Author: Krista Ritchie (Page 2 of 2)

BOOK REVIEW – Hothouse Flower (Calloway Sisters #2) by K. B. Ritchie

August 17, 2015 / Anna

Hothouse Flower (Calloway Sisters #2)
by Becca Ritchie, Krista Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
yke Meadows, meet Daisy Calloway ... she’s all grown up.

Twenty-five-year-old Ryke Meadows knows he’s hard to love. With a billion-dollar inheritance, a track-star resume, and an alpha-male personality—he redefines the term likable asshole. But he’s not living to make friends. Or enemies. He just wants to free climb three of the toughest mountains in Yosemite without drama or interruption.

And then he receives a distressed call from a girl in Paris—a girl that he has never been allowed to have.

Daisy Calloway is eighteen. Finally. With her newfound independence, she can say goodbye to her overbearing mother and continue her modeling career. Next stop, Paris. Fashion Week begins with a bang, and Daisy uncovers the ugly reality of the industry. She wants to prove to her family that she can live on her own, but when everything spirals out of control, she turns to Ryke to keep her secrets.

As Daisy struggles to make sense of this new world and her freedom, she pushes the limits and fearlessly rides the edge. Ryke knows there’s deep hurt beneath every impulsive action. He must keep up with Daisy, and if he lets her go, her favorite motto—“live as if you’ll die today”—may just come true.

Trigger Warning : I chose to write this review as Ryke’s, therefore there will be a lot of cursing. Sorry about that.

➊ The romance

Ryke and Daisy’s story started as a fucking surprise for me : I didn’t expect to like them that fucking much, but during the first 50% I can’t deny that I spent a great time. The sexual tension between them was fucking off the charts and I couldn’t ship them more. I loved that they were friends and cared about each other so much, loved their complicity and their flirting. After Kiss the Sky I wasn’t sure that I would like these characters, but frankly? They grew on me, even if Daisy stays a little too dependent for my liking, and Rose & Connor stay my favorite by far, even in this one.

Connor,

And then when Ryke and Daisy finally had sex, Fuck. That was fucking hot. Okay, I forgive them the “I’m the only one to give you orgasms” line that was a little ridiculous.

➋ The drama

Well this being said, excuse me but the obstacles to their relationship were fucking dumb in my opinion.

It fucking killed me to see the drama stretch and stretch and stretch around Lo’s possible reaction and I wanted to punch him in the face each time he would make them feel bad only because they were drawn to each other. Just grow a fucking brain and stop being selfish. Now, Ryke annoyed me as well with his “I don’t give a shit what people think” attitude. Look, I don’t like to justify my actions to others either, but sometimes you have to realize that people aren’t in your fucking head to know what you think. Ugh. Talk about useless drama.

➌ The French

It’s starting to fucking spoil my enjoyment because I can’t help but cringe when I read them talking in French. I’m sorry, but asking a native speaker to check is not that hard. No French in his right mind would say something like : “Je serais génial, mais je sais ce qui me fait toujours obstacle”. It just doesn’t make any fucking sense. You don’t use génial to express how you’re feeling. Never.

In a word : More generic NA material than Kiss the Sky (yes, that would mean more stupid angst, more stereotypical leads and unrealistic scenes), but what I fucking loved in the first still owns the show : friendship, family and no girl hate.

Now, if you would excuse me, I’m going to wash my mouth and come back to Connor and Rose’s schemes in Fuel the Fire.

Ps. If you found the fuckings in this review annoying to read, I’m not sure that you will stand Ryke’s POV. Just sayin’.

BOOK REVIEW – Kiss the Sky (Calloway Sisters #1) by Krista & Becca Ritchie

August 15, 2015 / Anna

Kiss the Sky (Calloway Sisters #1)
by Becca Ritchie, Krista Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Virgin. Sex addict. Daredevil. Alcoholic. Smartass … Jackass. Her five friends are about to be filmed. Reality TV, be prepared.

Rose Calloway thought she had everything under control. At twenty-three, she’s a Princeton graduate, an Academic Bowl champion, a fashion designer and the daughter of a Fortune 500 mogul. But with a sex addict as a sister and roommate, nothing comes easy.

