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nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Kiss Kill Love Him Still is a mystery that reminds me a little bit of a grittier version of >Pretty Little Liars in a college setting. Everyone’s trying to figure out who killed Jackson and why. The characters in this book aren’t sweet kids, though. (The characters range from drug dealers to thieves to … well, murderers.) But they all have one thing in common – Jackson knows their secrets. Oh, and several of them are in love with Jackson – or at least they were before he died.
What fed my addiction:
The secrets.
My favorite aspect of this book was the unraveling of the characters’ secrets. Even more intriguing than the mystery of who killed Jackson (in my opinion) was the mystery of why. All four of the main girls have something major to hide, and Jackson was a collector of secrets. But he didn’t actually keep them completely hidden. He doled information out as he saw fit – and most of the characters didn’t realize that was happening until after Jackson died, so they not only had to deal with his death, they had to wonder who knew their biggest secrets – and how they could keep the rest of the world from finding out.
Interesting characters.
Like I said, the characters in this book are not exactly sweet and cheerful people. They weren’t even all that likable a lot of the time. But, they were fascinating. I wanted to know what made these girls tick – why they did the things they did and how they’d become these less than stellar people. I even related to them – some (which is a tall order when we’re talking about drug dealers, prostitutes and kleptomaniacs). One thing I can definitely say about the characters in this book is that they kept me guessing!!
The mystery.
Of course, I wanted to know who killed Jackson. And why. There were plenty of reasons to kill the guy, which brings me to my negatives …
What left me wanting more:
Why does anyone love Jackson?
I have to admit that Jackson himself confounded me a little. Why anyone would be in love with this guy is beyond me. I mean, I guess I could see that he was charming sometimes – he had a larger than life personality that drew people in. And apparently he was really good in bed. But he was a jerk. And no matter what new thing the girls learned about him, they still couldn’t quite let go of their feelings. Which I guess is realistic in a lot of ways, but I just wanted to kind of slap them and tell them to wake up – the guy they were mourning was not really worth it!
This is a series!!!
Okay, I went along thinking the whole time that I was reading that this was probably a four star book for me. While none of the characters were particularly likable, the book was entertaining and intriguing and I was getting into the mystery aspect. But, then I got to the end. Just when I was pretty sure I knew who the murderer was, the authors threw in a bunch of random clues that led to different people and ended the book! Now, here’s the thing – you are all forewarned, so hopefully this won’t bother you, but it totally threw me for a loop and made me grumpy about the whole book. I felt like we were coming to a conclusion and I was going to find out what happened … and then I didn’t. And I guess my main problem is that I’m not positive I liked these characters enough to hang out with them for another whole book (or who knows how many more books) to find out what happens. But I probably will.
So, now that you know this is a series and you won’t be discovering who killed Jackson in this first book, you should be good. Read. Enjoy. Plan to read more. I give this book 3/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the authors in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Kiss Kill Love Him Still is a mystery that reminds me a little bit of a grittier version of >Pretty Little Liars in a college setting. Everyone’s trying to figure out who killed Jackson and why. The characters in this book aren’t sweet kids, though. (The characters range from drug dealers to thieves to … well, murderers.) But they all have one thing in common – Jackson knows their secrets. Oh, and several of them are in love with Jackson – or at least they were before he died.
What fed my addiction:
The secrets.
My favorite aspect of this book was the unraveling of the characters’ secrets. Even more intriguing than the mystery of who killed Jackson (in my opinion) was the mystery of why. All four of the main girls have something major to hide, and Jackson was a collector of secrets. But he didn’t actually keep them completely hidden. He doled information out as he saw fit – and most of the characters didn’t realize that was happening until after Jackson died, so they not only had to deal with his death, they had to wonder who knew their biggest secrets – and how they could keep the rest of the world from finding out.
Interesting characters.
Like I said, the characters in this book are not exactly sweet and cheerful people. They weren’t even all that likable a lot of the time. But, they were fascinating. I wanted to know what made these girls tick – why they did the things they did and how they’d become these less than stellar people. I even related to them – some (which is a tall order when we’re talking about drug dealers, prostitutes and kleptomaniacs). One thing I can definitely say about the characters in this book is that they kept me guessing!!
The mystery.
Of course, I wanted to know who killed Jackson. And why. There were plenty of reasons to kill the guy, which brings me to my negatives …
What left me wanting more:
Why does anyone love Jackson?
