DNF shortly after Addie had her date with Henry. I don’t remember how far it was page-wise but here's the deal, by that stage I expected to feel sometDNF shortly after Addie had her date with Henry. I don’t remember how far it was page-wise but here's the deal, by that stage I expected to feel something other than boring, eye-rolling pfffffft-ing for the MC.
For someone who had already lived 300 years or so, to not give us any insightful narratives on human history just came across as incredibly shallow. And boring. She walked (A LOT)…..this biatch was like the Forest Gump of immortals. She moaned, she felt sorry for herself and her freckles and constantly wished someone would remember her even though that wasn’t the nature of her “bargain". Completely counterintuitive.
When I began the book, I was expecting Faustian fantasy as a deep morality tale. Instead, I got more like a Cady Heron in literary form. I expected Addie to be experienced from her transient and temporary life and broader cultural exposure and to elaborate on that but no, instead we get an emotionally stunted MC that came across shallower than a kiddie pool....more
DNF at 100 pages. I’ve taken a long break from Hill (since 2014). I think it was reading all of her books (except the Mermaid one) back to back, everyDNF at 100 pages. I’ve taken a long break from Hill (since 2014). I think it was reading all of her books (except the Mermaid one) back to back, everything started becoming too formulaic for me and there’s only so much angst I can take in my books and in life. Yet, I’ve always really liked and respected Hill’s writing and the heart she puts into them all. She’s always striving to allow readers to get close to the characters and see their humanity over extreme alternative lifestyle’s but this time, my line was crossed.
First, there were a few details that took me out of present day era and into McCheeseville 27 years ago. Now some might say I’m being a snob. And maybe I am! And all I can say is that to be immersed into character legitimacy, the details matter to me. Here are my nitpicks:
1 - That the club was “pumping" to “When the Lights Go Out” by Five. Five…….Five???? The club was pumping to Five? A vampire BDSM club??
2 - And then the club pumping to Gloria Estefan “Don’t Let This Moment End - The Remix”. Good grief is my mom up in this club!? Cause if so I need to leave pronto. Just sayin’.
3 - The outfits. Haven’t we moved on from sheer, nipple peeking, peasant blouses under red corsets? Pirate BDSM attire needs to stay in 1997. I mean nowadays the fashion industry have literal hooker fashion legitimised so that all the celebs and super models are wearing & promoting. Like the viral TikTok Poster Girl bodycon dresses & jumpsuits. Any one of those would do BDSM just fine. They even have a latex section….
4 - The Beauty. Gurlfriend Ella isn’t just wearing a Pirate’s of the Caribbean Comic-Ccon outfit, she wears violet coloured contacts (who?…..why?…….) and a banana “comb”. It’s normally called a banana “clip” but whatever, again, now I’m in the late 80’s/early 90’s and not in a good way.
5 - The cat/dog chase scene. Oh my WORD……STOP IT. And what I’m about to write is assumptive on my end (so tell me if I’m wrong) - but not only did this freaked me out with how weirdly & panderingly niche this was but also, I got a very strong telegraphic vibe that this is setting up a catalyst for a later gang rape of Ella.
Cause Hill does A LOT of violence against women in her books. And I gotta say, I am EXHAUSTED by the chronic use of violence, especially sexual assault in “romance” books for women. Why? Why are they conditioning us to equate violence against us to being rescued or saved by a man? Or eve to accept that this should be the normal narrative as being a part of being a woman? It’s even worse that this is chronically perpetuated by women against other women. As women, we should be saying enough. It’s enough. Just stop. STOP. Surely editors can be convinced of alternative traumatic plot devices that don't include nonconsensual violence against us all?? And then turn around and create a trauma bond romance narrative out of it….??? We need to be consciously doing better for one another. Especially in this nuts world we live in.
6 - Daddy Dom play. Oh fuckno. I don’t even want to hear that mentioned in any context. Esp. not nowadays with child trafficking and how it’s so pervasive and like the wild west on the internet with kids and pervos. Yeah, yeah it’s an adult book but any conditioning, planting seeds, normalising anything to do with an adult and little fantasy, or a Daddy/child fantasy? Is not gonna fly with me.