After accepting help from a producer, Rose agrees to have her life filmed for a reality television show. The Hollywood exec is her last chance to revive her struggling fashion line, and boundaries begin to blur as she’s forced to make nice with a man who always has his way.

Twenty-four-year-old Connor Cobalt is a guy who bulldozes weak men. He’s confident, smart-as-hell and lives with his equally ambitious girlfriend, Rose Calloway. Connor has to find a way to protect Rose without ruining the show. Or else the producer will get what Connor has always wanted—Rose’s virginity.

My rules :
FUCK : I liked it but –
MARRY : This is why I’m melting on the floor
KILL : Are you really asking me what it means?

I barely ever read NA anymore but HOLY COW I’ve just been slapped in the face :

☑ BROMANCE. Lo, Ryke and Connor put a huge smile on my face each time they argued or tried to catch a rat (yes, that’s a thing) or answered questions during their interviews.

☑ FAMILY. Sisters power for the win. That’s all.

☑ Flawed and realistic characters I LOVED following.

☑ Ice Queen Powaaaaaaa (sorry for being that enthusiastic. Just, I love Rose, even if she grits on my nerves sometimes. But hey, that’s what love is about right?) She’s relatable to me in a way heroines rarely are : I want it all, like her, and I have no fucking problem to express it. Ps. Just try to attack my privacy and you’ll see what happens. Just sayin’. I can’t express how many times she would say/think something and I would wholeheartedly agree with her. You go girl. You show them.

“So bring it on, motherfuckers. Try to hurt me. Because I won’t let you.”

☑ Connor is the perfectly flawed hero for me.

“We haven’t formally met,” I say, holding out my hand. “I’m Connor Cobalt. The guy whose girlfriend you want to fuck. And just so you understand, the odds don’t look good for you.”

BUT SERIOUSLY! YES! I NEED CAPS! HOT. SMARTASS. DRIVEN. CLEVER. ARROGANT. LOYAL. PROTECTIVE. RESPECTFUL. GAAAAH he is PERFECTION.

☑ Rose and Connor’s complicity, games, EVERYTHING. It brought so much reality into their relationship.

☑ Frankly, I thought that I would be annoyed by the reality show aspects but actually I enjoyed a lot how the fucked-up lies were handled. Also, these interviews? I WANT MORE. *giggles like a moron*

☑ No slut-shaming but THE EXACT OPPOSITE. Considering that the heroine is a virgin, yes, that’s pretty amazing.

☑ Hot sex scenes : a little rough but always respectful.

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

✘ Just, I’m sorry Connor, really, but *whispers* your French isn’t quite right. I know many readers fantasized about him talking French and if I can’t grasp the appeal of it (obviously), I can imagine (I guess – well, really, I can’t, but I’m a nice person. Sometimes).

However some mistakes rubbed me the wrong way and spoiled my enjoyment a little bit :

✘ “Je suis passionné de toi “: Huh-Oh. This one enters the “not making any sense” category. Nobody would say that ever. So much that I can’t even find a substitute. “Tu me passionnes”, maybe?

✘ Repeated use of “Vous” to translate “You” when he talks to Rose : look, in French “You” can be translated into 2 words : “Tu” if you’re talking to one person you know or a child, and “Vous” if 1)You’re talking to several persons or 2)You’re talking to one person you don’t know/you have to show respect to like a policeman, your Boss, well, every adult you don’t personally know, really (I’m a “Vous” whore and I can’t say “Tu” to anyone except my friends, my boyfriend and my family). So, the fact that Connor uses “Vous” when talking with Rose is just plain weird.

So, yeah, it’s not fair, me being French and all, but the French addition is only… cheesy to me. Now you can hate me.

✘ If the characters won me, the book lacks a rhythm, a tension. Look, I’m okay with that to a certain extent : Kiss the Sky offers us slices of life and that’s what makes it realistic and enjoyable. However, I can’t deny that the story dragged during the second half and there was a moment I stopped reading to ask myself what exactly was the point. Am I turning cynical towards romance? It’s a possibility to consider.

✘ The jumps in the time confused me. Like, really. I found myself reading the wedding countdown and trying to calculate how many time passed between the different scenes. I know, silly, but sometimes the next chapter would take place immediately after the last one, and sometimes weeks would have passed, and can you please be coherent one minute because I’m lost right now?

