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A review by zealous_bibliophile
Twice Bitten by Belle Harper
3.0
TLDR: poorly executed with third book that is completely lacking in a plot or climax. Skip.
Update having finished the series: (update has spoilers)
This series needs more work than I realized after book 1. For one, there is a lot of plagiarism sprinkled throughout the books. If you are going to take lines from a book, movie, show, etc, you have to attribute them. That means having Lex and Ada say bring it on, oh it's already been brought you MUST have someone say did you just quote bring it on. Not doing so, like Harper does, is plagiarism and is not only bad writing but illegal.
Book 3 is literally just an epilog. There is no plot, no conflict, no climax. It's just Lex getting it on with each guy individually and in pairs, a prom invite, trying to introduce the mean girl two books too late. I think Oliva is supposed to be the bad guy but she and her story line are so weak it's pathetic. They are already in a committed relationship and she is a random human with no connection to the pack other than sleeping with two guys. There is literally no reason she would think she holds power or Lexi would find her a threat.
While a ton of time is spent on sex, the rest of book 3 is dedicated to introducing story lines for other characters. Ada has a love triangle that is unresolved. Jett has some baggage with his ex. What's this about Lexi's dad? A story on her aunt. What you never get is the rest of the story on Lexi and her guys.
Why does Galen have a bunch of scars? No idea. Never told. How did he become a vamp? No idea. Not told. What was the deal with those people who made him feel worthless? Are they from twenty years ago or 300? No idea, never told. Oh and Ranger has major anger issues, but no worries, he starts a fight club that we learn about in one line the last five pages of the book. Good thing that got wrapped up and resolved. Oh wait. It didn't.
And are we really supposed to think the alpha is a good guy? Yeah he makes hard decisions. That makes him nice. Oh wait, there is the whole threatening Raff's life to force Lexi in his house and to mate with his sons and sending Galen away to try and prevent his relationship with Lexi? And we should also forget about the part where he doesn't let Lexi make any decisions for herself and acts as though he owns her and has rights to decide her life?
And I'm sorry, WTF would anyone want to be a shifter in this world when you literally cannot leave the town your pack is in? Want to go to college? Nope. Disney? Nope. Vegas? Nope. New York? Yeah right. Get invited to DC to meet the president? You ain't going because in this world shifters can't leave pack lands.
Beyond that Lexi is almost unbearable in book 2, she is so annoying and immature. Guess who almost died, again in book 2? Yup, them. With ALL the other characters not one single other character could be at risk? Seriously?
I gave books 2 and 3 two star reviews.
original
Good idea needs work
Let me start by saying although this book has issues the underlying story is strong enough that I will continue to book 2.
This book is a little juvenile. I don't mean the characters, other than when they are speaking they are pretty normal teenagers the writing itself is a little underdeveloped. You can tell the author is. Can of the paranormal, rh, orphan girl is sent to new rich family after years of abuse where the family spoils her and teachers her nice things can happen while her would be love is a jerk. That's fine. I'm a fan too. That's why I picked up this book. Unfortunately because the writing isn't the strongest there are times boxes are definitely just checked for these plot points. You also get told things are happening rather than led through the story as the character experience it. It's had to get lost in the story when it isn't being painted for you. The dialog needs a lot of work. It kind of reads like a 90s computer. Harper needs to remember it is teens, or a 333 year old vampire talking. The speech patterns should reflect this. Teens use contractions,slang, and run on sentences. There is good chunk of character relationship development that is skipped. It goes from I hate you to you got me I've cream I forgive your literal torture now. Hmmmm sorry, a few steps were skipped there. We also never get to know what the universe of this paranormal world.looks like. Do they have one large governing body? Who else is real? Does she have to listen to them? The story switches view points each chapter so the reader can get this important world establishing information even if Lexi doesn't. Oh, and we get it. Lexi has her period. Tell if about it for ten chapters is weird. And did you have to make her a cliche for all things periods?
