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| B0DTRYCM64
| 4.02
| 3,978
| Jan 30, 2012
| Jan 31, 2012
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it was amazing
| 4.5 stars � I was sucked into this book almost immediately from the start. The concept was so unique, the deta 4.5 stars � I was sucked into this book almost immediately from the start. The concept was so unique, the details were superb, and the attention paid to Fennel’s sightlessness made me feel sightless myself. And I genuinely think that a great book was made even more spectacular by listening to it. Emily Woo Zeller freaking NAILED the narration of this story. She had so much emotion, I FELT everything that Fenn was going through. And the range of voices Ms. Zeller has is truly remarkable � and they were always consistent! I pretty much always knew who was talking before the narrative even gave it away. Not only that, but her level of acting just made everything come alive � she followed the directions of the book to a tee. I honestly don’t think I can do anything but listen to the rest of this series when I get around to it. Fennel was just the kind of heroine I can immediately connect with. She’s brave, strong, humble…but also sassy, bold and curious. I LOVED “seeing� the world through her other senses � it really made it easy to get into her head, because she always described things by smell, sound, touch, and taste…or by the variable light she could faintly detect. It was fascinating. She definitely was not perfect � stubborn to a fault. And oh how I ached with how hard she resisted her feelings for Peree, even though they were obvious. And Peree himself was definitely not perfect! He frustrated me to no end with his leaping to conclusions and jealousy…not that it wasn’t justified, but really. At the same time he was so sweet, thoughtful, protective � and he matched Fenn on humour PERFECTLY! He may not have been perfect, but I loved him. I loved seeing their relationship develop and survive the prejudices of their peoples. They really made me ship them so hard. The twists and turns of the plot always kept me on my feet, and I rarely knew what was coming next. The secrets that were revealed were just astounding. My heart ached watching Fenn and Peree both struggle with everything. Obviously there were a ton of fantastic secondary characters � and all fleshed out really well that they felt real. I absolutely LOVED the storytelling sprinkled throughout � especially after hearing where they came from in the author’s afterword. So yeah. I am often wary of these early Indie books…I’ve had the ebook since 2012. But this one pleasantly surprised me at every turn. And even though the ending was super satisfying, and I could stop and not be left hanging � I know I’ll be checking out the rest to see what will happen next. Merged review: 4.5 stars � I was sucked into this book almost immediately from the start. The concept was so unique, the details were superb, and the attention paid to Fennel’s sightlessness made me feel sightless myself. And I genuinely think that a great book was made even more spectacular by listening to it. Emily Woo Zeller freaking NAILED the narration of this story. She had so much emotion, I FELT everything that Fenn was going through. And the range of voices Ms. Zeller has is truly remarkable � and they were always consistent! I pretty much always knew who was talking before the narrative even gave it away. Not only that, but her level of acting just made everything come alive � she followed the directions of the book to a tee. I honestly don’t think I can do anything but listen to the rest of this series when I get around to it. Fennel was just the kind of heroine I can immediately connect with. She’s brave, strong, humble…but also sassy, bold and curious. I LOVED “seeing� the world through her other senses � it really made it easy to get into her head, because she always described things by smell, sound, touch, and taste…or by the variable light she could faintly detect. It was fascinating. She definitely was not perfect � stubborn to a fault. And oh how I ached with how hard she resisted her feelings for Peree, even though they were obvious. And Peree himself was definitely not perfect! He frustrated me to no end with his leaping to conclusions and jealousy…not that it wasn’t justified, but really. At the same time he was so sweet, thoughtful, protective � and he matched Fenn on humour PERFECTLY! He may not have been perfect, but I loved him. I loved seeing their relationship develop and survive the prejudices of their peoples. They really made me ship them so hard. The twists and turns of the plot always kept me on my feet, and I rarely knew what was coming next. The secrets that were revealed were just astounding. My heart ached watching Fenn and Peree both struggle with everything. Obviously there were a ton of fantastic secondary characters � and all fleshed out really well that they felt real. I absolutely LOVED the storytelling sprinkled throughout � especially after hearing where they came from in the author’s afterword. So yeah. I am often wary of these early Indie books…I’ve had the ebook since 2012. But this one pleasantly surprised me at every turn. And even though the ending was super satisfying, and I could stop and not be left hanging � I know I’ll be checking out the rest to see what will happen next. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Apr 16, 2020
not set
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Apr 18, 2020
not set
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Jan 14, 2025
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Kindle Edition
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| 1640636080
| 9781640636088
| B07G12RC9P
| 3.93
| 871
| Aug 03, 2018
| Aug 27, 2018
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really liked it
| I received a free copy through Wordsmith Publicity in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4 sta I received a free copy through Wordsmith Publicity in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4 stars � I was really looking forward to Liam and Chelsea’s novel after reading book one…the allusions to their friendship and Liam’s grumpiness just had me intrigued. And this book totally fulfilled all of my hopes for their story…I just adore friends to lovers stories, you know? It’s definitely a favourite trope of mine. Chelsea was just plain adorable!! I loved her “chatty� nature, or as I would call it: a bit rambly. While that’s not my normal MO, when given the right opportunity, I can totally turn into a rambler. She was just endearing and lovable. I appreciated her mediating personality as well, always wanting to smooth things over and make others feel comfortable…THAT is TOTALLY me. It made it rewarding watching her attempts to become more assertive and bold without losing the best parts of herself. About the only thing I didn’t really connect with was her passion for her job…I was told she loved it, but I didn’t necessarily feel it. I know that part of her love was her desire for a steady income, but I just didn’t get the passion part…only glimmers here and there when she was talking to Carlos. Did I need more? Probably not…it was just something I noticed. Her family background hit me in the feels, especially as I know someone whose family uses them in a similar manner. It just broke my heart to see such a kind-hearted person such as Chelsea neglected and manipulated in this way. Strangely though, I felt like while I did connect with her on this, it also felt brushed to the side a lot in favour of the romance…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there was a part of me that wanted to explore it a bit more. It just wasn’t quite satisfying…but that might be just me. Liam was a conundrum for me! I had a harder time connecting with him at times, but I think that’s because he was so conflicted about who he was. He kept talking about how he was too rough for Chelsea, but when they were together there was NONE of that! I think this mentality was a by-product of his broken family, and influenced by his parents. I appreciated the struggles Liam went through with being influenced by his childhood, and the relationships he observed growing up, versus the reality of his relationship with Chelsea. I was worried that his journey along that path wouldn’t have a satisfying conclusion, but it totally did. I also loved that Liam was the opposite of Chelsea, in that he was quiet, stoic, didn’t let his emotions out…and just like society tried to put her down for being too chatty, Liam constantly struggled with others bugging him about being too reserved. I appreciated that opposites connection they had, where the world tried to tell them they weren’t good enough as they were, but in the end it made them fit perfectly together. And that’s where this story shines: Liam and Chelsea together. I felt their connection right from the start, and I loved the way they were a safe place for each other. I really understood their friendship, even as I felt the tension of more bubbling under the surface. Occasionally I grew impatient with them, but in the end I appreciated the time it took for them to make those leaps, cross those lines. I also loved that the story didn’t end when they went from friends to lovers, and that they didn’t hide their feelings from one another. They had other communication problems, but we got to see them happy together. As I said � solid friends to lovers story, with two equally lovable characters…not to mention a hilarious grumpy cat with gingivitis. Can’t wait for Finn’s story now! Merged review: I received a free copy through Wordsmith Publicity in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4 stars � I was really looking forward to Liam and Chelsea’s novel after reading book one…the allusions to their friendship and Liam’s grumpiness just had me intrigued. And this book totally fulfilled all of my hopes for their story…I just adore friends to lovers stories, you know? It’s definitely a favourite trope of mine. Chelsea was just plain adorable!! I loved her “chatty� nature, or as I would call it: a bit rambly. While that’s not my normal MO, when given the right opportunity, I can totally turn into a rambler. She was just endearing and lovable. I appreciated her mediating personality as well, always wanting to smooth things over and make others feel comfortable…THAT is TOTALLY me. It made it rewarding watching her attempts to become more assertive and bold without losing the best parts of herself. About the only thing I didn’t really connect with was her passion for her job…I was told she loved it, but I didn’t necessarily feel it. I know that part of her love was her desire for a steady income, but I just didn’t get the passion part…only glimmers here and there when she was talking to Carlos. Did I need more? Probably not…it was just something I noticed. Her family background hit me in the feels, especially as I know someone whose family uses them in a similar manner. It just broke my heart to see such a kind-hearted person such as Chelsea neglected and manipulated in this way. Strangely though, I felt like while I did connect with her on this, it also felt brushed to the side a lot in favour of the romance…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there was a part of me that wanted to explore it a bit more. It just wasn’t quite satisfying…but that might be just me. Liam was a conundrum for me! I had a harder time connecting with him at times, but I think that’s because he was so conflicted about who he was. He kept talking about how he was too rough for Chelsea, but when they were together there was NONE of that! I think this mentality was a by-product of his broken family, and influenced by his parents. I appreciated the struggles Liam went through with being influenced by his childhood, and the relationships he observed growing up, versus the reality of his relationship with Chelsea. I was worried that his journey along that path wouldn’t have a satisfying conclusion, but it totally did. I also loved that Liam was the opposite of Chelsea, in that he was quiet, stoic, didn’t let his emotions out…and just like society tried to put her down for being too chatty, Liam constantly struggled with others bugging him about being too reserved. I appreciated that opposites connection they had, where the world tried to tell them they weren’t good enough as they were, but in the end it made them fit perfectly together. And that’s where this story shines: Liam and Chelsea together. I felt their connection right from the start, and I loved the way they were a safe place for each other. I really understood their friendship, even as I felt the tension of more bubbling under the surface. Occasionally I grew impatient with them, but in the end I appreciated the time it took for them to make those leaps, cross those lines. I also loved that the story didn’t end when they went from friends to lovers, and that they didn’t hide their feelings from one another. They had other communication problems, but we got to see them happy together. As I said � solid friends to lovers story, with two equally lovable characters…not to mention a hilarious grumpy cat with gingivitis. Can’t wait for Finn’s story now! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Aug 23, 2018
