Running with Lions

DNF - PG 148

Why?

Because I dislike so much of what's going on. This is, slightly, my own fault because I ignored the little bit in the synopsis that says Emir hates Sebastian. Or, rather, Sebastian thinks Emir hates him. You see, I actively dislike enemies to lovers romances. And that's what this is. Or, rather, tries to be. The real reason they are no longer friends is rather shallow and even kind of stupid - and like they are supposed to be these amazing enemies, but...the author didn't want to actually have to deal with a reconciliation. So, for me, it was too enemies to lovers but for those that adore the trope, it'll probably be not enough true enemies to lovers. (For me, it's too much because I kind of characterize the trope as ‘I hate you, but you're so hot' which Sebastian has in spades.)

Okay, besides that: I don't like Sebastian. I truly hate Mason (more on him later). Emir is ... okay, but I really think that to form any attachment to him at all, we'd need some of this to be told from his POV. The rest... seem kind of shallow. I could like Willie. I do kind of want to like Grey, the same way I still want to like Juvia from Fairy Tail (more on her later). I don't feel the bonds of friendship. I don't know if it's because teenage boys are notoriously - well - teenage boys, but they don't feel like they care much about each other. Not like I was expecting from what I'd heard. But, I mean, I've basically reached the halfway point, and I really don't care what happens to these people. (Except maybe Grey and Willie. ... Maybe a couple others.)

I do like the idea of a team that isn't mired in homophobia. And our Coach and his Rocky pep-talks seriously reminds me of Coach Finstock from Teen Wolf, so that's fun.

Now, I want to talk about the romances a bit more. Rather, the secondary romances, because there's two of them and I've said all I can imagine I need to about Sebastian and Emir.

First we have Grey with a crush on Mason. So, I knew going into this book, it was going to be all boys. It's about a boys sports team. I was fine with that. Then I first met Grey and was thrilled. Now, I don't know if anyone else has seen the movie Crooked Arrows but it's about this boys (and Native American) lacrosse team. There is one girl that kind of acts as co-coach for the team and, when Grey shows up, I was thinking ‘cool, kinda like that.' Well, Grey has a crush. On a guy that treats her horribly. (Quote found while searching through the book for something. You know, how you do.)

Mason has a soft spot for her. Being an ass is just his way of showing it.

That's like ‘he pulls your pigtails ‘cause he likes you' level crap. Honestly, if a boy pulls a girls pigtails, she should haul off and punch him. More on this in May's review. (Scroll down towards the bottom to find it.) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2300562826?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1

The other romance I'd like to talk about is Willie and Hunter.

Behind him, Willie and Hunter are bundled under an afghan on Willie's bed, snoring and dead to the world. Willie's face is mashed in Hunter's neck. Hunter's fingers are twisted in Willie's hair; their lower halves are tangled. A pair of cuddling bros.

That romance, sweet friends to lovers, I would have loved to read instead of this one. (I might have actually liked it, too, as Willie seems to be someone I'd like more than I do Sebastian.)

So, in short, I just...really don't care about this book and I just read what I thought would be a 4 star contemporary romance and it was kind of bad and I think I need to stay away from contemporary - especially YA contemporary and... I'm just done.