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A review by bookishfoxes
Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon
Did not finish book.
DNF at 40%
I don't know if it's fair for me to add a rating because I didn't finish the whole book, and therefore can not give a rating based on the whole book, only the first 40%, but based on what I've read, it's a 2 star for me. Maybe a 1.5... Yeah, 1.5 feels more accurate, because a 2 star rating would mean I actually enjoying something, which is not the case.
I hate, HATE, DNFing books. My mind works this way: finish what you started, so you can include it in your 'read in 2021' list, and the days you tried reading this weren't for nothing. So at first I forced myself to continue reading, but I just could. not. get. interested.
And that sucks, because I was so excited for this book! I expected it to be one of my favorites! I really like fairytale retellings, and this book sounded so awesome!
But the plot was really boring. I couldn't care less about the characters, the only feeling I ever felt reading this, was annoyed. The main character, Jaya, is so controlling, especially over her sister. And, well, just annoying in general. I've read some mixed reviews, some say she gets better, some say she doesn't, but I don't have enough patience to find out. I also didn't like how in the beginning she played a little dumb to make Grey fall in love with her. You don't have to act dumb for someone to fall in love with you - intelligence is really attractive.
While reading a book, I usually write down my thoughts in the notes app in my phone, because I'm the kind of person who would forget everything once I'm writing the review. Most of the time the thoughts I write down are negative, so yeah this might come off as really negative. But to be honest, that's how I feel.
I'm a little confused whether this is a fantasy or contemporary? The cure gives me mostly fantasy vibes, but that's all the fantasy elements there is.
I might be the only one bothered by this, I haven't seen other people point this out, but: Europeans don't randomly say words in their native language. We don't. I see it happen in a lot of books, shows and movies, where Europeans - or anyone who's native language is English, doesn't even have to be just European, would just say some words in their own language, like 'yes' or any words in the middle of an English sentence. That's not how we speak English. Yes, if were caught of guard, we might swear in our native language, but we don't just casually speak a mix. But the French character in this book could barely say one sentence without random words being in French.
The switching point of views were a little annoying. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing different point of views, but only if they start at a new chapter. And if it changes in the middle of the page, then only if the new POV has a different storyline and takes place somewhere else.
The last thing I want to talk about - I promise after that I'm done ranting, was the way Grey was described. 'Feral', 'a beast', 'wild', and multiple times his feet or hands were 'gigantic'. It made me uncomfortable. Like... what?? I find it a really weird way to describe someone just because they're taller and more muscular than average. And if his personality was really rough amd cruel, I would at least get it. But he was just socially awkward and just kept to himself and was 'brooding' or whatever. And the constant mention of his 'gigantic feet' and his 'gigantic hands'... we get it... his hands and feet are big...
I'm going to stop typing now. This is long enough and writing negative reviews always makes me sad, I personally dream of becoming an author, but I'm not an author, I'm a reviewer, and I'm going to stay honest about my opinions.
I don't know if it's fair for me to add a rating because I didn't finish the whole book, and therefore can not give a rating based on the whole book, only the first 40%, but based on what I've read, it's a 2 star for me. Maybe a 1.5... Yeah, 1.5 feels more accurate, because a 2 star rating would mean I actually enjoying something, which is not the case.
I hate, HATE, DNFing books. My mind works this way: finish what you started, so you can include it in your 'read in 2021' list, and the days you tried reading this weren't for nothing. So at first I forced myself to continue reading, but I just could. not. get. interested.
And that sucks, because I was so excited for this book! I expected it to be one of my favorites! I really like fairytale retellings, and this book sounded so awesome!
But the plot was really boring. I couldn't care less about the characters, the only feeling I ever felt reading this, was annoyed. The main character, Jaya, is so controlling, especially over her sister. And, well, just annoying in general. I've read some mixed reviews, some say she gets better, some say she doesn't, but I don't have enough patience to find out. I also didn't like how in the beginning she played a little dumb to make Grey fall in love with her. You don't have to act dumb for someone to fall in love with you - intelligence is really attractive.
While reading a book, I usually write down my thoughts in the notes app in my phone, because I'm the kind of person who would forget everything once I'm writing the review. Most of the time the thoughts I write down are negative, so yeah this might come off as really negative. But to be honest, that's how I feel.
I'm a little confused whether this is a fantasy or contemporary? The cure gives me mostly fantasy vibes, but that's all the fantasy elements there is.
I might be the only one bothered by this, I haven't seen other people point this out, but: Europeans don't randomly say words in their native language. We don't. I see it happen in a lot of books, shows and movies, where Europeans - or anyone who's native language is English, doesn't even have to be just European, would just say some words in their own language, like 'yes' or any words in the middle of an English sentence. That's not how we speak English. Yes, if were caught of guard, we might swear in our native language, but we don't just casually speak a mix. But the French character in this book could barely say one sentence without random words being in French.
The switching point of views were a little annoying. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing different point of views, but only if they start at a new chapter. And if it changes in the middle of the page, then only if the new POV has a different storyline and takes place somewhere else.
The last thing I want to talk about - I promise after that I'm done ranting, was the way Grey was described. 'Feral', 'a beast', 'wild', and multiple times his feet or hands were 'gigantic'. It made me uncomfortable. Like... what?? I find it a really weird way to describe someone just because they're taller and more muscular than average. And if his personality was really rough amd cruel, I would at least get it. But he was just socially awkward and just kept to himself and was 'brooding' or whatever. And the constant mention of his 'gigantic feet' and his 'gigantic hands'... we get it... his hands and feet are big...
I'm going to stop typing now. This is long enough and writing negative reviews always makes me sad, I personally dream of becoming an author, but I'm not an author, I'm a reviewer, and I'm going to stay honest about my opinions.