Two-Damage My Heart - Book Rant by Voodoo Bride

 

Two-Damage My Heart (Nerds of Happy Valley #2)

by C.N. Holmberg

What is it about:

Broken hearts meet foam swords in a new contemporary romance novel by bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Eight years ago, Rue Thompson fell in love with her brother’s roommate. From across the country, he started writing her letters out of the blue—letters that encouraged her, amused her, and healed her.

Then he ghosted her and broke her heart.

Fortunately, Rue’s now stone-cold heart protects her from anything that dare make her feel, except when she’s live-action roleplaying with her friends in the park. When in costume and wielding a foam sword, Rue can be whatever she wants.

But then the boy—now most definitely a man—suddenly reappears in her life and shows renewed interest. The catch? He doesn’t recognize her. Apparently eight years and new hair masks all wounds. But Rue remembers everything. No amount of make-believe can change that. She’s taken enough damage, thank you very much.

But this time, Landry Harrison plans to convince Rue he’s leveled up—even if it means dressing up in tights and a cape to prove it.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

*spoilers ahead!*

After really enjoying You're My I.T. I immediately picked this up, hoping for more nerdy goodness.

Yeah...

First there was the hero being a Mormon. I will confess that threw me. Nothing against them, but it made that I didn't really connect with the hero. Him also being kind of bland and beige overall didn't help either.

Still I read on, as Rue was an interesting heroine and I was interested in seeing how the romance would turn out. Then it turns out one of the nerdier LARPers is a creepy stalker who even goes as far as to impersonate the hero! I get so sick and tired of this trope and it should be banned! Can we just not make the alternative/nerdy/goth person in a book the villain?! It wasn't even needed for the romance, it was just extra unnecessary drama. 

I did finish the book, but it was with a lot of grumbling, I can tell you.

I'm now wary of any other books by Holmberg sadly enough.

Why should you read it:

If you like bland heroes and the nerd being the villain you might like this.

Contemporary Holiday Mixology - Book Rant by Voodoo Bride

 

Contemporary Holiday Mixology (Chemistry Lessons #3.5?)

by Susannah Nix

What is it about:

After she’s jilted at a holiday ball, Gen hits it off with a handsome stranger. But what she intends as a casual hookup leaves her inexplicably wanting more. Will she ever find her Prince Charming again, or is he lost to her forever?

This story was originally published in the 2020 Jingle Balls Anthology under a different name, and is only available to subscriber's of the author's newsletter.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

The other two books I read in this series were not brilliant, but enjoyable enough.

This one however is absolutely not for me.

Gen meets a guy at a charity event and introduces herself as 'Gen with a G'. So of course the jerk keeps calling her 'Gen-with-a-G' for the rest of the novella. I know it's meant to be witty and/or funny, but stuff like that just seriously pisses me off. So I was totally not into this story and romance, I just hoped Gen would punch the jerk.

I don't think I'll read more by Nix, the previous books were entertaining enough for freebies, but I don't see myself paying for the other books in the series.

Why should you read it:

Maybe you don't mind jerks who think they're witty, but aren't.

In the Sight of Akresa - Angry Spoilery Book Rant

*Warning: This book seriously ticked me off, so I'm going to spoiler the hell out of it and take it apart!*


In the Sight of Akresa
by Ray Wood

What is it about:
Claire's lover has no tongue. A slave liberated from a heathen temple, Aya cannot tell the story of her stolen voice, or of her and Claire's unfolding love. She cannot speak her pain, her joy, or her sorrow. And if she sees that which eludes the blind goddess of justice, she cannot bear witness. "In the Sight of Akresa" is a tragic fantasy romance from debut author Ray Wood.

What did I think of it:
Before I'm going off on a very angry rant, let's look at the description. Especially at this: a tragic fantasy romance.

There is one important rule to romance: it has to have a satisfying ending with a Happily Ever After or a Happy for Now. It's the one thing every romance reader counts on, and once again: it's a rule! So this being described as a tragic fantasy romance made me think that I was going to read a romance that might be very emotional, but would end satisfying with that all important HEA or HFN.

Yeah...

So when I started on this story I discovered this wasn't written from the point of view of Aya, the former slave, but from the point of view of Claire. And not even a few sentences in I had this bad taste in my mouth. The way Claire talks about her 'love' felt as if Aya had very little agency. She felt more like a prize to be won by Claire than a lover. Then Claire deliberately wounds her hawk to be able to get close to Aya and I really started to dislike her.

