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3 1/2 stars.
Are you kidding me!!! I had a feeling that was how this was going to end!!! Ugh so now I'm dreading the next book! I don't need that emotional turmoil that will probably blow up in book two. The audio of this was just ok. The girl was very breathy and you could hear every breath she took before she would talk and that got on my nerves but other than that I liked the story well enough. I'll continue it and see where the author is going to take the story.
Are you kidding me!!! I had a feeling that was how this was going to end!!! Ugh so now I'm dreading the next book! I don't need that emotional turmoil that will probably blow up in book two. The audio of this was just ok. The girl was very breathy and you could hear every breath she took before she would talk and that got on my nerves but other than that I liked the story well enough. I'll continue it and see where the author is going to take the story.
Blech. I had pretty high expectations to this after reading the sample and liking it. It sucked me in immediately. But then it pretty much deteriorated from there. I called it quits at 36%.
I really wanted to like it, but the writing, plot and characters were weak. It was unrealistic. I mean, I get this whole hot boy sees hot girl across bar - instant attraction thing. But after 5 years of no interaction, they see each other again, have one night together and suddenly they are practically declaring their love for each other? It was too off-putting for my taste. I was just really underwhelmed…
I actually started reading another book when I got a bad feeling from this one, and decided I'd go back and give it another chance after I'd had a little break, but it just wasn't happening.
I’m obviously only rating what I’ve read. It might still pick up further into the book, but it was too much of a struggle for me to actually push through it to bother continue reading.
I really wanted to like it, but the writing, plot and characters were weak. It was unrealistic. I mean, I get this whole hot boy sees hot girl across bar - instant attraction thing. But after 5 years of no interaction, they see each other again, have one night together and suddenly they are practically declaring their love for each other? It was too off-putting for my taste. I was just really underwhelmed…
I actually started reading another book when I got a bad feeling from this one, and decided I'd go back and give it another chance after I'd had a little break, but it just wasn't happening.
I’m obviously only rating what I’ve read. It might still pick up further into the book, but it was too much of a struggle for me to actually push through it to bother continue reading.
Wow! What a great book! Not one, but two hot guys, a likeable girl, great friends, plenty of hot lovin' AND sweet romance and a blow-your-mind plot. Unfortunately, suspicious reader that I am, I figured out where everything was leading very early on (but I was still on my toes the entire time), and I'm pretty positive that I know a couple of things that will happen in the next book, but that's just how I am as plot twist/surprise guesser from way back. Most readers probably won't sort it all out until it's actually time to do so. I absolutely can NOT wait for Torn to come out in the fall of 2013. Please write fast, Ms. Karr!!!
This is a new genre for me, and I wasn't sure how I would receive it. Some things were a little over the top for me, and I wasn't sure I'd want to continue this series. However, the end really piqued my interest, so now I want to keep reading. It's a fun, if very dramatic, story.
2.8 stars
Honestly, this book was okay but it did not give what it was supposed to give. It lacked an intriguing plot. It's mostly Dahlia and River rediscovering their love and having sex. I was quite bored.
I liked Dahlia and River but the genesis of their relationship and the drama that surrounds it, i.e, Dahlia leaving him behind years ago when she was 16, is soooooo melodramatic. All I kept thinking was "Why is that such a big deal?"
I appreciated that Dahlia's grief and healing were addressed. We get to see her journey as she grapples with learning to love again after traumatic incidents.
That epilogue tho...
I kinda saw this coming because with all this talk about Ben, why wouldn't he be back from the dead—or rather, never have been dead in the first place?
But the whole thing was rushed. It's like the epilogue was quickly tacked on to the ending cause the editor said so. I don't care about Dahlia and River's relationship, like I really don't, but I'm curious to see what happens next.
Honestly, this book was okay but it did not give what it was supposed to give. It lacked an intriguing plot. It's mostly Dahlia and River rediscovering their love and having sex. I was quite bored.
I liked Dahlia and River but the genesis of their relationship and the drama that surrounds it, i.e, Dahlia leaving him behind years ago when she was 16, is soooooo melodramatic. All I kept thinking was "Why is that such a big deal?"
