If you are too lazy to read all of the rant, spoiler alert: I do recommend the book in the end.
1. Puberty is a bitch;Rating: 3 stars BR with my ladies~
If you are too lazy to read all of the rant, spoiler alert: I do recommend the book in the end.
1. Puberty is a bitch; 2. Kids don't grow on trees; 3. Sexual assault is not hot.
Ever Lost is both my jam and everything I cannot stand; a Paper Princess kind of story, with so many misunderstandings to build a house.
The thing is, I am not patient enough do deal with the frustration of these new adult contemporary romances featuring teenagers. Maybe I've grown old or maybe I just could have never connected with the characters. To me, their actions or thoughts makes no sense and I do not understand why they would make their lives harder than they (already?) are.
Because that is what they do. Angst, misunderstanding, lack of communication, … There is an epidemic of selfishness in Ever Lost and each and everyone of the book's characters just forget they are not alone in the universe; their actions are not only toxic to others, but to themselves too. But most of all, I find it hard to believe that Peter Pan(chard), the only grown up character -oh the irony- happens to be the less credible of the lot. We get no clue on what he is hiding and it makes him a terrible and awful add to the cast, completely casting aside any responsible parental figure. Once again, we end up with kids that make the law and nobody to care for them but to pay for their fancy car.
I know, I know, parents are such a bother, but even rich kids happen to have some.
Another problem that I had with the book is that, for a reverse harem, it was really too focused on one of the love interest -and not the one I appreciate the most. From the very beginning it was obvious that Riot and Ever were wrong to and for each other and I had too many Brayshaw's vibes for my sanity. I strongly believe the other two lost boys are the only to balance a somewhat healthy relationship. That being said, I was very glad when the author finally started to divide the attention between love interests. Who wouldn't want to be team Baz, anyway.
Regardless of all the ranting, I did enjoy the book. Ever Lost is a -very- fast burn, impossible to put down and I got hooked -ha ha- to the story despite all the eye rolls. I enjoyed it and I really want to see what will be the next step and what to do with Trey.
I really enjoyed it but Spark was anything but unpredictable.
Spark was underdeveloped, from the messy time line to the lack of seconRating: 3.5 stars
I really enjoyed it but Spark was anything but unpredictable.
Spark was underdeveloped, from the messy time line to the lack of secondary characters. The story called for something more detailed, deeper and less rushed. The pace was far too fast and the plot far too convenient.
Luckily, Elliot was a likeable main character, Roman a good partner and I really liked their first encounter. Elliot shone as an independent power woman immediately, and god knows how much it is needed in the genre. I am not so sure about the rest of her harem yet and how it will work out with them, but I will just have to see. I am quite excited for the next book.
I did not enjoy this last book as much as the first two, although I would consider it on the same level as the Rating: 4.5 stars for the whole trilogy
I did not enjoy this last book as much as the first two, although I would consider it on the same level as the previous one. This third book really fit into the series and it made sense everything that happened during it would happen at this precise time.
However, it felt like too much information on a very complex universe. I am not Eve, my brain had to implode at some point.
But even if I could rate Nine Lives a tiny bit lower, the trilogy in itself deserves indulgence. Not only the universe was complex and well thought, the story well written and the heroine compelling, the three books were published at the same time for us impatient readers. Serena Akeroyd deserves all the praises for pampering us that much and managing to keep her series to herself until the last word.
non spoilery review will be added on the first book at some point...more
The Caelum Academy Trilogy was one good read and I devoured the three books in a couple of days.
But the blurb is crap. I do not know Rating: 4.5 stars
The Caelum Academy Trilogy was one good read and I devoured the three books in a couple of days.
But the blurb is crap. I do not know who decided to call it a bully romance in the first place because it's very very VERY far from that. In the whole trilogy? There is one scene of bullying, from a random character, that stops as soon as it starts. Eve is in danger from the Student Body? Right, no. Unless the blurb is actually a very generic blurb for the whole trilogy.
The publishing work was seriously badly done and it is a really good thing Serena has a real fan-base. Because this trilogy? It's badass and so much better and original than what we could expect.
The Caelum Academy Trilogy is a little bit gothic, kinda poetic story with a very intriguing and interesting concept. Eve might just be the paranormal version of Echo, from Dollhouse and hell, that's just awesome.
I wish I could read more books like that. Try it, guys!
