This is one of those times where I don't understand how I so thoroughly under-enjoyed this book (yes I made up a word) that everyone else seDnf at 60%
This is one of those times where I don't understand how I so thoroughly under-enjoyed this book (yes I made up a word) that everyone else seemed to love. I mean, I enjoyed Twilight for god's sake and yet I was bored senseless by this.
Ellison I didn't like her. Not because she was a raging bitch to begin with, cos that didn't bother me, but because she was just such a non-event. She is kind and big-hearted and soft and likes animals and oh my god can we please give this girl some flaws (apart from the raging bitchiness that comes out every so often). I was also very unmoved by her philosophy - it seemed very forced to me.
Hunter I didn't like him. He was a hot mess and really, he didn't have any non-irritating redeeming qualities. It's taken him this long and this girl who he's only just met to realise he is throwing his life away and what does he do? Screws it up again. And I'm already 60% into the book at this point.
The plot I loved the prologue. I actually award that 4 stars because it was beautifully poignant, ignited my curiosity, pulled at my heart strings and made me want to dive into the rest of the book. Unfortunately between the prologue and the 60% mark I quickly lost interest and had to ask myself, do you really want to keep reading this? And that was that.
So overall, I acknowledge that this book may appeal to a lot of people. Maybe I'm missing something but I just couldn't bring myself to read another chapter. ...more
I've come to the conclusion that I should just stick to McGuire's romance novels. Because while Beautiful Disaster is one of my F2 STARS
Dnf at 25%
I've come to the conclusion that I should just stick to McGuire's romance novels. Because while Beautiful Disaster is one of my FAVOURITE romance reads of all time (judge me if you must), I have not once liked one of McGuire's more... fantastical reads. The minute things start to go sci fi or paranormal, McGuire loses me. Which brings me to why I only got 25% into this.
Nothing happened in that 25%. We have no idea what happened to the heroine to make her push everyone away. I felt nothing. I just didn't get it. So I stopped reading.
Is there a potential I will pick this up again? Maybe? If I'm really really bored or someone writes SUCH a positive a review, I decide to give it another go. ...more
Getting to the 50% mark of this book was like running my first marathon. The first quarter was an admittedly quite silly but st2.5 stars
Dnf at 50%
Getting to the 50% mark of this book was like running my first marathon. The first quarter was an admittedly quite silly but still hilarious rush but by the second quarter, it was an effort to keep the pages turning.
First, the heroine was just so damn challenging. Her reaction to EVERYTHING was to push back. This went from entertaining to flat-out punch-worthy in a matter of chapters.
Second, if that is the kind of professionalism a girl can expect from Witness Protection, I’ll take my chances on the streets thanks. Jared was hostile, moody, completely unprofessional and his priorities were very skewed.
Third, this story went nowhere in the first half of the novel. I didn’t expect much, but I expected more than a handful of near-sexual encounters and a homicidal rooster.
Was this really the author who wrote the Starcrossed series? Because I didn't see her writing in this at all. The plot was messy and fruDNF at 30%
Was this really the author who wrote the Starcrossed series? Because I didn't see her writing in this at all. The plot was messy and frustratingly juvenile. I struggled to find a single redeeming feature in Lily, who constantly puts herself down and then gets pissed off when other people walk all over her.
She almost drives herself to suicide, or at the very least, behaviour which is HIGHLY likely to end in her dying, over a boy. A boy who is so not even worth it. And then, best of all, she falls in love with 2 guys: (a) the guy who tried to kill her; and (b) the alternate universe's version of the boy who drove her to the brink of suicide. Smart gal, this one.
The plot fell so far short of my expectations, I found myself not even bothering to keep reading. So, sadly, I'm shelving this in the dnf pile. ...more
Once again, I must be reading a different book to everyone else because this is the third time I’ve picked up Leo and it’s the thir2 CONFUSED STARS
Once again, I must be reading a different book to everyone else because this is the third time I’ve picked up Leo and it’s the third time I’ve put it down. I just don’t get it.