not set
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Aug 26, 2018
not set
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Sep 29, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1419930788
| 9781419930782
| B004EYU9NQ
| 3.51
| 49
| Nov 2010
| Nov 24, 2010
|
really liked it
|
Mmmmm...steamy is right... Merged review: Mmmmm...steamy is right... |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jan 19, 2012
not set
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Jan 19, 2012
not set
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Sep 29, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0989278549
| 9780989278546
| B00G8UKI9Y
| 4.35
| 203
| Oct 27, 2013
| Oct 27, 2013
|
really liked it
| 4 stars � There were parts of this story that I definitely loved, but there were also parts that just didn’t l 4 stars � There were parts of this story that I definitely loved, but there were also parts that just didn’t live up to my expectations. I found both Chaos and Torrie to be really interesting characters. I mean, actually, all of our couples seem to have a lot of traits in common, with only slight variations. The gargoyles don’t show their love well, and have tempers. The girls are insecure and believe themselves to be less than (but of course they get more beautiful thanks to the gargoyles, and in Torrie’s case apparently getting thinner made her more beautiful…fat shame bad). That can be a little annoying, b/c I want more…I want to tap into something a bit deeper. For all that I should have loved Torrie for her traits on paper, I didn’t really connect with her that well. And I honestly don’t know why. I think I wasn’t expecting this book to be entirely told from Torrie’s POV, so when we got all that time in captivity, but with no idea how Chaos was faring, I was kinda bummed and let down. I really don’t understand why none of these books are in dual POV. She’s proven she can write both male and female POV, so why not switch it up? That would honestly be the ultimate for this series. Anyways, I seem to have completely strayed off my train of thought. Basically I liked them both, but while I feel like I should have loved them, I just didn’t connect as strongly. I think this book is shorter as well, so that definitely didn’t help. There were some twists and turns in the end, and I didn’t see the resolution for their relationship coming, so that was kind of fun how that was explained. It was a bit easy, but *shrugs* All in all, I’m still really enjoying this series, and I love the uniqueness. But I feel like they’re missing something to give them that edge into fantastic, you know? Like they’re perpetually 4 stars � enjoyable, but don’t blow me away. We’ll see if the next 4 books change my mind. Merged review: 4 stars � There were parts of this story that I definitely loved, but there were also parts that just didn’t live up to my expectations. I found both Chaos and Torrie to be really interesting characters. I mean, actually, all of our couples seem to have a lot of traits in common, with only slight variations. The gargoyles don’t show their love well, and have tempers. The girls are insecure and believe themselves to be less than (but of course they get more beautiful thanks to the gargoyles, and in Torrie’s case apparently getting thinner made her more beautiful…fat shame bad). That can be a little annoying, b/c I want more…I want to tap into something a bit deeper. For all that I should have loved Torrie for her traits on paper, I didn’t really connect with her that well. And I honestly don’t know why. I think I wasn’t expecting this book to be entirely told from Torrie’s POV, so when we got all that time in captivity, but with no idea how Chaos was faring, I was kinda bummed and let down. I really don’t understand why none of these books are in dual POV. She’s proven she can write both male and female POV, so why not switch it up? That would honestly be the ultimate for this series. Anyways, I seem to have completely strayed off my train of thought. Basically I liked them both, but while I feel like I should have loved them, I just didn’t connect as strongly. I think this book is shorter as well, so that definitely didn’t help. There were some twists and turns in the end, and I didn’t see the resolution for their relationship coming, so that was kind of fun how that was explained. It was a bit easy, but *shrugs* All in all, I’m still really enjoying this series, and I love the uniqueness. But I feel like they’re missing something to give them that edge into fantastic, you know? Like they’re perpetually 4 stars � enjoyable, but don’t blow me away. We’ll see if the next 4 books change my mind. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jul 18, 2020
not set
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Jul 18, 2020
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 9781944810184
| B07FYSHWMK
| 3.96
| 1,250
| Oct 01, 2018
| Oct 01, 2018
|
really liked it
| I received a free copy through Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. I received a free copy through Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � So I’ve had an up and down ride with Ms. Regnery’s fairytales, and I was worried about whether this one was going to be a hit for me or not. I am so extremely relieved to say I LOVED it! It sucked me in right from the start, and made it hard to put down when I got tired reading in bed!! I just wanted to know how our fair Ashley was going to fair, and the ending was so worth it!! As is clearly noted in the blurb, this is a dark story. I’ve added trigger warnings to my review, but I feel that the blurb does an adequate job of giving the correct feel for the book, so there should be no unexpected surprises. I appreciated that while we learn enough to understand the horror that is living with Mosier, and there are a few disturbing and uncomfortable scenes, Ms. Regnery does not sensationalize the darkness, or use it for shock value…or at least I didn’t feel she did. Ashley was an interesting heroine to follow. Her upbringing molded her into a very naive and sheltered young woman…and I truly felt that. The religious views she held often made me uncomfortable, and I’m not sure how I feel about the role religion played in the story…but I tried explaining my feelings in an earlier rendition of this review, and it just got convoluted, so I’ll leave it at that. Ashley was a perfect example of a troubled young woman who’s trying so hard to become the opposite of her mother. I fully understood how she came to be who she was. I can’t decide how I feel about the constant reminders of her beauty. I understand why it was there…it is an element of who Cinderella is. But it felt…odd. However, I loved the way she tackled it when talking to Julian. And she truly exhibited the kindness that Cinderella is also known for. In the end I liked her, but I had reservations about her. Julian, on the other hand, was pretty easy to love. Even though he enters the story further in, I felt like we still got to know who he was and what he was about. I was glad that his cold attitude wasn’t dragged out too long. I thought the glimpses we saw of his backstory, and seeing him with his sister really helped to make him well rounded, and easy to love. Their romance was actually pretty sweet in the end. I mean, yes, we got the steam as well. But the parts I loved the most were their connections over conversations…their smiles and crushing on one another. Even though the romance was fast in some ways, I believed in it, especially under the circumstances in which it developed. They gave me butterflies, and little smiles, and had me rooting for them to work out. Their romance felt true, and selfless. Oftentimes I’m more about the characters than the plot in a story, but I actually felt like the underlying plot was very compelling…it had a great suspense feel, with just enough breaks to give us some character development. I was also surprised that I ended up enjoying the little interludes with Ashley’s mother’s diary, and seeing the twists that story took that, while hinted at, was still more intriguing that I anticipated. Shout out to a strong set of secondary characters, from Father Joe to Gus and Jock to Noelle to even a certain love interest. They all added to the story and to the development of our main characters. So yeah. I’m a pretty happy girl. It’s always nice when you go into a book with reservations and then are pleasantly surprised and blown away! Merged review: I received a free copy through Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � So I’ve had an up and down ride with Ms. Regnery’s fairytales, and I was worried about whether this one was going to be a hit for me or not. I am so extremely relieved to say I LOVED it! It sucked me in right from the start, and made it hard to put down when I got tired reading in bed!! I just wanted to know how our fair Ashley was going to fair, and the ending was so worth it!! As is clearly noted in the blurb, this is a dark story. I’ve added trigger warnings to my review, but I feel that the blurb does an adequate job of giving the correct feel for the book, so there should be no unexpected surprises. I appreciated that while we learn enough to understand the horror that is living with Mosier, and there are a few disturbing and uncomfortable scenes, Ms. Regnery does not sensationalize the darkness, or use it for shock value…or at least I didn’t feel she did. Ashley was an interesting heroine to follow. Her upbringing molded her into a very naive and sheltered young woman…and I truly felt that. The religious views she held often made me uncomfortable, and I’m not sure how I feel about the role religion played in the story…but I tried explaining my feelings in an earlier rendition of this review, and it just got convoluted, so I’ll leave it at that. Ashley was a perfect example of a troubled young woman who’s trying so hard to become the opposite of her mother. I fully understood how she came to be who she was. I can’t decide how I feel about the constant reminders of her beauty. I understand why it was there…it is an element of who Cinderella is. But it felt…odd. However, I loved the way she tackled it when talking to Julian. And she truly exhibited the kindness that Cinderella is also known for. In the end I liked her, but I had reservations about her. Julian, on the other hand, was pretty easy to love. Even though he enters the story further in, I felt like we still got to know who he was and what he was about. I was glad that his cold attitude wasn’t dragged out too long. I thought the glimpses we saw of his backstory, and seeing him with his sister really helped to make him well rounded, and easy to love. Their romance was actually pretty sweet in the end. I mean, yes, we got the steam as well. But the parts I loved the most were their connections over conversations…their smiles and crushing on one another. Even though the romance was fast in some ways, I believed in it, especially under the circumstances in which it developed. They gave me butterflies, and little smiles, and had me rooting for them to work out. Their romance felt true, and selfless. Oftentimes I’m more about the characters than the plot in a story, but I actually felt like the underlying plot was very compelling…it had a great suspense feel, with just enough breaks to give us some character development. I was also surprised that I ended up enjoying the little interludes with Ashley’s mother’s diary, and seeing the twists that story took that, while hinted at, was still more intriguing that I anticipated. Shout out to a strong set of secondary characters, from Father Joe to Gus and Jock to Noelle to even a certain love interest. They all added to the story and to the development of our main characters. So yeah. I’m a pretty happy girl. It’s always nice when you go into a book with reservations and then are pleasantly surprised and blown away! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Sep 26, 2018
not set
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Sep 27, 2018
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
| 1250153409
| 9781250153401
| B074SXM3WK
| 3.44
| 208
| Dec 05, 2017
| Dec 05, 2017
|
really liked it
