I cannot with this book. I adore best friends to more stories. I love boys who take on the world. I don't know if it was just when I started Flounced.
I cannot with this book. I adore best friends to more stories. I love boys who take on the world. I don't know if it was just when I started reading it or if I just couldn't get into the story or what, but it just wasn't for me.
I started this book and thought it was a great idea. But the characters were so annoying, the pacing was annoying, and I really abhor stories where caI started this book and thought it was a great idea. But the characters were so annoying, the pacing was annoying, and I really abhor stories where captives fall in love with their captors. I just didn't want to keep going. So I didn't.
After I started reading this book and realized how juvenile and totally angsty it was, I decided it just wasn't for me. I looked at some other reviewsAfter I started reading this book and realized how juvenile and totally angsty it was, I decided it just wasn't for me. I looked at some other reviews and realized my friends felt the same way, and then I realized I didn't really like the other book by her that I tried (Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up?). So I officially flounce this one.
I don't really know how to rate this book because I flounced, pretty early on. I skimmed through a lot of it, but I just didn't love it. Or lFlounced.
I don't really know how to rate this book because I flounced, pretty early on. I skimmed through a lot of it, but I just didn't love it. Or like it, even. I didn't like the characters--they're juvenile and borderline ridiculous. The way their feelings develop is unrealistic, and I figured there are lots and lots of other books I'd rather be reading. *shrugs*
I have to admit that the cover of this book drew me in. Who doesn't want to read a book featuring a hot guy with intricately-defined abs? I know I wouI have to admit that the cover of this book drew me in. Who doesn't want to read a book featuring a hot guy with intricately-defined abs? I know I would.
Kate is spending the summer back home in Winter, Montana, when drifter Ben Parker (isn't that another character's name already?) arrives on her friend's doorstep, looking for work. He's mysterious and is only planning to spend one night in town, and Kate takes an instant liking to him. In fact, at only 28% in, with very little interaction between the two, Kate decides that she's "falling for him and falling hard." Despite him being very clear that he isn't interested in pursuing any kind of relationship with him, she is pretty determined to sleep with him and doesn't understand why he's not interested.
I didn't connect to these characters at all. There's some mysterious vibe going on with Ben and though I'm pretty sure I could guess what it is, I didn't care about them enough to keep reading. The insta-love and omg I just want one night with him or my life won't be complete annoyed me, and I flounced at 44%. I'm afraid that Ruin is yet another New Adult book lacking in original plot development and in need of an editor. Pass up this pretty cover and spend your time on something else....more
I have a bunch of notes in my kindle about this book, and most of them are WTF?!? and lots of this is stupids. When I started reading Drowning in You, Erin either tweeted or texted me, laughing and saying she couldn't wait to see what I thought of this one. I wish I had taken that as a sign and just...stopped right then. Because this one is a clusterfuck.
The summary is actually pretty good. Dexter was operating the controls on the ski lift when Charlee's parents are in a terrible accident, resulting in her father being critically injured and several people dying, including her mother. Charlee has been in love with Dexter for years, but he's never noticed her. Dexter has diabetes, but he doesn't do a very good job of controlling it and frequently has incidents, for lack of a better word. Because I don't know how else to describe whateverinthehell happens to him. Oh, and he's wanted her forever, too, but knows he's not good enough, so he never tried anything with her, and now he can't ever even imagine a life with her, you know, since he killed her parents and all.
The plot for this story was dumb. First of all, I find it very difficult to believe that a twenty-year-old boy who was operating the controls on a ski-lift would be able to cause the total system failure that happened here. I looked it up, and when I realized that I was doing more research than the author obviously had done, I quit. Secondly, there was some question over whether or not Dexter uses drugs (because apparently, no one really knows he has the horrible diabetes! much better to imagine him a junkie *rolls eyes*). There is no way in hell that they wouldn't have done a drug test on the operator of the ski-lift right away.
Charlee is ridiculous and totally flighty. She's twenty, not sixteen. She resents her parents because now she has to help take care of her little brother, Darcy. They are insanely rich and have a maid and (I think) a nanny. She tells Dexter that he can "do" her, then go back to the girl that is basically his Friend with Benefits. Every Charlee-POV chapter ends with her thinking about Dexter killing her parents. Then, there's this:
So, what? I have feelings for my parents' killer.
