This had so much potential but I really wish it felt more taboo. There was a lot of talk about how forbidden they were, but when it came downdnf @45%
This had so much potential but I really wish it felt more taboo. There was a lot of talk about how forbidden they were, but when it came down to atmosphere and characters, it seemed like everyone was okay with them being together??? I really wish it was more slow burn, were we could feel the sexual tension between them. The fact that he was her guardian since she was twelve and then proceeded to have a sexual attraction towards her seemed to be taken very normally by everyone. ...more
“Are you going to kiss me?� He laughed. “I was planning on it, yes.� “Okay. I’m ready.�
[image] [image] While I enjoyed witnessing this story unfold an“Are you going to kiss me?� He laughed. “I was planning on it, yes.� “Okay. I’m ready.�
[image] [image] While I enjoyed witnessing this story unfold and truly appreciate how Graves approached certain themes within this book, my true determination to reach the last page was because of the beautiful flower we meet called Annika Rose.
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"Romance" While yes, this is a romance novel filled with all the kisses and warm moments you'd want in one... I'd like to think this was more-so a story of hope. Hope for a strange and gorgeously odd girl that never really got the manual for life. I loved the way we saw Annika find herself and grow through the years and tears.
This story begins with Annika meeting her ex-college boyfriend Jonathan. At the start, we don't know why they split up or why this is the first time they are seeing each other after ten years but we know that somehow, it foreshadows to Annika's fault. Which after finishing this book, I can most confidently say that Annika deserves so much better.
"But I will call. I’ll apologize. Ask him if we can start over. “Clean slate,� I’ll say. Such is my desire to replace the memories of the girl he used to know with the woman I’ve become."
The story itself moves from past to present POV's from both Jonathan and Annika. We watch as their love unfolds and Annika becomes someone she is proud of. I won't give away too much, and really I think it's better if you go into this one blind. Although there were a lot of sub plots and story arcs, I felt like it was easy enough to follow.
“Where do we start?� I ask. Will smiles. “I’ve always found the beginning to be a good place.�
Before I address the parts that I felt really took away the magic of the story. I'm going to go through the parts that I really adored. I struggled to decide whether I should give this a 2 or 3 star rating and am still hesitant. Maybe as this review writes itself, I'll find out my final answer ;)
The Characters Firstly, Annika has my whole heart at the moment and I am not afraid to throw down anyone who says she isn't the purest angel. She is kind and warmhearted towards everything and although she may not understand the world around her, she knows love. Annika was truly the winning piece in this story and I felt so comfortable reading her POV. It felt like being inside her head with all the weird fragmentations and beautifully blunt observations.
Secondly, Janice. Janice was the kick ass, bad ass girlfriend that everyone needs in their life. Especially through college when everything feels like it's constantly changing and you can't keep up. I really enjoyed that the author put in a girl advocating another girl instead of bringing her down trope. It makes my heart sing whenever I see cliches like that kicked to the curb.
Now... for Jonathan. My mother warned me about men like him.
"His touch grounded me and made me feel as if nothing bad could ever happen as long as Jonathan had ahold of my hand."
I would really like to say that he was selfless, mindful of Annika's health and disorder, loving and noble. In truth, we were made to believe he was. However, reaching the end of the novel and watching everything come to light, I saw a wolf in sheep's clothing. The whole time we think that Annika did something, and without giving anything away - she went through such hard shit in her life and continues to blame herself for everything. Then enters Jonathan, who all but doesn't want to give her a "second chance" because he agrees!?!?
Next comes the dialogue and trust between the two of them. By the second half of the book, it truly came across that Jonathan felt like he was just settling. Annika loved him way more than he did her and it really fleshed out that way. We saw her constantly battling to be a better version of herself and there comes a point in the book when Jonathan all but tells her that he may never find his perfect girl, so Annika is good enough.
This man frustrated the living fuck out of me. He was selfish and under the surface manipulative. He reminded me of a lot of toxic people that wear a mask in order to pretend they are actually fucking living light. Every time I thought there would be some sort of redemption and justice, he went and mentioned how pretty she was.
"There’s something about having a pretty girl on your arm and knowing she’s into you that makes you feel like showing her off.�
The Writing Having read Graves previous work "On the Island," I have really come to enjoy her simple yet subtly poetic writing. I loved that this wasn't a magic dick syndrome story or another "love can cure me" one either. It showed how important it is to take hold of your own life regardless of who you want to please or who you want to be with.