I have to admit that Jackson himself confounded me a little. Why anyone would be in love with this guy is beyond me. I mean, I guess I could see that he was charming sometimes – he had a larger than life personality that drew people in. And apparently he was really good in bed. But he was a jerk. And no matter what new thing the girls learned about him, they still couldn’t quite let go of their feelings. Which I guess is realistic in a lot of ways, but I just wanted to kind of slap them and tell them to wake up – the guy they were mourning was not really worth it!
This is a series!!!
Okay, I went along thinking the whole time that I was reading that this was probably a four star book for me. While none of the characters were particularly likable, the book was entertaining and intriguing and I was getting into the mystery aspect. But, then I got to the end. Just when I was pretty sure I knew who the murderer was, the authors threw in a bunch of random clues that led to different people and ended the book! Now, here’s the thing – you are all forewarned, so hopefully this won’t bother you, but it totally threw me for a loop and made me grumpy about the whole book. I felt like we were coming to a conclusion and I was going to find out what happened … and then I didn’t. And I guess my main problem is that I’m not positive I liked these characters enough to hang out with them for another whole book (or who knows how many more books) to find out what happens. But I probably will.
So, now that you know this is a series and you won’t be discovering who killed Jackson in this first book, you should be good. Read. Enjoy. Plan to read more. I give this book 3/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the authors in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
luna_rondo's review against another edition
1.0
I would stab my eyes out to never have to see this book again.
roseayyy_reads's review
3.0
Held my attention
This reminded me a lot of Pretty Little Liars, except with more intrigue. I really liked the way the story was written.
This reminded me a lot of Pretty Little Liars, except with more intrigue. I really liked the way the story was written.
hannahsophialin's review
3.0
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I can probably put this book in so little sentences, it isn’t even funny.
Basically, Kiss Kill Love Him Still is about a dude who gets murdered, but sleeps with who knows how many girls on his college campus and keeping their deepest and darkest secrets. Of course, when he is murdered, those secrets threaten to come to life, and five of the girls involved are brought together to figure out who really murdered said dude (Jackson) and how they murdered him.
Let’s just say there was something about the book that didn’t ultimately ring as well with me as I hoped it would when I originally read the synopsis.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
bookbitereviews's review
4.0
I really enjoyed KKLHS! The drama and multiple points of view added a lot to the mystery of who killed Jackson Landis. I wish that I could figured out who did it by the end, but unfortunately I am still in the dark. I absolutely LOVED Reggie and Val's characters, but I just couldn't connect with Livie and Haddie. I cannot wait to read the next installment and hopefully figure out what happened the night Jackson Landis died. I highly recommend this to those who love mystery, who-done-it books and fans of Pretty Little Liars!
hoffnungswolke's review
3.0
First things first: I received an ARC through NetGalley.
The book came out this month and if you like something like that, you should totally check it out.
I'm still really unsure about the book.
I really liked the story and the writing. The whole book was just a quick and easy read.
I'm (still) a huge fan of Pretty Little Liars and the book reminded me a little bit of the show.
I think what the story lacked was at least one likeable character.
The victim, Jackson Landis, from what we heard from the girls, how he treated them and blackmailed them, nope, not likeable at all. And then we have the four girls, Livie, Reggie, Haddie and Val. They all got on my nerves thinking they were better than the other girls when in fact they are just as bad. I had my moments where I really liked Val and Reggie. The drunk and the druggie. I don't exactly know what that says about me. But oh well. I just felt like they were a bit more likeable. There were also some minor characters like, Marcus - Reggie's best friend, Paul - Jackson's best friend and Val's boyfriend, Haddie's farther and Livie's mother. Even these four were just really unlikeable for me.
And then we have the fact that I thought this would be a stand alone but at the end of the book I found out that there is another book coming. I don't feel like I'm really that invested in the story to pick up the next one. Like right now I feel like I wanna know who killed Jackson. But I'm pretty sure that by next week, I will have forgotten about it.
All of that being said, it just really wasn't my taste.
I really want to check out other books by the two others, cause like I said, I really like the writing.
The book came out this month and if you like something like that, you should totally check it out.
I'm still really unsure about the book.
I really liked the story and the writing. The whole book was just a quick and easy read.
I'm (still) a huge fan of Pretty Little Liars and the book reminded me a little bit of the show.
I think what the story lacked was at least one likeable character.
