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Black Mountain Academy
Hate Me
A Stepbrother Bully Romance
I'm the whispers in the dark you can't ignore.
The bully you can't run away from.
I'm the tormentor who makes your life a living hell.
The villain you love to hate.
I'm the vicious stepbrother sleeping in the next room.
The one who knows all your secrets.
And I'll stop at nothing to make you pay.
WARNING: This book is recommended for mature readers due to graphic language, sexual content, and dark elements.
I'm the whispers in the dark you can't ignore.
The bully you can't run away from.
I'm the tormentor who makes your life a living hell.
The villain you love to hate.
I'm the vicious stepbrother sleeping in the next room.
The one who knows all your secrets.
And I'll stop at nothing to make you pay.
WARNING: This book is recommended for mature readers due to graphic language, sexual content, and dark elements.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2021
About the author
Ashley Jade
48 books8,958 followersLink to my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Ashley-Jade-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,552 reviews
February 2, 2021
2 stars ✩⋆
just like ms olivia rodrigo, i'm glad i have my driver's license because i would happily drive all these characters to
✨🧚🏼♀️t h e r a p y🤪 ✨
just like ms olivia rodrigo, i'm glad i have my driver's license because i would happily drive all these characters to
✨🧚🏼♀️t h e r a p y🤪 ✨
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February 8, 2021dnf @ 18% because i can't do it
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June 5, 2021
MAJOR NOT SAFE FLAG
DNF
Wow. This was awful. AWFUL.
Call it curiosity because of all the wonderful reviews but wow… what's everyone smoking??????
Heroine (high school student yall) is a stripper that gives lap dances to old men.
She fucks a 48 year old man, at 16!!!!!!!!!!! and she's the one who initiated it.
That 48 year old man is married, and she knows this, but doesn't care because his wife is sick.
She is a homewrecker piece of shit.
Hero also fucks others and heroine sees him get a bj from ow.
That's it! I'm done with this! I skimmed till the end and it doesn't get better.
location 576: "Yes, he's married, but he and his wife haven't been together in a very long time given that she's suffering from a crippling disease that's slowly killing her."
location 690: "We're currently holed up in a hotel room because I refuse to go to his house and screw him while his wife is at home"
location 797: "Gave a few old men lap dances. Oh, and fucked your forty-eight-year-old brother in the back of his car"
DNF
Wow. This was awful. AWFUL.
Call it curiosity because of all the wonderful reviews but wow… what's everyone smoking??????
Heroine (high school student yall) is a stripper that gives lap dances to old men.
She fucks a 48 year old man, at 16!!!!!!!!!!! and she's the one who initiated it.
That 48 year old man is married, and she knows this, but doesn't care because his wife is sick.
She is a homewrecker piece of shit.
Hero also fucks others and heroine sees him get a bj from ow.
That's it! I'm done with this! I skimmed till the end and it doesn't get better.
location 576: "Yes, he's married, but he and his wife haven't been together in a very long time given that she's suffering from a crippling disease that's slowly killing her."
location 690: "We're currently holed up in a hotel room because I refuse to go to his house and screw him while his wife is at home"
location 797: "Gave a few old men lap dances. Oh, and fucked your forty-eight-year-old brother in the back of his car"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2021
Crazy with a side of cupcakes!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💜💛💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📙📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌎🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 👤👤👤👤👤
The setting: Black Mountain Academy
The Hero(s): Knox - everyone at Black Mountain Academy is afraid of him. Rumor is that he killed his Mom when he was a kid and spent a year in a mental hospital. He is the son of an FBI agent that acts like a Drill Sargent and he has hated Aspen since he met her when they were young.
The heroine: Aspen - was a Daddy’s girl until her father was shot by one of his investors after swindling them out of a lot of money. Since her father died, Aspen has made some bad choices because she wants to be loved and because she doesn’t want to be like her mother, who depends on men to take care of her in the style she is accustomed to.
The Love Story: The first time they met when they were kids, Knox attacked Aspen. Since then things have gone from bad to worse. Now they are forced to live together as step brother and step sister.
Knox is definitely a bully, though I have to admit I kinda like him. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks and he does some pretty cruel stuff. However, he also does some pretty cool stuff. Knox obviously believes in karmic retribution and does it well. I loved that about him.
Though this book was a bit different that your average bully romance. There is suspense, danger and some crazy things going on. The book was pretty twisted but in a good way. I was really rooting for a few people to get what they deserved and despite how deviant Knox was at times, I wanted him to come out ahead. I also hated a lot of the things Aspen did, but I wanted their romance to persevere.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💜💛💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📙📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌎🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 👤👤👤👤👤
The setting: Black Mountain Academy
The Hero(s): Knox - everyone at Black Mountain Academy is afraid of him. Rumor is that he killed his Mom when he was a kid and spent a year in a mental hospital. He is the son of an FBI agent that acts like a Drill Sargent and he has hated Aspen since he met her when they were young.
The heroine: Aspen - was a Daddy’s girl until her father was shot by one of his investors after swindling them out of a lot of money. Since her father died, Aspen has made some bad choices because she wants to be loved and because she doesn’t want to be like her mother, who depends on men to take care of her in the style she is accustomed to.
The Love Story: The first time they met when they were kids, Knox attacked Aspen. Since then things have gone from bad to worse. Now they are forced to live together as step brother and step sister.
Knox is definitely a bully, though I have to admit I kinda like him. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks and he does some pretty cruel stuff. However, he also does some pretty cool stuff. Knox obviously believes in karmic retribution and does it well. I loved that about him.
Though this book was a bit different that your average bully romance. There is suspense, danger and some crazy things going on. The book was pretty twisted but in a good way. I was really rooting for a few people to get what they deserved and despite how deviant Knox was at times, I wanted him to come out ahead. I also hated a lot of the things Aspen did, but I wanted their romance to persevere.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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May 17, 2021
For a minute I didn’t know if I was gonna like this one but I’m glad I hated Knox before I liked him. It was an amazing journey getting to know him inside and out.
Well hot damn Aspen! Gotta love a girl who tells it like it is, especially to her own mother.
And then there’s Knox; “You have until next week to get me the rest of my money.” I lean in. “Otherwise, I’ll break your goddamn legs…after I rip your beating heart out of your chest and eat it for breakfast.” -well, that escalated quickly.
Sometimes when I read these high school romances I feel like I’m watching those promos about the dangers of drugs or drinking. I’m just sitting here thinking yeah probably not the best idea to go to that party or drink something you didn’t make yourself. Ya know when everyone has always been an asshole.
Omg I knew he was a psychopath!
It took a minute but I ended up really loving Knox. I appreciate his brutality and what I’m coming to know as Ashley Jade’s flavor of no fucks given attitude. Aspen on the other hand ... yeah I either feel indifference or I don’t like her.
Was it supposed to be a mystery? Because that felt way too obvious. But I’ll put that aside and say that I did like the choices they made, especially Knox.
Well hot damn Aspen! Gotta love a girl who tells it like it is, especially to her own mother.
And then there’s Knox; “You have until next week to get me the rest of my money.” I lean in. “Otherwise, I’ll break your goddamn legs…after I rip your beating heart out of your chest and eat it for breakfast.” -well, that escalated quickly.
Sometimes when I read these high school romances I feel like I’m watching those promos about the dangers of drugs or drinking. I’m just sitting here thinking yeah probably not the best idea to go to that party or drink something you didn’t make yourself. Ya know when everyone has always been an asshole.
Omg I knew he was a psychopath!
It took a minute but I ended up really loving Knox. I appreciate his brutality and what I’m coming to know as Ashley Jade’s flavor of no fucks given attitude. Aspen on the other hand ... yeah I either feel indifference or I don’t like her.
Was it supposed to be a mystery? Because that felt way too obvious. But I’ll put that aside and say that I did like the choices they made, especially Knox.
February 23, 2021
Copied from a friend because we both agreed, and oh I’m picking out our read next time!
I was really looking forward to this... To say this was an utter disappointment and the worst of the the Black Mountain series is a complete understatement. The angst wasn’t even worth the read because it was over the top eye rolling cringey, not even some good “throw my kindle” drama. This book is basically my worst nightmare, because it lured me in pretending to be about tropes I like then suddenly it was filled with all of the cringeworthy cliches I avoid like the plague. I don’t know that I even have the energy for a decent review. I guess I’ll keep it simple.
We have sooo much other woman drama, and it just gets pretty laughable (I lost count of how many women he screwed just during this story)
Here are the laughable idiotic trope/themes
The “I did it with her while thinking of you”
and even the “I did it for you” that one was a threesome (and no it wasn’t even remotely necessary)
The “heroine watches hero sexing it up with other woman and gets turned on”
The “flipping back and forth between present and past vaugue memories to keep us wondering about the “plot twist” that everyone can already see coming a mile away.
The dreaded “dead ex” yep even in high school
The “I don’t know how to write an actual strong woman so I’ll write one who makes a bunch of stupid decisions and pretend that idiocy makes her strong” see some of the examples below...
The “Dating an older married man (with a kind dying wife) because of daddy issues”
The “High schooler becomes a stripper” because in these worlds that’s the only way a poor person can pay for college (her dream school that she got into gives free tuition to many middle class, all lower income students, and many lower income also get free room and board. What does it say about how shallow her personality is to strip to have extra money, or buy “books and clothes”. Pretty sure most college students need those at some point. There are other ways... Have some pride! Oh wait...
The “Mom gets remarried. I have too much pride to accept money or a car from him, but will shake my naked butt for the money of all of the other horny middle aged men in my city though” (not too much pride for that that)
The “author apparently doesn’t understand the importance of any type of dialogue, because everything important happens in an inner monologue” Or maybe she secretly made this a paranormal story about a mind reading woman (ie that’s the only way she could know he actually has ever done anything for her, or even had one positive thought about her is by reading his mind.) I don’t know why some authors think it matters if the reader knows things that the heroine never finds out. She’s the one who looks like a weak idiot for falling for just a penis, and having no pride. It’s just bad writing honestly. What he did do positively was already such a small thing compared to all of the bad, I feel like maybe this is a trick and we are supposed to think the heroines a dishrag? Maybe this entire book is the trick?
The “keeping it in the family” because older married guy that she had an affair with was his biological uncle, yes that means our beta hero likes his uncles sloppy seconds.
The “no one has ever been able to make me orgasm but you” pretty self explanatory, but don’t worry H has had a very happy sex life
And not that I cared at this point but some people might still think this is worth reading so I feel like I need to throw it in as mentioned in the title “completely stupid, unrealistic, pointless four year separation at 95% through the book” one where he abandons her, taking the chance that she might move on with some other guy (goodbye any alpha credibility) to who knows what life while he goes off to find himself. Conveniently she specifies that she hasn’t slept with anyone else (just kissed them) but he doesn’t... and last but not least “weak female forgives weak male over and over and over again without once getting respect or even a at least a good grovel out of it.” This author made sure to beat us over the head with this theme. I don’t think there was a chapter without it. Heck she rewarded him confessing to bringing her 30 ish year old stripper/hooker/coworker home to screw in the house she lived in, along with him confessing to calling yet another girl the heroines name while she gave him a BJ by having heroine then getting in her knees for him. He would screw anything, no matter how gross, and she didn’t even care to try to protect herself knowing he could have any number of diseases. Trust me author, after that we really got that you weren’t going to make him grovel or even just work a little bit for anything from her, we didn’t need to keep seeing the examples for the rest of the book. But you kept giving them to us anyway. Maybe that was the point? Because honestly the heroine was pretty awful, it could just be that I’m slow to catching the theme and it’s that they are both awful and deserve each other? I don’t know, but I need something to root for at least!
This was the absolute last chance I was giving this author, and it was only because I have read the rest of the series and expected more. I guess no one was proofreading to make sure there was a decent story... I’ll be more careful about the ones I have read and wait for reviews! Its becoming more and more apparent that some authors only care about shock value and just trick readers by leaving out a bunch in their summery. This was not what I thought I was getting.
Congratulations ladies and gentlemen we have found the worst book of the year and January isn’t even over yet. Unfreakingbelievable!
I was really looking forward to this... To say this was an utter disappointment and the worst of the the Black Mountain series is a complete understatement. The angst wasn’t even worth the read because it was over the top eye rolling cringey, not even some good “throw my kindle” drama. This book is basically my worst nightmare, because it lured me in pretending to be about tropes I like then suddenly it was filled with all of the cringeworthy cliches I avoid like the plague. I don’t know that I even have the energy for a decent review. I guess I’ll keep it simple.
We have sooo much other woman drama, and it just gets pretty laughable (I lost count of how many women he screwed just during this story)
Here are the laughable idiotic trope/themes
The “I did it with her while thinking of you”
and even the “I did it for you” that one was a threesome (and no it wasn’t even remotely necessary)
The “heroine watches hero sexing it up with other woman and gets turned on”
The “flipping back and forth between present and past vaugue memories to keep us wondering about the “plot twist” that everyone can already see coming a mile away.
