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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
This book ready like a cheesy Spanish soap opera. Every cliche and trope was present in this and it turned it into a hot mess.
I didn’t feel emotionally invested in this story because everything was happening so fast! The characters didn’t stop to process anything after something big happened. Aspen gets roofied at a party and filmed? You get one chapter of Knox getting “revenge” on her behalf and then it wraps up and moves on....with no emotional impact on Aspen it seems.
Her step dad storyline feels like it had so much more potential then it was given. He’s barely present...you get one section where he acts nice to her and tries to endear himself then later you get another small section where he flips out on her baking cupcakes. More page time should of been used in the follow up on the emotional blow back, the self reflection, setting the stage for Aspen to start getting suspicious....but no...once again the next chapter begins and it was like none of that happened. Then he’s brought back again as some crazy serial killer but again, no real page time is spent fleshing this out so when the “reveal” happens, I just didn’t give a crap.
The whole book just felt rushed and very choppy. So many scenes could of been fleshed out to give a more emotional impact but it felt like it was just thrown in for shock value then wrapped up and moved on to the next shock factor. Over and over.
This was just a silly, eye roll kinda book. A book to read to kill time but will have no lasting impact on you. Meh...
I didn’t feel emotionally invested in this story because everything was happening so fast! The characters didn’t stop to process anything after something big happened. Aspen gets roofied at a party and filmed? You get one chapter of Knox getting “revenge” on her behalf and then it wraps up and moves on....with no emotional impact on Aspen it seems.
Her step dad storyline feels like it had so much more potential then it was given. He’s barely present...you get one section where he acts nice to her and tries to endear himself then later you get another small section where he flips out on her baking cupcakes. More page time should of been used in the follow up on the emotional blow back, the self reflection, setting the stage for Aspen to start getting suspicious....but no...once again the next chapter begins and it was like none of that happened. Then he’s brought back again as some crazy serial killer but again, no real page time is spent fleshing this out so when the “reveal” happens, I just didn’t give a crap.
The whole book just felt rushed and very choppy. So many scenes could of been fleshed out to give a more emotional impact but it felt like it was just thrown in for shock value then wrapped up and moved on to the next shock factor. Over and over.
This was just a silly, eye roll kinda book. A book to read to kill time but will have no lasting impact on you. Meh...
Oh my gosh, you guys I don’t know if you are ready for Hate Me... when Ashley Jade posted on Facebook calling the book “weird” I had no idea what to expect... but I knew I had to read it, and I’m so glad I did.
This book is definitely dark and twisted, and is defiantly not for everyone. If you have any triggers maybe skip this one. If you don’t, you are in for quite the ride, I promise you! I was on the edge of my seat during multiple parts... I was constantly questioning what was going to happen next... I thought WTF more times then I can count... and I loved every second of it!
Knox and Aspen were amazing, I loved them both equally. Aspen is a strong heroine, who is willing to do whatever it takes to get by. She has been through so much and I understood why she had to put herself in certain situations.
Now onto Knox, he is an extremely bad*ss character, who I ended up loving! When I first started I wasn’t sure how I would feel about him, but as the story progressed and seeing him with Aspen, I feel in love with his character. He has been through so many heart breaking and out right tragic moments... that my heart went out to him, while reading. Knox in the beginning of the book isn’t your typically “loving” hero... he is extremely cruel to aspen at points... but what you get by the end of the book is worth all the heart ache.
I don’t want to give too much away, because that’s truly the fun of this book... the not knowing. I will say Hate Me totally messed with my emotions, but in the best way possible! I was uncomfortable at points, I was sad, angry, and even happy! That’s exactly what I look for in my books!
This book is definitely dark and twisted, and is defiantly not for everyone. If you have any triggers maybe skip this one. If you don’t, you are in for quite the ride, I promise you! I was on the edge of my seat during multiple parts... I was constantly questioning what was going to happen next... I thought WTF more times then I can count... and I loved every second of it!
Knox and Aspen were amazing, I loved them both equally. Aspen is a strong heroine, who is willing to do whatever it takes to get by. She has been through so much and I understood why she had to put herself in certain situations.
Now onto Knox, he is an extremely bad*ss character, who I ended up loving! When I first started I wasn’t sure how I would feel about him, but as the story progressed and seeing him with Aspen, I feel in love with his character. He has been through so many heart breaking and out right tragic moments... that my heart went out to him, while reading. Knox in the beginning of the book isn’t your typically “loving” hero... he is extremely cruel to aspen at points... but what you get by the end of the book is worth all the heart ache.
