You know, I'm sort of tired of saying this but I feel like I have to! Please do not use language you do not know well enough.
And I sort of don't knowYou know, I'm sort of tired of saying this but I feel like I have to! Please do not use language you do not know well enough.
And I sort of don't know what to say.
Here I had hopes that the characters would be a bit more mature but no such a luck.
And every book seems like a rehearsal of the previous ones. You always get the same "characters" with almost identical problems etc. I already read the whole series but I just do not want to review it. And honestly, I cannot tell the characters and the plot from those books apart. If you ask me in which (view spoiler)[book the female heroin went behind the backs of her man with the help of his men to get rid of an FBI agent (hide spoiler)] I would have no idea. I know that it happened but I have no idea with which characters and in which book....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
EDIT 30/08/2017: I okay, something was bugging me since reading this, so I went back to TP to check. (view spoiler)[At the end of TP, Ella and Reed arEDIT 30/08/2017: I okay, something was bugging me since reading this, so I went back to TP to check. (view spoiler)[At the end of TP, Ella and Reed are talking about Gideon coming home for dinner and that they're going to tell him how Ella paid Dinah off. Yet, here Gideon is surprised that Ella knew about the pictures. So, how it is? Did the author forgot or just Ella and Reed changed their mind in the time to walk down the stairs? (hide spoiler)]
It was so much fun receiving each Friday a chapter. A lot of issues were opened here (view spoiler)[Steve - I thought he was supposed to be in jail and that he gave his money to Ella so he had nothing to bail himself out. Or am I missing something? (hide spoiler)] and sort of unanswered. Otherwise, it was fine. Just the last chapter. It killed me. So damn cheesy. :D
Also, I don't quite get the relationship between the two of them. Gideon at one point says that Ella came and just twisted his brother or whatever. Well, Gideon is basically Savannah's lapdog, it's laughable....more
Alright... I got it, it is fiction, and I do not really know everything about US legal system but: (view spoiler)[ Are you telling me that Steve was oAlright... I got it, it is fiction, and I do not really know everything about US legal system but: (view spoiler)[ Are you telling me that Steve was officially deemed dead for like nine months. And he can just parade himself back to town. Pretty much with no one asking any questions. And then take his daughter from her legal guardian? I know. He is her father. But I would suspect that somehow social workers would be involved. (hide spoiler)]
Most of the book (like 70% or even more) is just about nothing pretty much. It is just bunch of What Ifs and (view spoiler)[My not-so-dead-daddy hates me being with my boyfriend and how can I go behind his backs? (hide spoiler)].
But the ending is certain redemption. I would like few chapters more, so that way we would get more answers: (view spoiler)[ Did Dinah really tried to kill Steve? More on the Steve/Maria episode. Gideon's reaction when the blackmailing material was gone. Is he going to try to get back with Savannah? (And I do not really like her) And the Wade and Val? I love Wade. Val is cool. But just the simple mentioning that they are together? Not cool. At all. They deserved so much more! (hide spoiler)]
I would love to read something about the twins in the future. And even Easton....more
Honestly, I think that this novel was the weakest in this series. First, the first half of the book was just the repetition of what we already knew. AHonestly, I think that this novel was the weakest in this series. First, the first half of the book was just the repetition of what we already knew. And then, when something was looking interesting, they just played it to the out. The characters would just come and say: This and that happened. Etc......more
I really liked it. It was something different (or maybe something I never read before). But there were some things that didOkay, where should I start?
I really liked it. It was something different (or maybe something I never read before). But there were some things that did feel a bit ... off. I am not an American, and I don't know the social or children service system. But in many cases, I knew that it was WAY too easy. (view spoiler)[ Their father coming to rescue them? / Only him and ONE social worker? --> They didn't know what to expect! / No one really asked about what happened. No doctors. No psychologist... (hide spoiler)] That and much more. I was about to search some details but then I found this review where I got my answers. And it turns out that indeed many of the things or procedures featured in the book were highly unrealistic.
I could list all the things I liked, but instead, I'll just say that this story deserved more pages. I wish we could see more. Her and Ryan's story. Carey finding a way back to her father. Living in the mundane world... There was so much we didn't see.
This review may seem like I didn't like this story. I did, and I think that many of you will too. It's just that I wished something...more?... for it....more