The dreaded “dead ex” yep even in high school
The “I don’t know how to write an actual strong woman so I’ll write one who makes a bunch of stupid decisions and pretend that idiocy makes her strong” see some of the examples below...
The “Dating an older married man (with a kind dying wife) because of daddy issues”
The “High schooler becomes a stripper” because in these worlds that’s the only way a poor person can pay for college (her dream school that she got into gives free tuition to many middle class, all lower income students, and many lower income also get free room and board. What does it say about how shallow her personality is to strip to have extra money, or buy “books and clothes”. Pretty sure most college students need those at some point. There are other ways... Have some pride! Oh wait...
The “Mom gets remarried. I have too much pride to accept money or a car from him, but will shake my naked butt for the money of all of the other horny middle aged men in my city though” (not too much pride for that that)
The “author apparently doesn’t understand the importance of any type of dialogue, because everything important happens in an inner monologue” Or maybe she secretly made this a paranormal story about a mind reading woman (ie that’s the only way she could know he actually has ever done anything for her, or even had one positive thought about her is by reading his mind.) I don’t know why some authors think it matters if the reader knows things that the heroine never finds out. She’s the one who looks like a weak idiot for falling for just a penis, and having no pride. It’s just bad writing honestly. What he did do positively was already such a small thing compared to all of the bad, I feel like maybe this is a trick and we are supposed to think the heroines a dishrag? Maybe this entire book is the trick?
The “keeping it in the family” because older married guy that she had an affair with was his biological uncle, yes that means our beta hero likes his uncles sloppy seconds.
The “no one has ever been able to make me orgasm but you” pretty self explanatory, but don’t worry H has had a very happy sex life
And not that I cared at this point but some people might still think this is worth reading so I feel like I need to throw it in as mentioned in the title “completely stupid, unrealistic, pointless four year separation at 95% through the book” one where he abandons her, taking the chance that she might move on with some other guy (goodbye any alpha credibility) to who knows what life while he goes off to find himself. Conveniently she specifies that she hasn’t slept with anyone else (just kissed them) but he doesn’t... and last but not least “weak female forgives weak male over and over and over again without once getting respect or even a at least a good grovel out of it.” This author made sure to beat us over the head with this theme. I don’t think there was a chapter without it. Heck she rewarded him confessing to bringing her 30 ish year old stripper/hooker/coworker home to screw in the house she lived in, along with him confessing to calling yet another girl the heroines name while she gave him a BJ by having heroine then getting in her knees for him. He would screw anything, no matter how gross, and she didn’t even care to try to protect herself knowing he could have any number of diseases. Trust me author, after that we really got that you weren’t going to make him grovel or even just work a little bit for anything from her, we didn’t need to keep seeing the examples for the rest of the book. But you kept giving them to us anyway. Maybe that was the point? Because honestly the heroine was pretty awful, it could just be that I’m slow to catching the theme and it’s that they are both awful and deserve each other? I don’t know, but I need something to root for at least!
This was the absolute last chance I was giving this author, and it was only because I have read the rest of the series and expected more. I guess no one was proofreading to make sure there was a decent story... I’ll be more careful about the ones I have read and wait for reviews! Its becoming more and more apparent that some authors only care about shock value and just trick readers by leaving out a bunch in their summery. This was not what I thought I was getting.
Congratulations ladies and gentlemen we have found the worst book of the year and January isn’t even over yet. Unfreakingbelievable!
April 21, 2024
that aspen is seen as a homewrecker—and not a literal sixteen year old girl who is groomed and taken advantage of by a forty-five year old man, a man who is not only a family friend, but her deceased father’s married best friend, mind you—by readers is absolutely disgusting, and still sickens me three years later.
tl;dr; my thoughts in a nutshell after reading hate me:
justice for aspen, the hots for knox.
tl;dr; my thoughts in a nutshell after reading hate me:
justice for aspen, the hots for knox.
February 21, 2021
No one:
Not a fucking soul:
Every bully in a romance book for no reason:
Like some bad villain Knox had to go and make a whole ass monologue why he hated Aspen at first sight... i have to laugh.
I told myself I wouldn't post any new reviews, before I have replied to all the other comments. I'm sorry about that by the way. I promise I'll get to that after school stops killing me 😭 BUT I NEED TO RANT ABOUT THIS BOOK SO BADLY SO HERE WE GO.
– Hate Me was really everything, tropes, I hate in a romance and very unlikable characters, but I couldn't stop reading and was fairly entertained the whole time. I'm going on a rant in a little bit, but the reason why I'm giving this 3 stars, is because I read it in two sittings without getting bored, which is a big plus now for me. I also had an important deadline the next day and prioritised reading this before studying so uhm 🤷🏽♀️ 4 stars for the entertaining factor, 2 stars or less for the rest.
『 PLOT 』
Aspen Falcone (h) and Trenton Knox (H) once when they were eight. He "hated" her on first sight and knocked her teeth out. Fast forward to 9th grade, Aspen is sent to go to Black Mountain Academy the elite private school Knox is going. He becomes her bully for the rest of the time. A couple of years later, Aspen's father is murdered after he got himself in some trouble and a lot of debts. Not long after that Aspen's mother marries Knox's father, making Aspen and Knox step-siblings living under same roof. While these teens try to get their life together, there is an ongoing mystery where some serial killer kills girls.
––– SPOILERS FROM HERE: read at your own risk if you want all the major plot points spoiled –––
There is not ONE likeable character in this whole book!!!! The two main characters are still from the whole bunch the most "likeable" but even they do so many stupid things. Let me introduce each character that I wanted to get into a mental instituion ASAP.
⤷ Aspen: After her dad died, the only person who ever cared about her, she's having some daddy issues. She's starting to sleep with her dad's best friend Leo at her dad's funeral, because he always made her feel special and she didn't want to feel lonely. Since the funeral she hasn't stopped sleeping with Leo. When I read that I was look pls no, I found Leo pretty creepy from the beginning and the forbidden dad's best friend trope is hot, but not when the guy is cheating on his wife. But I'm not blaming everything on Aspen since it takes two to tango. Aspen also works as a stripper to earn some money to support herself.
⤷ (Uncle) Leo: Aspen's dad best friend and the guy who was suppose to take care of Aspen. He took care of Aspen alright, but not the way she should have. At her dad's funeral Aspen was 16 years old and Leo was 36 years old, even when Aspen made the first move to kiss him, Leo still clearly took advantage of a vulnerable girl. This pedo should be locked away. Not only is he taking advantage of minors, he's cheating on his SICK wife who's mute and sitting in a wheelchair. I just know Leo has a tiny dick, because he can't even make Aspen come when they are having their love affair. And it's even getting better. Turns out Leo was the guy who shot Aspen's dad, because he was greedy and because he wanted Aspen. Trent, who by the way is his brother covered for him. Did I even feel an ounce of sadness when Leo died? Nope, thank you next.
⤷ Knox: He was your typically high school bully. Even though he wasn't the popular guy at school, everyone was afraid of him, because he murdered his mother and was sent to a mental institution for a year and basically everyone thinks he is unhinged. Him being Aspen's bully is nothing that wasn't written already 10492 times. Some of the things he did to humiliate her are awful:
But you know, it's just bully doing bully things so I don't really hate him for that. Maybe only a little. The more the book progressed I felt sorry for him, because his father is clearly abusive and growing up with that kind of man would drive anyone insane. To no one's surprise he wasn't the one who killed his mother, but he was framed for it. While Knox wasn't exactly the guy I would like to be friends with, there are so much worse characters in this book that Knox is a saint.
⤷ Trent Knox: a.k.a the worst human being that has ever breathed oxygen. Also known as Knox's father. After reading so many books with FBI agents turning out to be monsters, I'm really loosing faiths in the people who are suppose to protect us. Trent was creepy from the go, I just knew there was something deeply disturbing about him. What did this monster do to earn that title? Well, where to even begin:
- he beat and abused his wife and son for years. Knox's mom bought him a lizard and his dad killed it, fried it and made Knox eat it. That kind of sick fuck is what Trent is. One day on his birthday Knox comes home to see his mother dead. Trent probably killed her for buying cupcakes for Knox's birthday and since it's one of the house rules not to bake anything or buy sweets, bc unhealthy and stuff. Valid reason for killing someone.
- after Knox's discovers his mom's body. Trent made Knox cut out her heart and cut off one of her fingers and probably more, but my fragile mind refuses to remember it. Note: Knox was eight when he had to do that. Trent as the great FBI agent he is sent Knox to a mental institution to keep him in check.
- And third, he killed all the 4 women in this book (Shadow, Candi Kane, Tracy & Staci) as a warning to Knox to keep Aspen in check or something. He did a lot more bad things, but that are probably his three biggest offenses.
⤷ Tracy and Staci: why is there not a single cheerleader in books that is half decent human? ALL cheerleaders that I've read are huge bullies and just shitty. I have never been to an american highschool, but I REFUSE to accept that all cheerleaders are shallow bitches.
Tracy, Staci and some other dude who's the quarterback (can't remember his name) bring Aspen to a party to drug her. This guy tries to rape her, but he is too dumb to get her jeans off and only tries to stick his tiny dick in her mouth, but Aspens vomits on him. Dumb and dumber (a.k.a Tracy and Staci) filmed the whole thing and posted it in their instagram story for the whole school to see. They didn't deserve to die at the hand of Trent, but I'm not sad about their deaths either.
⤷ Aspen's mother: She's a gold digger and nothing else. She doesn't care one bit about her daughter. She's the tpyical trophy wife who plans party and looks good. That's it. So when she died at the end.. natural selection.
⤷ Shadow and Candi Kane: Shadow was Knox's ex-hookup and Candi was a stripper who worked with Aspen in the same club, who also hooked up with Knox. They weren't the worse characters, but from the little scenes they weren't great either.
That's all the characters and I hated every one of them, except Knox and Aspen. I still didn't like the romance between Knox and Aspen, because there wasn't much. Still up to 50% of the book Knox is still sleeping with other girls and getting BJs and Aspen is still sleeping with Leo. There wasn't much room for romantic feelings for the two of them. The only time I felt something towards them was when Knox wrote Aspen that goodbye letter, cause I'm a sucker for letters.
What else do I need to rant about. Ah, how everything was solved. Knox has this plan that the police will find Aspen's mom naked in bed with his uncle Leo on top with a bullet in their head from Knox's father. With some minor complications that's what happened and it was the most anticlimactic thing EVER. Trent was built as this big ass villain the whole book and there wasn't even a showdown scene with Knox and Trent. It was said that Knox tied Aspen's mom to the bed and he ambushed Trent in the shower, but we didn't see any of that!!!! After all the abuse and horror Knox had to live through and there wasn't even an on screen scene where Knox knocked his father's teeth out? What the fuck? Even if it seemed like Trent murdered his wife and brother in a rage and then committed suicide, he still died as an FBI hero and people thinking he was the "good" guy and I hated that so much. There wasn't ANY explanation either for why Trent did what he did. How did he even find out about all these woman? Shadow okay bc she was a longer hook up, but how did he tracked the rest of the woman down? Did he watch some Instagram story and found out about Tracy and Staci after Knox's got his revenge for drugging Aspen? HOW DID TRENT FIND OUT ABOUT THEM. There are still so many open questions!!
The ending was pretty meh too... before Aspen goes to college, Knox leaves her a goodbye letter saying how he needed to leave to get his life together, because all his life his father told him he's worthless and good for nothing bla bla bla and wanted to be enough for her. The epilogue is 4 years later at Aspen's graduation. Knox is there and they confess their love. Bam it's over. Do you sometimes read the end and feel like there are chapters missing, because that was me with Hate Me. I don't need a proposal and babies at the end, but that was SO underwhelming.
Not a fucking soul:
Every bully in a romance book for no reason:
My mother once told me that the first time she saw my father, it was love at first sight. It was the exact opposite for me when I saw Aspen Falcone.
I hated her face and the stupid freckles lining the bridge of her nose.
I hated her smile and her crooked teeth.
I hated the carefree way she giggled and how the wind blew her long red hair as she swung on the swing.
I hated the way she looked at me when our gazes collided—like she could see all the demons taking up residence in my black soul.
I hated her for prying and asking shit she had no business asking.
I hated her for breathing the same air as me.
I hated her for existing.
Like some bad villain Knox had to go and make a whole ass monologue why he hated Aspen at first sight... i have to laugh.
I told myself I wouldn't post any new reviews, before I have replied to all the other comments. I'm sorry about that by the way. I promise I'll get to that after school stops killing me 😭 BUT I NEED TO RANT ABOUT THIS BOOK SO BADLY SO HERE WE GO.
– Hate Me was really everything, tropes, I hate in a romance and very unlikable characters, but I couldn't stop reading and was fairly entertained the whole time. I'm going on a rant in a little bit, but the reason why I'm giving this 3 stars, is because I read it in two sittings without getting bored, which is a big plus now for me. I also had an important deadline the next day and prioritised reading this before studying so uhm 🤷🏽♀️ 4 stars for the entertaining factor, 2 stars or less for the rest.
