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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A emotional student teacher age gap romance . Sebastian and Phoenix didn’t have it easy and just when things were going well another revelation devastates them .
Dnf at 36%.
So many WRONG things on so many levels in this book that I won’t even start and try to explain. Just look for the « 1 star review » for them.
Felt wrong as early as chapter 3. Wanted to know who Caleb was so I search the name through the book (thanks the e-reader for that) and lmao. I don’t even have the words. I should have dnf this book at chapter three and not try to continue it because of its allegedly good review on Goodreads. Such a shame it’s wrong and toxic and full of red flags because it was kinda well written.
So many WRONG things on so many levels in this book that I won’t even start and try to explain. Just look for the « 1 star review » for them.
Felt wrong as early as chapter 3. Wanted to know who Caleb was so I search the name through the book (thanks the e-reader for that) and lmao. I don’t even have the words. I should have dnf this book at chapter three and not try to continue it because of its allegedly good review on Goodreads. Such a shame it’s wrong and toxic and full of red flags because it was kinda well written.
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Seemed like grooming. Too similar to his father, like he was feeling a void. Couldn't connect.
Maybe I had too high of hopes?
I read BAD WRONG THINGS before this and I just think that might’ve messed me up. It feels like THE BOY WHO LOVED WICKED was a low rent version of BAD WRONG THINGS.
The characters and plot lines were sooo similar. It was so interesting.
I did end up liking it after like the first 60%. I definitely want to read her debut novel too.
I read BAD WRONG THINGS before this and I just think that might’ve messed me up. It feels like THE BOY WHO LOVED WICKED was a low rent version of BAD WRONG THINGS.
The characters and plot lines were sooo similar. It was so interesting.
I did end up liking it after like the first 60%. I definitely want to read her debut novel too.
I'm still speechless - just wow.
I paused my current read to start reading this book because of the hype. And it was the best choice; I devoured it in one day. It was one of the best written, most intense, deep and solid MM books I read in a while, maybe ever. It developed at perfect speed and left me with so many emotions.
En plus: It was incredibly well composed. Not one word or sentence seemed misplaced or not put there deliberately.
It will make my all-time favourites; but it will be a while until I am able to read it again because of all the feels and thoughts.
I paused my current read to start reading this book because of the hype. And it was the best choice; I devoured it in one day. It was one of the best written, most intense, deep and solid MM books I read in a while, maybe ever. It developed at perfect speed and left me with so many emotions.
En plus: It was incredibly well composed. Not one word or sentence seemed misplaced or not put there deliberately.
It will make my all-time favourites; but it will be a while until I am able to read it again because of all the feels and thoughts.
4,5 stars.
This was an unexpected book. Judging it by the cover and title… you won’t get far. Because this book is nothing like the cover or the title. At the same time, it represents the book perfectly. It’s not a very easy read. And it describes quite difficult topics. The paths of the main characters are not easy and they are not linear. The character growth for both main characters seemed quite impressive. One thing confused me though. They both start their inner way up simultaneously and quite drastically. Without being in touch with one another.
Everything else I loved. And I recommend this book to everyone who wants to read about grief, quilt and struggling with want and need.
This was an unexpected book. Judging it by the cover and title… you won’t get far. Because this book is nothing like the cover or the title. At the same time, it represents the book perfectly. It’s not a very easy read. And it describes quite difficult topics. The paths of the main characters are not easy and they are not linear. The character growth for both main characters seemed quite impressive. One thing confused me though. They both start their inner way up simultaneously and quite drastically. Without being in touch with one another.
Everything else I loved. And I recommend this book to everyone who wants to read about grief, quilt and struggling with want and need.
This was splinter in a book, paper cuts, specifically written for me to suffered alone, yet not until a couple blood has dropped that I felt the pain, it was slow and painful.
Sebastian was a selfish coward, Phoenix was a lonely son who still grieves his father.
He and I couldn't help but compare sebastian to a man his father once before.
There is nothing to him rather than a reflection of his father, which is sad.
Sebastian always makes a decision to himself which he never realizes he was hurting people he loved along the way.
This flowery writing would've work if it wasn't for the pretentious and melodramatic plots being presented here.
I was a better man before reading this book.
Phoenix still ended up looking pathetic in the hand of someone who couldn't even choose him even when there's a chance.
Sebastian was a selfish coward, Phoenix was a lonely son who still grieves his father.
He and I couldn't help but compare sebastian to a man his father once before.
There is nothing to him rather than a reflection of his father, which is sad.
Sebastian always makes a decision to himself which he never realizes he was hurting people he loved along the way.
This flowery writing would've work if it wasn't for the pretentious and melodramatic plots being presented here.
I was a better man before reading this book.
Phoenix still ended up looking pathetic in the hand of someone who couldn't even choose him even when there's a chance.
Loved this book until everything went down actually. Pheonix should've end up with Mason .
4.5 stars!
Wow, what a book.
I feel a tad iffy at first, not because of the taboo - Phoenix is 18 even at the start of his senior year in HS when he and Sebastian meet (although how that happened if he's so smart, I don't know. Although maybe he was held back when he kept getting into trouble when.) - but because I wasn't quite 100% feeling it between these two.
I liked them, and their relationship was certainly intense, but it was almost insta-lovey in a way that didn't quite work, but then as I was reading it all the sudden did. It really did, really well. Basically around when the drama was starting around 40 percent-ish.
Because yeah, the start of their relationship was a, well, unhealthy to say the least. Even though Phoenix is 18 and a legal adult, he's still in high school, Sebastian is still 36, and his teacher. There's always going to be that power imbalance no matter how consensual while Sebastian is his teacher.
