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2.88 AVERAGE
2.88 AVERAGE
I really wanted to love this book because the description had me super intrigued, a writers retreat in Scotland at a haunted mansion (yes please!), and I love a paranormal enemies to lovers romance but I was kind of disappointed and didn’t live up to my expectations.
The animosity and the enemies to lovers part was resolved fairly quick between Penelope and Neil. I wished it was dragged out a bit longer. And their relationship development felt kind of rushed and borderline abusive, physically and emotionally, as she assaults him a few times throughout the book and blames him for the consequences of how she acted. I didn’t really connect with Penelope at all through the book, she was immature and annoying, and didn’t seem to get any better towards the end. Neil was more interesting but didn’t seem to have a lot of character development. The supporting characters, Lazlo and Daniela, were entertaining and fun. Lazlo was definitely the one keeping order on their retreat and organizing writing activities. Daniela was being cheeky and mischievous throughout the book.
For being in Scotland on a writers retreat, it didn’t seem like they got a lot of writing done. It was mostly based on solving the mystery of the haunted mansion. And honestly, I was hoping for something more horrifying and fear gripping because that whole haunted mansion and ghosts plot was kind of cliche and predictable, not in a terrible way, I was just hoping for more action and suspense.
Overall, it was an okay read, not really for me. The only reasons I finished this was because it was fast paced and I was interested in seeing how the author wrapped it up. Despite some of my criticisms, I did love the paranormal aspect, the native representation, and the dual pov’s.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my opinion.
The animosity and the enemies to lovers part was resolved fairly quick between Penelope and Neil. I wished it was dragged out a bit longer. And their relationship development felt kind of rushed and borderline abusive, physically and emotionally, as she assaults him a few times throughout the book and blames him for the consequences of how she acted. I didn’t really connect with Penelope at all through the book, she was immature and annoying, and didn’t seem to get any better towards the end. Neil was more interesting but didn’t seem to have a lot of character development. The supporting characters, Lazlo and Daniela, were entertaining and fun. Lazlo was definitely the one keeping order on their retreat and organizing writing activities. Daniela was being cheeky and mischievous throughout the book.
For being in Scotland on a writers retreat, it didn’t seem like they got a lot of writing done. It was mostly based on solving the mystery of the haunted mansion. And honestly, I was hoping for something more horrifying and fear gripping because that whole haunted mansion and ghosts plot was kind of cliche and predictable, not in a terrible way, I was just hoping for more action and suspense.
Overall, it was an okay read, not really for me. The only reasons I finished this was because it was fast paced and I was interested in seeing how the author wrapped it up. Despite some of my criticisms, I did love the paranormal aspect, the native representation, and the dual pov’s.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my opinion.
I DNF this book at around 35%.
I think the concept had so much potential! Spooky vibes in a Scottish castle with 2 rival authors. However, the two characters being “enemies” resulted in them just being mean to each other while lusting after the other. The writing felt a bit repetitive at times and the characters felt a little flat.
This might be the book for you with the romance, rivalry, potential ghosts and haunting, castle, and more. Sadly, it just wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I think the concept had so much potential! Spooky vibes in a Scottish castle with 2 rival authors. However, the two characters being “enemies” resulted in them just being mean to each other while lusting after the other. The writing felt a bit repetitive at times and the characters felt a little flat.
This might be the book for you with the romance, rivalry, potential ghosts and haunting, castle, and more. Sadly, it just wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Ehhhhhhhhhh... So, I started reading this book without researching the author. If I'd known the controversy surrounding her and her background, I probably wouldn't have picked it up.
But reading the story, the only part that I enjoyed was the FMC struggling with people finding her "Native enough." It kind of ties into the author's personal struggle and I get it. The FMC's love interest mentioned how hard it was for his father to get their family enrolled. Finding all the documents and getting denied multiple times... I don't know if that's how the process actually goes as I am not Native. But as a first generation Filipino-American, born in the US, I am often seen as not Asian enough.
