This was definitely enjoyable - hence the 3 stars! I did love both Patrick & Ari. Patrick was my perfect grumpy but soft for his woman & he falls firsThis was definitely enjoyable - hence the 3 stars! I did love both Patrick & Ari. Patrick was my perfect grumpy but soft for his woman & he falls first kind of guy. Ari was fantastically written & I loved all the yoga components - even though I hate yoga with every fibre of my being. I am excited to re-read Lauren’s story!
Hold Me is my second Courtney Milan book, which also happens to be the second in the Cyclone series. I also think I have discovered a new favourite trope, which is always exciting. The trope in Hold Me is that the two characters have been talking online for some time without knowing their real identities, however, despite this they do know each other in real life and they hate each other. This was such a great book. I really loved the chemistry between Jay and Maria, as well as the communication between them. At stages, I thought the trope was going to be drawn out to death but Courtney Milan handled it perfectly, in my opinion, with an excellent reveal. I’m going to try and keep this review short, simply because I don’t have much to say about Hold Me apart from read it.
Maria is a trans-woman who is studying at college and writing a blog that is super technical, I was so confused during these conversations. She has been through a lot in her young life, particularly with her family disowning her. Jay has also been through a lot. Being the popular kid in high school and parents who are always busy with work was a great life. That is until Jay’s little brother commits suicide. Throwing the family off its hinges and leaving Jay feeling like a failure. Both Maria and Jay are struggling still with their pasts, but whereas Jay is sullen and moody Maria is loud and outgoing. It was such a delightful mix, especially viewing both their conversations online and in person. The chemistry between the pair is undeniable and watching the pair fall for each other made my little heart scream in delight. There isn’t a lot of plot in Hold Me, especially compared to Trade Me, but I loved it so much so I’m not bothered. The characters are absolutely amazing.
∇ what I liked ∇ ✗ DIVERSE CAST
Courtney Milan has a diverse cast in all her books, I believe, but I feel like it needs to be mentioned. Maria is a Latina trans-woman and Jay has an Asian background (I can’t remember exactly, but it is specified on in the book). It is also so refreshing to see characters that aren’t white.
✗ REALISTIC CIRCUMSTANCES
There was something about Hold Me that just felt so real. I’m not even sure I can begin to even describe it. The circumstances and experiences of each character was simply so raw and emotional. The author did an incredible job of adding the layers to the characters. I don’t know how Courtney Milan can add so much depth in such a short book but I am beyond impressed. I have no words.
✗ WRITING IS SPECTACULAR
Look, there is something about Courtney Milan’s writing that is so jaw dropping and engaging. Her books are so easy to read in a day I’m finding and every time I finish one I am left itching for more. Which, for me, is the sign of an amazing writer. I truly am unable to tell you what it is. It is something you need to experience for yourself.
∇ what I didn’t like ∇ ✗ ENDING WAS TOO FAST
This book ended too fast. It felt that we barely got time for Jay and Maria to reconcile before I had hit the acknowledgments. I gasped when I turned the page and I was done. I know the characters appear in other stories so we will see them again but I really feel as if I was cheated out of a bit of a longer ending. I wanted to see a bit further into the future and see how Jay and Maria are doing, as well as maybe getting more interactions between the pair and Maria’s brother.
Overall, I am so excited to read more of Courtney Milan’s work. I love all the characters she creates and the backstories of all her characters are truly ones that tug at your heartstrings. I truly recommend her books if you’re in the mood for a romance. It is definitely not a fluffy romance though, so be warned. It touched on a bunch of serious topics. There is also a lot of tech and science-based conversations which, if you’re like me, can leave you very confused....more
smut was good plot was weak romance made me super uncomfortable. i understand that Tate’s past behaviour is never excused but hell it lowkey felt likesmut was good plot was weak romance made me super uncomfortable. i understand that Tate’s past behaviour is never excused but hell it lowkey felt like Letty tried to. overall a decent story i enjoyed but i just wanted a bit more depth ...more
Trade Me has to be one of the most interesting books I have read, from the concept of literally trading lives to the whole technology part to the mental health representations throughout. It was honestly so engaging that I finished it in a day. Courtney Milan is now an author I desperately need to read more, especially with her excellently diverse casts. I am just so excited to have read this book.
What is Trade Me by Courtney Milan about? This series is focused on the employees/people who surround Cyclone Technologies which is a company that creates gadgets very similar to Apple – but better from the sounds of it. Tina Chen just wants her degree, a job and to be able to stop worrying about her parents. Tina and her parents immigrated from China to America after her father was tortured for practising Falun Gong. Immigration is a difficult procedure and since the Chen family gained citizenship Tina’s mum has taken it upon herself to help absolutely everyone gaining citizenship. She has no qualms about giving them all the small amount of money the family has. This has Tina stressed frequently, as a college student living out of the home she tries to send money home so at least her younger sister gets her medication. Her life is hard and there is no hope of it getting better until she’s a doctor. Blake’s life is very different. He owns shares of his father’s company Cyclone and he flaunts it. He works at the company, he’s not a slacker, but he doesn’t know how hard Tina’s life is. He is going through his own problems, after the death of his father’s best friend and co-owner of the company. The switching of lives for the pair of them comes with a bigger favour for Tina, mainly that she will be getting fifteen grand each month she allows Blake to live out her life. The two find unlikely love in each other, despite how stubborn Tina is. The pair gives each other a different insight and honestly, it was so beautiful.
There was just so much to this story that I know I’m not going to be able to list everything or even truly explain what this book meant to me. I’m going to keep this review as short as I can but I can’t scream my highest praise for this book enough.
I just loved this story. Time to get into what my likes and dislikes are for Trade Me by Courtney Milan.
L I K E S ✗ I LOVED THE PLOT
This plot was so incredible to me. I sincerely enjoyed absolutely every element of this book (bar the miscommunication of the end). The biggest part I related to was Tina’s responsibility she felt for her family financially. It’s definitely something I feel in my family, my mum and sister don’t save and I constantly have to make up the money. It was interesting to see something like this in a new adult book and I honestly feel like it was well done, which is even better.
Courtney Milan truly crafted an exciting story that I was pulled in to so quickly.
✗ CHARACTERS SO FLESHED OUT
This is a relatively short book, but all the characters are so fleshed out. There is so much depth to every character, even the side characters! I mean, there weren’t many side characters but everyone had a unique personality that was able to shine throughout this short novel. The author has a real talent for writing and I am so excited to read more about these characters in her other books.