| I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � Wel I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � Well this was a whole bowl full of awesome! It was kind of tailor made for me. I mean, I’m not sure how many people know this about me, but I am an Olympic FIEND. It’s my favourite sport (and I realize it’s not a sport, just like rainbow isn’t a colour, but I do what I want). So a sports book that meshes a fictional Olympic type competition (the Snow & Ice Games) with a celebrity romance, this time in the form of a famous pop star from a boy band? SIGN ME UP!!! And it was even cool that the athlete in this case was the heroine, AND she was a luger of all things! Have you watched luge? Those people are certifiable!! I actually loved both characters. They occasionally felt a bit young, but that can make for a more realistic NA in my opinion. I know I still feel young and immature at 38. 😛 And given their professions as it were, it made sense that they would feel young in certain aspects. I LOVED Rowan. She was nothing like I am. NOTHING. But I appreciated how unique she was, and how the author really showcased the dedication and hard work and sacrifices that is synonymous with amateur athletes. I LOVED how she was so blunt and forthright in what she wanted with sex…it was very sex positive in that way. I also appreciated that she didn’t go from fangirl to cool immediately, b/c it felt more realistic then. Sometimes I wanted her to more obviously see him as more than just a pop star…or rather, more quickly. But it was subtle, and it didn’t make the fangirl stuff immediately go away. It frustrated me, but again, felt more realistic. And more than what I loved about her, I LOVED how Zane saw her, and how he appreciated the things about her that she’s often been told are lacking. Like her athletic body was seen as less feminine by some (stupid) men, her strength was intimidating to others, not to mention her dedication to her sport. Which brings us to Zane. Zane was almost too good to be true. I’m not kidding. He’s this pop star, but he was so very down to earth, and just so freaking kind and thoughtful. He was like ultimate book boyfriend material for me. There was no bad boy to him. He felt very practical. I enjoyed seeing him struggle with being tired of the boy band, but still loyal to his boys. I liked reading about his exit strategy, and how he was thinking ahead to the future. And how he seemed truly torn up about wanting to move on. And I appreciated that he knew the importance of his fans and saw how they were truly responsible for all his success, so he wanted to appreciate them (even if it got exhausting). Occasionally the commentary about boy bands felt a bit…snarky, and was surprising. It almost felt as though the author looked down on boy bands and it bled through…but at other times it just felt normal. It was odd…and could all be in my head. And as I said above, I LOVED how he appreciated Rowan. He was so turned on by her aggression. Made me feel very tummy tingly. So needless to say I LOVED the chemistry between them. It was so freaking hot. Like the steamy parts were awesome, and different. And I felt the romance too…I felt the development of their relationship into more. I felt their caring for each other. I will admit the climax and conflict felt a bit tropey, but I appreciated that it didn’t last long and it wasn’t drawn out. And if you couldn’t tell from the beginning of the review, I LOVED all the “SIG� (*cough* Olympics *cough*) descriptions, and seeing different sports showcased, and learning so much about luge (which has always scared the crap out of me). And I ADORED that they talked a bit about curling, though as a Canadian, I was a bit bummed that they didn’t mention us at all in relation to curling…it’s kind of our adopted sport. Like, we may not have invented it, but it’s basically ours…it’s more Canadian than even hockey in some ways. Woah, blew your mind right? So yeah. This took two of my favourite tropes (sports romance and celebrity romance) and blended them seamlessly and made this reader one very happy girl. Obscure sports for the win!! Merged review: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � Well this was a whole bowl full of awesome! It was kind of tailor made for me. I mean, I’m not sure how many people know this about me, but I am an Olympic FIEND. It’s my favourite sport (and I realize it’s not a sport, just like rainbow isn’t a colour, but I do what I want). So a sports book that meshes a fictional Olympic type competition (the Snow & Ice Games) with a celebrity romance, this time in the form of a famous pop star from a boy band? SIGN ME UP!!! And it was even cool that the athlete in this case was the heroine, AND she was a luger of all things! Have you watched luge? Those people are certifiable!! I actually loved both characters. They occasionally felt a bit young, but that can make for a more realistic NA in my opinion. I know I still feel young and immature at 38. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
|
Dec 2017
not set
|
Dec 02, 2017
not set
|
Sep 28, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1640631488
| 9781640631489
| B072V26ZGV
| 3.54
| 934
| Jul 10, 2017
| Jul 10, 2017
|
liked it
| 3 stars � Huh. I remember loving the first book, but this one felt like it was missing something. I almost DNF 3 stars � Huh. I remember loving the first book, but this one felt like it was missing something. I almost DNF’d it because it just wasn’t pulling me in, but I really wanted to finish another series for my challenge, and it was only 200 pages� Honestly, the characters had some great moments/qualities, but not as many as I’d like. I really loved the way Malina’s Tutu adored (and fed) Jackson. I loved Jackson’s teasing nature. And I loved what Malina’s relationship with her grandma brought out in her. But other than that? I only partially understood/bought the pushing each other away after the “accidental� kiss. I’m not sure I was a fan of the volatile nature of their relationship when they got together…I guess it’s supposed to show passion? Pent up lust? I don’t know, but the yelling and meanness wasn’t what I was expecting from a friends to lovers story. Not that I couldn’t see 2 teenagers behaving that way, just…I don’t know, I just wasn’t as excited about it. I enjoyed them as friends, and occasionally after they got over the initial hump there were some cute moments, but maybe just not enough? It almost felt more enemies to lovers at times� The other thing that I was on the fence about was each of their parents. They were probably more realistic, but I guess they felt a bit…harsher than I was expecting. Like, in a loving way, but� So yeah. It was okay, but it wasn’t quite the reading hangover cure I was looking for. Merged review: 3 stars � Huh. I remember loving the first book, but this one felt like it was missing something. I almost DNF’d it because it just wasn’t pulling me in, but I really wanted to finish another series for my challenge, and it was only 200 pages� Honestly, the characters had some great moments/qualities, but not as many as I’d like. I really loved the way Malina’s Tutu adored (and fed) Jackson. I loved Jackson’s teasing nature. And I loved what Malina’s relationship with her grandma brought out in her. But other than that? I only partially understood/bought the pushing each other away after the “accidental� kiss. I’m not sure I was a fan of the volatile nature of their relationship when they got together…I guess it’s supposed to show passion? Pent up lust? I don’t know, but the yelling and meanness wasn’t what I was expecting from a friends to lovers story. Not that I couldn’t see 2 teenagers behaving that way, just…I don’t know, I just wasn’t as excited about it. I enjoyed them as friends, and occasionally after they got over the initial hump there were some cute moments, but maybe just not enough? It almost felt more enemies to lovers at times� The other thing that I was on the fence about was each of their parents. They were probably more realistic, but I guess they felt a bit…harsher than I was expecting. Like, in a loving way, but� So yeah. It was okay, but it wasn’t quite the reading hangover cure I was looking for. ...more |
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| 160928447X
| 9781609284473
| B004QQ3MHC
| 3.98
| 2,357
| Mar 05, 2011
| May 03, 2011
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really liked it
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Didn't enjoy quite as much as the first 2, but in this genre I'm generally not too fussy.... Merged review: Didn't enjoy quite as much as the first 2, b Didn't enjoy quite as much as the first 2, but in this genre I'm generally not too fussy.... Merged review: Didn't enjoy quite as much as the first 2, but in this genre I'm generally not too fussy.... ...more |
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| 0425284581
| 9780425284582
| B018CHA3DQ
| 3.74
| 381
| Jun 21, 2016
| Jun 21, 2016
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really liked it
| 4 stars -- I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Earlier 4 stars -- I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Earlier in the year I read Ms. Cahill's book Call Me, Maybe, and while overall it was a great read (4 stars), I remember being a bit let down by the ending. Probably b/c it was initially a 5 star read for me and didn't end that way. But I really wanted to give Ms. Cahill another shot, mostly just because of how much I enjoyed the first half of that book. So I requested this book, and while I never got a 5 star feel from it, I was also not disappointed, so it was more of a 4 star read throughout, and that was satisfying enough for me to seek her out in the future. Presley wasn't necessarily my kind of girl...not someone I could naturally vibe with. But I really appreciated how spunky she was, and my heart did hurt for what she went through with her original band. I loved seeing music from her perspective, and how much it meant to her. As with the previous book I read of Ms. Cahill's, I felt like I needed more from Paul's story. It's not that every book needs to be dual POV, but I guess I felt like there was more I could have learned about Paul and I felt a little shortchanged. He was pretty darn swoony, even if a little screwed up. The highlight of this book for me was the steamy bits. But in a strange dichotomy, while I felt like the physical chemistry was oooo baby, I would have appreciated a little more meat in the just general romance department. They really got together based on physical chemistry alone, and while we did get some beyond that, I would have loved to know more of what drew them to each other beyond that. What can I say, I wanted more. Which makes me wonder if this should have been 3.5 instead of 4, but whatever... And I will note that I wasn't really impressed with Presley's initial decision about Paul and the band, but it didn't anger me like the decisions made in Call Me, Maybe did. There were a bunch of smaller side things that I loved in this book. I loved Presley's parents. They were awesome. I loved the relationship she had with them. I loved the musical aspects, and the Thursday nights at the store (even if occasionally I wondered how realistic that would be). I loved the band members of Jukebox Bleu. I loved Paul's sister, even as volatile as she could be. And I even loved the little twitter, texting or playlist breaks between the chapters -- felt like they really added to the story (though I would have loved to actually meet Liz at some point then). I ESPECIALLY loved the playlists. They were spot on. So if you're looking for a steamy new adult read, this one definitely delivers. If I'd been looking for more, I might have rated it lower, but I was satisfied with what I got out of it. Merged review: 4 stars -- I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Earlier in the year I read Ms. Cahill's book Call Me, Maybe, and while overall it was a great read (4 stars), I remember being a bit let down by the ending. Probably b/c it was initially a 5 star read for me and didn't end that way. But I really wanted to give Ms. Cahill another shot, mostly just because of how much I enjoyed the first half of that book. So I requested this book, and while I never got a 5 star feel from it, I was also not disappointed, so it was more of a 4 star read throughout, and that was satisfying enough for me to seek her out in the future. Presley wasn't necessarily my kind of girl...not someone I could naturally vibe with. But I really appreciated how spunky she was, and my heart did hurt for what she went through with her original band. I loved seeing music from her perspective, and how much it meant to her. As with the previous book I read of Ms. Cahill's, I felt like I needed more from Paul's story. It's not that every book needs to be dual POV, but I guess I felt like there was more I could have learned about Paul and I felt a little shortchanged. He was pretty darn swoony, even if a little screwed up. The highlight of this book for me was the steamy bits. But in a strange dichotomy, while I felt like the physical chemistry was oooo baby, I would have appreciated a little more meat in the just general romance department. They really got together based on physical chemistry alone, and while we did get some beyond that, I would have loved to know more of what drew them to each other beyond that. What can I say, I wanted more. Which makes me wonder if this should have been 3.5 instead of 4, but whatever... And I will note that I wasn't really impressed with Presley's initial decision about Paul and the band, but it didn't anger me like the decisions made in Call Me, Maybe did. There were a bunch of smaller side things that I loved in this book. I loved Presley's parents. They were awesome. I loved the relationship she had with them. I loved the musical aspects, and the Thursday nights at the store (even if occasionally I wondered how realistic that would be). I loved the band members of Jukebox Bleu. I loved Paul's sister, even as volatile as she could be. And I even loved the little twitter, texting or playlist breaks between the chapters -- felt like they really added to the story (though I would have loved to actually meet Liz at some point then). I ESPECIALLY loved the playlists. They were spot on. So if you're looking for a steamy new adult read, this one definitely delivers. If I'd been looking for more, I might have rated it lower, but I was satisfied with what I got out of it. ...more |
