Scan barcode
A review by janessaalexis
Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux
3.0
A few thoughts:
1. While I don't mind this new romance between these two newly important side characters, and while I agree the authors have been hinting that this romance was in the making (so it wasn't completely out of left field), it was still felt really strange reading about a couple that was nonexistent in the last SEVEN NOVELS, and yet somehow had such an important part in this novel. (Note: I understand that there's some kind of spin-off series that explains how this new couple came to be, but I find it really annoying and inconvenient that that information wasn't presented & detailed in THIS novel. I want to read about Ty & Zane, not this new couple. The least I could get was some background into their relationship if they were going to become such important characters in the series).
2. The 180 between Nick & Ty. Again, for the past SEVEN NOVELS, we're told that they are the best of friends, yet suddenly there is all this... tension between them, that's seemingly been brewing for the past several years?
3. A certain important side character dying... I mean, really? Did anyone else find that really random and almost completely unnecessary? Also, where was the closure? I mean, he's dead. He'd been around a lot in the past SEVEN NOVELS, but barely got a funeral in this one?
4. In general, I thought the plot was extremely convoluted, especially considering this series' track record. Why over-complicate the story when the previous SEVEN NOVELS had been relatively straightforward, engaging and fun?
5. Lastly, when comparing this novel to the past SEVEN NOVELS, more than being upset, I'm annoyed that this book exists. While the previous novels haven't been particularly earth-shattering or life-changing, they were consistently fun, engrossing reads. And with each addition to the series, there were always some improvements from one novel to the next. So I find it supremely annoying that this book was such a setback from the rest of the books! Didn't we have enough setbacks in the last one? Why are we recycling old ideas? If not for that last scene with Nick, and the tender moment between Zane & Ty, there really wouldn't have been anything redemable about the book. Frankly, halfway through, I wish I'd just given up and skipped to read the last few pages. It would have saved me a lot of time and a lot of headaches.
The only reason this book gets a three stars is because of how much I've enjoyed the past SEVEN NOVELS and those last few pages of the book which will no doubt lead into a (hopefully) great finale.
For now, though, I think I need to take a break. I'm still trying to process how far downhill this book has gone.
1. While I don't mind this new romance between these two newly important side characters, and while I agree the authors have been hinting that this romance was in the making (so it wasn't completely out of left field), it was still felt really strange reading about a couple that was nonexistent in the last SEVEN NOVELS, and yet somehow had such an important part in this novel. (Note: I understand that there's some kind of spin-off series that explains how this new couple came to be, but I find it really annoying and inconvenient that that information wasn't presented & detailed in THIS novel. I want to read about Ty & Zane, not this new couple. The least I could get was some background into their relationship if they were going to become such important characters in the series).
2. The 180 between Nick & Ty. Again, for the past SEVEN NOVELS, we're told that they are the best of friends, yet suddenly there is all this... tension between them, that's seemingly been brewing for the past several years?
3. A certain important side character dying... I mean, really? Did anyone else find that really random and almost completely unnecessary? Also, where was the closure? I mean, he's dead. He'd been around a lot in the past SEVEN NOVELS, but barely got a funeral in this one?
4. In general, I thought the plot was extremely convoluted, especially considering this series' track record. Why over-complicate the story when the previous SEVEN NOVELS had been relatively straightforward, engaging and fun?
5. Lastly, when comparing this novel to the past SEVEN NOVELS, more than being upset, I'm annoyed that this book exists. While the previous novels haven't been particularly earth-shattering or life-changing, they were consistently fun, engrossing reads. And with each addition to the series, there were always some improvements from one novel to the next. So I find it supremely annoying that this book was such a setback from the rest of the books! Didn't we have enough setbacks in the last one? Why are we recycling old ideas? If not for that last scene with Nick, and the tender moment between Zane & Ty, there really wouldn't have been anything redemable about the book. Frankly, halfway through, I wish I'd just given up and skipped to read the last few pages. It would have saved me a lot of time and a lot of headaches.
The only reason this book gets a three stars is because of how much I've enjoyed the past SEVEN NOVELS and those last few pages of the book which will no doubt lead into a (hopefully) great finale.
For now, though, I think I need to take a break. I'm still trying to process how far downhill this book has gone.