Overall, I enjoyed some of the warm moments that this story had to offer, but I wish there was more. Thinking now, I feel like this is a 2.5 stars, all because of Annika and the way she held herself and her dialogue. The other half of the rating was lost due to the endless amounts of sub-plots and Jonathan. Because fuck him....more
“I don’t have my pride, Willow, because I feel like a man on death row. Begging for life. Begging to live one more day. Begging to fuck you one mor“I don’t have my pride, Willow, because I feel like a man on death row. Begging for life. Begging to live one more day. Begging to fuck you one more time.�
[image] [image] [image] If this book isn't proof that you should always give second chances then I don't know what is. I'm so wonderfully speechless. So fucking gobsmacked, someone needs to join me on release day to raise a glass... all the glasses to Ms. Kent.
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An Explanation Earlier this year, I received an ARC for Gods and Monsters. After reading the novel, I wrote a review and gave it 1 star (zero stars if I could) because I thought what it was telling the readers wasn't right. I still and always will hold strong to the points I made in that review, because all those truths are self-evident.
I even thought that I wouldn't pick up a Saffron A. Kent novel ever again, for the sole reason that I actually hate giving negative reviews. Even through all its issues, authors work hard with their writing and publishing a novel can be one of the scariest and most vulnerable things to do.
Yet, somehow Medicine Man made its way through to my kindle.
I. was. hooked.
Not the chapter after chapter hooked, the type of hooked that had my eyes burning because I didn't even want to blink in case I missed a second of reading. The kind of hooked that kept me up till 5 in the morning with four shots of espresso and no dinner (because who has the time to cook when YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS). The kind of hooked that made me reach the last page, and all I wanted to do was flip back to the beginning and start the journey all over again.
That kind of hooked usually never. Never happens to me.
"I can’t ignore this growing� something just under my ribcage. Something like longing but with a sharper edge. More like restlessness."
The Plot Let me try and win you over.
"There’s a sun stuck in my head. It’s bright and glaring. It hurts my eyes, my skull, my very bones. I shove a pillow on my face, trying to shield myself from the rays. Obviously, it doesn’t help. Because the sun is inside my head. Inside. My head."
This is a story about a girl who purposefully fell off of a roof. This girl isn't well. In fact, she's so unwell that she has managed to trick herself into thinking that she actually is.
This is a story about a man who is broken inside. This man is a fixer. In fact, he can fix just about everything and everyone other than himself.
This is a story about how a girl who wants to fall to her death, yet learns to fall in love instead. With a man who wants to fix her, yet learns to fix himself instead.
"Medicine is in his blood. Like illness is in mine. My blood is tainted with poison and his is laced with the antidote."
Depression and Suicidal Thoughts So here's what won me over.
This book has many trigger warnings (that was stated in the beginning, cheers). Depression and Suicide being some of the many sensitive issues that are touched upon. One of the main themes, I'd say before even the Romance was the Mental Health. Not that this book wasn't steamy, because I'm talking panty dropping scenes, hot damn.
"Broken heart is more dangerous than a disease of the mind, though. They give you a pill to make your brain happy, but they haven’t yet made a pill for heartbreak. So there. That should teach everyone who wants to fall in love."
However, something that perhaps resonated very deeply and hit home really hard was the way mental health was handled in this book. I thought for sure I would have to rate this book down a couple stars because magic dick syndrome has its little symptoms pop up here and there and there was the constant message of "Love can cure my depression."
Except it wasn't.
It was done so brilliantly and cleverly because of how real the narration and the bouts of insanity felt. When you have a mental health issue, when you have any sort of disorder with your mind or body - you want to believe that everything and anyone can be your cure. You want out of your situation so badly, that you start to believe in other people more than you believe in yourself.
Willow realized that towards the end and the one and only important message that I want to plaster all over every paperback and e-book of this, is this:
"Well, as happy as you can be while living with clinical depression. Unfortunately, love isn’t a cure for it, but the love of my life is there with me every step of the way."
"As much as I enjoy the fantasy of him curing me, of him being my medicine man, I know he can’t. I know in this life, the only person who can save you is yourself. I’ve been fighting to save my life ever since I was born. I don’t need him to save me."
The Writing There was something so special about the writing in this. The way the atmosphere and pathetic fallacy was perfect under different conditions and the way some narrative descriptions was exactly what it feels like to be in that mindset. Eerie is a word that encapsulates this book.
The cover doesn't do this book justice. Although, it's an okay cover - this book was so much more than just okay.
It is a pretty big ass book. In fact, that's probably what would deter people away or cause them to lose interest. (I didn't lose interest even once but then again, I've already stated how fucking addicted I was to this.)
"I’m already locked up. I’m free to be insane."
There are two more books coming after this one revolved around some characters you see. I need them now. No, I needed them yesterday - I just didn't know. Although, the book deals with sensitive situations and triggering topics, it really is such a hot book. There was so much sexual tension and the burn was perfect and slow.
"I feel like I needed that, his tongue inside my mouth, tasting, sweeping, licking. Hungry. I needed to be his food, his sustenance, like he’s become mine."
I'm going to stop gushing and end this review with a little paragraph that I re-read multiple times. My eyes began to leak and I hope yours do too because whoever is dealing with issues like our Warrior Willow is, or even other issues; it's okay not to be okay.
