Look who's back just in time to make this my last book of 2020. And how fitting is that? (Side note, thank you, everyone, for your kind messages regarLook who's back just in time to make this my last book of 2020. And how fitting is that? (Side note, thank you, everyone, for your kind messages regarding why I was MIA here. I'm well and healthy as one can be at this time. However, GR became somewhat a toxic environment for me in the last couple of months and I just needed a break. I will go more into detail in my review of 2020. But I just wanted to say thank you.)
So, this was a buddy-read with the amazing Antonella, thankfully she supported me through this. And thanks to her I managed to leave this book in 2020 because that's exactly where it belongs to.
After the last book was such a great disappointment to me, I had zero expectations for this book. I just wanted to finish this series. (Since once again it was promised that this would be the last book and thankfully that seems to be the truth for once.) I'm going to be brief, I don't want to waste much time here. Plus, I wasted all of my patience on the previous books.
So, here are my feelings, opinions and things that came to my mind while reading. (Again, I repeat my personal opinions and feelings which means this review is subjective to me.)
Oh, so we are flipping the script again? What a surprise! Not. Suddenly Calliope is the poor little victim who is so hurt but she's trying to save everyone. You see, she is such a good girl. So smart, selfless but no one gets it how much she gives! Because no one apparently gets anything in these books. Just Calliope and Ethan, only them. And Ethan is the string master and he knew everything, he pieced everything together. And certainly, no one is being bothered by how Calliope was humiliating him in the past book? What A strong boss.
And suddenly every single character besides those two does not have a single brain cell left to share between all of them. I have to say that whatever I felt about any of the characters in the previous books is gone. They are all bad, stupid and just pathetic. Wyatt, Helen, Nari, Sedric, Darcy, Neil, Evelyn just everyone and yes that includes Mel and Liam.
Let me tell you, by including them this series stopped being about the children. It just meant that there was no story for the children to be strong enough to carry without the parents there. And yes, even Mel and Liam are completely lost to me. Their own series became unreadable to me. Because I'm sorry but Mel was just such a brat that I had a very vivid flashback to Olivia.
And when I'm talking about people not having a single brain cell that includes the villains in this book. Because... what did they do? The biggest ace in their sleeve, the meanest meanie did what? (view spoiler)[Oh, he shot himself, how terrifying! (hide spoiler)]
Which brings me to another thing, what really happened in this book? Not much, a lot of talking. Some people died for the show of it. And nothing. I was bored out of my mind, it was dragging so much! It was just an eye-roll fest, nothing to be excited about, not even angry! I just kept eyeing the progress bar and hoping that it would move faster. And again, with so many flashbacks... or should I say rather rewriting what was said in the previous books?
Also, back to the characters. I feel like if you were to take each of the books in the children series and change the names of each character in each book (Meaning, because I know I'm making zero sense, that Ethan would be Ethan in book 1. Marc in book 2. Joseph in book 3 and so on. Calliope in book 4, Martha in book 5, Jessica in book 6 etc.) they would rather like completely different characters. There is no continuity in them.
Okay, these two spoilers are regarding the deaths in this book. The first one is more general, more just my feeling about how deaths were handled in this book. No name is dropped but by reading the spoiler you may get a slight idea about who lives and who does not. The second spoiler is a real spoiler with a name in it, so, beware. (view spoiler)[I mentioned some people dying and yeah, in my opinion, those were just token kills, like, see this world is so ruthless! People die. Well, you took the easy hits. (hide spoiler)](view spoiler)[ Honestly, Liam being paralyzed from waist down? Is this the best the author can do? Because it really did feel like she was too afraid of killing any of the main four that she just injured him. (hide spoiler)]
So, overall, a book I had no expectations for managed to disappoint me by how bad it was. However, I'm glad that I can leave this series in 2020. It's finally done and I do not have to drop it and then wonder what if the author managed to come up with something decent. (She did not if you are wondering.) A couple of years ago this author was one of my favourites which was the reason why I kept giving her chances. But honestly, it's time to let it go.
