Shy
My warped brain read this as a Daryl Dixon walking dead fanfic, and it felt like coming home
Loved it a lot. I loved the writing style, and even though the story wasn't necessarily romance centric for most of it (which I definitely agree with! It felt very respectful of the topic) I still felt how much the MCs cared for each other.
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars, is because for some reason it felt a bit long to me? Not necessarily slow, just long, if that makes any sense? I think I was ready for the climax and happily ever after, quite some time before it actually came, but also I wouldn't necessarily say that things weren't happening in between. There was a lot of character development which is probably why it didn't feel slow.
I'm usually a speed reader but I just put this down several times when I kinda stopped feeling it. Maybe it's because it was emotionally heavy? I'm not quite sure, but I think that was a good choice because I ended the book feeling like this was a 5 star read. But it took me like 6 months to finish so I'm not quite sure I can give it a 5 yet...
Dnf about 30%
I've tried to read this book on two separate occasions. I am just floored that this book is so popular. The characters inner monologue is really juvenile as some others have said, and ok thats fine their in high school, so I was just perpetually cringing, but I didn't let it stop me from reading on.
My main problem is that the writing is really frustrating, and THE MAIN CHARACTERS ACTIONS DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!
(Ok here's where I tell you I'm a heathen who skips around in books while reading, I do this even in books I absolutely adore, and I can not be stopped)
For the writing aspect, almost every time we learn an integral part of Shiloh's story its by her going on a two page monologue with, maybe one, one sentence response from one of the male main characters. Beyond this feeling like lazy writing, it makes me incredibly uncomfortable as the reader. It just feels like this is not how a serious conversation goes, no nuance, no real breaks of shiloh reading the room to see how people are responding to her. It comes of as incredibly narcissistic/ self important for some reason, and just, icky for lack of a better word.
As for the main character making no sense part:
One example, Shiloh in the beginning talks about how gross it is that guys thought her and her twin were a “package deal” romantically. Later on she says “don't make me choose” when talking to her twin love interests??? I love reverse harem its one of my favorite genres, but this made me feel weird about the whole thing because SHILOH made it weird first!
Ok also pretty much everything she does at school draws attention to her, but like, she's hiding from her stalker?? Dude at one point she's making out with one of the male main characters in gym Outside!!! where you know, stalker could very well be lurking, and everyone is staring at her catcalling and she's causing a commotion?? GIRL YOU'RE IN WITNESS PROTECTION, NOT HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. WHAT. Not to mention she's supposed to be “shy”???
Also she never really seems to consider like “Hmmm what if Mr. X, the stalker who is in love with me, comes and doesn't like the fact that I'm constantly hanging out with 4 dudes who I have obvious romantic interest in?” Theres no significant moral conflict really about whether or not she should hang around the guys as she is actively putting them in danger just by being around them. This could have made for a very interesting and believable point of conflict in the story. (She tries to distance themselves they get mad/sad/something?)
Like idk maybe some of this is addressed later and I didn't read far enough or skipped it but these weird character flaws combined with the juvenile tone of her inner monologue make shiloh seem so inconsistent with how other characters describe her (and she describes herself). Her selective amnesia about Mr. X from like the middle of the book on also makes her seem either criminally thoughtless/negligent at best or completely self absorbed and uncaring at worst.
Warning: Dnf very early.
One of my biggest book “icks” that make me stop almost immediately is when the main character describes themselves by their “superior qualities” un ironically, without prompting, or without having a greater purpose as a plot device.
You know, like I just had to hear the heroine say she has a flat stomach and double D's in an otherwise normal sentence. Idk I just feel like people don't casually complement themselves in sentences like that?
I'm not even against mary sues or main characters with perfect traits. But when giving us as readers an initial picture of the heroines awesomeness I generally don't want it to be from her lol.
This was even better than I thought it was after I first read it. I immediately liked it after reading, and quite a lot. Probably like 4.6 stars? I thought it was great, but I didn't expect that I would want to re-read it.
I was wrong, lol. I've re read it about 4 times? Every so often I get a random craving for this book like a good chocolate chip cookie and I just can't resist it. I've bumped it up to a true 5 for its sticking power. This book has really dug under my skin and I keep chasing the feeling of it and going back for more.
This is my comfort book. I don't have enough words to explain how much I love it, or what I love about it.
I finished it months ago and I still re read it once every couple of days. I just can't get it out of my head it's that good. Go Read it. Now. Please.
This series is wholly and entirely responsible for my decent into degeneracy. This was the first Dark Romance book I had ever read, and boy was I having a moral crisis THE ENTIRE TIME, but I could not put the damn book down. I've read all 6 books that are out now, so I've clearly gotten over it :).
