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Merissa (12502 KP) rated Beauty's Beasts in Books
Oct 6, 2023
BEAUTY'S BEASTS is a why choose romance that, although it's long, just isn't long enough! I'm not ready to leave them. I need more! (I feel like Oliver Twist!)
We start off in the village with Evan. They go to the shop and meet Will, their best friend. It's through this first scene that we understand just what is going on, how they are living, what they are up against, what the village thinks, and how it could be an Eve, Evangeline, or Evan day. Even though I knew what was coming, it still shocked me. It was so well-written, and that's only in the first few pages!!!
One thing I need to say. It would have been so easy for this author to split the book up, but I'm SO glad they didn't! I loved that it was chunky, and I loved even more that nothing stopped me from turning the pages and continuing with the story.
The four Gryxen are perfect. Very different personalities which came through clearly. There was never any doubt about which one they were interacting with. My favourites were Caliborne and Drixus, I guess I go for the quieter ones! Seerraf though? He's one dark horse that I want to know more about. Oh yes! I'm so glad that Caliborne stayed the way he was. It would have been an easy fix to make him different. It was how he was that made me fall in love with him. And Drixus? Well, he definitely deserved to change.
I will tell you, this book hit me right in the feels and absolutely made my eyes leak. It about killed me, before making it all right again. And don't get me started on the epilogue! This is why I need more!!!
So so good. I didn't want this book to finish. Definitely one I'll be buying in paperback or hardcover format, as I want to keep it and re-read whenever I want to. But, you know, if there was something to add to it, that would be good. đ
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 6, 2023
We start off in the village with Evan. They go to the shop and meet Will, their best friend. It's through this first scene that we understand just what is going on, how they are living, what they are up against, what the village thinks, and how it could be an Eve, Evangeline, or Evan day. Even though I knew what was coming, it still shocked me. It was so well-written, and that's only in the first few pages!!!
One thing I need to say. It would have been so easy for this author to split the book up, but I'm SO glad they didn't! I loved that it was chunky, and I loved even more that nothing stopped me from turning the pages and continuing with the story.
The four Gryxen are perfect. Very different personalities which came through clearly. There was never any doubt about which one they were interacting with. My favourites were Caliborne and Drixus, I guess I go for the quieter ones! Seerraf though? He's one dark horse that I want to know more about. Oh yes! I'm so glad that Caliborne stayed the way he was. It would have been an easy fix to make him different. It was how he was that made me fall in love with him. And Drixus? Well, he definitely deserved to change.
I will tell you, this book hit me right in the feels and absolutely made my eyes leak. It about killed me, before making it all right again. And don't get me started on the epilogue! This is why I need more!!!
So so good. I didn't want this book to finish. Definitely one I'll be buying in paperback or hardcover format, as I want to keep it and re-read whenever I want to. But, you know, if there was something to add to it, that would be good. đ
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 6, 2023
Capturing the Baronâs Heart (A Wildewardian Tale)
10.0
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She was the goddess of witches and rules, but rules are made to be broken. When a reckless...
Historical Paranormal Romance
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Waking Land (The Waking Land, #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The blurb of this novel tells pretty much all the necessary information. Elanna was kept away from her parents for fourteen years, in a different country, with a different culture and different way of living. She always wanted to be a botanist, because she loved plants. She was accused of Kingâs murder, so the only chance she had was to run. While on the run, she finds out, that she has a great gift and she supposed to be the one, who leads her country to independence.
This book has a great variety of characters to choose from. I loved their bravery and strong personalities. My favourite ones were El and Jahan. I loved their kindness and all the adventures which they had together in this novel. El is a very confused young woman, who is trying to make the right choice, even though it breaks her heart. She is emotionally torn between two countries who are at war because she has ties with both of them, it is hard for her to make the decisions, and this whole process was very interesting to watch for me.
I liked the plot of this book, but I found some of the parts quite repetitive. There is quite a bit of action going on in this novel, so that was what kept me going. I liked the adventure parts of it, filled with some really lovely and subtle romance. I think that author used her love for music and nature really well in this novel, I loved the overall setting of this book. It has some sex and violence in this novel, but it is not overwhelming, and I am really great full to the author, for keeping this novel quite elegant, when it used to come to violence.