Spoiler
They talked for like 10 minutes max and then she had somewhere to be. Why did River and everyone else act like she betrayed him or something. Not to mention, blaming River's sister's alcoholism and general shitty life on Dahlia was manipulative and uncool.I appreciated that Dahlia's grief and healing were addressed. We get to see her journey as she grapples with learning to love again after traumatic incidents.
That epilogue tho...
Spoiler
I kinda saw this coming because with all this talk about Ben, why wouldn't he be back from the dead—or rather, never have been dead in the first place?
But the whole thing was rushed. It's like the epilogue was quickly tacked on to the ending cause the editor said so.
I read CONNECTED a few weeks ago and I instantly fell in love with it because it was different. It wasn't anything I'd read recently or even ever. Kim takes you on a roller coaster ride that doesn't want to let you off. At first when it starts, you think, 'oh I've read this'. but then it goes into uncharted territories that you'll be clamoring for the end to see where it's all leading up!
The story starts with Dahlia dating Ben Covington while they're at Stanford. It's Halloween and Dahlia is not one to celebrate the holiday (I'm with her!). Her reason is more doable than mine. I hate it, she lost her parents and a beloved aunt in a horrific plane crash on that day. So yeah, she's not dressing up. However, she does promise a friend that she'll head to the local bar to listen to an up-and-coming band.
So leaving her inebriated boyfriend behind, she heads to the local bar and there she meets an enigmatic stranger who practically begs her to stay. When she finds out that he's the lead singer of the band performing and she knows that she's about to make a big mistake, she bails.
We flash forward a few years later. Ben and Dahlia are living together and engaged. She's a photographer and he's a hard-hitting journalist who is about to win a prestigious award for a story that he's been working of for a few years. En route to the banquet, the car holding Ben and Dahlia is carjacked and Ben is killed. Leaving Dahlia broken and brokenhearted.
Two years go by before she's able to go back to work and even function. When her best friend Aerie, offers her a job in Vegas to interview a rock star and grab some photos. Her surprise is complete when she's told its River Wilde that she'll be meeting in Vegas. See this is the same person she met oh so long ago and never acted on it.
Kim tells a tightly knit story that will break your heart, have you cheering and pretty much leaving your panties in a bunch. She sucker punches you just when you think Dahlia and River will finally live their happily ever after. I fell in love with River. He's a guy who pulls no punches, he knows what he wants and he goes after it. Dahlia is broken. Afraid to open her heart because whenever she does the person she has opened it to leaves.
With the influx of new adult/contemporary romance/self-published authors, this book is highly recommended. I could read it over and over again because it's just that good.
Wow, this book grabbed me from the get go and didn't let up until I came to the last page! I need a sequel like yesterday! Kim, GREAT job, so happy for you and I think you have a hit on your hands!
The story starts with Dahlia dating Ben Covington while they're at Stanford. It's Halloween and Dahlia is not one to celebrate the holiday (I'm with her!). Her reason is more doable than mine. I hate it, she lost her parents and a beloved aunt in a horrific plane crash on that day. So yeah, she's not dressing up. However, she does promise a friend that she'll head to the local bar to listen to an up-and-coming band.
So leaving her inebriated boyfriend behind, she heads to the local bar and there she meets an enigmatic stranger who practically begs her to stay. When she finds out that he's the lead singer of the band performing and she knows that she's about to make a big mistake, she bails.
We flash forward a few years later. Ben and Dahlia are living together and engaged. She's a photographer and he's a hard-hitting journalist who is about to win a prestigious award for a story that he's been working of for a few years. En route to the banquet, the car holding Ben and Dahlia is carjacked and Ben is killed. Leaving Dahlia broken and brokenhearted.
Two years go by before she's able to go back to work and even function. When her best friend Aerie, offers her a job in Vegas to interview a rock star and grab some photos. Her surprise is complete when she's told its River Wilde that she'll be meeting in Vegas. See this is the same person she met oh so long ago and never acted on it.
Kim tells a tightly knit story that will break your heart, have you cheering and pretty much leaving your panties in a bunch. She sucker punches you just when you think Dahlia and River will finally live their happily ever after. I fell in love with River. He's a guy who pulls no punches, he knows what he wants and he goes after it. Dahlia is broken. Afraid to open her heart because whenever she does the person she has opened it to leaves.