I know people do it but the fact that Hill had to write what she did (see below) to explain away the predisposed opinions on what this is likely really about for a lot of messed up people - actually told me everything I needed to know. Cause she wouldn’t have had to address it right away (like Eminem’s take-down rap in “8Mile”), if she knew it wasn’t a huge factor in this kink or what majority of people would think. That fact that it’s an association regardless of it being in the context of adult role play is not my bag. Nope. I didn’t buy it and just…. it grossed me out. Here's the quote in the book:
(view spoiler)[“Daddy Dom play is a ‘safe’ way to act out your persistent pedop-le fantasies. On the sub side, it’s a chance to enact your secret desire to fuck your father. Or avoid being a capable adult, letting someone run your life rather than handling it yourself.” As Wolf opened the workshop with the brusque statement, rustlings in the room stilled. They’d run out of chairs, so people were sitting on the floor in front and standing along the wall in back. Nearly fifty people. As word spread that one of Atlantis’s most mysterious and charismatic Doms was leading the class, more had flocked to it. “If you agreed with any of those statements,” Wolf continued dryly, “get the fuck out of here and find a really good therapist. Because none of those things is what Daddy ” (hide spoiler)]
I tried, oh I tried but this book was painful. All over the place, redundant character thoughts and descriptions with no real context. I needed a map I tried, oh I tried but this book was painful. All over the place, redundant character thoughts and descriptions with no real context. I needed a map so went back and started jotting down the rankings of the clans and jewels but utlimately, the vague and brief outline of the heirarchy ended up contradicting itself in my opinion and I just thought, "Pfffft....fuck it. Why bother?"
In other words, I found there was much storytelling because the world building was lacking and it was more about the character descriptions intermingling with a bit of backstory but those descriptions (as I read on) actually became reptitive. I felt plopped into this world and was expected to understand. I didn't think it was especially dark because I was so bored so didn't take it seriously enough to care.
Maybe I am just being too lazy or stupid to try and wade my way through this but I didn't want to work that hard while I was reading it. I just felt like I was slogging through a swamp trying to get through this and for what? Because I wasn't enjoying it or finding it any good. ...more
Spare yourself. I promise you won't care that you missed this one.
One of the worst books I've ever read. Horrible. Painful. Atrocious. Imagine if youSpare yourself. I promise you won't care that you missed this one.
One of the worst books I've ever read. Horrible. Painful. Atrocious. Imagine if you will Laurell K. Hamilton without the chip on her shoulder, not writing books rebelliously because she knows great sex goddamn it & being truly into BDSM.
Still probably wouldn't change the bad writing right? Probably not because let's face it, LKH can't write a great sex scene in the 1st place & neither can Pita.
Pita tries really hard to show us her intelligence via her character Lucia, this in spite of the fact that she's in like/love with a man who is abusive mentally & physically (I'm willing to bet it's the same in her real life). She has Lucia drone on & ON....I mean wax lyrical about Egyptology & have weird, posturing as cerebral, conversations about all things Egyptology people discuss while having dinner with weird, random & unlikeable strangers.
To me the book read like Pita was really trying to work out some personal conflicts she has going on. She's feeling confused, guilty, slightly ashamed & trying to justify why she is the way she is or in the relationship she is in in real life. It was like a cry for help. It was just so all over the place. Not to mention the characters are boring, highly unlikable & the plot was convoluted.
To me it was an author desperately trying to make a helluva lot more out of nothing. Can you be hardcore kinky & super intelligent to boot? Why yes...yes you can. It's too bad she feels the need to prove that so badly & the book suffers majorly as a result. ...more
I might pick this back up but I'm not sure. I got 30% the way through & kind of figured it out & where it was ultimately going so I asked a friend if I might pick this back up but I'm not sure. I got 30% the way through & kind of figured it out & where it was ultimately going so I asked a friend if I was right or wrong, b'c if I was wrong I would continue. I was right so I figured, what's the point?
I did the 3 book rule to give it a chance but I've been struggling with it & when I started the 4th but still didn't find myself attached to any of the characters, I was doubting it was going to get any better for me. I also suspected what the big surprise twist was going to be so really, kind of took the small bit of momentum out of it.
My main issue all along that is that it takes Toby too long to figure things out & if I as a reader can do it so early on, I don't have the patience to wait for the character to. Plus the whole being a hero concept I felt almost browbeaten by the constant reminders to me as a reader. I just didn't get why it had to brought up time & time again.