The writing style is pleasant to read, but I donât understand, why fantasy books have such complicated names in them. For me, it makes these books more difficult to read and it doesnât add any charm at all. The chapters were quite long, but they were divided into smaller chunks, so it was quite easy to read it. I really liked the ending of this book, I think it rounded up the story really nicely, and there will be a second part published this year, so I am quite curious to see what it has to offer. So, to conclude, I think this book has all the right attributes necessary for this type of novel, it has magic, brave heroine who is kind and sweet, political disputes and the right amount of romance. Please do give this book a try and I hope you will enjoy it 🙂
This book has a great variety of characters to choose from. I loved their bravery and strong personalities. My favourite ones were El and Jahan. I loved their kindness and all the adventures which they had together in this novel. El is a very confused young woman, who is trying to make the right choice, even though it breaks her heart. She is emotionally torn between two countries who are at war because she has ties with both of them, it is hard for her to make the decisions, and this whole process was very interesting to watch for me.
I liked the plot of this book, but I found some of the parts quite repetitive. There is quite a bit of action going on in this novel, so that was what kept me going. I liked the adventure parts of it, filled with some really lovely and subtle romance. I think that author used her love for music and nature really well in this novel, I loved the overall setting of this book. It has some sex and violence in this novel, but it is not overwhelming, and I am really great full to the author, for keeping this novel quite elegant, when it used to come to violence.
The writing style is pleasant to read, but I donât understand, why fantasy books have such complicated names in them. For me, it makes these books more difficult to read and it doesnât add any charm at all. The chapters were quite long, but they were divided into smaller chunks, so it was quite easy to read it. I really liked the ending of this book, I think it rounded up the story really nicely, and there will be a second part published this year, so I am quite curious to see what it has to offer. So, to conclude, I think this book has all the right attributes necessary for this type of novel, it has magic, brave heroine who is kind and sweet, political disputes and the right amount of romance. Please do give this book a try and I hope you will enjoy it 🙂
The Omega Lesson (Billionaires in Heat #2)
8.0
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Alphas don't have heats. Except when I "switch" to omega at an all-male alpha academy. Alphas are...
Reverse Harem Omegaverse Paranormal Romance Why Choose? Billionaires
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Uprooted in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I've been meaning to read this for a long time now and finally managed to do so. I'm so peased I did! It was such a great book, and I really did enjoy reading it.
Agnieszka is a seemingly ordinary young girl. Her best friend is about to be taken by the Dragon, a powerful wizard who routinely takes girls into his tower for ten years before they leave the village for good. Everyone's prepared for Kasia to go - she's the pretty one, the talented one, the one who everyone is drawn to. Of course the Dragon is going to choose her.
Right?
Of course, nothing goes to plan. Agnieszka assumed she was safe from being chosen, due to her clumsiness and lack of appeal or talents. But of course, she is chosen. Little does she know that she was destined for this role all along.
The Dragon is feared by most, including Nieshka. But she soon learns that he is not as terrible as she thought. She also learns some valuable skills involving magic that she never knew she was capable of.
Nieshka discovers the importance of magic in protecting her village from the Wood. The Wood is full of corruption, often taking unknowing passers-by and either never releasing them or returning them to their families changed beyond repair. The Wood has been a huge threat for centuries. The Dragon holds it at bay, but nobody ever dreamed of defeating it.
Until Agnieszka came along.
It's quite a complex plot, and there are a lot of moments where Nieshka makes mistakes. She is driven by emotion, especially when her best friend's life is at risk. She is a passionate girl and doesn't always think rationally. I liked her for this - don't we all let our emotions get the better of us sometimes?
There was a small amount of romance in this book that I felt was rather unnecessary, but it didn't overtake the plot or anything. I loved how the plot and subplots twisted together, and how many turns they took. It was exciting and intriguing and very clever.
The ending seemed a little too simple to me, though. Had they never thought to look into the Wood Queen's origin before?
Overall it was a fantastic book. Timeless. I can see why it's so popular, and I'm sure it will be for some time. 4 stars.
Agnieszka is a seemingly ordinary young girl. Her best friend is about to be taken by the Dragon, a powerful wizard who routinely takes girls into his tower for ten years before they leave the village for good. Everyone's prepared for Kasia to go - she's the pretty one, the talented one, the one who everyone is drawn to. Of course the Dragon is going to choose her.