With the influx of new adult/contemporary romance/self-published authors, this book is highly recommended. I could read it over and over again because it's just that good.
Wow, this book grabbed me from the get go and didn't let up until I came to the last page! I need a sequel like yesterday! Kim, GREAT job, so happy for you and I think you have a hit on your hands!
Wow... Just wow...I can't wait for book 2 I'm dying here hopefully it will be released earlier!!!
It's ironic that this story is called "Connected" because in the entire time that I read this novel, it was anything but. Between the frequent and awkward time jumps, the POV switches that served no purpose and had no proper lead-ins, the union of the main leads whose chemistry seemed only explored mostly through frequent sex scenes without realistic coming to terms with grief, the sudden, emotionally distant display of certain deaths, and ultimately a deception that went throughout the novel and shot up at the end like a red flag, there were many aspects wrong with Kim Karr's novel.
The story revolves around Dahlia London, a passionate music lover and photographer. She's happily in a relationship with Ben but yet meets an alluring lover at first sight in River Wilde, a lead singer for the band The Wilde Ones. She strikes an alarming chemistry with River at a club, but struck with grief at her betrayal of her present lover, she leaves the club despite the promise she makes to stay for River. Then in some measure of time, tragedy strikes, and Dahlia is left alone. Then comes a rather meandering, emotionally distant portrayal of grief on Dahlia's part until she reunites with River years later. His band's famous and the two rekindle a relationship that's rocky between Dahlia's grief over letting her former lover go, and other measures. I could recount more measures there, but the story overall toggles between overt sensual scenes and coming to terms with the couple.
"Connected" felt so manufactured for drama that it never found a place with me as I read it. I did genuinely try to follow it, but the prose is choppy and underdeveloped, the frequent time jumps threw me out of the story several times, and I just couldn't see or feel the connection between Dahlia and her grief, and Dahlia and her relationship with River. I think there was much potential here for this to be a resonant novel, because the story ideas in themselves aren't terrible, but the execution is all over the place and extremely messy. I sincerely think the first four chapters (including the prologue) could've been cut down immensely and summarized. The real story begins not until Chapter 5, and even then, there are still awkward time jumps to be had through the narrative after that point.
There are quite a few character deaths in this novel, but it's hard to palpate them and really connect to Dahlia's grief over them. The narrative attempts to explore River and Dahlia's connections but at the same time becomes a hotbed for drama that feels manufactured and uneven. There's even a POV shift to River's narrative that's disjointed and doesn't really make sense at the time it switches, because most of the time, we've been following Dhalia's head and then all of a sudden, it switches. I wish I could say I found more insight from River's narrative and contributions, but I didn't, it was just a measure to expound on the sex and also drama when an event happens to Dahlia.
And don't get me started on the ending. You think it might be a happy one, but there's a red flag of a series of revelations that promise to milk so much drama in an insinuated novel follow-up that didn't make a lick of sense to me. It was horrible. It was bad enough that character was thought to be dead and he suddenly decides to show up and say "I'm going to insert myself back into Dahlia's life" and then the whole jealous reflection at the end.
In sum, this is not a novel, in the notation of NA or otherwise, I would recommend. Between the messy execution and milking of emotions in this novel, I couldn't follow it and I think it's best I drop this series here.
Overall score: 0.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Penguin.
The story revolves around Dahlia London, a passionate music lover and photographer. She's happily in a relationship with Ben but yet meets an alluring lover at first sight in River Wilde, a lead singer for the band The Wilde Ones. She strikes an alarming chemistry with River at a club, but struck with grief at her betrayal of her present lover, she leaves the club despite the promise she makes to stay for River. Then in some measure of time, tragedy strikes, and Dahlia is left alone. Then comes a rather meandering, emotionally distant portrayal of grief on Dahlia's part until she reunites with River years later. His band's famous and the two rekindle a relationship that's rocky between Dahlia's grief over letting her former lover go, and other measures. I could recount more measures there, but the story overall toggles between overt sensual scenes and coming to terms with the couple.
