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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Elite by Rachel Van Dyken is one of those books that I really don't even know why I didn't DNF it. To be honest, I'm not sure why a traditional publisher picked up this originally self-pubbed title. Fair warning: this review might get ranty.
Let's start with the thing that bothered me most about Elite: the romance. Well, not really the romance but the love interest. Sure Nixon sounds sexy as hell but he's a total ass! Since when is it okay to treat someone like shit and then say that you were doing it to help them? Oh and by the way, you think you might love them. No. That is not love. Nixon is a grade A asshole and I could not get past how mean he was to Trace. Oh and the secondary love interest, Chase, (because we really need a love triangle) isn't any better. He helps set her up to look like this huge slut after one of his friends drugs her. Umm, no. So not okay. I thought I'd read about bad love interests before but these two take the cake.
Then there's Trace. Where do I even begin with her? She figures she can't win against Nixon and Chase and the rest of the Elect so she decides she might as well make fun of herself and maybe people will think she's cool. Yeah, that doesn't really work out for her. As if that's not bad enough, she is the biggest cry baby I've ever had the misfortune of reading about. Every little thing sets her off. And she's not one of those people who cries in private, she cries in front of everyone. Like that's really going to make people like her more. Oh and the main source of her crying fits, Nixon, just happens to be the guy that she can't stop thinking about. Of course.
The story makes no sense. This 20 something year old guy runs the school? Even though he's not actually in charge of anything, everyone listens to him? Even the principal? How exactly does that work? It's kind of explained later but it still doesn't really make complete sense to me. Also, what kind of school lets their kids get away with this kind of bullying? There's also segregation (for the good of the students) and other stupid crap like that. I don't know about you guys, but I would leave that school ASAP.
There's a lot more that I could rant and rave about but I'm going to try to wrap this up. The writing is crappy, the characters are annoying, the story makes no sense, and the romance did nothing for me. I truly wish I could get back the few hours I spent reading this book because it was a complete waste of my time.
Overall, Elite is one book that should have remained self-published. This is one book that I highly recommend you don't waste your time or money on. Oh and as if one book isn't bad enough there is going to be at least one more in the series.
Let's start with the thing that bothered me most about Elite: the romance. Well, not really the romance but the love interest. Sure Nixon sounds sexy as hell but he's a total ass! Since when is it okay to treat someone like shit and then say that you were doing it to help them? Oh and by the way, you think you might love them. No. That is not love. Nixon is a grade A asshole and I could not get past how mean he was to Trace. Oh and the secondary love interest, Chase, (because we really need a love triangle) isn't any better. He helps set her up to look like this huge slut after one of his friends drugs her. Umm, no. So not okay. I thought I'd read about bad love interests before but these two take the cake.
Then there's Trace. Where do I even begin with her? She figures she can't win against Nixon and Chase and the rest of the Elect so she decides she might as well make fun of herself and maybe people will think she's cool. Yeah, that doesn't really work out for her. As if that's not bad enough, she is the biggest cry baby I've ever had the misfortune of reading about. Every little thing sets her off. And she's not one of those people who cries in private, she cries in front of everyone. Like that's really going to make people like her more. Oh and the main source of her crying fits, Nixon, just happens to be the guy that she can't stop thinking about. Of course.
The story makes no sense. This 20 something year old guy runs the school? Even though he's not actually in charge of anything, everyone listens to him? Even the principal? How exactly does that work? It's kind of explained later but it still doesn't really make complete sense to me. Also, what kind of school lets their kids get away with this kind of bullying? There's also segregation (for the good of the students) and other stupid crap like that. I don't know about you guys, but I would leave that school ASAP.
There's a lot more that I could rant and rave about but I'm going to try to wrap this up. The writing is crappy, the characters are annoying, the story makes no sense, and the romance did nothing for me. I truly wish I could get back the few hours I spent reading this book because it was a complete waste of my time.
Overall, Elite is one book that should have remained self-published. This is one book that I highly recommend you don't waste your time or money on. Oh and as if one book isn't bad enough there is going to be at least one more in the series.
3/5
For a book written in 2013, it was definitely way ahead of its time. It has some flaws, like any first book in a long series, and many moments of writing that I guess was normal back then because I wrote with the same "formula". but having read Debase, a newer release of the same author, I can say with authority that the storyline, the writing, and characters GET BETTER with time so I'm willing to put the time to see it through.
Nixon has some shitty attitudes at the beginning where I wanted to throttle him, and Tracey seemed way too naive. Still, they surprised me evolving a LOT in the course of the whole book, and I ended up LOVING most of the main crew. There was humor, there was mafia, guns, and shoot-outs. I loved the friendship between Trace and Mo, it is my opinion that any good mafia book (or book at all) should have some quality girl gang friendship. Don't @ me.
I don't know how I feel about the whole thing, I guess it was popular back then, not so much now. It didn't seem forced in the whole plot of the story but am a bit over that trope.