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Jun 26, 2016
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Jun 26, 2016
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| 0062272616
| 9780062272614
| B00MMET8EG
| 3.79
| 755
| May 05, 2015
| May 05, 2015
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it was ok
| 2.5 stars � Well…I guess this is one series I should NOT have finished. I should have listened to my gut that 2.5 stars � Well…I guess this is one series I should NOT have finished. I should have listened to my gut that had me avoiding reading Garrett’s book, b/c this one definitely disappointed. Or maybe it’s that it lived down to my low expectations. Basically, if you’re hoping that Garrett has a huge transformation, or there is some explanation for his douchebaggery, then you might be disappointed…I was. I honestly did NOT like Garrett in the previous two books, and I was hoping that we’d get some elaboration on why he is the way he is…but for most of the book, he was just the same old asshole I’ve grown to dislike. He was arrogant, pushy, a bully, a know-it-all…just not a lot of redeeming. He never listened to Riley, never tried to get to know why she felt the way she did. He never tried to understand his brothers� positions. Basically he didn’t show any empathy at all. And I’d like to say I saw softer moments, but other than feeling less than his brothers, and wanting his father’s approval, that was about all I got. He wasn’t all bad, but the little bits that softened me to him were not even remotely enough to redeem him. Riley was somewhat intriguing, I appreciated her odd childhood story. It’s amazing that all the heroine’s in this series have these HORRIBLE childhoods…I wish there’d been some resolution to all of that. Her Mom was a monster, and we didn’t get to see her cut that tie…and I couldn’t help but wonder about her siblings. I enjoyed seeing what she went through on the earlier talent show, and how that affected her…and then seeing how she worked through those fears to come back to something she loves. But then we get to the “romance�. That was flat as a pancake. I have NO IDEA what Riley saw in Garrett other than being starstruck. She claims that she got to see a softer side, but we didn’t really as a reader, so that didn’t help me connect and want to root for them. And their romance didn’t even start until after 60% ((view spoiler)[prior to which Garrett is with a one-night stand in the background -- not what I want over halfway through a *romance* (hide spoiler)]). I was disappointed in how the author used a certain emotional event as a catalyst for Garrett’s change…it was convenient and didn’t feel long-lasting. And the whole wrap up afterwards was super fast. *sigh* I’m just going to stop. Needless to say I was bummed. I kept waiting for more, and I didn’t get it. I’m giving Riley an extra half star, but really I just wish I’d passed on this one� Merged review: 2.5 stars � Well…I guess this is one series I should NOT have finished. I should have listened to my gut that had me avoiding reading Garrett’s book, b/c this one definitely disappointed. Or maybe it’s that it lived down to my low expectations. Basically, if you’re hoping that Garrett has a huge transformation, or there is some explanation for his douchebaggery, then you might be disappointed…I was. I honestly did NOT like Garrett in the previous two books, and I was hoping that we’d get some elaboration on why he is the way he is…but for most of the book, he was just the same old asshole I’ve grown to dislike. He was arrogant, pushy, a bully, a know-it-all…just not a lot of redeeming. He never listened to Riley, never tried to get to know why she felt the way she did. He never tried to understand his brothers� positions. Basically he didn’t show any empathy at all. And I’d like to say I saw softer moments, but other than feeling less than his brothers, and wanting his father’s approval, that was about all I got. He wasn’t all bad, but the little bits that softened me to him were not even remotely enough to redeem him. Riley was somewhat intriguing, I appreciated her odd childhood story. It’s amazing that all the heroine’s in this series have these HORRIBLE childhoods…I wish there’d been some resolution to all of that. Her Mom was a monster, and we didn’t get to see her cut that tie…and I couldn’t help but wonder about her siblings. I enjoyed seeing what she went through on the earlier talent show, and how that affected her…and then seeing how she worked through those fears to come back to something she loves. But then we get to the “romance�. That was flat as a pancake. I have NO IDEA what Riley saw in Garrett other than being starstruck. She claims that she got to see a softer side, but we didn’t really as a reader, so that didn’t help me connect and want to root for them. And their romance didn’t even start until after 60% ((view spoiler)[prior to which Garrett is with a one-night stand in the background -- not what I want over halfway through a *romance* (hide spoiler)]). I was disappointed in how the author used a certain emotional event as a catalyst for Garrett’s change…it was convenient and didn’t feel long-lasting. And the whole wrap up afterwards was super fast. *sigh* I’m just going to stop. Needless to say I was bummed. I kept waiting for more, and I didn’t get it. I’m giving Riley an extra half star, but really I just wish I’d passed on this one� ...more |
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Aug 13, 2020
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Aug 15, 2020
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 1459254430
| 9781459254435
| B00DPAN1BC
| 3.83
| 1,345
| Jul 28, 2013
| Jul 28, 2013
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really liked it
| 4 stars � Man, I needed this. I can always count on Ms. Mayberry for just a solid romance, but without any of 4 stars � Man, I needed this. I can always count on Ms. Mayberry for just a solid romance, but without any of the usual clichés. I think the only reason I hadn’t bumped up to 4.5 is because there was the almost cliché of them both being in love but not believing the other felt the same…BUT it kind of fit for what they were going through, so I’m waffling a bit. I also wasn’t a fan of Will’s pride at times. At other times he was awesomely sensitive, kind, observant. And his sense of humour was fantastic � I loved his flirting with Leah and trying to bring her out of her shell. But there were other moments, related to his health issues, where his attitude frustrated me a bit. It had teeny tiny hints of toxic masculinity, without being full on toxic. I was relieved to see him work through some of that, both on his own, and with the steadfast love of Leah to give him strength. Leah was pretty easy to connect with and love for me. It was interesting to meet her when she’s just made this huge life altering decision, and watch her struggle with the disappointment from her parents. I loved seeing her come into her own and develop her bravery, with the help of encouragement from Will. You could really see how they complemented one another. She was sweet, smart, intuitive, compassionate…and Will brought out her awesome wit. They were fantastic together. There were all those beginning crush butterfly feelings, the friends first vibe, the one super hot night…and then the move towards more. I was there for all of it. I loved Will’s family, they were solid…we didn’t see a lot of them, but what we did I enjoyed. Leah’s family was…rough. I wish we’d gotten more on screen time of Leah and Audrey’s reconnection, but I guess this just makes me want to read Audrey’s story more, so success? All in all, this was exactly what I’m always looking for, and consistently get from Ms. Mayberry. I love that she’s so reliable, but never formulaic. Merged review: 4 stars � Man, I needed this. I can always count on Ms. Mayberry for just a solid romance, but without any of the usual clichés. I think the only reason I hadn’t bumped up to 4.5 is because there was the almost cliché of them both being in love but not believing the other felt the same…BUT it kind of fit for what they were going through, so I’m waffling a bit. I also wasn’t a fan of Will’s pride at times. At other times he was awesomely sensitive, kind, observant. And his sense of humour was fantastic � I loved his flirting with Leah and trying to bring her out of her shell. But there were other moments, related to his health issues, where his attitude frustrated me a bit. It had teeny tiny hints of toxic masculinity, without being full on toxic. I was relieved to see him work through some of that, both on his own, and with the steadfast love of Leah to give him strength. Leah was pretty easy to connect with and love for me. It was interesting to meet her when she’s just made this huge life altering decision, and watch her struggle with the disappointment from her parents. I loved seeing her come into her own and develop her bravery, with the help of encouragement from Will. You could really see how they complemented one another. She was sweet, smart, intuitive, compassionate…and Will brought out her awesome wit. They were fantastic together. There were all those beginning crush butterfly feelings, the friends first vibe, the one super hot night…and then the move towards more. I was there for all of it. I loved Will’s family, they were solid…we didn’t see a lot of them, but what we did I enjoyed. Leah’s family was…rough. I wish we’d gotten more on screen time of Leah and Audrey’s reconnection, but I guess this just makes me want to read Audrey’s story more, so success? All in all, this was exactly what I’m always looking for, and consistently get from Ms. Mayberry. I love that she’s so reliable, but never formulaic. ...more |
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Aug 29, 2022
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| 160504976X
| 9781605049762
| B003DX0I9E
| 3.62
| 252
| Mar 25, 2010
| Apr 06, 2010
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really liked it
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Fun, hot, what's more to say? Merged review: Fun, hot, what's more to say? Fun, hot, what's more to say? Merged review: Fun, hot, what's more to say? ...more |
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Oct 28, 2011
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| 1250170532
| 9781250170538
| B071LDSRW2
| 3.79
| 1,032
| Jul 25, 2017
| Jul 25, 2017
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it was amazing
| 4.5 stars --Â I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Yu 4.5 stars --Â I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Yup, that was a whole lot of perfect for Lenore. Â I was sucked right in, and entertained from start to finish. Â I loved the humour, I loved the characters, I loved the romance, I loved the geek stuff, I loved the celebrity aspect... Â Seriously, it was just my kind of book, you know? Hailey was all sorts of unique as a heroine. Â Not just because she embraced her rockabilly style, but because she was hiding a childhood growing up with grifters, and damage from time spent in the foster system. Â I liked that she was both tough and independent, but she was also using her sisters as a crutch to avoid being vulnerable. Â It was surprisingly easy to love her. Jake was just uber adorable. Â I just wanted to hug him. Â He was so sincere, and kind, and caring, and passionate about what he loved. Â I will admit that I saw the Susie thing from like a mile away, and so just kept waiting for him to figure things out. Â I actually anticipated that resolving with Hailey as a catalyst, but I was satisfied with the way it went anyways. And I liked the two of them together...you could really feel their draw to each other, and the chemistry and sexual attraction. Â Seriously, it was hot. Â But, even though it was hella fast, I still really enjoyed the development of their relationship due to spending so much time together in a short span of time. Â And I found it amusing how tongue in cheek Ms. Yardley was having Hailey despise insta-love in stories and then giving Hailey a fast love story herself. Â I'm sure it will bother some people, but I loved it. Â I'm not an insta-love hater though (not a lover, just not a hater). And the secondary cast was pretty great too, from Hailey's sisters to Jake's co-stars. Â It's definitely setting up future stories, you can totally tell. Honestly, other than totally guessing the Jake side story, the only other thing I was meh on was the stalker storyline. Â It felt a little thrown in last minute, and like just a plot device. Â But I loved so much else in the story, I don't even care. Any book that can make me tempted to fight through sleep and keep reading, even though it's 3 am, is my kind of book. Â I did manage to resist, but I was epically tired. Â Can't wait for more in this series. Â Gotta go back and read Level Up now, though those characters are only loosely mentioned in this one...it stands alone pretty well. Â I concur with the title: Jake and Hailey are my OTP! Merged review: 4.5 stars --Â I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Yup, that was a whole lot of perfect for Lenore. Â I was sucked right in, and