Right?
Of course, nothing goes to plan. Agnieszka assumed she was safe from being chosen, due to her clumsiness and lack of appeal or talents. But of course, she is chosen. Little does she know that she was destined for this role all along.
The Dragon is feared by most, including Nieshka. But she soon learns that he is not as terrible as she thought. She also learns some valuable skills involving magic that she never knew she was capable of.
Nieshka discovers the importance of magic in protecting her village from the Wood. The Wood is full of corruption, often taking unknowing passers-by and either never releasing them or returning them to their families changed beyond repair. The Wood has been a huge threat for centuries. The Dragon holds it at bay, but nobody ever dreamed of defeating it.
Until Agnieszka came along.
It's quite a complex plot, and there are a lot of moments where Nieshka makes mistakes. She is driven by emotion, especially when her best friend's life is at risk. She is a passionate girl and doesn't always think rationally. I liked her for this - don't we all let our emotions get the better of us sometimes?
There was a small amount of romance in this book that I felt was rather unnecessary, but it didn't overtake the plot or anything. I loved how the plot and subplots twisted together, and how many turns they took. It was exciting and intriguing and very clever.
The ending seemed a little too simple to me, though. Had they never thought to look into the Wood Queen's origin before?
Overall it was a fantastic book. Timeless. I can see why it's so popular, and I'm sure it will be for some time. 4 stars.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Fading in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Fading by Cindy Cipriano may not contain vampires or werewolves yet it still has a slightly supernatural/paranormal feel to it. This book is in a similar group as Twilight as a forbidden love book. Also, this is only the first book in a series that is expected to be three or four books long.
Leath is the typical seventeen-year-old high school girl. She has her motherâs full support after her father died and her two best friends Victor and Anamae. The three of them have been considering college visits and what the future may hold for them. Leath and Victor have always been close but when Victor starts showing interest in being more than just friends with Leath she resists him. Victor believes Leath is confused and will come around to recognizing her feelings for him but Leath is not too sure. Then while working in her guidance councilor's office Leath sees the transfer file for a new student, James.
As if fate put them together James and Leath run into each other on Jameâs first day and they instantly become inseparable. Leath feels as if she has known James for her entire life and James feels the same way about her. Leath wonders if James is the same boy that Leath has actually been having dreams about all her life. Is she prepared to make the huge sacrifice required for her to be with James? Leath must choose between her friends, family, and freedom, or James before he makes the decision for her.
What I liked best about the book was honestly James himself. Even if he seemed somewhat creepy at times he is a great guy. His willingness to live alone and possibly face the wrath of his race just to protect Leath from his societies traditions are commendable. What I didnât really like was the abrupt change around chapter fifteen. I understand the need for it but it was a little rough at first. I also didnât understand completely why the fading worked so well on Leath that time when it didnât work the first time. The only difference I can really come up with was the medication Leath was on and everyone else forgetting James helping her forget as well.
Teens of all ages will find this book to be appealing as the language is mild and there isnât really any inappropriate content. Readers of romance will defiantly enjoy this book more so than fans of other genres. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4. Fans of teen romance will love this twist on a classic forbidden love story. The entire concept of fading allows for the story to move on without having messy explanations in the middle of everything.
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Leath is the typical seventeen-year-old high school girl. She has her motherâs full support after her father died and her two best friends Victor and Anamae. The three of them have been considering college visits and what the future may hold for them. Leath and Victor have always been close but when Victor starts showing interest in being more than just friends with Leath she resists him. Victor believes Leath is confused and will come around to recognizing her feelings for him but Leath is not too sure. Then while working in her guidance councilor's office Leath sees the transfer file for a new student, James.
As if fate put them together James and Leath run into each other on Jameâs first day and they instantly become inseparable. Leath feels as if she has known James for her entire life and James feels the same way about her. Leath wonders if James is the same boy that Leath has actually been having dreams about all her life. Is she prepared to make the huge sacrifice required for her to be with James? Leath must choose between her friends, family, and freedom, or James before he makes the decision for her.
What I liked best about the book was honestly James himself. Even if he seemed somewhat creepy at times he is a great guy. His willingness to live alone and possibly face the wrath of his race just to protect Leath from his societies traditions are commendable. What I didnât really like was the abrupt change around chapter fifteen. I understand the need for it but it was a little rough at first. I also didnât understand completely why the fading worked so well on Leath that time when it didnât work the first time. The only difference I can really come up with was the medication Leath was on and everyone else forgetting James helping her forget as well.
Teens of all ages will find this book to be appealing as the language is mild and there isnât really any inappropriate content. Readers of romance will defiantly enjoy this book more so than fans of other genres. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4. Fans of teen romance will love this twist on a classic forbidden love story. The entire concept of fading allows for the story to move on without having messy explanations in the middle of everything.
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Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Mass Effect Trilogy in Video Games
Jul 25, 2017
An Example Of Why Dialogue Options In Video Games Are More Trouble Than They Are Worth
The first Mass Effect game was released 10 years ago this year and it pioneered many RPG mechanics that are still being used in RPGâs today. Like any pioneer, it spawned many clones that tried to emulate the cover based shooting mechanics that the game used, the romance situations that took place between the characters and the infamous dialogue options that the player could choose from during conversation cutscenes.
Mass Effect wasnât the first game to do it, there are plenty of earlier examples of the mechanic being used before in games, such as the Fallout series. Bioware actually included the mechanic themselves in their earlier game in Knights Of The Old Republic, but its inclusion Mass Effect is what brought it to the mainstream and soon every developer was wanting a piece of the dialogue tree pie.
I never owned the original Mass Effect, the most exposure I got of it was through a few mates that owned the game at the time, but eventually the mechanic did end up creeping into games that I did own including; Alpha Protocall, Deus Ex, any Telltale game, The Amazing Spiderman 2, (for some reason,) and even in Uncharted 4.
As much as I enjoy a good âchoose your own adventure,â story and as much as I appreciate the trust that developers put in gamers to be able to tell their own story; whether that be through dialogue options, moral choices or customization options, I want you to tell me your story. I didnât pay 50 quid to get given a setting and a bunch of characters to tell my own story. You guys get paid to craft amazingly immersive works of fiction, so do your job and suck me in. Whenever Iâm playing a game with dialogue options and I am starting to get invested in the story and the characters, the inevitable dialogue tree pops up and takes me right out of the experience.
Sure, there are some movies that I watch and wonder why a writer or a director made a certain creative choice, but even if I donât agree with the decision, it is the creatorâs job to make those tough choices and that is what makes great art. One of my favorite movies of the last decade is Nicolas Winding Refnâs âDriveâ and that is purely because of the creative choices that the cast and crew made on that movie. I know people that hate Drive and Iâm sure if given the option they would change it to be a less daring, more cookie cutter action thriller, but that wouldnât have earned my respect like it has. Sometimes creators need to stop handholding the audience and make a tough call, even if it could potentially be a polarizing one.
In fact, when I think about it, all of my favorite stories are adored so much because of the definitive, drastic calls that they dare to make. I already spoke about Drive, Fight Clubâs twist took some balls to pull off, the ambitious non linear storytelling of Pulp Fiction makes it iconic, Breaking Bad was consistently shocking and yet brilliant, MGS is insanely unconventional and I love it for it and The Last Of Us delivers a divisive finishing blow that we have no choice but to partake in.
That is how you tell a great story and that is how you stand out as a creator, by doing something that no one else could do, especially not your audience. When I come home after a long day at work, I donât want to do much thinking. I want to relax and be told a story by the folks that are best at doing so. Personally, I think that you should believe in the story you are telling enough to make a definitive decision and if you donât, is it really a story thatâs worth telling?
Mass Effect wasnât the first game to do it, there are plenty of earlier examples of the mechanic being used before in games, such as the Fallout series. Bioware actually included the mechanic themselves in their earlier game in Knights Of The Old Republic, but its inclusion Mass Effect is what brought it to the mainstream and soon every developer was wanting a piece of the dialogue tree pie.
I never owned the original Mass Effect, the most exposure I got of it was through a few mates that owned the game at the time, but eventually the mechanic did end up creeping into games that I did own including; Alpha Protocall, Deus Ex, any Telltale game, The Amazing Spiderman 2, (for some reason,) and even in Uncharted 4.