Oh, and almost forgot the book was again very poorly edited, a lot of typos/missing words. Which is kind of the norm with these books but since it was dragging so much, I tended to notice more.
Anyway, this is more of a rant just after finishing reading this book (just to finish review before midnight, am I the book Cinderella?), so, I might change/add some things later. Sorry, if I make zero sense, it was done in a rush!...more
Well, I wanted to rate this book 2⭐ , but then I sat here and asked myself what is the extra star for? And I could not come up with an answer.
So, I wWell, I wanted to rate this book 2⭐ , but then I sat here and asked myself what is the extra star for? And I could not come up with an answer.
So, I wanted to read this book since it *was* the last one in this series. I was somewhere around the 40% mark, and I thought that the story was really dragging and nothing was happening, well, nothing which would move the story closer to the end and resolving everything. (And I believe that was one of the issues I had with Vicious Minds Part 1, I thought that there was so much unnecessary stuff that if half of it were cut there would be no need for book five.) And this book really seemed to have the same problem. And what a shock. This is not that last book! It had to be pointed out to me because I had no idea. I would absolutely finish this book, and then I would stare at the: "To Be Continued". Why?
Every character is just destroyed, completely shredded to little idiots only to built up Calliope. (view spoiler)[Even Liam and Mel, I mean they were shooting at her in a room, and they were not able to get her? (hide spoiler)] I mean Calliope supposedly teased Ethan in public, I would say more that she humiliated him, to be honest. At this point, Ethan is Calliope's Ivy. (view spoiler)[And I'm sure that the author has an explanation ready, how he did it only so that he can get what is his ultimate goal and whatever. The point is that Ethan just turned into a totally meek character who is just there to play second fiddle to Calliope. (hide spoiler)] And I do not care how the next (not going to call it last just to be sure) book is going to spin this. That he was again lying in his POV? Oh, and I almost forgot, since I'm talking about Ethan here (somehow this is just Calliope show now), let's just mention that I do not feel any chemistry between him and Calliope. None.
So, to probably the biggest thing that happened in this book which was basically almost at the end of it. (view spoiler)[ Calliope kills Coraline and I honestly thought that she was poisoning her for some time because she was coughing at one scene (maybe Cora was sick again?) but no, Calliope stabbed her. Plus then Mel and Liam attack Calliope. (hide spoiler)] And right after that I just went to cook lunch. It was probably the most *shocking* moment, and only a couple of chapters left, and I did not care one bit.
And that's the problem. With everything going on. With trying to build-up Calliope. And maybe to even trump the Ruthless People? Like to show that the children's series can be more ruthless and more everything than the original. Unfortunately, for me, it does not work. It makes it forced. Unbelievable. Even artificial. Sort of like a fake version of the story? And slowly while reading this book, I realised that I did not care for anything. Not for the story. Not for the characters. Not who's going to die, live, rule and whatever. And not just in this series, this includes the Ruthless People as well, one of my most re-read series ever.
I just cannot find it me to be interested in the story anymore because no matter what the next spin of the events will be, I won't trust it.
And I mean that. The author could take every single character I loved, kill them all and I would be like, yeah and? This spin-off or more precisely adding more books to it destroyed all characters for me, even Mel and Liam.
And the thing is I wish the events made me angry because then I would at least feel something towards this book. J.J. books usually made me feel so much, laugh, be angry and even cry, so, this emptiness is just shocking, and this really is a 1⭐ from me. ...more
I could not wait for this book to drop. And the moment it was there I was actually afraid to start it!
SPOILERS for the previous books included.[image]
I could not wait for this book to drop. And the moment it was there I was actually afraid to start it!
SPOILERS for the previous books included. Spoilers for this book will be hidden under the spoiler tag.