For starters...
You call this a love story? In theory, yes, this is a romance. There is kissing and I can only assume sex but, wait, where’s the romance? The fluttering hearts and giddy smiles?
For example, this quote?
I look into his eyes and ask, “Why are you looking at me?”
His eyes search mine for several long seconds before he hold contact and whispers, “Because I like your face.”
If I was 6 and some punk kid said this to me, I’d throw my mashed potato at him and scream ‘YOUR FACE!’
Where is the happy? I love angst. A downtrodden heroine, tortured hero? Bring it on. I’m even okay with a tiny bit of sad, but I still need a dose of happy.
I only get 30% in but I remained depressed for that 30%. There was no comic relief, not even in the banter between Jake and Evie.
I’m not interested in the story, just the ending At this point, I’m just looking for a review marked ‘spoiler’ so I can find out whether (view spoiler)[Jake is actually Leo and is just being a ridiculous asshat (hide spoiler)]. Sigh.
I just don’t get it. The high ratings, this book, none of it. ...more
I was hugely disappointed by this. I expected Wendy Higgins Sweet Evil levels of awesomeness. What I got was a very young YA disaDNF at 60%
2 STARS
I was hugely disappointed by this. I expected Wendy Higgins Sweet Evil levels of awesomeness. What I got was a very young YA disaster.
Warning bells started going off in my head long before chapter one even ended. Because Robyn must be the only girl this side of the feminist movement who is looking forward to an arranged marriage. To a guy who lives in the freaking Shire.
By the time we met McKale, the only tall hot leprachaun probably in the history of leprechaun stories who despite his hotness, is a 50-year-old virgin, I was checking to make sure this was actually written by Wendy Higgins, author extraordinaire.
I think I would have enjoyed this (slightly) more if McKale had a bit more personality. Hell, I probably would have added half a star even if he was an arrogant prick. As it was, he had about as much personality as a fourteen-year-old boy in that awkward stage of puberty who has never met a girl before in his life. Did I mention he’s actually fifty years old?
The villain was laughable. She was like a cartoon character. The secondary characters? Cookie cutter, apart from the sister, Cassidy who had a very inconsistent personalty.
I made it to 60% only by convincing myself this would get better. But it just didn't. ...more
There was good, there was bad, then there was the downright tear-inducingly funny in this book. I'm going to skip the good becaDnf: stopped at 40%
There was good, there was bad, then there was the downright tear-inducingly funny in this book. I'm going to skip the good because the reviews below cover it. But the bad?
1. The stereotypes The pirate stereotype is so overdone it is downright laughable. I mean, the pirate ship had a skull and crossbones flag and the hero had everything short of a parrot. Seriously?
2. The romance I admit, the romance was still in its early stages at 40% so I can't judge tooo much, but the sweet and tender moments supposed to make me swoon, or fall in love with the swashbuckling captor? They were lame. Like Lady and the Tramp spaghetti moment lame. It was actually awkward to read.
Now, if you can get past the ridiculous portrayal of Peter Pan pirates and you're forgiving when it comes to romance novels, you may just love this. But for me, it just didn't work.
I’m about to break a lot of hearts here. The hearts of people who rated this anywhere over 2 stars anyway.
I can’t judge the book as a wDnf at 28%
I’m about to break a lot of hearts here. The hearts of people who rated this anywhere over 2 stars anyway.
I can’t judge the book as a whole, having given up just over a quarter of the way through. But that quarter I did read had enough problems to make me not want to pick it up again.
The writing This is supposed to be a dark NA romance. I quote: “This is not your typical romance. The story of Abby & Jake contains disturbing situations, graphic violence, sex, rape, strong language, drug use, and all types of abuse.. In theory, yes, it does contain all of those dark things. Thing was, it didn’t feel dark.