I run to the bathroom near the pool house, hearing my cell pinging with notifications from Rosa but I drop that on the way because I can't stand imagining all the things she's saying to me. This house is so cold now and the wind I create as I dart for the shower sends chills over my skin. They settle on my bones and I'm shaking again. I turn the water on full hot. Steam curls and climbs up the glass walls. I lock the door, step out of my suit and let the water burn my skin.
I would just like to point out that she just dropped her phone and ran away and hid from it. Her phone. And that's when I flounced.
Then there's the supposed love triangle that kind of happens here. Dexter's best friend, Elliot, meets Charlee and is instantly smitten. Elliot tells Dexter that he met a girl, named Charlee. Now, I don't know about you, but Charlee doesn't seem to be the most popular name (especially for a girl) on the planet to me. Add to that that his best friend was involved in an epic tragedy that has left everyone in their small town hating him, and I would think that Elliot would at least wonder if this were the same Charlee. Also, Charlee has been obsessed with Dexter for five years. You'd think she would have noticed his best friend who is always with him a time or two. The whole idea that everyone wouldn't know everyone involved is just asinine.
And don't even get me started on her dad. Just believe me, you don't even want to know.
The sucky, disjointed plot, atrocious editing, and dumb character actions aren't all that I hated about this book. There are things like this, too:
I'd rather not see her now. She's a poisonous animal in my world--the type of animal who rocks bright colors and is utterly irresistible to other wildlife until the prey gets cocky and wants that stunning animal for itself and then dies from her poison.
Um...
I don't know who these supposed "beta readers" (Beth Horwood, Emily Mah Tippetts, and Lauren McKellar) or the "editor", Tanya Saari, think they are, but they should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this product to go out with their "professional" stamps on it. Really, ladies, shame. on. you. For the record, Rebecca Berto is also a "freelance editor." I would suggest if you were thinking of hiring any of them, don't.
Trust me, Fictionees. You don't want to waste your time reading this. If you do it anyway, don't say I didn't warn you.
This book was a huge DNF for me. Here are the first three sentences:
Oh. My. God. This water is fucking freezing!! Seriously, not one drop of hot water during my fucking shower and no fucking towels! How hard is it for my beautiful offspring to remember that they do not live in a DAMN hotel?
I thought to myself that perhaps this person really needed to use all of the exclamation points. I thought maybe it was actually for, you know, really strong emphasis.
Turns out, no--that's not the reason. The reason is that this book contains absolutely terrible writing. For full disclosure, I officially flounced at 33%, so things might have changed significantly, but in the first third of the book, almost every sentence began with "I". The words sounded like they were coming from a thirteen year old. The lemon...well, what has been seen cannot be unseen.
Here's a little taste (ewwww because pun intended):
All of a sudden, I am brought back to reality. I do not want him to eat me out. Seriously, we just did 'it'. I can't wrap my brain around this. Benjamin always wanted me washed before he would do this to me. I have been conditioned that this is gross. I try to get him to stop. I beg him to stop. My begging makes it worse. He rips my panties in two and spreads my legs apart. I am so embarrassed, but at the same time; so turned on. I give up and get lost in the sensation of his tongue circling my clitoris. He licks it and sucks it and licks it and sucks it until I can't take it anymore. He places his giant hands on my my thighs holding me in place. He suctions his mouth on my clit. Sucking and then softly biting it with his teeth. "AAAAAAHHHHH! FUCK!" I yell out as I come wildly. No one has ever performed a more gratifying display of cunnilingus than Patrick Dane. Every other sexual partner I had up until now lapped me like a dog laps water. This guy could eat me out all day if he wanted! He is the Pussy King!!
Sometimes, people just can't write good smut. So, I thought I would read a little bit further to see if the story could be salvaged. I already knew it couldn't, but I wanted to be thorough. I hate flouncing books. Then I came to this:
Thank God, he had the foresight to put on a condom. In my lust, I didn't even see him do it nor did I think about it.
Yeah, no. This woman is an adult. With kids. Who just "jumped back on the horse" so to speak. I could not read another word after that, and honestly, I wish I had stopped a lot sooner. Like with the first sentence. Hopefully you won't make the same mistake I did, and you won't read any of this "book"....more