EDIT: I have no real idea what just happened. I liked the book while reading but now? I’m very angry about it. (I had to change my rating to 3 ⭐ but it feels a bit too generous if you ask me but since I rated COV 2 ⭐, I cannot go lower with this one.) I hated it when I first read the COV, and I was very happy that she died. And I was excited for Calliope and Gigi. And while I like Calliope way more than Ivy, my excitement is mostly gone.
The majority of this book is one huge flashback, rewriting things that mainly happened in the first and third book of this series. What we thought had happened, did not. We were lied to, even in chapters from Ethan’s POV. And here my problems start. And while my evil side liked what was happening, my reader part was a bit annoyed because it seems like the author tried to rewrite what she wrote in the previous books. (And I saw several people calling the first book pointless right now. And honestly? I understand where you are coming from.)
When I started reading this, I was very excited to see what will happen, but now I feel like the author picked up the worst possible solution. (view spoiler)[Ethan knew all along that he has a daughter, he was supposed to be in love with Calliope, making plans with her and Ivy was getting on his last nerve and he could not wait for her to die. Yeah, and he knew all along that his parents are alive, and he wants revenge or whatever. Also, Ethan sleeping with Ivy and everyone else was part of the plan he made with Calliope. And apparently, Calliope has some plan to destroy the Callahans. But who knows. (hide spoiler)] <-- This is the whole book in a nutshell.
Looking back, it seems as if the author took the first book and went on rewriting it and tried to give a new perspective to everything. But it does not work since we got Ethan’s POV in the first book. If it were only Ivy’s POV, I would be okay with this. But the whole “Ethan was lying to the readers does not work for me. I hated Ivy, but I always felt like the author meant for her to by the endgame for Ethan. And I have no idea if she succumbed to the hate against Ivy or if she got the idea for Calliope and decided to go with it. The Children of Vice were announced as a trilogy, it was written as a trilogy and no matter what no one will ever persuade me that this was pre-planned.
In my first review, I called this book slightly as Deus Ex Machina but honestly? It’s more like Calliope Ex Machina, she just somehow did everything. She pointed her phone at something, and she hacked into it. (I know that there is someone on the other side doing the hacking for her. But… little explanation? Not leaving everything to the last part would be nice.) Also, she reminded me a bit of Tinker Bell, but instead of a magical powder, she was sprinkling poison everywhere.
I don’t know… I liked it while reading, but now I’m very annoyed by this book. The main problem for me with this book is that it feels a bit like fan fiction or as if the author wanted to change her work, but it’s hard to rewrite something that was already published.
I would just say, read her Ruthless series which is wonderful. Children of Vice were over-all just mediocre, and if she’s trying to save it, then she’s failing.
Also, it was mentioned in my now scratched review, but I have to mention it again, the editing of this series is getting worse or what?! Errors and typos were always in all series by this author (along with continuity errors – like the age of the characters, what someone was wearing in the same scene etc.) but this book? I even had to re-read sentences to make sure if I understood them correctly. And, this is not on the author since her work is edited, the editor dropped the bomb and the author should ask for money back.
And the first chapter already came with a huge twist! Which I loved! Which I hoped for! "YES! I KNEW IT!"
And I already loved where the book was going.
However, the "past" part was a bit too long and dragged out, and I sort of wished it would end finally. Vicious Minds were supposed to be one book, but because of the length, the author split it in two. And I have to wonder. Did the book suffer because of it? (I'm not even thinking about the terrible wait we have in front of us!) What I mean is that if the book was whole, I believe that a chunk of the "past" part would be cut out of the story and maybe that would help with the fluency of the story.
When I started reading the Children of Vice series, I hated the first one. I rated it 2* mainly because Ivy was just a waste of space and Ethan was not living up to my expectations. And since Ivy is now gone and we are getting a new perspective on the events from the first book, I'm happier, and it makes more sense. However, at the same time, I have to say that it is obvious that the author did not plan on this book from the beginning because it's an absolute turn from the beginning and now the actions are interpreted differently but not always it works. But seeing how much I hated Ivy, I don't care. She's gone, that's all I needed. (view spoiler)
Calliope is a fantastic character! Well, it's not hard to be better than Ivy, but still, she is wonderful. (view spoiler)
I wish there was a bit more on the present story, but I guess we will get that in the next book.