Frazier breaches the show, don’t tell rule repeatedly. As an extreme example, the most I felt during one attempted rape scene was uncomfortable. Partly from the content, but partly from the impassive, borderline sterile storytelling.
The writing was juvenile and made this feel like a story for grownups manipulated to be fit for children’s ears. It was weird.
The 22-year old hitman Do I need to explain this one? You’re trying to convince me that at 22 years old, Jake is a well-respected hitman who can demand $0.5 million a hit. That he was first hired to kill at 17 and what, he just knocked it out of the park?
Abby We spend the first 25% of the book (the entire length of my reading) hearing how much human touch repulses Abby. It causes her physical pain to the point that she has never voluntarily allowed someone to touch her since she was a kid. Not even her beloved Nan.
HOWEVER in true instalove fashion, the minute Jake tackles her to the ground hugs her, she is miraculously cured. She forgets that she hates being touched and is all over Jake like a heat rash.
I’m going to be the party pooper and say that I didn't enjoy this enough to finish it. I tried to like it, I tried for 60% of the damn book. I was I’m going to be the party pooper and say that I didn't enjoy this enough to finish it. I tried to like it, I tried for 60% of the damn book. I was happiest when Logan and Rachel were at logger heads and trying to kill each other. In fact, I hoped they would just kill each other / get each other killed already.
There wasn't enough meat on that plot to feed my cat (the skinny one). Meaning my focus was solely on the characters, whose journey (both personal and physical) only mildly piqued my interest. My attention was constantly ping-ponging between the hero and heroine, thinking why are you guys even attracted to, sorry, in love with, each other? You didn't even remotely like each other until 5 minutes ago.
Now, the writing wasn't bad. From memory (since I'm reviewing this months after the fact), it was actually quite good. So I'd be quite happy to try reading another story from Redwine. ...more
I'm a little flummoxed by the insanely high rating this book received. I guess I am once again in the minority.
This boo2.5 'this had potential' stars.
I'm a little flummoxed by the insanely high rating this book received. I guess I am once again in the minority.
This book had potential. No doubt about it. And not just in the somewhat [and this is insensitive I know] pedestrian stories about damaged heroines and the men who sweep them off their feet. The writing, the plot, the concept, all shouted "I'm worth reading"! And yet I couldn't.
The main problem for me was Kami. Kami is damaged by a god-awful childhood and she consequently has issues. But [being insensitive again] did she have to keep harping on about her issues? Kami constantly discussed how she had issues and how she was never going to get over them.
My second problem was what another reviewer dubbed the 'fluffy' romance. Because despite the dark issues, it was fluffier than a poodle gone through a car wash. I for one (and I think I AM the only one) could not understand how Kami had never in her 23 years been comfortable enough around a guy (bar Dom) to be interested in him. But one look at Blaine and she's on him like honey on a spoon.
My third and final problem were the supporting characters. They were WAY over the top. I’m not saying they should have been cookie cutter cardboat cutouts, but Dom, Angel and CJ had me saucer-eyed and mouthing ‘wtf’ every few pages. Dom and Angel's familial relationships with Kami were equally OTT. I'm OK with a little (a lot) of affection among friends. But when you're rubbing my face in their unorthodox relationship, it becomes a little uncomfortable.
Now, to finish off, I will say that a lot of people will enjoy (and have enjoyed) this. It's no reflection of the author that I didn't. ...more
There were good aspects. The sample off Amazon drew me in quickly and I liked Charley's strength. I liked her persistencI tried. It was just so long..
There were good aspects. The sample off Amazon drew me in quickly and I liked Charley's strength. I liked her persistence, her resilience to what was a horrifying situation. I liked that she didn't run from pain or her issues or her troubled relationship with Jay.
Jay, I'm kind of ambivalent toward. Nathan? Eh.
