Author: Chelsea (Page 5 of 111)

BOOK REVIEW: The Mask Falling (The Bone Season #4) by Samantha Shannon

June 1, 2022 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

The Mask Falling (The Bone Season #4)
by Samantha Shannon
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Dreamwalker Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and consigned to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between those factions that seek Scion's downfall and those who would kill to protect the Rephaim's puppet empire.

The mysterious Domino Program has plans for Paige, but she has ambitions of her own in this new citadel. With Arcturus Mesarthim-her former enemy-at her side, she embarks on an adventure that will lead her from the catacombs of Paris to the glittering hallways of Versailles. Her risks promise high reward: the Parisian underworld could yield the means to escalate her rebellion to outright war.

As Scion widens its bounds and the free world trembles in its shadow, Paige must fight her own memories after her ordeal at the hands of Scion. Meanwhile, she strives to understand her bond with Arcturus, which grows stronger by the day. But there are those who know the revolution began with them-and could end with them...

I had no idea what would befall me in this new theatre of war. What names and faces I would wear. Who I might become.
If I had, I might have turned back.

All. The. Feels. Exhilaration is in high demand with short supply, as of late, and I felt every excruciating moment in the marrow of my bones. And man…Man this woman can hold out on us fans when it comes to romance. Never have I been so desperate for a fucking kiss in my whole life (I mean…yes…okay…I am who I am but still she tortured us).

“Clearly yours is the superior intellect, Paige—”
“Well, I didn’t want to say—”
“—but you still cannot best me at chess.” He set down his white bishop. “Checkmate.”
I stared at the board. “You . . . infuriating bastard.”

And that’s just what sets this apart, isn’t it? Not a moment is rushed, not a situation forced. She literally will play out every. Single. Plot Point. Until she has written the best possible scenario in the most thought provoking way. I admit it is tedious at times and not without its flaws, but these books were built up in such a manner that I can’t call them anything less than a masterpiece. This woman, who apparently takes forever and a day to write her novels (please Jesus be with me), has covered everything down to the finest details.

“I am of the considered opinion that for every person, there exists a book that will sing to them. I trust that you will find yours.”

I kid you not when I say that I get just plain ANGRY when an author teases something we all desperately want to know…then it is NEVER mentioned again. What the actual cinnamon toast f*** is that? So, naturally, something was said in, I believe, book three that held all the eternal answers to my deepest rooted heart song and then…nothing. And, since she takes so long to write, I was terrified it was gone forever because how could she remember to add that when she has SO MUCH INFO SHE ADDS TO EACH NOVEL. Not. SO. She came in like a freaking WRECKING BALL and flat out SLAYED my emotional libido and crushed the last of my fangirl resolve (I was hanging on by a thread, truly) and I. Freaked. The FUCK. Out.

So…yes. We do, in fact, get to find out what we so desperately want to hear…or at least I did…but not without destructing my soul and leaving it laying in pieces all over the dagnab floor.

I just simply cannot convey how deeply this last book engrained itself in my soul. I am nothing if not consistent, and a thought-provoking, mind-blowing, and well-paced and played out story is simply my kryptonite. I literally had so much I wanted to say, and, as it always seems to go, my mind emptied into stuttering sentences with no direction the minute I started this review. It’s such a travesty, really. This book deserves so much more than rabid fangirling.

“And you believe your fatigue no longer presents an issue.”
“I’m fine.”
“The darkness under your eyes serves as compelling evidence of that. As does the full bowl of coffee.”
I cocked my head. “Did you just master sarcasm?”
“Paige.”

Warden and Paige have literally been through Hell and back-both of them. And it seems that book after book we are left in tatters as they fight against villains and allies alike. The twists and turns that are crafted into these novels are just…my god it’s mind-boggling. I don’t know how the author keeps it straight. Though, that being said, I worry for the future books. How many times can they be captured, etc, to meet the needs of those who they are working with/for. My bloodthirsty self is all in because, truly, there is no amount of both physical and mental torture I cannot withstand and absorb like a sponge.

“Exquisite,” he said, soft as velvet. “But no. The blood-sovereign would be very angry if I damaged your aura.”
Tenderly, like a lover, he peeled the brace off my left hand.
“This happened in the first colony.” He curled his own hand around my wrist. “Can it truly still pain you?”
“Not as much as your fucking voice,” I bit out.

