Seven Ways We Lie was purchased and thrust into my unwitting hands by the lovely Sass, one of my favourite book pushers, as an early Christmas presentSeven Ways We Lie was purchased and thrust into my unwitting hands by the lovely Sass, one of my favourite book pushers, as an early Christmas present. Despite the fact that I don’t read contemporary. Despite the fact that I have no interest in Teacher/Student relationships, despite the fact that I’m a miserable miser who hasn’t properly picked up a book in almost a year.
Everyone needs a Sass in their lives. Apparently, I needed this book too.
Reading this world set in Paloma Heights was like a breath of fresh air. Feminist, flawed characters, real pain, and secrets. So many secrets. There we some characters I liked right away (Olivia) and some characters I took a long time to like (Claire). And some I just plain never understood (Juniper). But I could never say I walked away from this book being a lesser person. Despite not liking Claire, I felt like I learned the most from her, felt her pain the most. So even in the parts that made me maddeningly angry, I found something to take away from in this book.
So, the book is about seven students – and one of them is having an affair with a teacher. Each student represents one of the seven deadly sins and most characters, in the end, over come their sin and find a way to heal.
Let me tell you though, that there were things I definitely loved about this book – and one of them was the rep.
First of all, we have a feminist kick ass main character who does not apologise for who she sleeps with, when and where. It was amazing. Then we have a pansexual character which just filled my heart with joy. It’s on the paper, btw. That’s how he ID’s – as pansexual. I could sing with joy.
There is a character who pretty much sings to being Ace but never actually says it on page, this also made me happy for all my Ace friends out there who could do with the rep.
There’s also cultural diversity a little bit which is, not going to lie, much needed to break up the otherwise white bread fest that this book would have been without it.
I thought the book was very well plotted and executed with enough meat to keep it going, unlike a common pitfall of contemporaries where there’s just not enough plot. Yet it still carries the best aspects of a contemporary by making its characters shine, and being character driven.
Over all, I loved this book and highly recommend you put it on your radar.
This review and others like it can be found on my blog ....more
This book was so much and more. Other than kind of meandering toward the end, it was a near perfect read for me. Stunning, beautiful and so amazing toThis book was so much and more. Other than kind of meandering toward the end, it was a near perfect read for me. Stunning, beautiful and so amazing to read. I highly recommend this book to other readers. ...more
I have to admit, I never would have read this book if the publisher hadn’t put it in my hands and said, “There. Read it.” They didn’t say they would sI have to admit, I never would have read this book if the publisher hadn’t put it in my hands and said, “There. Read it.” They didn’t say they would shank me if I didn’t, but I’m pretty sure it was implied.
And I would have been missing out. MISSING OUT, PEOPLE. If I hadn’t decided to read it.
Because You’ll Never Meet Me is a clever, fascinating look into the lives of two very special boys. One who was born without eyes but with the ability to observe his surroundings via echolation, and the other born with electromagnetism – what seems, at first, to be an allergy to electricity.
The story cleverly follows their letters to each other. A correspondence that grows from stranger hood, to a bond so intensely strong that I almost cried at their trials and tribulations.
Ollie and Moritz don’t seem to have anything in common at first, apart from both of them being very isolated, incredibly lonely boys. One of them isolated physically out in a cabin in the woods and the other isolated from his peers and other people because he feels like a freak.
I’m not going to go into too much detail about the book. That would be bad. Bad, Kat. Bad.
But the thing I didn’t expect is how atmospheric it was. I got such a sense of Ollie’s isolation, and the world of devoid he lived in. And such a sense of Moritz’s pain and suffering. Yet both boys filled me with so much hope that I fell into little pieces while reading it. Both boys made me love them with their candor and voice and Thomas should be praised for crafting two such dissimilar yet compatible characters.
A stunning book, a story well told and two characters who made me fall in love with them. You can’t ask for much more than that.
You can find this review and others like it on my Blog.
A review copy was provided to me by the publisher and no money was exchanged for this review. ...more
Let’s get this out of the way now. This book is trash. All the way, to the end of the road, it’s abAlright, alright. Alright, alright, alright.
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Let’s get this out of the way now. This book is trash. All the way, to the end of the road, it’s absolute trash.
