Preventing your heart from forgiving someone you love is actually a hell of a lot harder than simply forgiving them.
4 1/2 stars. Holy crap, what a
Preventing your heart from forgiving someone you love is actually a hell of a lot harder than simply forgiving them.
4 1/2 stars. Holy crap, what a book. This is unlike anything Hoover has written before. I have so many emotions right now that it's hard to know where to start, but I think everyone should read this book. That's right: everyone.
I could easily give everything away. I could, but I won't. If you go looking for lots of reviews, it won't be hard to work out what It Ends with Us is about. And if you do, you should still read it, but I think it's better if you don't. I think you should go into this book knowing as little as possible. Just realize that this is something very different from Hoover's usual new adult romances (that I admittedly have had allkinds of problems with).
So I don't want to say too much, but this is an extremely powerful story and it's not what most people will be expecting. It gets its power from the singular first person narrative (I'm honestly not a big fan of the alternating male/female POV romances) and we experience everything through Lily's eyes. When she falls in love, we fall in love; when her heart is broken, our heart is broken; when she gets it all wrong, so do we.
I cannot stress how important and damn smart this book is. There is no black and white characterization - it's much deeper and more complex than that, and therefore, far more emotional.
It peels back the layers of characters and relationships to do something that so many other authors have tried and failed to do - to make you understand a situation that for most people makes no sense. It's very sad, painful and exceptionally honest. My heart hurt while reading it and I almost cried several times.
As well as all this emotion and sadness that I'm being coy about, Hoover also brings out some of her very best writing. Little gems of honesty about human nature and relationships that are all the more painful because of their resounding truth. It's such a quotable book, but unfortunately most of the quotes are spoilers, so I shall refrain from posting them.
There's so many great things to mention, but I keep getting distracted by my feelings. The narrative is interspersed with letters that Lily wrote as a teenager and they are addressed to Ellen Degeneres - a strange touch that ends up being absolutely perfect. Shit, just writing this review and remembering the story is an emotional experience.
And then there's the absolutely fantastic female friendship. I want Allysa to be my best friend. Hoover clearly knows her audience of 16-25 year old women, creating characters with their quirks and habits - Allysa, for example, is a self-confessed "Pinterest whore", which made me laugh. But seriously, she is the best friend ever and she says one of the most perfect lines in this book.
Anyway, I'm just going to start rambling soon because I read this book in a whirlwind of emotions throughout a single day. I've been up since a ridiculous time and I need to go sleep now. But really, give this book a chance. I thought it was excellent.
Only then did I see it clearly: everyone was figuring it out. Everyone except me. I had no passion, no plan, nothing that made me stand out from th
Only then did I see it clearly: everyone was figuring it out. Everyone except me. I had no passion, no plan, nothing that made me stand out from the crowd. I had absolutely no idea what kind of job I was supposed to get.
2 1/2 stars. I can't decide if I'm being harsh or generous by giving The Futures 2 1/2 stars. It's probably best not to put too much weight on the rating. For some time, I really liked what it was doing. Pitoniak perfectly captures that feeling of helplessness and uncertainty that many young adults face after college. Those desperate, scary questions: What do I do now? Who am I? What do I become?
The story follows the two perspectives of young couple, Julia and Evan, as they try to navigate the real world after completing their degree courses. Deeply in love during their college years, they find themselves drifting apart as reality sets in and their career paths diverge.
It begins as an emotional read and, for many people, a relatable one. I felt absolutely terrified when my school years came to an end and I found that I now actually had to make some real world plans. Jobs, apartments and - oh my god - taxes! And beneath that, the worries that people don't talk about so much: the fear that everyone else is getting ahead of you, the fear that you'll never get on the job ladder, or be stuck somewhere you are miserable.
This period of uncertainty is one so many young people are facing. The premise of Julia and Evan's story resonates deeply. And, in the beginning, there's a subtle undercurrent of sadness giving a lot of life and emotion to the simple idea.
Notice I said "the premise of Julia and Evan's story". Problem is, though the basic idea is one that did speak to me directly, the actual story was quite different. A few chapters into the book and I was really struggling to sympathise with the two extremely selfish protagonists. Two white Ivy League alumni living in New York City, both with decent jobs, loving families, and a certain amount of financial security. Excuse me if I don't reach for the Kleenex just yet.
It's a very privileged sob story. Why not write about all the people who finish college and end up unemployed for years? Or stuck back at home with their parents? Instead of having two reasonably wealthy, reasonably successful, beautiful young people who feel disillusioned because their college romance isn't surviving adulthood. Boo hoo.
It was really hard to understand some of the decisions being made and a lot of the problems were dragged out when it seemed they had simple resolutions. I could have found some sympathy for Julia when Evan became obsessed with work and neglected their relationship, but then she had to go and cheat on him because breaking up with him was just too much hard work. Meh.
Plus, despite being set in New York City - one of the most diverse cities in the world - almost everyone seems to be white. The only mentions I recall of non-white people in the novel are an “Asian” girl with a "tiny body" who Evan "fucks" in a club, and some Chinese businessmen making shady deals to get visas. Yikes.
A story that could have been hard-hitting for a lot of people, but I doubt many young college graduates will see themselves in the fortunate (and oblivious to it) shoes of Julia and Evan.
I thought this one sounded different and exciting, but it didn't work for me. The characters are in their mid-to-late twenties but read like sixteen yI thought this one sounded different and exciting, but it didn't work for me. The characters are in their mid-to-late twenties but read like sixteen year-olds (they're sometimes so irritatingly immature that this may be an insult to teenagers), and the build up of angst throughout feels at odds with the rather lackluster ending.