And the story. It was at once disturbing and fluffy, angsty and soft. And I think this is where it all fell apart for me. For a book which deals with something so dark and depraved and harrowing, the romance felt very instalove-y. Jay overcame his lifelong issues with touch almost instantly upon being reunited with Charley. Charley was amazingly recovered for what she went through. And it just felt a little.. underwhelming....more
I’m usually victim to ‘people pleaser complex’ whereby I need to make everyone happy, but I think I’ve really stepped out of that mould because here cI’m usually victim to ‘people pleaser complex’ whereby I need to make everyone happy, but I think I’ve really stepped out of that mould because here comes another unpopular review.
I’m going to start from the beginning so you can understand my scandalously low rating for this apparently 4-5 star book: I was looking for a YA romantic fantasy along the lines of Graceling, Poison Study, Throne of Glass and Slumber. These books had it all – the adventure; the relationship that starts of antagonistic but grows into love; hints of magic or otherworldliness; fighting; awesome righting and the F-factor (flippin awesome factor).
Finnikin of the Rock possesses: - the hate-to-love relationship (I’m assuming it turns to love because I didn’t get that far) - hints of magic or otherworldliness - fighting - hands-down fantastic writing
BUT it lacked the F-factor. I don’t know what the flippin awesome factor is but it is just something in a book that captivates my attention and doesn’t let it go, even after I’ve finished reading the book. It makes me read any/other other books by the author and hunt down books ‘similar to’ that book with lethal intensity.
Finnikin of the Rock didn’t captivate me. The writing was beautiful, the story intense and the characters rather unique. Evanjelin is not a typical fragile, beautiful damsel. Finnikin is not the doting, protective gentleman. They both made me question their morality at times and in a way that I appreciated – thank you for acknowledging the IQ of your readers. But their relationship... it was really slow and boring for me.
I think that’s why I stopped reading at 30% - the slow pace and lack of anything really ‘happening’, either with the characters or externally – are really different to my previous fantasy reads which went at break-neck speed.
The plot was really dark and held so much woe and despair, I kind of felt like time was frozen and the book wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. So that’s why I put it down. Doesn’t mean it wasn’t an incredible book; just means it wasn’t ‘it’ for me. ...more
I’ve been putting this review off for weeks because I seem to be the ONLY person who didn’t enjoy this. Let alone finish it. I don’t know why I2 STARS
I’ve been putting this review off for weeks because I seem to be the ONLY person who didn’t enjoy this. Let alone finish it. I don’t know why I waited so long; I think subconsciously I was expecting readers with pitchforks and torches to come after me?
The book (for me) was boring. And that’s difficult to say when there’s bullets flying and bullets being plucked from wounds every few pages. I had to force myself to get as far as I did (about 70% in?).
I didn’t care for the characters. Sarai and [I’ve forgotten the guy’s name already] were flat and had no redeeming features. I sympathised with Sarai’s story, but the girl herself gave up way too easily. The most I could say about her feelings for... Victor? yes, Victor was.. Stockholm syndrome? Maybe? Because there was nothing redeeming about HIM either.
Victor was like an evil autobot. And I love a good stoic hero! But they have to have a little personality. Even the chapters written from his POV sounded monotonous. And he must have super powers because some of the gun fights / feats of heroism were pretty ridiculous.
So that’s why this ended up in my DNF pile. ...more
I really tried with Defiance. On paper it ticks every YA Fantasy box I can think of – a slow-burn romance, a “and the plot thickens...” story, and somI really tried with Defiance. On paper it ticks every YA Fantasy box I can think of – a slow-burn romance, a “and the plot thickens...” story, and something external or unrelated to the romance or love interest that makes me want to keep reading. But I didn’t... want to keep reading that is.
I kept being distracted by other things – online shopping sales, people, other books.... and no matter how many times I picked this back up and wanted to finish it, I never did.
For me, it’s too young. Too simple. The characters were boring and the plot failed to spark any interest in me. I wanted to feel challenged, engaged, something and I didn’t so... this is being shelved. ...more
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