And this was me:
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Gawd I loved this book. All the while I knew it was bad. Just down to it’s very core it’s a bad book. But it is so. damn. addictive.
So Shazi’s best friend Shiva has just been murdered by the King, Khalid. So she leaves her lover, Tariq and volunteers as tribute (sorry not sorry) to be Khalid’s next wife.
Now, let me get the complaining out of the way early.
Shazi is annoying. Like very obtuse. She is full of pride (which I love) but she’s very clumsy about how she goes about discovering the Khalid’s secrets (which I hate) – which basically boils down to her whining to him a lot about them instead of doing any real investigation. Then there’s the time when she pretends to everyone that she can’t shoot arrows and lets herself be goaded into revealing that, actually, she’s a great shot within like 5 minutes. Way to go, there Shazi.
Also, the romance is super instalovey and I never really bought it. Obviously, there was a sizzle or I would have been out the door so fast you’d have thought I was being chased by a bear. But when it came to their devotional love proclamations, I was left unmoved.
The writing is a little subpar but it’s nothing to cry about.
Also the plot. Shazi barely even tells the stories. Like, it happens a few times but mostly it’s so quickly done and over with and they’re very underwhelming so I’m not sure, like, if I were a blood-thirsty sultan, that I would spare her life for those stories. I mean, I’m just assuming here because I’ve never slaughtered dozens of innocent girls. Maybe if I did, I’d be as easily amused as Khalid was, I don’t know. THIS IS ALL CONJECTURE.
Okay. Deep breath. So what did I like about this book?
Gawd, I don’t know.
If I could pinpoint the magic that was The Wrath and the Dawn and bottle it up and sprinkle it over everything I would. There was just something, ultimately, very readable about it. It made me want to devour everything and never stop.
It was like doritoes, you know? You know they’re bad for you, but you can’t stop eating. So moarish. I need more. I’m reading The Rose and the Dagger immediately and not one of youse can stop me.
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This review and others like it can be found on my blog ...more
It's not I didn't like this book. At least, I like the beginning for awhile. But this book's plot was I curse this book with a thousand crotch louse.
It's not I didn't like this book. At least, I like the beginning for awhile. But this book's plot was enough to drive me into a rant.
Getting out of the way the fact that the characterisation is great and the setting is stunning and all that shit, let's get into possibly McKinley's only, and truly great weakness, which is plotting and pacing.
The book reads at the speed of an unhurried snail. It starts a full 2.5ish years before Beauty even meets the Beast and shows no sincere interest in moving things along for the sake of actually telling the story. Beauty spends a stunningly little amount of time with the Beast and when we actually meet him, most of that time is glossed over in narrative telling rather than showing.
ARE YOU TELLING ME I JUST SAT THROUGH 2.5 YEARS OF THIS GIRL'S LIFE ONLY TO HAVE FIVE MINUTES WITH THE ACTUAL GREAT ROMANCE THIS FAIRYTALE IS FAMOUS FOR?!
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Then, right, the whole thing is wrapped up in about 20 pages. It was infuriating. I don't feel like Beauty's back story and life before the Beast helped us understand her motivations and character arc any great deal. I felt like it was cumbersome for the sake of being cumbersome and wordy and artistic.
I'm so mad about this, that I'm practically hopping. I'm hopping mad, I say!
I don’t know if Cruel Beauty truly deserved five stars on merit but goddamnit I’m awarding it all the points for enjoyability. All of them. I loved thI don’t know if Cruel Beauty truly deserved five stars on merit but goddamnit I’m awarding it all the points for enjoyability. All of them. I loved the hell out of this story. The passion. The intrigue. Ignifex. Nyx’s rage. Ignifex. All the kissing. Nyx.
This book kind of had it all for me. Plot, mystery, intrigue and a whole lot of making out. It’s almost like Hodge was trying to distract me from the crazy plotholes and loose story structure. It was fantastic! I haven’t been this entertained by a book in ages. I immediately went out and bought a copy (I got mine from the library).
So if you’re into mythology and kissing and just looking for something eminently, page-turningly good, then this is your book.