✗ POVERTY SHOWN IN REALISTIC LIGHT
I don’t have much to say here, I really just think poverty was shown realistically throughout this novel. The biggest shining point was when Tina treated herself to a mango and classed it as a luxurious purchase. My family is doing better now but there was a time I cried at bananas being in the house because I was so happy. For me, this was incredibly realistic and well done.
✗ FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS
FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS AGAIN. I AM SO HAPPY. I AM BLESSED. Honestly though, Tina and her best friend Maria. The pair is so supportive of each other and I just adored it.
If you want another reason to read this book (honestly, why wouldn’t you? I feel I’m selling this well) Maria is a trans-woman.
D I S L I K E S ✗ JUST WANTED MORE
I really just wanted more. When the book ended with a bit of a mess I was flicking through my kindle hunting for more. I was so disappointed when the page flickered and it was over! This story was just such a nice treat that made me laugh, smile and cry. I was fully on the edge of my seat and the care of which things are dealt with are incredible. I liked that an eating disorder for a male character was incorporated because there is such a stigma with men and eating disorders. I liked that Blake and his father had a great relationship. I liked that Tina had such a great relationship with her family (though I wish we had gotten more interactions with her mum). I just want more of this story and I can’t wait to read more.
Overall, I think I’ve made it clear I really liked Trade Me by Courtney Milan. It’s a book I am definitely going to highly recommend and one I think anyone can read, even if romance isn’t your genre. There was just so many things I liked about this book that I can’t even articulate it. I am just struggling so hard....more
In The Learning Hours by Sara Ney, the roles of ‘innocent’ and ‘douchebag’ characters are switched. Our female is what could be described as a ‘douchebag’ – though the author quickly changes her mind here and despite the previous asshole tendencies of the female lead she suddenly changes. The ‘innocent’ character is the male lead, which was honestly a welcome change. I love soft heroes and Rhett was honestly a soft hero.
What is The Learning Hours about? Well, Rhett is ugly. I know, it’s harsh but for some reason, it is super important. He’s big and his face is a little beat up from fighting. He’s also on the wrestling team – if you saw my last review you know wrestling is big in these books. However, his team is hazing him in. They’re treating him like utter shit in order to ‘make him part of the team.’ What it’s ultimately doing is making Rhett pissed. So, the members of the team decide to plaster a flyer around campus with Rhett’s face and phone number on it trying to get him laid. It’s quite horrid. That’s where Laurel comes in. Her cousin shows her the flyer and dares her to text him, and Laurel being so easily manipulated does. Rhett isn’t having it and the pair exchange a back and forth which ultimately leads to the beginning of the story. One in which Rhett struggles to believe that someone as gorgeous as Laurel would want him – my little (big) problem was that Laurel was a bit (majorly) of an asshole.
The story closely follows Rhett and Laurel’s courting, her basically falling for him because he has a southern accent. There isn’t too much drama, apart from the stuff at the beginning of the book, and it honestly got a bit boring. The biggest drama was Rhett just not being able to believe Laurel was into him. It was frustrating as all hell and it was the major focus for all their arguments.
Let’s jump into my likes and dislikes for the third book in the How To Date A Douchebag series. I want to get this review over with, personally.
L I K E S ✗ CONFIDENT FEMALE LEAD
I like a confident female lead, don’t get me wrong. I will be jumping into my major complaints about Laurel later in this review but for the most part, the confidence was enjoyable. With the previous two female leads being quiet and soft-spoken it was nice to see a character who was ready to say what she wanted.
A complaint (I know this is in my likes, but oh well, it’s my review) is that she lost this confidence pretty quickly. It seemed like Sara Ney was unsure of how to write these roles reversed and kept almost falling back into her previous female MC’s personality. It made Laurel’s character very easy to dislike.
✗ SUPPORTIVE FAMILY OF MALE LEAD
I love a supportive family. I know not everyone does because of their own backgrounds but my mum and sister are my two biggest cheerleaders so seeing this translated into books make me so excited. I didn’t care for how they were introduced (another complaint lmao, I’m full of them) but I did enjoy their overall presence in the book. Honestly, I wish there had been more.
✗ BIG SOFTIE LEAD
I just loved Rhett. He was a big softie, nervous, and just overall pretty confused. I enjoyed his backstory and the way he was self-conscious. It was different to see in the main lead and I felt he was written very well. He was humble as well, which is a big change from the other male leads in the series.
D I S L I K E S ✗ SLUT SHAMING
It’s 2018 stop using slut-shaming. It’s not as if the slut shaming is a massive thing but for some reason, Laurel loved to do it. She even used the word skank? She is also majorly jealous of anyone who goes near Rhett and it’s never actually dealt with on the page. It just really irked me, it felt that this book was just mushed together at a rapid pace and the issues weren’t dealt with.
✗ NO FEMALE MC BACKSTORY
I really hate when we don’t get backstories of characters. I think I complain about this often in books, but I just really want to know more to make me care for the characters. I hate when characters just appear on the page. Like, how did you get here? Why are you here? Why am I meant to like you? Give me a reason to like your main characters and let me get to know them through their background, rather than just splatting them on the page and believing it will be successful. It was honestly something that made me dislike Laurel, even more than I did.
✗ THE WHOLE RELATIONSHIP WAS BASED ON SEXUAL TENSION
There was no spark between the characters at all. None. It was honestly, frustrating. The characters did nothing apart from text back and forth, have sex, and talk about wrestling. It was just strange. It seemed like there were no extracurricular activities they did or even have conversations that wouldn’t lead to fights. It was strange because relationships like this 100% don’t work in real life, especially long time, so I’m not sure what the whole point of this book was.
The sexual tension also wasn’t even really there, was all such a waste.
✗ EPILOGUE WAS NO NEEDED
The epilogue was trash, honestly. I am not someone who enjoys couples who move in with each other after six months. I don’t even care if that’s a spoiler. It honestly seemed silly. The decision itself made my lip curl and put down my kindle because I was not dealing with that…at all. I was not a fan and the book actually lost a star because of it. I feel no regrets.
Overall, I feel this is definitely not my favourite if the series. I typically put here how I am going to read the final book anyway but I have already tried to. I read around 20% and then did a quick word search for some of my ‘no go’s in books and found one. So, this was my final book in the How To Date A Douchebag series and I’m a bit disappointed it ended on such a negative note.