I don’t want to give too much away, because that’s truly the fun of this book... the not knowing. I will say Hate Me totally messed with my emotions, but in the best way possible! I was uncomfortable at points, I was sad, angry, and even happy! That’s exactly what I look for in my books!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Aspen + Knox
“Every action has a consequence…”
Bully Step siblings romance. He’s so dark, like bdsm pain vibes dark. But it really makes sense why once you know. trope plot of aspen is a good girl but she’s really not and has a void in her that Knox also has. time jump ending.
Dub con. Small anal. Slow burn. Horrible abusive home life. Blackmail. Stripper. Fingering. Murder.
This book surprised me so much! I wanted a quick read between series that would be good and help me with a fantasy romance series hangover, but boy did this book shock me when I could not put it down! The story line and the plot were clear and drew me in as well as the spice
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
-step brother, bully, controlling mmc, same grade
- side plots with: sex workers, age gap taboo relationship, parent dies & mom remarried, creep stepfather
I really liked this one and it's making me want to find another book similar. Nice and dark, a good quick read, i was so shocked at all of the things that kept on happening, good twists and turns!
- side plots with: sex workers, age gap taboo relationship, parent dies & mom remarried, creep stepfather
I really liked this one and it's making me want to find another book similar. Nice and dark, a good quick read, i was so shocked at all of the things that kept on happening, good twists and turns!
This book is perfect for someone who likes a good bully stepbrother romance. Ashley Jade delivered a book with an awesome plot and gritty characters - raw, with plenty of flaws and that won’t always do the right thing. The writing style is quickly becoming one of my favs: fast paced, straight to action and with a lot of things happening. So happy I picked this one up.
5⭐️
4
5⭐️
4
HOLY SHIT- what a delicious, dark, and insane ride. Ashley Jade never ceases to find beauty in the twisted and titillating, to be unapologetically original and provocative, or to completely OWN me with her stories. Hate Me is nothing like I expected- darker, more complex, more twisting and shocking. But drama aside, Hate Me is an emotional tour de force- its a story that makes you question the very nature of love, and by extension, our orientation to it.
Ashley has such a keen ability to take a trope and put it on its head- her stories are never what they seem-and the result is a story that really defies any labels, stories that are refreshingly different and unexpected. Stories that hit you in the gut so sharply that you have to recover a bit before you can truly digest their brilliance. There’s daringness to her storytelling, a bravado that is quite consuming. In part, this is because Ashley is unafraid to do what so many avoid- she lets her characters be deeply flawed, unlikeable at times, villains in their own story. She sees the humanity in their brokenness, the bravery in their savageness, and she doesn’t just dabble in their issues, she IMMERSES us in them, by giving us narratives that put her characters through incredible adversity, with her own delicious brand of dramatic darkness. And Hate Me might be her boldest story yet.
Knox- oh Knox. I can’t describe him without spoiling, but he is a FORCE. He’s Ashley’s most flawed character yet- not truly redeemable, not likable but somehow lovable. He’s sinister and toxic and unsettling- but he’s also surprisingly vulnerable. Ashley chisels her way into his heart’s darkness and somehow uses it to paint the beauty of his soul- even if it is forever stained. Like so many characters before him, Ashley accepts Knox for who and what he is, she develops him with integrity- even the parts that are “wrong” and messed up, even his hate and anger, even his depraved choices. She doesn’t justify or excuse his actions, she lets him be what he is- a psychopath- and for that, somehow I love him even more.
Aspen rivals Sawyer for my favorite Ashley Jade heroine of all time- she’s quirky, loving, and gentle- but unlike Sawyer, she’s been tainted by the darkness around her- she’s the least straightforward heroine in Ashley’s books, because there is a duality to her. Twin existences that rival one another- contrasts that make her so interesting. She’s the good girl who touches darkness, a sweetheart that has developed her own grit, a lost soul who won’t stop fighting to be found. Her heart just longs to matter- to belong to someone.
These two have a violent, chaotic, and vitriolic connection- make no mistake, it is intense and unusual and unsettling, but also electric and captivating. And their dynamic is only part of this wild ride- the whole time you’re just trying to figure out just where this story is going, and where it does I was not anticipating. This is a stepbrother bully, a taboo, a romantic suspense- all of those things yet none of those things. Such is the genius of Ashley Jade- she makes you question everything. Even the nature of love itself-is perhaps hate really just an expression of love? Ah, well you’ll have to read to find out.
PS: this is a total standalone. None if the Black Mountain Academy books need to be read to read this, nor any of AJ’s other series.
Another PS: Fair warning- those concerned with safety or those with strict parameters when it comes to romance, this is not for you. This book doesn’t skirt around it- in fact, it embraces its “unsafe” depiction of love. I also have exactly ONE trigger (ie very little makes me unsettled), and this book hit on it, so readers who are on the fence, beware.