Slaying Year Two was somewhat very interesting and a much needed book for Mila's developpement. Gone the amazing heroine I fell in lovRating: 4 stars
Slaying Year Two was somewhat very interesting and a much needed book for Mila's developpement. Gone the amazing heroine I fell in love with in the first book, gone the strong, driven, grateful and determined character.
In Slaying Year Two, Mila is put in the spotlight and in shoes she dreamed of wearing a lifetime ago. The time when she had nothing, not even love for herself, the time when she was poor, alone, scared and did not know what it was to have a meaning.
With the revelation of her lineage made public to the whole school, Mila becomes overnight the rising star of Grim Reaper Academy, the popular girl, the one everybody wants to be friend with and follows around. She does not want the attention but is put into the spotlight nonetheless and while she might attend a school for immortal, everybody there never really matured past their teenager years and the drama goes to her head.
Mila makes mistakes, more than once. Mistakes the Mila 1.0 would have never made but that Mila 2.0 cannot avoid. Mila 2.0 is self centered, Mila 2.0 can act like a bully to a certain extent, Mila 2.0 is too focused on her own little world to pay attention to her surrounding.
Mila 2.0 is not formidable, barely even likeable, but Mila 2.0 will lead to Mila 3.0. And Mila 3.0? She's coming and she will makes things right.
It was a bit complicated to really appreciate and enjoy the read with such a character development, although I really liked it. On the one hand, I could not stand her but on the other one, I couldn't help to be sympathetic towards her. Mila 2.0 was not by a long shot amazing but she was manipulated into a role she never asked for. It just wasn't her. And the book ended on a fantastic note, I cannot wait to read the next one!
One girl, four boys and many broken homes. One can assume it is be the classic recipe for a contemporary RH but Pretty Lies never stRating: 3.5 stars
One girl, four boys and many broken homes. One can assume it is be the classic recipe for a contemporary RH but Pretty Lies never steps into the romance and only focus on being a coming of age story.
Exit the insta love, exit the golden vaginas, exit the ever after set from the first chapter. The characters of Pretty Lies are not in love just yet but make their way into a burgeoning friendship. The polyamory hint isn’t dropped and the love interests are not set in stone; some of them might still stay in the friend zone.
It is refreshing to not read once again about Romeo and Juliet wannabes professing their eternal love for no reason at all from the very first page. It gives a little bit of The Veil Diaries vibe and I can totally dig that.
Unfortunately, I feel that I did not have the time to connect with the characters, not even Astrid. While i liked her and her stalking gift, I had a hard time grasping her reality and home life as it was mostly seen through her thoughts and not through actions. The guys, on the other hand, were not developed nearly enough to begin to like them.
The really bright point of this book was Astrid’s photography and her initial idea. She says she sees the lies and I hope it will be more explored in the following books....more
Rating: 3.5 stars rounded to 4 cause the laughing deserves it
I believe there are two ways to read the book: seriously or not. Accident prone shy girl mRating: 3.5 stars rounded to 4 cause the laughing deserves it
I believe there are two ways to read the book: seriously or not. Accident prone shy girl meets horny bad a capella singers in this brand new series. The result? Ridiculous, over the top, corny and hilarious.
+ Next to Roonie, Sang is Queen of Self Confidence and Backbone. Roonie - or Roo Roo because what the fuck - lives in la la land despite a crappy home life. She identifies with Cinderella hardcore and sing crappy songs about birds braiding her hair - or at least cleaning in her stead. She's shy, pathetic and pitiful and thinks she's worse than poop; self esteem is not something she is familiar with but my personal little bird is telling me she is actually the most beautiful and talented girl in the whole world.
+ Roo Roo has probably an even more golden vagina than Sang. Roonie runs away after her drunk father breaks her necklace and use her as a punching ball and ends up face first in a big puddle of mud in probably the most disgusting way possible. She looks like Grotadmorv but Princes #1 and #2 already have magical boners.
+ Roo Roo is so dense I fear for her life. Roonie ends up at the Princes' home and starts a make out session with them during dinner but never for a second thinks they might be interested in her, find her a little bit cute or plan to drug her and sell her organs on the black market. This scene is creepy as fuck and I would pepper spray the hell out of these little princely shits in her stead.
+ The guys are massive weirdos and in Roonie's place, I might want to go back to my abusive father. The first one calls her Roo Roo, the second one only eats caviar and never heard of Disney movies, the third one is a creepy flirt and the fourth one is just an asshole I hope he dies. And three of them have no boundaries at all. Vade retro perverts.