"Connected" felt so manufactured for drama that it never found a place with me as I read it. I did genuinely try to follow it, but the prose is choppy and underdeveloped, the frequent time jumps threw me out of the story several times, and I just couldn't see or feel the connection between Dahlia and her grief, and Dahlia and her relationship with River. I think there was much potential here for this to be a resonant novel, because the story ideas in themselves aren't terrible, but the execution is all over the place and extremely messy. I sincerely think the first four chapters (including the prologue) could've been cut down immensely and summarized. The real story begins not until Chapter 5, and even then, there are still awkward time jumps to be had through the narrative after that point.
There are quite a few character deaths in this novel, but it's hard to palpate them and really connect to Dahlia's grief over them. The narrative attempts to explore River and Dahlia's connections but at the same time becomes a hotbed for drama that feels manufactured and uneven. There's even a POV shift to River's narrative that's disjointed and doesn't really make sense at the time it switches, because most of the time, we've been following Dhalia's head and then all of a sudden, it switches. I wish I could say I found more insight from River's narrative and contributions, but I didn't, it was just a measure to expound on the sex and also drama when an event happens to Dahlia.
And don't get me started on the ending. You think it might be a happy one, but there's a red flag of a series of revelations that promise to milk so much drama in an insinuated novel follow-up that didn't make a lick of sense to me. It was horrible. It was bad enough that character was thought to be dead and he suddenly decides to show up and say "I'm going to insert myself back into Dahlia's life" and then the whole jealous reflection at the end.
In sum, this is not a novel, in the notation of NA or otherwise, I would recommend. Between the messy execution and milking of emotions in this novel, I couldn't follow it and I think it's best I drop this series here.
Overall score: 0.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Penguin.
I'm not so sure how to feel about this. The story was great, but I got a little pissed off at Dahlia whenever she compares River to Ben. I understand that she's still hurting, but there was just something so off about it.
And I was kinda expecting a lot from the book. I love music-based books, and since River Wilde is The Wilde Ones' lead singer, I was hoping to see how he acts and and moves in front of an audience, just listening to his songs. I've read some books like "Thoughtless" and "The Mighty Storm" (of which both of the bands and the lead singers were mentioned by River, which really made my day), and what I loved about them is how they performed. I want to read about River's performances.
I got a little disappointed with this. :(
And I was kinda expecting a lot from the book. I love music-based books, and since River Wilde is The Wilde Ones' lead singer, I was hoping to see how he acts and and moves in front of an audience, just listening to his songs. I've read some books like "Thoughtless" and "The Mighty Storm" (of which both of the bands and the lead singers were mentioned by River, which really made my day), and what I loved about them is how they performed. I want to read about River's performances.
I got a little disappointed with this. :(
** review for BareNakedWords **
This book was one of my favourite reads last year, and when I got asked to review it for the release of the paperback I jumped at the chance. Kim has done such a fantastic job with this debut and has set the bar high for the rest of the books in this series.
Dahlia ‘Dahl’ London is such a strong heroine after enduring so much loss and pain in her life. Losing her mum, dad and aunty in an aeroplane crash at 14, and then her uncle, she made the best of her life. She had a wonderful, loving boyfriend and an amazing best friend who were always there for her. What she didn’t expect was a local rockstar named River Wild to enter her life. They’re connection was instantaneous, intense and completely threw Dahlia off kilter the moment they met.
“When our eyes connect it felt like minutes, in reality it was mere seconds. At that moment, something happened inside of me. The
connection was nothing like I’d ever felt before. It was an electric pull that willed me in and forced me to keep looking at him.”
Scared that if she stayed she’d do something she’d regret, she left.
Fast forward five years and she is still with her loving, now fiancé Ben. He was her childhood best friend and the only constant in her life. But, that all changes when he is tragically killed right in front of her eyes.
A little less than 2 years later and Dahl is finally starting to pick up the pieces of her life since Ben’s death. Agreeing to start doing some ‘freelance’ jobs for her best friend and company she used to work for, Dahl is sent to Las Vegas to interview that same rockstar she met all those years ago in college.
When they are reconnected, all that electrifying pull they felt in the past comes flooding to the surface, only this time it’s magnified significantly and nothing is standing in their way of being together.