Still, this was a short story so I read on.

Imagine my surprise at the story that unfolded:

Claire and Aya become secret lovers, and I must say this felt off. Claire is a noblewoman and Aya a servant and ex slave. I felt like Aya didn't have much choice in the matter, and not just because she can't speak. Claire also doesn't really try to get to actually know Aya. It's more lust than love imo.

Anyway: Things happen, Claire's brother wants to destroy Claire's happiness, so sets up Aya who gets accused of attempted murder of a nobleman (who happens to be Claire's fiance, because of course Claire picks her cushy life and a nobleman over Aya when push comes to shove). Aya can't have done it however, because Aya was with Claire at the time of the murder attempt. At the trial Claire decides to stay quiet because she doesn't want people to find out she had a secret lover and Aya (who can't speak or write) takes the fall...

But it's alright, people! Because Claire is kind of sure Aya might have sabotaged the stirrup of her brother's horse, so he took a bad fall during a tournament. And there's the whispers of Aya being a witch and following people around. So all's well that ends well. Can we just admire this surprise satisfying HEA!

WTF!!!

Where is my actual romance! Where is the Happily Ever After or Happy For Now! This is so not a romance! It couldn't be less of a romance if it tried! I was so angry!

Expecting a romance I got a story about a selfish noblewoman who wants to fuck the ex slave, and when it might turn out she could get caught doing the nasty with a servant, she just let's her lover take the blame for an attempted murder!? How is this a romance! How? Who decided to call it that? This is not even a tragic love story. It's horrible and disturbing.

I can not recommend this story to anyone, especially not if you want a romance, because let me repeat: This is not a romance!! Totally not!

Do yourself a favor and pick up a real fantasy romance, like Jeffe Kennedy's books, or Grace Draven's. Only read this story if you like unpleasant people ruining other people's lives.

*end of rant*

Burn for Burn - Book Rant

Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1)
by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

What is it about:
Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge.

KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend.

LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it.

MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him.

None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.

With an alliance in place, there will be no more “I wish I’d said…” or “If I could go back and do things differently...” These girls will show Jar Island that revenge is a dish best enjoyed together.

What did I think of it:
*spoilers*
I enjoyed the To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy, so decided to try this book.

And I was hugely disappointed...

So the three girls have been hurt and bullied and decide to take revenge. And it's clear from the start that their first victim is innocent of what he's accused of. Immediately setting the tone of this book: revenge is not a good idea. Now in itself this is not a bad thing, but as the book goes on the message tasted more and more like: just let people hassle you and stay down.

And in the end the biggest bully gets off almost scot-free, while bully number 2 gets hurt and the girls are all "What have we done?" Sending even more of a message that you should let bullies get away with their bullying. I was annoyed and went looking for spoilers of the next two books.

Bully number 2 turns into a love interest!

I decided then and there I wouldn't read the other books and this book went into discard pile faster than you can say bully.

What's with this "bullies are hot and cool" thing!? Really! I will keep saying: bullies are not cool! Bullying is never OK! If someone bullies you it doesn't mean they like you! And if it does mean they like you: Run! Run as fast and far as you can! You deserve better!

Why should you read it:
Don't!!!

This Monstrous Thing - Spoilery Book Rant

This Monstrous Thing
by Mackenzi Lee

What is it about:
In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.

His brother, Oliver—dead.

His sweetheart, Mary—gone.

His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.

Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay...

What did I think of it:
*Spoilers Ahead*

So this is a retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, with a steampunk twist.

This could have been a nice retelling, but for one thing: the inclusion of Mary Shelley as a character. I was enjoying the book until more and more about the character Mary was revealed.

Picture someone writing an amazing story, that starts a new genre and is still loved many years after it was first published. Picture someone using this beloved classic to write their own version. Picture them using the original author of the story as a character in their retelling.

Got that? I for one picture a woman who did something amazing, and deserves praise and thanks from the borrowing author.

None of that in This Monstrous Thing. Mary is a girl who wants adventure, and acts big while she is secretly scared of real adventure. She uses Alasdair to feel good about herself, writes a book about him resurrecting his brother, while she knows he wants to keep it secret - therefor betraying his trust - and she is a coward who runs off when she is needed...

Seriously?!

That's how you treat the author who's story you are using for your retelling? I couldn't care for this story anymore once it was clear Mary was painted as a story stealing coward. I think she should have been left out if this is the way she was used.