entertained from start to finish. Â I loved the humour, I loved the characters, I loved the romance, I loved the geek stuff, I loved the celebrity aspect... Â Seriously, it was just my kind of book, you know? Hailey was all sorts of unique as a heroine. Â Not just because she embraced her rockabilly style, but because she was hiding a childhood growing up with grifters, and damage from time spent in the foster system. Â I liked that she was both tough and independent, but she was also using her sisters as a crutch to avoid being vulnerable. Â It was surprisingly easy to love her. Jake was just uber adorable. Â I just wanted to hug him. Â He was so sincere, and kind, and caring, and passionate about what he loved. Â I will admit that I saw the Susie thing from like a mile away, and so just kept waiting for him to figure things out. Â I actually anticipated that resolving with Hailey as a catalyst, but I was satisfied with the way it went anyways. And I liked the two of them together...you could really feel their draw to each other, and the chemistry and sexual attraction. Â Seriously, it was hot. Â But, even though it was hella fast, I still really enjoyed the development of their relationship due to spending so much time together in a short span of time. Â And I found it amusing how tongue in cheek Ms. Yardley was having Hailey despise insta-love in stories and then giving Hailey a fast love story herself. Â I'm sure it will bother some people, but I loved it. Â I'm not an insta-love hater though (not a lover, just not a hater). And the secondary cast was pretty great too, from Hailey's sisters to Jake's co-stars. Â It's definitely setting up future stories, you can totally tell. Honestly, other than totally guessing the Jake side story, the only other thing I was meh on was the stalker storyline. Â It felt a little thrown in last minute, and like just a plot device. Â But I loved so much else in the story, I don't even care. Any book that can make me tempted to fight through sleep and keep reading, even though it's 3 am, is my kind of book. Â I did manage to resist, but I was epically tired. Â Can't wait for more in this series. Â Gotta go back and read Level Up now, though those characters are only loosely mentioned in this one...it stands alone pretty well. Â I concur with the title: Jake and Hailey are my OTP! ...more |
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Jul 23, 2017
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Jul 24, 2017
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| 1633758745
| 9781633758742
| B06WVJ4LB5
| 3.85
| 1,406
| Mar 13, 2017
| Mar 13, 2017
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it was amazing
| 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. I 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. I am shipping Kaper so freaking hard, I can't even tell you. Like seriously, this book was just everything my little YA-loving heart was looking for. It was fairly light, with just enough depth to give it interest. And while I don't think you have to be a fandom lover to enjoy this book, if you are, I think you will definitely fall in love with Kate. I'm not even a major fandom lover, but I totally get shipping couples, and wanting them to be together, and being angry at the writers for drawing it out. And in some ways Ms. Madsen kind of fulfilled that longing and irritation and GAHness with Kate and Cooper. You could just tell that they were perfect for each other, but of course she had to put them through the wringer on the way to HEA. I'm not always a fan of misunderstandings and all that jazz, but it really fit in this storyline and worked for the story that was being told (if that makes any sense at all)...or at least it did for me. And you know how my favourite part of any story is the characters? Well Kate and Cooper were amazeballs. Not without flaws for sure, and not without feeling like authentic teenagers, but I just really loved them both. My heart broke for Kate and how she came to be the person she was. Not just with her father, but also the circumstances with her friends. I've been that girl with no friends b/c I wasn't willing to change myself to fit in. It's all well and good to be solid with who you are and to put that above other things, but it can be very lonely. And she was just so freaking quirky and adorable!! She made me laugh so much. Seriously though, she really reminded me a lot of myself (right down to the lost father). And I enjoyed that what really drew her to Mick was her perception that he was more sweet than he seemed, based on his moments of kindness. It was a bit of a bummer that she didn't catch on as quickly to how changing herself wasn't the way to go, and that maybe he wasn't worth it, but sometimes we see what we want to see and we want things so badly that we don't make the connections until later. And then there was Cooper. OMG, book boyfriend city man. He was just so sweet and thoughtful, and dealing with his own set of struggles, and just trying to survive in a way. I loved being in his head and reading about his thoughts. He was an interesting guy b/c he had this popularity in some ways, but didn't seem to realize it. And I adored his little bit of nerdiness, talk about swoon!! My only real complaint with his story was the resolution with his father. It didn't feel authentic, b/c his father really felt borderline mentally abusive to me...or just too toxic anyways. Honestly though, the star of this book was Kate and Cooper together. Seeing them experience the tummy tingles for each other, and those breathless moments, and the friendship that developed...GAH! It was just perfect. My romance loving heart was so freaking satisfied, I had tingles just reading about them. And the climax was perfection. It just read exactly as I wanted it to. And then we even got some delicious epilogueness!! I love epilogueness. It was so satisfying. So basically this story was just tailor made for me. Love. Adore. So much shipping. Merged review: 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. I am shipping Kaper so freaking hard, I can't even tell you. Like seriously, this book was just everything my little YA-loving heart was looking for. It was fairly light, with just enough depth to give it interest. And while I don't think you have to be a fandom lover to enjoy this book, if you are, I think you will definitely fall in love with Kate. I'm not even a major fandom lover, but I totally get shipping couples, and wanting them to be together, and being angry at the writers for drawing it out. And in some ways Ms. Madsen kind of fulfilled that longing and irritation and GAHness with Kate and Cooper. You could just tell that they were perfect for each other, but of course she had to put them through the wringer on the way to HEA. I'm not always a fan of misunderstandings and all that jazz, but it really fit in this storyline and worked for the story that was being told (if that makes any sense at all)...or at least it did for me. And you know how my favourite part of any story is the characters? Well Kate and Cooper were amazeballs. Not without flaws for sure, and not without feeling like authentic teenagers, but I just really loved them both. My heart broke for Kate and how she came to be the person she was. Not just with her father, but also the circumstances with her friends. I've been that girl with no friends b/c I wasn't willing to change myself to fit in. It's all well and good to be solid with who you are and to put that above other things, but it can be very lonely. And she was just so freaking quirky and adorable!! She made me laugh so much. Seriously though, she really reminded me a lot of myself (right down to the lost father). And I enjoyed that what really drew her to Mick was her perception that he was more sweet than he seemed, based on his moments of kindness. It was a bit of a bummer that she didn't catch on as quickly to how changing herself wasn't the way to go, and that maybe he wasn't worth it, but sometimes we see what we want to see and we want things so badly that we don't make the connections until later. And then there was Cooper. OMG, book boyfriend city man. He was just so sweet and thoughtful, and dealing with his own set of struggles, and just trying to survive in a way. I loved being in his head and reading about his thoughts. He was an interesting guy b/c he had this popularity in some ways, but didn't seem to realize it. And I adored his little bit of nerdiness, talk about swoon!! My only real complaint with his story was the resolution with his father. It didn't feel authentic, b/c his father really felt borderline mentally abusive to me...or just too toxic anyways. Honestly though, the star of this book was Kate and Cooper together. Seeing them experience the tummy tingles for each other, and those breathless moments, and the friendship that developed...GAH! It was just perfect. My romance loving heart was so freaking satisfied, I had tingles just reading about them. And the climax was perfection. It just read exactly as I wanted it to. And then we even got some delicious epilogueness!! I love epilogueness. It was so satisfying. So basically this story was just tailor made for me. Love. Adore. So much shipping. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Mar 06, 2017
not set
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Mar 08, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1640636773
| 9781640636774
| B07H28K56V
| 4.16
| 57
| Sep 24, 2018
| Sep 24, 2018
|
really liked it
| I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4-stars � OMG!! I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4-stars � OMG!! I mean, I totally knew this wasn’t going to be the last book in the series, and I know they always end with a lot of questions, but wow…it’s going to be seriously hard waiting for the next book, and I have NO IDEA what’s going to happen! This book went in a lot of different directions from the previous ones! It’s funny how the series started off feeling more urban fantasy, and has progressively been getting more sci-fi, particularly in this book. I mean, we’re dealing with a time traveller in this one! And time travel becomes a very central theme instead of just a side plot. And we get glimpses into 2000 years into the future, so we even see aliens!! I can’t say much more than that, but I really loved the things we discovered in those last few pages. It truly has me intrigued to find out more. As with the previous books, the action/suspense parts of this novel were fantastic. Quinn and Mel truly go on a wild ride in this one. And I thought the sci-fi aspects were done quite well as well! Time travel is kind of a mind-fuck, and it can be so easy to get caught with inconsistencies and paradoxes, but quite a few of them were explored…and I don’t think I ended up confused at the end, which is always a bonus. I connected with both Quinn and Mel and their romance better than Sadie and Ethan in the previous book, but not as much as with Jake and Christa in the first. There was still just a little something missing to really suck me into the characters. Characters tend to be the biggest draw into stories for me, and so I notice it when I want something more. In non-contemporary books I at least have plot and world building to make up the difference, but I still want those characters. I think for both of them on the surface I got a lot of background on both of them, and what was driving them, but I didn’t *feel* it. But maybe that was just me. And as for the two of them together, again, I *definitely* felt the lust and attraction, but I had a harder time understanding the love so quickly. I understand that under extreme circumstances emotions can build faster, but I still didn’t quite buy it. Again, I did moreso than with Sadie and Ethan, but still wanted a bit more. As always, it was awesome to see other members of the Tribe and have them along on different parts of the journey. In this case Rose and Kaitlin were the main secondary characters� I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of the others, but I’m guessing I’ll get that in the next book. So yeah. Super duper intrigued by where this is all going, and it’s going to be hell waiting to find out what’s next. I can honestly say I didn’t see some of the answers coming, but they totally satisfied me. Merged review: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4-stars � OMG!! I mean, I totally knew this wasn’t going to be the last book in the series, and I know they always end with a lot of questions, but wow…it’s going to be seriously hard waiting for the next book, and I have NO IDEA what’s going to happen! This book went in a lot of different directions from the previous ones! It’s funny how the series started off feeling more urban fantasy, and has progressively been getting more sci-fi, particularly in this book. I mean, we’re dealing with a time traveller in this one! And time travel becomes a very central theme instead of just a side plot. And we get glimpses into 2000 years into the future, so we even see aliens!! I can’t say much more than that, but I really loved the things we discovered in those last few pages. It truly has me intrigued to find out more. As with the previous books, the action/suspense parts of this novel were fantastic. Quinn and Mel truly go on a wild ride in this one. And I thought the sci-fi aspects were done quite well as well! Time travel is kind of a mind-fuck, and it can be so easy to get caught with inconsistencies and paradoxes, but quite a few of them were explored…and I don’t think I ended up confused at the end, which is always a bonus. I connected with both Quinn and Mel and their romance better than Sadie and Ethan in the previous book, but not as much as with Jake and Christa in the first. There was still just a little something missing to really suck me into the characters. Characters tend to be the biggest draw into stories for me, and so I notice it when I want something more. In non-contemporary books I at least have plot and world building to make up the difference, but I still want those characters. I think for both of them on the surface I got a lot of background on both of them, and what was driving them, but I didn’t *feel* it. But maybe that was just me. And as for the two of them together, again, I *definitely* felt the lust and attraction, but I had a harder time understanding the love so quickly. I understand that under extreme circumstances emotions can build faster, but I still didn’t quite buy it. Again, I did moreso than with Sadie and Ethan, but still wanted a bit more. As always, it was awesome to see other members of the Tribe and have them along on different parts of the journey. In this case Rose and Kaitlin were the main secondary characters� I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of the others, but I’m guessing I’ll get that in the next book. So yeah. Super duper intrigued by where this is all going, and it’s going to be hell waiting to find out what’s next. I can honestly say I didn’t see some of the answers coming, but they totally satisfied me. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Oct 14, 2018