As much as I enjoy a good âchoose your own adventure,â story and as much as I appreciate the trust that developers put in gamers to be able to tell their own story; whether that be through dialogue options, moral choices or customization options, I want you to tell me your story. I didnât pay 50 quid to get given a setting and a bunch of characters to tell my own story. You guys get paid to craft amazingly immersive works of fiction, so do your job and suck me in. Whenever Iâm playing a game with dialogue options and I am starting to get invested in the story and the characters, the inevitable dialogue tree pops up and takes me right out of the experience.
Sure, there are some movies that I watch and wonder why a writer or a director made a certain creative choice, but even if I donât agree with the decision, it is the creatorâs job to make those tough choices and that is what makes great art. One of my favorite movies of the last decade is Nicolas Winding Refnâs âDriveâ and that is purely because of the creative choices that the cast and crew made on that movie. I know people that hate Drive and Iâm sure if given the option they would change it to be a less daring, more cookie cutter action thriller, but that wouldnât have earned my respect like it has. Sometimes creators need to stop handholding the audience and make a tough call, even if it could potentially be a polarizing one.
In fact, when I think about it, all of my favorite stories are adored so much because of the definitive, drastic calls that they dare to make. I already spoke about Drive, Fight Clubâs twist took some balls to pull off, the ambitious non linear storytelling of Pulp Fiction makes it iconic, Breaking Bad was consistently shocking and yet brilliant, MGS is insanely unconventional and I love it for it and The Last Of Us delivers a divisive finishing blow that we have no choice but to partake in.
That is how you tell a great story and that is how you stand out as a creator, by doing something that no one else could do, especially not your audience. When I come home after a long day at work, I donât want to do much thinking. I want to relax and be told a story by the folks that are best at doing so. Personally, I think that you should believe in the story you are telling enough to make a definitive decision and if you donât, is it really a story thatâs worth telling?
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated The Band 4: The Air We Breathe in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Page Count: 324 pages (of nauseation)
Average Goodreads Rating: 3/5 stars (why, Goodreads? Youâre usually so tough on books)
My Rating: 1.5/ 5 stars
Truthfully, this is actually a great story. Yeah. So great. Itâs the perfect backstory for its horror sequel: The Martins Trump Manson on Body Count.
As a romance it fucking sucks.
I donât even know where to begin. This book is so full of sugary sap that it makes pasta covered in maple and chocolate syrup and marshmallows look appetizing.
original
Still not as sweet as The Air We Breathe
Hereâs the thing: Iâm not actually a bitter and cynical person. I like sap and fluff. I smile and giggle during romance scenes, Iâve obsessively written cute and romantic fanfiction and my boyfriend and I were arguably the most nauseatingly cute couple to ever walk the halls of John Bapst Memorial High School.
But I gagged reading this book for the amount of love-doveyness.
Marguerite is on holiday in London, recovering from the sudden deaths of her parents which liberated her from 27 years of being suffocated and controlled by them. While there, she has a random chance encounter with Chase Martin, a depressed rock star exhausted from touring with his band. Chase and Marguerite are drawn together by a strange unknown force. They donât know why they have such a strong connection to each other, but they do know that life without the other would not be living at all.
I actually really liked the beginning and thought that it would shape up to be an interesting and sweet romance. We see them before they meet in the coffee shop, miserable and depressed, and then while sipping her drink and reading her book, Marguerite feels Chaseâs anxiety. So she buys him a decaf drink and gives it to him, saying she could feel his anxiety from across the shop. Thatâs great.
The two of them realize theyâre drawn together and can find each other happiness and Marguerite ends up spending the night at Chaseâs house just so they can find comfort in having another human being near them. Thatâs great, too.
The beginning is by far my favorite part because it has promise for a good story and has more vivid scenes than any other part of the book.
But then it moves too quickly from there.
From that moment on, the two of them are so deep in love they make Romeo and Juliet look reserved and cautious. They are constantly âblown awayâ by each other and moved to tears every minute by each other. They âget a kick out ofâ every little joke they make to each other, and they start living together immediately after they meet. After a week (thatâs right, a flipping week), Chase proposes to her.
And if I had a pin for every time one of those quoted phrases appeared in this novel, I could pulverize a voodoo doll. The repeated phrases and excessive emotion of the characters is definitely the worst part.