This will not be one I decide to try & pick up again. I gave up.
From page 1, everything felt robotic and forced, especially the dialog so it gave theThis will not be one I decide to try & pick up again. I gave up.
From page 1, everything felt robotic and forced, especially the dialog so it gave the impression of just being very amateurish and rudimentary. Boring really.
Plus they used the whole vampire craze to give it a genre to help sell. There was nothing new discovered nor enforced. There was barely any difference between the vamps and humans so honestly, the publisher didn't need to go that route. They should've just called it what it was, a psychic mystery. It would have given it an ounce of legitimacy at least.
Although the ex-vamp fiance had super long hair. That counts for something right?
Also the narrative seemed to slip perspectives and tenses constantly. I think she was trying for an overall, omniscient narrative but then all of a sudden I would be reading about or from a different character. I'm not sure I am explaining it correctly but whatever. The reality is, she isn't assured enough to pull it off so should refocus her efforts. Her editor needs a good kicking for this.
Funnily enough, I got a weird sense of Deja Vu b'c it reminded me of that D.N. Simmons book I hated, 'Desires Unleashed'. Not as bad mind you but I could see it being the same author who decided to take some writing courses and take another stab at being published legitimately. It just had the same immature, awkward feel. A big miss for me. ...more
This was rec'd to me by a friend who has very similar taste to myself so I may go back to this eventually because she really loved it & sometimes, booThis was rec'd to me by a friend who has very similar taste to myself so I may go back to this eventually because she really loved it & sometimes, books just take a bit to kick in. At this point though, with all the books in my queue I want to read, this just didn't hold my interest enough & I kept putting it down to read other things. When I got to the 60% mark & still wasn't feeling any connection to the characters, I gave up.
At that point, I really want to start feeling something for the MC or even the secondary characters & I wasn't. It was just very flat for me.
I am imagining that the author is setting up a love triangle between Death & Falin but it was only about the 50% mark that they started featuring more in order for me to get a sense of who they were however, I wasn't feeling the chemistry enough to rope me in to continue. In fact, that combined with my feelings about the overall story, it all felt just a bit meandering & long winded with the characters still lacking that intriguing spark which entices me to keep reading.
OK I give up. I got 65% the way through, put it down & have no desire to pick it up again. It's not that it's bad, I just don't care about the charactOK I give up. I got 65% the way through, put it down & have no desire to pick it up again. It's not that it's bad, I just don't care about the characters enough to invest anymore time.
I make myself try & finish enough books that I don't end up liking just because I hate not to finish but really, I'm just going to start listening to my instincts more. That means, walking away when I'm more than halfway through because I can't muster up enough energy to care.
There are actually really interesting concepts here with the world building but something about the leading lady irks me & the leading man, Voss, doesn't have enough ompf for me. It's all just a bit flat.
Yeah I had to stop reading this. I got about 30% into the book & couldn't take all of the lamenting about Chance again. Then add Jesse to the mix.
I tYeah I had to stop reading this. I got about 30% into the book & couldn't take all of the lamenting about Chance again. Then add Jesse to the mix.
I think Jesse is fairly boring & such an obvious plot device to add some tension & Corine's inner dialog about him, her potential feelings.... It was like shampoo, lather, rinse & repeat.
The plot itself, could be interesting but BD (the 1st book) was really such a hot mess of action & emo inner dialog - Corine was not wrong when she referred to their crew at the beginning of this book as the Scooby Gang. That's exactly what I thought of them in the last book too. A talking dog, lots of snacks & food, running around like chickens without heads but as luck would have it - they get to solve the mystery. I guess AA is trying to paint a modern day version of The Gang? Truth be told though, I was never a huge fan of the Scooby's. I used to watch them if I was bored & nothing else was on.
It just didn't compel me. So much to read, I have to give it a DNR. ...more
This book was just flat out boring & very shallow, IMO. I also couldn't stand Maddy, the MC & the secondary characters were two dimensional as well. IThis book was just flat out boring & very shallow, IMO. I also couldn't stand Maddy, the MC & the secondary characters were two dimensional as well. It all felt a bit forced & the dialog robotic at times (esp. Gabriel).