“Because the thing is that it’s not my fault either. That I was born this way. It’s not my fault that sometimes things get just a little bit harder. It’s not my fault that every day I fight a silent battle. I implode. I don’t make a sound. I don’t say a word. I don’t let anyone know what I’m going through. It’s like I’m blaming myself. And I don’t want to do that anymore. I told you because it’s not my fault. It’s not my fault that some days my goal is just to make it through the day. While others make plans to ace an interview or a test or go see a movie or for a walk, I make plans to just get through the day. It’s not my fault. It’s my achievement. It’s my strength that I fight. Someone told me that I’m a warrior, and that I’m ashamed of it. So this is me…� I nod, unfisting my hands. “Not being ashamed. This is me asking for help.�
“You go after one, you go after all. You know the rules.�
[image] [image] [image] [image] This review took a while because of the following; - personal“You go after one, you go after all. You know the rules.�
[image] [image] [image] [image] This review took a while because of the following; - personally, this book dragged too much and it took self motivation to finish - I really wanted to like this and I kept forcing myself because I really want to experience the hype behind TIJAN.
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Meet The Crew i. Jordan Pitts ii. Zellman Greenly iii. Cross Shaw iv. Bren Monroe
I nearly had a problem with all fucking four;
i. Jordan was probably the only one I didn't really mind, and that was purely because his dialogue and scene presence was minimal.
ii. “She gives good head.� Zellman shook his head. “You know how rare that is? Not a lot of girls give good head. They’re not properly taught.� - Enough said.
iii. Cross felt too one dimensional. He is our love interest, and let me just say - I did not even get a hint of chemistry. I actually was confused in the start and spent time trying to decipher who the love interest was because it felt like there was no spark. Then there's Bren...
iv. Bren Monroe pissed the living hell out of me. I understood why she was the way she was, but I just couldn't get on board with how childish she acted. Mind you, she is a child and I often looked past different situations because of this. There was occasional moments where I sympathized with her, but those moments were short and far spread.
"That was my crew. Along with Jordan, there were two others besides myself—Cross Shaw and Zellman Greenly. My name is Bren Monroe, and even though I’m in the middle of this whole dark diatribe, and even though we look like the bad guys right now, things aren’t always as they seem."
The Plot I feel like this was the biggest issue I had with this book. Nothing hooked me enough that I didn't forget about the page count. I love that feeling when you're so into a book that you suddenly realize you only have three chapters left because HOLY SHIT! you've been glued to the page.
no. this did not occur in this one, folks.
Half the time, I had no idea what the hell was going on - nearly every second chapter there was a brawl or a fight and it had nearly no advancement in the plot or character development. This is definitely a slow burn in the romance department as well. Yet, I didn't feel a spark in the start to even start the burn; so when the h and H actually ended up getting together it felt like a straight forest burner. The plot moved way too slow for me and it dragged.
I know a lot of people who really enjoyed this, and I've been recommended the Fallen Crest series various times. So in my plight of trying to salvage love for both TIJAN's characters and writing, I might venture into that series later this year.
However, this one contained slut shaming, unrealistic teacher-student relationships and personal space violations galore. Not for me.
The "Normals"
"Sunday night. People had been to church this morning, and we’d beaten someone bloody this evening."
I felt like the concept of "crews" vs. "normals" and that segregation was too pushed. The concept was something really simple, yet the world building was inorganic because every possible time Crew was mentioned and the 'rules' that surrounded being in one, I felt like it was a research chapter. The idea is so unique and the blurb really had a lot of potential in my eyes but unfortunately, I felt like the execution could have been done better.
This review is really straight to the point and I feel like it might come out harsh in that way. I really do hope people don't experience what I did while reading this. You could completely tell the author spent a lot of time building both her world and her characters. You can also tell that there are subjects that could be so relevant to today's youth. Overall, I just couldn't get behind it (doesn't mean you cant ;)...more
[image] [image] Earlier last year, I read a singular Brittany C. Cherry book that completely stole the air from“When you find you, come back to me.�
[image] [image] Earlier last year, I read a singular Brittany C. Cherry book that completely stole the air from my lungs. When I found out that she was writing a new standalone, I all but tore the whole house down. Disgrace was most parts beautiful, some parts substandard and all parts heart-breaking.
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The Plot I was in a conundrum on whether I should rate this 3 or 4 stars, because in truth it was both. The writing was lyrical and the characters were multi-dimensional. Above all, this was more than just a romance, it was a story about blossoming. At the end, I found myself leaning more towards the 3 star rating only because I've seen what this author can evoke, and I felt like that sense of magic wasn't all that there with this one.