Iâm still not that aggravated with this book, yet. Yeah, the insta love irks me, but I figure there will be a great plot with lots of trouble between the two of them after they marry. After all, they barely know each other and they need to figure out what this psychic connection means. Maybe theyâre the incarnated souls of Hawkgirl and Hawkman and theyâre about to get killed by an immortal psychopath (did I mention Iâm a huge nerd?).
Nope. The two of them agree on everything, right down to how to decorate the house and the new rule that shoes are off upon entering. And things continue to be hunky dory for practically forever. All of Chaseâs friends, and their girlfriends, love Marguerite and nobody questions their whirlwind romance. Yeah, because a severely depressed person getting engaged after a week of dating isnât a cry for help or anything.
And there is so much to dislike about Chaseâs and Margueriteâs decisions. Marguerite is forced to quit her job so she can move to London to be with Chase.
Never mind that she liked her job in Pennsylvania and didnât express any wish to be a housewife. Never mind that Chase was getting tired of touring and thinking about quitting the band anyway. Itâs her life that gets turned upside down.
Also, so much for her newfound freedom following her parentsâ deaths! Now sheâs shadowed by a bodyguard wherever she goes, needs to sneak into the backs of restaurant when she wants to eat out, and canât even walk to the store for fear of being accosted by her husbandsâ fans.
Yes, Chaseâs life gets changed too. He now has a wife that cooks meals for him, cleans for him, furnishes and decorates his house for him, and hands him a cold towel when he walks off stage. He made some real damn sacrifices when he married Marguerite.
bitch_please_by_teslapunk-d32znko
But life goes on. With a lot of summary and over thirty years, it goes on.
Aside from dialogues and scenes peppered here and there, the book is mostly sweet and sappy summary of their lives. Dark things happen now and then but theyâre glossed over and smothered in fluff.
If this storyline was done by a competent writer, this actually could have been an entertaining series about the Martin family. There is actually plenty of material between the psychic connection, Margueriteâs tragic background, a miscarriage, a huge celebrity drugging conspiracy, two sets of twins, a near death experience, and a baby on the doorstep.
But somehow it becomes boring and plotless when itâs all crammed into one book that seems to drag on forever. During all of this my main concern, the psychic connection, was never explained. Itâs just a gift from God. One that turns their âperfectâ (as in creepily well behaved and mature) children into kids from The Shining. Because they also have a psychic connection. They can âfeelâ each other and their parents. Oh, and talk to their dead sister, apparently, when their dead sister wants to tell them about babies being left on their doorstep.
âThis is Baby Sarah,â Matt said.
âBaby Sarah?â Marguerite asked.
(Both sets of twins) said âYes. We knew she was coming.â
Chase asked, âHow did you know?â
âBaby Margaret told us,â Mark said.
Also, when Chase and Marguerite choose Sarahâs full name, all four children, in a different room, wake up from a dead sleep, sit up in unison, and announce that the baby is named.
May I present the newest additions to the Martin family?
If you want to read a rockstar romance, I recommend Loveâs Rhythm by Lexxie Couper, which isnât perfectly crafted, but leagues beyond The Band 4: The Air We Breathe.
Page Count: 324 pages (of nauseation)
Average Goodreads Rating: 3/5 stars (why, Goodreads? Youâre usually so tough on books)
My Rating: 1.5/ 5 stars
Truthfully, this is actually a great story. Yeah. So great. Itâs the perfect backstory for its horror sequel: The Martins Trump Manson on Body Count.
As a romance it fucking sucks.
I donât even know where to begin. This book is so full of sugary sap that it makes pasta covered in maple and chocolate syrup and marshmallows look appetizing.
original
Still not as sweet as The Air We Breathe
Hereâs the thing: Iâm not actually a bitter and cynical person. I like sap and fluff. I smile and giggle during romance scenes, Iâve obsessively written cute and romantic fanfiction and my boyfriend and I were arguably the most nauseatingly cute couple to ever walk the halls of John Bapst Memorial High School.
But I gagged reading this book for the amount of love-doveyness.
Marguerite is on holiday in London, recovering from the sudden deaths of her parents which liberated her from 27 years of being suffocated and controlled by them. While there, she has a random chance encounter with Chase Martin, a depressed rock star exhausted from touring with his band. Chase and Marguerite are drawn together by a strange unknown force. They donât know why they have such a strong connection to each other, but they do know that life without the other would not be living at all.