Also, they have both been through a LOT. They both weren't in exactly healthy places personally, and that doesn't make for the healthiest relationship, no matter how much they love each other. In the 3 or so months of their clandestine affair, they're both all about each other, consumed by each other, almost.
And what I really love about it, actually, is to see how their love grew and how they grew individually once everything went to crap for them. If they had continued on the way they were going, I don't think they would have made it. Certainly hot and heavy and intense for a forbidden, taboo teacher/student relationship, sure.
But these two truly loved each other. It wasn't just a passing thing, for either of them. So they had to get better in order to have a lasting, fulfilling relationship. The pain and heartache sucked, but it was so worth it.
And also....the sex...goddamn. Their chemistry was intense, especially later on. I very much felt it during their sex scenes. They weren't always the most detailed, but there were plenty that were and whew boy, where they scorching. Feld I had to fan myself a few times. One of my favorites is after the big drama has happened and they're in SUCH dark places, but they have their "one more time" time....all night. Literally. Gah, if this had been pure erotica, I would have loved to read about the whole entire night. Just imagining it gets me all hot and bothered ;).
But even after they eventually get back together, it was scorching. Whew boy, these two were hot.
But also this was more than just the taboo of it all, or the sex. Their romance was strong too, especially once they started to heal themselves. Phoenix had to grow up quicker than most, and he was young, but he knew what he wanted, and he did all the exploring and adventure a young person should do, and that didn't change his mind about Sebastian.
Sebastian did his own soul searching and found he still wanted Phoenix too. And eventually, eventually, after all the pain and heartache, they get there. It is definitely a hard fought for HEA.
And finding out who Caleb is warmed my heart. And
This was definitely worth the read. It was a little shaky for my near the beginning, and these two certainly aren't perfect, especially at first, but to see how much they grow and evolve is amazing and makes the slightly shaking beginning soooo wroth it. I loved this so much. I'm a sucker for taboo/forbidden romance type stuff, and I love student/teacher, if done right, and this one was done right. SO right.
Two big thumbs up from me. Highly recommend! Unless student/teacher isn't your thing, especially when one is in high school even if he is 18 from the start, then I'd stay clear of this. But if you don't mind it and love that forbidden/taboo-ness with well-rounded characters and wonderfully written romance and steam and with a well-earned HEA, then this is definitely for you.
Wow, what a book.
I feel a tad iffy at first, not because of the taboo - Phoenix is 18 even at the start of his senior year in HS when he and Sebastian meet (although how that happened if he's so smart, I don't know. Although maybe he was held back when he kept getting into trouble when
Spoiler
his father was dying/when he diedI liked them, and their relationship was certainly intense, but it was almost insta-lovey in a way that didn't quite work, but then as I was reading it all the sudden did. It really did, really well. Basically around when the drama was starting around 40 percent-ish.
Because yeah, the start of their relationship was a, well, unhealthy to say the least. Even though Phoenix is 18 and a legal adult, he's still in high school, Sebastian is still 36, and his teacher. There's always going to be that power imbalance no matter how consensual while Sebastian is his teacher.
Also, they have both been through a LOT. They both weren't in exactly healthy places personally, and that doesn't make for the healthiest relationship, no matter how much they love each other. In the 3 or so months of their clandestine affair, they're both all about each other, consumed by each other, almost.
And what I really love about it, actually, is to see how their love grew and how they grew individually once everything went to crap for them. If they had continued on the way they were going, I don't think they would have made it. Certainly hot and heavy and intense for a forbidden, taboo teacher/student relationship, sure.
But these two truly loved each other. It wasn't just a passing thing, for either of them. So they had to get better in order to have a lasting, fulfilling relationship. The pain and heartache sucked, but it was so worth it.
And also....the sex...goddamn. Their chemistry was intense, especially later on. I very much felt it during their sex scenes. They weren't always the most detailed, but there were plenty that were and whew boy, where they scorching. Feld I had to fan myself a few times. One of my favorites is after the big drama has happened and they're in SUCH dark places, but they have their "one more time" time....all night. Literally. Gah, if this had been pure erotica, I would have loved to read about the whole entire night. Just imagining it gets me all hot and bothered ;).
But even after they eventually get back together, it was scorching. Whew boy, these two were hot.
But also this was more than just the taboo of it all, or the sex. Their romance was strong too, especially once they started to heal themselves. Phoenix had to grow up quicker than most, and he was young, but he knew what he wanted, and he did all the exploring and adventure a young person should do, and that didn't change his mind about Sebastian.
Sebastian did his own soul searching and found he still wanted Phoenix too. And eventually, eventually, after all the pain and heartache, they get there. It is definitely a hard fought for HEA.
And finding out who Caleb is warmed my heart. And
Spoiler
at the end, getting to see little Caleb be all adorable and Phoenix and Sebastian's love and devotion to him. Just melted my heart.This was definitely worth the read. It was a little shaky for my near the beginning, and these two certainly aren't perfect, especially at first, but to see how much they grow and evolve is amazing and makes the slightly shaking beginning soooo wroth it. I loved this so much. I'm a sucker for taboo/forbidden romance type stuff, and I love student/teacher, if done right, and this one was done right. SO right.
Two big thumbs up from me. Highly recommend! Unless student/teacher isn't your thing, especially when one is in high school even if he is 18 from the start, then I'd stay clear of this. But if you don't mind it and love that forbidden/taboo-ness with well-rounded characters and wonderfully written romance and steam and with a well-earned HEA, then this is definitely for you.