You bet this book was immediately donated to the charity book shop after I finished it.

Why should you read it:
Don't! Read the original instead.


buy from Amazon

No Life But This - DNF Rant

No Life But This (UniCorp #2)
by Anna Sheehan

What is it about:
Rose spent most of her life asleep. Otto spent his as an object.

Rose Fitzroy woke from her long sleep to a changed world and new life. Her friend Otto watched her from afar, longing for what he felt he couldn't have. But just when things seem to be going right, his own biology backfires, sending him into a deathly spiral that neither of them can stop. His only hope lies on the distant ice moon of Europa, where an experimental treatment might bring him back from the brink.

But Europa is in a state of revolution, and Otto's brother Quin is tangled up in it. With Otto going slowly insane, and Rose haunted by ghosts of her old life, more than one world may soon be destroyed around them.

What did I think of it:
*Warning: I will spoil the crap out of at least two events in this book, one that made me throw this book aside*

So I really enjoyed A Long, Long Sleep and this book was about my favorite character from that book: Otto.

At the start of this book it turns out Otto is desperately in love with Rose. He knows she doesn't feel that way about him, because when he touches people he can read their surface thoughts. He has a code of ethics that makes him stop to delve further in people's minds. On top of his feelings for Rose, he is feeling unwell, and might be dying from a condition that others like him have died from in the past.

So far, so good. It started to go wrong for me when Otto invites Rose into the pool to show her why he usually doesn't swim with other people. Here it is revealed that because of the water he feels Rose and her thoughts and emotions all over his body. I will confess this squicked me out a bit. Not what he feels, but that he only tells Rose this once she's in the water with him. It felt like a huge intrusion of her privacy. I know I wouldn't like someone to feel my emotions all over his/her being/body without me knowing about it and having chosen to share something so intimate.

A bit leery of Otto by this I read on.

Then the thing happened that made me toss the book:

Otto is getting worse and needs to travel to Europa in hope for a cure. He needs to be put in stasis, a procedure that might kill him. Rose volunteers to stay with him until the moment he's put in stasis. Otto is feeling very sorry for himself, because he might die, and because his feelings for Rose aren't mutual.

So what does Otto do?

He uses his telepathic powers to convince Rose's subconsciousness that he is her boyfriend from before she was put into stasis for 62 years, so he can kiss her (and maybe more)...

WTF!?

I don't care that Otto tries to tell himself it's ok, because conscious Rose supposedly knows it's Otto and not her old boyfriend! I don't care he thinks it's unfair he's going to die! I even don't care if he might feel sorry for this mind rape later! Because: Yes, this is Mind Rape!

I put the book down right there and then. Maybe I'm being unfair. Maybe Otto will grovel for the rest of the book to make it up to Rose. Still: I just wasn't interested in finding out what happened to Douche Canoe Otto after this second huge breach of privacy and trust. You just don't do this kind of shit to people! Ever!

You bet this book is not a keeper and will be donated to the charity shop asap.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you want to find out if Otto can redeem himself.


buy from bookdepository

This Mortal Coil - Book Rant

This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil #1)
by Emily Suvada

What is it about:
There's no gene for RUN LIKE HELL.

When a lone soldier, Cole, arrives with news of Lachlan Agatta's death, all hope seems lost for Catarina. Her father was the world's leading geneticist, and humanity's best hope of beating a devastating virus. Then, hidden beneath Cole's genehacked enhancements she finds a message of hope: Lachlan created a vaccine. Only she can find and decrypt it, if she can unravel the clues he left for her.

The closer she gets, the more she finds herself at risk from Cartaxus, a shadowy organization with a stranglehold on the world's genetic tech. But it's too late to turn back.As the pieces fit together it's clear there is one final secret that Cat must unlock. A secret that will change everything.

What did I think of it:
*warning: spoilers*
I was drawn in by the title of this book and it did seem to have a cool premise. Yet I was left with a bad taste in my mouth when I finished the book.

There's Cat. She is portrayed as a heroine with a disability compared to the other people in the world created in this book. Of course it turns out that she does not actually has a disability, but her supposed disability is a plot point... *sigh* Shall we bet that in book two she's the best in everything she couldn't do in this book because of her 'disability'.

Then there's the contradicting messages this book is shouting all over the place: Science is bad! No, wait... It isn't! It's anti-vaxxers who are bad! No, wait... Maybe they have a point... Science is the root of all evil! Etc...