Plus, there's a love triangle thrown in with the other guy being so boring that there's absolutely no conflict, no concerns over who Emiline might end up with. ...more
I wish so much that I could tell you I loved this book... but I just didn't.
After thinking A Court of Mist and Fury was such a huge improvement from I wish so much that I could tell you I loved this book... but I just didn't.
After thinking A Court of Mist and Fury was such a huge improvement from A Court of Thorns and Roses, I was really excited for this third installment. I even preordered it. But I really struggled to get into the book from the very start. From pacing issues to awkward sex scenes that did nothing for me, it was one disappointment after another.
I've said this before but I really dislike Maas's sex scenes. At her best, she writes them strangely with words like "branding" and "claiming", but here they were just plain icky. With all the talk of "mates", "growling" and "purring", and the climaxing from stroking one another's wings, I felt like I'd walked in on two animals rutting in the mud. Ugh.
And another thing-- Feyre and Rhysand are already mated and loved up to their eyeballs so there was no sexual tension, no will they/won't they, which made the sex scenes so boring.
What's strange about these sex scenes is how they manage to somehow be both graphic and coy at the same time. Maas never actually uses explicit words. If a young kid picked up this book, they might assume Rhysand and Feyre were dancing or playing an instrument.
His touch turned different. Exploring. Broad strokes and feather-light ones, arches and swirls and direct, searing lines.
And her vagina is usually described as "there" or "where I want him". Then, at the same time, these scenes are weirdly overwritten, with her orgasm (obviously not called that) leaving her “skin glowing like a newborn star in its wake”. It's just really not my thing.
I was disappointed with the writing in general, to be honest. Maas seemed to write a lot more "tell" and a lot less "show" than usual. I was especially disappointed at the wasted opportunity for some underhanded manipulation in the first part. After how the last book ended, Feyre was kind of "undercover" at the start and in a position for lies and sneakiness. Except it was mostly her swanning around and quietly seething to herself about how much she hated Ianthe and how much of a douche Tamlin is. I thought this whole part was boring when it should have been extremely tense and exciting.
But I think the worst thing was the overall pacing. It's a long book, but I can normally sprint through Maas's works in a day, yet here it was such a slog. Especially the first half. It's taken up with a lot of character conversations and strategizing for the upcoming war with Hybern. It lacked a pull, a sense of urgency, some kind of tension to make me need to know what happens next.
I cannot believe they've announced another four books for this series. Why??? I can only hope they are some kind of spin-off series because, otherwise, either a) we will have to suffer through who the fuck knows how many more awkward, unsexy Feyre/Rhysand sex scenes, or b) Maas will destroy Rhys's character and hook Feyre up with yet another hot fae dude. I'm not sure which is more likely.
The later chapters of this book picked up in pacing, but I think it was too little, too late. This is a whopping 700-page monster and it obviously didn't need to be. I will say that I liked how things were left with Tamlin, but seeing as that part was only a few sentences long, it doesn't make up for everything else.
I'm thinking this is where I drop out of this series.
“These lists are about… point of view. Who tells the story. Ms. James gives us a list of narrators and Mr. Bockus gives us a different one. All in
“These lists are about… point of view. Who tells the story. Ms. James gives us a list of narrators and Mr. Bockus gives us a different one. All in an attempt to grasp that great, elusive, bothersome thing: the truth. I wonder, Richard, why Mr. Bockus doesn’t want you to tell his side of the story?”
An emotional and timely look at sexual assault on a college campus.
We're seeing a lot more books on this issue. Though there's still a long way to go, issues such as rape culture, victim-blaming and the effect of social media in rape cases are coming to the forefront. I, alone, have read many YA books dealing with rape and its aftermath over the last couple of years. All the Rage is a fantastic and heart-wrenching example. Exit, Pursued by a Bear is an important lesson about the way we should treat rape victims.
Wrecked, however, stands out because of the extremely well-drawn characters and the unique perspective - rather than being narrated by the rape victim, it is told from the point of view of the victim's roommate and a friend of the accused. This allows us to be outsiders to the crime and see what is all too true in real life cases: the flimsy and confused narrative of the victim, often caused by excessive alcohol. We see how hard it is to punish rapists; how easy it is for doubt to creep in.
Padian does a great job of portraying everyday college life in a way that is compelling. Haley is charming and funny; Richard is a lovable doofus. The romance that emerges between them is natural and sweet.
That's part of why this book is so strong. I thought the college romance running alongside the main story might be tasteless in a novel about a subject like this, but it serves to highlight a fact we often forget - these are not far away, hypothetical characters in a dystopian world; they are real, full of hopes, dreams and fears. They could be that person over there. They could be us.
Victim-blaming is called out and so is the casual way people become desensitized to words like "rape". The characters are quick to point out when Richard good-naturedly likens enthusiastic sex to rape. Ultimately, we are left with the message that "No means NO" is not enough, because it assumes a lack of "No" is a "Yes". The book doesn't shy away from stating its point: consent (not implied, not assumed) is necessary, important, and sexy.
I also found it interesting how Padian reverses traditional gender roles in the romance. Haley is a soccer player - a jock of sorts - and Richard is a hopeless romantic who got in too deep when his ex just wanted casual sex. It was pretty subtle and I didn't notice the subversion of the stereotypes at first, but I liked it. It felt very appropriate in a novel dealing with a crime that is often gendered.
My only complaint is that I wish Carrie's character had been more developed. She makes some important points in the novel, though given that she is highly unlikable throughout, it's still unclear to me what her role was supposed to be - a strong feminist fighting the rape culture? Or an example of negative extremes?
Anyway, my criticisms are small and I think Wrecked is a great book. It shows the importance of consent, the need for better discussion about what constitutes consent, and the interesting ways perspective changes everything.