not set
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Oct 15, 2018
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1944810293
| 9781944810290
| B07CZN69LS
| 4.31
| 656
| Jun 11, 2018
| Jun 11, 2018
|
it was amazing
| I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � Oh I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � Oh Ian�.Ian was totally the star of this book for me. Not saying I didn’t love Hallie too, but my heart was totally taken in by Ian. Taken in and broken by him…seriously my heart just ached for what he struggled with. And it’s not as though my heart wasn’t aching for him already right from Fighting Irish, but I just didn’t understand what was in his head, and hiding behind his cheeky sense of humour. He was so sensitive, and loving, and seeing him broken by a mistake, and then knowing how that mistake affected the next 10 years of his life was just…gah! All the feels. I have no experience with alcoholism, but I thought his addiction was treated respectfully and that we got to see a glimpse into what the meetings would be like. I will admit, I was surprised that we never really saw him struggle with cravings, or anything on that deeper level. We’re told it’s a struggle, but I felt like it was glossed over a bit. But what do I know, maybe it is that way for some addicts? Like I said, I loved Hallie too, but it was harder. As a reader who has access to both points of view, I understood her feelings of betrayal, and her need to hold on to the hate, but because I was in love with Ian, it made me sad for him. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but sometimes I just wanted to shake her up and point out that holding on to hate is hurting *her* just as much as him. I loved the glimpses we got to see of Hallie from the past, when she was so innocent and sweet…I felt like we got to see more of her there, when she wasn’t enshrouded in pain. The push and pull in Ian and Hallie’s relationship was bittersweet. I LOVED the sweetness and purity of their young love, and my heart ached for the aftermath. I could definitely feel the way they were drawn to one another, and the feelings that they possessed. They pulled quite a few tears from my eyes in their journey back to one another, but I was eminently relieved to see them get their HEA. The surprise for me was how much I loved the relationship between Ian and Jenny (aka Ladybug). It was so sweet, and so believable, and my heart melted. And I’m not a kid person. It was wonderful to see glimpses of the other 2 couples, and I’m curious to read about Tate and Fin now. It was so nice to have another little family to follow, I simply love these stories from Ms. Regnery. They are solid, fulfilling romances for me. Merged review: I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars � Oh Ian�.Ian was totally the star of this book for me. Not saying I didn’t love Hallie too, but my heart was totally taken in by Ian. Taken in and broken by him…seriously my heart just ached for what he struggled with. And it’s not as though my heart wasn’t aching for him already right from Fighting Irish, but I just didn’t understand what was in his head, and hiding behind his cheeky sense of humour. He was so sensitive, and loving, and seeing him broken by a mistake, and then knowing how that mistake affected the next 10 years of his life was just…gah! All the feels. I have no experience with alcoholism, but I thought his addiction was treated respectfully and that we got to see a glimpse into what the meetings would be like. I will admit, I was surprised that we never really saw him struggle with cravings, or anything on that deeper level. We’re told it’s a struggle, but I felt like it was glossed over a bit. But what do I know, maybe it is that way for some addicts? Like I said, I loved Hallie too, but it was harder. As a reader who has access to both points of view, I understood her feelings of betrayal, and her need to hold on to the hate, but because I was in love with Ian, it made me sad for him. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but sometimes I just wanted to shake her up and point out that holding on to hate is hurting *her* just as much as him. I loved the glimpses we got to see of Hallie from the past, when she was so innocent and sweet…I felt like we got to see more of her there, when she wasn’t enshrouded in pain. The push and pull in Ian and Hallie’s relationship was bittersweet. I LOVED the sweetness and purity of their young love, and my heart ached for the aftermath. I could definitely feel the way they were drawn to one another, and the feelings that they possessed. They pulled quite a few tears from my eyes in their journey back to one another, but I was eminently relieved to see them get their HEA. The surprise for me was how much I loved the relationship between Ian and Jenny (aka Ladybug). It was so sweet, and so believable, and my heart melted. And I’m not a kid person. It was wonderful to see glimpses of the other 2 couples, and I’m curious to read about Tate and Fin now. It was so nice to have another little family to follow, I simply love these stories from Ms. Regnery. They are solid, fulfilling romances for me. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jun 2018
not set
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Jun 02, 2018
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0985627751
| 9780985627751
| B00FW11IUI
| 4.15
| 2,873
| Oct 13, 2013
| Oct 15, 2013
|
liked it
| 3.5 stars -- Oooooo, majorly conflicted!!! (also, spoilers for book one if you haven't read it) OK, so part of 3.5 stars -- Oooooo, majorly conflicted!!! (also, spoilers for book one if you haven't read it) OK, so part of my problem is that I kind of got a bit spoiled on parts of this book, just from being in Ms. Oram's fan club on Facebook and seeing parts of discussions go by no matter how much I tried to avoid them like the plague. I can honestly say I don't know how my thoughts on different parts would have played out if I'd been able to read this book organically without seeing any discussion about it. So if you haven't read this book yet, TRY WITH EVERYTHING IN YOU to do a better job of avoiding reading anything about it, b/c apparently people don't realize what is a spoiler (even just small things). So there's a part of me that's disappointed in that, though there's a tiny other part of me that thinks I may have noticed things happening and figured things out early on even without the spoiler. And yes, I get that I'm being extremely vague, but I'm trying to avoid what was done to me, you know?? (perhaps I'll add a spoiler section to my Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review so I can discuss it) OK, so I loved having Ryan and Jamie back. I was super surprised that this book was a bit after the end of BJB. For some reason I guess I just expected it to pick right up where the first book left off, not be a year later(ish). But it was nice to see Ryan and Jamie fully entrenched in their relationship and enjoying each other. I loved their banter and sweet moments, but occasionally I felt like something was missing between the two of them...but I can't pinpoint it, so maybe it was just that I love them so much I always want more. I am still conflicted about the Mike/Becky subplot. There are parts of me that enjoyed the uniqueness of how it was dealt (what story actually bothers to pay any attention to the rapist?), but it's just inherently uncomfortable then and I'm honestly not sure how forgiving a person I am personally. I was also still kind of blown away that Jamie kept it from Ryan, no matter how she rationalized it. And while I enjoyed Jamie's conflict over the accident situation, I sometimes felt like it was drawn out longer than I was expecting...or maybe not drawn out so much as revisited too often. I loved seeing her become Chelsea's Angel, though I was disappointed that her disguise wasn't very disguising. But her heroics were so very Jamie-like, she really embraced that role. Having seen teasers for the 3rd book, and having left reading this book so late, I wasn't at all surprised or taken aback by the epilogue to this book...so I guess it didn't bother me as much as it seems to have with other people. I could totally see it happening in that way. My basic problem with this book all centers around one element. And unfortunately it's a major element. (view spoiler)[Annnnnddd that element is Teddy. He is what was spoiled for me too. People keep talking about how they hate him in their reviews, so you kind of know from all that that he is going to be a villain of some sorts when he's first introduced in the book. Now that being said, he was always a bit creepy and kind of a dick, so I'm pretty sure I would have been suspicious regardless, but I guess I would have liked the opportunity to figure it out on my own, you know? Anyways, his behavior is so completely irrational and insane and so much time is spent on him (rightfully so), and I just ended up hating it and Jamie for not being smart enough to be more skeptical of him. And why? Because of his dimples?? Seriously??? I just...*sigh* No. I get that it's kind of emotionally impactful what's happened to Jamie now, but when you despise someone so wholeheartedly, it's hard to watch your fabled heroine be so oblivious to all the signs. (hide spoiler)]So I'm unsure how I'm going to enjoy the next book since that element still exists and will play a major part. It's having me waffling between rounding down or up on this one, and I honestly didn't expect that since I loved BJB so much. So like I said, very conflicted. It had a lot of great elements, but that one bad one could just overshadow all the good ones. :( Merged review: 3.5 stars -- Oooooo, majorly conflicted!!! (also, spoilers for book one if you haven't read it) OK, so part of my problem is that I kind of got a bit spoiled on parts of this book, just from being in Ms. Oram's fan club on Facebook and seeing parts of discussions go by no matter how much I tried to avoid them like the plague. I can honestly say I don't know how my thoughts on different parts would have played out if I'd been able to read this book organically without seeing any discussion about it. So if you haven't read this book yet, TRY WITH EVERYTHING IN YOU to do a better job of avoiding reading anything about it, b/c apparently people don't realize what is a spoiler (even just small things). So there's a part of me that's disappointed in that, though there's a tiny other part of me that thinks I may have noticed things happening and figured things out early on even without the spoiler. And yes, I get that I'm being extremely vague, but I'm trying to avoid what was done to me, you know?? (perhaps I'll add a spoiler section to my Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review so I can discuss it) OK, so I loved having Ryan and Jamie back. I was super surprised that this book was a bit after the end of BJB. For some reason I guess I just expected it to pick right up where the first book left off, not be a year later(ish). But it was nice to see Ryan and Jamie fully entrenched in their relationship and enjoying each other. I loved their banter and sweet moments, but occasionally I felt like something was missing between the two of them...but I can't pinpoint it, so maybe it was just that I love them so much I always want more. I am still conflicted about the Mike/Becky subplot. There are parts of me that enjoyed the uniqueness of how it was dealt (what story actually bothers to pay any attention to the rapist?), but it's just inherently uncomfortable then and I'm honestly not sure how forgiving a person I am personally. I was also still kind of blown away that Jamie kept it from Ryan, no matter how she rationalized it. And while I enjoyed Jamie's conflict over the accident situation, I sometimes felt like it was drawn out longer than I was expecting...or maybe not drawn out so much as revisited too often. I loved seeing her become Chelsea's Angel, though I was disappointed that her disguise wasn't very disguising. But her heroics were so very Jamie-like, she really embraced that role. Having seen teasers for the 3rd book, and having left reading this book so late, I wasn't at all surprised or taken aback by the epilogue to this book...so I guess it didn't bother me as much as it seems to have with other people. I could totally see it happening in that way. My basic problem with this book all centers around one element. And unfortunately it's a major element. (view spoiler)[Annnnnddd that element is Teddy. He is what was spoiled for me too. People keep talking about how they hate him in their reviews, so you kind of know from all that that he is going to be a villain of some sorts when he's first introduced in the book. Now that being said, he was always a bit creepy and kind of a dick, so I'm pretty sure I would have been suspicious regardless, but I guess I would have liked the opportunity to figure it out on my own, you know? Anyways, his behavior is so completely irrational and insane and so much time is spent on him (rightfully so), and I just ended up hating it and Jamie for not being smart enough to be more skeptical of him. And why? Because of his dimples?? Seriously??? I just...