『 PLOT 』
Aspen Falcone (h) and Trenton Knox (H) once when they were eight. He "hated" her on first sight and knocked her teeth out. Fast forward to 9th grade, Aspen is sent to go to Black Mountain Academy the elite private school Knox is going. He becomes her bully for the rest of the time. A couple of years later, Aspen's father is murdered after he got himself in some trouble and a lot of debts. Not long after that Aspen's mother marries Knox's father, making Aspen and Knox step-siblings living under same roof. While these teens try to get their life together, there is an ongoing mystery where some serial killer kills girls.
––– SPOILERS FROM HERE: read at your own risk if you want all the major plot points spoiled –––
There is not ONE likeable character in this whole book!!!! The two main characters are still from the whole bunch the most "likeable" but even they do so many stupid things. Let me introduce each character that I wanted to get into a mental instituion ASAP.
⤷ Aspen: After her dad died, the only person who ever cared about her, she's having some daddy issues. She's starting to sleep with her dad's best friend Leo at her dad's funeral, because he always made her feel special and she didn't want to feel lonely. Since the funeral she hasn't stopped sleeping with Leo. When I read that I was look pls no, I found Leo pretty creepy from the beginning and the forbidden dad's best friend trope is hot, but not when the guy is cheating on his wife. But I'm not blaming everything on Aspen since it takes two to tango. Aspen also works as a stripper to earn some money to support herself.
⤷ (Uncle) Leo: Aspen's dad best friend and the guy who was suppose to take care of Aspen. He took care of Aspen alright, but not the way she should have. At her dad's funeral Aspen was 16 years old and Leo was 36 years old, even when Aspen made the first move to kiss him, Leo still clearly took advantage of a vulnerable girl. This pedo should be locked away. Not only is he taking advantage of minors, he's cheating on his SICK wife who's mute and sitting in a wheelchair. I just know Leo has a tiny dick, because he can't even make Aspen come when they are having their love affair. And it's even getting better. Turns out Leo was the guy who shot Aspen's dad, because he was greedy and because he wanted Aspen. Trent, who by the way is his brother covered for him. Did I even feel an ounce of sadness when Leo died? Nope, thank you next.
⤷ Knox: He was your typically high school bully. Even though he wasn't the popular guy at school, everyone was afraid of him, because he murdered his mother and was sent to a mental institution for a year and basically everyone thinks he is unhinged. Him being Aspen's bully is nothing that wasn't written already 10492 times. Some of the things he did to humiliate her are awful:
Knox holds up my white-cotton panties like a trophy. “She’s a purebred fire crotch. The carpet matches the drapes.” A few guys snicker. Until Knox sniffs his fingers and makes a face like he smells something rancid. “Bitch smells like tuna though.”
But you know, it's just bully doing bully things so I don't really hate him for that. Maybe only a little. The more the book progressed I felt sorry for him, because his father is clearly abusive and growing up with that kind of man would drive anyone insane. To no one's surprise he wasn't the one who killed his mother, but he was framed for it. While Knox wasn't exactly the guy I would like to be friends with, there are so much worse characters in this book that Knox is a saint.
⤷ Trent Knox: a.k.a the worst human being that has ever breathed oxygen. Also known as Knox's father. After reading so many books with FBI agents turning out to be monsters, I'm really loosing faiths in the people who are suppose to protect us. Trent was creepy from the go, I just knew there was something deeply disturbing about him. What did this monster do to earn that title? Well, where to even begin:
- he beat and abused his wife and son for years. Knox's mom bought him a lizard and his dad killed it, fried it and made Knox eat it. That kind of sick fuck is what Trent is. One day on his birthday Knox comes home to see his mother dead. Trent probably killed her for buying cupcakes for Knox's birthday and since it's one of the house rules not to bake anything or buy sweets, bc unhealthy and stuff. Valid reason for killing someone.
- after Knox's discovers his mom's body. Trent made Knox cut out her heart and cut off one of her fingers and probably more, but my fragile mind refuses to remember it. Note: Knox was eight when he had to do that. Trent as the great FBI agent he is sent Knox to a mental institution to keep him in check.
- And third, he killed all the 4 women in this book (Shadow, Candi Kane, Tracy & Staci) as a warning to Knox to keep Aspen in check or something. He did a lot more bad things, but that are probably his three biggest offenses.
⤷ Tracy and Staci: why is there not a single cheerleader in books that is half decent human? ALL cheerleaders that I've read are huge bullies and just shitty. I have never been to an american highschool, but I REFUSE to accept that all cheerleaders are shallow bitches.
Tracy, Staci and some other dude who's the quarterback (can't remember his name) bring Aspen to a party to drug her. This guy tries to rape her, but he is too dumb to get her jeans off and only tries to stick his tiny dick in her mouth, but Aspens vomits on him. Dumb and dumber (a.k.a Tracy and Staci) filmed the whole thing and posted it in their instagram story for the whole school to see. They didn't deserve to die at the hand of Trent, but I'm not sad about their deaths either.
⤷ Aspen's mother: She's a gold digger and nothing else. She doesn't care one bit about her daughter. She's the tpyical trophy wife who plans party and looks good. That's it. So when she died at the end.. natural selection.
⤷ Shadow and Candi Kane: Shadow was Knox's ex-hookup and Candi was a stripper who worked with Aspen in the same club, who also hooked up with Knox. They weren't the worse characters, but from the little scenes they weren't great either.
That's all the characters and I hated every one of them, except Knox and Aspen. I still didn't like the romance between Knox and Aspen, because there wasn't much. Still up to 50% of the book Knox is still sleeping with other girls and getting BJs and Aspen is still sleeping with Leo. There wasn't much room for romantic feelings for the two of them. The only time I felt something towards them was when Knox wrote Aspen that goodbye letter, cause I'm a sucker for letters.
What else do I need to rant about. Ah, how everything was solved. Knox has this plan that the police will find Aspen's mom naked in bed with his uncle Leo on top with a bullet in their head from Knox's father. With some minor complications that's what happened and it was the most anticlimactic thing EVER. Trent was built as this big ass villain the whole book and there wasn't even a showdown scene with Knox and Trent. It was said that Knox tied Aspen's mom to the bed and he ambushed Trent in the shower, but we didn't see any of that!!!! After all the abuse and horror Knox had to live through and there wasn't even an on screen scene where Knox knocked his father's teeth out? What the fuck? Even if it seemed like Trent murdered his wife and brother in a rage and then committed suicide, he still died as an FBI hero and people thinking he was the "good" guy and I hated that so much. There wasn't ANY explanation either for why Trent did what he did. How did he even find out about all these woman? Shadow okay bc she was a longer hook up, but how did he tracked the rest of the woman down? Did he watch some Instagram story and found out about Tracy and Staci after Knox's got his revenge for drugging Aspen? HOW DID TRENT FIND OUT ABOUT THEM. There are still so many open questions!!
The ending was pretty meh too... before Aspen goes to college, Knox leaves her a goodbye letter saying how he needed to leave to get his life together, because all his life his father told him he's worthless and good for nothing bla bla bla and wanted to be enough for her. The epilogue is 4 years later at Aspen's graduation. Knox is there and they confess their love. Bam it's over. Do you sometimes read the end and feel like there are chapters missing, because that was me with Hate Me. I don't need a proposal and babies at the end, but that was SO underwhelming.
March 4, 2021
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Knox and how difficult it must have been for him to carry the weight of the entire book over his shoulders.
He deserved someone SO MUCH BETTER than Aspen. All that girl did in this book is fuck a married man whose wife was really sick, kept on spitting out the only words she learned in school I guess ”I Hate You” and then proceeded to open her vagina for the person she apparently hates so much a second later. I guess her body just didn’t get the memo.
Example
“I hate you.” She spits in my face as another sob escapes her. “I hate you.”
A few moments later
Aspen shakes and trembles beneath me. She’s so close to coming, I can taste it. Anger mixed with envy races through my veins. “Sit up.” When she does, I wrap my hand around her throat and bring my lips to her ear. “Now squat over my dick like you’re gonna fuck it.”
I know this is supposed to be a hate - love romance but come on! One minute she says she hates him and then fucks him and then OUT OF NOWHERE calls him her boyfriend and is making plans to live with him during college.
Even KNOX WAS LIKE WAIT A MINUTE.
The transaction made no sense to me, I just didn’t understand ASPEN’S feelings at all. I wish she used her BRAIN more instead of thinking from her vagina all the time.
Also finally when I was celebrating the fact that Im getting to read a bully romance book where the h is not a virgin and is with someone else for at least a quarter of the book, two bombs are thrown my way.
1. The guy she is fucking is married and the wife is SICK.
2. She never got an orgasm with him.
Like I totally agree that he took advantage of Aspen when she was at her lowest but I couldn’t sympathise with her because of the sick wife. For me it’s inexcusable.
Aspen is officially my second student of the year who I need to teach about “self respect”.
He deserved someone SO MUCH BETTER than Aspen. All that girl did in this book is fuck a married man whose wife was really sick, kept on spitting out the only words she learned in school I guess ”I Hate You” and then proceeded to open her vagina for the person she apparently hates so much a second later. I guess her body just didn’t get the memo.
Example
“I hate you.” She spits in my face as another sob escapes her. “I hate you.”
A few moments later
Aspen shakes and trembles beneath me. She’s so close to coming, I can taste it. Anger mixed with envy races through my veins. “Sit up.” When she does, I wrap my hand around her throat and bring my lips to her ear. “Now squat over my dick like you’re gonna fuck it.”
I know this is supposed to be a hate - love romance but come on! One minute she says she hates him and then fucks him and then OUT OF NOWHERE calls him her boyfriend and is making plans to live with him during college.
Even KNOX WAS LIKE WAIT A MINUTE.
The transaction made no sense to me, I just didn’t understand ASPEN’S feelings at all. I wish she used her BRAIN more instead of thinking from her vagina all the time.
Also finally when I was celebrating the fact that Im getting to read a bully romance book where the h is not a virgin and is with someone else for at least a quarter of the book, two bombs are thrown my way.
1. The guy she is fucking is married and the wife is SICK.
2. She never got an orgasm with him.
Like I totally agree that he took advantage of Aspen when she was at her lowest but I couldn’t sympathise with her because of the sick wife. For me it’s inexcusable.
Aspen is officially my second student of the year who I need to teach about “self respect”.
February 27, 2021
3.5 stars
This book was so good. I usually don't like step-brother romances, so I was quite surprised when I liked this one. This is also a bully romance. I have read so many bully romances that I always get disappointed not because they are bad or something but because they aren't bully romance. If you too feel the same then read this book-let me tell you it won't disappoint. This is bully romance and not just for namesake.
You can buy the book here
'Knox' has always hated 'Aspen' right from age eight. Knox had made Aspen's life a 'living hell' right from her first day of school. There is an unexpected death of her father which later on causes Knox's father and Aspen's mother to get together. Knox's father is pretty strict and Aspen's mother doesn't care about Aspen much, so you know how it must have affected them.
There is also a mystery factor to this book, when Aspen starts living with Knox, somebody in the city starts killing random girls, ls, or are they random? I liked the whole mystery thing.
The characters:
Knox- I had love/hate feelings for Knox because what he did to Aspen way cruel but that changed slowly into the bok.
Aspen: She is different, nowadays whatever books I read I always find heroines who are very innocent or very sassy but Aspen is not like that plus the job that she does is also very different. Aspen is also the reason why I didn't hate Knox so much in starting because she didn't cower in front of him. At times I didn't like what Aspen did when you read the book you will understand but there was a scene where Knox made-confront the situation' which y liked.
And of cour, so this book is dark,h, hot and hotly🔥🔥
y recommend this book, go ahead and read it!
I read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinion are my own
Amazon | Reader Rank | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
This book was so good. I usually don't like step-brother romances, so I was quite surprised when I liked this one. This is also a bully romance. I have read so many bully romances that I always get disappointed not because they are bad or something but because they aren't bully romance. If you too feel the same then read this book-let me tell you it won't disappoint. This is bully romance and not just for namesake.
You can buy the book here
'Knox' has always hated 'Aspen' right from age eight. Knox had made Aspen's life a 'living hell' right from her first day of school. There is an unexpected death of her father which later on causes Knox's father and Aspen's mother to get together. Knox's father is pretty strict and Aspen's mother doesn't care about Aspen much, so you know how it must have affected them.
There is also a mystery factor to this book, when Aspen starts living with Knox, somebody in the city starts killing random girls, ls, or are they random? I liked the whole mystery thing.
The characters:
Knox- I had love/hate feelings for Knox because what he did to Aspen way cruel but that changed slowly into the bok.
Aspen: She is different, nowadays whatever books I read I always find heroines who are very innocent or very sassy but Aspen is not like that plus the job that she does is also very different. Aspen is also the reason why I didn't hate Knox so much in starting because she didn't cower in front of him. At times I didn't like what Aspen did when you read the book you will understand but there was a scene where Knox made-confront the situation' which y liked.
And of cour, so this book is dark,h, hot and hotly🔥🔥
y recommend this book, go ahead and read it!
