lucía
if i had to describe this book with just one word, it would be underwhelming. i'm a firm believer that it wasn't for me, and that i had been 14 or 15 years old at the time of reading it, i would have enjoyed it. as an aware adult, there were some aspects that caught my attention while reading it, and not in a positive way.
it was a quick read and it was sometimes cute. the writing style was simple, which made the reading experience even quicker. however, the use of some rather exaggerated words to describe something simple, especially since all her work is based on using vocabulary that's easy to understand, bugged me. like, wdym you use descombobulated out of nowhere??? and although it was simple (partly), it also felt repetitive most of the time.
most chapters were fillers, focusing on bree's routine as she goes to work in the diner and meets new people in pelion. moreover, the moments that were supposed to be important, such as the love confession and the reunion, were ruined by smut. it's important to know when to stop, lmao. those filler chapters could have been used to complete their backstories.
as for the characters, bree was plain and annoyed me at most. yes, she had a deep backstory, and as a SA victim myself, i feel deep sympathy for her, but other than that, i felt annoyed, because she was the cliche character that constantly embarrasses herself (that was how she spent the first quarter of the book).
archer will always be my beloved, though. i'm sad i wasn't able to get to know his character through his own point of view, as it had been through bree's, his childhood and other people's testimonies that filled his story. maybe it was meant to be that way, the fact that archer is known through other people's eyes, but it wasn't my piece of cake.
this is my first "long review" in a long time, but i needed to yap. i'm not rating it lower because the small town aspect was actually endearing.
How do I start this? Lord have mercy.
This is by far the worst book to get out of a 4-month reading slump. So, please, if you're planning on reading it for that reason, don't, for your mental health. My only desire was to finish it, and I didn't shamelessly DNF it because I was planning on reading the rest of the series.
This book has everything I loathe in a book: cringe dialogues with second-hand embarrassment, characters with zero chemistry and poor development, and irrelevant subplots. Xavier and Sloane had little to zero chemistry that I felt like I was reading a book about rocks, and don't get me started on the number of times I almost fell asleep to this. Plus, both Xavier and Sloane made me feel no emotion other than hate for the lazy as fuck man. For God's sake, even the subplots were boring. I was only there for the Vuk and Ayana crumbs.
Ana, this was definitely not your book.
1.5 !! ★ 🏚️
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
now that i am back on track, i genuinely tried to write a review for this book, but i don't have anything to say other than it is far and away the worst thriller i have ever read, and it is difficult to be worse than a freida mcfadden thriller.
i was curious to read this book, since i have seen it on a booktube video of recommendations, and the girl claimed it was a mind-blowing thriller. well, it turns out it was... nothing.
seriously, this book gave me nothing. i tried to pay more attention to it, but all i wanted was to put it down and sleep. that was how tedious it was. call me an idiot for finishing it, i acknowledge i was.
that's not my name doesn't really have a plot, and the little plot it has is filled with holes that are impossible to understand. the pieces of the puzzle couldn't be put together, because they made no sense. i feel like the author was just randomly writing, and didn't have anything in mind. for a book with little more than 300 pages, it's terribly long. you're not reading anything, just a dull routine, until the “plot twist” in the last chapter, which was disillusioning, and that's an understatement. the epilogue was even more disappointing. reading nothing until the end felt like a waste of time. oh, and don't get me started on the cringe gen-z jokes about lizzo. 💀
i wanted to start the year with a good thriller, but well, that couldn't be the case. i will eventually forget about it.
4 !! ★ 🪶
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୨ৎ “I never really lived before you, and I don't want to imagine living after you.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
it seems pretty obvious that i have just started university, because that means two things: first, i am in a review slump, so my reviews might be quite choppy; second, it's taking me ages to finish the books just because i don't have the time to read.
anyways! i am still on a mission of catching up on the Kings of Sin series before King of Gluttony comes out in April next year, and i believe i'm doing pretty well. i should be proud of myself. with this book...i went completely blind into it. i had no clue what it was about, only that Kai Young was a baby girl.
as a whole, it didn't disappoint, since i had no expectations in the first place. it was good, but maybe the most memorable thing about it was the feather scene. i'm giving it 4 stars because of the reading experience, not because of it being amazingly wonderful. in fact, the first 30% of the book was dull and boring. it isn't until they start being together and the little note appears in Kai's pocket that it gets interesting, mostly because of the little touch of mystery with the blackmail.
surprisingly, this book has taught me tons of vocabulary, and my English professor at college should be proud. i loved the way Ana adapted her writing style to Kai's elegant and aristocratic personality, which was why i learned a lot (beat me in a game of Scrabble now).
Kai Young is a lovely man, and lovely is an understatement. we love a freaky man that hides under a quiet and nerdy façade. seriously, i will never be able to look at feathers and Pride and Prejudice the same way. the man thrived on control, and he found someone who made him lose it without caring about the consequences!!! he encouraged Isa to follow her dreams, because he believed in her. just like Isa, of whom we'll talk about later on, he's afraid of failure, and his pride is his biggest flaw. Ana did a great job making this character terribly proud, and making it his biggest flaw.
“Your pride is your downfall.”
Isabella Valencia can be an annoying character if you don't stop to understand her. to be fair, i didn't like her when i started the book, mostly since in chapter 3, she was already obsessed with Kai. as i said, she can be pretty annoying sometimes, but when you get to understand her...it's a whole other thing. if there's something that reading about flawed characters who constantly make mistakes because they're human, that is to be more sympathetic to people around me, and to said characters. maybe it's because there are aspects of Isa's personality that i relate to, which surprised me, because i didn't think she would be that similar to me. it's the fact that she's also afraid of failure, and she constantly feels behind everyone to the point she's comparing to them. this is a small reminder that you're at your own pace, and that's completely valid. when she broke up with Kai, i knew it was because she hadn't known how to handle the situation with her insecurities. so, even though i am very against third-act breakups, i liked seeing her flaws. it kind of reminds me of what my Spanish teacher told me once: You need to believe more in yourself.
overall, this book was good, and the reading experience was quite pleasant. i can't wait to read book 3. i have explicitly asked Teo not to tell me anything about it, because i want to surprise myself.
“You think you're broken, but I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. Smart. Strong. Beautiful. Imperfect by your own standards but so wonderfully perfect for me.”
