about this ship). I never anticipated it, but wow, I loved when it happened. *swoons for days* And bless Tavish, Orrin, Sven, and my precious cinnamon roll Jeb for providing some much-needed levity. Sadly, Griz and Eben aren't around as much as I'd have liked, but there are new characters who come in (Captain Azia <3) and old characters who get more page time that I didn't feel cheated. I feel like this ensemble is comprised of friends and loved ones. I laughed with them and celebrated with them and cried for them and gasped for breath for them and grieved for them (like... A LOT of grieving), and although part of me is cursing Mary for breaking my heart, I'm also cheering for her for making me feel so much for these characters in just over 1500 pages.
I feel like there's so much more to say and yet I feel like I've said all I need to say. This series is, in a word, spectacular. I liked Kiss of Deception, but I feel like it was just an okay beginning. Thankfully the sequels more than delivered the rest of this brilliant story. Heart of Betrayal was a masterful second book, carrying the plot and the characters forward, pushing them toward the finale. It's hard not to stall the plot in a middle book, but Heart never faltered. And then Beauty of Darkness blew it all away. Amazing series. Absolutely phenomenal. Thank you, Mary. Thank you, Macmillan. I am greatly looking forward to your next project!...more
I can't possibly give this book 5 stars because of Reasons and also it's still not quite as good as The Deal, but it has moved into second place over I can't possibly give this book 5 stars because of Reasons and also it's still not quite as good as The Deal, but it has moved into second place over The Mistake. I love Allie, and I love Dean, and I love how they were together. A+ character development. This book had me laughing out loud (which NEVER happens when I read. I usually just laugh inside my head). My two big complaints are the big spoiler that happens and absolutely DESTROYED me. I wasn't expecting it, and I am very much Not Happy about it. Kind of ruined my sports-romance-happy-feels. The second thing is that I actually expected (and wanted) The Score to be a lot naughtier than it was. It was still naughty, but some of the sexy times are skimmed or simply referenced after the fact. This is especially frustrating because one of those mentioned-after-the-fact scenes is actually the first time Dean and Allie hooked up. We never got their first kiss, their first hookup, in real time, and that's not fair. It's always one of my favorite parts of a romance!
I'm not going to lie; I'm kind of sad the girl is Allie. I liked her with her boyfriend! ...more
Daaaaaaamn. THIS is what I wanted from Kiss of Deception. The pace in HoB was much faster, and even though there are so many pieces to the puzzle, I nDaaaaaaamn. THIS is what I wanted from Kiss of Deception. The pace in HoB was much faster, and even though there are so many pieces to the puzzle, I never really felt confused about the story. Plot development: A+. Character development: A+. I even like the bad guy, for heaven's sake! Super awesome sequel. The Heart of Betrayal proves the curse of the second book doesn't have to exist. I can't wait for book 3 because it's sure to be a wild ride!...more
Fun and sexy, The Deal was a book I couldn't put down! I love Hannah and Garrett's quippy banter and blazing chemistry, and I really like how all the Fun and sexy, The Deal was a book I couldn't put down! I love Hannah and Garrett's quippy banter and blazing chemistry, and I really like how all the characters are nuanced and full, not flat cardboard characters. Very much looking forward to reading more Elle Kennedy books, especially Tucker's!
ETA: I originally rated The Deal 4 stars, but it's one that has really stayed with me. I reread my favorite scenes often and have actually reread it fully twice, and it hasn't even been six months since I first picked it up. There's no way I can justify holding out that last star....more
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