It’s my favorite thing, the hero or heroine getting his or herself captured, and the other trying to save them…peril…whatever. If the h/h are getting pummeled or captured or what-have-you, I am right there lapping it up.

I realize, though, that many are not built like me. I NEED these moments for emotional engagement, for something to root for-because yes, I love a good book with people/friends around and building up to something great, but more often than not that all falls flat and we are left with a build up that lead us nowhere and a wait for the next book that feels insurmountable. So. Yeah. I enjoy the capturing and the torture and the pained forbidden romance that

has been decaying me slowly from the inside out because we get bang for our buck-if this bitch (me) is waiting two-three years between books, best believe I expect pain. Madness. And quite a bit of desperation,

To end this…I have to say it. I was almost done. I mean…I guess it’s my fault reading them back to back… but how can you STOP when you are so desperate for answers and for things to happen? But yes, with so many characters fading in and out, you tend to get a bit bogged down. When you are begging for something to happen and it just…won’t…and you keep having these people being introduced and new revolutions YES that shit gets bogged down and YES I was not getting what I wanted but ALSO I WAS just not…how I wanted.

Strange how a feeling could blossom where once there had been nothing. Then again, I had never felt nothing for Arcturus Mesarthim. Never been indifferent to him. From the instant our eyes had met, we had reacted, like fire and kindling. First with fear and hatred, then a quiet respect, and then something else. Something that had never stopped burning.

I know. I’m a basket case. I was getting slow burn but dayum that flame almost went out. When we so desperately need something (ie more), it can tend to shade your viewpoint, and it doesn’t help I was so busy last week for my daughter’s birthday. So, I was close to done, as I was getting detached even though I love it so so much. Don’t worry…that last half??? IT IS WORTH EVERY. SINGLE. AGONIZING. MOMENT.

I had precious little knowledge of desire, but I knew it now. I knew its name.

Unless you’re not a real one…which I cannot help you with that.

I had to see the depths before I jumped. I only seemed to want someone—to truly want them—when I cared for them too much to run. I wanted in ways that would always have consequences.

All that being said, this series has such a beautiful balance. We need the softness. The tenderness. Paige goes through a LOT in books 1-4…I can’t imagine if this author just gave her nothing. No rest. No moments. And even with all that…she still gets minimum recovery. Always. And, even though she KILLS me with her steadfastness to being the leader she needs to be, that is why I love Paige. She’s just an awesome heroine chock-full of heart and unable to be the bastard she really needs to become to truly succeed. We need that softness…but we also need those hard moments, too. And Paige has all that in spades. I sure hope that my random reviews do something for you-because without a little nudging, this book I’ve been circling for YEARS would have never been read. I hope you can find enjoyment in it as I have, because it’s nothing short of mind-blowing.

Morals, O my lovely, are for the lucky ones.

*****

Only one gif comes to mind when I picture my reading experience as this crazy crescendo of an end unfolded:

To say that it was impossible for me to function whilst reading this is an understatement. And for the first time in I-don’t-know-how-long…I whipped out the white knuckle cliffy tag.

RTC

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BOOK REVIEW: Crave (Crave #1) by Tracy Wolff

May 30, 2022 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

Crave (Crave #1)
by Tracy Wolff
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.

Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.

Which could spell death for us all.

Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.

Ugh. I did it. I did it again where I fell for something that was too good to be true and left me in shattered pieces. Look. This was not meant to be anything other than a blood-sucking good time. I wanted trash. I wanted fun. I wanted ‘slightly better than Twilight’ vibes. And while Twilight will always hold a special place in my heart and will be held in a higher regard always (but my GOD her writing sucks (literally)), this book did have better writing, in my opinion, if not a bit more on the nose and very ‘I’m going to lay every scenario out sentence by sentence’ esque.

When exactly did I become the heroine in some YA romance? The new girl swooning over the hottest, most unattainable boy in school?
Gross. And so not happening.

She, more than once, used very modern terms and had a very modern ‘speaking in text’ manner but, in the end, I enjoyed it for that. It was quick. It was easy. And I didn’t take it too seriously.

“Have you ever wanted something so much that you were afraid to take it?”
“Yes.” He nods.
“Like it’s right there, waiting for you to just reach out and grab it, but you’re so terrified of what will happen when you lose it that you never make the reach?”
“Yes,” he says again, his voice low and deep and comforting in a way that burrows inside me.
I tilt my head up until our eyes meet, and then I whisper, “What did you do?”
For long seconds, he doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t do anything. He just stares back at me with a look in his eyes as scarred and broken as the rest of him. And says, “I decided to take it anyway.”