5 !! ★ 🌺
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୨ৎ “All I see is someone who chose to live. Someone who chose to keep fighting, even when they had reasons to give up. Someone who turned their scars into shooting stars.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i don't think i'll ever be able to get over this masterpiece of a book. i had high expectations, but i never thought it would be that wonderful. i'm taking my hat off to congratulate Lauren Asher for writing one of the best romances ever.
i swear, i have nothing negative to say. all i have to say is positive things!!!
i will start by saying that this book has a very strong start. when i read Love Redesigned a few weeks ago, i expected Rafa and Nico's dynamic to be perfect, but once you start Love Unwritten, you see that it's not like that. both characters are struggling to get closer to each other, and Rafa is trying to mend his relationship with his kid by putting his own personal feelings aside.
when i read the first few chapters, i knew i wouldn't be able to put it down, and i knew i would love it with all my heart and soul. well, i was right one more time. my jaw was on the floor all the time, as well as i was swooning like crazy. it's been a long time since i read a romance book that made me feel like that. since Liz Tomforde's The Right Move, and i read that book IN FEBRUARY!!!
every character is complex in its own way, and it's what made the story more special to me. i feel like Lauren decided to focus on their personal struggles and how they slowly but surely overcome them to become the best version of themselves, putting their love story aside for a while. these characters feel like humans. real humans. humans who fall into the same patterns and make the same mistakes, which made them feel more real. even little Nico, who is nine years old, is a complex character with his own issues, even though they're seen more innocently given his age.
i didn't get to understand them and the reasons behind their actions until further into the story. considering i'm a curious person and i'm always desperate to understand why some characters act the way they act, and this time, i wasn't desperate at all. each one of them had their own time to shine.
Rafael Lopez rewrote the standards i have for a man. the only thing i have to say about him is that he sometimes drove me mad by pulling away when he was scared but, as i said, that was what made him more real. even though he continued making mistakes until he finally chose to realise it, he was a great character. he always put his son first, and the love he had for Ellie... may a love like that find me, please.
Ellie Sinclair, every time i go stargazing, i will think of you. if she had to be a song, she would be The Subway by Chappell Roan. i promise that every time she made progress with her own life and career, i sang that song in my head, because, yes, SHE GOT AWAY!!! there's nothing more that i love than a character with layers that you can slowly peel off to see the real person behind so many layers. Ellie and Rafa are the clear example of that. Lauren managed to perfectly portray a character who struggles with self-harm and self-consciousness about her scars.
it's always nice to read about these topic and spread awareness about them, especially now in September, month of Suicide Prevention. you're not alone.🫶🏻
i may have said that the story focuses more on their personal struggles than the love story, but it's also worth mentioning. Rafa and Ellie bring the best of each other, and they're working on becoming the best version of themselves, not only for themselves, but also for each other. their dynamic was flawless, being the perfect blend between banter, romcom coded moments, and depth. also, i truly loved how Lauren made an emphasis on their emotional connection rather than just their lust. in a world full of books where the MMC lusts over his love interest at the beginning of the book, Love Unwritten may just be the exception.
i'm yapping again, and i could spend hours and hours talking about this book, so i'll cut it short. Love Unwritten has become one of my favourite books of all times, and i'm genuinely happy for it. i can't wait to read book 3, because the sneak peeks we got from Lily & Lorenzo are quite interesting!
4.5 !! ★
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୨ৎ “A veces, lo peor no es que te hagan daño, sino que nadie se dé cuenta.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
Invisible es una historia que te parte el corazón en mil pedazos de la impotencia. es una historia creada para hacerte sentir impotente, y para concienciar a toda la sociedad de que, sí, que veas una situación así a tu alrededor y no hagas nada al respecto te hace igual de monstruo que el perpetrador y que la gente que es conocedora del problema y, en lugar de actuar, minimiza el problema porque son cosas de críos.
'‘¿Qué clase de sociedad hemos construido? ¿Cuándo nos volvimos monstruos?''
la pluma de Eloy Moreno me ha enamorado, aunque a veces es algo repetitiva. es el primer libro que leo del autor, y ya estoy segura de que será uno que vuelva a leer en no mucho tiempo. bien es cierto que el inicio de la obra es bastante confuso, pues se refiere a todos los personajes con apodos que caracterizan su aspecto físico: el niño de nueve dedos y medio, el niño de la cicatriz en la ceja... aún así, merece totalmente la pena.
por desgracia, el bullying es un tema que hoy en día está en boca de todos, ya sea porque lo hayamos visto en las noticias, lo hayamos visto, o incluso lo hayamos vivido. la historia está contada desde la inocencia de nuestro chico invisible, que cree que nadie acude en su ayuda porque ha desarrollado un superpoder que le permite ser invisible. como a mí no me afecta, no tengo porqué meterme. enlazándolo con este tema, me gustó mucho la introducción de los elementos de los superpoderes y los superhéroes, pues ese era el refugio de nuestro protagonista.
'‘¿Qué pasará con ese Superman que de pronto ha vuelto a ser Clark Kent?''
además, conocer los puntos de vista de los distintos personajes era un punto necesario para comprender al máximo la historia. por un lado, están Kiri y Zaro, que se arrepienten profundamente de no haber ayudado a su amigo cuando más lo necesitaba. y es que a pesar de haber estado presentes, el miedo a convertirse en víctimas les carcomía. de lo que no se daban cuenta era de que, de alguna manera, se estaban convirtiendo en victimarios. por otro lado, tenemos a MM, que tras un accidente, necesitaba la debilidad de alguien para demostrar su fuerza.
luego, también está el personaje de la profesora, que en lo personal fue mi favorito. la comparación entre ella y el dragón y su decisión de hacer todo lo posible por ayudar al chico invisible cuando el resto de profesores no querían arriesgar su trabajo por eso... algún que otro docente debería aprender de ella.
para finalizar, creo que es un libro que todos deberíamos leer al menos una vez en nuestra vida independientemente de nuestra edad y, sobre todo, que sea una lectura obligatoria en los institutos, porque muestra la cruda realidad del acoso escolar. muchas veces, inconscientemente, omitimos la situación; pero no debería ser así.
4 !! ★ 🏠
this was my first approach to asian literature, and i'm not disappointed in the slightest. the story was witty and it managed to surprise me when i thought it wouldn't. it definitely requires big brain power because there are so many floor plans it was hard for me to keep up with them, and i had to grab a notebook and note important points down. still, it's a quick read for anyone who wants a shocking yet fast story!