I read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinion are my own
Amazon | Reader Rank | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
January 17, 2021
I’m going to start this by saying I’m not a huge fan of bully romances. I find that the ‘bully’ is very rarely mean enough for my liking. That was not the case with Knox. This kid is mean from the start and his hatred is a genuine thing. He’s got a chip on his shoulder and the perfect outlet for his anger in the form of his new step sister Aspen.
I loved Aspen so much. This girl is a fighter and she’s learned from a young age that she’s the only person she can depend on. When her world is turned upside down the last thing she needs is a new step dad and brother. Especially when that brother hates your guts, and your new step dad is a little....full on. It’s hard not to admire Aspen. She’s young but she’s independent. She knows what she wants and she’s prepared to put in the work. She may get knocked down but she always gets back up and I loved that about her. She’s not going to cower and bite her tongue for anyone even though it sometimes gets her into trouble.
This is another fantastic book from Ms Jade. Knox was everything I wanted him to be. He’s cold, cruel and closed off and he had me hanging off his every word and action. The tension between him and Aspen is impossible to ignore and in true Ashley Jade style, there’s plenty twists to keep you wondering what’s going to happen next. If you’re a fan of step brother or bully romances this is definitely one to check out. Hands off Knox though, he’s mine!
I loved Aspen so much. This girl is a fighter and she’s learned from a young age that she’s the only person she can depend on. When her world is turned upside down the last thing she needs is a new step dad and brother. Especially when that brother hates your guts, and your new step dad is a little....full on. It’s hard not to admire Aspen. She’s young but she’s independent. She knows what she wants and she’s prepared to put in the work. She may get knocked down but she always gets back up and I loved that about her. She’s not going to cower and bite her tongue for anyone even though it sometimes gets her into trouble.
This is another fantastic book from Ms Jade. Knox was everything I wanted him to be. He’s cold, cruel and closed off and he had me hanging off his every word and action. The tension between him and Aspen is impossible to ignore and in true Ashley Jade style, there’s plenty twists to keep you wondering what’s going to happen next. If you’re a fan of step brother or bully romances this is definitely one to check out. Hands off Knox though, he’s mine!
August 25, 2021
3 Stars
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s in the "Black Mountain Academy" universe but can be read as a standalone. This was my first read by this author, I enjoyed it at first but it wasn’t that good really. It was OTT and toward the end a bit unbelievable. It’s full angsty, a slow dark bully stepbrother story. As for the characters, I liked Aspen at first, she was feisty with a smart mouth on her, but when I knew her more, I disliked her for her choices. Overall, it was an OK read, and hope you enjoy it more than me!
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s in the "Black Mountain Academy" universe but can be read as a standalone. This was my first read by this author, I enjoyed it at first but it wasn’t that good really. It was OTT and toward the end a bit unbelievable. It’s full angsty, a slow dark bully stepbrother story. As for the characters, I liked Aspen at first, she was feisty with a smart mouth on her, but when I knew her more, I disliked her for her choices. Overall, it was an OK read, and hope you enjoy it more than me!
August 26, 2021
It was a 3.5 star read for me, but I’m rounding it down because I saw the end coming from 15% and no, I’m not that good, but I thought it was predictable.
Okay, first of all, why isn’t there a decent person portrayed in this book? Except Brie who we see glimpses, all the characters are BAD, but I guess it gives you what you need in order to like Aspen and Knox and understand their relationship.
Aspen and Knox go through some shit in their lives, which sets them up for some twisted shit and decisions they make. Aspen takes cover in a forbidden relationship and questionable job for a 18 year old and Knox hooks up with everything and gets in fights.
Call me crazy but I kind of liked the demented way they got together, not by love but by something else, need, hatred, lust, call it whatever, but I liked how it evolved and where it went.
Okay, first of all, why isn’t there a decent person portrayed in this book? Except Brie who we see glimpses, all the characters are BAD, but I guess it gives you what you need in order to like Aspen and Knox and understand their relationship.
Aspen and Knox go through some shit in their lives, which sets them up for some twisted shit and decisions they make. Aspen takes cover in a forbidden relationship and questionable job for a 18 year old and Knox hooks up with everything and gets in fights.
Call me crazy but I kind of liked the demented way they got together, not by love but by something else, need, hatred, lust, call it whatever, but I liked how it evolved and where it went.
February 7, 2021
This book was a rollercoaster!
With good and bad loops...
I don't even know how to start this review, so I'm not trying right now.
I also think that almost everyone in this book needs therapy, and seeing as I couldn't stop reading, and as I was sooooo invested in all that drama, I probably need it too!
Decent full Review to come...
Or not, if I'll be busy with therapy!
January 31, 2022
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
I hate the way my breath catches. Because while he’s the biggest asshole on the planet… he’s also dangerously attractive.”
Star Rating : 5/ 5 Stars
POV : Dual
Cliffhanger : None
Hero : Trenton Knox. A boy full of so much hate , he was a type of character that I had never encountered. He was ruthless and truly one of the biggest Bullies. But when he showed his vulnerable side , you couldn't help with fall for him.
Heroine : Aspen . She was a lonely soul who was a daddy's girl until her father was shot dead and her mother remarried. She was strong and sassy and I loved the way she loved Knox with everything she had in her.
Pace of the story : Fast
Angst Rating : 7/10
Heat Rating : 8/10
Triggers Involved : Past Trauma , Bullying
Plot Summary :
Knox has always hated Aspen. From the moment he saw her on the swing when they were kids , he knew he was going to break her. Now they are almost adults but that hate has not lessened. But now Hate is not the only thing he feels for her.
Aspen absolutely loathes Knox. The man had always made her life hell and there was no way he was stopping anytime soon. So full of hate , he was one gorgeous combination. Sometime she felt something else for him until with one ruthless action he destroyed it all. Now all that was left between them was so much hate that they didn't know what to do with it.
Overall Opinion :
OMG….
I remember the exact moment I saw the blurb for the story and how crazy it drove me. It literally gave me shivers and I have been waiting for this book since then!! And what an amazing read it was.
For me , this was literally one of Ashley's Top works. She blew my mind away and before I knew I was completely drowned in her world and I wasn't ready to let go. Even after I turned the last page , I wanted more!!!
The book started with so much hate and somewhere along the way it turned to a overwhelming story that made me feel so much!! A few chapters and sentences literally gave me goosebumps and it is only ashley jade who can make you feel so many emotions at such an amazing level!
A must read for all bully Romance Lovers and I can't shout enough but you all need to read this book!! This is Ashley at her best and there is no way anyone was miss this marvelous creation!
Final Verdict :
A must read for all the bully Romance lovers out there!
It gave me goosebumps and u can't even tell you what a memorable journey this was for me.
For me , this was Ashley at her goddamn best!
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January 30, 2021
How am I supposed to review this novel? I am speechless. Two messed up people trying to make it through life, day to day by doing questionable acts. Life is messy, I wouldn't want a novel that didn't have that factor. There is no safety in this book at all.
Hate me is a full length stand-alone with some darkness. On my dark scale, it's a light gray. This is one of my most anticipated books. I recommend you go in blind and have an open mind. It's a twisted ride with many turns and I didn't want to hop off. I read this novel in one sitting.
Knox has hated Aspen since they were kids. Now, both at Black Mountain Academy, Knox is her bully and makes her life a living hell. Shortly after her father's death, Aspens’ mother marries Knox's father. What a freaking mess that house is. The mother is money-hungry, and the father is a strict FBI agent. Both Knox and Aspen have darkness within and in their own way are broken. I fell in love with Knox you just can't help it. He is much more vulnerable than you think. Aspen is a strong girl and gave as much as she got. The sexual chemistry between the two is unbelievable. I was waiting for them to have hate sex or kill each other. Hate turns to want and boy my kindle melted.
That as much as I loathe her with every fucking fiber of my being… I’m also completely fucking drawn to her. And I know deep down she feels the same. We’re like two magnets…the electrical currents running through us simultaneously repel and attract one another. I fucking hate it.
Hate me is a full length stand-alone with some darkness. On my dark scale, it's a light gray. This is one of my most anticipated books. I recommend you go in blind and have an open mind. It's a twisted ride with many turns and I didn't want to hop off. I read this novel in one sitting.
Knox has hated Aspen since they were kids. Now, both at Black Mountain Academy, Knox is her bully and makes her life a living hell. Shortly after her father's death, Aspens’ mother marries Knox's father. What a freaking mess that house is. The mother is money-hungry, and the father is a strict FBI agent. Both Knox and Aspen have darkness within and in their own way are broken. I fell in love with Knox you just can't help it. He is much more vulnerable than you think. Aspen is a strong girl and gave as much as she got. The sexual chemistry between the two is unbelievable. I was waiting for them to have hate sex or kill each other. Hate turns to want and boy my kindle melted.
That as much as I loathe her with every fucking fiber of my being… I’m also completely fucking drawn to her. And I know deep down she feels the same. We’re like two magnets…the electrical currents running through us simultaneously repel and attract one another. I fucking hate it.
As much as I was prepared for this novel, I wasn't. Hate me is action-packed from page one with tons of suspense. I did see one twist coming. Though, it was half of the twist. Ashley Jade killed it with this book. She stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. This is what I want in a bully romance. With all the good and bad I wouldn't change a thing about this novel.
“Like I told you, every action has a consequence.” His thumb skates down the length of my spine. “Every sin has a punishment.” He’s unbelievable. “If that’s the case…what’s yours?” I feel him tense behind me. “You.”
I am going to be obsessed with this book for a while. I am not ashamed. 
October 31, 2023
Pretend you don't see this review
Below is Pandemic Sonia's review (Pandemic Goggles are a thing... it's been scientifically proven 🤣.)... let's pretend it wasn't previously a 5-star review 🤣... (pandemic Sonia gave LOTS of undeserved 5 stars 🤣).
If I were to read this right now, I would probably give this 2 stars ish... it wouldn't be more than a 3 and maybe I'd be angry enough to give it a 1.
The owd/sex on top of the adultery/cheating alone would downgrade this for me. 🥴
I still remember a few scenes from almost three years ago: (SPOILERS)
-The h having car sex with her uncle/deceased father's best friend
-the stripping scene
-the scene where the H asks the h's bullies to go down on each other while he records them (and I'm pretty sure they gave him a BJ... but I was already bothered before this). He does this to get back at them for the bullying they've done to the h, which includes drugging her and having OM assault her/try to get her to blow him, luckily (or however you wanna see this), the h throws up so...
-the scene where the H kills both parents and the uncle
-they ride off into the sunset at the end
-the H's dad's abuse to the H and his mom
-the H writing on the door when he was a kid, asking for help, and no one helping him
^^These scenes stuck with me after all these years... ugh...
At the time though, I had Pandemic-Reading Goggles
AVERT YOUR EYES… incoming PANDEMIC review 🤣
I couldn’t put this book down! There are some elements that I normally don’t vibe with, but Ms. Jade does it so well, I found myself engrossed the whole book!
The book starts off when we meet a younger Aspen. We get to know her family dynamic a bit and find out that her family’s money goes up and down- sometimes they have a lot of money and spend and other times they struggle. Her dad ends up transferring her to Black Mountain Academy- a better school than the one she’s enrolled in; she’s a pretty, smart girl who has gotten bored at her current school. She transfers and gets reacquainted with Knox- AKA her bully. Although there is some tension between them (the good, delicious kind), Knox makes it a point to humiliate her, so it never goes more than kissing. One day, her dad gets murdered- a man who was tired of his swindling killed him. Aspen starts a relationship with an older man while her mother quickly moves on from her father’s death- into the arms of Knox’s dad.
Oh Knox, you complicated boy/man. There are so many layers to you- so many ways you’ve been misunderstood. Knox was accused of murdering his mother when he was younger. Because of that, people tend to be afraid of him. He spent a year in an asylum and has been closed off to people since- he doesn’t let anyone into his impenetrable walls. At school, Aspen and Knox can’t help to see each other, both literally and figuratively, and now that they’re step-siblings, they’re forced to endure being around each other during the day and at home.
Aspen is at the top of her class; she has goals, and her goals require her to get money through scholarships and work- work that requires her to take her clothes off for a living. She’s also involved in an extramarital affair with a much older man. Knox doesn’t do relationships but has a steady hook-up that he’s been seeing. As the book progresses, there are girls that are mysteriously being killed- no one knows who's killing them and Aspen starts to realize that, one way or another, she might be the connection to these deaths.
This book is not a traditional bully book- yes, Knox picks on Aspen, but there is a lot more going on than just that.
I wanted to devour this book in one sitting! This book was full of heat 🔥, tension, drama, mystery, suspense and even had emotional scenes. The connection between Aspen and Knox was scrumptious!
Below is Pandemic Sonia's review (Pandemic Goggles are a thing... it's been scientifically proven 🤣.)... let's pretend it wasn't previously a 5-star review 🤣... (pandemic Sonia gave LOTS of undeserved 5 stars 🤣).
