"Every minute you’re alive is a second chance to start over. I honor my past, but I don’t live in it. I choose this moment instead. Right here." "Every minute you’re alive is a second chance to start over. I honor my past, but I don’t live in it. I choose this moment instead. Right here."
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Siri, how do I put my heart back together after Emma Scott so elegantly broke it in two? [image] _______________
I'm not crying, you're crying.
This book. This. heartbreakingly. beautiful. book. Emma Scott achieved the impossible with this book.
I want this book to be in every high school library. I want this book handed out at Pride. I want this book to be read by every single person that thinks that they're alone in love.
This book is ugly. It's heavy and more times than not, you feel like you can't carry it. It's tough to chew and harder to swallow. It made me wince and cringe and I had to put my kindle away many many times. But this book is necessary. It took many different forms of hate and showed how there is only one universal form of love.
Emma Scott will always be one of my favourite authors. This book is no exception and only deepened my love for her writing and aptitude for storytelling. Except, with this book - it wasn't really a story because the things that happen in this book are still happening. Someday, Someday deals with the plight of love. It deals with Max Kaufman who was thrown out of his house by his family for being found with a boy. Then, Silas Marsh who at a very young age was sent to sexuality conversion therapy where he was tortured and terrorized. It portrays the destructive and futile values of homophobia whilst dealing with people who are undergoing immense mental battles. It shows how Max and Silas find each other as recovering drug addicts but mostly, how they find themselves through each other.
So yes. Whatever you're imagining when I say that this book is heavy and deals with topics that are necessary, double it.
"Don’t let go. Hold on and you’ll be safe. Let go and you’ll never be the same again."
I think this was the toughest out of all Emma's books that I have read. So many times during reading, I found myself sobbing. Because through all the animosity, hatred and trauma within this book, it is nothing if not a story of forgiveness. I struggled with this book a lot, in all honesty. It's very hard to focus on a love story, a romance between two people who have such tragic histories. The narrative we were given was not light in any way and then we got these screenshots of Max and Silas slowly falling in love. But by then end, I realized that, that was the entire point.
It goes to say that I'm only a reader, and a very small drop in the ocean that is Emma's Entourage but I am so, so fucking proud of Emma Scott because of this book.
Someday, Someday is a heart-wrenching tour de force that steals the air right from your lungs. It's ambitiously driven by hope and after hurting you and ripping you apart, it builds you back up again. I'm proud of Emma because no matter how painful and upsetting Silas and Max's story was, she refused to make it pretty, because that wouldn't be the truth. That's why it's her most beautiful book to date.
My heart hurt for so many people (Eddie deserves nothing more than a hug and the best life). My only slight problem was that I found some things (mostly dialogue) to be jarring and occasionally insensitive. Although the story started off somewhat slow, I was captivated a third way in and then it became unputdownable. I can so safely say though that Emma writes the stories that I wish I had the chance to experience for the first time, every time I re-read them.
“It’s funny to think,” Maria chipped in, “but if this was an actual rom‑com, you’d end up with the arrogant writer who, it would turn out, was only“It’s funny to think,” Maria chipped in, “but if this was an actual rom‑com, you’d end up with the arrogant writer who, it would turn out, was only using his massive ego to hide an endearing lack of confidence.” There was a moment of stunned silence in which we both stared at her. “I’m kidding! You’d never fall for that cockhat.”
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This was such an amazing book to curl up with. A feel-good, laugh-out-loud, insane romcom with a whole bunch of meet cutes that'll have you constantly turning the page! [image] _______________
Made for Netflix Before I start on my actual review of this book, I just want to say that this has all the ingredients for a perfectly unrealistic Netflix romcom that would be a complete hit! All the while I was reading this, I could just imagine it going from page to screen...
So, this was actually really enjoyable! I thought it was cute and inherently light enough to make me fly through it in more or less a couple days! I think it's perfect that this book is set to release in the month of December because it would be such a fluffy Christmas-time, Holiday-esque read... (even though it has nothing to do with either. There is a passing christmas scene, and that's pretty much it.) But, it's the atmosphere that had me reading this and gobbling it up like chocolate! It truly felt like a silly, insanely dramatized romantic comedy that you would see on the big screen. It was comical and didn't take itself too seriously, so I will definitely be reading this author again!
“No, she is not okay. For sodding’s sake, Janet, pass me a moist towelette.”
Rachel Winters delivers a really fun, hilarious and event-packed book that had me loving Evie Summers by the minute. Evie has to recreate a bunch of famous meet-cutes in order to keep her job. So begins a classic tale of awkward moments, adorable side-characters, class A dialogue and "love interests" that had going from cringes to smiles. The humor in this was very tongue-in-cheek and so many bizzare things ended up happening. Evie stayed true to herself from start to finish, and I loved seeing a female lead that didn't have that "damsel in distress" characteristic that most romcoms lean towards.
While I found it really addictive, there were some elements that I struggled with. Notably, there were A LOT of cliches in this book. From the gay best friend to the group of girls as support and even the single hot dad (which isn't to say that I didn't love Annette... she had my heart and soul). The ending was unique and although I didn't see it coming, some scenes lacked the bravado that I enjoyed during the first half of the book. The magic slowly simmered down towards the end, and everything felt fragmented and rushed. Yet, this is not to say that I didn't really like the "lesson" this book teaches, I did! I found the message behind this book deeper than it let on and I wasn't expecting that at all.
(view spoiler)[The main thing that ended up making this 3 stars was the fact that I found both the main love interests to be manipulative and unkind at times. While I loved Evie, I hated Ezra and began to be irritated with Ben towards the end. (hide spoiler)]...more
[image] This was such a fast, cute and floofy read. I usually always enjoy Cosway's work and Happy-Go-Luck“Have you been thinking about me, too?”
[image] This was such a fast, cute and floofy read. I usually always enjoy Cosway's work and Happy-Go-Lucky was no exception. It was something I cuddled up to with my coffee in the mornings and found myself smiling more often than not.