I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal. I was a survivor, and I was strong.
Oh damn. That was so unexpectedly good. And to think I almost didn
I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal. I was a survivor, and I was strong.
Oh damn. That was so unexpectedly good. And to think I almost didn't take a chance on this after not loving the first book...
So, here it is: I present to you 7 reasons why this book is a million times better than A Court of Thorns and Roses.
1) Less romance.
Oh, don't worry, there's romance. There's lusty, slow-build, flirtatious romance that somehow manages to be completely absent from the first book, even though romance was more central to the plot. But there's also so many other things here. It's a fantasy with romantic elements, not the other way around.
I always say I tend to become more invested in love stories when they're subplots and the book itself is not actually about the love story. I like it when the characters come together around and between all the rest of the action and drama. That's what's happening here. Because there is a whole shitstorm of other things going on - which, by the way, has led to better world-building, more exciting action and reveals, and a fascinating overarching story.
2) Feyre's growth and development.
And, in fact, the growth and development of many characters. Maas spends some quality time on character histories and backstory to strengthen our understanding of them. I absolutely love it when characters show realistic growth over time and I think that's especially important with Feyre here.
Feyre is not the character she was during A Court of Thorns and Roses. How could she be after the events of that book? Naturally, she has changed and found that her needs and aspirations have changed too. Once upon a time, back when she was weak and starving, she longed for a strong protector like Tamlin. Now she is strong, and she needs freedom to train her newfound strengths.
3) I hate Tamlin.
Honestly, if you happen to be a diehard Tamlin fan, I can see this book being a huge disappointment. Luckily for me, I pretty much despised him. He's never been anything but a pretty-faced control freak. I'm glad Feyre has seen that and rebelled against it.
I should warn you that Tamlin is absent for about 70-80% of this book. And that was just fine by me!
4) I love Rhysand.
I foresee the "oh no, it's a love triangle" comments rolling in, but I really don't think it is. I actually think this is a great book about growing up and discovering that you're a different person who longs for different things. I don't get the sense that Maas is trying to play out the Tamlin/Feyre/Rhysand angst; she is merely showing a young woman having a change of heart.
AND can we just talk about how much better Rhysand is. There's all the superficial stuff like he's exciting, flirty, dangerous and I love the story behind him. He's more fun than Tamlin and I like fun. His banter is wonderful. But I'm also talking about a more important level. Rhysand is, despite being the "bad boy", thoughtful and selfless. He doesn't want to stifle Feyre's strength and lock her away for her own protection - he wants her at his side, an equal, a partner in crime. And I love that so much. I like men who see value in strong women.
5) Less sexual.
I'm sorry, you horny readers, but I just need to put this out there: I really dislike Maas' sex scenes. Maybe Tamlin had something to do with it but, in general, I think they're overwritten and melodramatic. I also think she does a lot of "telling" you that it's hot, instead of "showing" how it is, which is a common writing mistake, but is far worse when in a sex scene. It's unconvincing.
And by "overwritten", I mean that she describes kissing as "branding", thrusts as "breaking", and sex moans as "prayers". Literally none of those things are sexy. She gets the flirtations and banter right - that bit is hotter than the actual sex - but I start to cringe when the clothes come off.
A brush of his tongue against the seam of my lips had me opening fully for him, and he swept in, claiming me, branding me.
Also, is it really necessary for the male characters to "growl in approval" during sex? Not just once - and arguably one growl is one too many - but several times. I'm supposed to be fanning myself with desire and all I can think about is Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman. Mercy. Rawr.
6) New characters.
A Court of Mist and Fury introduces many new characters, and the difference between this book and the first is that I found them all memorable, not just the main three characters. Maas has definitely not neglected her characterization and character detailing here. Everyone who comes in and out of the novel has an important purpose, is fleshed out with personality and history, and makes an impact.
My favourite was Amren, but I also loved Cassian and Azriel. Our brief introductions to the Bone Carver and the Weaver were highlights too.
7) The ending.
Take note: this is how to ensure your reader needs to get their hands on the next book. It's not a cliffhanger, but it is still EVIL. In the best possible way. I loved everything about it. It's the kind of emotional high that leaves you somewhere between wide-eyed horror and smiling gleefully. How will I last a whole year?
“Why would a girl care to find herself when she’ll never be able to make herself feel as good as a guy can?”
I've said this before, but I'll say it
“Why would a girl care to find herself when she’ll never be able to make herself feel as good as a guy can?”
I've said this before, but I'll say it again: I like Hoover's writing, I like her concepts for novels that differ from the standard format of NA romance books, I really enjoyed Never Never and I also liked Confess. This book, however, reminded me of all the reasons her stories and characters have annoyed me in the past.
The relationship between writers and the truth is something I find fascinating. I especially like it when authors structure their novel so it's like a book within a book, or a story within a story, and you can't be sure whether you're reading the "truth" or what the writer wants you to believe. November 9 touches upon that concept... barely.
But the reality is it just isn't done very well. From that opening quote that had my jaw dropping in horror at what I was reading to the weird apologies made for bad romance novels. Seriously, this should be called “in defence of shitty romance novels” or “how to write a shitty romance novel” because all the tips are here.
The book tries to make excuses for itself through the use of Ben being a romance writer. Fallon doesn't like instalove (one of my own biggest pet peeves) and yet both her and Ben conclude that they did have a kind of instalove. But, you know, acknowledging something doesn't necessarily make it okay. In this case, it doesn't at all.