This is only a mini review as I wrote a guide to Beauty and the Beast retellings here....more
This was another favourite of mine. Completely different to A Court of Thorns and Roses and Cruel Beauty, Uprooted is more dark and gothic. UnfortunatThis was another favourite of mine. Completely different to A Court of Thorns and Roses and Cruel Beauty, Uprooted is more dark and gothic. Unfortunately there is also a lot less kissing. But not to be discouraged. What kissing there is, is very lovely and, more importantly, Uprooted has a solid plot and is paced with ardent fervour. It’s also funny as all hell and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat type of action-packed. When I started reading it, I really didn’t want to put it down unless forced against my will. Agnieszka is a fantastic character. Witty, strong, loving and heroic. The Dragon is hilariously uptight and poncy. Cue Agnieszka quickly tearing down every expectation and wall he builds up between them and you have an odd couple taking on the most sinister forest you can think of.
A Court of Thorns and Roses was one of my favourite retellings, bar Cruel Beauty which wins out for sheer enjoyment factor. A Court of Thorns and RoseA Court of Thorns and Roses was one of my favourite retellings, bar Cruel Beauty which wins out for sheer enjoyment factor. A Court of Thorns and Roses is the first book in a new series by Sarah J Maas. It’s a great beginning book and there’s plenty more story to write about once it's done with, if you know what I mean. Maas has built a complex, magical world of deadly fae and power hungry humans, with Feyre and Tamlin are caught in the middle.
Emotions are wrought, drama and danger are right up there and Maas isn’t afraid to let a little sexy times fly. A perfect, fun, thrilling read for those looking for a Beauty and the Beast retelling that’s just a little bit different.
Not Otherwise Specified is the story of Ella, a girl struggling with all the labels in her life. Bi, eating disorder, dancing, black, etc.
Not OtherwisNot Otherwise Specified is the story of Ella, a girl struggling with all the labels in her life. Bi, eating disorder, dancing, black, etc.
Not Otherwise Specified was a breathless read. In that, no really, I felt breathless a lot of the time. The Narration was like an unending stream of consciousness funnelling you right into Ella's every uncensored thought.
You'll find all the hallmarks of a great Moskowitz novel here. Thorough characterisation, relationship heavy, stunning writing, heartbreak.
But what you'll also find it that there's nothing really new here either. Ella worries, in the novel, that the theatre auditioners would know her bag of tricks and I think it's the same for this novel. Moskowitz has a bag of tricks - great tricks, beautiful tricks, heart touching tricks, but they can start to also feel a little tired.
I didn't feel like Not Otherwise Specified was a stretch for Moskowitz. Teeth was deeper. Gone Gone Gone more heartbreaking, Marco Impossible more fun. Not Otherwise Specified felt, in comparison, like a nice book. And that's what I can say of it. I know I'm being unfair because writing about the eating disorder stuff and the bulling stuff must have been a real struggle for Moskowitz. She really reached deep for those.
And if anyone else had written it, I think I would have been more impressed, to be honest. But because it was a Moskowitz book, I expected more from it.
But this is where my excitement ramps up because A History of Glitter and Blood sounds very very different to the contemporaries that Moskowitz has written in the past. So Moskowitz is already expanding on her bag of tricks it seems, and I am so, so excited to see what she comes up for for that....more
read Black Ice with a lot of hopes. Hopes that Fitzpatrick was writing something brave and different, a departure from Hush, Hush which was a total a read Black Ice with a lot of hopes. Hopes that Fitzpatrick was writing something brave and different, a departure from Hush, Hush which was a total abomination for me. Still, I was willing to give it a fair shot. Unfortunately, it seems Fitzpatrick has a formula that she refuses to veer from and that made this book every bit as painful as Hush, Hush was. And all the temptation that maybe Fitzpatrick was doing something brave and hard was washed away with every page I turned.
Black Ice is the story about a girl who goes camping and gets kidnapped by criminals who force her to navigating the freezing terrain in order to help them escape. Things become complicated when she starts to develop feelings for one of her captors.
Fitzpatrick set this up as a Stockholm Syndrome tale and had everything at her disposal to make it great. It to make it brave and edgy and real. Instead she bowed to whimsical fantasy and romantic notions in order to twist it into something it should never have been. A love story.