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Banter and Blunders
Whilst I enjoyed HGL, it does come with certain cliche and cringey moments. We have our main character Maisie who I thought would grate on my nerves after a while, but I actually ended up rooting for her during my reading process. Cameron was someone I ended up liking as Maisie got to know him more and I think both this aspects together completely sold the character development for me! HGL is definitely a light read with very tongue-in-cheek humor, and if you like a good-hearted office romance, you should definitely give this a shot!
The banter between Cameron and Maisie was at times cartoony but other times very adorable. My main issue with this story was that the 'mystery' didn't hook me as much as the romance did. I wish we got more of a gripping story arc because the potential was definitely there. As romance goes, this is completely a safe and comforting read -it's definitely more on the cute than sensual/sexy side... totally flew by!
"But then Cameron was kissing me again, and I couldn’t think straight. His hands were all over me, and I felt his hunger in the way he groaned when he massaged my breast over the top of my clothes. I sensed his desperation, like his lonely heart yearned for mine even if he’d never admit it."
[image] This was such a soft and lovely story filled with so many magical moments. From it's amazing cas"...but this feels right, doesn't it?"
[image] This was such a soft and lovely story filled with so many magical moments. From it's amazing cast of characters to its storyline that had me hooked from the start. Mooncakes was a joy to behold and the romance between Tam and Nova gave me all the feels. Tam is a non-binary werewolf and Nova is a chinese-american queer witch that lives with her two (kickass) grandmothers. I enjoyed the art style and the narrative kept me turning the pages. This was such a cute read that I flew through but I really wish that we got more substance on the magic system and the backgrounds of each character that led them to their arcs. Nevertheless, highly recommend to anyone looking for something to swoon over!
This was really cute and had great writing but unfortunately fell flat towards the end for me...I really enjoyed the plot and the cutesy relationship This was really cute and had great writing but unfortunately fell flat towards the end for me...I really enjoyed the plot and the cutesy relationship between the two main characters but I just wished for more the entire time!...more
If books were dresses, Colleen Hoover comes out with the ones WITH pockets!!! ___“I’ve only ever wanted to be with you.”
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If books were dresses, Colleen Hoover comes out with the ones WITH pockets!!! _______________
A Story You Won't Regret Every single time I pick up a CoHo book, I get pulled into such a distinct feeling. It's a nostalgic, hopeful, smiling-through-the-tears feeling that I can never find elsewhere. Regretting You exceeded my expectations and completely annihilated me. There is so much to be said of how well-crafted and beautiful this book was and I don't even know where to begin...
"Sometimes when we’re alone, he looks at me in a way that makes me feel empty when he looks away."
Let me start by suggesting that you should read this book with no prior knowledge of what the story entails. This is why this review is going to be spoiler-free, because that is honestly the only way you get to experience all the shocking and heartfelt moments for what they truly are.
Morgan and Clara's story are both so different but the way they weave together is flawless. Colleen Hoover always writes more than just a simple boy meets girl romance book. The main aspect of this book that I loved was the way Morgan and Clara loved and struggled with each other. This book could be read by a father, a mother and a daughter - it has a different tale to tell for each I think. Her writing is exceptional in this especially because she dealt with two completely different characters undergoing two completely different story arcs and developments. I could clearly distinguish between the voices and the separate accounts of grief.
“Dinner is ready. Go tell them before he gets her pregnant.”
You always get a mixture of humor, love and loss with CoHo books and this did not fail to go above and beyond that. Also, I do think this can be placed on the boundary of YA and NA. (I'd personally agree with the YA Contemporary rating).At first, I worried that I wouldnt be able to appreciate the romance stories within this book because I was too invested in the actual plot of the family, but I could not have been more wrong. The romance in this made my heart pitter-patter just like a CoHo book always does. I swear, Colleen outdoes herself every year.
It's weird writing this review because I usually have to go through pages and pages of highlights and notes that I made so that I can end up with a clear and succinct review to express my thoughts but I had close to no notes/highlights for Regretting You. That's how unputdownable this was. I was a 4 am in the morning type of crazy when I realized I had finished 80% of the book in less than a day. That's the worst kind of obsession with CoHo books, you end up reeling because you just swallowed the entire story up and now you're left having to wait for the next time she decides to grace us with a novel.
“I didn’t think our first kiss would be like that,” he says quietly. “Like what?” “Sweet.” “How did you think it would be?” His eyes wander to the few remaining customers still lingering. “I can’t show you in here.”
I absolutely loved this and my adoration of how this woman can take a story and make a masterpiece never fails to leave me stunned. ...more
"In the beginning, they’d rejoiced. Sons were always preferable. Sons were the lifeblood. The protectors. The warriors. The farmers. How foolish th"In the beginning, they’d rejoiced. Sons were always preferable. Sons were the lifeblood. The protectors. The warriors. The farmers. How foolish they’d all been."
[image] [image] I don't really have to proper words to describe just how well-crafted and ingenious The First Girl Child was. So, this review is going to be a shell of what it potentially could be, simply because Amy Harmon completely stole my words away and I'm jealous of those that may experience this for the first time. [image] _______________
The World The First Girl Child takes place in a land called Saylok, named after the son of Odin. Odin created an island for Saylok as he loved both nature and wanted to hide away from the ideals of men. However, Loki, being the God of Mischief, set out to see Saylok suffer and afflicted all six of Saylok's sons that were born in the six different villages. Each son soon began to take the form of different animals, Adyar the eagle, Berne the bear, Ebba the boar, Dolphys the wolf, Joran the horse, and Leok the lion. In result, Saylok formed a temple in the midst of these six villages in order to appoint keepers to protect the lands, runes and his children. We know from Norse mythology that Odin did not have any such son named Saylok, but Harmon's imagination and vivid descriptions of the world and the history makes it almost seem too real.