4 !! ★ 💍
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୨ৎ “I spent thirty-seven years thinking my perfect match didn't exist. You proved me wrong in less than one.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i wanted to start saying that King of Wrath was a great introduction to the Kings of Sin world. i entered the Ana Huang universe almost two months ago, and all of her books have been good reads for me. this one wasn't an exception.
it is true that it took me some time to really get into the book and genuinely feel immersed in Dante and Vivian's love story. the first half had a game of push and pull that made me mad. there were so many things happening at the same time (Francis' blackmail to Dante, Dante and Vivian getting close and then pushing away, etc.) that it felt like nothingwas really happening, and i know it sounds weird.
it is the first book with an arranged marriage trope i have ever read, and while i believe it's something archaic driven by power, privilege, business and social acceptance (you just have to see how Francis only cared about his reputation to the point he didn't even care about his daughters' wellbeing); Ana Huang did a great job handling this trope and displaying the power motives behind these arrangements, which still happen in real life, sadly. but this wasn't a critique of arranged marriages, and it was for purely entertainment purposes, so i loved it regardless!
i thought the rest King of Wrath would be like the first half—dull and wrathful at the same time—but it surprised me for the better! i loved reading the development of Dante and Vivian's love story and the way the gave each other a chance to explore their relationship for real, without an arrangement in between. i also liked seeing those scenes from Twisted Lies from Dante's perspective. they definitely made me laugh.
the characters weren't that memorable, but i loved their dynamic, and i have to confess that i didn't really connect with Vivian. she was plain (that's why i don't have much to say about her), and always listened to what her parents had to tell her. like Dante said, she changed herself into a version of herself she wasn't just to impress her parents. i didn't see her character improve in any aspect, something different from what happened with Dante.
i had mixed feelings about Dante at the beginning of the book, since he was all about opening up and letting his guard down for a moment only for him to push Vivian away the second after. it was like listening to 1 step forward, 3 steps back by Olivia Rodrigo all over again. king of wrath or king of bipolarity, should i say? however, i didn't let that define my concept of him. Dante Russo turned out to be a fairly good character. he always had Vivian's best interests first. he cared for her, even when he tried to deny it himself. who doesn't love a man who isn't afraid of begging on his knees?
“Tell me what you want, Vivian. Do you want me on my knees?”
overall, this story was good, but not perfect. flawed characters, not very memorable; a story that was hard to keep up with at first... anyways! i'll keep working on catching up with this series before King of Gluttony releases. i can't wait to read Kai and Isabella's story. 🤭
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quotes ⁎⁺˳✧༚
“Dante Russo had a human side. He just didn't show it often.”
“You can't see the stars in New York. So I brought the stars to you.”
“Sometimes, it was the simple things in life that kept us going.”
“You and me, sweetheart. That's the destination. And I'm willing to take as many steps as I need to get there.”
4.25 !! ★ 🪻
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୨ৎ “If you have to change yourself to fit someone's ideal version of you, then that's not love.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i'm so happy this was my first impression of Lauren Asher, because i had seen very mixed reviews of her books in general. i had been recommended to start with The Fine Print, but at this point, i don't care. i'm a mood reader at heart.
my copy of this book has been sitting on my shelf for months. i remember buying it because it was on my want to read list and the cover was cute, but i went into it blindly.
Love Redesigned offered me a fairly positive reading experience, and it surprised me for good. Lauren Asher is great as combining serious topics with fun conversations. i cried and laughed so much with this one. i appreciate the visibility of mental health and big topics like depression and the use of antidepressants, or even grief. at least in my country, it's a topic that isn't given much attention until something terrible happens. and as someone who hasn't struggled with any sort of mental health issue, but always has stood up for its awareness, it's always pleasant to see people being open about it.
i was genuinely immersed in the story, to the point i couldn't put my book down. while a 500-pages long book usually takes me over a week to finish, this one took me only three days. three days. and i'm surprised. Lauren's writing style was simple and easygoing, making it a quick read. i have to be frank, and the whole spanglish thing was sometimes cringe, but that's just the Spanish in me speaking. i thought it would keep going for the rest of the book, but thankfully, it was limited. other than that, i loved it. and i would have never thought i would see both Morat and Ozuna mentioned in a book. 😭
the characters were heartwarming and memorable. maybe they're not the most memorable ones, but still. Julian and Dahlia will have a special place in my heart. the fact that she gave each character its moment allowed me to know them better. you see their growth, them facing their fears. the two of them had their own set of problems, but they slowly navigated through them and came out better and stronger (someone give Dahlia the biggest hug for me, because she finally chose herself!). they had chemistry, which drove me crazy every time they were at the verge of kissing but they didn't. it's the first time i read a second chance romance (if it's considered that, which i do), and i loved it. it was pretty obvious it's always been them, and they've always been in love with each other, even though they constantly tried to deny it. plus, the way Julian showed Dahlia he loved her with silent gestures? i won't say small gestures, because he built a gazebo with his own hands and bought the house of her dreams, but it just shows that it had always been her. these gestures from Julian made me love billionaire romances more than ever, because i love seeing billionaires doing stupid things with their money for their loved ones. 😭
i also wanted to give the family dynamic their time to shine. they deserve it. while i was reading, i felt a part of the Muñoz-Lopez family. everyone loves each other, and they're so united my heart bursted with joy whenever there was scene of both families together. the Mexican representation and the small glimpses of their culture were the best.
reading the first book in this trilogy made me want to read the second one right away (thankfully, i own the physical copy too). i NEED to read Love Unwritten because i devoured the Rafa and Nico (and Ellie) crumbs that Love Redesigned gave us.
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quotes ⁎⁺˳✧༚
“Because this is what life is all about. Living rather than going through the motions.”
“Because I want to give you a hundred different reasons to stay.”
“Turns out I'd rather build a home with you than a thousand houses by myself.”
“I don't want to spend the rest of my life bitter and questioning everything and everyone. I want to trust. I want to love. I want to live freely without worrying that I'll get hurt, left, or betrayed.”
4 !! ★ 🏰
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୨ৎ “Reading poetry is a conversation of feeling between two people.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i have been fooled. i wanted to read this because of the movie that came out a few weeks ago (and still have to watch). i love reading the respective books of the movie adaptations and then compare the differences between the two of them. it's a hobby of mine, definitely.
what i would have never expected was... this.
when i started reading, i thought it would be the same cheesy story of a girl who goes to Oxford and finds the love of her life. i even thought the romantic aspect of the story wouldn't be that important. i just thought it would be a coming-of-age book with romance as a subplot. and it's ironic because i didn't understand how their love story would be, because it simply didn't have a starting point.
but it's necessary to talk about Julia's writing style, which made me fall in love with the story again and again. it's brutally descriptive, which makes you feel more immersed in the story. it is as though you're Ella and you're the one in Oxford. it has his touches of history and literature, something truly appreciated because now Thomas Cranmer lives in my head rent free. seriously, i spent my fair share of hours researching about him and Henry VIII... anyways, i start rambling.
also, i would like to make a big remark about the setting. is it crazy that i started looking for exchange programs for students who want to go to Oxford? it might be, but i fell in love with the city all over again. i feel like this book was written for all the humanities students that feel like they're not enough because they didn't choose to study Medicine or a science-related career. it even made me rethink my career path. had i been right about choosing to be a Languages & Translation student? now that i think of it. yes.