And then I did. Stupid. Stupid. STUPID. Me. It was still ‘all in fun’, then when I checked book two to see if I wanted to continue right away or wait a moment and finish other things I wanted to read, I saw the ultimate author betrayal. For those wondering, I’ll make it real simple and real clear:

THE AUTHOR PULLS A MIX OF SARAH J. MAAS AND TAREHEH MAFI

If that’s not clear…I cannot help you. Either way, I was bamboozled and I can’t say I feel like doing a singular review because what’s the point?

I don’t recommend.

I won’t be able to read on because I just…can’t….after I fall for something.

It’s pretty obvious Jaxon is the villain of his own story. I just wish I knew why.

It stopped being fun and looked fondly upon when I found out my guy will go through heartbreak-a fun trash read to read on the side or no, my heart still gets invested with love interests, period. Some things never change, and I’m nothing if not transparent.

The fun peril was there, the longing of young love was there, and-a completely added bonus I literally NEVER get and wanted to savor-the blood sucking was there. Sorry not sorry, I’m a trashy bitch (ie Cody Rigsby)-I like that, alright?? Why else would I like vampires, puh-lease.

Jaxon, on the other hand… If he lies to me, you’d better believe I’m going to stake him through his fangy black heart. And yes, I know that makes no sense. I just don’t happen to care at this exact moment.

So, yes, I rated it fairly and used what I think I was going to rate it before my heart was broken in reviews for the next books, because I really had a very fun time and this kept me from going into a slump [even though I want to throw it into a dumpster of fire, dumpster fire book as it is].

Jaxon is awesome, typical, broody, protective, sweet, fierce, and vulnerable-your average YA paranormal hero, but he’s perfect and exactly what you crave (har) when you knowingly pick up a novel such as this. You get what you come for, Twilight rip off or not. Shame-I’d have loved to see what overly dramatic scenes come my way in its predecessors.

Cheesy. Predictable. Delectable.

End of story. For me, anyway.

FRIEND SCALE:

Arielle-Since you’re a simp for SJM I assume you’d be fine *eyeroll*
Cassie– Nah.
Jen– I think you damn well know the answer to this lol
Anna– Nope haha, but you knew that already

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The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake

May 26, 2022 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1)
by Olivie Blake
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The much-acclaimed BookTok sensation, Olivie Blake's The Atlas Six--now newly revised and edited with additional content.

• The tag #theatlassix has millions of views on TikTok

• A dark academic debut fantasy with an established cult following that reads like THE SECRET HISTORY meets THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY

• The first in an explosive trilogy

The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation.

Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.

When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will.

Most of them.

People were such delicate little playthings.

This is the most difficult book to talk about. On the one hand, I literally don’t understand a thing that happened. On the other hand….it was a masterpiece but I still don’t understand a lot that happened.

Look, I want to wax poetic about how much I loved this-but I just didn’t. Did I immensely enjoy it? Yeah, absolutely. Was it epic in some parts? Yup. But did it blow my skirt up? Not hardly. That is to say, there was no real ship. I don’t know if anyone I like will live. No real action happened, but the end was freaking amazing and I was right in my feels. You tell me.

Every now and then, Libby achieved a look that successfully withered his balls, and this was one of those instances. It was the kind of look that reminded him she’d set him on fire the first time she’d met him without even batting an eye.
He’d like her more if she did it more often.

And the beginning-I’ll admit I was HYPE at the beginning, which is generally the opposite of what I say, but I think that this author is either a true master in mind-fuckery which, fine, okay, cool, but fuck with someone else because I like my ships pure and if you did that just to bait me, no- I won’t ever truly like you as an author. It’s fair to say-that upon finishing-I did not care if my ship did not sail, though, because the author did at least achieve enough of a bond to satisfy me in a deep friendship that I can get behind AND some strong treachery that leads to supreme moral grayness. (not the same people and not in that order, even-just facts).

“….You think you’ve met me before, other versions of women like me, but you have no idea what I am. You think my looks are what make me? My ambitions? You can’t begin to know the sum of my parts, and you can stare all you like, but you won’t see a damn thing until I show you.”