I can’t do it. It’s all so cringe worthy. From the characters to the fact the phrase “cock blocker” was used like twenty times. It’s not goodDNF @ 20%
I can’t do it. It’s all so cringe worthy. From the characters to the fact the phrase “cock blocker” was used like twenty times. It’s not good. The writing is cheesy and the friends in this book absolutely suck. There is also some hardcore “not like other girls” themes and slut shaming undertones I don’t support. I don’t really have any more to say. I just can’t handle cringing anymore....more
Trigger Warnings: dead parents, absent parents, rude love interest, ableist comments, mocking of a stutter
I love a book where there is a reformed douchebag. It’s a mess and honestly, if I saw one of these guys in real life I would 100% run in the opposite direction and not waste my time. The Failing Hours is full of clichés but it was so fun for me. I was easily able to read this book in one sitting and I was so excited by the slow burn of the relationship. This was definitely the kind of book I needed at the moment, I’m not really feeling that great and fantasy is just too much for my mental health to deal with. Romance is allowing me that escape to forget about my life and continue reading, so I apologise to anyone who doesn’t like romance books but you may be seeing quite a few of these reviews.
The Failing Hours follows both Violet and Zeke, two characters who could not be more different. Violet is kind and pretty soft-spoken, she has a stammer and is focused on her studies. She even babysits a young girl whose mother attends the university. Violet is basically an all around beautiful person. Zeke, on the other hand, is not. He has a chip on his shoulder bigger than Jupiter, which makes him both rude and crass. He doesn’t care about anything but wrestling and it’s clear in the way he treats everyone like crap. He has enough money to comfortably live for the rest of his life due to his parents, but due to their absentness, he hasn’t been able to be a decent person. It was honestly annoying at some points, especially with how he treated children who didn’t deserve it.
Violet and Zeke are two characters you wouldn’t pair together in a million years, for Violet’s sake. But, with Zeke failing a class he needs the help of a tutor. Unfortunately for Violet, it’s her. The pair creates a kind of back and forth that will 100% make you laugh.
The plot of this book follows the character development of both Zeke and Violet. Both characters go through changes in the book that ultimately mean they are not the same people they were at the beginning. The story is sweet and humour filled and at times you will want to slap Zeke up the side of the head for being rude. Honestly, this is probably my favourite in the series. You definitely don’t have to have read the first book in the series (The Studying Hours) but I would recommend it purely because of the fact the characters feature pretty heavily in the second book.
Anyway, time to jump into the more detailed list of what I did and didn’t like in The Failing Hours.
L I K E S ✗ AMAZING SLOW ROMANCE BUILD
I love a good slow build to a romance. I really loved how Zeke and Violet built up together. The fact they had forced proximity due to the children they both babysit. It was all just basically excellent, for me at least.
The romance is a bit of a cat and mouse chase at times as well. I’m not even sure how to describe it, but that’s the kind of vibe I got throughout The Failing Hours.
✗ ASSHOLE + INNOCENT GIRL
I love this trope honestly, plus the fact it is a sports romance. I love seeing a ‘bad boy’ get with a ‘good girl’. It’s a mess, honestly, and I know in way too many cases these relationships can be abusive or emotionally manipulative. However, I just loved Zeke and Violet. At times I wanted to scream at Zeke, which I’ll get into, but I feel their romance worked really well in the way that she was the one who helped him realise he couldn’t walk around being such an asshole because of his past. He only thought of himself in countless situations, and with the help of Violet, he was finally able to open up.
✗ H I L A R I O U S
I don’t have much to say here, but Sara Ney is one of my new queens of humour. I absolutely find myself giggling while reading her books, which just makes for such an overall experience.
✗ WRESTLING IS ACTUALLY INTERESTING WTF??
I live in Australia if you didn’t know. We have a few big male sports but there isn’t really anything exciting. I’ve found out through the How To Date A Douchebag series that if my high schools (I went to three) had included wrestling in the curriculum I would have been much more interested. I’m a super competitive person and I am a fan of the ultimate strength shown in sport (I was a swimmer for like six years + played netball for five) and I think wrestling is a great example of the strength and control of the human body.
Then again, I also think ice hockey is one of the most impressive sports because I can’t stand in ice skates without slamming to the ground and I love some violence in a game. So, it may just be best to ignore my opinions here.
✗ INTRIGUING BACKSTORIES
Intriguing backstories that also gave the characters the perfect reason to not have their parents around. It was strange, but I feel that Sara Ney executed it well throughout the book. The differing of the pasts, though there are similarities, mixed with the fact of the varying attitudes of Violet and Zeke was a great contrast to show through the writing.
✗ BOY DOESN’T ‘FIX’ GIRL
I was a bit nervous when it was revealed Violet had a stutter. All I could think was that Zeke was going to ‘cure’ her of her stutter and oh, how happy they would be. Thankfully, this didn’t happen. Violet has her stutter because of her past and that wasn’t erased simply because of a guy in her life.
There were some ableist comments about her stutter, but they come from other characters and not really the main characters. I think in the beginning Zeke did make a cruel comment? I can’t remember honestly.
D I S L I K E S ✗ ZEKE’S ASSHOLE PERSONA WENT ON FOREVER
I get that he was an asshole, I do because you were reminded of it almost every single time it was his POV. It was infuriating at times and it felt both drawn out and overdone. I didn’t get the whole swearing in front of children thing he did, that’s literally something that frustrated me because I try not to swear when I’m in public because I don’t want an unsuspecting child to hear some of the foul things I say.
Zeke obviously wasn’t a bad guy, in the end, I think I’ve made that clear, but I really just wish he had changed a bit sooner or this book had ended earlier in order for this to be cut down on.
Overall, I sincerely enjoyed The Failing Hours by Sara Ney. At the time of writing this review, I’ve already read book three so my review for that will be coming soon. This series is simply just so fun and I am 100% trash for sports romances....more
Thank you to my friend Taryn for recommending this book to me (she did it several times before I picked it up, but I eventually got here).
Thirsty was a book that shocked me. I’ve said that phrase a lot and I think it’s because I never expect a lot out of romance novels. That’s on my own stigma and me, I’m slowly getting over it since I can’t stop reading romance. This book was highly erotic but also managed to pack a punch that left me slightly breathless at the rawness of the characters. Mia Hopkins crafted the world of gangs and betrayal in a way that left me speechless. No one who has had an addiction to drugs is shamed either, it seems as though the characters in this book acknowledge that addiction is an illness, not a choice, which was definitely interesting to see.