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So let’s start with the formula that Fitzpatrick can’t seem to let go of.
1 Very Bad Boy + 1 Annoying Heroine + 1 Best friend who can die in a fire = Kat is going to kill something.
Mason kidnaps her, drags her through frozen tundra, lets his friend hold a gun to her and keeps up this charade as a villain all through the novel. But because he is occasionally kind to her and hot, Britt, our leading lady, falls for him.
Britt, is not quite as annoying as the heroine in Hush, Hush. She does some clever and brave things. This almost saves it for me. Almost. But her obsession over Calvin drove me mad. The story kept dropping history between her and Calvin which was quite boring and ultimately needless. She was a flawed heroine and that’s okay. She was probably the best thing about this novel, even if that’s not saying much.
Korbie. Korbie, rather like Vee was the most annoying character in this book and the very fact that she wasn’t in it much was her only saving grace. One more page of her and I might have bashed this book against my head several times just to numb the pain.
The ending. Let’s talk about the ending here because I know most of you aren’t planning on reading this shit, so being coy about it.
Spoilers Ahead
Mason’s not really the bad guy, see? He’s just pretending to be a hardened criminal so that he can find his sister’s killer. Who just happens to be Calvin, Britt’s ex boyfriend and Korbie’s brother. See? Britt really fell for a hero, not the bad guy. He was only pretending to kidnap her. So this makes everything about 100 times shittier. Instead of doing the brave thing and having Britt tragically need to hand in the man who kidnapped her and endangered her life, she turns summersaults to turn him into a hero. So that they can be together.
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This refusal to commit to reality made the novel so much weaker and less tense. It lacked the emotional impact because it veered so far into fantasyland that I was almost ready to believe that Britt was hallucinating the end of this novel as she lay in a snowdrift dying.
If you want a book that is unapologetic in its handling of Stockholm Syndrome then I honestly suggest you skip this one and try Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher. Hauntingly beautiful and emotionally charged, it will fill the hole that Black Ice leaves behind....more
Scorched, the convoluted story about a girl who could start an apocalypse just by hatching a dragon. It’s a dragon apocalypse!
You know, I honestly donScorched, the convoluted story about a girl who could start an apocalypse just by hatching a dragon. It’s a dragon apocalypse!
You know, I honestly don’t know why I picked up this book from my ARC stacks. I just felt like dragons. But I probably should have guessed, based on the dragon coping a feel of the the girl on the cover there, that this book wouldn’t be for me. I stuck with it, though, and gave it a fair shot. All the way to page 136 when I had to stop for my sanity’s sake.
So the writing itself wasn’t the worst. I had no real problem with its descriptors or anything but the three main characters drove me completely up the wall.
The plot tried to pull this WHAT A TWIST style story structure. Trying to keep you guessing on who Trinity should trust. The clear answer being your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman and nobody else. Spiderman would have known what to do.
The most aggravating thing about this novel is that a few pages can’t go buy without Connor mooning over Trinity. Or Trinity mooning over Connor. Or Caleb mooning over Trinity. I didn’t get up to the part where Trinity moons over Caleb, but I’m pretty sure it would happen eventually. And when people were kissing only a few hours after meeting, I wanted to throw the book at the wall and sing I Feel Pretty to myself until the pain went away.
“She was beautiful, he thought. The history texts did not do her justice. Sure, she had the same tangles of black curls falling down her back in waves, the same delicate features. But no photo could capture her long lashes, sweeping across freckled cheeks, or the way her lower lip plumped as she frowned in her sleep. And they certainly couldn’t capture the fiery passion in her black eyes, illuminating the spark that was so strong within her.” And no photo could capture my pain at having to read this shite every time Connor or Caleb decided to go all star-eyed over the most specialist special girl who ever specialed. Because Trinity is the uberspecial. She kicks off the apocalypse, she has super powers, she’s bonding with a queen dragon, she’s gorgeous, she’s going to be world famous/infamous. Two uber hawties travelled back in time ala Terminator to save her.
Kill. Me. Now.
And can we talk about the use of the word Fleck? Instead of swearing in the book, Connor and Caleb use the word Fleck.