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Our story takes place many generations after the birth of Saylok's land, and now our chieftains of each village only resemble their animal ancestries. We begin by following a keeper named Dagmar and his safe-keeping of his deceased sister's son. I went into this story not knowing much except the blurb and although it pulled me in, I really cannot begin to explain how much more this novel holds. It follows the journey of many people; some bad, some worse but most who are bold. Yes, this has tinges of romance but the key focus lies on the story of different people in search of themselves.
“You make me want to be seen,” she said, and his gaze shot to hers, searing, searching. “I have always seen you, Ghost.”
The Story In all honesty, The First Girl Child is a clever commentary on the misogynistic injustices of a social society whilst also being a kick-ass fantasy novel with both adventure and intrigue. The undertones of feminism laced within the world-building was something that I've never seen before in such a traditional take on fantasy. We weren't left with lots of info-dumps or a prolonged introduction of the characters, only a longing that never really stopped until the last page. This novel read more like a magical tale or legend, parred with Harmon's lush visuals and captivating writing.
This story gets slow at times, which is the only reason I couldn't give it five stars. It spans more than twenty years, so don't expect a fast-paced novel. Yet, it made the gripping parts even more thrilling. The "magic" or rune system in this book is the best kind of slow burn because you understand its symbolism and meaning more towards the end. Even if the story stalls at times, don't give up. The First Girl Child can break your heart only to patch it up again in the best way and I highly recommend picking it up!
“Life is not kind to women,” Ghost sighed. “My sister said the same thing. But life is not especially kind to men either. Life is suffering, and we all suffer.” “Mayhaps God did not love your sister as much as his other children?” Ghost heard her bitterness and met his gaze with defiance. “Or mayhaps he loved her more and could not be without her.”
The relationships between Alba and Bayr + Ghost and Dagmar + Bayr and Dagmar and even Ivo + The Chieftains were so brilliantly layered that I could separate the characteristics of each one and none of them would be the same. The clear distinctions between themes of love, redemption, sacrifice, power and grief were brutally co-dependent but each relationship had its own uniqueness. Least to say, I think everyone should pick this book up, for more reasons than one.
“We are abused. We are used. We are bartered and abandoned. But rarely are we loved. So be it. From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok for any of you to love.”
Trigger warnings for self harm (a part of the rune system), abuse, heavy misogyny.
The quotes in this review are taken from an ARC and are subject to change preceding final publication. ...more
“But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."
[image] [image] My heart is so entirely full, it's nearly overflowing. This book was in a“But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."
[image] [image] My heart is so entirely full, it's nearly overflowing. This book was in a word; matchless. I laughed, I loved, I cried but mostly loved every beautiful little thing that led up to the last page. Now, having finished, I wish for nothing more but to go all the way back to the beginning and start again. As readers, sometimes -very rarely- you come across a book that quintessentially becomes a mantra, a new sense of hope and a burst of something you never really knew existed. I don't think I will ever forget this novel.
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On the off chance this book hasn't already won you over...
For a glimpse on my current situation: i'm sporting sweatpants, haven't cooked for more than 24 hours, hair's an absolute mess, feel like screaming how gay i am out the window, and completely abandoned my responsibilities. my horoscope did not prepare me for this.
When this book is published, and readers pick it up for the first time, I'm going to be sitting and watching all the emotions unfurl and all the fan;art,fiction,girling commence. And while I sit and watch, I'm going to be so jealous of everyone that has the luxury of reading this for the first time.
It's equal parts funny and loving and clever and tragic. I made a note on my kindle at page 3 stating "this is it," because that's how much I could feel the energy of a fucking brilliant book in my hands. The camaraderie and friendship combined with rebellion and sexy banter is almost too good to be in one novel. This is quite possibly the easiest five stars I have ever given.
"So, you can hate the heir to the throne all you want, write mean poems about him in your diary, but the minute you see a camera, you act like the sun shines out of his dick, and you make it convincing.” “Have you met Henry?” Alex says. “How am I supposed to do that? He has the personality of a cabbage.”
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A Tribute
In more ways than one, the story behind Alex and Henry's relationship is magic. There is quite a lot of politics involved, quite a lot of drunkedness and quite a lot of soft moments that make you clutch your kindle slightly tighter.
"But he thinks about Henry, and, oh. He thinks about Henry, and something twists in his chest, like a stretch he’s been avoiding for too long."
This was an enemies to lovers romance with so much more going for it. A beautiful feeling arose throughout the book as I saw the family and the omnipresent feeling of hope through friends. Nora gave me life and made me swoon. June was someone we all need in our life, alongside Pez. Bea was the softest cinnamon role in the whole bakery and when they were all together, my heart started singing.
“Alexander, babes,” Pez says when he picks up. “How lovely for you to give your auntie Pezza a ring on this magnificent Sunday morning.” He’s smiling from what looks like the passenger seat of a luxury car, wearing a cartoonishly large sunhat and a striped pashmina."
I wish I could go up to every one that will ever have doubts about reading this book and beg them to give it a chance. Sometimes, I'm skeptical about picking up new authors - especially, when they are debuting with a genre that means so much to me. Yet, here I am, falling incredibly in love with everything this book is and will continue to be in my life.
"I would always remember that, the way he made parts of me ache that I had never felt before. I would always be thankful for that."
[image] Having r"I would always remember that, the way he made parts of me ache that I had never felt before. I would always be thankful for that."
[image] Having reasonably enjoyed Anna Todd's After Series, this was something of a letdown for me. It had its perks that made you want to read on... but they were a few and a well-spaced few.
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To Begin, I have always taken notes on the books I read. I used to highlight, jot down and (vandalize) every book that meant something to me. However, when I started blogging late last year - I ended up doing it with every book I read. Regardless of its format.
I do this so when it comes to review time, my review ends up being an honest interpretation of what I was feeling whilst reading the book. Sometimes that affects the rating, sometimes it doesn't. I often do it to remember the good moments, but there are some books that I highlight quotes so I can back up the claims I'm making on my review.