Fallon is so annoying and melodramatic. I swear she must cry at least once per chapter. Also, she makes some sweeping, dramatic statements that seem off. Why does she think it would be a normal reaction for Ben/her hypothetical boyfriend to dump her after witnessing her argument with her father? What a drama llama. Just imagine it... your boyfriend sees you having an argument with your dad and he's like "oh wow, that's it, it's over". I wouldn't think that was normal, I'd think "what a jackass".
Ben is another controlling douche wrapped up in a gorgeous "I give you new self-esteem" package.
I shove the dress back at him. “I don’t want to wear that, I want to wear this.” “No,” he says. “I’m paying for dinner, so I get to choose what to stare at while we eat.”
Be still my beating heart, I think I'm in love < /sarcasm>
He also, at one point, interrupts Fallon and puts his hand over her mouth so she can't speak while he delivers this big speech about how beautiful she is and only she cares about her scars. Which, as the book shows, actually isn't true, and also: get your controlling hands off her mouth, douchebag!
So, those are the characters, but there were other things I didn't like. Like the fact that Ben quotes poetry when he sees her naked and they're about to have sex (eww) and he says this cringy line:
“Baby,” he says, his lips forming a smile. “You have already made this the best I’ve ever had, and I’m not even inside you yet.”
And, oh my god, when he finds out she's a virgin:
“Fallon,” he whispers, dragging his lips slowly across mine. “Thank you for this beautiful gift.”
Oh, please. Just let me unsee it. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Then there's the fact that the blurb refers to "the ultimate plot twist" which can really only be one thing. The characters lives are not developed enough that there are multiple possibilities regarding the twist. It was so obvious what it had to be about.
And, finally, the plot/angst wasn't very well-conceived. I honestly didn't buy into their reasons for not being together - it seemed like excuses made to prolong the story. I've experienced what it's like to meet someone new, click with them instantly, and become completely wrapped up in them and your emotions. You generally do whatever you can to be with these rare people; you do not come up with crappy excuses why it won't work.
Fallon and Ben like each other, they’re falling in love with each other, but oh no, they can’t be together. It’s not time. They would just distract one another from their goals. What a load of bullshit.
Also, one last thing. This is a small matter, given all the other criticisms I have, but can we stop using stereotypes for gay men? And can we stop saying that the guy over there can't possibly be gay because he forgot to shave today? It's just stupid. And, let me tell you, my brother is gay and he waits until we're all like "it looks like a bunch of furry caterpillars died on your face" before he shaves. Just sayin'.
I'm playing another role, Mr. Happy Well-Adjusted Trans Guy. Because that's the narrative. The only story I'm allowed to tell is how much I hated m
I'm playing another role, Mr. Happy Well-Adjusted Trans Guy. Because that's the narrative. The only story I'm allowed to tell is how much I hated myself before transition, how happy I am now.
Elliot Wake never fails to rip my heart out. You might remember him as Leah Raeder from the intoxicating mindfucks that were Unteachable, Black Iris and Cam Girl, but here he returns with a brutally honest book about a trans man, gender, and rape culture - a book that will challenge you to think at every turn of the page.
Wake is a master at showing the horror and beauty that live alongside each other - in romance, friendship, sex, and in being trans. His writing is pure colourful poetry, but with it he reveals the darkness in the world around us, and in ourselves.
Ren, like pretty much all of the author's characters, is a tortured soul, caught somewhere between the relief that testosterone and his own transitioning brings him, and the beautiful horrible world that isn't always welcoming to his true self; the man he has always been.
The plot is strange, feeling almost darkly satirical at times, but for me, this went well with Wake's style. Very few authors can pull off introducing a vigilante social-justice group to a real world setting and expect the reader to just roll with it, but somehow it seems to work here. The bloody, shady antics of "Black Iris" offer some twisted entertainment alongside Ren's inner turmoil and the social commentary.
If only they knew what it felt like, being held hostage by your own skin.
I especially liked that Ren was a Youtube vlogger, sharing his trans experience with the world. But while we often tend to hold binary male/female misogyny issues as something different from trans issues, this book shows all the ways the two are inextricably entwined. Ren's perspective is an extremely interesting one; being a man who has had the opportunity to experience the world in a woman's body, to know women as so few men can, he feels a lot of anger against misogynists and those who would hurt women.
Ren struggles with what it means to be transgender in this world. How can he reconcile this with the idea that gender is a social construct? How can Ren make peace with knowing he is a man, always has been a man, but on some level hating men because he understands what it’s like to be a woman who is vulnerable to their misogyny. It's such a complex and thoughtful work on many levels.
For me, it was an absolutely fascinating and haunting read. Wake examines gender, sex, rape culture and misogyny, and he wraps it up in his trademark beautiful writing - a sensory experience that captures the rhythm of the music playing, the feel of sweat on skin, and the smell of bodies crushed together in a dark club. I always feel so entirely in the moment he is describing.
A heartbreaking, necessary, and unapologetically queer book for trans and cis readers alike.
***Quotes were taken from an uncorrected advance readers copy.***
Wow. This is one of the sexiest romances I've ever read, easily the sexiest New Adult romance I've ever read. And it's so wonderfully feminist too.
It'Wow. This is one of the sexiest romances I've ever read, easily the sexiest New Adult romance I've ever read. And it's so wonderfully feminist too.
It's been four years since Eagar has released a novel and now she comes rushing back onto the playing field with this very different, very feisty novel about revenge and female sexuality. It's a completely different beast from the heart-wrenching Raw Blue - her titles seem to be very telling; the other book was raw and blue, this one is about heat and sweat and (you guessed it) summer skin.
There are so many great female characters in this book, who swear, masturbate, and offer no apologies, but are also very sensitively portrayed. Jess Gordon and her friends are badass, funny and lovable, as they try to navigate the seas of college life - alcohol, hook-ups and assholes - and get revenge on the jocks from the old school, sexist Knights College.