Maybe the author didn't mean to put messages into this book and she was just trying to tell a story, but the constant flipping of focus made both the story and the underlying messages a total mess. That I kept reading was because I was curious where the author tried to take this story.

There were of course two love interests, although one of them was as so often in YA there to make Cat insta-special. It was clear he was going to be booted to the curb.

The one thing that I liked was the virus and how it acted, but there were not enough scenes that really dealt with the effects of the virus.

All in all I was disappointed, and I won't read the next book.

Why should you read it:
The virus is really cool!


Buy from bookdepository

The Cage - Book Rant

The Cage (The Cage #1)
by Megan Shepherd

What is it about:
When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

What did I think of it:
The premise of this book is really cool, so I had high hopes.

Yeah...

What can I say. The story started out ok, but then went down fast. The teens were continuously bickering, and when they were not, they were getting it on with each other. Cora was a special snowflake. Cassian got too little screentime to actually be a believable love interest. And then something was revealed about Cora that made me immediately lose all respect I might have had for her.

I did finish the book because I kept hoping it would eventually be the story I wanted it to be, but alas.

You can safely assume I wont read the other books in this series.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you will like Cora and the other teens better than I did.


Buy from bookdepository

One of Us Is Lying - Spoilery Book Rant

One of Us Is Lying
by Karen M. McManus

What is it about:
One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.

Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

What did I think about it:
Warning: I will spoil the heck out of this book!!!


So I picked this book up because it sounded like it might be a cool murder mystery. It even pretends to be a surprising murder mystery by using the tagline "A Geek, A Jock, A Criminal, A Princess. A Murder. Who would you believe?", as if we actually might be surprised by who did it and it's not going to be stereotypical...

Yeah...

I got my suspicions about where this story would lead when it was revealed that the best friend of the murder victim was - wait for it! - a Goth!

Still I kept reading in hope I was being too cynical, but all the pieces fit with my idea of what happened.

Along the way there is a big 'shocking' reveal that our jock is gay, the princess is a doormat, but due to all the events she grows a backbone, and geek and criminal fall in love.

And finally: I was right! The outcast with the Goth best friend committed suicide in such a way that the people who he sees as the ones who made things the most difficult for him are the ones to get blamed for his death...

Yup, surprising reveal: The Goths and Alternative outsiders get demonized once again.

The author tries to soften things by making the Goth a reluctant participant and the possessive boyfriend of one of our 'heroes' the vengeful lackey, but to no avail in my opinion. Once again prejudice against Goths prevails.

Blegh! I hate that I saw this coming from miles away and still kept hoping I would be wrong.

What you should go read instead:
Violent Ends


But if you really want to read this one:
Buy from bookdepository

Dingo - Book Rant

Dingo (Newford #17)
by Charles de Lint

What is it about:
High school senior Miguel's life is turned upside down when he meets new girl Lainey, whose family has just moved from Australia. With her tumbled red-gold hair, her instant understanding of who he is, and her unusual dog a real Australian dingo, she's unforgettable. And, as he quickly learns, she is on the run from an ancient bargain made by her ancestors.

There's no question that Miguel will do whatever he can to help her, but what price will each of them have to pay?

What did I think of it:
This could have been a nice read about two mismatched teenage boys helping two shapeshifting teenage girls escape their destiny, but instead de Lint managed to spoil this whole book for me with just one careless remark.

Our white skinned red-gold haired twins refer to the Aboriginals as 'guests', because our redheaded fair skinned wonder twins the Dingo's were first in Australia...

Seriously!?

You're really going to degrade the Aboriginals - who suffered a lot of really nasty things, and who are still fighting for their rights - to guests who are being tolerated just to fit your own Mythology!? WTF!!!

If this was my first book by de Lint it would have been my last. Having read several others which I really loved, and having more of his books in my TBR pile, I'm going to assume this is a weird (and disrespectful) slip up. It will take me some time to get the bad taste of this book out of my mouth though, so it might be a while before I pick up my next de Lint book.

Why should you read it:
I'd pick one of his other books if I were you.


Buy from bookdepository

Underground - Spoilery Book Rant

Underground
by S.L. Grey

What is it about:
The Sanctum is a luxurious, self-sustaining survival condominium situated underground in rural Maine. It's a plush bolt-hole for the rich and paranoid - a place where they can wait out the apocalypse in style. When a devastating super-flu virus hits the States, several families race to reach it. All have their own motivations for entering The Sanctum. All are hiding secrets.