I read a bit over 50% then fast forwarded a few chapters..skimmed & jumped straight to the end. Yeah...no big surprises & Maddy was still just as stupid (lipping off to Lucifer? Come on).
**SPOILERS**
I had a very big problem with Maddy's non-reaction to Patrick dying. I just couldn't get over the fact that the author left out that minor detail & from then on, it plagued me the entire time. With each passing chapter - the lack of care about it, just told me this book is not for me.
Just a few pages before Patrick died, Maddy was lamenting over her lack of frienships & relationships in life, then goes on to explain that Patrick though, is her best friend & felt very lucky for it. The next scene is her finding a soul sucking demon hovering over an already dead Patrick.
The day after, she makes a pact with herself to find out who stole his soul but that was about it. There was no crying, no angst, no clips of remembrances, no sadness over losing her one & only friend. Her "BEST" friend. It's like it didn't happen!
Instead she's lusting over her new tenant Gabriel. She's also continually getting beat up, put back together/healed by Gabriel & then whining about how often she is getting beat up. I found it all very, very simplistic & repetitive.
She is snarky & relatively dumb b'c she makes reckless choices that really shouldn't get her very far. Yet...Henry let's her get away with it all.
Also..she's a freaking virgin. For god's sakes just stop it already.
I also couldn't help but think Henry's, initial overall concept was ripped off from the ex-Showtime series Dead Like Me, which was much smarter in it's execution IMO.
So yeah...didn't like it. It was just...whatever. No great shakes. There are much better UF & PNR's to read. I would have skipped this one had I known. ...more
Awful. Really awful. If I could give it no stars, I would. In fact , I do in reality.
This was rec'd to me by someone who saw my Amazon review of the Awful. Really awful. If I could give it no stars, I would. In fact , I do in reality.
This was rec'd to me by someone who saw my Amazon review of the 1st book of the Chicagoland Vampires series, which we had similar feelings on. I'm thinking it may have been the author herself to be honest.
This? This might be the most poorly written published book I have ever read. I found it that bad. I have to agree the other reviewer, Shannon C. on Goodreads (& Amazon) that the high marks might actually be from the author's friends (& as I said, maybe even the author herself).
What to say...1st off, D.N. LOVES using exclamation marks in her dialog!!!!
In fact - I found it hard pressed that a character who had more than one sentence didn't have an exclamation mark or two (or three) w/in a short paragraph of dialog. It was as annoying as Ned Flanders is to Homer.
Surely not all characters can be that jovial & excitable. It was about everything! About murders, donuts (esp. donuts), working at strip clubs, shopping for white mini skirts & matching halters or silk tops (why oh why do all these books insist on dressing women in halter tops & men in silk shirts)?
And I think Simmons thinks she's being playful or funny & really...she's not. Her bantering jokes between characters s extremely weak. Actually, painfully embarrassing. And also - every character introduced does some sort of nostalgic reminiscing in order to explain their part of the back story & it's immature writing at best.
Here's a bit of dialog right from the beginning;
It opens w/2 cops who are partners & I guess gay (I couldn't finish but it seemed like it b'c Simmons tells us they constantly smile at each other "coyly" over stupid shit like sharing Donuts although this example doesn't cite it)...
“Oh,” Warren managed to say, swallowing the last of his donut. “This? It's nothing.” He followed up with a huge gulp of his decaffeinated coffee. Then he smiled innocently up at his partner. The expression on Matthew's face told Warren the jig was up and he had better share the wealth. “What?” Warren asked, shrugging his shoulders.
“If you don't cough it up, there's going to be repercussions,” Matthew threatened playfully.
“Are you sure?” Warren asked, smiling slyly. “Un-hmm,” Matthew nodded.
“Okay.” Warren began coughing and gagging playfully, attempting to bring up what he had swallowed.
Matthew grimaced in mock disgust. “Oh god, man stop it!”
Warren laughing, reached into his drawer and offered the box. “I was going to give you some anyway,” he stated.
“Yeah, sure you were,” Matthew teased jokingly as he all but snatched a donut from the box. He sat back in his chair and took a bite out of the donut. After a few minutes, he looked at Warren. “Remember when we first shared a box of these donuts?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Warren responded, remembering how Matthew had discovered his secret. The two men sat at their desk enjoying their tasty treats.