While I was reading back my notes in time for this review, I ended up laughing because;
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I can explain that last one. I found myself to be so unfocused on the plot that my head had managed to subconsciously think of all the other things I should be doing, and so I wrote down that I had to buy groceries on my kindle so I would remember the next day. I bought the milk, don't worry babes ;)
That long winded introduction leads me to the first thing about this book that didn't mesh well with me. It had a premise and blurb that seemed so promising and unique, yet nothing really hooked on to me. I was reading because I had to and not because I want to. That being said, I actually remember enjoying her After series and her writing albeit atypical really works well with me. This book just didn't .
The plot was mainly two dimensional and so were the characters for me. There were some really cliche and "instal-love" moments that had me cringing and wishing that the execution was better. I ended up fleshing out the setting and the context more than the characters and that made it really hard to invest myself into their chemistry.
Cliffhanger Warning If you've already read the reviews, I'm pretty sure a lot of them will warn you that this is a part of a series. When the book had just been added to Goodreads, there was no indication that it wasn't a standalone and I went into it thinking that it was. There is a cliffhanger ending but I don't know if I plan on reading on.
There wasn't any dialogue that felt realistic, a lot of lapses in narration and just an overall awkward feeling. The writing often had an "I did this then that then went there and did that" undertone with the flow and pace. I'm used to Anna Todd's unusually lengthy bouts of inner monologue in her text. However, in this it completely swallowed the romance and the story of the characters and their development.
I think there was a reach for a slowborn but all I could feel was the slow... ...more
“You go after one, you go after all. You know the rules.”
[image] [image] [image] [image] This review took a while because of the following; - personal“You go after one, you go after all. You know the rules.”
[image] [image] [image] [image] This review took a while because of the following; - personally, this book dragged too much and it took self motivation to finish - I really wanted to like this and I kept forcing myself because I really want to experience the hype behind TIJAN.
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Meet The Crew i. Jordan Pitts ii. Zellman Greenly iii. Cross Shaw iv. Bren Monroe
I nearly had a problem with all fucking four;
i. Jordan was probably the only one I didn't really mind, and that was purely because his dialogue and scene presence was minimal.
ii. “She gives good head.” Zellman shook his head. “You know how rare that is? Not a lot of girls give good head. They’re not properly taught.” - Enough said.
iii. Cross felt too one dimensional. He is our love interest, and let me just say - I did not even get a hint of chemistry. I actually was confused in the start and spent time trying to decipher who the love interest was because it felt like there was no spark. Then there's Bren...
iv. Bren Monroe pissed the living hell out of me. I understood why she was the way she was, but I just couldn't get on board with how childish she acted. Mind you, she is a child and I often looked past different situations because of this. There was occasional moments where I sympathized with her, but those moments were short and far spread.
"That was my crew. Along with Jordan, there were two others besides myself—Cross Shaw and Zellman Greenly. My name is Bren Monroe, and even though I’m in the middle of this whole dark diatribe, and even though we look like the bad guys right now, things aren’t always as they seem."
The Plot I feel like this was the biggest issue I had with this book. Nothing hooked me enough that I didn't forget about the page count. I love that feeling when you're so into a book that you suddenly realize you only have three chapters left because HOLY SHIT! you've been glued to the page.
no. this did not occur in this one, folks.
Half the time, I had no idea what the hell was going on - nearly every second chapter there was a brawl or a fight and it had nearly no advancement in the plot or character development. This is definitely a slow burn in the romance department as well. Yet, I didn't feel a spark in the start to even start the burn; so when the h and H actually ended up getting together it felt like a straight forest burner. The plot moved way too slow for me and it dragged.
I know a lot of people who really enjoyed this, and I've been recommended the Fallen Crest series various times. So in my plight of trying to salvage love for both TIJAN's characters and writing, I might venture into that series later this year.
However, this one contained slut shaming, unrealistic teacher-student relationships and personal space violations galore. Not for me.
The "Normals"
"Sunday night. People had been to church this morning, and we’d beaten someone bloody this evening."
I felt like the concept of "crews" vs. "normals" and that segregation was too pushed. The concept was something really simple, yet the world building was inorganic because every possible time Crew was mentioned and the 'rules' that surrounded being in one, I felt like it was a research chapter. The idea is so unique and the blurb really had a lot of potential in my eyes but unfortunately, I felt like the execution could have been done better.
This review is really straight to the point and I feel like it might come out harsh in that way. I really do hope people don't experience what I did while reading this. You could completely tell the author spent a lot of time building both her world and her characters. You can also tell that there are subjects that could be so relevant to today's youth. Overall, I just couldn't get behind it (doesn't mean you cant ;)...more
"I wondered if Autumn ever saw a sky like this in Nebraska. I hoped she had. I hoped someday she’d see something like this. I wished I could give i"I wondered if Autumn ever saw a sky like this in Nebraska. I hoped she had. I hoped someday she’d see something like this. I wished I could give it to her. I would bring down the stars for her…"
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Three Words: Only. Emma. Scott.
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A Start Note Bittersweet is the only word that I can think of when I think of how to describe this novel. It's the word that Weston, Autumn and Connor hand in hand tattoo over your heart as you flip the pages. Bring Down The Stars will leave you reeling and with every heartache, you'll feel how tragic love is, but how magical it can be at the same time.
“Bye, Weston. Nice talking to you.” I nodded stiffly. “Yep.” Because that’s what all great writers say to a beautiful girl they want to impress. Yep."
Some people were born to write, and I know that every single person that picks this up will feel the same way. For the simple fact, that if a book can make you feel exactly what each and every character is feeling so deeply; then the author has chosen every word perfectly to create it. I know whenever I pick up an ES book, it will be one that I won't soon forget. This was everything and more than that.
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"And this is how you wound up with a broken heart in the first place."
Forget Everything You Think You Know I would actually recommend going into this blind, not knowing the plot. That way every emotion will hit you like a bullet train and every scene can cause a hurricane in your heart. Let this book possess you.
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Within the cracks of love and loss, there are small webs of humor and pockets of poetry that will steal your breath away. A tale of finding yourself only to lose yourself, giving it all up for those you love most and three people that adore each other passionately. If only we had a 'classics' of the Romance Genre, because this book could be studied, it's that extraordinary.