✘ I was really looking forward to seeing Scott HURT. A lot. For a long, loooong time.

Final thought : READ THIS BOOK

In the end every one of these characters leave its mark on me, and my heart is purring, satisfied, full of laughs and love. I can’t wait to see more of them. This is the best feel, right?

Ps. I do know that I perverted the FUCK. MARRY. KILL game and that it doesn’t completely work. Frankly? I just don’t care. It cracked me up 😛

Ps.2 I didn’t read the Addicted series because I don’t do over drama but it didn’t prevent me for loving this one.

BOOK REVIEW – Addicted to You (Addicted #1) by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie

July 21, 2015 / Jen / 0 Comments

Addicted to You (Addicted #1)
by Becca Ritchie, Krista Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
She's addicted to sex. He's addicted to booze...the only way out is rock bottom.

No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway's biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.

Loren Hale's best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they've pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They've mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.

But as they sink beneath the weight of their addictions, they cling harder to their destructive relationship and wonder if a life together, for real, is better than a lie. Strangers and family begin to infiltrate their guarded lives, and with new challenges, they realize they may not just be addicted to alcohol and sex.

Their real vice may be each other.

Review:

Our selfishness wedges between us. Neither of us is willing to give up what we love for each other. Not yet. And I’m not sure what it’s going to take to let go of our addictions. – Lily

The premise of this book sounded utterly fascinating. A sex addict (Lily Calloway) and alcoholic (Loren Hale) who have been best friends since childhood and pretend to be in a relationship to keep their addictions a secret from their families? Intrigued! Add in fact that the characters opulence is floated throughout the pages and I was sold! In the beginning, I was enamored with their lifestyle, decisions and struggles. It honestly felt as though I was devouring a book that would be a perfect fit as a reality show on TV. Wealth, addiction, lies, sex, alcohol, family. Flawless, right? But while all of these features initially drew me in, they started to drain me. I felt as though I was drowning in their ill choices and hardships. And in the end, it took too large of a toll on me.

Why can’t I have an addiction that people understand? It’s a vile thought—to wish for an addiction many die with. I’d rather have none at all, but for some reason, I never allow myself that option. – Lily

This stories portrayal of their addictions felt real. And while I’ve read stories with addictions before, none have ever felt as though the addiction is as huge as the main character. Where it is a constant state that never stops breathing. Watching Lo (Loren) be a functioning alcoholic and start drinking from the moment he woke up from passing out hurt. It pained me to watch someone struggle with such a strong addiction. Maybe I’m more sensitive since I watched one of my good friends father’s be a functioning alcoholic. Happy and present, until it killed him. With pages upon pages of Lo constantly having a drink in his hand, of saying and doing hurtful things because of his drunkenness, my god it devastated me. Every second of his day pained me except for the moments where he would say something beautiful and sweet to Lily. They did truly love each other, but it never felt as though it was enough to outweigh their addictions. Now Lily’s sex addiction? It was depressing also. Instead of being hot (not sure why I thought it would be that way because hellllllllo, it’s an addiction!), I wanted to cry for this girl who couldn’t control her sex addiction. Who ended up in potentially hazardous situations all to get her next fix. Can I go in the corner and sob now please?

I can’t do this again. “I’ll stop, not the sex, but the motels, the unknown texts, Craigslist—”
“Craigslist?!” he yells. “What the fuck, Lily? You know who solicits for sex on those things? Child molesters and perverts, not to mention it’s fucking illegal.”
“I didn’t use it!” I shout back, my cheeks flaming. “I was just looking.” – Lily

Even though I could feel their pain radiating off of the pages, I couldn’t make myself connect to either Lo or Lily. Ironically, the one I did connect with showed up a little later in the story and his name was Connor. He was rude, presumptuous, and hilarious. I loved the moments that he was around Lily and Lo because it helped add humor and scenes that didn’t have me wanting to curl into the fetal position and just cry. So unfortunately, Addicted to You was too depressing for me. I knew going into the book that it dealt with addictions, but I didn’t expect to be drowning in their sorrows and hearth-aches on what felt like every page. I wasn’t ale to find many slivers of hope, besides Connor. So no, I won’t be continuing on with this series.