That does not go to say that it was any less beautiful, because it was. Before anything I will say this as a warning to any safe -seeking readers out there: there is a crap ton of cheating in this book.(Maybe not in the sense you might vision, but there nonetheless.)
We are put right into the heart of Grace's heartbreak and the story sets sail when she reaches her old home town Chester in order to move on from her husbands infidelity and lack of concern of her wellbeing. Where she meets Jackson, a man who is truly in his heart a kind and caring creature but is forced to be the town monster because of past happenings. It's a tale about two broken people in dire need of fixing themselves and each other but finding out who they are along the way.
"We were so close that I felt her uneven breaths against my skin, and I was certain she felt mine."
Another thing to add that I think is brilliant is that this must be the year of men saying it how it is. Jackson, our hero was so real that it hurt. I love that women will pick this up and get lessons that every Romance and New Adult book should have. For example:
“Don’t be so fucking dramatic. No dick is worth falling apart over.�
There were some areas of cringe-worthy dialogue and material that threw me off a bit, but I found myself coming back for the plot. It was so unique and the culture beyond the context of the book was wonderful to get into. All in all, I think what fell with those two stars is that lack of out of this world feeling you get when you read a book by her, that enchanting world consuming atmosphere.
"I’d only been with one man in my lifetime, and it was no secret that Finley wasn’t working with the same type of equipment that Jackson had."
The Romance Jackson and Grace will steal your heart if you let them.
They will steal your heart individually and they will steal your heart together. If there is one thing that Brittainy C. Cherry can do with no problem is create characters that make your heart skip and flutter a little louder than usual. I enjoyed reading this and I really do feel like so many people will enjoy it just the same, if not more.
“They’re gonna bleed you out till you’re nothing, and then they’re gonna ask how you died.�
A lot of her books can be difficult to read because they are so heart breaking, I feel like this was more on the mellow side and although you're in for a rollercoaster of emotions - at the end of the day, this is a feel good story. Nevertheless, I didn't cry while reading this but that doesn't mean it wasn't upsetting. You feel what the characters feel through the writing and you long for them to find their happily ever after.
The romance in this book get very real. The case behind the start of Jackson and Grace's story was one that can be related to on an earthly level because its so disturbingly relevant in today's society. Saddening as it is, it's a story that will touch a lot of hearts.
“I don’t know how to say goodbye,� he spoke softly, staring at the empty bowls. “Then don’t. Just say good night until tomorrow.�
“N¾±³¦´Ç?â€� “W³ó²¹³Ù?â€� “Your come is running down my thigh,â€� she whispered. Fuck. That was the hottest thing I’d ever heard. My dick throbbed. I found the“N¾±³¦´Ç?â€� “W³ó²¹³Ù?â€� “Your come is running down my thigh,â€� she whispered. Fuck. That was the hottest thing I’d ever heard. My dick throbbed. I found the wetness dripping down her leg. Running a finger upward, I pushed it back inside her.
[image] [image] Watch the fuck out for this author. I'm calling it.
[image] ________
� The sound of panties dropping � I spent a lot of time contemplating whether I should say yes to the review request when the author reached out to me, and I found myself coming back to that magnificent cover. Then I read the blurb and this seeped into me slowly. I found myself needing to know.
Best. Decision. *gif of Alex dancing awkwardly to The Sweetest Oblivion shrine*
Before I get into the plot, or the writing and even the characters. I want to take a moment and appreciate the sexual tension that resides in this one novel. There are some books out there, like this one that can single handedly make the whole room a sauna. I needed to put my kindle down a couple of times and just splash myself with water because hot damn.
The Sweetest Oblivion revolves around a girl named Elena Abelli. Elena is sweet on the outside because she needs it to survive being apart of a family that is a core member of New York's Cosa Nostra. Or, simply known as the Mafia. Elena's sister is set to marry Nicholas Russo, who is a boss of another family apart of the Mafia. When the two meet, sparks fly but both are too stubborn to face it. What happens after is a tale of love, loss, laughter and a whole lot of lunches.
"It was Cosa Nostra etiquette to pretend we were the classic example of a white-picket-fence family. Even if our homes were surrounded by an iron gate and security instead."
The tension is palpable on the pages, you can practically feel the stares across the room. I wouldn't necessarily call this a slow burn in terms of romance, but I would say it burns slowly and beautifully so. It's safe to say that Danielle Lori has now become one of my one click authors and I'm keeping an eye out for any more additions to this series, because god knows I'm thirsty for it.
♛Made Men�
"My family could be as pissed as they wanted, but I’d appreciate at least one fucking thank-you for stopping a bloodbath from ruining a perfectly good Sunday."