"I wished we were alone. And sober. Not that half-in-the-bag Autumn wasn’t enjoyable, but I wanted to talk to the girl I’d met in the library, the one who was having a hard time choosing which broken piece of the world to fix first."
The atmosphere that was given by this was so palpable. Almost like you could reach out and you'd be right there in the library, in the bar or sitting having dinner with the Drake's and wanting to reach out and hug all three misfits.
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I think there will be a handful of you that will only read this when the second book releases. Which in all fairness, is probably the wisest decision because this does end with a cliffhanger that will make you want to drop everything and reach for the second book. I will be counting down the days till I get an email giving me a release date ;)
“Connor, just…” I rubbed my eyes. “Forget me. Forget this conversation. I’ll get over it. Her. I have nothing with her. You do. Love her back, man. It’s so easy.”
Unrequited Love Trigger Warnings: (view spoiler)[cheating (not justified) (hide spoiler)] There's something so poetic and desperate about the romance in this book. Each character needs the other for so many different reasons, yet Weston stole my heart by a landslide.
"I liked toying with people to get them riled up, and she’d seemed an easy mark. But instead of walking away, she’d met me head on. I liked that. I liked her. And I didn’t like anyone."
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This is not your usual love triangle. That trope is usually associated with cliches and stereotypical scenes, yet this was so much more than that. This story will move you with how much love there is within it. The sacrifices made will kill you and most times, you'll find yourself with wet cheeks but not knowing if you're happy or devastated.
"My gaze landed on Autumn. I’m thankful for that smile of hers, Even when it’s not meant for me."
This is the first time I've five starred an Emma Scott book. Not that every book didn't deserve it, but I usually gave it four stars because I felt like it was missing such a tiny something. Five stars don't come easily to me and for a book to completely whip me away like this one did; it deserves all the stars in the sky and more. It was a privilege reading it. It was like second nature to love it.
"You’re the Halley’s Comet of girls. The kind that doesn’t come around but maybe once in a life. I don’t want to spend the rest of mine wondering what might’ve been if I hadn’t tried, one last time, to take you someplace where every man will stare at you, and wish they were me."
An End Note Now that I've tried putting to words what an awe-inspiring writer Emma Scott is (which in all its intents and purposes, I will probably never do justice. Yet, I will keep finding new ways to express my love for her up and until she decides to publish her last book - I will still be there, reading till the bitter end) I want to try and explain what a person she is.
Earlier this summer, I read a Facebook post that completely threw me off my axis. I'm not a mother, nor can I ever imagine what it feels like to have your heart absolutely break because you've lost of piece of it.
However, I do want to say that when I read about Isabel, I finally understood why the love in Emma's books make them what they are. How in every page, no matter where you are or what you're doing - you're left a little breathless and stunned because it's such a raw form of unconditionality. No matter what love you are talking about; whether it be a man to a woman or a man to another man, two best friends or even a mother to her daughter. It's that fundamental powerless feeling that another being holds your whole world in the palm of their hands, and to even think of them leaving you means your whole world has left with them too.
This woman writes love because she is filled to the brim with it. I wish her nothing but courage and bravery onwards and upwards.
She's up there smiling with all the other angels and so proud of you, Emma. You've watched over her for as long as you could. Now she can do the same for you.
“Beauty and pain,” she said, almost to herself. “I don’t think you can separate the two.” “Maybe pain exists to make us appreciate the beauty,” I said."
[image] This was such a warm book hug *heart eyes* _____________
The Plot I'm late to the love for this“It would always be summer on the island.”
[image] This was such a warm book hug *heart eyes* _____________
The Plot I'm late to the love for this book. On The Island has been on my tbr for the longest of time for one thing and one thing only; the premise. The story that Graves writes is so one-of-a-kind and unique (which is pretty hard to find in the Romance genre) that it begs it's readers to give it a go.
“I don't fit in your world." "Neither do I," he said, his expression tender yet resolute. "So let's make our own. We've done it before.”
Anna Emerson is a thirty year old teacher that flies to the Maldives with her summer tutor student - seventeen year old T.J Callahan. Packing her bags and leaving behind her boyfriend, John she hopes on a plane with her whole summer planned.
When they find out they have to take a sea plane into the island, their plans get changed. Then when the pilot suffers from cardiac arrest, both T.J and Anna realize that they're about to crash land in the middle of the ocean. (Re-writing the plot for this, makes me want to dive right back into it... pun intended)
Anna and T.J survive the crash but have to learn to survive in isolation on an island. All they have are the clothes on their backs and each other. The story follows their fight for survival, it is a coming of age in the sense both characters develop in different manners. Stuck on an island, learning how to find food, water and shelter is hard enough... and as nobody seems to be coming and saving them - they build a trust too.
[image]
“Don’t let go,” I whispered. “I wasn’t going to.”
Little Gems There was so much packed into this book. Humor, love, survival, grief, growing up... It was such a wonderful treat to sit down with some chocolates and just escape. Although, the writing was mediocre - the author really does a good job with imagery and you end up being on the island with Anna and T.J.
[image]
I read this in one sitting and it was like having a hot chocolate on a cold wintry night. This review seriously is filled with so many chocolate references... I guess, that should really just prove how I enjoyed it!
“I woke up with a hard-on. I usually did, and it wasn’t like I had any control over it. Now that we weren’t almost dead, my body must have decided all systems were a go. ”
One thing I enjoyed was the humor through the tragic. T.J is a cancer patient and their situation is so fragile. The pacing and the timing for when their bond started to form into friendship and later more, was so perfectly planned. It didn't feel too fast or too slow. I was skeptical about how the writer would pull of the age gap (also cheers for showing that women can be older too!) but it was done so meticulously!
I wish I read this sooner and during the time my GR friends did. I would have loved to seen the hype for this grow and see more and more people fall in love on the island <3
“You named the chicken, Chicken?" She looked embarrassed. "When we decided not to kill it, I got attached.”