What is Thirsty about? First off, this particular book is told from only the male leads perspective. I haven’t seen this done often, nor is it done well typically, but I feel that Mia Hopkins did a great job of this. Salvador, the main character, has left prison six months ago. He was in for five years and now that he’s out he’s been trying to make an honest living so he can support his brother when he’s out. Only that’s hard when you’ve just been kicked out of the place you’re staying due to your friend being a cheating turd burger. That’s how Sal ends up staying with Vanessa, her daughter and her grandma. Vanessa’s plans of going away to be a big fancy college ended when she became a teen mum, which only got worse when she became a widow.
Vanessa and Sal don’t need each other, they’re both doing pretty okay without one another and simply trying to do the best for the people around them but when they come together it’s pretty damn electric and the interactions are also amusing. Seeing such a strong single mother like Vanessa is always empowering as a single mother raised me.
However, as the gang tries to bring Sal back in he has to decide what to do to protect his future and Vanessa.
I’ll jump into the likes and dislikes I had for Thirsty or else this review is going to get way too long.
L I K E S ✗ CLEANING JOB IS RESPECTED
This was something I really enjoyed. So many times in real life I’ve heard people slam cleaning as a profession. Someone has to do it though. Both my sister and mum are currently cleaners and I have such immense respect for the both of them. They’re so damn hardworking and they come home exhausted every day.
Sal doing not one but two cleaning jobs in order to be able to give his younger brother a safe place when he’s out was just beautiful honestly. That family connection is very clear in the fact that Sal was working for what I presume was under minimum wage for over eight hours a night.
✗ ROMANCE WAS GREAT
It really was. It was steamy and it was like BAM. I wasn’t even expecting it to appear when it did but I wasn’t made. Both Sal and Vanessa were such strong individuals that it had me a little breathless during the sex scenes.
✗ SINGLE MUMS ARE BADASS
Vanessa has been a single mum since her daughter was born, with the help of her grandmother who raised her she’s been doing an awesome job. Add on to the fact that she’s studying to be an accountant in order to give a better life to both her grandmother and daughter. The connection was so kind and I think it felt even more special to me because my great nanny and mum helped raise me, my mum’s mum is a bit of a pest and likes to interfere and the relationship between Vanessa and her grandmother reminded me of my childhood.
Overall though, Vanessa is just kickass. Being a single mum is hard and studying on top of that is even harder. I didn’t know how I’d feel about children in romance, this is my first time reading one of them featured, but I definitely wasn’t mad.
D I S L I K E S ✗ MISCOMMUNICATION WILL KILL ME
This was my biggest problem. Sal refused to tell Vanessa a lot and it did make the story a bit clunky at times I wanted to slam the man against the wall and scream at him to tell her what he was hiding. He never really explained it either; it was pretty brushed over and kind of rushed honestly. It was the classic break up with a small percentage of the book left and gets back together in order to push the book to its conclusion.
Seriously though, miscommunication is so damn dumb. Just talk to people, especially if it may hurt them.
✗ CASUAL DRUG REFERENCES
This is something that may only be a bother to me. I grew up in not a great environment that involved drugs. It’s not the best place to be and it has given me a prejudice towards drugs. I hate it but I can’t get over it. This book features a lot of casual drug references due to the gang involvement. It got a bit tough for me to read at points, especially since no one cared about it. It just felt strange to me, but I’m probably alone on this.
Overall, Thirsty was a bloody good book. The characters were well crafted and Mia Hopkins managed to create the tone of a male’s voice excellently throughout the book. This can 100% be read as a standalone but there is a cliffhanger ending that has me screeching. If you’re looking for a bad boy goes good story featuring a diverse cast, this may just be the one for you.
Oh I also forgot to mention, there is a lot of mental health references in regards to Sal. It was interesting to see; especially since an anxiety attack was described so bloody well. However, I feel it was forgotten and occasionally thrown in for a gasp factor. I wanted a bit more out of it.
Sometimes you have to stick with a series to the end for it to be worth it. Shatter Me is this series. Ignite Me was everything and more than what I wanted or expected. It was honestly such a shock, I can barely format the words I need to describe it. This series, and book, in particular, are the definition of character development. I’m aware I’ve said this in like every book for this series, but I just can’t not. It is so well done that I want to read everything this author has ever put in the world. I obviously had some problems but I really feel as if this book is deserving of the five stars I’ve given it. I mean, I’m so damn excited for the fourth book to come out in the next few days (possibly already out when this review goes live).
Ignite Me is where shit gets real for Juliette. It’s where the climax happens and she takes charge. I honestly can’t say much about the plot without spoiling the entire book, so I’m going to try and keep this brief. She faces problems with romance; obviously, due to Adam being the turd he was always destined. The action in this book is fast paced (which, I’ll get into later in this review). There’s a lot of moments that left me with my jaw dropped, unable to believe what was happening. I was blown away, honestly. This is the conclusion to end all other conclusions.
I really didn’t talk about the plot for Ignite Me at all. So, let’s just jump into a more descriptive list of my likes and dislikes of this book. If you’ve read this book, let me know your thoughts in the comments too! Did you enjoy this series?
L I K E S ✗ KENJI IS MY FAVE
Honestly, Keni is amazing. I’ve been meaning to talk about him in my other reviews but around my love for Warner and hate for Adam I kept forgetting #oops. However, I feel like he was really spotlighted in this book. He also had the best power in my opinion, the ability to go invisible is up there for me (I mean, Violet was my favourite in The Incredibles). He doesn’t hold back and is Juliette’s best friend. It is always enjoyable to see a platonic boy/girl friendship in fiction as well, especially where neither one is interested in the other romantically. I really hope we get more of his backstory in Restore Me because I am so interested. I’ve also been seeing theories that he will be queer and I am 100% into this possible storyline.
✗ WARNER SPITS SOME TRUTH
A lot of this series has been people coddling Juliette. She hasn’t been forced to make decisions or known a lot of the information. Everyone seems to tiptoe around her in order to make her feel safe and unafraid. Which is all nice, but man does it feel like a weak main character in some parts. Warner thankfully saves the day in Ignite Me and spits some truth. He says things I’ve been thinking since the first book and it felt so good to see it on paper (well, screen, I read on my kindle). I also loved hearing that my theory was right. I love it.
✗ OK BUT REAL TALK THIS IS UP IN TOP TEN COVERS
Not much to say on this, just how fucking gorgeous is this cover? Man, I finished this book and just stared at the cover for like twenty minutes it was so beautiful. What are some of your favourite covers?
✗ JULIETTE IS MY QUEEN
Juliette reached the level of one of my ultimate favourite female characters to exist. I’m as shocked as you are. Considering it took me three reads of the first book to even get here I wasn’t expecting this at all. However, I am pleasantly surprised and not mad at all. Juliette hits all new levels in Ignite Me. She really comes into herself. She really makes decisions for herself and she really becomes the hero so many young adults need. Someone combating PTSD, anxiety and depression has the ability to be a hero and I feel like that’s important. She is honestly such a powerful young adult this series and I will not tolerate any slander against her.