If I were to read this right now, I would probably give this 2 stars ish... it wouldn't be more than a 3 and maybe I'd be angry enough to give it a 1.
The owd/sex on top of the adultery/cheating alone would downgrade this for me. 🥴
I still remember a few scenes from almost three years ago: (SPOILERS)
-The h having car sex with her uncle/deceased father's best friend
-the stripping scene
-the scene where the H asks the h's bullies to go down on each other while he records them (and I'm pretty sure they gave him a BJ... but I was already bothered before this). He does this to get back at them for the bullying they've done to the h, which includes drugging her and having OM assault her/try to get her to blow him, luckily (or however you wanna see this), the h throws up so...
-the scene where the H kills both parents and the uncle
-they ride off into the sunset at the end
-the H's dad's abuse to the H and his mom
-the H writing on the door when he was a kid, asking for help, and no one helping him
^^These scenes stuck with me after all these years... ugh...
At the time though, I had Pandemic-Reading Goggles
AVERT YOUR EYES… incoming PANDEMIC review 🤣
I couldn’t put this book down! There are some elements that I normally don’t vibe with, but Ms. Jade does it so well, I found myself engrossed the whole book!
The book starts off when we meet a younger Aspen. We get to know her family dynamic a bit and find out that her family’s money goes up and down- sometimes they have a lot of money and spend and other times they struggle. Her dad ends up transferring her to Black Mountain Academy- a better school than the one she’s enrolled in; she’s a pretty, smart girl who has gotten bored at her current school. She transfers and gets reacquainted with Knox- AKA her bully. Although there is some tension between them (the good, delicious kind), Knox makes it a point to humiliate her, so it never goes more than kissing. One day, her dad gets murdered- a man who was tired of his swindling killed him. Aspen starts a relationship with an older man while her mother quickly moves on from her father’s death- into the arms of Knox’s dad.
Oh Knox, you complicated boy/man. There are so many layers to you- so many ways you’ve been misunderstood. Knox was accused of murdering his mother when he was younger. Because of that, people tend to be afraid of him. He spent a year in an asylum and has been closed off to people since- he doesn’t let anyone into his impenetrable walls. At school, Aspen and Knox can’t help to see each other, both literally and figuratively, and now that they’re step-siblings, they’re forced to endure being around each other during the day and at home.
Aspen is at the top of her class; she has goals, and her goals require her to get money through scholarships and work- work that requires her to take her clothes off for a living. She’s also involved in an extramarital affair with a much older man. Knox doesn’t do relationships but has a steady hook-up that he’s been seeing. As the book progresses, there are girls that are mysteriously being killed- no one knows who's killing them and Aspen starts to realize that, one way or another, she might be the connection to these deaths.
This book is not a traditional bully book- yes, Knox picks on Aspen, but there is a lot more going on than just that.
I wanted to devour this book in one sitting! This book was full of heat 🔥, tension, drama, mystery, suspense and even had emotional scenes. The connection between Aspen and Knox was scrumptious!
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 18, 2021Dnf at 30%
Wth was this supposed to be? A cheating fest...😐So disappointed.
Aspen is in highschool and she strips cause she doesn't have enough money for college, sleeps with her dead dad's married best friend and then later gets together with said best friend's nephew aka Knox, our charming hero. Ironically, she acts all saintly and patronizes her mother to have some decency and not flirt in her husband's funeral. Other than the obvious problems, Aspen was such a judgemental, negative and hypocrite character... utterly unlikeable.
Let me share a beautiful quote from the book:
"Yes, he’s married. But he and his wife haven’t been together in a very long time, given she’s suffering from a crippling disease that’s slowly killing her."
Wth was this supposed to be? A cheating fest...😐So disappointed.
Aspen is in highschool and she strips cause she doesn't have enough money for college, sleeps with her dead dad's married best friend and then later gets together with said best friend's nephew aka Knox, our charming hero. Ironically, she acts all saintly and patronizes her mother to have some decency and not flirt in her husband's funeral. Other than the obvious problems, Aspen was such a judgemental, negative and hypocrite character... utterly unlikeable.
Let me share a beautiful quote from the book:
"Yes, he’s married. But he and his wife haven’t been together in a very long time, given she’s suffering from a crippling disease that’s slowly killing her."
January 31, 2021
3.5 STARS
Holy hell, and I mean holy hell. What the hell did I just read? And I mean that in a good way because I love a book that's going to f*ck with my head. I love a story that can take me out of my comfort zone and make me squirm a little. And being the wholesome reader that I am...
Mind your own business, Mr. Fizzles. But fine. Whatever. There's not much that takes me out of my comfort zone, but this book managed it. Why? Because these characters are seriously messed up. And I mean SERIOUSLY messed up.
Now I will tell you that this book is certainly not for everyone. But if you do plan on diving in, I recommend going in completely blind. Trust me on this.
This is not a light read. It's dark and it covers some dark elements. I respect that the author wasn't afraid to take risks with these characters and didn't paint them with a dull brush. As messed up as Knox was, Aspen wasn't far behind. They were both irreparably broken in their own way, and yet in the most captivating way.
Aspen first met Knox as a child, and suffice it to say he didn't leave the best impression and with a lasting memory that she's immediately slammed with when she sees him again years later at her new prestigious high school. But while years may have passed, nothing has changed. Knox is still the cruel asshole she remembers from her childhood, and he doesn't hesitate to make her life a living hell in school. As the years pass, Aspen really comes into her own and you see her backbone finally come out so she gives as good as she gets. Her senior year finds her nothing like the sweet young woman that she was her freshman year. She's jaded, broken, and with daddy issues a mile long.
As much as I wanted to hate these characters for some of their choices in this book, I simply couldn't. I love an imperfect character, and both Knox and Aspen are as imperfect as they come, with their own brand of demons that lurk in dark corners.
I loved the first 80% of this book. I loved the crazy drama, the angst, the sexual tension, the hate lust. I lived for it. Then there was the added suspense element that I was absolutely salivating over. What did bring my rating down was the last 15%. It just took...an interesting turn, to say the least. I struggled to connect to how easy Aspen makes a choice to do something and how blaze it's all handled. I also struggled because the build up was delicious and the wrap up seemed too quick for me. I wanted a little more. it seemed like I blinked, and a big part was handled off the pages, to wrap up with a bow at the end. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed this immensely. It was my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last.I'm hooked h=on her brand of crazy angst and need more. If you're looking for a dark bully romance, this one will serve it in spades.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
He tastes like cinnamon and uninvited desire…wrapped in pure evil.
Holy hell, and I mean holy hell. What the hell did I just read? And I mean that in a good way because I love a book that's going to f*ck with my head. I love a story that can take me out of my comfort zone and make me squirm a little. And being the wholesome reader that I am...
Mind your own business, Mr. Fizzles. But fine. Whatever. There's not much that takes me out of my comfort zone, but this book managed it. Why? Because these characters are seriously messed up. And I mean SERIOUSLY messed up.
Now I will tell you that this book is certainly not for everyone. But if you do plan on diving in, I recommend going in completely blind. Trust me on this.
This is not a light read. It's dark and it covers some dark elements. I respect that the author wasn't afraid to take risks with these characters and didn't paint them with a dull brush. As messed up as Knox was, Aspen wasn't far behind. They were both irreparably broken in their own way, and yet in the most captivating way.
Aspen first met Knox as a child, and suffice it to say he didn't leave the best impression and with a lasting memory that she's immediately slammed with when she sees him again years later at her new prestigious high school. But while years may have passed, nothing has changed. Knox is still the cruel asshole she remembers from her childhood, and he doesn't hesitate to make her life a living hell in school. As the years pass, Aspen really comes into her own and you see her backbone finally come out so she gives as good as she gets. Her senior year finds her nothing like the sweet young woman that she was her freshman year. She's jaded, broken, and with daddy issues a mile long.
As much as I wanted to hate these characters for some of their choices in this book, I simply couldn't. I love an imperfect character, and both Knox and Aspen are as imperfect as they come, with their own brand of demons that lurk in dark corners.
I loved the first 80% of this book. I loved the crazy drama, the angst, the sexual tension, the hate lust. I lived for it. Then there was the added suspense element that I was absolutely salivating over. What did bring my rating down was the last 15%. It just took...an interesting turn, to say the least. I struggled to connect to how easy Aspen makes a choice to do something and how blaze it's all handled. I also struggled because the build up was delicious and the wrap up seemed too quick for me. I wanted a little more. it seemed like I blinked, and a big part was handled off the pages, to wrap up with a bow at the end. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed this immensely. It was my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last.I'm hooked h=on her brand of crazy angst and need more. If you're looking for a dark bully romance, this one will serve it in spades.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
January 28, 2021
HOLY SHIT- what a delicious, dark, and insane ride. Ashley Jade never ceases to find beauty in the twisted and titillating, to be unapologetically original and provocative, or to completely OWN me with her stories. Hate Me is nothing like I expected- darker, more complex, more twisting and shocking. But drama aside, Hate Me is an emotional tour de force- its a story that makes you question the very nature of love, and by extension, our orientation to it.
Ashley has such a keen ability to take a trope and put it on its head- her stories are never what they seem-and the result is a story that really defies any labels, stories that are refreshingly different and unexpected. Stories that hit you in the gut so sharply that you have to recover a bit before you can truly digest their brilliance. There’s daringness to her storytelling, a bravado that is quite consuming. In part, this is because Ashley is unafraid to do what so many avoid- she lets her characters be deeply flawed, unlikeable at times, villains in their own story. She sees the humanity in their brokenness, the bravery in their savageness, and she doesn’t just dabble in their issues, she IMMERSES us in them, by giving us narratives that put her characters through incredible adversity, with her own delicious brand of dramatic darkness. And Hate Me might be her boldest story yet.
Knox- oh Knox. I can’t describe him without spoiling, but he is a FORCE. He’s Ashley’s most flawed character yet- not truly redeemable, not likable but somehow lovable. He’s sinister and toxic and unsettling- but he’s also surprisingly vulnerable. Ashley chisels her way into his heart’s darkness and somehow uses it to paint the beauty of his soul- even if it is forever stained. Like so many characters before him, Ashley accepts Knox for who and what he is, she develops him with integrity- even the parts that are “wrong” and messed up, even his hate and anger, even his depraved choices. She doesn’t justify or excuse his actions, she lets him be what he is- a psychopath- and for that, somehow I love him even more.
Aspen rivals Sawyer for my favorite Ashley Jade heroine of all time- she’s quirky, loving, and gentle- but unlike Sawyer, she’s been tainted by the darkness around her- she’s the least straightforward heroine in Ashley’s books, because there is a duality to her. Twin existences that rival one another- contrasts that make her so interesting. She’s the good girl who touches darkness, a sweetheart that has developed her own grit, a lost soul who won’t stop fighting to be found. Her heart just longs to matter- to belong to someone.
These two have a violent, chaotic, and vitriolic connection- make no mistake, it is intense and unusual and unsettling, but also electric and captivating. And their dynamic is only part of this wild ride- the whole time you’re just trying to figure out just where this story is going, and where it does I was not anticipating. This is a stepbrother bully, a taboo, a romantic suspense- all of those things yet none of those things. Such is the genius of Ashley Jade- she makes you question everything. Even the nature of love itself-is perhaps hate really just an expression of love? Ah, well you’ll have to read to find out.
PS: this is a total standalone. None if the Black Mountain Academy books need to be read to read this, nor any of AJ’s other series.
Another PS: Fair warning- those concerned with safety or those with strict parameters when it comes to romance, this is not for you. This book doesn’t skirt around it- in fact, it embraces its “unsafe” depiction of love. I also have exactly ONE trigger (ie very little makes me unsettled), and this book hit on it, so readers who are on the fence, beware.
Ashley has such a keen ability to take a trope and put it on its head- her stories are never what they seem-and the result is a story that really defies any labels, stories that are refreshingly different and unexpected. Stories that hit you in the gut so sharply that you have to recover a bit before you can truly digest their brilliance. There’s daringness to her storytelling, a bravado that is quite consuming. In part, this is because Ashley is unafraid to do what so many avoid- she lets her characters be deeply flawed, unlikeable at times, villains in their own story. She sees the humanity in their brokenness, the bravery in their savageness, and she doesn’t just dabble in their issues, she IMMERSES us in them, by giving us narratives that put her characters through incredible adversity, with her own delicious brand of dramatic darkness. And Hate Me might be her boldest story yet.
Knox- oh Knox. I can’t describe him without spoiling, but he is a FORCE. He’s Ashley’s most flawed character yet- not truly redeemable, not likable but somehow lovable. He’s sinister and toxic and unsettling- but he’s also surprisingly vulnerable. Ashley chisels her way into his heart’s darkness and somehow uses it to paint the beauty of his soul- even if it is forever stained. Like so many characters before him, Ashley accepts Knox for who and what he is, she develops him with integrity- even the parts that are “wrong” and messed up, even his hate and anger, even his depraved choices. She doesn’t justify or excuse his actions, she lets him be what he is- a psychopath- and for that, somehow I love him even more.