But when the door locks and someone dies, they realize the greatest threat to their survival may not be above ground - it may already be inside...

Why I threw this book across the room in disgust:
*Spoilers*

And I mean it: I will totally spoil the ending so be warned if you read on!


I will confess I had decent time with this book until the reveal at the end. Some of the characters are very stereotypical, but I could mostly ignore that for the sake of the story.

But that reveal... Gah, it made me so angry!

The killer confesses in his diary and then there's this bit (paraphrasing, because I already threw the book out):
"There is a lot of crap about gamers being violent, and when they discover this, they'll blame World of Warcraft, but this isn't about violence. It's about survival"

Let that sink in?

Do you see what the authors did here?
(And I will assume they did this by accident.)

By letting the murderer say he didn't do it because he's a gamer, by letting the murderer defend games and WoW, they made the fact that he's a gamer become more important than it should be. They actually make it seem with this statement as if games are indeed to blame!

If they left out that statement, the fact that he's a gamer and that it might or might not have influenced his actions might not have crossed the reader's mind. Naming it in the confession and drawing such big attention to it, even when the murderer says it wasn't why he did it, the implication is that it actually is the reason he started killing. Especially because now that the readers know he's the murderer, they're less likely to take what he says at face value.

I get so sick of this kind of prejudice.

No: Games do not drive people to violence! Wearing black doesn't drive people to violence! Listening to Metal or Industrial doesn't drive people to violence!

Egh...

So with just a couple of sentences almost at the end of the book, the authors ruined this whole book for me, and I threw it into the paper bin.

I will be very wary when I come across more books by this author duo.

The Heir - Book Rant

The Heir (The Selection #4)
by Kiera Cass

What is it about:
Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

What did I think of it:
As you might have noticed I didn't call this a review. I also am going to get spoilery a bit.

I liked the first three books: they're sugary, but fun. So when I picked this book up I was expecting to like it.

But there was one major thing in this book that bugged me: the message it gives.

What this book tells us is that a woman can't be strong and independent. Eadlyn keeps getting told she's not acting girly and soft enough to be liked. She needs to fall in love with a boy and act gooey with him to have people like her.

This book tells us that having people like you, is needed to rule a country as a woman. It tells that ruling a country is about being popular, instead of being capable and strong enough to make hard decisions.

This message that is flowing through the story as an undercurrent made that I could't care about the rest of the story. So there are a bunch of guys Aedlyn has to chose from. Some are nice, some are jerks. The boy who will win Aedlyn's heart in book five was clear to me from the first sentence about him (if I'm wrong, I will be really surprised).

I did finish the book, but I doubt I will pick up the next book. I will keep the original trilogy though and reread that when i'm in the mood for sugary Dystopia.

Why should you read it:
Maybe I'm being too harsh on the book, and you might not mind the message it gives.

Fifty Shades of Grey - Movie Rant by Voodoo Bride

Fifty Shades of Grey - The Movie

What is it about:
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Voodoo Bride's thoughts and rant:
Spoilery!

Knowing the Twilight fanfic background of the Fifty Shades books I never picked them up. Bella and Edward from Twilight aren't my favorite characters, no matter the setting.

I also wasn't so sure about the BDSM part of the Fifty Shades books. I do love BDSM, but Fifty Shades sounded like there were lots of better books for me to read.

Still: when I was asked by friends if I wanted to go see the movie with them, I said yes. I love going to the movies, and with the right company even a bad movie can be part of a fun night out.

I will say that I found myself enjoying Fifty Shades of Grey for the most part. Even with some things that made me smirk (Ana being a virgin because she never met the right guy before Christian, and her inherited Bella-clumsiness for example) the movie was entertaining enough.

It did make me stop and wonder about what it is about a millionaire that so many women find attractive. I will confess I've dreamed about being rich as well, but in my case I never dreamed about a millionaire showering me with expensive presents, or taking me on outrageous trips. I've always wanted to be rich myself. to be the one with the money, and to be in control. Why is it that so many other women DO dream of a rich man to spoil them? And is it this aspect of Fifty Shades of Grey that makes this such a popular story?

Moving on.

The BDSM part of the movie was quite vanilla in my opinion, but it is a blockbuster, so anything more would probably have been too much for a lot of people (it already was too much for some, going by the not so quietly whispered comments of other viewers).

And then: The ending!