The dialog gets worse. I mean this is just rudimentary, cliched & incredibly juvenile stuff.
For example, the Captain is looking for them & has sent out word. They just sit there idiotically bantering w/one another stuffing their faces with donuts & flirting.
When they finally go in, they continue yukking it up doing more of that horrendous good 'ole boy back slapping (which sounds like something a 13 year would say) & tell her;
“Sorry, Cap'n, but Warren here, he was in the little boy's room!” Detective Eric fibbed quickly. Warren tried hard to force back the chuckles threatening to erupt at any second. Captain Lawrence looked at the two men, and shook her head, restraining her own laughter. 'These two.. .,' she thought to herself.
That's really just the start of it. Like being at a top secret crime scene & having the press all over them. The partners do like all cops & refuse to answer but in the next moment - they're excitedly screaming at each other like high school jokesters to come over & check out the headless corpse. Way to be discreet.
The characters are shallow & cringe inducing. All the exclamation points keeps them at arms length too which doesn't help.
Anyway - I don't even know why I am going on. It's full of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, syntax errors and redundancies ("teased jokingly").
Awful. Really awful. If I could give it no stars, I would. In fact , I do in reality.
This was rec'd to me by someone who saw my Amazon review of the 1Awful. Really awful. If I could give it no stars, I would. In fact , I do in reality.
This was rec'd to me by someone who saw my Amazon review of the 1st book of the Chicagoland Vampires series, which we had similar feelings on. I'm thinking it may have been the author herself to be honest.
This? This might be the most poorly written published book I have ever read. I found it that bad. I have to agree the other reviewer, Shannon C. on Goodreads (& Amazon) that the high marks might actually be from the author's friends (& as I said, maybe even the author herself).
What to say...1st off, D.N. LOVES using exclamation marks in her dialog!!!!
In fact - I found it hard pressed that a character who had more than one sentence didn't have an exclamation mark or two (or three) w/in a short paragraph of dialog. It was as annoying as Ned Flanders is to Homer.
Surely not all characters can be that jovial & excitable. It was about everything! About murders, donuts (esp. donuts), working at strip clubs, shopping for white mini skirts & matching halters or silk tops (why oh why do all these books insist on dressing women in halter tops & men in silk shirts)?
And I think Simmons thinks she's being playful or funny & really...she's not. Her bantering jokes between characters s extremely weak. Actually, painfully embarrassing. And also - every character introduced does some sort of nostalgic reminiscing in order to explain their part of the back story & it's immature writing at best.
Here's a bit of dialog right from the beginning;
It opens w/2 cops who are partners & I guess gay (I couldn't finish but it seemed like it b'c Simmons tells us they constantly smile at each other "coyly" over stupid shit like sharing Donuts although this example doesn't cite it)...
“Oh,” Warren managed to say, swallowing the last of his donut. “This? It's nothing.” He followed up with a huge gulp of his decaffeinated coffee. Then he smiled innocently up at his partner. The expression on Matthew's face told Warren the jig was up and he had better share the wealth. “What?” Warren asked, shrugging his shoulders.
“If you don't cough it up, there's going to be repercussions,” Matthew threatened playfully.
“Are you sure?” Warren asked, smiling slyly. “Un-hmm,” Matthew nodded.
“Okay.” Warren began coughing and gagging playfully, attempting to bring up what he had swallowed.
Matthew grimaced in mock disgust. “Oh god, man stop it!”
Warren laughing, reached into his drawer and offered the box. “I was going to give you some anyway,” he stated.
“Yeah, sure you were,” Matthew teased jokingly as he all but snatched a donut from the box. He sat back in his chair and took a bite out of the donut. After a few minutes, he looked at Warren. “Remember when we first shared a box of these donuts?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Warren responded, remembering how Matthew had discovered his secret. The two men sat at their desk enjoying their tasty treats.
The dialog gets worse. I mean this is just rudimentary, cliched & incredibly juvenile stuff.
For example, the Captain is looking for them & has sent out word. They just sit there idiotically bantering w/one another stuffing their faces with donuts & flirting.