✗ WARNER AND JULIETTE
I don’t think this is a topic I have to say much on either. I feel as if this is an obvious one that would have a wink wink, nudge nudge attached to it. These two have hit my ultimate OTP lists and I am absolutely in love with the pair of them together. The chemistry and the love written on the page is so clear. No matter how creepy I still think some elements are, I can definitely swoon over this OTP.
✗ WARNER DEVELOPMENT
This could also be viewed as lack of development. Warner both changes as a character and doesn’t. The changes happen through him revealing information about himself – which makes me think this story is very character driven, something I am not usually interested in – not him actively changing himself. He shares pieces of himself with Juliette and changes how we look at him, not actually changing how he thinks. Which, I think is a really interesting tactic that I appreciate the author using. It’s not one I see a lot in books.
✗ I LOVE THE POWERS
This is kind of irrelevant but I love the fantasy element of powers being added, making it urban fantasy. It reminds me of The Darkest Minds which I love. Though in a similar way it kind of feels as if everyone in this book has powers as well. Would have been interesting if someone didn’t have powers.
✗ MENTAL HEALTH DEVELOPMENT
This particular point is super important to me as someone who has a mental health issues. I’m really talking about this as what happens over the course of all the books too. There are so many issues represented throughout the text and it really does shock me. I feel as if the main three are what I presume Juliette suffers with – PTSD, anxiety and depression (as I mentioned before). I feel like seeing these in the text and with Juliette’s growth I really feel empowered. I have all three of these particular mental health diagnoses and I feel they were represented beautifully throughout the entirety of Shatter Me. The ascension from a quiet girl into someone who cannot be silenced is a journey I have taken myself and it’s not an easy one, which I feel like is well represented in this series.
✗ CANT WAIT FOR RESTORE ME
I straight up can’t wait. Someone get this book in my hands now. I wish I had timed this more perfectly with the release, but I guess I just get more excited in the waiting period.
D I S L I K E S ✗ ADAM IS A TURD PART THREE
Honestly, no redemption arc for Adam, please. It is all I want in the world. Truly. I hate him so damn much and to see him suffer would be great. I love James, but Adam can be a turd elsewhere. I feel as if Ignite Me really solidified this as well. He just really switched and become one of those ‘nice guys’ who lose it when they’re rejected. It was just lowkey uncomfortable and had me thinking he was basically waving warning flags all over the place. Boo hoo, you didn’t get the girl. There’s a war going on you, dickhead, protect your brother and stop acting like someone ate the last tasteless blob in existence.
✗ IT IS ALL OVER SO FAST
Within a few pages and chapters, all the action is over. I was left feeling like ‘what?’ It felt like there was so much build up and there should have been more. I understand it was to show how powerful Juliette had become but I really just wanted more from the final scenes but nope. It’s all over so fast and it is so damn easy. I really feel like there should have been more suspense.
✗ NOT ENOUGH GIRLS ARE THEY ALL DEAD
I think the weird heading things I use says it all. There was a total of five females who had dialogue in this book – including Juliette. How ridiculous is that? There was like five men in the first chapter alone. I would love to see Juliette get a female best friend in Restore Me.
Overall, this series sincerely deserves the hype it has received. I’m so glad I finally forced myself to push through because I am so thankfully shocked and happy to have been apart of this ride. The Shatter Me series is a heartbreaking series in which no one actually really dies. It is a complicated world in which grows over each book and has such a powerful message in the end. I never thought I’d say this but I recommend it....more
R E V I E W Roomies by Christina Lauren shocked me. I usually struggle with romances, with them being cliché and difficult to get through due to being predictable. I personally find dual POV romance books the most difficult to force myself through, which is neither here nor now. Roomies was the book I needed. It was short, it was sweet and it actually had a plotline that engaged me.
I would put this book on the same level of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. It has a similar slow burn, not as much humour but definitely easy to binge. The characters were easy to connect to and the main character struggled with someone I personally have – not allowing yourself to focus on you and always putting others before you.
Roomies is the story of Holland. It’s a story of Holland coming into her own and truly becoming herself. Holland works for her uncle’s very successful musical theatre production while her uncles’ pay most of her rent. She has an MFA in creative writing but is yet to use it – the words not coming to her. She meets Calvin after watching him busk for six months on the train station, with some liquid courage she introduces herself and not even ten minutes later is pushed onto the tracks and breaks her arm. Returning to work she finds that the violinist has quit just weeks before a new lead is taking over, creating a stir. Holland offers up Calvin and his musical talents, he smashes out the audition and when asked if he wants the position he informs them that he has been living illegally in America for four years. A bit of a tricky situation. So, a sham marriage is conjured up between Calvin and Holland. Only feelings begin to grow and the situation between the pair goes sticky because nothing is ever easy in romance books. Roomies by Christina Lauren is a story about love, music, and passion. It’s a story about the importance of family and about realising some people are toxic in your life.
I mean, let’s jump into expanding on what I liked and disliked about Roomies, I think I’ve babbled enough.
L I K E S ✗ MUSICAL THEATRE INCLUSION SMASHED IT OUT OF THE PARK
I’m not a big musical theatre person. I find some songs on certain tracks amazing and obviously I love both High School Musical and Hamilton, but I’m not interested completely. I have seen The Lion King in Sydney, though, if that counts? I did love the inclusion of this passion in Roomies. I find romance books, for me, that are set in offices tend to stay still with the characters never revealing their passions, which makes me feel as if there is a piece of glass between me and the characters.
Seeing that passion, plus the passion for creative writing from Holland, was just beautiful. It’s what kept me reading and involved with the characters.
✗ BE YOUR OWN MAIN CHARACTER
This is the message of the book. Be the main character of your story. Don’t keep pushing away what you’re feeling and your ambitions to help others. Don’t let yourself take the backseat in your own life and not live it. I’m very guilty of this, which made me connect to Holland even more. I realised while reading Roomies just how much I do do it.
✗ SLOW BURN RELATIONSHIP
I love a slow burn relationship. Like shit, they hit me in my soul. I definitely prefer them than fast-paced romances that happen over the course of days. I love that Roomies took place over the period of months. The events, in the beginning, happened fast, but the relationship between the characters came much later in the book. It just gave me time to root for the relationship and fall just as in love as Holland with the gorgeous Irishman in this book.