These books are, download and prepare for an all nighter type reads. In my opinion the character development in this series far superior to most books, regardless of genre. The books have a hint of mystery, details are laid out in the book that you don't pick up on until your second or third read. Pretty much everything means something. Sam and Angel have the magic to make you fall in love seemingly irredeemable monsters. Every character is so messed up, but they complement eachother perfectly. The romance inevitable, like fate or destiny. Like they are so flawed, they could only ever belong together
3.5 (+something probably) stars
I think this book definitely did what it was trying to do, and I thought it was enjoyable for what it was. It read depraved in the way that a show set in medieval times, like game of thrones or the like, would. Almost gratuitous or indulgent in emphasizing the social hierarchy and all its moral failings. It didn't feel very romantic, but personally I'm not sure a medieval romance can or should feel romantic. I feel like its just not the time or place really. Instead this was like a “what if there were omegas in medieval times” thought experiment.
In the end the FMC actually liked the heroes which is surprising and probably more than they deserve lol.
And the MMCs also liked the FMC which, again, is surprising and for the time is probably more than one could hope for.
I'm giving it a 3 (rounding up honestly) because I loved Milly and I was sucked in hard for the first half.
But Carson was a walking red flag for me from page one. He totally outed himself as a giant man child who can't help but be an asshole to others when he's going through something. But like ok he maybe he was just grumpy, and he was self aware and seemed to want to change so I let it go.
Mentally insert Tyra Banks we were all rooting for you here
SILLY ME I WAS RIGHT HE'S A DICKHEAD AND MILLY SHOULDN'T HAVE FORGIVEN HIM. Sorry but going through a hard time isn't a good reason to treat good people like shit.
So Carson's a clown he gets no stars. I loved essentially every other character Milly was such a sweetie, Dennis was the cutest, her best friends were awesome, her brothers were awesome. They all get 4 stars at least.
Yeah idk... this book made me feel 90 years old in a million different ways.
Quite frankly I could barely read Demi's chapters, I was just in a perpetual state of confusion. I couldn't tell who was talking a lot of the time. It really did read like “stereotypical teenage girls” just babbling over one another. The entire time I was like: “is this one of those gen-z things i just don't understand? Do they just talk like this?” And then they would reference obscure movies from the 2010's and then I just felt stupid lol...
Then I got even more confused because the sentences constantly left out a reference to a subject, or made references to things that just didn't work. They weren't even important sentence, which made it worse. I felt like I couldn't read a single line with out being like “who/what tf are we talking about??”
For example:
Long, dirty blonde but not quite brown hair, almond-shaped eyes the same shade of green, a deep, ripe lime-like color.
Tbh I probably should've been able to get this one, but I'm still mad about it cause I spent too long thinking about it. Like eyes the same shade of green as what..as each other? Like her eyes match? Thats cool I guess...
And
“is she saying he's out of my league or I'm far from his?”
Aren't these the same thing?? He's out of your league, or better than you, in other words you're far from his league??? Hello?? This ones not my fault.
All in alI, turned 26 and apparently I'm ready to be put in a home cause i just couldn't with this one.
Mmmm I love Carnage Island, and I really wanted to love this, but it gave me an ick feeling. Let me first start by saying that I honestly dont mind/sometimes absolutely love books with dub/non con. (Please see: Forsyth Royals series) It's not something I generally actively seek out, but I won't think anything about reading books that have it.
But this was a mmmmmmmmmmm. Like this book did dub/non con in a way that actually made me feel guilty for enjoying it in the past lol.
Let me give some examples:
He had taken me in a moment of weakness, but at no point did I not want him. Yes, my body had reacted without my mind's consent. Yet I would be lying if I had said I hadn't wanted it that way.
No. Like don't try to do mental gymnastics to turn non con into consent. There was no consent. As the writer, own it, work with it, do something about it. But don't insult my intelligence as a reader to tell me red is actually blue or some shit.
I hate to compare to Lords of Pain etc, but that is my fav execution of non/dub con so, sorry
I've re read this book enough times, I should finally come on and give it a formal review.
Why this is such a comfort book for me?
This little novella has some of the best Autism representation. Like period. I know, I'm shocked too. If you felt heard/understood with Stella from the Kiss Quotient, this is on par with that in my opinion.
Yes it is a bit silly in a smutty way sometimes, but Kati Wilde perfectly captures one the most painful, scary, overwhelming features of living with autism (in my personal opinion) which is constantly being misunderstood by the ones you love, and those you want to love you.
I love it, it's perfect 10/10.
I can't it's perfection.
I would seriously re-read it 5 more times in a row If I had enough time to just be completely swept away in a story like that again. It felt more real than my real life.