When they finally go in, they continue yukking it up doing more of that horrendous good 'ole boy back slapping (which sounds like something a 13 year would say) & tell her;
“Sorry, Cap'n, but Warren here, he was in the little boy's room!” Detective Eric fibbed quickly. Warren tried hard to force back the chuckles threatening to erupt at any second. Captain Lawrence looked at the two men, and shook her head, restraining her own laughter. 'These two.. .,' she thought to herself.
That's really just the start of it. Like being at a top secret crime scene & having the press all over them. The partners do like all cops & refuse to answer but in the next moment - they're excitedly screaming at each other like high school jokesters to come over & check out the headless corpse. Way to be discreet.
The characters are shallow & cringe inducing. All the exclamation points keeps them at arms length too which doesn't help.
Anyway - I don't even know why I am going on. It's full of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, syntax errors and redundancies ("teased jokingly").
Lord, I couldn't even finish. I couldn't bare it. Esp. after just finished the solidly written Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews (go..read...now...Lord, I couldn't even finish. I couldn't bare it. Esp. after just finished the solidly written Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews (go..read...now...esp. Buffy fans).
I felt like this was written for underestimated young adults.
Why are these 28 yr. old WOMEN (Merit the MC & Mallory her BF - who are working on a dissertation & in advertising respectively) describing these vampires who are double, triple & quadruple their own ages as "boys"??
As in ...."I'd assumed there'd be time for boys after" or, "Before that moment, before watching him walk toward me, I'd been a normal girl. If I saw a boy I found attractive, I might smile. I might, on the rare occasion, say hello or give someone my phone number. I wouldn't say I was forward, but I made a move when I was interested. But something about this boy, maybe mixed with the fact that I'd recently become a vampire, made every molecule in my body tingle."
Merit is not a girl & these men are certainly not boys.
It's just....IDK, staggeringly immature writing.
Speaking of immature - Merit, Malloy, Mallory's boyfriend...yeah all very shallow so far. Unrealistically drawn with overplayed convenient responses & excuses to people & situations which actually don't make sense.
***SPOILERS***
Mallory's reaction to Merit becoming a vamp is basically - "So cool! You're a vamp!" & this is b'c she's a huge fan of all things paranormal & studies it obsessively. However, when she finds out she is the highest level of witch out there, her reaction is so underwhelming I was left scratching my head.
The lack of originality in creating Merit's entire environment is just plain poor (meaning - Merit's way too convenient life).
So uh lemme' see.... the Master of one of the most powerful houses happens to be there when she's attacked, thereby saving her life & turning her. OK I can buy that for the setup of the book but then it gets absurd.
Apparently, she is very strong for a newbie - everyone can tell she is going to be extremely powerful. Her roomie ends up being the highest level witch there is. Her "liege" is Mr.Darcy style reluctantly yet heavily attracted to her in spite her challenging him off the bat in front of the whole house. Then soon after - offers her the job of being his consort.
Oh yeah...her gramps is like this head honcho for the supernatural on the down low & hooks her up to train w/a major sorcerer & shifter. Of course she's good looking...can control her hunger...
Come on! Give me a break.
Bottom line is I'm finding it flat & extremely played out to the point where it's borderline book throwing material b'c the triteness is that irritating & really...there's no excuse for it.
I can tell the author is trying really hard to create something snappy & current but I'm finding it really amateurish b'c she's so obvious about it.
Not only that, but sometimes I feel like I am reading about 28 year old's w/the mentalities of vapid 16 year old's b'c they're still trying to rebel & prove points to whomever cares enough to actually pay them attention. It's all over the place. One moment Merit is throwing a tantrum irresponsibly & the next she is being Yoda-like with her advice. Mallory has blue hair b'c she's trying to prove that's she's something beyond classically pretty...huh? Cue the eye rolls.
I didn't have the patience to deal with it. Too many books to read. ...more
I tried this again. Thurman just does not do it for me. I don't like her MC, I think he's emo, whiny & predictable.
Always in his own way, feeling unwI tried this again. Thurman just does not do it for me. I don't like her MC, I think he's emo, whiny & predictable.
Always in his own way, feeling unworthy and tainted but down deep a great guy. The pacing has been a struggle for me and I find the writing a bit convoluted. Maybe it's because it doesn't hold my attention so I lose my place or only 1/2 pay attention because I find myself wandering while reading and having to go back only to find myself wandering again. ...more
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