“Whenever I say what I'm studying, people tilt their heads at me.”
i didn't expect the sad turn the story would take. it made me reflect on different aspects of life and love. like one of the poems in the book says: In death, love is all there is. i will admit that i had been mad at Jamie at first. unlike Ella, with whom i had connected from the the very beginning because of her enthusiasm for life and learning, her optimism and her adventurous spirit, three aspects that reflects my own personality; i couldn't connect with Jamie until he reveals his illness because i couldn't understand why he was so distant and why he did what he did. i sometimes wondered what turn the story would have taken if he had been honest with Ella from the beginning. i think it would have been the same.
i am glad i waited to see Jamie's side of things, even if it was through Ella's point of view, because it helped me connect to the fullest with him. he seems life so optimistically. he was brave, and he showed a bright side of himself because he didn't want people to worry about him. he is definitely a remarkable person, and i hope it's still like that in the movie (yes, i'm writing this before watching the movie).
both characters showed their strength as a couple, as well as individually. as i said before, i don't think the story has a starting point, because one day they're sharing a taxi, and the other, they wake up next to each other and decide to be friends with benefits. nonetheless, the development of their relationship was pure and raw. it shows the conflict that staying with someone you know it's going to die sooner than later supposes. but we're all going to die sooner or later, right? Jamie didn't want to make Ella feel stuck with him. he just wanted her to travel and see the world, like she initially wanted. but she chose to ditch the big job offer she got because she thought that was what would make her happy, and chose to stay with him. she didn't feel forced, she just wanted to, because there's nothing better than to go knowing that you've been loved.
“Love well those who are dying, so that they may die in love.”
i loved both main characters and secondary characters. well, william was the exception; but i understood where he was coming from. he was coming from a place where he had already lost a child, and he didn't want to lose the other. he was just trying to protect Jamie, to make him live longer. but at the end of the day, he was the one making his own decisions. as for Ella's friends, i loved them and i loved their friendship, but they weren't that remarkable.
now that i have rambled so hard, just to say something negative about this book... some of the dialogues were cringe and wattpad coded. nothing more to say about that. lol.
as a final note, with this book, i have learned to pay more attention to the small details in the stories, because they could be useful! now i'm off to watch the movie!
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quotes ⁎⁺˳✧༚
“If you don't open yourself up, how can you ever be surprised by life? And if you're not surprised, what's the bloody point?”
“It just doesn't make sense to me. How someone so full of life can have it leaking away.”
“I can't imagine enduring the pain of death without having been able to love someone whilst they were dying.”
“I love believing in something and fighting for it.”
“I came to Oxford looking for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience. I chose to experience a lifetime.”
3.25 !! ★ 🔑
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i have to be honest: i have been thinking of giving up on Freida McFadden because of my love-hate relationship with her books. they're mid, but then i always end up forgetting about them; or the plot ends up being disappointing after a few days of reading it.
this one was a buddy read with Teo (i won't send this to you until you've finished it, hehe), and i have to admit that i had zero expectations for it. you wouldn't believe that it surprisingly met my lack of expectations.
the premise was interesting, and so i thought while reading it. however, after i have read a few books from the author, it starts to feel repetitive. it feels like she recycles the scenes from her other books, which is not surprising since she releases like 4 books every year. i wonder how she gets so many ideas, and how she writes so quickly. anyways, it was funny when i read a scene and it was almost the same as a scene from The Coworker.
as for the main character, Blake Porter, he wasn't my favourite. her characters don't stand out, hence why they are not that memorable, and he wasn't the exception. but that doesn't change the fact that i felt so bad for him. i didn't really like him at first. he seemed so self-absorbed and arrogant. but as the book progresses, you see how slowly but surely, he's going insane. someone plotting against him and making everyone surrounding him hate him was what took him to the edge; and him getting fired was just the peak of the iceberg. that was what made me feel so bad for him. it seemed like everything was going negatively for him. like the universe wasn't on his side. i'm happy he got a chance to start fresh. :D
the plot twist did surprise me for a second, but i had lowkey guessed it. if there is something that her books taught me, that is not to trust any character. anyone the bad guy. in this case, it was expectable, so it wasn't mind blowing.
it was probably what i had missed out on this book—something truly surprising. something that would make me stare at the wall with my jaw on the floor for minutes before i decide to continue reading. and that is what always happens to me with Freida's books.
anyways, i feel like i need a break from reading her books. give me a few months and i'll be back. i need to find a book of hers genuinely mind blowing, and i'll do it. sometime.
3 !! ★ 🎥
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୨ৎ “And loving other people really does turn out, in the end, to be a genuine way of loving yourself.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
this book has been on my want to read list for quite some time, and when it was picked as the book of the month in my book club, i decided to give it a shot.
it contains a lighthearted story, very easy to read, thanks to its simple language. while reading, i even imagined it as one of those silly movies you watch when you need something to entertain yourself and you don't want to think. it is definitely a book i would recommend to someone who wants to start reading in English, or simply wants something light and entertaining.
the book also has an innovative concept. we don't see a female bodyguard every day. it's usually the other way around. i liked what the author did bringing Hannah to life. i love reading books that feel like breath of fresh air, and this definitely felt like one.
i was looking for a story that didn't make me think, but it ended up being deep enough to make me think about some aspects of life, especially about how dehumanised famous people are, when they're just that—people.
throughout the book, we also see how Hannah reconciles herself with love. with being unlovable. because they had made her think that she wasn't worthy of love; and we can see how she reconciles with that, until we reach the end of the story and she realises she has found her people.
while it was easygoing and amusing, it was also ridiculous and cringe at times. to the point that the characters were driving me mad, seriously mad. i hated whenever Robby opened his mouth to sabotage Hannah and then try to win her back; and also hated when Jack and Hank fought like kids over candies.
it is not a memorable story, nor it has memorable characters. i am certain that i will have forgotten about the plot by a few months from now. however, it was a good, short book to pass the time!
4 !! ★ 🐎
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “Before? That was a false start. This? This is a clean slate. I want all your right nows. All your tomorrows. I want it all with you.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i have to be honest: i'm sad, depressed even, that this series have come to an end. in terms of found family, this is the series written by Elsie that feels most like it. i loved every single one of the characters, every single one of them!
i wanted to start this review mentioning the age gap between Nadia and Griffin. when i picked this book, i was truly scared of the age gap, because i didn't know what she was going to do, since Nadia was 19 in The Front Runner. the age gap kind of bugged me at first, because they are at different stages of their lives, but we gotta remember that Elsie is known for writing books with age gaps! after all, i didn't give the age difference much attention.
with this book, i had mixed feelings. the first half was so boring, so go girl give us nothing. i promise, there was nothing interesting happening, and the only scenes that i was genuinely enjoying were the one where Mira and Stefan were involved. i didn't like the characters, and i didn't like the story because i didn't know where it was going. i even felt like Elsie had written the book because she had to, and she wasn't doing any justice to Nadia and Griffin.
however, i am very glad i didn't give up on it, because she definitely wrote the ending the series needed. the second half?! I'M SAT. it gets better when Griffin reveals his big secret, even though i sometimes wish she could have done it in another way.
as for the characters and their love story, you clearly see how they grow into becoming better people for themselves and their partner. i liked how real their relationship was, giving each other some time to get better and achieve their goals before being together again. it was a raw, real love story, with its flaws and all; something very appreciated. i was slightly tired of those too-perfect relationships, and i needed to read something that felt real.
with this book, i have officially caught up with every single Elsie Silver book! now, i will have to patiently wait for Wild Card release day! and just to end this off, THIS SERIES NEEDS MORE RECOGNITION!!!!
