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jiobiee's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
OVERALL: 3/10, or 1.5/5
This was my first foray into full, novelized smut. Not just that fanfiction shit, real face-in-ass, nuts-to-butts kind of shit. And to be perfectly honest? I was enjoying it for what it was. Nothing fancy, just a slow burn romance fraught with sexual tension, that should have some satisfying release. Everything else is just a bonus. I was surprised when the drama and crime elements took as much of the focus as they did, but I didn't mind- I found it interesting enough. When I got to the last 10% of the book, though... it fell off and it fell off hard.
Twisted Love follows the relationship between our main characters Ava Chen and Alex Volkov. When he leaves for a year-long medical trip to Central America, Ava's overprotective brother Josh leaves her under the "watchful" eye of Alex, his grumpy CEO billionaire best friend. Despite rocky beginnings, Alex and Ava begin to pine for one another, as Ava tries to crack Alex's icy exterior while Alex tries to keep himself composed. And then there's friends and business and childhood trauma- you get the picture.
I was not expecting the prose in this book to be good. I still don't consider it good, but it isn't terrible, either. Ana Huang has a distinct writer's voice as both characters, and the flow from word to sentence to paragraph is (usually) very smooth, which makes for easy reading. It really does feel like I'm listening to these two recount their experiences, inner monologue and all. The dialogue between the main characters and their friends (Ava and her friend group and Alex with Josh) feels believable. Whether or not I like what they're saying, I've heard people talk like that before, and it feels very natural. I commend Huang for that, that is not an easy feat. And the events of the plot, ridiculous and melodramatic as they are, had me glued to my Kindle shoving fistfuls of popcorn down my throat.
These main characters suuuuuck. Ava is quiet (but not too quiet), beautiful (but not like a movie star, like the girl-next-door), bubbly yet shy, emotional, fun-loving, creative, caring- way too trusting and the most millennial [derogatory] woman I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. Alex is a dick. Full stop. He is, to me, a little more tolerable than Ava, but then he digs his heels into his stupid Sasuke-esque revenge shit and I can't help but laugh. Did I mention he has an IQ above 160? And is a billionaire CEO? And has houses in every major business hub? And practices martial arts? And has an incredible autobiographical memory? And he's got a massive cock (FOR DAYS!)? These two have some really sweet moments that, in all fairness, I did enjoy- when the story was more romance than smut, crime, or drama, these two showed that they care about each other in ways that... I'll admit, I thought was sweet. And then one of them would ruin it. Alex's possessiveness goes from tolerable (never okay, but given his trauma... alright buddy, we can work through it) to absolutely fucking insane.When a woman tells you to never talk to her, look at her, see her again, and you follow her to a new country to stalk her and send her gifts AND THEN SING AT THE MOST EMBARRASSING OF TIMES, STOP!!!!
Other characters aren't much better. While I praised how natural the dialogue between friends could be, I did not like any of them. They did not feel like real people. They felt bare-bones in comparison to the main two, but had too much focus to justify the level of detail we got about them. Jules in particular is terrible, she's a bitch 'cause... y'know. Just 'cause. The others were unremarkable but similarly meh.
I was not expecting Alex and Ava's trauma to play a major part of the story. Specifically, being the focus of the story. A lot. More than the romance, even. Which, I don't mind, except I don't really... care?When they revealed Ava's dad as being the one who had tried to kill her (TWICE!)- well, I wish he succeeded-, I was not surprised in the slightest. That being said, how quickly the man switched from awkward father to mustache-twirling villain was not shocking, dramatic, or clever- it was hilarious. I couldn't stop reading him like he was Skeletor or some shit. I could not take it seriously. Even less so when Alex experiences the same kind of betrayal not too far later in the story.
Tell me how this series is called the "Twisted" series if the SEX IS MEDIOCRE? There is only ONE ACTUAL SEX SCENE in this ENTIRE FUCKING BOOK, and we're fed all this BULLSHIT that Alex fucks like a goddamn MANIAC, and we get to this ONE SCENE- AND THEY JUST FUCK LIKE NORMAL! Where is the BDSM shit? Where's the freaky fetish shit? Do you mean to seriously tell me that his sex is "crazy" because they do more than missionary? Are you kidding me? And I swear to god, if I have to hear more about how the "tang of her [Ava's] arousal" smells, I'm going to vomit. Do NOT talk to me about pussy stank, PLEASE.
So, yeah, that's the book. Cringe at times, but it's good for a laugh. Sometimes. Almost makes me want to sing straight from the heart, to prove I'm deserving of your attention. Almost.
This was my first foray into full, novelized smut. Not just that fanfiction shit, real face-in-ass, nuts-to-butts kind of shit. And to be perfectly honest? I was enjoying it for what it was. Nothing fancy, just a slow burn romance fraught with sexual tension, that should have some satisfying release. Everything else is just a bonus. I was surprised when the drama and crime elements took as much of the focus as they did, but I didn't mind- I found it interesting enough. When I got to the last 10% of the book, though... it fell off and it fell off hard.
Twisted Love follows the relationship between our main characters Ava Chen and Alex Volkov. When he leaves for a year-long medical trip to Central America, Ava's overprotective brother Josh leaves her under the "watchful" eye of Alex, his grumpy CEO billionaire best friend. Despite rocky beginnings, Alex and Ava begin to pine for one another, as Ava tries to crack Alex's icy exterior while Alex tries to keep himself composed. And then there's friends and business and childhood trauma- you get the picture.