Aspen rivals Sawyer for my favorite Ashley Jade heroine of all time- she’s quirky, loving, and gentle- but unlike Sawyer, she’s been tainted by the darkness around her- she’s the least straightforward heroine in Ashley’s books, because there is a duality to her. Twin existences that rival one another- contrasts that make her so interesting. She’s the good girl who touches darkness, a sweetheart that has developed her own grit, a lost soul who won’t stop fighting to be found. Her heart just longs to matter- to belong to someone.
These two have a violent, chaotic, and vitriolic connection- make no mistake, it is intense and unusual and unsettling, but also electric and captivating. And their dynamic is only part of this wild ride- the whole time you’re just trying to figure out just where this story is going, and where it does I was not anticipating. This is a stepbrother bully, a taboo, a romantic suspense- all of those things yet none of those things. Such is the genius of Ashley Jade- she makes you question everything. Even the nature of love itself-is perhaps hate really just an expression of love? Ah, well you’ll have to read to find out.
PS: this is a total standalone. None if the Black Mountain Academy books need to be read to read this, nor any of AJ’s other series.
Another PS: Fair warning- those concerned with safety or those with strict parameters when it comes to romance, this is not for you. This book doesn’t skirt around it- in fact, it embraces its “unsafe” depiction of love. I also have exactly ONE trigger (ie very little makes me unsettled), and this book hit on it, so readers who are on the fence, beware.
February 9, 2021
NOW THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE A MOTHERFUCKING BULLY ROMANCE OKAY!
BITCH I WAS SHOCKED WITH THE QUALITY OF WORK I WAS READING! GIMME MORE!! EXTENDED EPILOGUE PLEASE. IM A SLUT FOR MORE.
If you know me by now you can tell my taste is very obscured in romance, yes gimme the assholes but let it make sense.
AND HONEY IT SURE DID!
A fucked up girl with daddy issues.
Because I feared being truly alone.
Now lemme tell you something about Miss Aspen honey. She's no punk. She gives as good as she gets and when life knocks her down she comes back up SWINGING. God I fucking love her. Knox might be her worse nightmare but she sure as shit had other things to worry about. Like Daddy Trent being a psychotic abuser, her mother being a true narcissist and her Leo being a mister on the side.
So safe to say she had A LOT on her plate that Knox was the least of her worries.
But as far as attraction goes, when they do get together I love how Aspen wasn't one of those girls who pine over an asshole just because he gave her good dick. She's a bad bitch. OKAY.
Knox BABY the feminism in my body exits to the left when it comes to him. He's so fucking. dreamy and my god him and Aspen worked so well together. The fucking chemistry between them had me reaching for a fan cause it was scorching.
Miss Ashley Jade thank you for this, I'll be reading all of the Black Academy Books now because of you. Im so curious about Violet.
PS SORRY FOR THE CURSING. I JUST REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK.
BITCH I WAS SHOCKED WITH THE QUALITY OF WORK I WAS READING! GIMME MORE!! EXTENDED EPILOGUE PLEASE. IM A SLUT FOR MORE.
If you know me by now you can tell my taste is very obscured in romance, yes gimme the assholes but let it make sense.
AND HONEY IT SURE DID!
A fucked up girl with daddy issues.
Because I feared being truly alone.
Now lemme tell you something about Miss Aspen honey. She's no punk. She gives as good as she gets and when life knocks her down she comes back up SWINGING. God I fucking love her. Knox might be her worse nightmare but she sure as shit had other things to worry about. Like Daddy Trent being a psychotic abuser, her mother being a true narcissist and her Leo being a mister on the side.
So safe to say she had A LOT on her plate that Knox was the least of her worries.
But as far as attraction goes, when they do get together I love how Aspen wasn't one of those girls who pine over an asshole just because he gave her good dick. She's a bad bitch. OKAY.
Knox BABY the feminism in my body exits to the left when it comes to him. He's so fucking. dreamy and my god him and Aspen worked so well together. The fucking chemistry between them had me reaching for a fan cause it was scorching.
Miss Ashley Jade thank you for this, I'll be reading all of the Black Academy Books now because of you. Im so curious about Violet.
PS SORRY FOR THE CURSING. I JUST REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2024
This book moved from DNF-ing to skimming. I don't remember much of the story just turned pages only because of curiosity. My first book by Ashley Jade, this book has an interesting story but the story perspective and the disposition was not enticing. The writing mostly hurt me, the monologues are lame.
Knox has always hated Aspen since they first met. There is a rumor that he killed his mother when he was little and spent a year time in mental facility.
Aspen's father was shot dead, she has a lot of daddy issues. Her mother keeps jumping from one man's bed to another, her loneliness drives her to a wrong choice because she craves attention and wants to be loved.
When Knox's father and Aspen's mother marry, life turns from terrible to worse for Aspen. Where Knox was a bully he turns downright cruel. This part was interesting to me where Aspen sleeps with her dad's best friend, Leo, because she was lonely and later Knox mercilessly exposes their affair to Leo's wife forcing Aspen to make her shameless confession. Knox not only made her life a living hell every day, he made sure she was a social pariah who had no friends.
The book stands out in bullying and has a very cold cruel hero. I don't have any likeable characters, I don't want to rant just huff at the idiotic character's messes.
Knox has always hated Aspen since they first met. There is a rumor that he killed his mother when he was little and spent a year time in mental facility.
Aspen's father was shot dead, she has a lot of daddy issues. Her mother keeps jumping from one man's bed to another, her loneliness drives her to a wrong choice because she craves attention and wants to be loved.
When Knox's father and Aspen's mother marry, life turns from terrible to worse for Aspen. Where Knox was a bully he turns downright cruel. This part was interesting to me where Aspen sleeps with her dad's best friend, Leo, because she was lonely and later Knox mercilessly exposes their affair to Leo's wife forcing Aspen to make her shameless confession. Knox not only made her life a living hell every day, he made sure she was a social pariah who had no friends.
The book stands out in bullying and has a very cold cruel hero. I don't have any likeable characters, I don't want to rant just huff at the idiotic character's messes.
February 8, 2021
2 STARS ⭐️
Knox's dad always said to him "every action has a consequence." Well, staying up 'til 4:00 AM only to get up in a few hours & most likely being grumpy and annoyed with the world later is my consequent to reading this train wreck taboo what-in-the-goddamn-world-did-I-just-read.
Before we get into it theme songs for this read~
═════☆═════
S O N G S
═════☆═════
⇒ Daddy Issues - The Neighbourhood
⇒ Play with Fire - Sam Tinnesz ft. Yacht Money
⇒ Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins
Hate Me is a part of the Black Mountain Academy world but can be read as a standalone novel. This book may not be for all as A. Jade mentioned in the disclaimer, it is a taboo romance that pushes some major boundaries.
BRIEF STORY PLOT
Aspen is still reeling from the turn of events her life took her last few years of high school such as her father being murdered & her mother re-marrying quickly and moving in with him and Knox (who is her step-brother and tormentor since she was a kid). She finds comfort with one person - Leo, her dad's best friend and the man that she is sleeping with on the regular basis. But he is basically a scumbag as he prays on Aspen's insecurities and tries to dig his claws in Aspen, until Knox had enough and claims Aspen as his. Aspen never trusted Knox but always been attracted to him. When things become more questionable Aspen turns to the person she least expects to set the truth free- that person being Knox. A plot that is happening simultaneously is the escalating murders of those that are only connected to her and Knox.
Anyways,
✹Spoilers ahead✹
MAIN CHARACTERS
↠ Aspen Falcone = Main heroine
↠ Trenton Knox = Main hero
↠ Leo = OM who Aspen been having sex with since her father's funeral/Aspen's 48-year-old father's best friend
↠ The "parents" = I use the term parents loosely as Aspen's mom and Knox's dad are the worse human beings ever. They treated their kids respectively like shit.
Where did the story/characters lack?
↠ Aspen + Knox relationship: I been binge watching Sex in the City, so it inspired me to use many of the quotes from there to describe their relationship. Specifically, Samantha Jones inspired this re-telling of their relationship.
This couple gave me whiplash with their hating one minute to "connecting" via sex. Overall, their relationship lacked serious development as it was based on hate fucks, honestly. I did not feel/see much love between these two.
↠ How to deal with your issues at Black Mountain Academy 101:
Aspen and Knox fit into both options depending on the situation and whether they wanted their vulnerability to show. However, I feel that Aspen showed her vulnerable side more and Knox had no regard for any time until the LAST CHAPTER.
↠ Pain & Pleasure dichotomy: Even though this story lacked in development romantically and plot line, there was something to be said about how A. Jade represented the blurred lines of pain and pleasure for Knox's as a main H. There is no dichotomy between pain and pleasure for him, they go hand-in-hand & in order to experience pleasure you need to give someone pain.
Examples of the lack of dichotomy
Lastly, I do feel that A. Jade depicted well Knox struggling to become self-aware of the dichotomy of pleasure and pain for majority of the book but it lacked towards the end as us readers do NOT see if Knox fully understands it in the future.
↠ Dubious consent: Consent was only addressed once in the book which annoyed me a lot. Basically, consent was lacking greatly in this book. The line of consent is very blurry, specifically when Aspen is with Knox. Overall, I just found it to be very frustrating and turned me off to some of the sex scenes between them.
↠ Rushed HEA: The book ended with a WTF twist and then it jumped 4 years with the Epilogue. A lot of loose ends are supposed to be assumed such as Knox got his shit together, he waited for Aspen, and he is a changed man for Aspen. There was some animosity the way he left (maybe like 2 lines from Aspen's POV) but because he looked hot those thoughts were tossed and Aspen turned to mush when Knox finally said I love you. It went I love yous and they are just going to pick up where they left off without addressing how he left and everything else.
FINAL VERDICT ON THE BOOK
This taboo romance had a lot woven into it that made me go HOLY SHIT WTH IS HAPPENING but it could of been executed better and just overall developed better. Honestly, I was disappointed reading this book and am hoping for better reads from this author.
Knox's dad always said to him "every action has a consequence." Well, staying up 'til 4:00 AM only to get up in a few hours & most likely being grumpy and annoyed with the world later is my consequent to reading this train wreck taboo what-in-the-goddamn-world-did-I-just-read.
Before we get into it theme songs for this read~
═════☆═════
S O N G S
═════☆═════
⇒ Daddy Issues - The Neighbourhood
⇒ Play with Fire - Sam Tinnesz ft. Yacht Money
⇒ Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins
Hate Me is a part of the Black Mountain Academy world but can be read as a standalone novel. This book may not be for all as A. Jade mentioned in the disclaimer, it is a taboo romance that pushes some major boundaries.
BRIEF STORY PLOT
Aspen is still reeling from the turn of events her life took her last few years of high school such as her father being murdered & her mother re-marrying quickly and moving in with him and Knox (who is her step-brother and tormentor since she was a kid). She finds comfort with one person - Leo, her dad's best friend and the man that she is sleeping with on the regular basis. But he is basically a scumbag as he prays on Aspen's insecurities and tries to dig his claws in Aspen, until Knox had enough and claims Aspen as his. Aspen never trusted Knox but always been attracted to him. When things become more questionable Aspen turns to the person she least expects to set the truth free- that person being Knox. A plot that is happening simultaneously is the escalating murders of those that are only connected to her and Knox.
Anyways,
✹Spoilers ahead✹
MAIN CHARACTERS
↠ Aspen Falcone = Main heroine
↠ Trenton Knox = Main hero
↠ Leo = OM who Aspen been having sex with since her father's funeral/Aspen's 48-year-old father's best friend
↠ The "parents" = I use the term parents loosely as Aspen's mom and Knox's dad are the worse human beings ever. They treated their kids respectively like shit.
Where did the story/characters lack?
↠ Aspen + Knox relationship: I been binge watching Sex in the City, so it inspired me to use many of the quotes from there to describe their relationship. Specifically, Samantha Jones inspired this re-telling of their relationship.
~ Progression of their relationship ~
-----------------------↧ ↧ ↧--------------------
-----------------------↧ ↧ ↧--------------------
-----------------------↧ ↧ ↧--------------------
-----------------------↧ ↧ ↧--------------------
-----------------------↧ ↧ ↧--------------------
-----------------------↧ ↧ ↧--------------------
This couple gave me whiplash with their hating one minute to "connecting" via sex. Overall, their relationship lacked serious development as it was based on hate fucks, honestly. I did not feel/see much love between these two.
↠ How to deal with your issues at Black Mountain Academy 101:
⤑ (A) Keep to yourself about your problems by letting them simmer and then infiltrate all other aspects of your life, specifically your relationships and sex life
⪼OR⪻
⤑ (B) Vent to others who are just as fucked up or worse than you.
Aspen and Knox fit into both options depending on the situation and whether they wanted their vulnerability to show. However, I feel that Aspen showed her vulnerable side more and Knox had no regard for any time until the LAST CHAPTER.
↠ Pain & Pleasure dichotomy: Even though this story lacked in development romantically and plot line, there was something to be said about how A. Jade represented the blurred lines of pain and pleasure for Knox's as a main H. There is no dichotomy between pain and pleasure for him, they go hand-in-hand & in order to experience pleasure you need to give someone pain.
Examples of the lack of dichotomy
⤑ Knox got off when Aspen was bleeding, crying at her father's funeral, holding a knife to his throat, choking on him when he forcefully shoved his d*ck into her mouth x3 times.
Lastly, I do feel that A. Jade depicted well Knox struggling to become self-aware of the dichotomy of pleasure and pain for majority of the book but it lacked towards the end as us readers do NOT see if Knox fully understands it in the future.
↠ Dubious consent: Consent was only addressed once in the book which annoyed me a lot. Basically, consent was lacking greatly in this book. The line of consent is very blurry, specifically when Aspen is with Knox. Overall, I just found it to be very frustrating and turned me off to some of the sex scenes between them.
↠ Rushed HEA: The book ended with a WTF twist and then it jumped 4 years with the Epilogue. A lot of loose ends are supposed to be assumed such as Knox got his shit together, he waited for Aspen, and he is a changed man for Aspen. There was some animosity the way he left (maybe like 2 lines from Aspen's POV) but because he looked hot those thoughts were tossed and Aspen turned to mush when Knox finally said I love you. It went I love yous and they are just going to pick up where they left off without addressing how he left and everything else.
FINAL VERDICT ON THE BOOK
This taboo romance had a lot woven into it that made me go HOLY SHIT WTH IS HAPPENING but it could of been executed better and just overall developed better. Honestly, I was disappointed reading this book and am hoping for better reads from this author.
February 2, 2021
✰ 3 Stars ✰
-ˏˋ My Overall Thoughts ˎˊ-
Yay, I did it, I finally read my first Ashley Jade book!
Now that being said I'm not really sure how to feel about Hate Me . On the one hand it was a very entertaining time and the book held my interest from start to finish. On the other hand, I wasn't picking up everything that ASHLEY JADE was clearly trying to put down. *cough* *cough* The romance was. . .aggressively fine, which is typically not the feeling you want to be left with. Knox and Aspen as characters were again, fine, but they didn't really stir up many emotions from me. In addition, the side plot ended up overtaking the romance, which sucked because we barely got any romantic interactions between Aspen and Knox before that. Oh and there was a TON of time dedicated to letting me know that Knox and Aspen were fucking other people. *cough* one of those people being *cough* Also there's the small fact that it doesn't seem like they even really like each other. i mean he calls her "Stray" the ENTIRE book.
HOWEVER, h o w e v e r, despite all the things about HATE ME that shouldn't work, this book. . .actually kinda works. What I mean is ASHELY JADE is really good at getting you swept up in the story. The time I spent reading about Knox and Aspen was well spent. This book had drama, it had MORE DRAMA, there were twists, there were turns, there was step-brother hate fucking, we witnessed Aspen being a stripper totally plausible that no found out right, we got to see Knox doing some underground fighting because he can't be a true N/A hero if he doesn't illegally fight, there were bj's happening in Jeeps, so - many - blow -jobs, murder was most definitely afoot, and we got a rushed, but sweet happily ever after.
Ultimately I can't not recommend HATE ME to you guys. This is a book that I categorize in my head as a guilty pleasure book. I go in not really taking it seriously and that makes it so much more fun. This book may not be literatures next great romantic novel, and it may have a shit ton of tropes that I'm not a huge fan of, but it did bring a smile to my face. Also, ASHLEY JADE simply put, wrote an addicting ass book. As I said, once I picked this book up I could not put it down. So go forth my friends, go and read this crazy fun book, you'll (probably) have no regrets.
i'm sorry i just can't get over the fact that he decides to call her Stray like it's a cute term of endearment 🤣✨😭 oh this book. . .this book.
I’ll let him kiss me for as long as he wants to. Because every action has a consequence. . .and he’s mine.
-ˏˋ My Overall Thoughts ˎˊ-
Yay, I did it, I finally read my first Ashley Jade book!
I feel so 👏✨ a c o m p l i s h e d 👏✨
Now that being said I'm not really sure how to feel about Hate Me . On the one hand it was a very entertaining time and the book held my interest from start to finish. On the other hand, I wasn't picking up everything that ASHLEY JADE was clearly trying to put down. *cough* *cough* The romance was. . .aggressively fine, which is typically not the feeling you want to be left with. Knox and Aspen as characters were again, fine, but they didn't really stir up many emotions from me. In addition, the side plot ended up overtaking the romance, which sucked because we barely got any romantic interactions between Aspen and Knox before that. Oh and there was a TON of time dedicated to letting me know that Knox and Aspen were fucking other people. *cough* one of those people being *cough* Also there's the small fact that it doesn't seem like they even really like each other. i mean he calls her "Stray" the ENTIRE book.
SO, if that doesn't get you P U M P E D ✨ to read this book then you clearly must be cold and dead on the inside.
HOWEVER, h o w e v e r, despite all the things about HATE ME that shouldn't work, this book. . .actually kinda works. What I mean is ASHELY JADE is really good at getting you swept up in the story. The time I spent reading about Knox and Aspen was well spent. This book had drama, it had MORE DRAMA, there were twists, there were turns, there was step-brother hate fucking, we witnessed Aspen being a stripper totally plausible that no found out right, we got to see Knox doing some underground fighting because he can't be a true N/A hero if he doesn't illegally fight, there were bj's happening in Jeeps, so - many - blow -jobs, murder was most definitely afoot, and we got a rushed, but sweet happily ever after.
There’s so much stark emotion contained when he says my name—hate, love, want, desire, obsession—all of it tangled into one. Just like us.
Ultimately I can't not recommend HATE ME to you guys. This is a book that I categorize in my head as a guilty pleasure book. I go in not really taking it seriously and that makes it so much more fun. This book may not be literatures next great romantic novel, and it may have a shit ton of tropes that I'm not a huge fan of, but it did bring a smile to my face. Also, ASHLEY JADE simply put, wrote an addicting ass book. As I said, once I picked this book up I could not put it down. So go forth my friends, go and read this crazy fun book, you'll (probably) have no regrets.
“I’m yours, Stray. For however long you want me.” I’ll want him forever. “In that case…I love you, too.”
wait. . . did he just-
i'm sorry i just can't get over the fact that he decides to call her Stray like it's a cute term of endearment 🤣✨😭 oh this book. . .this book.
July 10, 2023
I think I’ve over read bully romances…
January 26, 2021
nonsensical book. Ashley Jade should never write a dark romance again.
January 28, 2021
So yeah. Um, having a hard time gathering my words for this one. I was really looking forward to this... To say this was an utter disappointment and the worst of the the Black Mountain series is a complete understatement. The angst wasn’t even worth the read because it was over the top eye rolling cringey, not even some good “throw my kindle” drama. This book is basically my worst nightmare, because it lured me in pretending to be about tropes I like then suddenly it was filled with too many of the cringeworthy ones I avoid like the plague. I don’t know that I even have the energy for a decent review. I guess I’ll keep it simple.
We have sooo much other woman drama, and it just gets pretty laughable (I lost count of how many women he screwed just during this story)
Here are the laughable idiotic trope/themes
The “I did it with her while thinking of you”
and even the “I did it for you” that one was a threesome (and no it wasn’t even remotely necessary)
The “heroine watches hero sexing it up with other woman and gets turned on”
The “flipping back and forth between present and past vaugue memories to keep us wondering about the “plot twist” that everyone can already see coming a mile away.
The dreaded “dead ex” yep even in high school
The “I don’t know how to write an actual strong woman so I’ll write one who makes a bunch of stupid decisions and pretend that idiocy makes her strong” see some of the examples below...
The “Dating an older married man (with a kind dying wife) because of daddy issues”
The “High schooler becomes a stripper” because in these worlds that’s the only way a poor person can pay for college (her dream school that she got into gives free tuition to many middle class, all lower income students, and many lower income also get free room and board. What does it say about how shallow her personality is to strip to have extra money, or buy “books and clothes”. Pretty sure most college students need those at some point. There are other ways... Have some pride! Oh wait...
The “Mom gets remarried. I have too much pride to accept money or a car from him, but will shake my naked butt for the money of all of the other horny middle aged men in my city though” (not too much pride for that that)
The “author apparently doesn’t understand the importance of any type of dialogue, because everything important happens in an inner monologue” Or maybe she secretly made this a paranormal story about a mind reading woman (ie that’s the only way she could know he actually has ever done anything for her, or even had one positive thought about her is by reading his mind.) I don’t know why some authors think it matters if the reader knows things that the heroine never finds out. She’s the one who looks like a weak idiot for falling for just a penis, and having no pride. It’s just bad writing honestly. What he did do positively was already such a small thing compared to all of the bad, I feel like maybe this is a trick and we are supposed to think the heroines a dishrag? Maybe this entire book is the trick?
The “keeping it in the family” because older married guy that she had an affair with was his biological uncle, yes that means our beta hero likes his uncles sloppy seconds.
The “no one has ever been able to make me orgasm but you” pretty self explanatory, but don’t worry H has had a very happy sex life
And not that I cared at this point but some people might still think this is worth reading so I feel like I need to throw it in as mentioned in the title “completely stupid, unrealistic, pointless four year separation at 95% through the book” one where he abandons her, taking the chance that she might move on with some other guy (goodbye any alpha credibility) to who knows what life while he goes off to find himself. Conveniently she specifies that she hasn’t slept with anyone else (just kissed them) but he doesn’t... and last but not least “weak female forgives weak male over and over and over again without once getting respect or even a at least a good grovel out of it.” This author made sure to beat us over the head with this theme. I don’t think there was a chapter without it. Heck she rewarded him confessing to bringing her 30 ish year old stripper/hooker/coworker home to screw in the house she lived in, along with him confessing to calling yet another girl the heroines name while she gave him a BJ by having heroine then getting in her knees for him. He would screw anything, no matter how gross, and she didn’t even care to try to protect herself knowing he could have any number of diseases. Trust me author, after that we really got that you weren’t going to make him grovel or even just work a little bit for anything from her, we didn’t need to keep seeing the examples for the rest of the book. But you kept giving them to us anyway. Maybe that was the point? Because honestly the heroine was pretty awful, it could just be that I’m slow to catching the theme and it’s that they are both awful and deserve each other? I don’t know, but I need something to root for at least!
This was the absolute last chance I was giving this author, and it was only because I have read the rest of the series and expected more. I guess no one was proofreading to make sure there was a decent story... I’ll be more careful about the ones I have read and wait for reviews! Its becoming more and more apparent that some authors only care about shock value and just trick readers by leaving out a bunch in their summery. This was not what I thought I was getting.
Congratulations ladies and gentlemen we have found the worst book of the year and January isn’t even over yet. Unfreakingbelievable!
We have sooo much other woman drama, and it just gets pretty laughable (I lost count of how many women he screwed just during this story)
Here are the laughable idiotic trope/themes
The “I did it with her while thinking of you”
and even the “I did it for you” that one was a threesome (and no it wasn’t even remotely necessary)
The “heroine watches hero sexing it up with other woman and gets turned on”
The “flipping back and forth between present and past vaugue memories to keep us wondering about the “plot twist” that everyone can already see coming a mile away.
The dreaded “dead ex” yep even in high school
The “I don’t know how to write an actual strong woman so I’ll write one who makes a bunch of stupid decisions and pretend that idiocy makes her strong” see some of the examples below...
The “Dating an older married man (with a kind dying wife) because of daddy issues”
The “High schooler becomes a stripper” because in these worlds that’s the only way a poor person can pay for college (her dream school that she got into gives free tuition to many middle class, all lower income students, and many lower income also get free room and board. What does it say about how shallow her personality is to strip to have extra money, or buy “books and clothes”. Pretty sure most college students need those at some point. There are other ways... Have some pride! Oh wait...
The “Mom gets remarried. I have too much pride to accept money or a car from him, but will shake my naked butt for the money of all of the other horny middle aged men in my city though” (not too much pride for that that)
The “author apparently doesn’t understand the importance of any type of dialogue, because everything important happens in an inner monologue” Or maybe she secretly made this a paranormal story about a mind reading woman (ie that’s the only way she could know he actually has ever done anything for her, or even had one positive thought about her is by reading his mind.) I don’t know why some authors think it matters if the reader knows things that the heroine never finds out. She’s the one who looks like a weak idiot for falling for just a penis, and having no pride. It’s just bad writing honestly. What he did do positively was already such a small thing compared to all of the bad, I feel like maybe this is a trick and we are supposed to think the heroines a dishrag? Maybe this entire book is the trick?
The “keeping it in the family” because older married guy that she had an affair with was his biological uncle, yes that means our beta hero likes his uncles sloppy seconds.