I'm sad that there was not a bit more of Gigi.
However, this book was full of twists, and I have no idea what's going to happen next! (view spoiler)
Sometimes Calliope seemed a bit like Deus ex machina. So, I hope this will be explained as well in the next book.
I cannot not mention the several typos I found in the book.
All in all, this is somewhere between three and four ⭐but since Ivy is gone, I'll go with four. ...more
Well, I don't know what to say. I wasn't really a fan of the previous book, especially because I never found a way how to like Hartley. But the HUGE cWell, I don't know what to say. I wasn't really a fan of the previous book, especially because I never found a way how to like Hartley. But the HUGE cliffhanger forced me to read this book asap. Well, after finishing my review, I feel like I'm even generous with my rating. Funny thing that I always realize how angry a book made me only when I write the review.
Let's start from the beginning. The whole "(view spoiler)[ amnesia thing (hide spoiler)]" it only seemed to me like the author didn't know what to do with the plot and thought that this would be an amazing plot or solution. Well, no, sorry, it was not.
I'm not a doctor but (view spoiler)[, so she remembers nothing, and they just send her to school? Like nothing happened, you would expect some sort of counseling and "transition," tests what she remembers and what not. I get that her parents are assholes, but I would think that this would alert social services or someone that a girl who remembers nothing is just sent to school. Same with Sebastian, he woke from god knows how long coma a guy that is going to trial for murder just gets him out of the hospital and then he is in school like a couple of days later. (hide spoiler)] Really don't get that and I would be really surprised if that were how that worked in the US. (view spoiler)[Talking about a guy who committed a murder. It was said that he was also being charged with an attempt to kill Ella as well. - Btw, when did he try to kill her? Because what happened at the end of the Twisted Palace did not seem like attempted murder to me. But still, she is a major witness in the case. He should not be allowed anywhere near her! But he can just come to the house where she lives? No restrictions on that? Seriously? (hide spoiler)] And since I'm already talking about the lack of action from CPS or anyone for that matter, let's add other issues. (view spoiler)[ So, at the end Hartley's dad is dead, her mother just packs her backs and goes away as well as her older sister. And no social services, CPS or anyone is involved when she leaves Dylan, her 13-year-old daughter with the family of the guy her 17-year-old daughter is dating? And do not tell me that it's the money. The case was under media scrutiny; they would definitely report on that. (hide spoiler)]
Okay, this feels like this review is going to be full of spoilers.
(view spoiler)[ I won't really comment on Callum going to Dubai to close a deal when his son is in a comma. If Sebastian was in a comma like for a month or so then okay but it was what? Days? Week? And he was off and left Easton in charge of everyone. As if he wasn't drinking all the time and Callum was aware of that. You would guess he would at least force Gideon or Reed to come back. (hide spoiler)]
As for Easton. In the last book, I was really angry about his behavior towards Ella. And to be honest several times in this book it was even worse than in the previous one. As well as his behavior altogether. (view spoiler)[He made no sense at all. He was just making things worse on purpose and then trying to excuse himself. (hide spoiler)]
Okay, so little miss Hartley. Still, don't like her. And have nothing much to say about her. Only that her actions were sometimes really stupid and forced her to do things were complicated. Maybe she should keep her mouth shut, just maybe sometimes.
The first half of the book is really slow and almost pointless.