I really want to portray what's so damn great about this book and why it stands out. Yes, it's a steamy romance - but there are a million of those, right? And yes, it's got a great feminist message that shows women enjoying sex and asserting their right to choose - but other books are also doing that these days, right?
Well, firstly, it's still really rare to find a steamy romance with open, unapologetic, feminist values. Like, I can think of Leah Raeder and that's it. But, more than that, Summer Skin is really about breaking down ideas and stereotypes about people.
Eagar does this in two really great ways. She takes a guy who, on the surface, is an arrogant, sexist asshole and completely humanizes him. She gives him back the underlying humanity that is stolen by the ideas we have formed about him. I was surprised at how convincing it was, given that arrogant, sexist characters generally make me want to start breaking things.
And she does something else, which is strangely even rarer. She deconstructs the idea many people have about feminists.
This is really important. Jess Gordon is not the perfect fit for the "strong heroine". Feminism is part of her personality, but it isn't who she is. She isn't always strong and she definitely doesn't have everything figured out.
In Summer Skin, the female characters may be feminists, but they’re also just as confused as everyone else. I like that. Because, you know what? It’s damn hard to grow up as a feminist. It’s hard to decide whether wearing make-up is playing into gender ideals or is simply a form of self-expression. It’s hard to figure out how to not cater yourself towards men, but also balance it with your own desire for men to find you attractive.
There’s this common misconception that feminism is an agenda - this image pops to mind of strong, gun-toting heroines who all belong in this cult of feminist sisterhood and know exactly what they’re doing. But it’s not like that. Feminism is more of a perspective. It’s looking at the world in a different way and trying to avoid behaviours that perpetuate gender inequality. And - sometimes - it's getting it wrong.
Self-proclaimed feminists do not have things figured out. They are weird and insecure too. All those feminists on Tumblr and Youtube with such strong ideas didn't just dream them up overnight. They spent years looking at the world around them and trying to figure out what they believe, where they stand, and how best to live in this emerging society of increased equality. Many of them probably still don't know.
Summer Skin reminds us that everyone is human, from the seemingly douchey jock to the feminists. It's a great book that will probably be overlooked by many. And - just in case you forgot about it while I was getting serious - it's damn HOT.
The more I think about this final installment, the more pissed off I get. This book is a joke.
Never Never opened with an exciting premise. Two teens hThe more I think about this final installment, the more pissed off I get. This book is a joke.
Never Never opened with an exciting premise. Two teens have lost all their memories and must piece together who they are and what happened to them.
Never Never: Part Two dawdled a little, but remained compelling. Just what was going on? What happened between Charlie and Silas's families? More clues are revealed. Secrets are uncovered.
All that build... All those clues being pieced together... Surprising reveals and family betrayals...
All... for that ending. One which leaves a million loose ends. One which says "fuck you" to every clue and piece of information introduced. This is the dumbest, soppiest excuse for a mystery I have ever read.
Becoming Rain is a book about the worst FBI agent ever. No exaggeration.
I've been in the mood for some romance lately so I've been checking out recenBecoming Rain is a book about the worst FBI agent ever. No exaggeration.
I've been in the mood for some romance lately so I've been checking out recent releases that sound interesting. Unfortunately, every book seems to be one more reminder why I keep taking long breaks from the romance genre - there is so much bad. In my experience, though, I have more luck with romances that are combined with other genres - fantasy, historical or mystery - so when I saw that this highly-rated book was romantic suspense, I thought maybe it was time to fall in love.
“I take easy, slow steps, keeping my face calm as I scramble to come up with a story. This is one of my strengths—lying—and yet right now I’m drawing a blank.”
But I did not bargain for the female MC, Clara (aka "Rain") being such a moron. I honestly don't know how she got her job or came out of this undercover mission alive. In the book, she’s undercover with potentially murderous criminals and every few pages she’s like “Oops! Just gave up some info about my personal life! Better fix it with really bad lies." I mean, that's before we even get to the bit where she falls for her target - Luke - because he's PRETTEH. I could be a better FBI agent than her.
We're constantly told how Luke is different from her previous targets because he's gorgeous and charming. According to Clara, that's the difference between the criminals who deserve it and the criminals who are just misunderstood - a pretty face. Oh, give me a break. She's supposed to be a smart, career-focused woman, and yet all of that turns to mush when she's faced with a hot guy.
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And that not-so-subtle blow to feminism is nowhere near the end of it. But let me break down the basic plot first before I continue. Clara is an FBI agent going undercover to try and bust a notorious car theft ring in Portland. Luke is the nephew of one of the ring's main guys and his uncle wants him to take over the "business". Clara must worm her way into Luke's life as "Rain" and find out as much information as she can. However, Clara's training could not prepare her for a six-pack and a large penis so, alas, she starts to fall for Luke.
But Clara isn't just stupid, vapid and senseless, oh no, she also hates almost every single woman in the book. She looks down on "that type" of woman:
“These ones stalk through life with their stunning faces and perfect figures—either naturally granted or acquired with the help of a plastic surgeon—with the single goal of climbing the boyfriend ladder until they reach the top and become the wife of a rich husband who will cater to their every high-maintenance need. They’re vapid. Insecure. Unkind. I can’t stand their type. And I can’t stand the kind of guys who are attracted to them.”
You know what I can't stand? Women who shame other women for NO GOOD FUCKING REASON. Like you're so much better, Clara! You can't even stay on the job for two minutes without getting all caught up in those pretty eyes. Moron.
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And this one:
“Maybe she made him breakfast. Maybe they did it again before she made him breakfast. Does that kind of girl even know how to fry an egg?”