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
quotes ⁎⁺˳✧༚
“I like all your words, Griffin. It's what you don't say that kills me.”
“You? You come back stronger every time. Like a wildflower.”
“I'd rather just sit here with you. Just being near you makes the world feel like a better place. You make me feel happy.”
“I must be a crazy person too... because I am head over heels for you, Wildflower. Please be patient with me.”
“I‘ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. But you're not one of them. You're the happiest accident I've ever known. The very best decision I've ever made. My reason.”
5 !! ★ 🩶
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “I would walk through fire for you any day. Over and over again.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i don't lie when i say that i had zero expectations for this book. as much as i love Elsie's works, i was genuinely scared, because i hated Stefan. look at me now, rating this book 5 stars, with it becoming my favourite in the series and Stefan becoming one of my favourite male leads she's ever written about.
i have never been so wildly invested in a book. i mean, i read it in two days, and i finished it today in one-sitting. i literally picked it up and i couldn't put it down until i realised that i had finished it. and i was a mess of tears. while reading it, i forgot about everything around me. it was just me and my book. that is what i love about being a reader. i have a feeling i won't stop thinking about it. it's something i don't usually say, since i am very picky with my reads and ratings, so i'll just go with it and enjoy it.
i will never stop talking about Elsie's writing style, because it is genuinely HOOKING. she writes the kind of stories that stays in your head forever. plus, the way she writes the banter and the tension between the characters? i will never, ever, stop thinking about chapter 26, because... wow. now, seriously, i love the way this woman's mind works, because she always comes up with something new! for her third book, she must be really proud, because this is a masterpiece!
while reading the acknowledgements (something i definitely have to do more often), i found out that there are some aspects of the author's life in this book. i found that to be so sweet. thank you for giving us the readers these little glimpses. 🥹
something i really appreciated about this book was that she focused on the emotional connection between Mira and Stefan. also, the diversity! Romania and India! i will talk about them later, i promise. also, the mystery and find-my-biological-father factor had me invested. i am really happy Hank got to meet his son, because i remember him telling Violet that kids weren't in the cards for him. :(
when i started reading The Front Runner, i already knew what was going to happen to me with Stefan. as much as i had hated him in the previous two books, and i honestly thought he didn't give MMC vibes, i have to admit that he's become one of my fav characters written by her. i already knew i was going to love him. HE IS A MISUNDERSTOOD GENIUS!!! Mira said it, and i second that! he. is. so. misunderstood. i am so happy he has found his soulmate in Mira, because everything he does for her... i would have Stefan Dalca throw me a rock and i would thank him.
as for Mira, she is an independent and strong woman, just like every female character Elsie writes. and, hey, i'm not complaining! i love an independent, bossy woman. i will never get tired of reading characters like her as long as Elsie writes them. i loved that Stefan always made sure to respect her space and independence.
just like in A Photo Finish, this book has taught me something, and i wanted to share it. i have always wanted to get Carpe Diem tattooed on my arm, and after reading this book, i have reinforced the idea. Stefan realises he wanted to show Mira how much he loved her after he had almost lost her. so, yes, live your life and tell your loved ones that you love them! 🌟
overall, my reading experience has been a ten out of ten. i can't wait to read Nadia and Griffin's story, but i also don't want to finish this series. 😔
quotes ⁎⁺˳✧༚
“You're gonna be fine, little dude. I'm sticking with you. And did you know Mira is the best vet I've ever known? It's true. She's impressive.”
“Sometimes unexpected surprises change the course of our life in the most irrevocable ways. In the best ways. Life is one big adventure, Mira. Don't let it pass you by while you're stuck on a boring old path.”
“Never be sorry for setting your own boundaries.”
“This right here is the proof that you are your own woman. No one tells Dr. Mira Thorne what she can or can't do.”
“Life gave you some sour fucking lemons and you added the sugar and made yourself some lemonade. You love so fiercely. I think she'd be proud of you. Just like I am.”
“Any man who loves you as much as he does is a winner in my book.”
4.5 !! ★ 💛
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “I think we're meant to be. You found me, and I found you. Over and over again. If that's not a sign, I don't know what is.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i had been meaning to read Violet and Cole's story for so long, ever since i found out she was the Eatons' little sister, and when i tell you that Elsie devoured with it, i mean it. for being her second book, she was WILD. when you think you've seen everything and she can't surprise you, she does! she experiments with every single one of her works, and i love it. i'm here for it.
if there's a reason why i love Elsie's books, that's because she makes the perfect balance between tackling serious topics and making your jaw drop to the floor with an interaction.
i have never seen a concept like this one: two people who meet online, start some kind of situationship/relationship, but then stop talking. until they meet each other again and don't realise it. hello? talk about soulmates and people that were meant to be. the universe did a great job putting them together. i loved seeing the glimpses of their chats while their love story progressed.
we saw a glimpse of Cole in Off to the Races. he was the one who put some sense into Vaughn's mind, which was surprising, because he was portrayed as a broody, cold man. it was one of the reasons why i didn't really like him, and still thought that i wouldn't like him. he was still broody and cold for the first 100 pages, but... what a pleasant surprise. WHAT A MAN. he's the definition of actions speak louder than words. he loves his woman, and he's her biggest fan!
i was a bit bothered by his miscommunication and avoidance. he tended to push Violet away when things were going great, just because he was scared and he let his insecurities get the better of him. if i stop to analyse his story, i might even understand his fear. he lost his father, he was a soldier, and he had to face some hurtful words from his ex-fiancée.
there was a quote that had me thinking for hours. i even sent it to Teo (she's always there, i love her), because i couldn't stop thinking about him.
“What I know is that movement is a gift, freedom that we can never take for granted. Your body, no matter the shape or size, is a workhorse that does incredible things for you. Simple things that you don't even realise until you can't do them anymore.”
it had me thinking for several reasons. we sometimes take things for granted, and we don't realise how great it feels to have them until we lose them. we don't find about Cole's leg until very deep into the book, but it was another sign to stay focused on what you read, because there might be some meaningful quotes and some important things for the plot. :)
i've known Violet ever since i read the Chestnut Springs series (my lovessss). i didn't even know she had her own book and that she had come first than her brothers, until i found out about the series. i loved her character. Elsie did a great job writing her. everyone has the image that she's the quiet and innocent girl, when she's not. she's one of the strongest (shoutout to Tabitha Garrison!) characters of Elsie i've read about. she's secure, independent, witty. she loves trying new things and challenge herself, something i might take as an advice! she left her hometown to make a life of herself, to build her life. it was one of the million reasons why Cole fell for her, and it made me tear up every time he mentioned it. i loved seeing Violet from Cole's perspective, it was like when i watched Conrad's POV the other day. she's just perfect in his eyes.