"Our breathing turned ragged, echoing into our mouths. My whimpering had his eyes blazing like black coal as he watched me climb closer and closer."Our breathing turned ragged, echoing into our mouths. My whimpering had his eyes blazing like black coal as he watched me climb closer and closer. “Yes, Mouse. Come on your husband’s cock.”
[image] [image]
Something old: I'm such a sucker for second chance romances Something new: I'm such a sucker for Callum Welsh Something borrowed: "He’d broken my heart too many times to count, but I wouldn’t let him break me." Something blue: [image]
[image] ____________
The Story Before getting into the story, I would like to say this whole plot worked incredibly well because both main characters were cunning. Fucked up in their own unique way and so perfect for each other. I enjoyed this more than Toby and Pippa's and I think that narrows down to the plot being just the well balanced amount of angst and sexual tension.
Callum and Renee almost instantly detest each other when they first meet as teenagers. Rebelling against both their mothers wishes, they put a cork over their attraction to one another. Throw in some teenage hormones, jealousy, birthdays and a whole lot of teasing and bam! They begin to fall for each other in what I think is the sweetest part of the whole story. As their love grows and they start heading for college, they decide to make their own choices and get married. But when college does happen, things don't go to plan for both our lovers.
This was a enemies to friends to lovers to enemies to friends with benefits to enemies to friends to lovers romance.
Do I have your attention yet? ;)
In all honesty, Pretty Venom is the type of book that pulls you in and doesn't let you go. Before you know it, you'll be at the last page and you'll feel that bittersweet sting from reading an Ella Fields novel... wondering when she'll grace us with the next Gray Springs adventure.
"Even after they’d torn your heart to shreds and used it as a weapon against you, you could still love that same person with a ferocity that bordered on magic. And maybe that was the crux of it. Love was magic. Capable of making you believe the impossible was always possible."
Minnie Mouse, Mermaids and Messages
“Do you still get wet thinking about me?” he asked.
I enjoyed the quirks. More than I care to admit, I enjoyed the fact that the author wrote a kick-ass woman! (No matter how screwed up). There was some dialogue that had me double guessing the entire story because I thought: "This shouldn't be okay for him/her to say..." But this is where the mermaids outsmart the sharks and anything horrible said was never taken by the person.
As always, I shall provide with example:
"When I said nothing, his hold tightened. “You know, it’s not attractive, this sudden insecurity.” (Callum) “You know what else isn’t attractive?” I whispered, watching his eyes dart to my glossed red lips. “A husband who forgets he’s married.” (Renee)
So although some parts did bother me, I decided to rate up and give this four rather than 3 stars.. because to be fair it reached around 3.75. Besides, when you've got a character like Callum Welsh that stole your heart all the way back in the first book, you've got to give some credit for execution.
If you like steamy, angsty and secretly sweet coated stories - this one's completely for you. However, take the authors warning into consideration before reading because as much as these two are amazing, they're also pretty amazing assholes ;)
Edit: I'm actually going to go ahead and rate this 3 stars like I initially planned because after going through the notions - this was really a great read, but giving it four stars is probably too much ;) ...more
[image] This was....weird.. to say the least. Whilst having never read the four father series, I actually found mys“Do you think I’m a psychopath?”
[image] This was....weird.. to say the least. Whilst having never read the four father series, I actually found myself catching on way faster than i anticipated. However, I still couldn't get over how weird it was. How oddly addicting the whole plot was, and no matter how unrealistic - these four sons are actually quite addicting.
[image] ____________
Short Introduction to the Four Sons Series What I feel would be really helpful before I get into this review is giving any potential readers (whom, like me would want to read this without having to read the four other former novels) a taste for where the plot and story kicks into.
We are pushed into the plot immediately by the untimely murder of Eric Pearson. He is a well established business-man and a fully deserved titled asshole. He has four sons - Hayden nineteen, Brock seventeen, Nixon sixteen, and Camden fifteen. All four of these boys never grew up with a stable mother figure as theirs 'ran away' when they were young.
Enter Rowan Wheeler
Friends with all four of the brothers, Eric seduced Rowan as soon as she turned eighteen even though at the time, she was dating his son, Brock. (SEE?!?! It's fucking weird). They go on to have a major daddy kink fest full of sex, sex, sex and... love? This not only sets off anger within the four sons, but also Rowan's dad (who is a known serial killer) is NOT happy.
"I didn’t always have this darkness inside me. My soul became tainted, murky with other people’s darkness, their sins raining down over me like acid saturating me, infecting my core."
Massive Triggers This book was weird because it had so many of the subjective characteristics that should well be established in the dark romance genre. Which, by the cover is this novel - I would have never guessed.
Instead, I would like to raise a glass to the author for stating this before the book even began: "This novel contains some scenes that may be triggers for the sensitive reader. Please read with caution."
I cannot begin to express my gratitude for this because if I had gone on to read this (which by the way, I was on a 14 hour flight - so apologies for the late review) having not known that there would be sensitive subject material and themes that are considered taboo and dark. This review would be a whole other ball game.
First, the fact that the Nixon and Rowan get together after her being with his dad (view spoiler)[ and being pregnant with his kid (hide spoiler)] brings a shit load of double dipping scenarios that I don't even want to take out this book and into the real world. But I guess, this book was weird and unrealistic enough that it worked? The insta-lust and the improbabilities were all so unbelievable that it made this actually pretty fun to read.
Mind you, I fucking loved Camden. So he was another bonus.
Overall, although this novel itself may not have been memorable, the characters and the story certainly was. I don't know if I'm planning to read Brock and Hayden's stories - But I really want to know what happens to Cam.
“Because I want you. I want all of you. I want to fuck you until you can’t walk or talk, or fucking see straight. I want to ruin you, break you, an“Because I want you. I want all of you. I want to fuck you until you can’t walk or talk, or fucking see straight. I want to ruin you, break you, and make you bleed so I can make it up to you again. I want to fuck you so hard that I leave an imprint of my cock inside of you, so everyone after me knows that you’re mine.”