Overall, if you can get over the cringe-fest that is the beginning of this book and that so-2010 trope, you're good because I think the characters and their stories are worth it.
“'So you'd die for me?' I joked trying to break the awkwardness. 'Don't you get it? I'd give my life for yours'.”
For a book written in 2013, it was definitely way ahead of its time. It has some flaws, like any first book in a long series, and many moments of writing that I guess was normal back then because I wrote with the same "formula". but having read Debase, a newer release of the same author, I can say with authority that the storyline, the writing, and characters GET BETTER with time so I'm willing to put the time to see it through.
Nixon has some shitty attitudes at the beginning where I wanted to throttle him, and Tracey seemed way too naive. Still, they surprised me evolving a LOT in the course of the whole book, and I ended up LOVING most of the main crew. There was humor, there was mafia, guns, and shoot-outs. I loved the friendship between Trace and Mo, it is my opinion that any good mafia book (or book at all) should have some quality girl gang friendship. Don't @ me.
I don't know how I feel about the whole
Spoiler
"love triangle"Overall, if you can get over the cringe-fest that is the beginning of this book and that so-2010 trope, you're good because I think the characters and their stories are worth it.
At first I was really turned off by the bullying but this had a decent plot beyond that.
My rating is really 2.5. The beginning was horrible.
http://gif.co/rx4J.gif
http://gif.co/rx4J.gif
This is my first Rachel Van Dyken read, and I know now that I need more of her in my life. For some reason, I thought Elite was some kind of military, political, or law enforcement type romance. I was very wrong lol, and I'm so glad! This was exactly what I needed last night when I picked it up.
Was it realistic? No...not at all.
Is the love triangle necessary? No.
Do I care? Nope!
I had so much fun reading it, and that's really all I wanted. It's super entertaining, well paced, and I enjoyed the writing style. I literally did not put it down until I finished. The only thing remotely negative I have to say is that I wish it had a little more steam, but overall, that's a tiny complaint.
I winged this review, so I apologize if it's not the most cohesive or informative one you've ever read. I wanted to leave something though, because this book has mixed reviews amongst my goodreads friends. Hopefully, it will be helpful to someone in some way.
Rachel Van Dyken definitely has my attention, and I can't wait to read more from her in the future. The Elite series just made it on my series to read in 2018 list. Elect here I come!
Was it realistic? No...not at all.
Is the love triangle necessary? No.
Do I care? Nope!
I had so much fun reading it, and that's really all I wanted. It's super entertaining, well paced, and I enjoyed the writing style. I literally did not put it down until I finished. The only thing remotely negative I have to say is that I wish it had a little more steam, but overall, that's a tiny complaint.
I winged this review, so I apologize if it's not the most cohesive or informative one you've ever read. I wanted to leave something though, because this book has mixed reviews amongst my goodreads friends. Hopefully, it will be helpful to someone in some way.
Rachel Van Dyken definitely has my attention, and I can't wait to read more from her in the future. The Elite series just made it on my series to read in 2018 list. Elect here I come!
This was really, really good! I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
Great start to a series, so many questions in the beginning, but towards the middle you start to figure things out slowly.
Bottom line: Want to read the next one NOW!
Great start to a series, so many questions in the beginning, but towards the middle you start to figure things out slowly.
Bottom line: Want to read the next one NOW!
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this book. In fact I read this book in 7 hours! It grabbed my attention right from the start and held it all the way till the end. There were always questions in my head like when who where how come and I just had to keep reading until I found my answers at the end. I loved trace. She was a love struck girl. I remember my first love struck stupid self. I acted probably a lot like trace. Nixon is the classic tough guy with a tender private side. I really enjoyed this book. Can't wait to read the next one!
I kind of hate how much I enjoyed this book. The setting is terrible and beyond unbelievable, and I stuck with it in part because having read a more recent novella by the author I knew her writing has since improved. There’s a lot about this book that’s improbable, and some/many/most of the dramatic surprise reveals aren’t very surprising. But Rachel Van Dyken’s writing drew me in. Made me laugh a bunch of times, always when laughter was the correct response. And okay, maybe I liked Nixon’s brand of alpha. A lot. His lip piercing, however, remains baffling to me.
All that said, I could not put this book down and upon finishing it I immediately bought the next one because I am a sucker for ~~true love~~.
All that said, I could not put this book down and upon finishing it I immediately bought the next one because I am a sucker for ~~true love~~.
This was a solid three stars. I liked the book and the vibe I got it from it. It reminded me in many ways of the Vampire Academy books but well, different. And without the vamps. Or, maybe it was just Nixon who reminded me of that series. Either way, I liked it. There were some issues I had with some of the characters, but Nixon made this book a solid one for me. I would read it again anytime, just for him.
Check out my full review here: http://crackedandbrokenglass.blogspot.com/2013/08/arc-review-elite-eagle-elite-1-by.html
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchanged for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Check out my full review here: http://crackedandbrokenglass.blogspot.com/2013/08/arc-review-elite-eagle-elite-1-by.html
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchanged for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*