Series: Crave

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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