✗ ACTUAL HUMOUR – NON OF THAT AWKWARD SHIT
Another thing I typically struggle within books is that the humour makes me want to die. Not in a good way. It makes me squirm uncomfortably and really just want to exit stage left. Most of the time I skim those books or just flat out DNF because I can’t handle the jokes. Roomies had humour that actually made me laugh and smile at my kindle. I was actually enjoying it, which is rare.
D I S L I K E S ✗ COMMUNICATION FIXES DRAMA, YOU IDIOTS
Hello folks, I’d like to introduce you to communication. Ah yes, this simple thing called talking. It also continues with the fact that one should be truthful. Oh, how I love how couples withhold the truth and get into fights over it. Oh, the useless drama really makes me happy. The drama in this book made me want to slam my head against a wall because it wasn’t only communicating with each other, it was not communicating with others. It was just so infuriating and I got mad at the characters when it occurred because someone gives me a baseball bat to hit this daft love interest.
✗ UNSUPPORTIVE FRIENDSHIPS
Now, this was one element of the story I also liked. The best friend is super unsupportive and she is the only other female character in the book, something I didn’t like. This character only cares about herself and if the drama isn’t on her it’s irrelevant. Which, sounds like a few people in my life. I like how the book showed it’s okay to get rid of people like that from your life but I wish there had been a larger friend group for Holland than just her family and this girl. I feel like Calvin had a friend group, that was established as quite large but Holland was just left floating aimlessly with no one. Which, is how life is sometimes, but still I need my supportive female friendships in books.
Overall, Roomies was good. Really good. I can’t even really grasp how much I did enjoy this book. It’s a shock. If you’re in a bit of a funk, I highly recommend picking up this book because it is an instant pick me up.
M I N I R E V I E W You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone wasn’t a bad book at all, it just wasn’t the book for me. This book should receive every bit of praise it is receiving. It deserves it. Rachel Lynn Solomon writes a stunning debut novel that tackles many hard-hitting topics, like the fact sisters aren’t always close and the bond shared can easily be broken. As well as learning you have a gene that will slowly take away your ability for life.
My problems with You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone simply stem from the fact its a highly character driven novel. Adina and Tovah are fraternal twin sisters and this book follows their journey of one learning that they will develop Huntington’s disease, like their mother. The twins can’t be any more different and their lack of sister like relationship highlights this as we read this book which separates the two perspectives. Tovah has plans to become a surgeon and follows her Judaism belief strongly, whereas Adina wants to practice music and doesn’t as she rebels against all the rules.
I will say it was definitely interesting to get an insight on Judaism. I don’t know a lot about it as a religion and I didn’t realise it was so heavily practised in day to day life. Highly ignorant of me and I’m glad that this book was able to open my eyes on the topic.
I wish I could say more on the characters and what I thought of the plot of the book, but I simply struggled to get into the story and it impacted my entire view, unfortunately. I don’t want to this to keep anyone away from this book, which is why I’m writing this review. I definitely highly recommend this despite my thoughts!
Hi everyone! I’m so sorry I didn’t post last week, I didn’t do a lot of reading because I was celebrating the holidays with my family and I barely had time to pick up my laptop to write a review. It was difficult, but having only read two books it wasn’t too hard. I actually went three days without picking up a book because I was so tired #oops.
Starting The Studying Hours I didn’t expect a lot. I had started possibly 10 books before finally continuing with this particular one. Shockingly enough, it was exactly what I needed. It was fluffy, the perfect read I needed. Not a lot happens but the slow burn romance with a hate to love trope shoved in made me so happy.
I had some pretty big problems with The Studying Hours, mainly the douche of a male lead, but I also had things I liked. One of my biggest hates was the ‘not like other girls’ cliche that ran through the book. James was supposed to be a nerd but she could kickass on the snowfields and that makes her soooooo different. I 110% rolled my eyes. Also, to anyone reading this, stalking the person you are interested in isn’t cute. Oz (the love interest) manages to get onto a ski trip that James is going on and lies about being her cousin to share a room. Totally gross and totally something I was not on board with throughout this novel.
My favourite thing had to be that James was kickass. She wasn’t taking a single one of the wrestling boys shit and was reading to kickass if someone so much as tried to mess with her. In some ways, I saw myself in her and that was pretty cool. I hate reading the stereotypical introvert virgin ‘nerd’ in books, so it was great to get a different take on it. It was nice for something different.
The Studying Hours also reminded me of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne which is straight up one of my favourite books. It had a similar burn throughout the text that made me watch to jump back into The Hating Game (I can’t because a friend is currently borrowing the book).
There’s not too much to say, overall, on The Studying Hours. It is your cliche new adult book with another layer of depth. A jerk hero with a battered past and a softer side for the female lead, who doesn’t give two shits about him. It was what I needed and the writing was fast paced and easy to read in a sitting. I will definitely be checking out the others in the series when I am in need of a light read.
I actually have goosebumps. Oh my God. I was expecting something terrible from the low rating but nope. New favouriGuys. This. Is. So. Fucking. Good.
I actually have goosebumps. Oh my God. I was expecting something terrible from the low rating but nope. New favourite. I just realised this wasn’t a series and now I’m so sad.
R A M B L E A friend of mine read Devils & Thieves in a day. She loved this book (check out her review here). She describTHIS REVIEW IS ALSO ON MY BLOG
R A M B L E A friend of mine read Devils & Thieves in a day. She loved this book (check out her review here). She described it on her Instagram story basically as a sexy urban fantasy. Since I was in between books and hadn’t unpacked any of my books yet, I figured I’d download the eBook and give it a try. This book and I did not mix. First up, my big problem was Jemmie. I should also briefly mention I have some big problems when it comes to alcoholism and self-medicating in books due to things that have happened in my own life. This obviously makes me sensitive when they’re included in a book. I basically had three panic attacks reading this book because of this and I read the book in a day. Anyway, Jemmie, our main character. I have never read a more Mary Sue main character in my entire life. Move over Clary Fray because you’ve been dethroned. I’ll talk more about this in my character section but simply she was so naïve and angry. I think angry is the best way to describe Jemmie. Mix that with the fact the girl trusted absolutely everyone without a second thought, you’re going down a destructive road. Another thing that frustrated me about Devils & Thieves was the world building. It had a lot of potential. Magic and urban fantasy are two of my favourite genres (well, magic isn’t a genre just an inclusion but still). However, the further I read the more confused I got. Again, this could be my fault because I was still moving and busy while trying to read a book in a day (no Internet seems to be good for this). There were so many words for this particular word that didn’t feel completely developed to me I was let skipping back pages and hunting for a reason why that particular thing made sense. I just really didn’t mesh with this book. The romance made me mad and there was absolutely no chemistry for me. The whole possessive alpha love interest is kind of boring to me at this stage of reading and I really wanted more. However, you don’t get that at any point of the book. Crowe (yep, that’s his name) doesn’t change throughout the book and basically orders Jemmie around. The real kick? She does whatever he says.