I forgot how much I missed Mafia Romance, the drama and angst. All those hot to touch men. This book really made me want to say fuck the whole reading schedule and read more Mafia romances, it also restored hope in FM romance for me. So that's a plus ++
I loved that between the romance and the sexual tension, we also got little nuggets of awesomeness from the families. Although they are fucked up and completely abnormal - what do you expect?? I love the banter that we saw from side characters and all the walk ins on awkward situations. The humor was something I really enjoyed as well. I definitely want to read on and see how the other characters turn out. I'm secretly hoping Gianna and Christian get together, and I want to see Adriana and how she turns out! I'm so invested in these families and all it took was one book.
"I only spoke Italian when I wanted to curse. I hardly ever swore, except for damn, hell, and maybe ass with a hole on the end now that I’d met Nicolas."
I didn't want this one to end, I wanted to stay in Elena's world and see how the rest of the story unfolds. The pacing was so intricately galvanized that you needed to read on. I stayed up reading till 4AM one night and I didn't even realize until I looked at the clock.
Goes without saying, but this is one for the shelves.
"Burn that shirt.� He then left without another word. I glanced down at my pink Yankees t-shirt. I guessed Nico was a Red Sox fan. We really wouldn’t work out now."
🂱 The Romance 🂱 The writing in this book was what made the love story stand out. The prose was straight off the bat stellar and once I was in the world, I couldn't get out. Even though this was a new author for me, I'm so glad I gave this a chance!
"He took his time licking me, like he was doing it for himself and not me."
I think the only thing that threw off that one star, although I'd say it's closer to 4.5 stars (thanks Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ) was that some dialogue threw me off. Without going into too much detail, there was some instances between some of the men and other girls that made me go "Okay... but no??". Maybe that's just the feminist side to me - regardless, I can't lie when I say that was the only small thing that fell short.
(view spoiler)[There was an instance when there was mention of rape. And although, it was redeemed later on, I still felt like dialogue was unnecessary. There was another relationship between two side characters that threw me off a bit because of the hypocrisy. (hide spoiler)]
Looking beyond that, the romantic elements between Elena and Nico were damn near perfect. We got to see the growth of the relationship emotionally and physically.
I enjoyed that we got to see both POV's because it was essential to know that it wasn't just one sided. There was a distinct voice of character that each had. Overall, it was a really good read and I enjoyed myself!
"I wanted to fuck her and ruin her for anyone else. I wanted to crush her wings and then put them back together again so she’d become dependent on me. I wanted her to need me. That dark, possessive, and dangerous feeling crawled through me every time she crossed my path. Elena Abelli was my vice, and fuck if I’d let it kill me."
“What’s your small thing for today?â€� â€Ô¨´Ç³Ü.&±ç³Ü´Ç³Ù;
[image] [image] Here are three small things about One Small Thing: 1) It was a guilty pleasure. 2) It was “What’s your small thing for today?â€� â€Ô¨´Ç³Ü."
[image] [image] Here are three small things about One Small Thing: 1) It was a guilty pleasure. 2) It was pretty cute (at times) 3) It was pretty bland (at times)
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Please note that this review is purely my own opinion, and I do not want nor intend for anyone to be swayed into not reading this book. If you want to give it a chance - it might turn out beautiful for you. _________
The Plot Whenever I have read 'Erin Watt' in the past, I always find myself coming to the same conclusion. I love reading the story because I need to find out what happens, yet somewhere or something falls short and it just feels mediocre in all. This does not go to say, that it takes away from the strengths of both the writing and development. However, it does make the storyline tedious at times.
I went into this story with no predispositions about the author(s) and the story. I read the blurb and I want to say that the blurb gives nothing away. Which worked in my favor, because it added the little bit of mystery value while reading. The story albeit cliche at very many occasions held it's own throughout and I read this in one sitting!
"Then I stumble midstep when I catch another glimpse of Blue Eyes. It’s fate. We’re supposed to meet tonight."
I don't want to give much away about the plot because I'd rather advise people to go into this blind and see where the characters take you instead. The pace is fast, sometimes extremely so - where I just sat there thinking "Didn't they just meet?? Haven't they known each other for approximately five minutes." I thought the storyline was fragmented and forced at times, but there is truck loads of angst and drama for all those that love high school romances with a soap opera atmosphere towards it!
" I could get drunk, but that’s too easy. I could get high, but that’s too dangerous. I need to do something between drunk and high that would make me feel good and piss my parents off. A f lash of movement catches my attention, and I turn to find a very good-looking guy stopping and leaning in the kitchen doorway."
The Characters The second most vital part both made and broke this story for me. Chase and Beth.
Straight off the bat, I could tell that Beth would be a problem for me. Her character was very naive and hypocritical and I wanted to see character development that happened but it felt like a complete cop out.
There's this greek stylistic device called deus ex machinawhereby a character or event that seems to exist just to effortlessly solve a problem that seems unsolvable. There is usually ancient greek gods and motifs involved, but taking that part away and focusing just on the 'cop out' former definition.