The “no one has ever been able to make me orgasm but you” pretty self explanatory, but don’t worry H has had a very happy sex life
And not that I cared at this point but some people might still think this is worth reading so I feel like I need to throw it in as mentioned in the title “completely stupid, unrealistic, pointless four year separation at 95% through the book” one where he abandons her, taking the chance that she might move on with some other guy (goodbye any alpha credibility) to who knows what life while he goes off to find himself. Conveniently she specifies that she hasn’t slept with anyone else (just kissed them) but he doesn’t... and last but not least “weak female forgives weak male over and over and over again without once getting respect or even a at least a good grovel out of it.” This author made sure to beat us over the head with this theme. I don’t think there was a chapter without it. Heck she rewarded him confessing to bringing her 30 ish year old stripper/hooker/coworker home to screw in the house she lived in, along with him confessing to calling yet another girl the heroines name while she gave him a BJ by having heroine then getting in her knees for him. He would screw anything, no matter how gross, and she didn’t even care to try to protect herself knowing he could have any number of diseases. Trust me author, after that we really got that you weren’t going to make him grovel or even just work a little bit for anything from her, we didn’t need to keep seeing the examples for the rest of the book. But you kept giving them to us anyway. Maybe that was the point? Because honestly the heroine was pretty awful, it could just be that I’m slow to catching the theme and it’s that they are both awful and deserve each other? I don’t know, but I need something to root for at least!
This was the absolute last chance I was giving this author, and it was only because I have read the rest of the series and expected more. I guess no one was proofreading to make sure there was a decent story... I’ll be more careful about the ones I have read and wait for reviews! Its becoming more and more apparent that some authors only care about shock value and just trick readers by leaving out a bunch in their summery. This was not what I thought I was getting.
Congratulations ladies and gentlemen we have found the worst book of the year and January isn’t even over yet. Unfreakingbelievable!
January 28, 2021
I always inhale an Ashley Jade book and Hate Me was no different. She’s definitely my go to author when it comes to dark and bully romance. It’s a stand-alone. Hate Me had the bully aspect down to a t and a very entertaining story as well. I was deeply engrossed in it and with Aspen and Knox.
Hate Me is fast paced so it’s all about buckling up and enjoy the ride. Ashley Jade excels when it comes to flawed characters. Aspen and Knox don’t stay inside the lines. They’re messed up and yet they still have traits of humanity so even though they’d do very wrong and unacceptable things I would just cheer them on. That’s an Ashley Jade gift. Make dark flawed characters heroes and likable.
Hate Me definitely has its fair share of twists and turns where I had to say “no freaking way”, which is also why I enjoy reading her books. Nothing is safe and it’s entertaining as hell. The relationship between Aspen and Knox has it all. Hate, bullying, steam and love. Everything I need in dark romance.
Once again Ashley Jade has created a thrilling and fabulous story. I got my dark romance needs and expectations fulfilled.
4 Stray Stars
*I received an ARC*
Hate Me is fast paced so it’s all about buckling up and enjoy the ride. Ashley Jade excels when it comes to flawed characters. Aspen and Knox don’t stay inside the lines. They’re messed up and yet they still have traits of humanity so even though they’d do very wrong and unacceptable things I would just cheer them on. That’s an Ashley Jade gift. Make dark flawed characters heroes and likable.
Hate Me definitely has its fair share of twists and turns where I had to say “no freaking way”, which is also why I enjoy reading her books. Nothing is safe and it’s entertaining as hell. The relationship between Aspen and Knox has it all. Hate, bullying, steam and love. Everything I need in dark romance.
Once again Ashley Jade has created a thrilling and fabulous story. I got my dark romance needs and expectations fulfilled.
4 Stray Stars
*I received an ARC*
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December 23, 2021
I can always count on Ashley Jade to write intensely dark and twisted stories with morally grey characters that are utterly entertaining. And yeah, I am a bit of a fan of her work.
Got the e-book on KU together with the audio version for free and I had so much fun cause the narrators are fantastic (as always with AJ's audiobooks).
The book is set in the Black Mountain Academy universe but can be read as a standalone. It's the first book I've read in this series and I had no issues getting the context.
This story definitely isn't for everybody and it's full of trigger warnings. What works for me is the writing style which is very easy to read and how authentic the main characters seem.
What to expect:
jaded romance between 2 broken characters
Aspen (18) - her father was a crook and died when she was 16, her mother is a socialite only interested in her social position and money. She was successfully groomed by her father's best friend, Leo (48) into a full on affair since she was 16.
Knox (18) - mother dead when he was 12, he was the main suspect and spent 1 year in a sanatory afterwards. His dad is a very controlling and psychotic FBI agent. He was horribly abused as a child.
realistic bullying
Knox bullies Aspen over the course of 4 years when they both attended the Black Mountain Academy. And he pulls no punches either. But Aspen has thick skin.
a lot of trigger warnings
Before going into this book, beware of the very dark content. You get child abuse, murder, non-con and dub-con.
smut
This book definitely goes into the erotica category. There are 8+ descriptive sex scenes and I didn't particularly enjoyed this brand of smut, hence my rating.
original plot and good writing style
I was highly entertained by the plot evolution and the original approach to a bully romance. Bonus points for the highly satisfying ending.
Got the e-book on KU together with the audio version for free and I had so much fun cause the narrators are fantastic (as always with AJ's audiobooks).
The book is set in the Black Mountain Academy universe but can be read as a standalone. It's the first book I've read in this series and I had no issues getting the context.
This story definitely isn't for everybody and it's full of trigger warnings. What works for me is the writing style which is very easy to read and how authentic the main characters seem.
What to expect:
jaded romance between 2 broken characters
Aspen (18) - her father was a crook and died when she was 16, her mother is a socialite only interested in her social position and money. She was successfully groomed by her father's best friend, Leo (48) into a full on affair since she was 16.
Knox (18) - mother dead when he was 12, he was the main suspect and spent 1 year in a sanatory afterwards. His dad is a very controlling and psychotic FBI agent. He was horribly abused as a child.
realistic bullying
Knox bullies Aspen over the course of 4 years when they both attended the Black Mountain Academy. And he pulls no punches either. But Aspen has thick skin.
a lot of trigger warnings
Before going into this book, beware of the very dark content. You get child abuse, murder, non-con and dub-con.
smut
This book definitely goes into the erotica category. There are 8+ descriptive sex scenes and I didn't particularly enjoyed this brand of smut, hence my rating.
original plot and good writing style
I was highly entertained by the plot evolution and the original approach to a bully romance. Bonus points for the highly satisfying ending.
January 30, 2021
Dnf at 20%
( contains spoilers)
The reason i didnt even bother continuing this book is because of the stupid heroine. Ok let me start off by saying that compared to the royal academy series..the writing of this book was not that good. You see, i enjoyed reading the RHA Series mostly because of the writing but in this book the writing seemed offf....bit different which is why it didnt capture my interest that much and adding on to that is the most annoying heroine in the world. So the heroine..whatever her name is.. Aspen, ok so her life is not that hard compared to the other bully books i have read where the heroine suffers a lot but still she is strong, Aspen’s life compared to that is sunshine and roses but still she never misses a chance to whine, cry and show herself as the victim. Her dad died, the problem for her was that her mom moved on quickly but through out the 20% i didnt see her mom being bad or evil towards Aspen..she just moved on with her life after her husband died and Aspen’s step father wants to be a parental figure to Aspen but she doesnt let him which is fine but can you stop whining every page and make yourself the victim of literally nothing? Knox on the other hand..he just glares at her and she says “i hate you” thats it, and he goes on fucking other girls...thats all he does because Aspen from age 16-17 starts to fuck a 48 old married man and also strips in a club for money. My problem here is that this girl has no self respect, why you ask? Because she fucking knows ... she even says that her sleeping with a married man WHOSE WIFE IS SICK is wrong but she still does it because he gives her attention... and she is the one who made the first move on him. So you are telling me...she sleeps with a married man..doesnt even orgasm and knows she is wrong and also admits that his SICK wife is a good women but still continues to sleep with that man cuz he gives her attention? Well the reason he gives her attention is cuz she is his dead best friend’s daughter. Not that the man is not wrong here, he is for sleeping with a underage girl but also Aspen here tries to justify her misdeeds by saying she needs attention? And then she goes on Stripping for money... not that its wrong, Strippers have self respect and pride but Aspen does not. she started doing all this shit at 16-17 and SHE WHINES EVERY PAGE, ALL THROUGH OUT 20% I READ WAS “ I NEED ATTENTION”. Oh my god, like i am so angry right now. Dont even talk about Knox cuz he is so boring and has no personality cuz all he does is glare and say 2 sassy words and also minds his own business by fucking other women, so keep him aside cuz he is useless. Aspen, i dont know what to say about her cuz she is a horrible attention seeking bitch. I dont call characters like this heroine just like i dont call rapists hero. She has NO, NOT AN OUNCE OF SELF RESPECT. Now idk, accepting your step father’s money who is trying to be a dad to you is right or stripping and sleeping with a married man is right? Cuz for her... stripping at 16 and sleeping with her dead father’s best friend is the right thing to do. I would have seen her as a brat teenager who is misguided thats why she is sleeping with that dude but SHE LITERALLY ADMITS WHAT SHE IS DOING IS FUCKING WRONG, like she takes a full fucking page to admit she is wrong but at the end she says he is the one who gives her attention. Maybe try to make friends and not behave like a bitch? Her school life is also not bad, its normal highschool stuff and also no bullying... idk if it gets bad after 20% but again, she started doing these stupid stuff when everything was normal. I see her as an adult, she is 18 and still doing what she was doing..sleeping with married man knowing his wife is sick blah blah. Ugh, i hate her so much, literally like she exaggerates a lot, she keeps whining through out the book, shows herself as the victim when literally nothing happend, ignores everyone but then also wants attention, sleeps with a married man knowing he has a wife who is sick, wtf is wrong with you? Lets not talk about knox, he does nothing but glare and slam the door. Ugh
( contains spoilers)
The reason i didnt even bother continuing this book is because of the stupid heroine. Ok let me start off by saying that compared to the royal academy series..the writing of this book was not that good. You see, i enjoyed reading the RHA Series mostly because of the writing but in this book the writing seemed offf....bit different which is why it didnt capture my interest that much and adding on to that is the most annoying heroine in the world. So the heroine..whatever her name is.. Aspen, ok so her life is not that hard compared to the other bully books i have read where the heroine suffers a lot but still she is strong, Aspen’s life compared to that is sunshine and roses but still she never misses a chance to whine, cry and show herself as the victim. Her dad died, the problem for her was that her mom moved on quickly but through out the 20% i didnt see her mom being bad or evil towards Aspen..she just moved on with her life after her husband died and Aspen’s step father wants to be a parental figure to Aspen but she doesnt let him which is fine but can you stop whining every page and make yourself the victim of literally nothing? Knox on the other hand..he just glares at her and she says “i hate you” thats it, and he goes on fucking other girls...thats all he does because Aspen from age 16-17 starts to fuck a 48 old married man and also strips in a club for money. My problem here is that this girl has no self respect, why you ask? Because she fucking knows ... she even says that her sleeping with a married man WHOSE WIFE IS SICK is wrong but she still does it because he gives her attention... and she is the one who made the first move on him. So you are telling me...she sleeps with a married man..doesnt even orgasm and knows she is wrong and also admits that his SICK wife is a good women but still continues to sleep with that man cuz he gives her attention? Well the reason he gives her attention is cuz she is his dead best friend’s daughter. Not that the man is not wrong here, he is for sleeping with a underage girl but also Aspen here tries to justify her misdeeds by saying she needs attention? And then she goes on Stripping for money... not that its wrong, Strippers have self respect and pride but Aspen does not. she started doing all this shit at 16-17 and SHE WHINES EVERY PAGE, ALL THROUGH OUT 20% I READ WAS “ I NEED ATTENTION”. Oh my god, like i am so angry right now. Dont even talk about Knox cuz he is so boring and has no personality cuz all he does is glare and say 2 sassy words and also minds his own business by fucking other women, so keep him aside cuz he is useless. Aspen, i dont know what to say about her cuz she is a horrible attention seeking bitch. I dont call characters like this heroine just like i dont call rapists hero. She has NO, NOT AN OUNCE OF SELF RESPECT. Now idk, accepting your step father’s money who is trying to be a dad to you is right or stripping and sleeping with a married man is right? Cuz for her... stripping at 16 and sleeping with her dead father’s best friend is the right thing to do. I would have seen her as a brat teenager who is misguided thats why she is sleeping with that dude but SHE LITERALLY ADMITS WHAT SHE IS DOING IS FUCKING WRONG, like she takes a full fucking page to admit she is wrong but at the end she says he is the one who gives her attention. Maybe try to make friends and not behave like a bitch? Her school life is also not bad, its normal highschool stuff and also no bullying... idk if it gets bad after 20% but again, she started doing these stupid stuff when everything was normal. I see her as an adult, she is 18 and still doing what she was doing..sleeping with married man knowing his wife is sick blah blah. Ugh, i hate her so much, literally like she exaggerates a lot, she keeps whining through out the book, shows herself as the victim when literally nothing happend, ignores everyone but then also wants attention, sleeps with a married man knowing he has a wife who is sick, wtf is wrong with you? Lets not talk about knox, he does nothing but glare and slam the door. Ugh
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