“Most of all, I like how driven she is. She hit the road on her own to carve her own part and has worked her ass off to get it. I admire that.”
she has that girl boss vibe i love. she doesn't need help because she knows she can do it. i also loved her friendship with both Mira and Billie. it's definitely friend group goals. 🥹
related to Violet's character, i wanted to share what this book taught me. yes, i am a firm believer that every single book has a lesson. even if it's a silly romance book that apparently has a silly trope? yes. every. single. book. has. a. lesson. what was the lesson here, though?never forget your principles. never forget where you came from. never, ever, lose your spark for someone, and never give up on anything for them. but most importantly, girl, YOU CAN'T FIX HIM!!! that was something Violet made clear to Cole, and i loved that for her, because it meant she has boundaries, and it was also an advice she had taken from Cade. again, Daddy Cade being the perfect man he is. if he doesn't want to change and you have to convince him to change, then he doesn't really care for you. anyways, i don't want to make this longer than it already is (it's probably my longest review ever), so i'll just say that i'm excited to read The Front Runner. 🫡༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚quotes ⁎⁺˳✧༚“Violet, letting me help you doesn't make you weak. It just means I care. I know you don't need me, but I want to be there for you. Let me care for you in the only ways I can.”“I want you. But you need to want you too. I can't want you enough for the both of us.”“Violet is living, and fuck, does it look good on her. It makes me want to live too.”“Maybe you're not new. Maybe you're just growing. Nobody stays the same. New goals, new experiences... they're all building blocks that put a person together. Constantly shifting.”
4.5 !! ★ 🐎
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “What I should have told you is that I want you and I want to win races. I want it all.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i am so back with another elsie book!!! it is pretty obvious that she is my favourite contemporary author, and that all of her books are GREAT (we're not talking about Reckless, okay? that's for another day).
i don't lie when i say that i couldn't wait to start this series. my paperbacks were WAITING for me to pick them up since january. seriously. i was just waiting for the right moment to read it, and the right moment is now.
i didn't know what this book was about when i picked it up. i wanted to surprise myself. so, i can happily say that this book didn't disappoint at all. she ate, as always. 🙂↕️
this book in particular is very descriptive, which was something i genuinely enjoyed. i could notice the exact moment they fell for each other. their feelings were described with so much detail and emotion that it was somehow refreshing. i don't know if it's because i don't exactly remember how her other books were, but i feel like this one was way more descriptive than her other works.
i'll move onto the characters now, because there's so much to tell!
vaughn harding is trying to put his grandfather's legacy together. the ranch needs to be saved, so he hires billie to train one of his most challenging horses. to be fair, vaughn wasn't my favourite elsie hero at all. he's arrogant, and occasionally rude and selfish when he's making some decisions. don't get me wrong, sometimes we gotta be selfish and listen to ourselves when we need to make decisions. however, vaughn was selfish to the point he hurt his loved ones—slash, billie. there were times when i felt like the only thing he cared about was the ranch, and his and his family's reputation; which was probably another reason why i didn't like him that much? man... just accept what your family did and get over it. you can start again. i got so mad when he allowed himself to be blackmailed into making a certain decision because his family's reputation was in the picture! PLEASE. his final gesture to billie was perfect. as much as i didn't really like him, whenever he interacted with billie, my heart melted; and for a romance novel, that's all i need.
billie black has run away from her past and is trying to make something of herself. she's worked hard to be where she is now, and she's been hired by vaughn to tame and train double diablo, the testing horse of gold rush ranch. i've always loved elsie's female leads, there isn't one that disappoints, and billie isn't the exception. she's funny and deep at the same time, and it's the perfect balance for a character. her connection with horses was so sweet. i would have never believed that i would cry over a colicky horse and a horse winning races 😭. she's been waiting for someone to choose her, and she has finally found her person. <3
i utterly loved their love story. there was tension, yearning, that push and pull that was infuriating and exciting at the same time. elsie never fails to amaze me with those stories. otherwise, there were small parts that were a little bit cringe, like vaughn picturing billie dressed as a maid. what the heck was that.
there's also the letter part. when you read a book and you reach the part where one of the characters discovers the hidden letters, you know you're going to cry. that was when you realise that behind some morally questionable decisions, there's love. 🥹
overall, this book was great! my reading experience was excellent, and i practically ate it up. elsie never disappoints with her small-town romances, and i'm looking forward to reading the next book!
3 !! ★ 🎧
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “I don't want to ruin my chances of spending as many days with you as possible because I love you. More than football, more than racing, more than anything else in this universe—Pluto included.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i had been putting this book on and off my tbr because i had seen all the negative reviews (once again, i'm letting myself be influenced instead of seeing it myself), and i was honestly not motivated to pick it up. however, when i read Asher's small appearance in Twisted Hate, my interest perked up. but it was the announcement of The Defender what made me finally pick it up.
and it's not a bad book, it just has its flaws.
it's a slow story, judging by the large amount of pages, which makes the story sometimes boring. i've read books with more than 500 pages, and they haven't felt as long as this one has felt. sometimes, i didn't feel like picking it up to read because there were dull and unnecessary scenes.
either way, despite the fact that the story is slow, Scarlett and Asher's love story is too fast paced (ironic, lol); more fast paced than i would have enjoyed. even though their love story was pretty and cute, and i feel like Ana wanted to experiment in that aspect, something i particularly enjoyed, because she tried to focus on their emotional connection, even if they had almost none; both characters have no chemistry between them. i liked their relationship, though. it felt different, more emotional. Asher constantly tried to encourage Scarlett to get out of her comfort zone, and i found it adorable.
speaking of Asher, and i don't really want to talk about the characters as they were plain; he wasn't what i had initially expected at all. at some point in the book, Vincent describes him as a cocky son of a bitch with a superiority complex. i didn't feel him like it at all. well, sometimes he acted too childish and egotistical for his own good. i swear, why were there so many fights? they're grown-ass men, not children! aside from that, i liked Asher.
as i said, i didn't want to focus on the characters (i know i've already talked about Asher), because they were plain and forgettable, and there's not much to say about them. still, i would like to mention both of their backstories. they're so freaking heartbreaking. i didn't expect it to be that deep. throughout the book, we can see how Scarlett's accident trauma affects her; and Asher's self-destructive behaviour, shown in his street races and car crashes; which will lead to the third-act breakup, and me to speak about it.
i don't usually like third-act breakups, since they feel too artificial and made-up to add some nonexistent drama to the book. nevertheless, this one was clearly justified by Asher's broken promise and self-destructive behaviour. Scarlett told him: I can't stand by and watch you self-destruct; and she was utterly right.