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Look, first of all, you’re a Young Adult novel. It’s okay to swear. Really. I give you permission to use the word fuck. And don’t try to tell me that it’s possible that 200 years in the future, people will have replaced fuck with fleck. It’s never going to happen. Fuck is a perfectly serviceable, good word that isn’t suddenly going to be replaced by some random reiteration of it within a few generations. It’s just… Stop it, okay? Just bloody swear because you’ve made me do enough of it already.
Basically, this book is a hot mess and I demand reimbursement for the pain it’s put me through. That or, I dunno, a puppy....more
Last Will and Testament started out really strong for me. Mostly because of Lizzie’s amazing narrative voice and unapologetic style. How unapologetic?Last Will and Testament started out really strong for me. Mostly because of Lizzie’s amazing narrative voice and unapologetic style. How unapologetic? Well the story starts out with her screwing another girl’s boyfriend when the police show up and inform her that her parents are dead.
Lizzie’s entire life changes then, when she has to adult-up and take on her two younger brothers while cleaning up her life at Radleigh university. To do that, she needs the help of her uptight TA, Connor Lawson.
Lizzie’s voice started out and remained the very best aspect of this novel for me. I would say there were a lot of great things about Last Will and Testament. Great characterisation, hot romance action, maintenance of drama and story line, good writing.
It was just the little things that got me, ya know? How quickly Connor and Lizzie’s relationship sparked up. The whole will-they-won’t they that came on really thick and fast and then just eased up abruptly in a way that made me question its legitimacy.
Don’t get me wrong, despite these criticisms it was still a great read, that I thoroughly enjoyed. And all the sexy times were greatly appreciated. No. Really.
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I just really loved Lizzie. Like so much. Such a flawed and well-rounded character. And Connor was delicious when he finally removed that stick from his ass. Oops, did I just say that out loud?
So whilst it wasn’t a perfect read for me, it was pretty damn good, and I think a lot of people are going to like this one....more
It's not that there was anything particularly wrong with Kindling The Moon. It's well written, well paced and reasonably readable. There was the odd tIt's not that there was anything particularly wrong with Kindling The Moon. It's well written, well paced and reasonably readable. There was the odd typo or spelling mistake or missing punctuation, but I can live with that.
But it was rather like an unfortunately boring date. You know how it is. You go to a bar together and all they want to do is talk about body fluids and how they power magical spells. They seem like a perfectly nice book. But there's nothing really special there. No spark, no chemistry.
And talking about no chemistry, I just did not feel the sizzle between the two main characters. At one point they were kissing and he stuck his finger down her panties and I felt like I was reading a text book. I felt nothing. Maybe this is because Lon didn't feel like someone I would ever go for. He's quite a bit older than Cady, at 42 for her 25 and he has a moustache. I really struggled to feel the attraction.
Around the 60% mark my interest started to wane and by the 80% mark it was pretty much gone.
This date is over, alas, but I'll bear the fond memories of Cady's parent's sex magic for a long, long time. ...more
Every now and again you stumble onto a book that’s just magical, and for me, this one was it.
In it, Simon Spier is being blackmailed by a student becaEvery now and again you stumble onto a book that’s just magical, and for me, this one was it.
In it, Simon Spier is being blackmailed by a student because Simon is gay. If Simon doesn’t help Martin, then Martin will publish his personal emails with Blue, an anonymous boy from his school who he’s quickly falling in love with.
Simon has to deal with Martin, his burgeoning attraction to Blue, his close-knit family and his friends. It’s all a lot to take in but makes for a very rounded, fulfilling story. Everyone in this novel has agendas and secrets.
This is a well written book, Simon has a strong narrative voice that is realistic and still whimsical. I really felt for Simon’s struggles and the position he was in. This book deals with race, sexuality and gender and blends it all in beautifully.
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This book was exactly what I needed. Something light, fluffy and satisfying. If you’re looking for something deeper with more angst, maybe skip this one. But if you’re looking to walk away on cloud 9 feeling amazing about life than this is the book for you.
Its writing was solid though felt a little rushed in some parts. Toward the end, Simon’s narration became less precise and more general as the book raced toward an ending.