[image] [image] Is there such a thing as too much angst?
Please Note: This review contains spoilers and please do not read it, if you plan on picking this book up in the future <3
[image] ____________ Recipe for Disaster (Alex Style): 1/3 cup cheating 2 cups of slut shaming 45ml of unlikeable characters 1tsp. of a decent character (optional, as this will disappear towards the end of the process) 1000grams of unnecessary angst.
Cooks Note: Do not add any chemistry to this recipe.
~Mix Well and Serve Cool~
Flip Trick This might have been one of my most anticipated releases of this year. When I say that, I mean from the day I saw a teaser on Facebook, till the day I received my arc - I was constantly thinking about Maddox and Amethyst.
I dropped everything to read this and I was certain that it was going to be a winner in every sense of the matter. This book actually made me realize that maybe, starting from next year - I shall only review the books that I loved and want to rave about, because I know how hard authors work on writing, editing and going through the whole publication methodology of releasing a novel. I hate giving low reviews because it feels like I'm throwing bad energy at a book that didn't work for me, but could potentially work for many others.
The last part of this book was so unnecessary and there was so much drama that floated around, I couldn't keep up with all the story arcs. Then, there was the fact that every single member of their family thought it was dandy to just FUCK YOUR STEP-SISTER!??
Maybe, it's also because I'm reading Game of Thrones simultaneously - but I think even that was the least of my triggers with this book. There was a lot of time jumping and adding in information that had no meaning. It all felt a bit overwhelming for me.
That being said, this really wasn't my cup of tea. There were so many no-go zones that it constantly danced on, I felt like DNFing... but I read on.
Let me start with my first issue:
The Characters. From the start of this book, I disliked Leila. It started with her being selfish, which then trailed into her practically pressing Amethyst to lose her virginity... why is it so wrong for a girl to be a virgin and not want to have sex with a random stranger?!?
“Your fortress? Well, sorry to say, but I’m going to need your 'fortress' to be trampled in a lot more than once every six months, not to mention after one month of seeing a guy. Loosen up, Ame! Trust me. The best feeling ever.”
I thought she was a really bad influence on Ame and after feeling a bit of euphoria from some chapters, she really dragged me down.
“Ame, it was a one-night stand. Maddox has them probably every weekend with girls who he deems worthy of him.” she rolls her eyes, and I sense something there. Maybe there’s something she isn’t telling me."
Next up, is the range from Amethyst to the men in this book.
1) Since when is it okay to slut-shame? And whore-shame?? Especially in a book where the author controls what comes out of the characters 'mouths'?
2)
The fear of not knowing if she’s going to remember is damn near crippling. What if she doesn’t want me? What if she doesn’t allow me to show her? What would I do then? I’d lock her in my basement and make her, that’s what.
I don't know what to comment about that. I really don't.
3)
“I don’t know. We pushed and pulled for a bit, but I can’t deny that there’s a bond with him. It’s easy, and not complicated. He has a bad reputation on campus, you know, womanizer and because he beats people’s faces in for a living, it only adds to his bullshit appeal.” I suck in a deep breath. “But he’s not any of those people when he’s with me, which is what makes all the difference. You know me, Dad. He’s not my type at all.” Dad quirks an eyebrow. “I know. But maybe this is what you needed. Those nerd boys you messed around with were little fucks.”
4) The only character I liked was Talon. He had an open relationship with a girl, and in the last part of the book this is what we find out:
"Then he tied me to the bed and made me sit and watch while he fucked another girl. I kneeled, gagged, mascara running down my face, ropes tied around my wrist while he fucked this girl senseless all while watching me. I cried, because I loved him, and we hadn’t swung or been with other people in almost a year. This felt like cheating, and it was. He broke my heart when he fucked her savagely..."
It's sad because I really wanted to love the shit out of this book. That cover is gorgeous and this author is kind and caring to her readers. Not to mention, she has another series that is so hyped that I might try reading that instead because that seems amazing too!! O...more
"If I was brutally honest with myself, I was mostly in love with her and I’d never even said hello."
[image] I had to read this book sectionally. "If I was brutally honest with myself, I was mostly in love with her and I’d never even said hello."
[image] I had to read this book sectionally. Only because I promised myself I would not DNF it, nor would I make my final judgement until and unless I've read that last page. I knew I had to leave my review for a handful of days after release day, because for all intents and purposes - Pepper Winters deserves any and all success with her releases, and I wanted to give myself time to try and understand this book. Unfortunately, the case seems to be that whilst I will continue to support and read Pepper's future material, this book will never be for me.
[image] _______________
The line between Romance and Romanticization
Firstly, this is a note that there will be spoilers sprinkled across this review, so read with your own caution.
No matter how much I love a good 'dark' romance, I will always differentiate between romanticization and romance itself. The romanticization of a toxic relationship can be very detrimental to those reading, especially in this genre - where I know that there are young readers. No matter how many trigger warnings you forewarn a reader with, (which there weren't any, but that's an entirely different bone to pick) there will always be some form of absorption when you read new information.
I have read a lot of romance that does tackle dark themes as well as abusive relationships in the "correct" manner. Wherein, both parties realize that it is a abusive relationship and either get help or walk away. That being said, we all love our happily ever afters and our romances to be coated in all sorts of sugar, I know I do. Yet, sometimes we also love reading about stories with a sense of realism, with problems that people face in real life. These are the stories that are the most dangerous when done "wrong." When a little girl or boy, becoming a young adult perceives the behaviors in the book to be true and justified. This was my constant fear with The Body Painter.
I have mentioned in the past that I have been in very toxic relationships but in this instance, for the life of me, and I didn't know why - I kept thinking to myself, "What if I had a daughter in Olin's position?" or "What if I had a son in Gil's position?"