Ashley has such a keen ability to take a trope and put it on its head- her stories are never what they seem-and the result is a story that really defies any labels, stories that are refreshingly different and unexpected. Stories that hit you in the gut so sharply that you have to recover a bit before you can truly digest their brilliance. There’s daringness to her storytelling, a bravado that is quite consuming. In part, this is because Ashley is unafraid to do what so many avoid- she lets her characters be deeply flawed, unlikeable at times, villains in their own story. She sees the humanity in their brokenness, the bravery in their savageness, and she doesn’t just dabble in their issues, she IMMERSES us in them, by giving us narratives that put her characters through incredible adversity, with her own delicious brand of dramatic darkness. And Hate Me might be her boldest story yet.
Knox- oh Knox. I can’t describe him without spoiling, but he is a FORCE. He’s Ashley’s most flawed character yet- not truly redeemable, not likable but somehow lovable. He’s sinister and toxic and unsettling- but he’s also surprisingly vulnerable. Ashley chisels her way into his heart’s darkness and somehow uses it to paint the beauty of his soul- even if it is forever stained. Like so many characters before him, Ashley accepts Knox for who and what he is, she develops him with integrity- even the parts that are “wrong” and messed up, even his hate and anger, even his depraved choices. She doesn’t justify or excuse his actions, she lets him be what he is- a psychopath- and for that, somehow I love him even more.
Aspen rivals Sawyer for my favorite Ashley Jade heroine of all time- she’s quirky, loving, and gentle- but unlike Sawyer, she’s been tainted by the darkness around her- she’s the least straightforward heroine in Ashley’s books, because there is a duality to her. Twin existences that rival one another- contrasts that make her so interesting. She’s the good girl who touches darkness, a sweetheart that has developed her own grit, a lost soul who won’t stop fighting to be found. Her heart just longs to matter- to belong to someone.
These two have a violent, chaotic, and vitriolic connection- make no mistake, it is intense and unusual and unsettling, but also electric and captivating. And their dynamic is only part of this wild ride- the whole time you’re just trying to figure out just where this story is going, and where it does I was not anticipating. This is a stepbrother bully, a taboo, a romantic suspense- all of those things yet none of those things. Such is the genius of Ashley Jade- she makes you question everything. Even the nature of love itself-is perhaps hate really just an expression of love? Ah, well you’ll have to read to find out.
PS: this is a total standalone. None if the Black Mountain Academy books need to be read to read this, nor any of AJ’s other series.
Another PS: Fair warning- those concerned with safety or those with strict parameters when it comes to romance, this is not for you. This book doesn’t skirt around it- in fact, it embraces its “unsafe” depiction of love. I also have exactly ONE trigger (ie very little makes me unsettled), and this book hit on it, so readers who are on the fence, beware.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
not funny haha but weird haha
To its credit— I could not put this book down. I finished it in one sitting. I love Ashley Jade’s writing so much and I love her other works but this was not it for me.
The smut was great, the chemistry was great. Personally, this book touched on some very, very specific triggers for me that most people probably don’t have. I’m not triggered by anything in dark romance but this one took it a bit too far. That feels wrong to say, but you know we all have our stopping points. So for anyone else reading this, here’s the trigger that’s not mentioned anywhere: animal cruelty, specifically animal cruelty as an act of punishment.
Aside from that, the plot was just terrifying for me. I agree with the reviews on the plot holes. I mean, if you murk an fbi agent, there’s no way there’s going to be that small of an investigation. Especially accompanying the previous murders. The last murder was honestly really sloppy too so it was hard to believe the HEA. Not to mention the HEA itself sucking so much.
I can honestly say I just regret spending my time reading this.
To its credit— I could not put this book down. I finished it in one sitting. I love Ashley Jade’s writing so much and I love her other works but this was not it for me.
The smut was great, the chemistry was great. Personally, this book touched on some very, very specific triggers for me that most people probably don’t have. I’m not triggered by anything in dark romance but this one took it a bit too far. That feels wrong to say, but you know we all have our stopping points. So for anyone else reading this, here’s the trigger that’s not mentioned anywhere: animal cruelty, specifically animal cruelty as an act of punishment.
Aside from that, the plot was just terrifying for me. I agree with the reviews on the plot holes. I mean, if you murk an fbi agent, there’s no way there’s going to be that small of an investigation. Especially accompanying the previous murders. The last murder was honestly really sloppy too so it was hard to believe the HEA. Not to mention the HEA itself sucking so much.
I can honestly say I just regret spending my time reading this.