“I feel like fate has brought us together again. I also believe that one night, so long ago, just wasn’t the right time for us. But tonight is.”
Dahlia struggles to make sense of her emotions to begin with. She knows she feels something for River, but she can’t help but feel guilty for wanting to explore this with River. But through time, she accepts that Ben really isn’t coming back. And with River right beside her, she begins to open her heart up to love again.
“I feel alive again—living, breathing, and experiencing life like I never had before—because of him.”
River shows Dahl that she can carry on living and you can find love again.
“I never imagined I could feel so connected to anyone as much as I feel connected to you. I knew I loved you from the moment I saw you. How could I not? Loving you is as easy as breathing.” ~ River
The story is mostly told from Dahlia’s POV, but you do get a look in to River’s head a few times later on. And I liked that. I liked how you got to see how he was feeling, the worries he was going through and how much he really did love Dahlia.
The incorporation of music is truly amazing. With the playlist at the beginning, the chapter titles and the various other song references throughout the book you feel more connected to the book and the feelings the characters are going through at that time. The song choices were perfect and I think Kim really did a magnificent job with this.
And the ending, Holy Shit!!!! What an ending that was. I really didn’t see that coming and was left with my mouth hanging wide open.
Seriously, it was such an amazing twist. But I absolutely loved it. It sets you up for things to come in the next book, and you know for a fact that things are going to get rocky.
This book was one of my favourite reads last year, and when I got asked to review it for the release of the paperback I jumped at the chance. Kim has done such a fantastic job with this debut and has set the bar high for the rest of the books in this series.
Dahlia ‘Dahl’ London is such a strong heroine after enduring so much loss and pain in her life. Losing her mum, dad and aunty in an aeroplane crash at 14, and then her uncle, she made the best of her life. She had a wonderful, loving boyfriend and an amazing best friend who were always there for her. What she didn’t expect was a local rockstar named River Wild to enter her life. They’re connection was instantaneous, intense and completely threw Dahlia off kilter the moment they met.
“When our eyes connect it felt like minutes, in reality it was mere seconds. At that moment, something happened inside of me. The
connection was nothing like I’d ever felt before. It was an electric pull that willed me in and forced me to keep looking at him.”
Scared that if she stayed she’d do something she’d regret, she left.
Fast forward five years and she is still with her loving, now fiancé Ben. He was her childhood best friend and the only constant in her life. But, that all changes when he is tragically killed right in front of her eyes.
A little less than 2 years later and Dahl is finally starting to pick up the pieces of her life since Ben’s death. Agreeing to start doing some ‘freelance’ jobs for her best friend and company she used to work for, Dahl is sent to Las Vegas to interview that same rockstar she met all those years ago in college.
When they are reconnected, all that electrifying pull they felt in the past comes flooding to the surface, only this time it’s magnified significantly and nothing is standing in their way of being together.
“I feel like fate has brought us together again. I also believe that one night, so long ago, just wasn’t the right time for us. But tonight is.”
Dahlia struggles to make sense of her emotions to begin with. She knows she feels something for River, but she can’t help but feel guilty for wanting to explore this with River. But through time, she accepts that Ben really isn’t coming back. And with River right beside her, she begins to open her heart up to love again.
“I feel alive again—living, breathing, and experiencing life like I never had before—because of him.”
River shows Dahl that she can carry on living and you can find love again.
“I never imagined I could feel so connected to anyone as much as I feel connected to you. I knew I loved you from the moment I saw you. How could I not? Loving you is as easy as breathing.” ~ River
The story is mostly told from Dahlia’s POV, but you do get a look in to River’s head a few times later on. And I liked that. I liked how you got to see how he was feeling, the worries he was going through and how much he really did love Dahlia.
The incorporation of music is truly amazing. With the playlist at the beginning, the chapter titles and the various other song references throughout the book you feel more connected to the book and the feelings the characters are going through at that time. The song choices were perfect and I think Kim really did a magnificent job with this.
And the ending, Holy Shit!!!! What an ending that was. I really didn’t see that coming and was left with my mouth hanging wide open.
Seriously, it was such an amazing twist. But I absolutely loved it. It sets you up for things to come in the next book, and you know for a fact that things are going to get rocky.