And, also, I’ve seen this compared a LOT to Deadly Education (okay, fair), but wrong. The beginning was so on the nose I thought I may combust, but one of these is not like the other and I must say, as far as comparisons go, for those who love DE and LG on the level that I do, this is a gross injustice to Atlas Six because there is literally no competition. To be fair, though, on the other side of the realm, A6 stans would say this far surpasses the latter. Again, I am, of course, correct like always, but you can lean to whatever side you like. They aren’t the same…but if they were, in theory, in competition-Atlas Six would be the sad Augustus Gloop that floated down the chocolate river for trying to achieve the impossible. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.

“Don’t envy me, Reina,” Parisa advised softly, turning to say it in Reina’s ear. “Fear me.”

Now that that nasty business is put aside, I will end with the derision of people labeling this pretentious. I guess I see that perspective… but in that vain, what is pretentious when writing a book, anyway? Like what is pique pretentiousness? I’d say (again with this fucking comparison), if we’re going down the what-if road, Novik always writes with an unparalleled pretentiousness. But no. I don’t see it that way. There’s an innocence in her heroine (and same with Uprooted, if memory serves) that, while she’s an asshole (just back to El here lol), she wants, ultimately, to be liked. Compare that to Libby and you have a match. I know it’s deeper than that, but I think there was enough levity of characterization among the 6 that I never felt like I was being made to feel beneath the writing or belittled.   Again, just my opinion (and seriously, I understand what pretentious means and I literally see everyone’s point, and I don’t even think Novik writes with any loftiness, just a beautiful-if not wordy-flow, thus making my point about wordiness somewhat akin to pretentiousness, if you liked that take), but I really thought that, yes the writing wasn’t always the easiest to connect to, but there was heart behind it if you wanted to feel or see it–

He had such a talent for finding women who put themselves first. It was like he was some sort of sniffer dog for emotional fatality, always able to dig it up from the one person in the room who would have no trouble making him feel small.

Regardless, what Tristan needed most emergently was to believe in something; to stop staring at the pieces and finally grasp the whole. He wanted to revel in his magic, not wrestle with it. He wanted something, somewhere, that he could understand.

-and anyone who can enrich their story with heart is okay in my book. I’m one to reach out and grab any opportunity to find relatability, and maybe that’s just something within me-a defensive mechanism-that helps me to relate and enjoy 90% of the books I read. I didn’t spend 1-20 dollars on a book to sit and judge it the whole time (well lol), I just wana immerse and enjoy. And if there is a pretentiousness to every book read (I do truly think there is, in some form, for most every author) then so be it. No, not every book is equal, not every book is pretentious. But I see it a lot more than what is called out, and I found this book to be on par with what I read and, honestly, if I hadn’t seen it in reviews (yes, further implicating I’m of a romantic notion of naivety here) that word wouldn’t have even popped in my head.

CHARACTERS AND MY SCALE OF MADNESS

Nico-If harm befalls him I would rage honestly
Libby– Again, the rage is strong-bonus points if my children end up together with that ace banter
Parisa– I wouldn’t be happy if something happened to her-I grew to care for her
Tristan– I don’t see…a happy future…but I hope for it. He’s very sweet. I see great power but not sure what his path is. Perhaps to save them all, in the end (if needed) somehow
Callum– I mean, be gone. I did not care for him one bit, but he did add some flavor that’s for sure.
Reina– Who?

(Sorry, only the real ones will get that joke lol *Arielle, back me up here…*)

So, all in all I did enjoy this book on a level I’m unaccustomed to. It was a challenge for myself in that I like my neat little formulas and I, as a rule, tend to need to know certain things (ARGH) or have hope they will turn out as I like…but we can’t always get what we want, now can we, and I am okay with that (though it took me a while to reach that point). And if my little non-rant pertaining to pretentiousness caused you to raise your eyebrows to your hairline, I only said it in defense of the book because I’d hate for someone to skip over their next favorite read because of one review that may have scared them. Call me soft-hearted, but I’m always going to defend a book to its bitter end…and I guess that’ll never change. This was a good book-it didn’t become an instant favorite like many do (yes, I have a plethora of all time favorites-I’m cool like that), but I will be waiting eagerly for the end alongside many rabid fans.

“Isn’t it? The day you are not a fire,” he said, “is the day the earth will fall still for me.”