P L O T For about 50% of the novel, there is a lot of world-building and character development (none of which I would say is good). You learn about Jemmie’s past, her powers, why she doesn’t use said powers and basically get to listen to her not shut up about Crowe. Then the plot. The motorcycle gangs (I really have no idea) are fighting (no seriously, I have no idea if this is right) and Crowe’s little sister and Jemmie’s best friend (same person) gets taken by someone. However, no one is confessing to it. My favourite part had to be right after the friend/sister goes missing and they go to her house to find something to do a locator spell with and Jemmie is thinking about that time she made out with the brother about a year ago (he’s ignored her since then, what a charmer). Really I can’t tell you much of what else happened in the story because I got so bored. My eyes rolled back into my head and I couldn’t deal. I basically skimmed about 30% of the book? It really didn’t get better for me though, so it was probably best that I did that.
C H A R A C T E R S #J E M M I E I’ve already started this rant on Jemmie, but trust me, I didn’t even get started. This girl was the definition of a special snowflake. A power that is rare (honestly, no clue on this) but wait she can smell power. Trust me, you didn’t just read that wrong. Our main girl, Jemmie, can smell and see when power is being used it. In case you didn’t think you read that right it’ll be mentioned about six times a chapter, so don’t worry! The other part of the chapter will be filled with how hot Crowe is and how much he sucks!!!! Because!!!! He!!! Kissed!!!!! Jemmie!!!! And!!!!! Ignored!!!!! Her!!!!!! For!!!! A!!!!! Year!!!!!! Straight up wanted to punch her in the face for the entire novel. Apart from the fact the only person she’s told about her weird smelling magic = not being able to use it without fainting is Crowe (literally, why?)…actually I don’t know where I was going with this point I just wanted to say how dumb it is the only person she told her big secret to was to a boy after he’d ignored her for a year. Maybe this is why I give bad boy advice, I just tell everyone to forget and dump their asses to avoid this dumb shit. However, my biggest problem with her was definitely the self-medicating. She seemed to get angrier every time she would drink too, I’m not sure if that was done on purpose by the author or simply accidental but with my past and life I wasn’t really able to handle that. #C R O W E I’m not going to write much here because wow, what a piece of shit. Crowe wasn’t the type of guy I think we should romanticise in YA (thought this did feel more NA to me). He’s the type of guy we should be telling girls to kick in the balls when they see to avoid being punched in the face. Again, these are my life experiences talking but Crowe reminded me of too many men my mum had introduced me to and then proceeded to have them abuse her, me and my sister. Truly. Crowe was trash to me. I see his relationship with Jemmie as slightly abusive too, hence why I added the trigger warning.
O V E R A L L Overall, this was a pretty trashy urban fantasy and it honestly wouldn’t have been bad if I was in the mood for trashy urban fantasy. However, I had just finished Dear Martin and Devils & Thieves did not live up to that reading high I was on. ...more
I don’t know what I expected going into A&B but it definitely wasn’t what I got. I didn’t guess a single thing that would happen throughout this book and at times I was shocked at the direction in which the plot took (especially the end). This story was definitely a fluffy one that didn’t have too much angst throughout. It really spoke about doing what speaks to you and how sometimes you should follow your heart.
A&B is a fun f/f story starring a bisexual girl named Barrie. She is a massive fan of a singer named Tera and tries out for a show she hosts called Pop U. Unfortunately, Barrie gets voted out in the first round basically because she is too happy and kind – something that is because of her idol Tera. After she loses her wig falls off as well, revealing her scalp to the world (something she has only shared with one other person). Being booted off the show was a real kick to the confidence but after meeting the characters from the first book in the series, that I’m a moron and didn’t read first, the group put on a show that is sparked by ‘Evil Barrie’. It gains attention quickly and is focused mainly on the jealously Barrie feels towards the girl who beat her into the show, Ava. The pair spark an unlikely alliance though as Barrie needs Ava to keep her jealous and Ava needs help writing songs. The pair are an unlikely duo but it works so well. I rooted for them the whole book and despite the mess that embarks between them it is so sweet. This book is a super easy and fast read. I definitely recommend it, especially since it is currently Pride Month.
what I liked ✗ LOVED THE CHALLENGE ATMOSPHERE
I’m a competitive person. Majorly competitive. Last year an old friend of mine and I challenged each other to who could read more books. She beat me and I am still salty despite the fact we aren’t friends anymore. So reading a book where there is a competitive element is straight up my alley.
✗ ROMANCE HAPPENS ORGANICALLY
I’ve read so many books lately where the romance just feels forced on me. I definitely felt that the romance in this book was perfectly done. From the girls coming out to each other, Barrie as a bisexual and Ava as a lesbian, to the actual on-page sex scene that happened, it is all simply great. I really have no words to describe how I feel.
✗ ENVY ISNT BAD
A lot of time in storylines envy and jealousy are portrayed as bad things that the main character must ignore. However, A&B really embraces envy at its core. It really feels as if it highlights that envy can inspire you creatively and provide you your best work. As I mentioned before I am a very competitive person, so I obviously combat with envy and jealousy when it comes to people doing better than me. These things make me work harder which is exactly what Barrie does throughout this book.
what I didn’t like ✗ STORYLINE WAS A LIL CLUNKY
Not only was the storyline a little bit clunky at parts – big chunks of time missing – but it also dragged occasionally. As cute as Brandon and Abel were their story inclusion was really a waste of paper. I know it was a way of including the first book but it really did make me frustrated because they got more page time than Ava and Barrie.
✗ CHARACTERS NOT TOO FLESHED OUT
I think this was a problem because we focused on Brandon and Abel, two characters who had been fleshed out in their own book. Due to them getting so much page time I really feel as if we didn’t get to know Ava and Barrie as well as I wanted to. The storyline also contributed to this in the way that the characters were all over the place. Additionally, the characters really didn’t feel like they were there for me. I feel the author could have done better in creating three-dimensional characters.