The victim, Jackson Landis, from what we heard from the girls, how he treated them and blackmailed them, nope, not likeable at all. And then we have the four girls, Livie, Reggie, Haddie and Val. They all got on my nerves thinking they were better than the other girls when in fact they are just as bad. I had my moments where I really liked Val and Reggie. The drunk and the druggie. I don't exactly know what that says about me. But oh well. I just felt like they were a bit more likeable. There were also some minor characters like, Marcus - Reggie's best friend, Paul - Jackson's best friend and Val's boyfriend, Haddie's farther and Livie's mother. Even these four were just really unlikeable for me.
And then we have the fact that I thought this would be a stand alone but at the end of the book I found out that there is another book coming. I don't feel like I'm really that invested in the story to pick up the next one. Like right now I feel like I wanna know who killed Jackson. But I'm pretty sure that by next week, I will have forgotten about it.
All of that being said, it just really wasn't my taste.
I really want to check out other books by the two others, cause like I said, I really like the writing.
holly_mcc's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
foggyfiction's review
4.0
I really enjoyed it BUT....
I didn't know it was part of a story and ends on a cliffhanger. So DISCLAIMER!!! If, like me, you're suffering from book hangover and thin this might be a sweet little way to recover, find another book. Big cliffhanger. I'm not a happy camper about that, but I guess it's my own fault for one clicking with several other books one night and not taking the time to do a little research before reading? Either way, late night rant over, it is a really good read. Eventually, I'll get the next book. I definitely recommend it. Just keep in mind that you're going to want to pick up the next book ASAP if you want questions answered.
**I want to add, though, that the story pulls you in. I love the way the chapters are set up in the pov of the four main characters. Each one has her own distinct voice and it really makes the book that much more awesome. I really did enjoy this story. Just wish I would have known it left on a cliffhanger so I could have waited to read it until I had the next book!
I didn't know it was part of a story and ends on a cliffhanger. So DISCLAIMER!!! If, like me, you're suffering from book hangover and thin this might be a sweet little way to recover, find another book. Big cliffhanger. I'm not a happy camper about that, but I guess it's my own fault for one clicking with several other books one night and not taking the time to do a little research before reading? Either way, late night rant over, it is a really good read. Eventually, I'll get the next book. I definitely recommend it. Just keep in mind that you're going to want to pick up the next book ASAP if you want questions answered.
**I want to add, though, that the story pulls you in. I love the way the chapters are set up in the pov of the four main characters. Each one has her own distinct voice and it really makes the book that much more awesome. I really did enjoy this story. Just wish I would have known it left on a cliffhanger so I could have waited to read it until I had the next book!
thespacejamber's review
1.0
Murder. Mistresses. Secrets. Of course, these are the elements that usually make up your average mystery novel, no matter the target demographic. However, what the authors do with these basic building blocks can really make or break the success of the book. We all know this, but, you know, it really says something about the quality of the book when a reviewer sits on a completed book for about a month and a half before they can finally muster up the words necessary to sharing their feelings on what they've read.
Kiss, Kill, Love Him Still follows the immediate aftermath of a small college campus following the death of a prominent student and wannabe lothario, Jackson Landis. Immediately thrust into the fray are four young women -- Reggie, Val, Livie, and Haddie -- who were tangentially related to him in life, so of course, logic states that they must have something to do with his death. Alliances are formed across the young women, but are they really in it to find out what happened to Jackson, or are they really wanting to make sure their secrets stay hidden?
One thing I can say about this book is that it was a quick read. I read through the book in about two days on rides back and forth to work on the Metro. If you're honestly looking for a easy, swift read to help boost your Goodreads reading challenge numbers, this may be the one for you. If you want something that's actually going to engage and challenge you, you may want to skip it. This was not a page turner in the traditional sense where I just desperately needed to solve the mystery, but one in which I was often left wondering when there was actually something at stake for the characters involved. Spoiler alert: I had to start this book twice, as I put it down for a week or so for Order of the Phoenix, and could not, for the life of me, remember what happened previously based on where I picked up.
Plot issues aside, I found the four main characters to be almost indistinguishable in both physical description and personality, with the exception of "homely" Hattie, who just happens to have a few extra pounds on her body than the other three main characters. They're all the same kind of cookie-cutter, shallow, bitchy stereotypical female character that is almost downright offensive. The only other thing that's supposed to serve as a distinguishing factor between the four young women is the individual secret they all harbor; however, that's not really helpful, as it then reduces them down to "that klepto girl,""the druggie girl," and so forth.