FRAN SCALE:

Cassie-Honestly, I think you’ll be disappointed. But you’ll wana like it so you probably will lol. Though, this holds zero candles to El and Orion-Just sayin’.
Arielle-I mean, sure. Probably. You’re weird. I’m weird. This book is weird AF. Fuck knows.
Jen-LMFAO no.
Anna-You read it already so. lol

********

Altogether not at all what I would have expected…but also completely what I expected based on the mercurial reviews littering the booksphere.

All in all a delightful and different read.

RTC!

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BOOK REVIEW: Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller

May 6, 2022 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1)
by Tricia Levenseller
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

“This would be the key I so carelessly dropped,” he says.
“Strange, that.”
He sighs. “Alosa, what are you even doing out here?”
“You’ve kidnapped me. What do you think I’m doing out here?”
“The rowboats are over there.” He points to the opposite side of the ship. “So why would you be lollygagging around my door?”
“I wanted to kill my captors before I left.”
“How’d that work out for you?”
“Still working on it.”

Here’s the thing: Not every book has to be transcendent to be addictive to you, to make you love it and think about it tirelessly. This book was just that. I have been wanting to read DOTPK for years and just never could commit. Turns out, I just love a good ‘pirate’ romance. They are legit (the good ones) so far and few between. I have yet to find the level of obsession I found with Fable and To Kill a Kingdom, but I’d like to think that’s simply because those books are virtually impossible to copy or do better. I know one friend (the best, actually) didn’t care for TKAK as I did, but such is life and she can

*her*

The more you know, eh? Well, either way, these books are hard to mimic and I found this to be a lighter (until it’s not (book two ew, wtf)) version with variations of those favorites. I’m picky and I like what I like.

“I am me because I choose to be me. I am what I want. Some people say you have to find yourself. Not I. I believe we create ourselves to be what we want. Any aspect of ourselves that we do not like can be altered if we make an effort.”

I’ll admit I feel clinical, atm, about reviewing. I want to do it-I want justice for these books I’m reading, but I am having a very rough time and I find it hard to produce anything other than what is required, and for that I’m sorry. But here are some of the things I loved about this one:

-The Male Lead (obviously)
-The Banter
-The way our heroine was just a little shit but I loved it
-The scene at the end involving the bad guys and our two mains (okay, probably the main reason this got a five-I am nothing if not consistent with loving terrible things happening)
-The Slow-Burn with little payoffs
-The day to day feel. I just love that. I always have. Not overly rushed.

And really, honestly, that is the sum of its parts, for me. And-my GOD-the way my two year old is CLANKING AROUND in the background with my already tired eyes is too much so I will end it here. This book was very good without taking itself too seriously. We got the funny, the dialogue, the more serious moments, and the author didn’t shy away from somewhat intense situations (I love that and I really need this attention to detail to like a lighter story). So, if you are looking for a fun read, this is it.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Awakening (Zodiac Academy #1) by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

May 4, 2022 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

The Awakening (Zodiac Academy #1)
by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.

If you're one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it's in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we're a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.

Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn't get the memo. Which means we're totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.

Air. Fire. Water. Earth.

No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn't made us any friends so far.

As the rarest Elementals ever known, we're already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we've ever seen. It doesn't help that they're the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.

Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They've only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.

We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.

We can't expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we've been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.

Today's horoscope: totally screwed.

I took a slow breath as I tried to process it all. “So what do you think me and Tory are, sir?” I asked, nervous of the answer.
He drummed his fingers on the desk then swallowed the last of his drink. “Trouble,” he muttered and I stiffened.

I think it goes without saying that I’ve lost my mind because this is exactly everything I avoid in a book or series when I have said head on shoulders correctly. That’s not to say I never WOULD have read this back in the day, perhaps when I didn’t know any better, but this is so far out of my realm right now that even I am shocked that I chose to go this route.

I won’t lie and say I’m feeling normal again-because I’m not-but I will say that I am desperate for some normalcy and sometimes digging deep and finding something that works for you in that particular moment in time is of paramount importance for personal defense and mental health. Do I condone this sort of bullying? I mean, no. Do I find this realistic whatsoever? No. Is the writing everything I cringe about on a daily basis and avoid at all costs? Yes and No. Does that make this any less entertaining or addicting? Hell no. And here we are, me knee deep in the series and complete and utter trash for it.

He leaned an inch closer to me and the space between us burned hot with raw energy for a moment and I suddenly felt like I was caught in a hunter’s snare. The worst thing of all was that I didn’t even want to break free. He had me and in that second we both knew it.