✗ SHOWED ITS BAD TO MEET YOUR IDOLS
I know not every time someone meets his or her idol it goes well. I know that it is best to have realistic expectations. However, I really feel what Barrie experienced is unrealistic and disappointing. Definitely not something to promote throughout a young adult book I feel. As someone who has never met their idols as well seeing someone’s experience go sourly wasn’t something I really want to read.
Overall, A&B was one of the most enjoyable books I have read. The f/f romance was super sweet and the story was fun. It did have its flaws, including the fact it felt like it dragged in some parts. I don’t have much to say. I still recommend this book highly. ...more
It was interesting to read a book in the profession I’m studying. I really enjoyed how it didn’t act like it’ll be easy. However, it was a new adult cIt was interesting to read a book in the profession I’m studying. I really enjoyed how it didn’t act like it’ll be easy. However, it was a new adult contemporary and I did feel it dragged in some places. It was enjoyable though and the writing was funny!
oh no. a cliffhanger i don't care about. reasons why i skimmed THE HELL out of this book:
• so much slut shaming • misogynistic behaviour (yay) (sarcastoh no. a cliffhanger i don't care about. reasons why i skimmed THE HELL out of this book:
• so much slut shaming • misogynistic behaviour (yay) (sarcastic) • so much focus on virginity it makes me uncomfortable • you know there's this thing where people don't care about other people's sex lives? • this book doesn't do that • also not having sex is perfectly okay • these characters didn't get that memo • ugh i wish i could read NA like i used to when i could ignore every problem • i hated like every character? • also unnecessary cliffhanger
i guess i just wasn't in the mood for a trashy read tbh...more
R E V I E W When you pick up a book under the romantic suspense genre you suspect some of both. Some suspense in the plot and a dash of romance to undercut the horrific acts that are being put on the page. Keep Her Safe has neither. There is romance, but it is rushed while it is only being developed, with not much on the page that would lead to a romantic outcome. Then, there’s the fact the suspense is basically all ruined by 20 pages in. If that. The book tells you who did the crime and I went ‘it can’t be that easy, there’ll be a twist’. There is no twist. Well, there is, but it’s just that one of the characters is a creepy old man who cheats on his wife with prostitutes who are underage. What a charming guy. Not a twist either, just disturbing. Plus, I called it.
I love K.A Tucker’s attempt in this genre – He Will Be My Ruin – so I really was expecting to love this. I mean, I even read the blurb. Which, if you’ve read my other reviews you’ll notice I very rarely do this.
Keep Her Safe is a book full of missing parents who suffer from addiction (some succumbing to it), corrupt Texan police and a pair of characters who would have grown up together if circumstances had been different. It would have been a great story if it wasn’t so bland. The premise itself is interesting if it weren’t for the lack of suspense of mystery in the text.
L I K E S
✗WRITING IS GOOD
I think K.A Tucker has an excellent writing style. It’s very engaging and it’s very fun to read. The characters are usually a lot more fleshed out and enjoyable to read, but the writing is always solid. From the dialogue to the description, I can always count on K.A to deliver a decent and enjoyable book. It’s really the only reason I didn’t give this book one star as well.
✗FLASHBACKS WOULD HAVE MADE A BETTER STORY
There are a series of flashbacks in Keep Her Safe that reveal the truth of what happened the night Abe (a Texan police officer) was murdered. These tended to come as Grace and Noah made a discovery to support the flashback (the discovery was usually very obvious too). However, the flashbacks themselves were incredibly engaging and probably the best-written part of the book. There are a lot more suspense in those 10 (random guess) flashbacks than the other 50 chapters. I just really think K.A Tucker should have chosen to tell Abe’s story as the main plot instead of messing around with the dull Noah and Grace.
D I S L I K E S
✗PREDITCABILITY
Do you hear that? It’s me snoring from how boring Keep Her Safe was. Honestly. This book wasn’t even fluffy to justify the predictability of it all. I don’t even mean the romance itself I really do mean the plot. You can’t tell the audience who committed a crime early in the book and then have that person actually commit that crime. It is boring. Honestly. I had no reason to guess or no mystery. There was no suspense either. There’s a dirty cop in the force and another cop sees it but decides to report it only to be framed as a dirty cop. Honestly, a boring mess. I would have fallen asleep if it hadn’t been for the writing. Thank God, for the writing.
✗POINTLESS & MEANINGLESS TASKS
Noah and Grace are constantly running around. Accomplishing what, exactly? Nothing. The FBI is involved, there’s a bunch of pointless exchanges between Grace and the lead detective. There’s a shit tonne of pointless of conversations between Noah and literally everyone. Grace gives away what they’re doing to the person they suspect almost instantly. There’s a random scene where the dirty cops try to plant stuff in Noah’s house to discredit his mother. It’s really just pointless and fodder to fill up the book. Almost every time another one of these tasks would occur I was rolling my eyes and wondering when we’d get to the point. Since nothing actually added to the point of what was happening in the novel. Especially since a lot of these scenes were meant to make people out to be suspicious and reveal their true intentions. Surprise, literally everyone is in on it. I’m not impressed.
✗ROMANCE? WHAT ROMANCE?
Now, this is a strange point for me to be making. I usually say there’s too much romance in books. I want more depth. However, Keep Her Safe literally had no depth to the relationship. One moment they’re just friends the next they’re almost fucking in a pantry before they find blood. It’s really just a strange feeling. I just really wasn’t on board with Noah and Grace. There wasn’t the spark for me bare the initial moment when she threatens to kill him – good stuff. Ultimately, it came across as underdeveloped and bland.
✗GAME OF MISSING IDENTITY
I mean this in a really literal sense because neither Noah nor Grace has a single piece of personality. They’re both incredibly bland. Not even that, but their personalities are identical to each others. I would look at who’s POV each chapter was but by a few sentences in I was trying to pick out who’s voice I was really listening to. It was a lot harder than you’re thinking as well. It didn’t make sense for Grace and Noah to read the same either. They both had different lives and they both had different things to be angry about, though you wouldn’t know that from around 20% onwards.
Actually, this particular dislike gets really big after the pair head back to Texas from Arizona. I’m not sure if it’s a Texas thing (very much a joke, please no one from Texas take offence) or just a ‘this book is crap and rushed’ thing. I’m leaning towards the latter.
Overall, I was promised ‘complex, gritty, sexy, and thrilling’ and I got quite literally, none of that. Keep Her Safe by K.A Tucker does not live up to what it promises in the blurb. It does not fulfil the romantic suspense or mystery thriller genre either. It is simply bland and full of bland characters. I would highly recommend passing on this particular book, there are much better romantic suspense books out there.