What is "that kind of girl", anyway? You mean, the kind that has casual sex with a guy? What the fuck does that have to do with her intelligence or capability of frying an egg? Let me tell you, I'd much rather be the kind of girl who has casual sex than the kind of girl who jeopardizes an entire FBI operation because she couldn't get her shit together and do her job. And, by the way, if she's "that kind of girl", then that would make the guy you're falling for "that kind of guy", right? Or is it supposed to be different with guys? Fuck, you might as well just embroider a flag with "Feminism" and set fire to it.
But I saved the worst quote for last. There's a scene in the book where Clara is with a male colleague who is basically implying - correctly - that she is incapable of doing her job because - incorrectly - women have a tendency to get all caught up in their emotions and fall for their targets. How does Clara react?
“I could get offended, chew him out for treating me like a weak woman, but I know his concern comes from a good place, so I simply smile and nod.”
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That's right, ladies. When you're talked down to by your male colleagues, remember that it comes from a good place, so just smile, nod and don't make a fuss.
It's amazing how your opinion of a book can do a complete U-turn by the time it's over. For the first third of Hearts of Fire, I honestly thought I woIt's amazing how your opinion of a book can do a complete U-turn by the time it's over. For the first third of Hearts of Fire, I honestly thought I would be writing a positive review. The writing was a little shaky in parts and I think there were a bunch of missed opportunities with regard to the description/atmosphere of the circus, but it was fun, the characters were interesting and it seemed very different.
Back when I was enjoying this book, I thought I would start my review with this quote:
“And then he was walking out onto the stage, two long metal torches in his hands, the tips blazing with fire. My skin prickled with awareness, and somehow I just knew I was in for something truly amazing.”
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Ooh la la, right? If someone had told me at this point just how bad this book was going to get, I may not have believed them. In this NA romance craze, so many books look alike that I find myself doing a double take whenever I discover a book doing something different, in a different setting, with different kinds of characters. This book had that.
Instead of being set in the United States, this book starts in Ireland. When Lille runs away with the circus - looking for adventure, independence and an escape from her overbearing mother - she sets off on a trip to France, making new friends and enemies along the way. Like I said before, I think more could have been done with the atmosphere in the book. I can't help myself imagining how much better and more evocative the circus setting would have been if this book was written by someone like Leah Raeder.
Oh well, I still liked the idea behind it. And what I also really liked was the way the relationship between Lille and Jack was developed. The author builds up their trust for one another through banter and then friendship. It was so rare to see a relationship handled this way and I found myself caring for both characters even more because of it.
And then it all went wrong.
Oh dear, where to start. Okay, so first Lille loses all sense of self and finds herself needing Jack to validate her. I actually can't believe this scene takes place:
“You’re a great artist, Lille,” he said. What he said had been so simple, and yet it felt like just a few words from him, telling me that I didn’t actually suck, had legitimised me. For the first time in my life, I felt real.
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Then we get yet another of those scenes where a guy attempts to rape the MC and the love interest turns up to save her. Why is this used in every single NA romance? I swear, it's in almost every single one. Why is rape being used to prove what a big, strong, sexy guy Jack is?
Then there's the crazy, slutty ex who literally threatens to hurt Lille if she doesn't stay away from Jack. Okay, firstly, why does every single NA male have an ex who is an evil nutjob? Are we supposed to compare them to the goodness that is our female MC? And secondly, I find it so strange how all these guys basically cheat on or dump their ex immediately when this new girl comes along, but this is legitimised in the book by said ex being a violent hellbitch.
And then there's the fact that Jack turns into a violent, mentally abusive ass after they start sleeping together. He seemed a little angsty before, but afterwards his behaviour was terrible. He is angry and violent (towards objects and other people, not Lille), he treats her like a disobedient child and orders her not to go out walking by herself. When she does, he's all like:
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He grinds against another woman while she is watching because he wants to upset her. He says things like this:
“Flower,” he said quietly. The term of endearment didn’t sound the way it usually did. In fact, it sounded a little threatening. “If you lie to me one more time, you won’t like what happens next.”
This is classic, controlling mental abuse! Before, I wanted them to get together. After, I just wanted her to get as far away as possible.
Oh, and he gets off on hurting women sexually because he was abused by his foster mother. Sounds familiar. *cough*Fifty Shades of Grey*cough*
Though Mr Grey was all about the tie-up and spank stuff. Jack's kink?
“The problem is that it makes me want to pour wax over your skin, press hot matches to your thighs. It makes want to leave marks all over your body until no man can refute that you’re mine.”
2 1/2 stars. Erm. I think I have a love/hate relationship with Hoover's work. I keep coming back for more of her addictive writing style, despite havi2 1/2 stars. Erm. I think I have a love/hate relationship with Hoover's work. I keep coming back for more of her addictive writing style, despite having so many issues with her characters and slut-shaming. Though, I think it's official that I enjoy her far more when she's writing intriguing, possibly supernatural thrillers with Tarryn Fisher, than when she's writing contemporary romance. Never Never is still my favourite. But Confess is not too bad.
One of the things that almost always bugs me about Hoover's novels is the way she characterizes her female protagonists. They're bland, innocent, good girls and often victims. They slut-shame other women, and when they start to behave in a flirtatious or sexual way themselves, we're treated to a piece of inner dialogue where they chastise themselves:
“What the hell am I doing? I don’t do this kind of thing. I don’t invite guys into my home. Texas is turning me into a whore.”
The annoying use of whore aside, what is this, the 1800s?
Auburn Reed is another example of this. But I am prepared to admit that I think this is deliberate in a Bella Swan kinda way. Because Hoover is writing contemporary romance, I think she leaves her female protagonists deliberately open for interpretation so that her readers can imagine themselves in the story. I get it. I just don't really like it.