I do have a real problem that the book repeatedly says if a hot guy.like you should this all of your life plans away to be with him in his small rural town. Go away to college? Oh no. If you lived him you would give up that life long dream. You can just go to a cut rare.online school same diff as four years in college followed by that grad program. You never give up your plans for a guy. If they love you they won't let you. If they ask you know they are wrong for you and you walk away. The fact that this book is supposed to be based on this strong female heroine but this is the message that is repeatedly put forward about giving it all.up for a guy is so disappointing
Update having finished the series: (update has spoilers)
This series needs more work than I realized after book 1. For one, there is a lot of plagiarism sprinkled throughout the books. If you are going to take lines from a book, movie, show, etc, you have to attribute them. That means having Lex and Ada say bring it on, oh it's already been brought you MUST have someone say did you just quote bring it on. Not doing so, like Harper does, is plagiarism and is not only bad writing but illegal.
Book 3 is literally just an epilog. There is no plot, no conflict, no climax. It's just Lex getting it on with each guy individually and in pairs, a prom invite, trying to introduce the mean girl two books too late. I think Oliva is supposed to be the bad guy but she and her story line are so weak it's pathetic. They are already in a committed relationship and she is a random human with no connection to the pack other than sleeping with two guys. There is literally no reason she would think she holds power or Lexi would find her a threat.
While a ton of time is spent on sex, the rest of book 3 is dedicated to introducing story lines for other characters. Ada has a love triangle that is unresolved. Jett has some baggage with his ex. What's this about Lexi's dad? A story on her aunt. What you never get is the rest of the story on Lexi and her guys.
Why does Galen have a bunch of scars? No idea. Never told. How did he become a vamp? No idea. Not told. What was the deal with those people who made him feel worthless? Are they from twenty years ago or 300? No idea, never told. Oh and Ranger has major anger issues, but no worries, he starts a fight club that we learn about in one line the last five pages of the book. Good thing that got wrapped up and resolved. Oh wait. It didn't.
And are we really supposed to think the alpha is a good guy? Yeah he makes hard decisions. That makes him nice. Oh wait, there is the whole threatening Raff's life to force Lexi in his house and to mate with his sons and sending Galen away to try and prevent his relationship with Lexi? And we should also forget about the part where he doesn't let Lexi make any decisions for herself and acts as though he owns her and has rights to decide her life?
And I'm sorry, WTF would anyone want to be a shifter in this world when you literally cannot leave the town your pack is in? Want to go to college? Nope. Disney? Nope. Vegas? Nope. New York? Yeah right. Get invited to DC to meet the president? You ain't going because in this world shifters can't leave pack lands.
Beyond that Lexi is almost unbearable in book 2, she is so annoying and immature. Guess who almost died, again in book 2? Yup, them. With ALL the other characters not one single other character could be at risk? Seriously?
I gave books 2 and 3 two star reviews.
original
Good idea needs work
Let me start by saying although this book has issues the underlying story is strong enough that I will continue to book 2.
This book is a little juvenile. I don't mean the characters, other than when they are speaking they are pretty normal teenagers the writing itself is a little underdeveloped. You can tell the author is. Can of the paranormal, rh, orphan girl is sent to new rich family after years of abuse where the family spoils her and teachers her nice things can happen while her would be love is a jerk. That's fine. I'm a fan too. That's why I picked up this book. Unfortunately because the writing isn't the strongest there are times boxes are definitely just checked for these plot points. You also get told things are happening rather than led through the story as the character experience it. It's had to get lost in the story when it isn't being painted for you. The dialog needs a lot of work. It kind of reads like a 90s computer. Harper needs to remember it is teens, or a 333 year old vampire talking. The speech patterns should reflect this. Teens use contractions,slang, and run on sentences. There is good chunk of character relationship development that is skipped. It goes from I hate you to you got me I've cream I forgive your literal torture now. Hmmmm sorry, a few steps were skipped there. We also never get to know what the universe of this paranormal world.looks like. Do they have one large governing body? Who else is real? Does she have to listen to them? The story switches view points each chapter so the reader can get this important world establishing information even if Lexi doesn't. Oh, and we get it. Lexi has her period. Tell if about it for ten chapters is weird. And did you have to make her a cliche for all things periods?
I do have a real problem that the book repeatedly says if a hot guy.like you should this all of your life plans away to be with him in his small rural town. Go away to college? Oh no. If you lived him you would give up that life long dream. You can just go to a cut rare.online school same diff as four years in college followed by that grad program. You never give up your plans for a guy. If they love you they won't let you. If they ask you know they are wrong for you and you walk away. The fact that this book is supposed to be based on this strong female heroine but this is the message that is repeatedly put forward about giving it all.up for a guy is so disappointing