But over all, a really solid book from Albertalli and I’m excited to see what she does next. This book gave me all the feels and I’m sure it’ll do the same for you....more
I usually take my time, and can be quiet erudite when it comes to expressing my love for a book. Today is not that day.
No, you see, you can’t be eloquI usually take my time, and can be quiet erudite when it comes to expressing my love for a book. Today is not that day.
No, you see, you can’t be eloquent and merciful to a book whose main theme is stabbing. Not just other people but stabbing you, in particular, right in the heartsole (Because, at my heart, I am an arsehole – get it? No….?)
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Anyway, before I read this book, I was a deadened husk inside. That book didn’t change that aspect of me much except to poke so many holes in my exterior facade that water leaks in when it rains.
Let’s roll things back.
So I read this book back when it was a glimmer of a book. I loved it then but I LOVE everything about it now. This book is to breaking readers hearts as maestros are to music. Sorry, I’m still so hung up on this book.
I don’t want to say the theme of this book is stabbing. I want to say something more intellectual like it’s theme is revenge and the slow leaking of the humanity in one who has lost so much. But if you said the main theme was stabbing in your SAT test I just don’t frankly think you’d be wrong.
Mia, as our protagonist, drives the story along with three other great supporting characters: Mister Kindly, Tric and our mysterious narrator with their many, many delicious footnotes. Mia, herself is a dry, witty, savage, raw creature who is being moulded into a deadly weapon at a school for assassins. (Think Hogwarts, except if you fail a lesson – you die.) Mister Kindly is her shadow assistant. Acerbic and snarky and part of her special abilities which is all I’ll say about that. Tric – I have no words for. No. Words. Don’t touch me!
As for our narrator, I feel like it’s humour and the many, many world building details included in the footnotes really brings this story to life. What would otherwise be a tense, dramatic story is added a certain levity through the narrator’s wit. It carries it in a way, where the sadness and more depressing aspects of this story might usually bog a reader down – is lifted and given perspective by the narrator.
The writing is outstanding, with the usual Kristoff flair. It was simply stunning, rich bodied and full of flavour. If I sound like I’m describing a coffee then I can only attest to my sleep deprived state. The pacing and the plot, I felt, were fantastic. Right when you started to feel bogged down in world building and such, Kristoff throws in some stabbing or some sex to liven it up. It’s like he’s come across the perfect formula for me, personally. Which, if he has, I ain’t gonna complain.
A word to the wary – this book is graphic. In violence, in sex, in language. It’s definitely for the more mature readers out there. But if drinking the blood of your enemies is your thing, as it is mine – then I highly suggest you give it a try. ...more
Boomerang is a distinctly familiar book. It’s like fanfiction and manga made a baby. It’s got that same kind of delicious story setup, constantly spriBoomerang is a distinctly familiar book. It’s like fanfiction and manga made a baby. It’s got that same kind of delicious story setup, constantly sprinkling of sexual tension as if it were a serial trying to keep the crowd coming back, and then a sweet, bubblegum ending that pops satisfyingly from a bubble of delight.
Mia and Ethan meet up for a one night stand only to realise the next day that they’re both competing as interns for the same position at the same company, Boomerang, a dating site. Shenanigans ensue, romantic tension is had and they both really want to bang despite a no-banging rule between company employees.
Boomerang is a little like ice cream. Perfect for what it is. Like ice cream it’s delicious, sweet and will give you brain freeze if you have too much of it. It’s a beach read. A summer read. Neither taxing on ze little grey cells nor emotionally challenging. But it’s not meant to be any of those things. It achieves exactly what it’s meant to be – sexy, flirty, fun with a sprinkling of comedy.
If that’s what you’re in the mood for, then you’re going to be very satisfied with Boomerang.
I think, ultimately, it’s the perfect length. Any longer and I would have gotten seriously bored, and the legitimate plot tension between Mia and Ethan was somewhat underplayed whilst the romantic tension was pretty much perfect for me.
But I have to admit, I’m really looking forward to a future endeavour from Veronica Rossi that is far less romance driven. I like these novels, but rarely love them. Boomerang felt too much like stuff I’d read before for me to truly get into it.
Over all, I liked the smart, funny read for what it was.
Nobody paid me for this review, which I think is the greatest injustice of all.
Kat Kennedy
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