+ The guys are student in an important Arts University and are the biggest failures. I don't know how they passed their auditions because those guys seriously suck. They can't dance, they can't sing, they can't write and I would bet that they cannot act either. This shit show ends up in one of the most hilarious scene I have ever read. Remember the messy performance of Pitch Perfect? It's worse.
School of Broken Souls was perfect in almost every way. It was dark, mysterious, a bit Gothic, seriously captivating and with a very Rating: 3.5 stars
School of Broken Souls was perfect in almost every way. It was dark, mysterious, a bit Gothic, seriously captivating and with a very compelling writing. Like Adeline, the reader is completely pulled into the story from the very beginning, unable to leave. But it was simply too secretive in my opinion.
Adeline get shipped to the Raven Academy on a complete scholarship and her father's medical bills paid. The place is somewhat creepy, out of this world, the students too perfect, especially for someone like Adi, bullying victim with zero backbone nor confidence. She doesn't know why she's here but she knows that if she leaves, her father might die.
The setting reminded me of Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 and Night School. A mysterious school with mysterious students and mysterious classes. A mystery we can't help to want to decipher.
Unfortunately, Adeline is not really the curious type and more the passive pushover kind of heroine and we readers are left with only questions and no answers. And while mysteries are really entertaining, two hundred pages of "no idea what is going on" dull a tiny bit the enjoyment.
I liked the book but nearly enough to find it amazing in any way. If I had the next book, I would probably feel differently. Right now, the authors gave me nothing and I am putting all my hopes on the second book. Let's get some answers and some ass kicking!
Annora has spent most of her life chained in the basement of her psychopath uncle, sold as miracle medicine and beaten to death for the fun of it. After a close escape and a twist of fate, she ends up in an academy for shifters, assigned to find missing students with an odd team of alphas. There, she will find a family, learn how to heal, love and kick ass.
While this was not my favorite Stacey Brutger book so far, I really enjoyed Tethered to the world. The book in itself was very similar from the other works of the author: damaged yet strong protagonists, a complex universe impossible to entirely grasp by the end of the first book and a cliffhanger at the end, but also quite different from her usual recipe.
+ The reader does not learn it until almost the end of the book, but Annora, the heroine, has always known what she was. No, she does not know the extent of her powers but she does not spend the entire book trying to learn about herself. She know who she is, what she is and why she is.
+ Tethered to the wold doesn't have the same focus on relationships as Academy of Assassins or Electric Storm. First of all, Tethered to the world would be more of a medium burn than the slow medium we are used to, and unlike the other series, the time spent on their connection and bond is relatively short. In RI, Raven had to accept to take mates and a pack and took a few books to do so. In AoA, Morgan was against any kind of bond but her mates changed her mind more or less slowly. And in the first book of Phantom Touched, the mating happens, nobody questions it, it just is.
+ The book also has a lot more of different point of views. Every main character gets his own voice and gives us the insight readers love to get.
I really missed the deep connection and sexual tension that I usually adore in Stacey Brutger's book but I was glad to be rid of constant inner monologues from indecisive characters and Annora was a great heroine. She is very powerful but knows her limit and does not possess the savior complex most protagonists do. She's is not a pushover but she knows when to follow instructions and run when needed. It was refreshing to see her not make the best selfless decisions all the time and I cannot wait to see how is it going to evolve.
I find reviewing this book quite difficult as everything was a bit too obvious from the very beginning even though it was kept a mysterRating: 2 stars
I find reviewing this book quite difficult as everything was a bit too obvious from the very beginning even though it was kept a mystery. But as no review gave any insight about said mystery, I will consider it a major spoiler and will say nothing about the story. I apologize for the even messier review than usual.
Like a lot of you, I am a very emotional and sensitive person and sometimes, I just need the read that will break me and leave me a sobbing mess. And as I love RH, I really thought Surviving Amber Springs would do the trick after reading a few reviews but found it pretty tedious.
In a few words: great idea, vanilla execution. Surviving Amber Springs was the Disney version of a real tragedy.
The book had one epic scenario for a tearjerker, beautiful and heart-wrenching moment. It should have been a depressing yet poignant story about grief, betrayal and reconstruction, family, love and acceptance, but was more of a bumpy insta-romance with too many things clouding the heart of the novel. The book was too mainly focused about Blaire's relationship with the guys and other random subplots and the tragedy barely a constant to make the book really credible, but still present enough to have some very emotional scenes.