After a whole movie of Ana and Christian dancing around each other, and exploring the edges of BDSM, Christian and the viewers who enjoyed the BDSM part of the 'romance' got a harsh slap on the wrist:
Dominants are twisted, bad people! How dare Christian want to punish and hurt Ana! How dare viewers enjoy this! Poor, poor Ana.

...

I can't even begin to describe how pissed off I was by that ending!
Really?
That's the moralizing message you send the viewers of this movie home with?

What could have been an enjoyable movie was ruined for me with that ending.

A friend who read the books told me that this message will get taken away and gets more nuance in the next two books, but even so: This is not how you end a first movie or book in my opinion.

I can tell you that I immediately picked up a decent BDSM story when I got home to get rid of the bad taste the ending of Fifty Shades of Grey left me with.

Why should you see it:
It's beautifully filmed, and is mostly entertaining.

Blackout - Book Rant

Blackout
by Sam Mills

What is it about:
I am on the run.
The police are chasing me
Because they think I'm a terrorist.

The trouble all began when my Dad hid the writer of a book called The Exploded in our house. It inspired a terrorist attack on London. That's why it's a BANNED book.

We live in dangerous times. The state says books have to be sweet and pleasant, so they don't inspire teenagers to commit violent crime. Get caught reading a banned book and you go to jail.

I thought the state was wrong.
How much harm can a book do?

Then I read one.
Now I'm about to commit murder.
Now I know better.

What did I think of it:
*spoilery rant!*

This book is a big mess!

It seems to have a message to tell about banning books and censorship, but what message? It keeps contradicting itself and sending conflicted messages.

Some books are being banned because they would lead to people acting in a certain unwanted way.
- The father of the lead character explains that books don't set you up to do certain things, and the lead character agrees.
- The lead character reads a banned book and immediately acts in the way the government says people will act after reading it.

One of main rebels in this book is for freedom of speech, but only when what being said/written doesn't offend him.

Another rebel tells how at first the censorship was a good thing (O_o), but then it went to far.

- The government is painted as oppressive and cruel.
- Most of the rebels are painted as radicals and cruel.

- The lead character's father giving up the name of a rebel when being tortured is logical and perfectly ok: he's just saving his own life. (O_o)
- One of the rebels kicking the lead character out on the street to save his own life is wrong!

- A few banned books being published and distributed in secret can't change the world.
- The book the lead character writes however apparently can.

I could go on and on with naming things that felt contradictory. Half the books seems to want to tell us banning books and censorship is wrong, the other half is making a case for censorship.

I kept reading in the hope this book would pick a side, and let me tell you I hoped it would pick the side of freedom of speech. But it kept wavering and contradicting. It kept painting those in favor for freedom of speech as radicals and even told that having a society that is being oppressed, is because apparently the oppressed society wanted it that way...

All in all this book really got on my nerves and left a very bad taste in my mouth.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you won't mind all the contradictory stuff in this book and want to read about a 16 year old boy taking on everyone and being the only one who's right in the end.

Blackbirds - Book Rant

Blackbirds (Miriam Black #1)
by Chuck Wendig

What is it about:
Miriam Black knows when you will die.

She’s foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, and suicides.

But when Miriam hitches a ride with Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be murdered while he calls her name. Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim.

No matter what she does she can’t save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to try.


What did I think of it:
This is one of those books that everyone is raving about, and I wanted to love it, but it just wasn't for me.

I really, really disliked Miriam. She is not a nice person. Ok: so she has it hard, seeing other people's deaths, and that might have made her the person she is, but that doesn't mean I have to like her, let alone root for her.

And then later on in the story she starts working together with another really unlikable character...

The only person in this whole book that I liked was Louis, I will confess.

And then there was Ingersoll, a Dutch character...

I don't know what annoyed me more about Ingersoll: his name (not Dutch) or his background. At one point he's musing about his Dutch grandmother who used to pick cranberries and found snake bones in the boggy ground...

I will have to take a wild guess his grandmother must have been from the small island of Terschelling, because that's the only place in the Netherlands that has cranberries (and those ended up there by accident, It's not a native plant). Not that there are many snakes on Terschelling, but who's counting...

That I kept reading until the end was because I wanted to know if at least Louis would survive, or if the one person I actually could root for would meet his gruesome death.

So all in all I didn't much enjoy this book, and I won't be reading any other books in this series.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you have a higher tolerance for unlikable characters than I do.