We got some mandatory Felicity drama. Again sort of doing the same to get rid of the mean girl as Ella did. (view spoiler)[ Really don't get the Kyle thing. So Felicity set it up, and her parents just went with it? I understand that Kyle did it for money but don't understand why he punched her. Makes no sense at all. (hide spoiler)]
Then there is Steve who just won't go away. And I already voiced some of my issues about him in some of the previous spoilers. But let's add another. (view spoiler)[ So he has an ankle bracelet to monitor where he goes. And put that together with the fact that he should not be allowed anywhere near Ella he should be in jail for being at Royal's place. But okay, let'S pretend he could just order Ella in his car and all would be fine. Then to his suicide, come on, that was only a stupid way how to finish the book and close the Steve's issue without writing about the trial. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[Also, Steve just goes crazy, shooting anything and everything. It also gets revealed that Easton is apparently his son. Which was suggested in the previous book by Hartley's father. I didn't believe it because a) didn't really think the author would go for the Ella and Easton kiss and b)in the first three books it was hinted that the twins were more like Steve so it would make more sense if it were them than Easton. (hide spoiler)]
Also about Hartley's father who was just behaving really stupidly and I'm sort of surprised he managed to go on with it as long as he did. (view spoiler)[He also said that he pushed Hartley at the hospital that caused her amnesia. (really convenient) But I re-read her fall, and I do not see how he could push her without anyone seeing it. They were looking at her! (hide spoiler)]
Hopefully my last issue with the book. The twins and Lauren and anything altogether. Since the author revealed that the Royals were over, no more books, no-extras no nothing I'm really confused and maybe even angry because we always got just hints on them. A built up of their story to get people interested, and I really wanted to know more about them. And the author is just like: No book for them. Okay, then at least please explain the things in this book! (view spoiler)[ The author just threw there that Lauren broke up with them which made me really angry. It was same as with Steve. Just deleting the character so I don't have to bother with an explanation. And I thought I was angry after the previous book when Lauren went from the sweet and nice girl to a complete opposite manipulative monster. But this got me angry even more. (hide spoiler)]
Also (view spoiler)[Sebastian woke up after being super angry and rude which is understandable but we won't ever know if he gets better or what. (hide spoiler)]
Wow, after letting all of my anger out I sort of wonder if there is really something I've liked about the book. Also, as some people already pointed out there were some really unnecessary typos in the book....more
The weakest book in series. I really liked the scenes with other characters than just between the main couple. I guess my problem was that I never likThe weakest book in series. I really liked the scenes with other characters than just between the main couple. I guess my problem was that I never liked Painter or Mel and they just do not work together at all. The thing is I did not like Painter in the previous books. Here, when he was not with Mel or not thinking about Mel, he was bearable in this book. But otherwise, he was just asking for someone to slap me.
But my main problem is Mel who is lucky that Jessica is in the series otherwise she would be the worse character....more
Actually, I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I enjoyed the previous two Locked and Lockout. I felt like it become almost boring. Well, also it didn'Actually, I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I enjoyed the previous two Locked and Lockout. I felt like it become almost boring. Well, also it didn't surprise me at all. I found out who was the bad guy, who was the leader of that group. Only one thing I didn't find out before it was revealed (view spoiler)[ About Liv being alive (hide spoiler)]. I was also pretty disappointed that she was kidnapped like for one/two days, I just expected more. It is another of those books that try to pretend how those main characters have it so bad. But then it is only for show. And the end? Sorry, I have nothing to say about it... Cheezy, cliché and predictable.
After LOVING the first book and being somewhat disappointed by the second one, I had no idea what to expect but I still wanted to know how it will endAfter LOVING the first book and being somewhat disappointed by the second one, I had no idea what to expect but I still wanted to know how it will end. But several chapters in I have to say, I don't even care. It's terrible, makes no sense. And seeing how the series deteriorated I'm forced to believe that the author wrote the first book but after publishing had no idea where to go with the series. Huge disappointment. I'll just keep the first book as a standalone.
řeknu to takhle: silně mě to nebavilo. tak jsem se do spoileru koukala, co se stane dál. a zjistila jsem, ze.to nemá cenu číst dál. první díl.byl.úžasný! druhý.me zklamal. a ten třetí raději ani dočítat nebudu....more
Loading...