In the end, Surviving Amber Springs felt too superficial. I would have loved for Siobhan Davis to go all in and rip my heart out as she totally nailed her heavy scenes. But I also have to thank her as I am looking forward reading more -non RH- books with the same subject....more
The Secret Girl: ★★★★★ Much awaited BR with the cake eaters~
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The Ruthless Boys, although fun and entertaining, was a big let dowRating: 3.5 stars
The Secret Girl: ★★★★★ Much awaited BR with the cake eaters~
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The Ruthless Boys, although fun and entertaining, was a big let down compared to the first book. While I felt The Secret Girl was unapologetic towards the huge amount of obvious cliches and anime references, The Ruthless Boys seemed to have a constant need to justify itself and take the fun away from me.
Disappointing, yes, but still a lot of fun.
The Ruthless Boys picks up exactly after book one. The first half was a drag. Really. It was mostly filler, a bit of fluff, fun and cute moments, but nothing absolutely amazing to really pick up my interest except for the characters. Fortunately, I love the Student Council and the pace of the book did pick up around the halfway mark. We are not near any thriller action kind of pace, but then again, Adamson All-Boys Academy is a lighthearted read, more inclined to develop the romance than the murder investigation.
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But as light as it wants to be, the mystery is a central character by itself. Filler apart, the mystery is present in pretty much every scene but barely any hint are given during the journey. The web continue to weave itself but we have to wait until the very end for a real development with a major cliffhanger.
Stunich is no mystery writer. And the whole story is simply too convenient to be more than a fun moment. The Ruthless Boys is a sexier version of The Ghost Bird; I am here for the for the characters, for the fun, for the hilarious things Charlotte can say, for the fluff, to play which twin is which, to have my ultimate fantasy realized -five very credible hours of utter fun in an empty Disneyland- and be there for the intense sexual tension. Definitely not for the plot.
To sum things up, The Evelyn Maynard Trilogy is a less depressing Seraph Black but an emotional punch nonetheless.
+ Evelyn as Seraph, the special but not too special main character. + Alec as Silas, the asshole with a bad boy vibe going on and overly emotionally damaged. + Tyler as Quillan, the teacher figure that try to stay distant despite having seriously the hot for Evelyn. + Ethan and Josh as Gabe and Nate or whatever their names are, the closest to Evelyn and youngest of the love interests a.k.a the Threesome Bunch of Misfits. + Dot as these guys's cousin, the lively girl sidekick slash depressed friend that lost her other half.
Vital Found take place weeks after the event of the first book and the abduction of Charlie. It's a bundle up of anger, screaming, build up tension -sexual or not-, pain, selflessness and love. The characters made me go from an emotion to another in the shortest span ever and I couldn't help feeling both frustrated and understanding. When I should have simply felt annoyed, I felt helpless, and my heart reached out to them.
I seriously cannot wait to see what the third -and last- book will give us.
+ Josh was my favorite in the first book and still is there. He is a lot similar to Miles from TVD in my opinion; geeky, selfless, playful and naughty.
+ The book is LONG. Usually, RH tends to drag after a couple of hundred pages but it was well balanced here.
+ It took me a while to remember that Tyler's complete name was Tyler Gabriel and to stop wondering who the fuck this Gabe was.
Cleaning up my Kindle and getting rid of Book Ones can sometimes be tricky as I don't know if the next books in each series are out or Rating: 4 stars
Cleaning up my Kindle and getting rid of Book Ones can sometimes be tricky as I don't know if the next books in each series are out or not. Fortunately, book two of the Shadowborn series comes out in a couple of days. Or I would probably die or eagerness.
Hunted by Shadows was about the perfect amount of romance, action, broken and sexy time. Each main character was noticeably different -some still more in the background than others- and the supporting cast was not only looking pretty but actively part of the story.
I have a soft spot for shifter RH. They are so intense, their emotions all over the place and strong, that it usually makes everything borderline epic and my inner self can't help for more possessive overbearing alpha male behavior. Then I get sick of it when the female becomes a pathetic little wimp showing her belly every turn.
Ari doesn't do weak. Her upbringing made her incredibly wary, she doesn't bow and is dangerously stubborn but I loved her for it. She reminded me a lot of Raven from Electric Storm; selfless, strong willed, powerful and protective, and I hope she is going to stay that way as she learns to open up.
Reading the blurb, this book should have been a complete hit but it ended more of a boring way to pass time.
I have nRating: 2.5 to 3 stars. Undecided.
Reading the blurb, this book should have been a complete hit but it ended more of a boring way to pass time.
