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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
Overall, very enjoyable (especially for fans of CL Stone). Kitten was a bit annoying at times. She has a photographic memory yet no understanding of some basic things? I get that she was a street kid, but she read tons of books and was exposed to lots of people and things that would have furthered her understanding of basics. It was annoying at times, but overall, still a good read if you are into reverse harems.
DNF at 25%. I've read this before, but it doesn't seem as good as I remember it being. I'm not going to force myself to read an old favorite.
Sometimes people will comment and say a book is annoying because of the main character. Kitten is the type of character they're talking about. How she managed to get eight guys wrapped around her is ridiculous. I understand that she grew up on the streets so some of her social skills may be delayed or different from the norm. But I swear she's so frustrating. Her overly 'cute' personality is irritating. I get it she's meant to be some beautiful lost soul they save? Too bad it doesn't work for me.
This book also dragged on and on.
This book also dragged on and on.
I need to stop wasting my time finishing books that I completely hate.
There’s a difference between “innocent” and “infantilized”, and while the author tries to pass Kitten off as the former, more often than not she feels like the latter. It makes for a somewhat uncomfortable and nonsensical read. It’s hard to root for a romance book heroine when she acts like an 8-year-old.
The writing doesn’t help. Even beyond the amateurish style (I quote: “SO.FRIGGIN.AWESOME!” (sic)), Kitten is presented as this perfect creature that’s always right. She goes off on entire speeches about hardship and forgiveness that leave her bullies speechless and her boys crying and proud of her for being so smart, strong, beautiful, etc. – while making the reader do nothing more than roll their eyes.
The harem is another source of annoyance, since it’s such an obvious palette-swap of the Ghost Bird one it’s almost embarrassing. There is little to no attempt to give them a backstory, their world immediately revolving around Kitten from the moment she walks in. I want to know how these ancient immortals spent their days, how they manage their fortune, what they did before she turned up. Instead, I get the basic archetypes – leader, broody, sensitive, cook, doctor, fashion-minded, haughty, nerd – and little more. Their interactions with Kitten always end up in them laughing adoringly at everything she does, crying at her harsh life, or talking to each other about her and how cute and perfect she is. It really feels as if they had no life whatsoever before she entered the picture.
Even when they are very aware she looks to them for social cues, they do nothing but celebrate her worryingly infantile traits. When she wants to keep the flag from their paintball game, they go ahead and just pay for it instead of treating her like the adult she’s supposed to be, never even bothering to explain why it’s not actually hers. Same with the scene at the rollercoaster. It’s supposed to come off as some sort of charming naiveté, but instead comes off as worrying, since it’s clear Kitten has the emotional development of a young child.
Still, I can’t say I hated it. It’s clear this started as Ghost Bird fanfic, and that it’s the author’s first foray into writing at the professional level, which I can respect. Even if the final product is mediocre at best, the ending certainly intrigued me enough to get the second book in the series. And with expectations this low, there’s nowhere to go but up.
The writing doesn’t help. Even beyond the amateurish style (I quote: “SO.FRIGGIN.AWESOME!” (sic)), Kitten is presented as this perfect creature that’s always right. She goes off on entire speeches about hardship and forgiveness that leave her bullies speechless and her boys crying and proud of her for being so smart, strong, beautiful, etc. – while making the reader do nothing more than roll their eyes.
The harem is another source of annoyance, since it’s such an obvious palette-swap of the Ghost Bird one it’s almost embarrassing. There is little to no attempt to give them a backstory, their world immediately revolving around Kitten from the moment she walks in. I want to know how these ancient immortals spent their days, how they manage their fortune, what they did before she turned up. Instead, I get the basic archetypes – leader, broody, sensitive, cook, doctor, fashion-minded, haughty, nerd – and little more. Their interactions with Kitten always end up in them laughing adoringly at everything she does, crying at her harsh life, or talking to each other about her and how cute and perfect she is. It really feels as if they had no life whatsoever before she entered the picture.
Even when they are very aware she looks to them for social cues, they do nothing but celebrate her worryingly infantile traits. When she wants to keep the flag from their paintball game, they go ahead and just pay for it instead of treating her like the adult she’s supposed to be, never even bothering to explain why it’s not actually hers. Same with the scene at the rollercoaster. It’s supposed to come off as some sort of charming naiveté, but instead comes off as worrying, since it’s clear Kitten has the emotional development of a young child.
Still, I can’t say I hated it. It’s clear this started as Ghost Bird fanfic, and that it’s the author’s first foray into writing at the professional level, which I can respect. Even if the final product is mediocre at best, the ending certainly intrigued me enough to get the second book in the series. And with expectations this low, there’s nowhere to go but up.
*In retrospect I realize the h acts like a child in a way that reminds me of D/d so I’m not sure why I said she was emotionally older than her years but I don’t want to change that part of my review without a reread.
The beginning of this book reminded me of the Ghost Bird series which I love. The h is an orphan who has raised herself and is brought into a wolf pack of 8 males, becoming the mate they have wanted for centuries. Some people have commented on the age difference between the h and H(s) but while I may have agreed in a different book I have no trouble accepting the relationship because she is emotionally older that the 19 or so years would normally indicate. (She says she is 16 because that is how many years she has been counting, she wouldn’t have begun doing that until 3 at the earliest so she is probably between 19 and 21, her age is revealed in the second book but I can’t remember it).
The only reason I did not make this a 4 star is because the h is a little too naive and ignorant than I think she should be. She grew up on the street so it makes sense she would have some trouble with social cues and even never done lots of normal activities but the way she is written she doesn't even have a frame of reference for many things she should at least know about from conversation. Making her less ignorant and a bit more realistic would have made me enjoy her more.
Another thing I found unrealistic was how she had no problem with forming a romantic relationship with multiple people. While I enjoy RH as a storyline I like my h to have some internal struggle before just accepting it. Along those same lines she seems completely unaware of how lust works, on several occasions she is making out with one of the boys who - either before or after bringing her to orgasm - pulls away telling her she isn't ready for what she is asking for (obviously meaning sex) but she appears confused not knowing what the H is talking about. I understand she has had no experience before but she grew up by herself on the streets, she should know what they mean.
The beginning of this book reminded me of the Ghost Bird series which I love. The h is an orphan who has raised herself and is brought into a wolf pack of 8 males, becoming the mate they have wanted for centuries. Some people have commented on the age difference between the h and H(s) but while I may have agreed in a different book I have no trouble accepting the relationship because she is emotionally older that the 19 or so years would normally indicate. (She says she is 16 because that is how many years she has been counting, she wouldn’t have begun doing that until 3 at the earliest so she is probably between 19 and 21, her age is revealed in the second book but I can’t remember it).
The only reason I did not make this a 4 star is because the h is a little too naive and ignorant than I think she should be. She grew up on the street so it makes sense she would have some trouble with social cues and even never done lots of normal activities but the way she is written she doesn't even have a frame of reference for many things she should at least know about from conversation. Making her less ignorant and a bit more realistic would have made me enjoy her more.
Another thing I found unrealistic was how she had no problem with forming a romantic relationship with multiple people. While I enjoy RH as a storyline I like my h to have some internal struggle before just accepting it. Along those same lines she seems completely unaware of how lust works, on several occasions she is making out with one of the boys who - either before or after bringing her to orgasm - pulls away telling her she isn't ready for what she is asking for (obviously meaning sex) but she appears confused not knowing what the H is talking about. I understand she has had no experience before but she grew up by herself on the streets, she should know what they mean.