This book made me uncomfortable, and not in the way that gripped me. I did not like a single damn character. The relationship between Olin and Gil was toxic to its core. I spent most of my time fearing for Olin because I felt Gil would snap at her at any moment. I understand that kindness is a virtue, and at first I thought Olin was being both strong and brave. As the story went on however, I felt like grabbing Olin and getting the fuck away from Gil together. There was so much foreshadowing of physical abuse and dialogue that made me want me to throw my damn kindle.
Let me walk you through some examples;
1) Let's start by the dialogue and the way Gil and Olin spoke to each other. I almost feel like I was able to stomach the constant back and forth between the two MC's because I thought somewhere down the line, Olin would stand up for herself. I knew that the end of the book would try and "justify" his cruelty towards her, but there should be no justification for treating and talking to a girl like she's an object. None.
▶︎“I’m going to fuck you and then you’re walking out that door and never coming back.” The lace of alcohol in his tone didn’t slur but added a cruelty that only sent more fire into my already bleeding need." ▶︎“I promised myself I’d be as cruel as necessary to keep you away. That I’d hurt you all over again if that’s what it took. But...I’m too fucking weak. You’re perfect. You’ve always been perfect.”
2) These are threats, that on the surface level - manipulate you into thinking that Gil is about to hurt her. Even if he means a third party will hurt her, these are all manipulations of violence and promises of abuse.
▶︎Gil:“I’m better off alone, believe me.” Olin: “You need medical attention.” Gil: “So will you if you don’t leave.” ▶︎“His eyes flashed with history. Of the time he’d physically hurt me. Of the time his words had the power to stop my heart.”
3)The constant danger of physical abuse and fear that Gil is going to be "pushed too far," is the terror that drives Olin to be cautious. Yet, she keeps coming back. There is nothing called being "pushed too far" that equates to physical violence. This is not a justification, nor should it be to anyone reading.
▶︎"But what if he doesn’t ask me to leave next time? What if he threw me out physically? What if he hurt me like he had when I’d pushed him too far at school?" ▶︎“For fuck’s sake, Olin.” His eyes flashed, reminding me all over again of the nastiness he was capable of. “I told you to go! Don’t make me hurt you.”
4) The repetition bothered me too much. He would treat her like shit, she would go away only to come back the next day. Rinse and repeat. This isn't romance at all, this is something you see on a psychologists pamphlet that lets you know you're not in a working relationship. Gil would say such awful things and Olin would justify it herself.
▶︎"He’d bit me, licked me, devoured me, and ordered me to never go back. But he’s hurting..." ▶︎“I didn’t want you then, and I don’t want you now. You’re embarrassing yourself, Olin. Chasing after a man who has no intention of ever being with you again.”
5) Olin started pissing me off and soon as she inherently became a carpet. Gil would be an ass to her and she would be bothered that they didn't get to keep kissing or fucking. Then I felt a mixture of confusion and irritation because she genuinely wanted Gil to reach his breaking point in the most poisonous way. The main heroine wondering if she was safe or not with her supposed love interest is not something I really look for in a romance...
▶︎"“I think there is a connection.” I looked up briefly, studying how close I was to pushing him over the edge. Push harder. Earn answers. Be prepared to run if he snaps." ▶︎“Yes, I’m very lucky Gilbert was there. I’m safe with him.” Are you? Are you truly?” ▶︎"I’d lied for him. I’d drained myself of everything at his request.
6) Eventually, there was two scenes that completely threw me over. The first one entailed Gil mocking Olin's sanity because she was concerned about the bruises and cuts he sported. The second was an incident where Olin "slipped," and then Gil went on to ask her to lie to the police without giving her any fucking reason other than to trust him, right after he hurt her.
▶︎“Why? Did you not see his injuries?” The bruise on his jaw. The cut on his lip. Gil stiffened as if I’d given away all his secrets. Shoving hands into his hoodie pocket, he stormed toward a trestle table chock-full of glass jars containing brushes and rags. “She’s seeing things. I actually fear for her mental stability. Get rid of her, will you, Miller?”
▶︎“Wh-what happened?” I licked my lips, wincing as another throb of pain found me. He jerked as if I’d slapped him. “You slipped.” ... “I slipped? How?” I didn’t slip. I was slammed into the door. ... “Wait...” I swallowed hard. “You did this to me?” I ripped my hand away. “You knocked me out?” He hunched, his green eyes flashing. “I didn’t mean to. I only meant to unbalance you. I just wanted your phone. But...I pushed too hard. You tripped and fell against the door.” ... “So, you thought it would be better to maim me?” “I deserve everything you have to say to me.” His hands curled into fists. “But...first, I need you to do something for me.”
7) Lastly, through all of this, Gil finds it in himself to blame Olin for it all.
▶︎“What do you want from me, Olin?” His sigh was endlessly heavy. “You push me until I snap. You taunt me until I retaliate. You’re not supposed to be in my life, yet you barged in anyway.” His eyes flashed. “This is your fault. You made it all so fucking complicated.” “You’re blaming me for all of this?” He nodded, moving forward and stopping in front of my chair-shield. “All of it.”
The Finale
In the end, I guessed the twist and I also ended up feeling very repulsed in general by this story. I felt like if the main concern was (view spoiler)[Gil fighting for his daughter, then he should have had the fucking strength to prioritize her and not have sex with Olin in the process only to disregard both. (hide spoiler)]. Pepper Winters has written some of my favorites in the past and to say I was looking forward to this for a year is the truth. I fell in love with the synopsis the first time I read it and the teasers after that only added to my love.
It is with such a heavy heart that I write this review, and during writing this review, I thought I read a different book to everyone else. Toxicity is not romance, it should not be marketed as such. I don't think I have the energy to read the second book, regardless if it clears things up, simply because this book took such a massive emotional chunk out of me. The storyline felt lost to me because Gil and Olin kept going back and forth with the "stay away from me," "no wait, I need you" plot. I tried folks, I really did.
----Prior Reading---- The Body Painter ★ Most Anticipated Expected publication: Summer 2018
Alex ✰ Comets and Comments ✰
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