The City's Son - Book Rant

The City's Son (The Skyscraper Throne #1)
by Tom Pollock

What is it about:
Running from her traitorous best friend and her estranged father, graffiti artist Beth Bradley is looking for sanctuary. What she finds is Urchin, the ragged and cocky crown prince of London’s mystical underworld. Urchin opens Beth’s eyes to the city she’s never truly seen-where vast spiders crawl telephone wires seeking voices to steal, railwraiths escape their tethers, and statues conceal an ancient priesthood robed in bronze.

But it all teeters on the brink of destruction. Amid rumors that Urchin’s goddess mother will soon return from her 15-year exile, Reach, a malign god of urban decay, wants the young prince dead. Helping Urchin raise an alleyway army to reclaim his skyscraper throne, Beth soon forgets her old life. But when her best friend is captured, Beth must choose between this wondrous existence and the life she left behind.

What did I think of it:
This could have been a nice read if it didn't have a message to tell.

The setting is interesting, although over the top at times. The characters are kind of cool, even though Beth acts kind of rash and unthinking. The start of the story was decent.

Then I got to know more about Reach. The blurb calls Reach a god of urban decay. Well, that's not true. From the context of the story, I would call Reach a god of urban renewal. And this story screams: urban renewal is bad!!!

Now, I will confess that I think that a lot of urban renewal isn't necessary. We're often too quick in tearing down things that are still good, to replace them with new (ugly) architecture. So if there had been any nuance to the message of The City's Son, I could have related to it. Instead it's all very black and white: Old London good! Renewal bad!

Near the end there's an attempt at showing Reach in a different light, but by then the earlier message had been shoved down my throat so many times it couldn't save this book for me.

Now I will confess it might be just me who picked up this message from this book. Most reviews I've read don't mention this at all, so I might just be reading something into this story that Pollock didn't intent to put in it. Still it ruined my enjoyment of the book and I will not continue reading this series.

Why should you read it:
It has an intriguing setting.

The Rising - Book Rant

The Rising (Darkness Rising #3)
by Kelley Armstrong

What is it about:
Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

What did I think of it:
*spoilery about the romance*

This is the last book in the Darkness Rising trilogy and it was my least favorite.

Remember how I predicted a huge love triangle fight in this last book?

Well, there wasn't a huge fight, but once again it turned out I had been rooting for the wrong guy and our heroine Maya settles for the love interest that I really, really disliked. And although it happens late in the story, there were vomit inducing clues to how things would turn out throughout this book.

On top of that Maya blames the other love interest for telling her something that she didn't want to know. Well... the thing she didn't want to know is so obvious that only by being ignorant she didn't know it yet.

So yes: Maya was annoying and the romance was annoying.
And yes, this is very personal, so most everyone else will probably be happy with how the romance turns out.

Luckily one new character gets introduced who I really liked and that saved a lot of this book for me. The other cool thing was the return of characters from The Darkest Powers trilogy.

Overall I was disappointed by the conclusion of this trilogy and I feel like rereading The Darkest Powers trilogy to get rid of the bad taste this book left me with.

Why should you read it:
Most probably you'll approve of the love interest Maya picks, so in that case this is a cool Paranormal YA read.

The Candle Man - Book Rant

The Candle Man
by Alex Scarrow

What is it about:
1912. Locked in an eerily quiet dining room on the Titanic, a mysterious man tells a young girl his life story as the ship begins to sink. It all starts in Whitechapel, London in 1888...

In the small hours of the night in a darkened Whitechapel alley, young Mary Kelly stumbles upon a man who has been seriously injured and is almost unconscious in the gutter. Mary - down on her luck and desperate to survive - steals his bag and runs off into the night.
Two days later, an American gentleman wakes in a hospital bed with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He has suffered a serious head injury, and with no one to help him remember who he is he starts to wonder how he will ever find his way home.
One terrible truth links these two lost souls in the dark world of Victorian London - a truth that could ruin the name of the most influential man in the land...

Back in 1912, as the Titanic begins its final shuddering descent to the bottom of the frozen, black Atlantic, the truth behind a series of murders that have hung like a dark fog over London for more than two decades is about to be revealed... the identity of Jack the Ripper.

What did I think of it:
Warning: this is a rant with spoilers!

So...

I picked this book up because I expected a story that intertwines the story of Jack the Ripper with The Titanic.

I knew this story would be mostly about Jack the Ripper, but expected that the Titanic would play a crucial role at least, seeing how the Titanic is repeatedly mentioned in the back cover story and is featured on the cover illustration.

Yeah...

There a prologue and epilogue that are set on Titanic where an old man is telling a story to a young woman and that story is: this book.