“I was in love with someone who didn't love himself, and I didn't know where that left me. Where that left us.”
despite the fact that it was justified, it happened too late, and it stressed me out. there were five chapters left, and the issue hadn't been resolved!
also, the book was pretty predictable. it was obvious what would happen with Clive; Vincent's reaction, which in my opinion, was given too much attention and credit; and Asher's broken promise because his ego was too strong.
overall, it's not a bad book for the first time Ana experiments with a sports romance. i will just... probably forget about it in a few months. that being said, i'm pretty excited for The Defender. the fanarts give me RyanIndy vibes, and i love it!!!
3.75 !! ★ 🎧
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “I can love you enough for the both of us.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
after i had watched a few booktube videos, i decided to add this book (and the second one) to my tbr. and since i was in Madrid and i didn't know what to read, i started this one.
overall, it's a good book. it's easy to read, has enough jokes to make you laugh, and it gives you glimpses of the rest of the love stories in the series. it definitely met my expectations.
i will start talking about the characters.
sadiegraybrown is a young woman who had to grow up earlier because she and her sibling had been abandoned. when a surprise baby appears at home, her life changes. she had to stop being her priority to start taking care of her brothers, giving them the best life possible. she had been on her own for years, and it's hard for her to accept help from others. she's strong and independent, and these are admirable qualities. however, there was something about her that didn't sit right with me, and it was her avoidant kind of attachment, leading to her being unnecessarily rude sometimes. plus, we don't see her character development until the very last moment, when she decides to tackle the problem with her coach, which in my opinion, didn't have as much importance as i thought it would have.
rhyshotshotkoteskiy is the hockey golden boy, whose career almost ended by a fatal accident in the rink. now, he has to deal with the anxiety of getting on the ice again. this book has proven that every man whose name is rhys is definitely made for me, because i sure fell in love with this man as well as i did with rhys larsen and dupris. he's everything this planet needs, seriously. he never gave up on sadie even when she pushed him away, was there to prove her how much he loved her. he is the living proof of the impact that growing up in a loving home has on your life. that man is full of love to give and receive!!! he literally mimics his father's actions with sadie!!! unlike sadie, with rhys we see a development. he goes from being the anxious hockey player to being who he becomes at the end of the book.
“And I see it then: the reason Rhys loves me the way he does. The reason he cares for the boys and wants to keep us close. It's because he's seen this his whole life. Has been surrounded by love.”
as for their relationship, it feels kind of insta-lovey to me, and the first five/seven chapters are very repetitive. either way, i enjoyed the way they supported each other. they also found solace in each other, but not to the point of making their problems their own, as rhys said at one point in the book. their relationship was genuinely realistic and raw, showing some aspects of what it is like to date someone with anxiety or with problems at home.
that was another point i wanted to make. i LOVED the representation of the anxiety disorder and what it is like to live in a place surrounded by problems like alcoholism. it was appreciated that the author normalised anxiety and panic attacks, and spread awareness about sadie's home life (because it should never be normalised).
and just to complain about something, there were some cringy scenes, as well as the importance rhys gives to sadie being so small. please, just stop. don't do that anymore.
overall, it was a good book — and i repeat my own words at the beginning. my reading experience wasn't negative, even though i didn't cry with some scenes that made me emotional because i was probably too tired to process them. being Peyton Corinne's first book, i am not disappointed in the slightest. i'm looking forward to read more of her works and see her improvement!
3 !! ★ 🦋
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “I would rather be miserable now after having been loved by you than be happy without having ever known you.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i would have never thought i'd see the day i would finish this series. i feel kind of nostalgic, because i had grown fond of these characters.
i was genuinely curious to read this book. if i'm being honest, it was the second book of the Twisted series i was excited to read the most behind twisted games. i hate to say that this book was... go girl, give us nothing. this is definitely not the way i would have liked to finish the series. the other three books were good, but this one? meh.
if i had to describe twisted lies in one single word, it would be boring (as fuck). seriously, there's nothing interesting about this book, except for the last chapter and the epilogue, and it was mostly because the other characters were there. the scenes with the others were way more entertaining than the scenes in which Stella and Christian were alone. 😭
i was interested in the way Ana would handle the fake dating — cliché as hell with the do not fall in love with me thing — and the stalker situation, which was also boring and made me feel nothing. the most repeated word in this review will probably be boring, but that's just the truth.
it was unnecessarily long as well. their story could have been told with 150/200 pages less than the final copy. it was full of boring (again) fillers. it felt as if Ana had run out of ideas for her couples.
as for the characters... they're plain. as i mentioned earlier in this review, i was more interested in reading about what happened with the others' lives. updates, interactions, etc. Stella seemed like the most fascinating character with her previous mentions, and she ended up being... nothing. aside from that, she was the female lead in the whole Twisted series with the most similar personality to mine.
however, the same goes for Christian. he was probably the character i was thrilled to read about the most, but he ended up being a creep... woah. he had some tiny little moments (completing jigsaw puzzles with Maura, or comforting Stella) — emphasis on the tiny — but other than that, he was boring (again, ugh). the letters he wrote in the middle of the third act breakup almost made me feel bad for him, and i admit to shedding a tear. nevertheless, he was kind of a stalker, but i already knew that because i had spoiled myself on TikTok, so i wasn't surprised. 🤷🏼♀️
anywayssss, this is getting long so i'll just wrap it up by repeating (yes) that it was boring. 3 stars for the interactions between the other characters and the tiny little moments between the main couple. i am grateful i got to share this experience with Teo. it's always wonderful to read books with her! i'm looking forward to reading more of Ana's works :)
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
𐙚‧₊˚ pre-read 🦋 ˚｡⋆
i'm happy to say that i'm buddy reading this book with Teo!!! it's the perfect way to end an era <3 so excited for this one
4 !! ★ 💋
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “In case it's not clear, I fucking love you, Jules Ambrose, even when you drive me crazy. Especially when you drive me crazy.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i know i have probably said it a million times before, but i was genuinely scared to read this book, at the same time i was curious to know what made people on tiktok hate Josh so much. i have to admit that i sometimes let myself influence by others' opinions on a book, but i'm trying to change that. i am proud of myself for reading this book and for getting out of my comfort zone, anyways.
i will start saying that this book doesn't deserve the hate it gets, but we will address the Josh's issue later.
it is a book that hooks you from the very beginning, even though the last 5 chapters felt off somehow. it gives you glimpses of their internal struggles, and that was probably what made me so invested in this book. plus, getting to comment it with Teo (if you're reading this, i love you 💌), since it's her favourite book of the whole series, was a whole other experience. thank you for introducing me to these beautiful characters! <3
their relationship dynamic was hilarious, to say the least. i had never read an enemies to lovers like this one right here. i had read other books labelled as enemies to lovers, but they were just two people who didn't give a good first impression at first, but then they got along. Twisted Hate had a GREAT enemies to lovers, and that was what i loved about it. they had history behind their situation!!! the banter, the insults. sometimes, i felt like they were kids fighting over a toy, but that was exactly it for me! they kept the banter going even as a serious couple 😭 seeing their denial of their feelings towards each was terribly funny, i admit i had yelled at the Kindle screen for them to finally confess their feelings. and the moment i realised why Animals by Maroon 5 was in the playlist... that's all i'll say.
now, moving onto the Josh issue... to be fair, his words were unnecessary. the whole thing in particular was unnecessary. but i don't hate him. when we're mad, especially after a betrayal, we lose our cool, and we tend to say things we don't mean. i'm not here to justify any of the things he said, nor the things Jules did. both of them were wrong, to a greater or lesser extent. Josh was wrong in taking advantage of such a vulnerable moment like being intimate with your partner is to say those things. still, it was hilarious that Alex himself was the one who brought him to his senses, lmao.
overall, i enjoyed this book and allowed myself to discover what i was so curious about. one book left to finish this series, and it'll be a buddy read with Teo!!! yay! 🌟
4.75 !! ★ 👑
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
୨ৎ “You and me, princess, against the world.”
༶⋆˙⊹ ⋆ ꔫ ˛˚
my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i'm still surprising myself with this series. i can't believe the thought of never reading it had crossed my mind. i would have missed on this masterpiece. i'm thankful i decided to give this a chance, because this book was exactly what i needed to read.
of the four books that this series has, twisted games was the one i was most excited about. i had read so many good reviews about it; it didn't disappoint at all.
i am also surprised of the way i am eating up this series. usually, it takes me a week/a week and a half to finish a book, and i'm practically devouring these books. i would stay in bed reading them all day long.
this book has everything you need — a good romance, scenes that make you cry for hours, and a great tea (which we all love) 🤭
the first half of the book made me feel so giddy and excited. i could feel the tension between them, and i have to say that Ana did a great job portraying that feeling of forbiddance yet surrender. it had me glued to my Kindle screen, covering it in case i spoiled myself. and, yes, i have to admit that chapter 18 lives rent free in my mind; and always will be. always. plus, the song matched the vibe!! telepatía, i'm talking about you!
as for the second half, i devoured it this afternoon. and when i say devoured, i don't lie. again, Ana did a great job making me stay glued to the screen because the tea was sooo good. i will never be over the fact Rhys and Bridget are almost related 😭. it would have never crossed my mind. that is definitely twisted.
the romance between Rhys and Bridget was astonishing, to say the least. the tension, the little moments of tenderness, the banter. THE BANTER!!! the jokes Rhys cracked up never failed to make me laugh. however, what stays with me, and what matters the most, is that their romance is the proof of the fact that someone's past or scars doesn't make them less worthy of love — less lovable — the fact that, if you genuinely love someone, you have to fight for them; and that love is in the smallest details (unless you buy me a villa in Costa Rica, wink wink).
i'm finally rating this book 4.75 stars. i loved it, cherished it, but i missed the 5-star feeling. and i'm someone who's very picky with ratings; very picky in general. that doesn't mean it won't stay with me. i will always remember this book. it's one of my favourite books of this year, anyways.
if i'm being honest, i'm scared to get to the next book, but it's Teo's favourite, and i trust her more than anything! 💌
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𐙚‧₊˚ pre-read 👑 ˚｡⋆
I'M SATTTT!!!! i have a good, good feeling about this one :)
3 !! ★ 🧊
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୨ৎ “You are the light to my dark, Sunshine. Without you, I'm lost.”
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
Lucía from a few days ago would be surprised to see Lucía from the present actually enjoy this book. well, partially enjoy, because Alex Volkov, i'm coming for you. now seriously, i have enjoyed this book way more than i had initially anticipated. it was fun, slightly cringey, and with a plot that amused me.
aside from the fact that Alex was — is — a walking red flag, and i will never justify Ava forgiving him, it wasn't a bad book. some of the scenes made me laugh. i even cried with Ava (poor girl, she never deserved that).
Alex was a manipulative, sickly jealous, arrogant, territorial, narcissistic man. women are not an object you can manipulate at your own will. what's even more hilarious is the fact that he criticises men's behaviours that HE HIMSELF HAS!!!! come on... plus, whenever i thought something sweet was going to happen, he came with his jealous man shenanigans and ruined it.
as for Ava, i have nothing to say about her other than the fact that she should have never forgiven Alex for what he did. she was a pure, kindhearted character, who was the joy and beauty in the world. in some ways, i saw myself in her. i genuinely admire her optimism, her determination to see the best in people. the Operation Emotion thing she did with her friends was so romcom coded, and it had me giggling so badly.
now i can't wait to start Twisted Games. i have a good feeling about this one 🤭🤭 the scene in the epilogue where Bridget is walking out of a building with Rhys is so celebrity coded!!!! SIGN ME UP.
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𐙚‧₊˚ pre-read 🧊 ˚｡⋆
i have just checked the playlist for this book, and if burn by ellie goulding is there, i'll be reading it. plus, i sent teo my reaction to it, and she loved it (she's my wife, so, heh 😼). i can't believe i'm reading this series, seriously... here i go
3.5 !! ★ 🔪
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my thoughts ⁎⁺˳✧༚
i can't believe this series is over. i loved Pip & Ravi. my dearest 🥹 i'm going to miss them so much...
as for this book, i can't say the same. i am always excited for Holly's books, as her mind is tremendous, in a very positive and unique way. seriously, i will always admire mystery & thriller authors' minds. how can they be so witty? i love it.
however, as much as i was excited for this book to put an ending to this amazing trilogy, i felt a little empty after i had finished it. i have always loved Holly's books because she includes you in the mystery, making you feel part of the team that is solving it — with different proof, pictures, stories, etc.
and that was what i was feeling while reading the first half of the book. until the big reveal of The DT Killer (i had to look for the english name because i read a spanish edition, lol).
that was the most predictable, plain reveal i have ever read, if i'm being honest. plus, it's the worst villain in one of her stories. no, really, what a childish, misogynistic man, killing women just because they don't listen to you and are too loud. Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter describes him perfectly.
the rest of the book was pretty boring to me. i liked the way Pip & Ravi (my fave team) were trying to cover the murder and trying to guilt Max for it (deserved, you creep), but apart from that, it was boring.
and the ending? don't get me started on that...
anyways, i will miss these characters sm, really. i had so much fun reading the first two books, and the first part of this one!
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𐙚‧₊˚ pre-read 🔪 ˚｡⋆
putting an end to this wonderful trilogy. pip and ravi, you will be missed so dearly 💔