This felt exactly like that. The ending was just all too little and all too much for me. It didn't fit or feel right. It felt like there was a word limit to be met and the author(s) needed to get any ending in.
!!HOWEVER!!
I loved Chase. His character was a breakthrough for me, I loved that the stereotypical roles reversed and there was no magic dick syndrome. I REPEAT: there was no magic dick syndrome. I adored that he told it like it was and didn't follow that trend in young adult / new adult where the main male is an absolute dick all in the name of being an 'alpha'. Chase was this entire books saving grace for me.
"Your home life problems aren’t solved with my dick."
The Writing I've read Tillie Cole before. Maybe that's a wrong way to start. ... I've read Tillie Cole's dark romance before.
I never read "A Thousand Boy Kisses" and right from the synopsis, and the reviews I could tell that this was going to be somewhere along those lines. So I knew I was in for sap and mush and lovey dovey romance. I was genuinely looking forward to it.
A Wish For Us is centered around two people that have music running through their veins. Think of it like a life source, and both these 'patients' are attached to it through an IV drip. Cromwell and Bonnie meet through a series of coincidental events and when Cromwell signs up for the same university that Bonnie does, a whole lot of shit goes down.
I'll give nothing more, and I suggest you read it and formulate your own opinion! This review is purely my own and I would really love if I could lie and give this a high rating because the cover is mouth-watering, the blurb is hooking enough and even the first 40% of the book was a solid 3-4 star read. But then I read on.
The imagery and the color synesthesia was something that I actually really enjoyed, it was unique and beautiful and I completely understood how vital it played a role in the plot. However, the first main problem for me was the dialogue.
"You get pussy by the truckload, huh?� “I do all right.�
See, I understand the whole ideal of narration through the characters voice, and because this character is a guy - THERE JUST HAS TO BE 'locker room talk'.... So even though it made me cringe and a massive stamp with the word "stereotypical" was right next to my kindle waiting to be used. I held off.
The Romance But then there was the chemistry. (or lack there-of)
I felt like we were told Cromwell and Bonnie had tension - but I couldn't necessarily feel it. Which paired with now really cliche and cringey dialogue can be a bit hard to swallow.
Yet still, I persevered like the true romance reader I am.
It did get better. The middle quarter of the book was filled with pathos and emotional scenes. It made me want to throw away any 'stamp' I had on the book and just keep reading it with no past ideals about it.
“Cromwell doesn’t speak much with his voice, but he screams what he feels with melodies and notes and the change of keys.�
I love romance books that integrate a form of art in it. Be it music, theater, art, literature etc. A lot of the time it's like adding magic to magic - I love the atmosphere and the desperation, which all in all can create some serious heavy tension between the two MC's. This was a star in itself for this book. So if there is another thing I would like to point out, it's that Tillie Cole very beautiful stitched in the element of music with romance - so much so that I felt like I was falling for the art more than the romance.
Even though both were main plot lines in the story, the artistic element of it shone brighter than the chemistry between the Bonnie and Cromwell.
"Her voice was violet blue. I closed my eyes. It was my favorite color to hear."
So even though it made me cringe and a now massive stamps with the words "stereotypical" and "cliche" were right next to my kindle waiting to be used. I held off.
The Plot But then there was the plot.
Ooh my.
I'm not going to stretch this one out. But I would like to just....
“Fantastique.� I rose to my feet and flipped a lock of hair over my shoulder. “In America, monsieur, we say groovy.�
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I'm at the point“Fantastique.� I rose to my feet and flipped a lock of hair over my shoulder. “In America, monsieur, we say groovy.�
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I'm at the point where I can fully acknowledge and let the world know that I will read anything this woman puts out. If she wrote the nutritional facts of a granola bar or even the expiry date of a fucking bar of soap. This is how it would go along -
Alex: mesmerized. World: mesmerized. Bertrude, the cow: mesmerized. Emma: Scott.
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Stage our Setting: Paris, France. 1970, Second Indochina War
This is my second Emma Scott story to date. I keep falling for her lyrical writing and beautiful characters, and I don't know how to stop myself. I have never given a novella anything more than 3 stars. Hell, I don't give a lot of books anything more than 3 stars - For a novella with only fifteen chapters and two parts. Never could I have imagined how much this packed in!
I want to start by saying the ambience that this novella adapted itself to was perfect. I felt of the time, and of the dread and the constant hope that was lingering to everything that everyone did. Even though the setting and the cultural context was secondary to the story, it felt like the story was so well connected and it just goes to show that if your characters fit into the time place you put them in. You're practically giving me a five course meal with a sunset and some tunes.
Even though the story was short, the characterization and the multitudinous thematic elements that were incorporated sang out through the pages. It was painful to reach the end knowing that it isn't a full length novel.
Enter our Characters: Janey Martin and Adrien Rousseau
“Off the record: there are more important things in this world than what I want. On the record, Janey Martin, there is nothing more important than football.�
I'm not a sap. But christ on a cracker, did these two melt me.