I will admit I’m a writing snob and I do like certain types of writing more than others-I generally avoid the more childish narrative (this is borderline, to be fair, as I don’t find it childish as much as having horrid sayings, but that’s a slippery slope as only I know writing styles that bother me). When I saw this pop up, though, I immediately decided I needed to read it. I think I have passed on it 100x because, as I said-Snob. But sometimes….ya just gotta let the reigns go-And I’m having literally the best time binge reading and it’s helping me get through these rather rough days as of late.

“Do you have a pirate fetish or something?” I blurted, eyeing the coins and gold with confusion.
“What?” he asked, his scowl somehow defying the laws of physics and finding a way to deepen.
“Well you’re half naked in a bed full of coins so either you’re doing something with them or putting them somewhere… inaccessible while fully dressed or I missed the memo about your enrolment in Captain Silver’s new fleet.”

^^DYING at the way these two GOAD these monsters.
I LIVE FOR IT >.<

It also helps-mind you-that I asked my bestie who the endgame ships are (I MUST KNOW OR I RAGE) so I could focus on the subtle nuances, the way certain characters interacted so I could lap it up instead of doing the age old ‘ah man, I wish I had known all this so I could have immersed more and now I have to re-read it’. We never re-read it. Never. Not hardly, anyway. Such is life and it’s an absolute fucking tragedy.

“You really don’t know anything do you?” he asked. “This is how my kind regenerate our power; from gold.”
“Oh.” I frowned at the coins again as I processed that. “So are you Order of pirate then? Do you transform into a one legged man with an eyepatch, a hankering for rum and a pet parrot?”

^So much joy.

THAT BEING SAID-I am LIVING for the moments between x and y because they are horrendous but oh so steamy (yes I am almost done with book two, so I can almost look past the murderous vibes (don’t judge me))

and moments between y and z because they clearly were meant to be, okay, and he’s not quite as abhorrent-though I am loving his absolute childish snark and off-handed way of barking orders at people.

And this is so important. I am finding more and more that for the nourishment of my health I need a good monthly or bi-monthly dose of sticky, ooey-gooey, passionate, and sickly-sweet trash. I don’t know where this came from-and so suddenly-but I blame covid wholeheartedly as that DRAGGED me out of my two year YA fantasy/fantasy win streak and threw me into a two month long contemporary streak and then, inevitably, led me to Crave (which I have avoided for years) (talk about a childish book , and yet, I loved it, too until I SAW MY GUY I FELL FOR GOT FUCKED OVER DIE A FIERY BURNING DEATH YES THIS IS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO ABOVE I DO NOT GO IN BLIND FOR THIS REASON EVER DO YOU SEE WHY)…and now to this abomination of absolute fucking obsession that I did not want nor did I prepare for but I’ve chosen to embrace it. I think it’s going well.

So no, I do NOT care that the girls embrace others than they are meant to be with and NO I do not care that there are murderous moments without actual murder and NO I do not care that there is bullying I JUST WANT TO LIVE IN IT and thus is why I needed to know things ahead of time because now? Now I get to sit back and relax and enjoy this drama. I am cool as an icy demented cucumber.

And, I must say, though it’s not the level of fantasy writing I generally enjoy or strive to find, I don’t find it all that bad-I actually kind of enjoy the writing style and I don’t even get turned off by the cheesy horrendous catch phrases because it’s not horribly written in the least surrounding them. See? I can be civil and I can be fair. I can see reason. Where Crave had a definite ‘juvenile’ written feel, though extremely enjoyable, this series seems to have a higher level of footing, in my opinion. I do so love my toxic sludge, sometimes.

What’s the worst that can happen in a library anyway?
Tell that to the guy who was killed by Colonel Mustard with the candlestick.

So. Thus is my crazy life and this series is breathing life into it. I can’t say if I will love them all…but for now, they are my life force and they are addicting as all get out. I have a feeling that if these stay even A LITTLE close to the momentum they’re at now, I may very well be a fangirl by the end of the month. You’ve been warned.

FRIEND SCALE:

aRiElLe-You know.
Cassie-I don’t think so. Not because you couldn’t love it, but don’t think you like toxic or bullying. I do lol
Anna-You don’t like Toxic but man I’d laugh at your reactions.
Jen-Probably lol I’d say if you knew ahead of time you’d like this as much as me.