*sigh* No. I get that it's kind of emotionally impactful what's happened to Jamie now, but when you despise someone so wholeheartedly, it's hard to watch your fabled heroine be so oblivious to all the signs. (hide spoiler)]So I'm unsure how I'm going to enjoy the next book since that element still exists and will play a major part. It's having me waffling between rounding down or up on this one, and I honestly didn't expect that since I loved BJB so much. So like I said, very conflicted. It had a lot of great elements, but that one bad one could just overshadow all the good ones. :( ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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May 23, 2016
not set
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May 25, 2016
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0983831823
| 9780983831822
| B005EDLO94
| 4.28
| 1,152
| Jul 01, 2011
| Jul 2011
|
really liked it
| 4 stars -- A strong ending to this first trilogy!!! I felt like I was really entrenched in the world by this f 4 stars -- A strong ending to this first trilogy!!! I felt like I was really entrenched in the world by this final book, so I had no problems following all the terminology and the different classes and all the new words, you know? Skye is all kinds of adorable. I love her lightness and innocence, she just always made me smile with how happy and positive she could be. And while I normally wasn't a huge fan of all the description that this series contained, I did enjoy learning about Skye's outfits, b/c she was always so eclectic. Caleb had his charms, and I did enjoy how he complimented Skye's flightiness with a more down-to-earth personality, but he wasn't quite as book boyfriend-y as Gabriel and James (for me personally). I did enjoy seeing him give into his emotions. And that first kiss was smoking. So I did enjoy their relationship, but in some ways I felt like they got a little shortchanged in that department. I didn't get quite the build-up and development that I did with Olivia and James. However, the reason for less relationship development was in part due to the action-y bits and the plot development with the battle/war. And I thoroughly enjoyed all those little pieces that were thrown in, including the mystery of who the traitor was (which I didn't guess). Occasionally some of the bits felt a bit repetitive, but it wasn't enough to disrupt my enjoyment. And I felt like we got some great glimpses at some secondary characters, and I really started to enjoy some of them (from the elders, to some of the commanders, to the Leukwesti that were chosen). It was a full book with all that happened, and the battle totally lived up to my expectations. And now I have the great problem in that the epilogue and the teaser chapter for the next trilogy have me wanting to dive into it RIGHT NOW. And I honestly can't, b/c I have a darned reading schedule. But you can bet your bippy that I'm buying the next trilogy box set and I can't wait to get back to it when my reading time frees up after Nashville!! Merged review: 4 stars -- A strong ending to this first trilogy!!! I felt like I was really entrenched in the world by this final book, so I had no problems following all the terminology and the different classes and all the new words, you know? Skye is all kinds of adorable. I love her lightness and innocence, she just always made me smile with how happy and positive she could be. And while I normally wasn't a huge fan of all the description that this series contained, I did enjoy learning about Skye's outfits, b/c she was always so eclectic. Caleb had his charms, and I did enjoy how he complimented Skye's flightiness with a more down-to-earth personality, but he wasn't quite as book boyfriend-y as Gabriel and James (for me personally). I did enjoy seeing him give into his emotions. And that first kiss was smoking. So I did enjoy their relationship, but in some ways I felt like they got a little shortchanged in that department. I didn't get quite the build-up and development that I did with Olivia and James. However, the reason for less relationship development was in part due to the action-y bits and the plot development with the battle/war. And I thoroughly enjoyed all those little pieces that were thrown in, including the mystery of who the traitor was (which I didn't guess). Occasionally some of the bits felt a bit repetitive, but it wasn't enough to disrupt my enjoyment. And I felt like we got some great glimpses at some secondary characters, and I really started to enjoy some of them (from the elders, to some of the commanders, to the Leukwesti that were chosen). It was a full book with all that happened, and the battle totally lived up to my expectations. And now I have the great problem in that the epilogue and the teaser chapter for the next trilogy have me wanting to dive into it RIGHT NOW. And I honestly can't, b/c I have a darned reading schedule. But you can bet your bippy that I'm buying the next trilogy box set and I can't wait to get back to it when my reading time frees up after Nashville!! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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May 18, 2016
not set
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May 20, 2016
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250105862
| 9781250105868
| B01FQRPPBK
| 3.83
| 291
| Sep 06, 2016
| Sep 06, 2016
|
really liked it
| 3.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. So 3.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. So I finished this book with a fairly solid 4 star feeling...but the problem is that there were a few things that bothered me, and I made the mistake of going to read other reviews to see if other people were equally bothered, and suddenly I was more bothered. GAH! I have to stop doing that! So now we're at a 3.5 stars and I don't know whether to round up or down. I think I'll still round up since that was my gut feeling upon finishing the book, and I shouldn't be so easily swayed. So the good: I really enjoyed both characters. I felt like they each had quite a bit of depth, and their own interesting story to tell about coming to terms with being gay and all that good stuff. I also really enjoyed the romance in this one, I could really feel the chemistry between the characters. They were playful at times, and seemed to bring out good things in each other, encouraging each to be themselves and reach for goals. I loved how sweet they could be to each other (Emmett taking care of Linc with the migraines and his more recent trauma, and Linc being there for Em with his past struggles, and his current struggles accepting his homosexuality and exploring it). I really enjoyed the addition of so many intriguing secondary characters...they felt real, had depth, and added to the story, added to our view of the characters in general (though I do have a counterpoint later). Also, I will note that I didn't read the first book in this series, and though some of the plot was given away, it did make me intrigued about picking up Dom and Trey's story and reading it. And then there's the things that bothered me: first, and FOREMOST, the secret. OK, so this is the first A.M. Arthur book I've read, and from some of the reviews I've seen, it seems the author is a fan of angst. I'm only a medium fan of angst, so maybe it was a bit of a mismatch for me. The problem for me is that there was SO MUCH of it. I mean, each character individually had enough personal strife to satisfy any craving for angst. And quite honestly, if that was all we had to deal with, I would have enjoyed this book so much more. The problems they were dealing with were intriguing, and heartbreaking, and more than enough to make a great plot and provide conflict and resolution. But the author had to one-up it or something. And so came Emmett's secret. I was not a fan. I think I might have blinked in disbelief. It's not that I haven't read books with this twist in it, but they usually aren't accompanied by a bevy of problems that precede it. The problem lies in that with so many issues being addressed, none of them really got the love and attention and respect that they deserved. I became desensitized, and I didn't truly believe in the resolutions then. (This might get a little plot spoilery in this paragraph, be warned) And it wasn't just that this additional secret existed, it was that it was introduced to Emmett early on in the book, and then he kept it a secret from Linc until towards the end. And I'm not entirely sure I believed in the purpose for him keeping it a secret, and so I felt myself disliking Emmett for making that choice. And then it was just there, causing him guilt, and making me want to know how Lincoln would react. And then when that finally came to a head, it was so close to the end, I didn't really get the believable resolution I wanted. I know...I'm being vague. But I really have to be in this case. So back to the other issues. Wasn't really impressed with the resolution to the issue Linc deals with wrt Tom. Too serious of an issue to be handled so flippantly in some ways. I try to tell myself that everyone deals with things differently, and this very well might be how someone would deal with it, but it became a tiny subplot compared to everything else going on, and so it really didn't need to be there if it wasn't going to be treated with respect and sensitivity. Wasn't really impressed with the additional diversity added for Emmett/Emilio. Could have been so good, and I LOVE diverse books, but making him Muslim felt like a plot device to address the fear, but we got nothing from his religion (and having grown up so devoutly, I would expect to learn more about it regardless of how he feels now). It was a topic that was added, but not given enough time or, again, respect. I'm hoping that Van and Melody get their own book, and that the author actually deals with their sexual challenges with more insight and respect. They were an intriguing addition, but again not really given time or weight (but at least in this aspect I'm assuming it's because they will be getting their own book, otherwise I don't see the point in adding yet another topic to this overloaded story). And that's the basic jist of it for me. The story was overloaded. I feel like the author could have done a much better job if she'd pared down the trauma each character (and the secondary characters) experienced and given more weight and thoughtfulness to any of the gagillion topics she chose to address. By adding so many, she kind of watered it down and missed some great opportunities. So how the hell can I justify a round up to 4 stars now? Hmmm...good question. See? That's the thing. These things that bothered me really did bother me. But the good stuff of the romance and the character interactions cannot be undervalued. They made for a very enjoyable read for me. So I guess the written part of my review is where I rant about those bad things, but the star part of my review is where I convey how much the good parts weighed in the grand scheme of things for me. Well, if nothing else, this book made me think a lot about what I like and all that... (And I thought my last review was long...*rolls eyes*) Merged review: 3.