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***TW: Sexual Assualt*** (Greatly appreciate that author/publisher started the book with this warning - hats off to you guys!)
I read this book on the recommendation of Chandler Ainsley's shelves and favorite reads so I had particularly high hopes for this one.
And all I have to say is...Meh.
This story follows Ava Tulip and Lee Knox and their own personal tragedies within the bounds of sexual assault, differing socioeconomic statuses, and parental death/abandonment amongst other horrors.
The premise is that Ava has been raped at a party with these rich most elite high school kids and no one knows who's the offender. The kids from this prep school are incredibly wealthy and pompous and act more like college students than anyone I ever knew in HS.
One problem I had with the author is how she had Ava refer to her kid brother, who had developmental difficulties due to fetal alcohol poisoning, as "Bozo". Am I the only one who grew up with the name of Bozo meaning idiot or moron? She says it with an endearing tone, however, I couldn't look past the seemingly derogatory term.
Perhaps I don't entirely understand the premise for bullying romances, but I didn't quite understand why Knox "hated" Ava so much. I mean, yes, I understand what happened with his mother and the effect that had on Dane and his drug abuse...but he "loves" Ava so treating her like a piece of shit, all the while having these loving and kind thoughts about her are just completely backward and not in a highschool immaturity love sense.
Also, in all fairness, no men I know, or have ever known, speak to one another with the communicative ideals in which they were depicted in this novel. I think Ilsa would have been better off having the guys thoughts stay in their heads, rather than have these random semi-deep conversations with too many details that don't often occur in daily life (especially in high school). These "trying to be bros" conversations just seemed to be too imaginative and blatantly written by the female perspective. (I'm not trying to attach gender stereotypes to this, however, If you're going to write with "dumbass jocks" as your main characters don't try to write as if they don't mentally fit into the bubble of blissful and willful ignorance).
Overall, the plot was good, but I felt a bit rushed. The characters didn't find enough time to develop and yes, you got to know Ava and Knox, but, their romance was just so sudden and golly I don't know - it just felt so underwhelming.
I know I'm being harsh - I don't think this book has horrendous, I just don't know why it was given such a high review from everyone. It gets 3 stars because it's good, a good palate cleanser, easy, quick read. Nothing to rave about in my opinion.
I read this book on the recommendation of Chandler Ainsley's shelves and favorite reads so I had particularly high hopes for this one.
And all I have to say is...Meh.
This story follows Ava Tulip and Lee Knox and their own personal tragedies within the bounds of sexual assault, differing socioeconomic statuses, and parental death/abandonment amongst other horrors.
The premise is that Ava has been raped at a party with these rich most elite high school kids and no one knows who's the offender. The kids from this prep school are incredibly wealthy and pompous and act more like college students than anyone I ever knew in HS.
One problem I had with the author is how she had Ava refer to her kid brother, who had developmental difficulties due to fetal alcohol poisoning, as "Bozo". Am I the only one who grew up with the name of Bozo meaning idiot or moron? She says it with an endearing tone, however, I couldn't look past the seemingly derogatory term.
Perhaps I don't entirely understand the premise for bullying romances, but I didn't quite understand why Knox "hated" Ava so much. I mean, yes, I understand what happened with his mother and the effect that had on Dane and his drug abuse...but he "loves" Ava so treating her like a piece of shit, all the while having these loving and kind thoughts about her are just completely backward and not in a highschool immaturity love sense.
Also, in all fairness, no men I know, or have ever known, speak to one another with the communicative ideals in which they were depicted in this novel. I think Ilsa would have been better off having the guys thoughts stay in their heads, rather than have these random semi-deep conversations with too many details that don't often occur in daily life (especially in high school). These "trying to be bros" conversations just seemed to be too imaginative and blatantly written by the female perspective. (I'm not trying to attach gender stereotypes to this, however, If you're going to write with "dumbass jocks" as your main characters don't try to write as if they don't mentally fit into the bubble of blissful and willful ignorance).
Overall, the plot was good, but I felt a bit rushed. The characters didn't find enough time to develop and yes, you got to know Ava and Knox, but, their romance was just so sudden and golly I don't know - it just felt so underwhelming.
I know I'm being harsh - I don't think this book has horrendous, I just don't know why it was given such a high review from everyone. It gets 3 stars because it's good, a good palate cleanser, easy, quick read. Nothing to rave about in my opinion.