I feel like I'm being unfair when I knock down that last star, because although the pacing was amazing and the romance made my stomach into a zoo. There were small traces of insta-lust and insta-love. Granted, this is a novella and with all novellas - author's don't have much legroom to get a full fleshed out romance between the to MC's.
However, I still think that there could have been that midway point where all though we got to see them fall in love, it could have happened in a greater timeline so it didn't feel all that rushed.
But besides the point, the romance in this was amazing, lovely, all the other adjectives for "too hot, hot damn" etc. etc. etc. [image]
Light the Magic: A toast to all things Emma Scott
"Minutes passed. The Rolling Stones played over the sound system. Mick sang that he couldn’t get no satisfaction. Neither could I."
I feel like I grow when I read Emma's books. (But Alex... you've only read two?)
Yes, I know. I feel like I've grown twice.
But in all seriousness, the writing and prose that follows through is different according to the story. It's almost as if the writing comes after the story and the story itself is the priority. I love that you can read different novels/ novellas by her and still want more.
I can't wait for more of her novels to come and how she's going to throw the globe off it's axis once again. I'll be right there, front and damn center....more
“I’ve wanted this for so long. I don’t know what to taste first�
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I have been trying to properly sit down and read this book for what feels “I’ve wanted this for so long. I don’t know what to taste first�
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I have been trying to properly sit down and read this book for what feels like months now. Something always comes in the way and I have to start from Chapter One all over again, because of this, I originally didn't want to give Unveiling Ghosts a rating. But I felt like that would not do anything justice and it was a cowardly way of playing it 'safe'.
But here's the thing. If you were to go solely for the fact that even after a month of on and off reading, I still wanted to pick this up and read Sherry and Hunter's story - that screams for more.
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The Writing
"Because I’d rather have you alive in someone else’s arms, than dead in mine.�
I have read reviews on Jeannine's writing. I stand by the fact that no review can and ever will do her justice. (Including this one). If there was anything that I want to shower my stars over, it would hands down be her writing.
It's a different form of purple prose - she uses metaphors and long winded paragraphs to help tug the hearts of her readers and even though that is usually a hit or (definitive) miss with me, she really got it way over the ball park with this one!
Second chance romance and the friends to lovers trope is something that always makes my heart sing, so when Jeannine reached out to me and asked me to review one of her books - I fell hard for the possibility of falling for this story. In a way, I did and I didn't.
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The Romance
Now, please don't get me wrong because there a bunch of people out there that I KNOW would love this story, if they picked it up because true soul mate love stories are something that people can melt over. However, I found that a lot of the lines ran cheesy and cliche at times.
But on the other hand, there was some really cute moments and maybe I'm so used to assholes in the romance and NA genre that Hunter comes along and gave me absolute fucking whiplash. I'm talking die-hard book boyfriend material, this kid will go to the ends of the world for you, but then again he's Sherry's and I will fight you.
"Sometimes I made a pledge with myself: YOU MUST KISS HER IN ONE MINUTE."
I enjoyed the start more than the finish. This very rarely happens, it all felt backwards - I couldn't quite grasp why there was a need for such a long timed split (4 years) and the reasoning that we were given felt very halfway. Almost like I missed something! I also loved that we got to see them growing up and falling in love together and then doing it all over again, but whenever the time jumps happened I always felt like the voice and the speaker was the same. This also goes for the narration, because we got a dual POV - Hunter and Sherry seemed to have the same voice and that distinction between the two was hard to read sometimes.
"I’m holding my breath, and even though I know I’m going to come up for air, there’s this inevitable panic coursing through me. Even a little dizziness if I really pushed it. But deep down I’m calm because I know that oxygen is coming.� I paused, my eyes soaking it all in and committing this moment to memory. “You’re my oxygen, Sherry, and I know you’ll always come through for me. I trust you more than anyone.�
Overall, Unveiling Ghosts was a cute and light read and if you need something to pull on your heart strings but not have to think too much about the story or plot - then this one is for you <3 ...more
“I felt like someone was dragging razors over my insides. But I’d had years of practice saying the right things in the right voices.�
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[image“I felt like someone was dragging razors over my insides. But I’d had years of practice saying the right things in the right voices.�
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It's weird to think that books are so filled with words and messages and stories that have the potential to snatch the air right from your lungs. But then there comes along one that is something else entirely, because words and messages and stories aren't enough to even begin to describe what's in that book. It's so much more.
The Quote About Something Having The Ability To Wreck You Is Appropriate Here
“I pictured Heaven as a field where I would wake one day, warm in the tall grass, and see a man seated at a distance. He would have his back to me and he would be looking out at the landscape. I would come awake slowly, into perfect happiness, and, when I was ready, I would stand up and go to him. I would spend the rest of forever in that summer country.�
I usually go about my reviews with explaining what I loved about the book and what I didn't seem to like as much. I also explain a little bit about what the book entails and how it affected me. I really can't and neither do I wan't to explain what this book is about, because if ever you were to listen to what my reviews advised:
Go into this blind, and it will open your eyes out to all the colors you never knew existed. Some will be ugly colors, some will be sad. All will be beautiful.
“Love is a cage two people build around themselves. �
This book deals with some heavy topics. It will tear you apart in more ways than one because of how real it is, it will touch base in some way or another because all of us are living in a world where the social norms are determined by society. When Lola reached out to me for a buddy read, the first thing I got told by my friend was that this book would ruin her and me. It really and irrevocably did.
“I’m all twisted around inside.�
I finished this book in less than a day, and I still feel the emotional whiplash from it. The Silver Cage has a very timid way that it approaches and comes to kill you. Wherein, you don't actually know that you're dead until you hit that last page and all you want to do is learn how to breathe again because the journey was the definition of breath-taking.
Partially from the realism and mostly from the emotion that is felt throughout the entire 60 heart-breakingly stunning chapters. I will go my whole life never forgetting these two and their story and I really hope that more people will get to love the love they have.
“You don’t work out,� I recited, “you level up.�
"Come away with me and I’ll never stop loving you, or don’t, and I’ll love you then too."
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Bleeding Like Me is one of a kind and a pi"Come away with me and I’ll never stop loving you, or don’t, and I’ll love you then too."
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Bleeding Like Me is one of a kind and a pinnacle in the M/M genre with it's approach in gang rivalry and forbidden love. I enjoyed the world that Jackson and Evan shared and I adored how their love blossomed through the pages. Unfortunately, I found myself only getting into the story at about the halfway point and had some issues with the plot.
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Romeo and Romeo
“You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?� Jackson groused, getting on his hands and knees. “Am what I eat,�
Although I found it confusing at the first couple of chapters to understand what as going on, the aspect of the gang rivalries and the streets only kicked in after the first 15% of the book. But once it did, holy shittt was I on board. I don't think I have ever come across a LGBT storyline that encompasses the world so completely, and especially when that world is unique and not many people write about it.
It was written through a narration that was clear-cut wherein the reader could understand 'the hood'. Although, I felt it got tedious at times - It stayed true to itself and encapsulated the world in which the story was revolved around. I think that this isn't meant for just anyone and everyone. I think those who enjoy it will love it to pieces, I stand somewhere in the middle. I loved most parts of it and all in all I'm glad I experienced them.
To those who dare to love even in the wake of seemingly insurmountable obstacles
The Writing
“I need a magnum. This thing is strangling me.� He pulled out abruptly, causing the other man to groan at the loss, while he sighed in relief at the release of pressure when he took the condom off. “Do you have one?� “Do I look like a fucking drugstore to you?�
Dear Ms. Parks, Your writing sent me on a whole other plane of existence. I laughed, I teared up, I fell in love, I felt.
See, this is one of the reasons why I love reviewing books and reading books. Especially when those books aren't generally mainstream and the whole bookdom is reading it. Because you come across rare gems where even if the story was about two rocks buying groceries together on a Tuesday, you would still fucking read it because the writing is fucking amazing.
When the author approached me for a review request, my initial response was to check out the blurb of the book and see if it would match my tastes. I then replied with a straight yes because the blurb itself is so beautifully written, I couldn't fathom what the actual book would be like.
A surprising factor was the humor! There were some laugh out loud moments in this book and although it was unconventional and heavily sexual innuendo, I found myself grinning like an idiot!
“I love you,� Jack told Evan. “Because of the koala?� he whispered with a soft laugh, nuzzling his nose into Jackson’s neck. “In spite of the fucking koala,� Jackson replied, with a huff that made Evan laugh harder.
Issues
I had a very small set of issues with the story all in all, but because they were embedded throughout the whole story, I had to figure out my rating accordingly. I found it hard to follow the narrative as everything spoken was shortened. For example, the first person would be cut out constantly. Instead of "I want to go to the bar" - it would be something like "want to go to the bar". I think this was just a personal problem whereby I couldn't get used to the style...
Secondly, I loved that there was so much character and relationship development. At the start of their relationship, Jack and Evan put up the whole front of appearing 'masculine' and 'not gay', which understandably could be a stage in their acceptance of sexuality. However I felt like it could be worded out in a more sensitive manner.
The last one isn't really an issue as it turned out to be perfect for the book. Although the ending wasn't ideal and flawless - it was the most realistic to the story. I struggled to figure out how the ending would be handled because of the conundrum of both the boys being in rival gangs. But the author approached it in the most realistic way and I loved that it was done so like that.
I may have cried a little during the end. #notevensorry...more
Alex � Comets and Comments �
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