There's also a bunch of the usual tropes. The guy (Owen) has had many girlfriends but Auburn is inexperienced. There's another total douche in the picture whose attempted sexual assault (yes, another one!) of Auburn is supposed to make Owen look better. Owen is flawlessly beautiful, not a blemish to be found:
“...skin that looks so flawless, it makes me want to chase his father down and give him a high five for creating such an impeccable son.”
I suppose these are all small bits and pieces. My real gripe is that I never really got a sense of the sexual/romantic chemistry between Auburn and Owen. There were many things about their relationship that I liked (and will talk about in a minute) but I never wanted them to be together, which is generally the whole point of a romance novel. Instead of roaring "YES!" when they slept together, I found myself wanting to skim read the sex scenes.
Okay. So there's all the negative. Now, I can talk about what I did like.
Firstly, aside from his good looks, Owen seemed very different from other NA love interests. He was quirky, weird even, and a bit pretentious and hipster in a way that actually made him interesting, rather than annoying. I found his oddness charming. Secondly, there's a reveal about Auburn which I didn't see coming and thought was an unusual addition to a NA romance. I liked it.
I also really like it when authors attempt to do something a bit different, especially in a genre that is defined by cliches and tropes. In Maybe Someday, Hoover combined music and writing by releasing an album alongside the book with songs supposedly written by the characters. In Confess, Owen is an artist and there are some beautiful illustrations in the book. On top of the artwork itself, I really love the inspiration behind his art. He welcomes anonymous confessions in a dropbox at his art studio and his work is inspired by them. Very different.
Owen was a very interesting character overall and it actually seems a shame that he was wasted on a romance novel where I didn't buy into their chemistry. Oh well, at least he had some great dialogue with Auburn.
Definitely not a bad book, but I think I will wait for Hoover's less romancey novels. I'm still excited for Never Never: Part Two.
Honestly, I just can't do it. I cannot finish this booknovelstory great big cliche.
I tried so hard. I'm the kind of person that's prone to bouts of Honestly, I just can't do it. I cannot finish this booknovelstory great big cliche.
I tried so hard. I'm the kind of person that's prone to bouts of wanderlust so the blurb made me think myself and the female MC might have a lot in common. Mix in a bit of summer romance and sexy times and I expected to feel like July had come early. It didn't take more than a page for the disappointments to start rolling in.
I'm not joking when I say this book is one irritating cliche after another. On the very first page of chapter one, the male narrator - Blake - literally runs into Chloe. This is the kind of lazy storytelling I'd expect from Jennifer L. Armentrout; I know that every romance author has to work out that magical moment when our girl and guy will meet, but I'm a strong believer that this moment should not a) be on the first page, or b) occur as a result of them physically colliding.
It's like the author sat down and thought "I can't be bothered to come up with an interesting way for these people to meet so... BAM!"
Secondly, Chloe is running from a potential rapist when they meet (haven't seen that one before *eyeroll*) and Blake puffs out his chest and saves her. Of course. I'm amazed that I managed to stick with this book so long after being treated to Chloe's mindless stupidity in the first chapter. They've known each other for about two minutes when this exchange takes place:
“Yet, here you are - walking with me in pitch-black darkness, at two in the morning, to a more-than-likely abandoned parking lot, under the impression I’m going to get you back to your necessities. You’re not even slightly afraid of what might happen to you?” “No, Blake. I know I’m safe with you.”
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HOW do you possibly know that? What an absolute idiot. The message this book sends out to young women is fucking dangerous! That's before we even get to the offensive parts.
This first meeting quickly dissolves into a Romeo and Juliet like moment. Maybe not quite instalove, but by the time they've finished wandering around in the dark with one another, they're saying things like this:
“Dude, you’re like superman.” “Does that make you my kryptonite?”
Ugh. You've known each other for about five bloody minutes! What's wrong with you?
All of this stuff is just in the first chapter so I went against my better judgement, took a deep breath, and kept reading to see if it got better. Believe me, it got worse. Are we really not over the whole popular jock guy with "slutty" cheerleader girlfriend cliche? No? What about the cliche where that popular jock guy meets a strange, beautiful and damaged unpopular girl and falls in lurve? Nope, not that one either, apparently.
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These are our characters: Blake - popular jock guy Chloe - weird (but cute) loner girl with issues Hannah - Blake's cheerleader girlfriend who is characterized by her overt sexuality and revealing clothing. We're supposed to believe it's fine that he ditches her for Chloe because sluts don't have no feelings.
Clothing is used to say a lot about our female characters in this book. We don't get a breakdown of what the guys are wearing because this apparently does not matter. However, Hannah always wears revealing clothing and rarely does anything but pout and rub herself up against Blake. Chloe makes a point of showing her disdain for her new work uniform:
“I rushed to change into the uniform that Josh, the guy who was training me, had handed me. They came in only one size: whore.”
When Josh suggests she will make 4x the tips by wearing that size uniform she seriously says: “And compromise my soul?”
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COMPROMISE MY SOUL. Yeah. That's really what she says.
I suppose this is all to prove she is sweet and innocent because it would be really bad if us readers mistook her for a slut. Bleh. Also, Chloe's secret "issue" is built up with so much melodrama that it was really hard to feel sympathy for her.
I didn't even make it to the halfway point so I'm sorry if awesomeness reared it's head after that, but I doubt it. I feel like I've read this story a thousand times and I didn't even enjoy it the first time.
On the one hand, as with part one, I found this book to be written in an extremely compellingI cannot decide how I want to rate Never Never: Part Two.