However, that's the ONLY part I really got and enjoyed. The haunted element was kinda meh. Not super spooky and felt a little Scooby Doo-ish even though there really was a ghost.
The romance was kinda weird. Especially since it opens with the FMC assaulting him with a book and publicly fighting at a convention. And the descriptions were lack luster.
I don't do 1 stars often... I'm really easy to please usually. Maybe I'm grumpy? I dunno... lol.
But reading the story, the only part that I enjoyed was the FMC struggling with people finding her "Native enough." It kind of ties into the author's personal struggle and I get it. The FMC's love interest mentioned how hard it was for his father to get their family enrolled. Finding all the documents and getting denied multiple times... I don't know if that's how the process actually goes as I am not Native. But as a first generation Filipino-American, born in the US, I am often seen as not Asian enough.
However, that's the ONLY part I really got and enjoyed. The haunted element was kinda meh. Not super spooky and felt a little Scooby Doo-ish even though there really was a ghost.
The romance was kinda weird. Especially since it opens with the FMC assaulting him with a book and publicly fighting at a convention. And the descriptions were lack luster.
I don't do 1 stars often... I'm really easy to please usually. Maybe I'm grumpy? I dunno... lol.
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
Rating: 2 stars!
The premise of this book seemed like something I would absolutely love. A haunted house, writers, forced proximity.. But this book fell flat on so many levels. It took me 5 months of refusing the DNF the book that finally led me to the two stars.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this book seemed like something I would absolutely love. A haunted house, writers, forced proximity.. But this book fell flat on so many levels. It took me 5 months of refusing the DNF the book that finally led me to the two stars.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
she literally threw a book at his head hard enough to draw blood and leave a scar and they were waiting too long to address it. he even started to think she was right in what she did?
I don't normally do book reviews this way, but this book compels me to do it.
First 3/4ths of the book:
First 3/4ths of the book:
I loved the setting and the premise of rival writers ending up in a haunted Scottish castle together. The representation was also well done. But ultimately I didn’t find the main character very likeable. She was argumentative in a way that didn’t quite resonate with me. The story fell flat to me about 50% of the way through and I had to dnf.
I’d like to thank NetGalley for the digital review copy and the chance to review this book!
I’d like to thank NetGalley for the digital review copy and the chance to review this book!
Thank you to Colby Wilkens, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an arc of If I Stopped Haunting You.
This book was hard to pin down. It was a romance, but a romance about horror authors... so it had some horror/haunting elements to it too. I really wanted to like this book. I liked that it had Native American rep, but thought it was bizarre that a main conflict of the book was storylines that strayed from the culture - especially since the reader wouldn't have known the book was about Native American writers. In fact, there were so few references to culture outside from the author stating it outright, that this portion of the plot could have been removed entirely and it wouldn't have made that big of a difference.
The romance in the book also went from zero to sixty in a matter of pages. I'm all for this most of the time, but usually there is better tension. Here the characters were shy and pretty much ignored each other until they didn't.
I will say - the mystery Penelope and Neil solved together was fun! I think this book would have been better if the author focused mostly on the mystery or mostly on the romance. The bouncing around between topics gave me a bit of whiplash.
This book was just ok for me. 2.5/5 stars
This book was hard to pin down. It was a romance, but a romance about horror authors... so it had some horror/haunting elements to it too. I really wanted to like this book. I liked that it had Native American rep, but thought it was bizarre that a main conflict of the book was storylines that strayed from the culture - especially since the reader wouldn't have known the book was about Native American writers. In fact, there were so few references to culture outside from the author stating it outright, that this portion of the plot could have been removed entirely and it wouldn't have made that big of a difference.
The romance in the book also went from zero to sixty in a matter of pages. I'm all for this most of the time, but usually there is better tension. Here the characters were shy and pretty much ignored each other until they didn't.
I will say - the mystery Penelope and Neil solved together was fun! I think this book would have been better if the author focused mostly on the mystery or mostly on the romance. The bouncing around between topics gave me a bit of whiplash.
This book was just ok for me. 2.5/5 stars
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes