Valentine

4.5

I absolutely loved the realistic portrayal of how it would feel to be trapped with someone as psychotic as the mmc. No stars in the eyes; Diana's too much of an investigative reporter for that. Diana has questions. In fact, it's her natural curiosity that has helped put her at the side of a dangerous man, but what choice did she have once Asher's mind was made up?

Overall, I had a growing sense of unease reading this book. It felt so unsafe for Diana the entire time. I said out loud several times, “Diana, you in danger gurl”. Asher's sanity is so untrustworthy that I began to doubt whether his POV was the actual reality; after all, he is capable of having full conversations and meals with his dead mother. The fact that he knows something is different about him (not that he feels his actions are necessarily wrong) makes reading so much more exciting too. I often found myself thinking he made valid points. I have to admit that as I read on I started to find Diana's natural curiosity annoying, as she put herself in the most ridiculous and dangerous predicaments, and it started to grate on me. Then I have to remember that her mind is broken because who wouldn't be?

I liked book 1 a lot, and I loved book 2 even more. Do not click the spoiler if you're going to read this book I write to my audience of 0.

I like and prefer HEA's, even the morally grey ones will work, but I'm not surprised by the ending. Asher revered his mother, even though he hated her. He loved his mother but still strangled the life out of her. Whatever made Diana so sure her life was safe around Asher towards the end? Maybe she wasn't. Her last desperate act, when she made love to her monster, broke my heart. His madness meant he would eventually find fault in his obsession. I'm just sad for Diana. He came into her world, fucked with her already fragile mind, and then killed her because ghosts can't run. Fuck you, Asher. Your morals about killing innocent people went straight out of the window, you piece of fictional shit.