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. So I finished this book with a fairly solid 4 star feeling...but the problem is that there were a few things that bothered me, and I made the mistake of going to read other reviews to see if other people were equally bothered, and suddenly I was more bothered. GAH! I have to stop doing that! So now we're at a 3.5 stars and I don't know whether to round up or down. I think I'll still round up since that was my gut feeling upon finishing the book, and I shouldn't be so easily swayed. So the good: I really enjoyed both characters. I felt like they each had quite a bit of depth, and their own interesting story to tell about coming to terms with being gay and all that good stuff. I also really enjoyed the romance in this one, I could really feel the chemistry between the characters. They were playful at times, and seemed to bring out good things in each other, encouraging each to be themselves and reach for goals. I loved how sweet they could be to each other (Emmett taking care of Linc with the migraines and his more recent trauma, and Linc being there for Em with his past struggles, and his current struggles accepting his homosexuality and exploring it). I really enjoyed the addition of so many intriguing secondary characters...they felt real, had depth, and added to the story, added to our view of the characters in general (though I do have a counterpoint later). Also, I will note that I didn't read the first book in this series, and though some of the plot was given away, it did make me intrigued about picking up Dom and Trey's story and reading it. And then there's the things that bothered me: first, and FOREMOST, the secret. OK, so this is the first A.M. Arthur book I've read, and from some of the reviews I've seen, it seems the author is a fan of angst. I'm only a medium fan of angst, so maybe it was a bit of a mismatch for me. The problem for me is that there was SO MUCH of it. I mean, each character individually had enough personal strife to satisfy any craving for angst. And quite honestly, if that was all we had to deal with, I would have enjoyed this book so much more. The problems they were dealing with were intriguing, and heartbreaking, and more than enough to make a great plot and provide conflict and resolution. But the author had to one-up it or something. And so came Emmett's secret. I was not a fan. I think I might have blinked in disbelief. It's not that I haven't read books with this twist in it, but they usually aren't accompanied by a bevy of problems that precede it. The problem lies in that with so many issues being addressed, none of them really got the love and attention and respect that they deserved. I became desensitized, and I didn't truly believe in the resolutions then. (This might get a little plot spoilery in this paragraph, be warned) And it wasn't just that this additional secret existed, it was that it was introduced to Emmett early on in the book, and then he kept it a secret from Linc until towards the end. And I'm not entirely sure I believed in the purpose for him keeping it a secret, and so I felt myself disliking Emmett for making that choice. And then it was just there, causing him guilt, and making me want to know how Lincoln would react. And then when that finally came to a head, it was so close to the end, I didn't really get the believable resolution I wanted. I know...I'm being vague. But I really have to be in this case. So back to the other issues. Wasn't really impressed with the resolution to the issue Linc deals with wrt Tom. Too serious of an issue to be handled so flippantly in some ways. I try to tell myself that everyone deals with things differently, and this very well might be how someone would deal with it, but it became a tiny subplot compared to everything else going on, and so it really didn't need to be there if it wasn't going to be treated with respect and sensitivity. Wasn't really impressed with the additional diversity added for Emmett/Emilio. Could have been so good, and I LOVE diverse books, but making him Muslim felt like a plot device to address the fear, but we got nothing from his religion (and having grown up so devoutly, I would expect to learn more about it regardless of how he feels now). It was a topic that was added, but not given enough time or, again, respect. I'm hoping that Van and Melody get their own book, and that the author actually deals with their sexual challenges with more insight and respect. They were an intriguing addition, but again not really given time or weight (but at least in this aspect I'm assuming it's because they will be getting their own book, otherwise I don't see the point in adding yet another topic to this overloaded story). And that's the basic jist of it for me. The story was overloaded. I feel like the author could have done a much better job if she'd pared down the trauma each character (and the secondary characters) experienced and given more weight and thoughtfulness to any of the gagillion topics she chose to address. By adding so many, she kind of watered it down and missed some great opportunities. So how the hell can I justify a round up to 4 stars now? Hmmm...good question. See? That's the thing. These things that bothered me really did bother me. But the good stuff of the romance and the character interactions cannot be undervalued. They made for a very enjoyable read for me. So I guess the written part of my review is where I rant about those bad things, but the star part of my review is where I convey how much the good parts weighed in the grand scheme of things for me. Well, if nothing else, this book made me think a lot about what I like and all that... (And I thought my last review was long...*rolls eyes*) ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Sep 04, 2016
not set
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Sep 06, 2016
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 0983707898
| 9780983707899
| B00D1I2PHY
| 4.23
| 245
| May 27, 2013
| May 27, 2013
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really liked it
| ORIGINAL REVIEW: 3.5 stars � Hmmmm�.this one was interesting b/c the love story was sort of the side story, and ORIGINAL REVIEW: 3.5 stars � Hmmmm�.this one was interesting b/c the love story was sort of the side story, and it was really more about the development of Defiance� The problem is I didn’t really like Defiance all that much�.but I guess he and Whitney were matched fairly well. Loved the side story of Chaos more than Defiance’s story really. Can’t wait to see what happens to the rest of them� It’s funny b/c in the end the rounding up is b/c of the pack more than the Defiance story. On a side note � didn’t enjoy Whitney’s blase attitude after hearing about Defiance’s guilty confession…I mean, maybe it’s just that I thought it was more of a serious offense than either of them were treating it�.?? I don’t know. ON REREAD: 4 stars � Weird! I enjoyed this one more on reread apparently. I guess I kind of got where Defiance’s fear, anger and distrust came from a bit more this time around. I mean, he was still kind of a jerk (though that seems to be a bit of a theme with our Gargoyles)…but for some reason I saw underneath those emotions a bit better. And maybe I saw the connection between Whitney and him a bit more. He’s still not going to be my fave, but I guess I gave him a bit more benefit of the doubt this time around. Agree with my side note above, that still struck me as odd…but it goes against things I believe in, so I guess that’s where my dissonance comes in. Merged review: ORIGINAL REVIEW: 3.5 stars � Hmmmm�.this one was interesting b/c the love story was sort of the side story, and it was really more about the development of Defiance� The problem is I didn’t really like Defiance all that much�.but I guess he and Whitney were matched fairly well. Loved the side story of Chaos more than Defiance’s story really. Can’t wait to see what happens to the rest of them� It’s funny b/c in the end the rounding up is b/c of the pack more than the Defiance story. On a side note � didn’t enjoy Whitney’s blase attitude after hearing about Defiance’s guilty confession…I mean, maybe it’s just that I thought it was more of a serious offense than either of them were treating it�.?? I don’t know. ON REREAD: 4 stars � Weird! I enjoyed this one more on reread apparently. I guess I kind of got where Defiance’s fear, anger and distrust came from a bit more this time around. I mean, he was still kind of a jerk (though that seems to be a bit of a theme with our Gargoyles)…but for some reason I saw underneath those emotions a bit better. And maybe I saw the connection between Whitney and him a bit more. He’s still not going to be my fave, but I guess I gave him a bit more benefit of the doubt this time around. Agree with my side note above, that still struck me as odd…but it goes against things I believe in, so I guess that’s where my dissonance comes in. ...more |
Notes are private!
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3
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Jul 16, 2020
Aug 21, 2013
not set
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Jul 16, 2020
Aug 22, 2013
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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my rating |
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| 4.02
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it was amazing
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Apr 18, 2020
not set
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Jan 14, 2025
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| 3.93
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really liked it
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Aug 26, 2018
not set
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Sep 29, 2024
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| 3.51
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really liked it
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Jan 19, 2012
not set
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Sep 29, 2024
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| 4.35
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really liked it
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Jul 18, 2020
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.96
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really liked it
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Sep 27, 2018
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.44
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really liked it
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Dec 02, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.54
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liked it
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Aug 08, 2022
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.98
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really liked it
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Jan 12, 2012
not set
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.74
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really liked it
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Jun 26, 2016
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.79
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it was ok
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Aug 15, 2020
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.83
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really liked it
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Aug 29, 2022
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.62
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really liked it
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Oct 28, 2011
not set
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.79
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it was amazing
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Jul 24, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.85
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it was amazing
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Mar 08, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 4.16
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really liked it
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Oct 15, 2018
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 4.31
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it was amazing
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Jun 02, 2018
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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| 4.15
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liked it
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May 25, 2016
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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| 4.28
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really liked it
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May 20, 2016
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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| 3.83
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really liked it
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Sep 06, 2016
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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| 4.23
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really liked it
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Jul 16, 2020
Aug 22, 2013
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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