I actually really liked the beginning and thought that it would shape up to be an interesting and sweet romance. We see them before they meet in the coffee shop, miserable and depressed, and then while sipping her drink and reading her book, Marguerite feels Chaseâs anxiety. So she buys him a decaf drink and gives it to him, saying she could feel his anxiety from across the shop. Thatâs great.
The two of them realize theyâre drawn together and can find each other happiness and Marguerite ends up spending the night at Chaseâs house just so they can find comfort in having another human being near them. Thatâs great, too.
The beginning is by far my favorite part because it has promise for a good story and has more vivid scenes than any other part of the book.
But then it moves too quickly from there.
From that moment on, the two of them are so deep in love they make Romeo and Juliet look reserved and cautious. They are constantly âblown awayâ by each other and moved to tears every minute by each other. They âget a kick out ofâ every little joke they make to each other, and they start living together immediately after they meet. After a week (thatâs right, a flipping week), Chase proposes to her.
And if I had a pin for every time one of those quoted phrases appeared in this novel, I could pulverize a voodoo doll. The repeated phrases and excessive emotion of the characters is definitely the worst part.
Iâm still not that aggravated with this book, yet. Yeah, the insta love irks me, but I figure there will be a great plot with lots of trouble between the two of them after they marry. After all, they barely know each other and they need to figure out what this psychic connection means. Maybe theyâre the incarnated souls of Hawkgirl and Hawkman and theyâre about to get killed by an immortal psychopath (did I mention Iâm a huge nerd?).
Nope. The two of them agree on everything, right down to how to decorate the house and the new rule that shoes are off upon entering. And things continue to be hunky dory for practically forever. All of Chaseâs friends, and their girlfriends, love Marguerite and nobody questions their whirlwind romance. Yeah, because a severely depressed person getting engaged after a week of dating isnât a cry for help or anything.
And there is so much to dislike about Chaseâs and Margueriteâs decisions. Marguerite is forced to quit her job so she can move to London to be with Chase.
Never mind that she liked her job in Pennsylvania and didnât express any wish to be a housewife. Never mind that Chase was getting tired of touring and thinking about quitting the band anyway. Itâs her life that gets turned upside down.
Also, so much for her newfound freedom following her parentsâ deaths! Now sheâs shadowed by a bodyguard wherever she goes, needs to sneak into the backs of restaurant when she wants to eat out, and canât even walk to the store for fear of being accosted by her husbandsâ fans.
Yes, Chaseâs life gets changed too. He now has a wife that cooks meals for him, cleans for him, furnishes and decorates his house for him, and hands him a cold towel when he walks off stage. He made some real damn sacrifices when he married Marguerite.
bitch_please_by_teslapunk-d32znko
But life goes on. With a lot of summary and over thirty years, it goes on.
Aside from dialogues and scenes peppered here and there, the book is mostly sweet and sappy summary of their lives. Dark things happen now and then but theyâre glossed over and smothered in fluff.
If this storyline was done by a competent writer, this actually could have been an entertaining series about the Martin family. There is actually plenty of material between the psychic connection, Margueriteâs tragic background, a miscarriage, a huge celebrity drugging conspiracy, two sets of twins, a near death experience, and a baby on the doorstep.
But somehow it becomes boring and plotless when itâs all crammed into one book that seems to drag on forever. During all of this my main concern, the psychic connection, was never explained. Itâs just a gift from God. One that turns their âperfectâ (as in creepily well behaved and mature) children into kids from The Shining. Because they also have a psychic connection. They can âfeelâ each other and their parents. Oh, and talk to their dead sister, apparently, when their dead sister wants to tell them about babies being left on their doorstep.
âThis is Baby Sarah,â Matt said.
âBaby Sarah?â Marguerite asked.
(Both sets of twins) said âYes. We knew she was coming.â
Chase asked, âHow did you know?â
âBaby Margaret told us,â Mark said.
Also, when Chase and Marguerite choose Sarahâs full name, all four children, in a different room, wake up from a dead sleep, sit up in unison, and announce that the baby is named.
May I present the newest additions to the Martin family?
If you want to read a rockstar romance, I recommend Loveâs Rhythm by Lexxie Couper, which isnât perfectly crafted, but leagues beyond The Band 4: The Air We Breathe.
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