I also just want to vent about the problematic nature of Hattie's portrayal. Because she's "the fat girl," "the plain girl," she's dismissed by the other three as far less threatening, just as more full-figured women are in real life. While, granted, she does at least prove herself as being the most dangerous one of all in terms of her resourcefulness, the other characters in the book seem almost insulted by her mere tangential presence in their social circle. Furthermore, despite being a book about four young women, it barely passes the Bechdel test, as roughly 90% of all of their conversations center around Jackson and his role in their lives. Granted, they are trying to solve his murder, but one would hope that this would also provide ample opportunity for the women to actually get to know one another to work like a team.
There have been a few instances of books written by multiple authors that are successful in telling their story cohesively, despite writing from opposing voices. (Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan comes to mind.) However, this is not once of those times. The writing between Blair and Miller often comes off as disjointed, which contributes to the poor character choices. While, yes, they do write from the perspectives of four different characters, again, the characters are so wildly similar that it seems like it was a deliberate choice as to make transitioning between the authors easier. However, because their individual writing styles don't mesh well together, it makes the overall reading experience kind of infuriating.
Truth be told, I just feel pretty let down by this book overall. I had a lot of high hopes for it when I originally requested it from Netgalley, especially after hosting a book blitz one day with Xpresso Book Tours before obtaining a copy. However, with poor characterization, an ultimately boring plot, and deeply flawed execution between two authors, I just found myself bored and confused. What a weird state of mind to be in.
Kiss, Kill, Love Him Still follows the immediate aftermath of a small college campus following the death of a prominent student and wannabe lothario, Jackson Landis. Immediately thrust into the fray are four young women -- Reggie, Val, Livie, and Haddie -- who were tangentially related to him in life, so of course, logic states that they must have something to do with his death. Alliances are formed across the young women, but are they really in it to find out what happened to Jackson, or are they really wanting to make sure their secrets stay hidden?
One thing I can say about this book is that it was a quick read. I read through the book in about two days on rides back and forth to work on the Metro. If you're honestly looking for a easy, swift read to help boost your Goodreads reading challenge numbers, this may be the one for you. If you want something that's actually going to engage and challenge you, you may want to skip it. This was not a page turner in the traditional sense where I just desperately needed to solve the mystery, but one in which I was often left wondering when there was actually something at stake for the characters involved. Spoiler alert: I had to start this book twice, as I put it down for a week or so for Order of the Phoenix, and could not, for the life of me, remember what happened previously based on where I picked up.
Plot issues aside, I found the four main characters to be almost indistinguishable in both physical description and personality, with the exception of "homely" Hattie, who just happens to have a few extra pounds on her body than the other three main characters. They're all the same kind of cookie-cutter, shallow, bitchy stereotypical female character that is almost downright offensive. The only other thing that's supposed to serve as a distinguishing factor between the four young women is the individual secret they all harbor; however, that's not really helpful, as it then reduces them down to "that klepto girl,""the druggie girl," and so forth.
I also just want to vent about the problematic nature of Hattie's portrayal. Because she's "the fat girl," "the plain girl," she's dismissed by the other three as far less threatening, just as more full-figured women are in real life. While, granted, she does at least prove herself as being the most dangerous one of all in terms of her resourcefulness, the other characters in the book seem almost insulted by her mere tangential presence in their social circle. Furthermore, despite being a book about four young women, it barely passes the Bechdel test, as roughly 90% of all of their conversations center around Jackson and his role in their lives. Granted, they are trying to solve his murder, but one would hope that this would also provide ample opportunity for the women to actually get to know one another to work like a team.
There have been a few instances of books written by multiple authors that are successful in telling their story cohesively, despite writing from opposing voices. (Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan comes to mind.) However, this is not once of those times. The writing between Blair and Miller often comes off as disjointed, which contributes to the poor character choices. While, yes, they do write from the perspectives of four different characters, again, the characters are so wildly similar that it seems like it was a deliberate choice as to make transitioning between the authors easier. However, because their individual writing styles don't mesh well together, it makes the overall reading experience kind of infuriating.
Truth be told, I just feel pretty let down by this book overall. I had a lot of high hopes for it when I originally requested it from Netgalley, especially after hosting a book blitz one day with Xpresso Book Tours before obtaining a copy. However, with poor characterization, an ultimately boring plot, and deeply flawed execution between two authors, I just found myself bored and confused. What a weird state of mind to be in.
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