The old man and the young woman could just as easily have been sitting in a museum, a pub, a train, a... you get my point.

Worse:
The prologue and epilogue could have just as well been left out and no one would have noticed.

Don't you hate it when something like The Titanic is used as a selling point when all it is in reality is window dressing? It's clear the Titanic is only mentioned on the cover to sell more books.

I felt robbed!

As for the Jack the Ripper story this book actually is about:

It's a decent story with some original ideas, but I was disappointed to discover the author went for one of the most used conspiracy theories about Jack the Ripper. I would have liked this book better if the author had actually tried to give his own theory instead of using a theory that's been done to death.

Why should you read it:
If you want to read a story about Jack the Ripper this might be a book for you. Just don't get your hopes up about the role of The Titanic.

Naturals - Book Rant

Naturals (The Lost Souls #2)
by Tiffany Truitt

What is it about:
Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

What did I think of it:
Beware: this is not a review, but a rant and contains spoilers!

I thought the first book in this trilogy was a nice read, but I did wonder if Truitt would take the story to a darker place in this book.

Let me give you the situation at the end of book one:
Tess is one of the few women who are still capable of having children without dying in the process. The Council doesn't want women to have children because they're creating a race of artificially made soldiers they can control. Tess escapes the compound where she lives because certain death waits for her there and she gets taken in by the Isolationists, who oppose the Council and who want Tess because of her virtility.

Got that?

I expected Tess' virtility to be a major plot point in Naturals. I expected the Isolationist trying to force Tess to have children. I feared rape, forced pregnancy and things like that. I expected Tess to understand her importance and either be scared to death of the consequences or to want to use her virtility to help the Isolationists.

None of that all!

Tess thinks the Isolationists want her because she's a symbol of hope, not because she's a baby-making machine. She's actually surprised and offended when she discovers the Isolationists expect her to eventually have children. The Isolationists don't even force the issue in any way and just hope that Tess might change her mind in the future.

Seriously?!

If the overall story would give me the impression that the author just didn't want the story to get too dark I might not have minded so much, but it turns out Tess is another one of those 'special' heroines. There are bad things happening in this world, but somehow really bad things don't happen to Tess, they only happen to other women.

I can only guess that authors who make terrible things happen to others, but not to their heroine think that I as a reader would be upset if those horrible things happened to the heroine.

They are wrong!

I have to confess I feel no sympathy with these 'special' heroines. Especially when while other people are suffering they actually feel sorry for themselves because they have two boys liking them. I'd feel more connected with them if they truly got to share in the horrors that others face and I'd rejoice all the more when they managed to survive and cope with the terrible things inflicted upon them.

So as you might have guessed, this book was a disappointment for me and I don't think I will read the last book in this trilogy.

Why should you read it:
The world building is quite interesting.

Bookish Pet Peeve - Love Triangles

A while ago I was talking with Jeffe Kennedy about Love Triangles and my dislike of them.

She mentioned that often it's obvious who the heroine is going to chose in the end and she was wondering why in such stories there's a Love Triangle at all.

I got my own thoughts on that and it's one of the reasons why I do not like Love Triangles. (The other being that I usually like the guy who's not getting the girl in the end.)

Love Triangles are often used as the ultimate 'Mary Sue' plot device: They are there to tell us how special the heroine is.

Because a girl/woman who is desired by more than one man must be something special surely!

It's lazy story-telling in my opinion. Instead of really showing me, the reader, why Mary Sue is worth reading about/fighting for/etc.. the author throws in an extra love interest (who we all know will never get the girl in the end, but will pine over her for a gazillion books) and presto: Mary Sue gains instant specialness.

Added bonus of the extra love interest is that the author can use him to get the hero/story moving. Jealousy, rivalry, mistaken gestures and stuff like that are all easy plot devices for the author to make things happen in the story.

There are probably Love Triangles out there that are better than all this, but most often I can sniff out the 'real' love interest within two sentences of meeting him and in such cases it is so tiring to read all the triangly stuff for books and books on end. I find myself not picking up books that probably have an amazing story if I read on the back that there are two boys (yup: the love triangles are especially heavily represented in YA fiction, although adult UF sure knows how to misuse love triangles as well) interested in our (modest, good natured, talented and brave) heroine.

So:
What are your thoughts on Love Triangles?
Are you as tired of them as I am or do you like them?
Any book suggestions without a triangle or with a triangle that's actually fun/exciting/cool to read?