I was not expecting the prose in this book to be good. I still don't consider it good, but it isn't terrible, either. Ana Huang has a distinct writer's voice as both characters, and the flow from word to sentence to paragraph is (usually) very smooth, which makes for easy reading. It really does feel like I'm listening to these two recount their experiences, inner monologue and all. The dialogue between the main characters and their friends (Ava and her friend group and Alex with Josh) feels believable. Whether or not I like what they're saying, I've heard people talk like that before, and it feels very natural. I commend Huang for that, that is not an easy feat. And the events of the plot, ridiculous and melodramatic as they are, had me glued to my Kindle shoving fistfuls of popcorn down my throat.
These main characters suuuuuck. Ava is quiet (but not too quiet), beautiful (but not like a movie star, like the girl-next-door), bubbly yet shy, emotional, fun-loving, creative, caring- way too trusting and the most millennial [derogatory] woman I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. Alex is a dick. Full stop. He is, to me, a little more tolerable than Ava, but then he digs his heels into his stupid Sasuke-esque revenge shit and I can't help but laugh. Did I mention he has an IQ above 160? And is a billionaire CEO? And has houses in every major business hub? And practices martial arts? And has an incredible autobiographical memory? And he's got a massive cock (FOR DAYS!)? These two have some really sweet moments that, in all fairness, I did enjoy- when the story was more romance than smut, crime, or drama, these two showed that they care about each other in ways that... I'll admit, I thought was sweet. And then one of them would ruin it. Alex's possessiveness goes from tolerable (never okay, but given his trauma... alright buddy, we can work through it) to absolutely fucking insane.
Other characters aren't much better. While I praised how natural the dialogue between friends could be, I did not like any of them. They did not feel like real people. They felt bare-bones in comparison to the main two, but had too much focus to justify the level of detail we got about them. Jules in particular is terrible, she's a bitch 'cause... y'know. Just 'cause. The others were unremarkable but similarly meh.
I was not expecting Alex and Ava's trauma to play a major part of the story. Specifically, being the focus of the story. A lot. More than the romance, even. Which, I don't mind, except I don't really... care?
Tell me how this series is called the "Twisted" series if the SEX IS MEDIOCRE? There is only ONE ACTUAL SEX SCENE in this ENTIRE FUCKING BOOK, and we're fed all this BULLSHIT that Alex fucks like a goddamn MANIAC, and we get to this ONE SCENE- AND THEY JUST FUCK LIKE NORMAL! Where is the BDSM shit? Where's the freaky fetish shit? Do you mean to seriously tell me that his sex is "crazy" because they do more than missionary? Are you kidding me? And I swear to god, if I have to hear more about how the "tang of her [Ava's] arousal" smells, I'm going to vomit. Do NOT talk to me about pussy stank, PLEASE.
So, yeah, that's the book. Cringe at times, but it's good for a laugh. Sometimes. Almost makes me want to sing straight from the heart, to prove I'm deserving of your attention. Almost.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Stalking, and Gaslighting
book1hoarder's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Honestly I was expecting to go into this hating it, but I didn’t as much as I thought I would. Was the mmc kinda annoying sometimes with his “i’m so smart and not a good person. You should run away from me.”? Yeah. Absolutely. However I still ended up like the mmc and the fmc. They were still a little cringey, grumpy x sunshine typa thing, but bearable.
I liked the plot twists and ended up being happy for the couple in the end. As much as I hate to admit, I will be reading/ listening to the next book. In fact I already started it.
I liked the plot twists and ended up being happy for the couple in the end. As much as I hate to admit, I will be reading/ listening to the next book. In fact I already started it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, and Gaslighting
marissaumble's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
jennaslaney_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
erinn2008's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
camillarossi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury
shinyfox's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked Alex in the beginning. He was broody, dark and mysterious. I read dark romances, this isn't even dark compared to some stuff I've read. I usually want the villain to get the girl but I ended up really disliking Alex by the end of the book. Honestly I was rooting that he wouldn't get Ava... and then he stalks her for like.... 6 months-ish? And then sings in front of a crowd and suddenly she wants to take him back? Blech. I enjoyed the banter and dialog. I also enjoyed Ava's character development and what she was able to face down and overcome. Ava was honestly what kept me reading.
There were times that I felt the plot wasn't very believable or the characters actions made me raise an eyebrow in disbelief. Also there was a certain point in the book where it was very obvious (to me at least) what the upcoming 'twist' was and where this whole thing was headed.
There were times that I felt the plot wasn't very believable or the characters actions made me raise an eyebrow in disbelief. Also there was a certain point in the book where it was very obvious (to me at least) what the upcoming 'twist' was and where this whole thing was headed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, and Torture
Minor: Kidnapping and Alcohol
readswithtayee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Twisted Love
🩵🌊📷☀️🧁🍪
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💭Personal thoughts: let’s just start with the fact that I hate how this is marketed as a “Brother’s best friends” trope, when it’s nothing like that. Her brother cares but he’s not even in the story until the end. He’s literally gone most of the book. It’s very grumpy x sunshine trope and has dark themes. Check trigger warnings if needed. I love the aspect that she’s into baking, I love when characters have cute hobbies. If you read the synopsis, I enjoyed both issues that Alex & Ava had. Between their childhood traumas and how they go about it. Plot twist so be weary of reading spoilers!
🤔Yes, no, maybe? maybe… I enjoyed the plot and storyline. A bit too spicy for me but I enjoyed the storyline and romance more than my dislike of the spice. Would recommend more for smut lovers.
❤️🔥Spicy level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 | pretty spicy, kinda intense for me.
🧯Spicy chapters: 22,24,26,42
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Instagram: @readswithtayee
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, and Kidnapping
wonderstruckwillow's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Sexual content
megnut's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Some parts are it were solid, others were a little too predictable for me. (Did appreciate that this whole relationship was over a fairly long time period than just a couple weeks, like some other books.)
It seemed like it was almost a mafia book, but with no mafia.
It seemed like it was almost a mafia book, but with no mafia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury