Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
I really liked this book compared to most any book. However, compared to Jennifer Echol's other book it is probably my least favorite.
"2 out of 5 stars, because I liked the concept but Nick and Hayden bickered way to much for me to enjoy it. It was like..."
Read more of this review and TWO TEASERS here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/disappointmentville-ex-games-by.html
Read more of this review and TWO TEASERS here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/disappointmentville-ex-games-by.html
Cute, cute, cuuuuuuuuute. Even in her romcoms, Echols creates chemistry out the wazoo. Cute and funny? Screw it, 4 stars.
I think it's safe to say that I was sorely disappointed with this re-read. While The Ex-Games isn't one of my favorite Echols books, I still remember mildly enjoying it at face value when I was younger. However, I have changed as a reader as the years have gone by and a fair share of the content of this book no longer amuses me.
Just to disclaim, I am not asserting that the author either holds or promotes harmful social ideas about teenage romance, but I am merely speculating about what the plot of this story puts forth itself.
I could not, in good conscience, root for Hayden and Nick to get together, because their entire basis of attraction was based off the age-old myth society has been spoon-feeding girls for centuries (maybe not centuries, but let me have this one thing): if a boy makes fun of you, he likes you. There are just so many things fundamentally wrong about this mindset, and to see it perpetuated over and over and over again within these pages angered me. Even when main or secondary characters make good points AGAINST such mindsets, later they succumb to their [emotional] assailants regardless, without fail.
I think it's already bad enough that too often we teach girls that if a boy pulls on her pigtails or calls her ugly that he is romantically interested in her, but Nick and his friends take it so much further: they take away their romantic interests' values as human beings based on gender "superiority," and Nick is constantly manipulating Hayden with physical affection. True, sometimes Hayden called him out on it (and Hayden herself played many games, to be sure) but I never felt the sincerity of their connection as opposed to, say, their unresolved sexual tension.
Repeatedly, Hayden (or her friends) make excuses for Nick's behavior, claiming he's justified in calling her "bitch" on one occasion, or cooing over how cute it is that he "doesn't know how to apologize" on another. Then it's all basically making out, trying to throw the comp, arguing, rinse & repeat.
Even if this particular story didn't embody such appalling relationship ideals, I don't think the surface plot itself was all that great. Sure, we get some depth and backstory about Hayden's prior injury and how it affects her snowboarding abilities as well as any future she might have as a snowboarding pro, but other than that, it really isn't all that great. A lot of implausible things happen--Hayden walking miles out of her way (in the snow) to Nick's house only to be welcomed in by a passive father who didn't care what his son may or may not be doing with a girl in his bedroom; Hayden befriending a professional boarder in the restroom while also scoring some nifty advice from her; and how about the very end when Hayden goes off the jump (a trick she has never before attempted due to some severe, obscure form of PTSD relating to a falling accident) only to land the biggest jump she's ever gone for without anything going awry? --and I found what little resolution there was to be very cheesy.
The narrative only follows a few days, after all, so I also don't feel like we get to know the characters as well as we could, at least judging by Echols' other RomComs. When you take away the romance/sexual tension--which, as I have said, I didn't appreciate much in the first place--I didn't really feel there was all that much left to admire, if anything.
However, it was still a quick read and, when read at face-value, somewhat entertaining. It was a no-fuss RomCom that flew by in a flash, which, if you read it like I did, might just be a good thing.
Just to disclaim, I am not asserting that the author either holds or promotes harmful social ideas about teenage romance, but I am merely speculating about what the plot of this story puts forth itself.
I could not, in good conscience, root for Hayden and Nick to get together, because their entire basis of attraction was based off the age-old myth society has been spoon-feeding girls for centuries (maybe not centuries, but let me have this one thing): if a boy makes fun of you, he likes you. There are just so many things fundamentally wrong about this mindset, and to see it perpetuated over and over and over again within these pages angered me. Even when main or secondary characters make good points AGAINST such mindsets, later they succumb to their [emotional] assailants regardless, without fail.
I think it's already bad enough that too often we teach girls that if a boy pulls on her pigtails or calls her ugly that he is romantically interested in her, but Nick and his friends take it so much further: they take away their romantic interests' values as human beings based on gender "superiority," and Nick is constantly manipulating Hayden with physical affection. True, sometimes Hayden called him out on it (and Hayden herself played many games, to be sure) but I never felt the sincerity of their connection as opposed to, say, their unresolved sexual tension.
Repeatedly, Hayden (or her friends) make excuses for Nick's behavior, claiming he's justified in calling her "bitch" on one occasion, or cooing over how cute it is that he "doesn't know how to apologize" on another. Then it's all basically making out, trying to throw the comp, arguing, rinse & repeat.
Even if this particular story didn't embody such appalling relationship ideals, I don't think the surface plot itself was all that great. Sure, we get some depth and backstory about Hayden's prior injury and how it affects her snowboarding abilities as well as any future she might have as a snowboarding pro, but other than that, it really isn't all that great. A lot of implausible things happen--
The narrative only follows a few days, after all, so I also don't feel like we get to know the characters as well as we could, at least judging by Echols' other RomComs. When you take away the romance/sexual tension--which, as I have said, I didn't appreciate much in the first place--I didn't really feel there was all that much left to admire, if anything.
However, it was still a quick read and, when read at face-value, somewhat entertaining. It was a no-fuss RomCom that flew by in a flash, which, if you read it like I did, might just be a good thing.
I found this book quite annoying. The whole mood switch thing has really gotten on my nerves. One moment Nick is the sweetest boy ever and then he and Hayden start fighting.
The book was very repetitive: the way Nick got his hair out of his eyes with his pinky, Chloe and Liz's failed attempts to get Nick and Hayden together, the make out and the argue to death.
The only reason why I gave this book 2 stars and not one was because of the few moments where Nick acted totally sweet and caring.
The book was very repetitive: the way Nick got his hair out of his eyes with his pinky, Chloe and Liz's failed attempts to get Nick and Hayden together, the make out and the argue to death.
The only reason why I gave this book 2 stars and not one was because of the few moments where Nick acted totally sweet and caring.