On the one hand, as with part one, I found this book to be written in an extremely compelling way. I found it easy to sprint through chapter after chapter, unlocking more questions and mysteries as I went along. Unlike with some of the authors' other work, nothing about the plot or the characters irritated me and I genuinely care and want to find out just what the hell is going on.
HOWEVER, I can see absolutely no reason Never Never has been serialized other than as a money-making ploy by the authors. It is not a series. It is clearly all part of the same story; the same book. The "parts" are just a collection of a few chapters and each one is not particularly long so I know it wasn't serialized for length reasons.
I guess it just bugs me that this "part" isn't anything close to resembling a full book that I can rate accurately. It's like taking a few chapters from a book and trying to decide what rating it deserves based on that small piece. Couldn't the authors have just waited and delivered a full book?...more
Update 2016: I'm not going to change my rating because I did enjoy this book, but I just want to issue a warning that I was so so disappointed with thUpdate 2016: I'm not going to change my rating because I did enjoy this book, but I just want to issue a warning that I was so so disappointed with the ending of this series: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ...............................................................................................
I must say... even though I've had many issues with Hoover's books in the past, she and Tarryn Fisher have weaved one hell of a compelling tale here.
The only real downside to this first installment is how quickly it was over, leaving us hanging with an evil cliffhanger that won't be resolved until May! This strange little book gives up so few of its secrets - a fact I might have withdrawn stars for if it wasn't such a damn intriguing pageturner.
I'm going to be honest: Colleen Hoover has been responsible for many of my rants in the past and some might think me a masochist for even trying to enjoy another of her novels. I hated the way she glorified controlling boyfriends in Hopeless. I thought the writing in Slammed showcased an author who had not yet found her footing. And Maybe Someday had more than its fair share of slut-shaming.
But... I've said in my past (negative) reviews that I like Hoover's easy-to-digest style of writing that demands you turn the pages. I like how her characters are mostly three dimensional and not all typical NA stereotypes. So I cast aside my reservations and tumbled into this... mystery? Romance? Paranormal thriller? The jury's still out.
This book opens with our two narrators having absolutely no memory of who they are, where they live, who their friends and family are... or how they managed to get in this state. Piecing together clues about their lives and their relationship, it seems like the more they discover the weirder everything gets. Who were they before? How did they lose their memories? Do they even want to find out?
Romance does come out when Charlie and Silas are trying to figure out the details of their relationship - as well as many skeletons in the closet - but unlike Hoover's other works, this story feels like so much more than a romance. It's dark, mysterious, even creepy at times. Probably not for readers who like a clear distinction between the realistic and the supernatural because I'm still not sure which applies here.
Characters I care about, complex relationships (not just of the romantic kind), and a whopping great mystery... I'm ready for the sequel. Now please.
If two people could make each other smile and laugh and forget all the pain and darkness in the world for a moment, why should we feel ashamed of i
If two people could make each other smile and laugh and forget all the pain and darkness in the world for a moment, why should we feel ashamed of it?
A couple years back, I did a "New Adult Experiment" and attempted to find the hidden gems amid a genre full of, um... crap. One of those gems was Raeder's Unteachable - a lyrical, different kind of romance.
Since then, Leah Raeder has released two more books - Black Iris and Cam Girl - and I think it would be a disservice to potential readers and the author if I didn't clear something up. These latter two books, Cam Girl especially, are not like Unteachable. They have Leah's gorgeous writing style, of course, but they are completely different beasts.
Wait, so they're not love stories?
Oh no, they are. But I'm not sure they quite fit in the regular romance section. Cam Girl is about love, and yet it also demands that you face questions that need to be asked - about the nature of gender, gender identity, and sexuality and about their relationship to love. Is it possible for love to transcend sexuality?
Because I follow Leah Raeder online, I felt like I knew a lot about this book before I started it. So I'm not sure if that's the reason I guessed certain outcomes, but either way, it didn't really matter to me. The book managed to be powerful enough just by containing these things; it didn't need to be shocking as well.
If you're really an artist, I thought, you'll find a way to make art however you can, like Bukowski said. With half your body gone. With soot and a cave wall. With your own blood.
Raeder's third book reintroduces us to her trademark style of poetic prose and vivid, colourful imagery. Art and colours are used as metaphors, as well as for mood. The narrator - Vada - is an artist who suffered damage to her drawing arm in an accident. Broke and at rock bottom, she takes a job as a cam girl.
The book offers a graphic depiction of the sex trade. Vada acknowledges the potentially demoralizing nature of live cams, but the sex trade is here a mostly empowering thing - a fact which I'm sure will pave the way for many discussions about it. But, well, that's what Raeder does best: Facilitates discussion on the things we don't often allow ourselves to think about.
It didn't get the full five rating for two reasons: 1) It was hard to maintain focus on the Ryan/Max subplot (though I did like the outcome), maybe because some of these secondary characters were not that interesting to me. And 2) This makes me sound like such a prude, but there was a little too much sex. At some points, it went past sexy and into repetitive.
But I did enjoy it a lot. Leah's writing just pulls me in every time. Some people call her books "dark" and I can completely see why, but I also don't think they are. I think they're like a light in the darkness, showing every horrific, beautiful human truth in a rainbow of colour.
I get an erection the moment I first lay eyes on her.
Which is a) kinda weird and b) way too fast. Hell, whatever happened to flirtationFirst line:
I get an erection the moment I first lay eyes on her.
Which is a) kinda weird and b) way too fast. Hell, whatever happened to flirtations and sexual tension? If you want me to give a damn about the guy's penis, then you gotta work a bit harder for it instead of speeding towards the ERECTIONZ. Jeez, just tease me.
Also, please don't refer to a woman's body as her "hills and valleys". Please....more