I think this story captured a level of depth that almost seems impossible for the genre. There was foreshadowing galore, a purposeful presentation of intergenerational trauma, Perspectives and truths were unveiled in layers, and the craziest thing is at any given point I felt like the story was walking a very fine line between being a romance (with tragic elements) and a true tragedy.
What if Johnny didn't heal well? What if he lost his dreams, and his character along with them, and actually did end up like Shannon's dad. The whole story could've easily ended up being that Shannon is doomed to live the life of her mother, with a tragic ending for all. I think we can assume it's unlikely if not impossible that this wouldve happened, due to just how good Johnny is, and his strength of character ( and especially with Mr. And Ms. Kavanagh in the picture) but everything felt so real, that it was actually really easy to imagine. When Shannon's mother suggested it I thought “Really?? Oh dear god, is that where this is going???”
None of these things felt very intentional while reading, it just felt like I was reading the story of Shannon and Johnny. But when I look back and what happened, how I felt, and all of the details needed to make it happen it can't have been done with anything other than extremely careful intent.
On a less serious note
I had only two real problems (I'm joking, these are not problems) both of which are entirely my own fault
1. I'm an ignorant American and I can't fluidly imagine Irish accents. I basically imagined everyone with a British accent the entire time and felt bad about it every time I realized I was doing it.
2. As someone who has a fear of vomit I knew me and Shan were gonna have problems as soon Johnny read her file in book 1
Oh my god. This book. This is one of those, stay up till 3 am every night until you finish it books. I put my life on hold so Johnny and Shannon could live theirs and I don't regret it for a second.
Lmao I love Kati Wilde. For someone who mainly writes short novellas her technical ability is superb. She can get you sucked it, construct a deep fantasy world, tell the story of an epic journey, and thoroughly develop her characters in about 250 pages or less.
It's—dare I say it— wilde.
In this one Elina was kinda silly, but in a cute way. I loved it.
Idk this is the second Sam Mariano book I've tried, and so far I can't really get into her heroes. Funny thing is I think I've seen most reviewers complain about the heroines being naive/dumb? I guess my tolerance for that is pretty high, and I even kinda enjoy this trope most of the time.
My problem is when a hero's entire personality is being so cocky and confident that he is just completely unbothered by everything the heroine does. Like I get that's part of the gig right, the male hero has all the power and is able to manipulate the heroine into doing whatever he wants, but my problem is even when the main couple seem to get close, and this doesn't really change. And throughout the book, there is no real sense that the hero is emotionally effected by the heroine. I'm not even asking for the heroine to get a win or get one over on the hero, just some indication to let us know that this whole endeavor of ruining her life actually means something to him. If he already gets everything he wants, and this is just one more thing, then this isn't be fun for him nor the reader?
I think the whole point is this is supposed to be implied. Like when he says “I've never thought about a girl like this, no one else has ever kept my attention for this long” yada yada yada. But I want both. I want the hero to say this, and then also seem somewhat emotionally distressed by this fact?? Like if its true that this is the first time it's happened shouldn't the hero kinda be fucked up over it? Idk.
I'm gonna go ahead and blame Sam & Angel for their Royals of Forsythe Series. I think they've just made me have unreasonably high standards for bully trope books lol. Killian Payne is the perfect example of what this type of hero should be, in my opinion. He can get anything he wants, he really wants the girl, he can't have her and trying harder pushes her away. He does some messed up shit, but its almost like he is as emotionally distraught, frustrated and introspective over the whole interaction as she is. Like he wants it to be as easy as everything else in his life (or maybe he doesn't?), but it can't be. He also realizes that he doesn't want her to just say she belongs to him, but he really wants her really and entirely.
I don't know, after writing all of this, I think I'm realizing I just want character growth for the hero? I don't think a “Killian Payne” is the only way to achieve this, but Mariano's heros definitely miss this mark for me...
God I love baseball.
In all seriousness this is probably one of my favorite “fake dating” books I've ever read.
UMMM WHAT??
I'm in shock, why does this not have at least 4.Something stars?? This book was magnificent, the depth of love I now feel for Eve Dangerfield's writing style can only be surpassed by how much I love her characters!
The writing is witty, sharp, effervescent. The world just flew off the pages and time and real life obligations felt meaningless. It was a very thorough, honest take on two characters finding their way in BDSM together. (Also featuring accurate and honest female ADHD rep). This book took its serious subject matter very seriously but still felt heartbreakingly romantic and sweet, with bits of humor sprinkled in. Nothing overblown, nothing unnecessary. It was just perfect.
Ok, I'm off now to go binge read everything else Eve Dangerfield
Soooo... the fact that I have yet to find a second chance romance that I really like, is starting to seem like something I need to bring up in therapy lol. It may be the case that I'm just an unforgiving bitch and once someone messes up their dead to me.