I have nothing against the story and I would even be inclined to say that I liked it. It has a bit of a fairy tale feeling and I totally dig that. Unfortunately, the book is brought to life by the most insecure heroine I've seen in a while and continue with an absolute lack of chemistry between the characters. The relationships are forced, came out of the blue, and I swear Sang Sorenson has more backbone than Seora....more
[image] After reading The Darkness We Crave and the following books, I thought I would give the author another try. I liked Together We Fall but I loved[image] After reading The Darkness We Crave and the following books, I thought I would give the author another try. I liked Together We Fall but I loved the hell out of Greed.
Oh, I see your brain working, you RH fanatics. Yes, the cover is purple. Yes, the title is one single noun. Yes, the heroine is a blonde. Yes, the book is hilarious. No, this is not a reheated version of Trickery.
Z is a badass. She is an assassin, a real one, and a damn good one. She might be human in a supernatural world but she is one of the best, if not THE best. She is like the adult version we wish Sarah J Maas' heroine was.
Z kills murderers, rapists, and all the supernatural scumbags that escape justice. She is an assassin herself but doesn't stop feeling guilty about what she does. One day, someone will stop her but in the meantime, she hunts monsters. Unfortunately, her last kill sends her directly into some sort of game to the death, a selection to chose the Kingdom's next executioner, the Damning. A hundred participants, two months to go, and only one survivor.
Greed serves more as an introduction book. We meet the characters, Z, her friends, and her future mates. This is no real spoiler as we have a lot more clues than any of the characters from the very beginning. There is a lot of humor, some action, a little bit of killing, and a lot of boners. Not a very original recipe when you think about it but with a delicious result.
I couldn't tell you exactly why I loved this book. Was it the sometimes ridiculous dialogues? The pace? Or was it the fact that Z is going to be the one wearing the pants in the relationship? Regardless, it just works. And I can't wait for the next book.
[image] But please, do not stop at my review and read others.
Rule number 1: Do not use the supernatural as a way to solve the unconventionality of polya[image] But please, do not stop at my review and read others.
Rule number 1: Do not use the supernatural as a way to solve the unconventionality of polyamorous relationships.
Rule number 2: Do not lure readers with supernatural if your story basically never revolves around anything remotely magical.
Rule number 3: Do not set up too high expectations with something different if it's going to be forgotten three pages later.
Rule number 4: Do no, DO NOT, use stereotypical Barbie Bitches Wannabees as drama bearers and/or a way to make your heroine an obnoxious Mary Sue; it only works in Mean Girls, it's annoying and quite offensive.
~The following review contains very certainly spoilers, although not of real importance in my opinion~
Smoke and Wishes is kinda confusing at first. It sways from mysterious to info dump, needs a new round of edits, and has a hard time finding its own plot.
+ The heroine, Lucie, has been raised as a human and suddenly learns she was adopted and supernatural. Her birth mother left her with a name, a note saying she was in danger, and a necklace. -> Lucie never asks any question or looks for some kind of answer. + She does not know what kind of supernatural she is and is in a special Supe university to learn about her powers. -> She learns she is one of the only Djinn still alive one chapter later, that she has very powerful and rare magic, has someone make a wish and leave it be. Her powers and magical heritage are not mentioned ever again. And the wish is never granted.
After that, the fantasy part is completely put aside to make room for teenage drama, a bunch of misunderstandings, a little bit of sex, some panic attacks, and quite a few plot holes. The result becomes re-heated, uninteresting, and not really entertaining, but with the lingering expectation of some Genie magic and perhaps a little bit of Aladdin's music in the background.
Definitely not a good read, but Smoke and Wishes kind of reminds me a bit of the first book of the Veil Diaries -which became one of my favorite series ever later on-, so it has to count for something.
Bane of Dragons was quite uneven. Sometimes it was great, sometimes not so much.
1. I loved all the drama. Some might find that annoRating : 3.5 stars?
Bane of Dragons was quite uneven. Sometimes it was great, sometimes not so much.
1. I loved all the drama. Some might find that annoying but I thought it was well done and with lots of feels. 2. Sera was an interesting character but sometimes could get really whiny and weak. But she had great moments. 3. It was hard to follow the characters because they tended to change their mind rather abruptly, sometimes making menthink scenes were missing. 4. Secondary characters were either odious or completely useless, sometimes both at the same time. 5. It was not exactly instalove but the feelings did come quickly. However they were really cute together once they stopped pushing each other away. 6. I'm not very curious about how the romance will evolve but I really want to see Sera grow up into a leader and learn more of her curse.
Thank you Clara Hartley for providing me this arc....more
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