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elisabeth_julia 's review for:
Veiled
by Karina Halle
Oh what a delicious guilty pleasure read!
Veiled isn’t exactly sophisticated or thought provoking, nor is it supposed to be. Have you ever watched “Charmed”? The plot of “Veiled” is basically every other episode of that. Did I care? No. So that’s the “guilty” part.
The "pleasure" comes in the form of the main character, the romance, the relationships dynamics and personality. Ada is strong, brave and funny. Is she the stereotypical “kick-butt”- (aka every other YA) heroine? No. Damsel in distress? Also no. Just someone who is keeping it real. Jay, her romantic love interest is just…damn. (Um, I might have casted Sam Heughan for this in my head…and I like the image…)
…
So. Anyway.
…
Where was I?
Right. The romance. - The romance that is way too much defined by physical attraction, which, on the other hand, is redeemed by the general dynamics between the two. It was so untypical. Most commonly, romances consist of the following: The usual angst (is he into me or is he not?) and pretence (I’m going to pretend I’m not into him) and game-playing (I’m playing hard to get) and misunderstandings and miscommunications that originate from non-communication. These things – usually - get used as plot device over and over in alternations and variations of each other to keep the sexual tension alive (and keep the story longer than 10 pages), which makes my eyes roll. (That’s why I’m not into pure romance novels.)
In “Veiled” there is none of that. All we get is genuine and open curiosity about one another and honesty. Ada isn’t afraid of confrontation and to tell Jay how she feels. Both, Ada and Jay are equally confident, but never arrogant. Confidence like that? That is just sexy. Overall, the dynamics between the two are refreshingly different and wonderfully captured by the author.
But! Yes, there is a “but”. It is the way how Ada, after some sexy stuff goes down, goes on and on (over a page!) about how indescribably life-changing and mind-blowing this experience was for her and how there should be a new definition for mind-blowing, because mind-blowing cannot even start to cover the awesomeness of what happened there. (*Yawn*?) This is so cringe worthy and unnecessary it physically hurts. And I just don’t get it. It’s all telling, no showing. I am not ashamed at all to say that I’d rather read ten more pages of smut that “shows me” and therefore makes me blow my mind too, than reading about how mind-blowing it all is (which is just, ugh,...gross.)
To end this review on a positive note: Did I mention how hilarious this book is? I laughed out loud several times and let me tell you, I’m not the type to laugh out loud while reading. I don’t even LIKE funny. I prefer my entertainment dark and twisty.
Oh, and it was suspenseful too: I finished Veiled in only two sittings.
This certainly won’t be my last Karina Halle book. I need to find out what else this woman can glue me to my reading chair with. (I don’t have a reading chair, but you get what I mean).
Veiled isn’t exactly sophisticated or thought provoking, nor is it supposed to be. Have you ever watched “Charmed”? The plot of “Veiled” is basically every other episode of that. Did I care? No. So that’s the “guilty” part.
The "pleasure" comes in the form of the main character, the romance, the relationships dynamics and personality. Ada is strong, brave and funny. Is she the stereotypical “kick-butt”- (aka every other YA) heroine? No. Damsel in distress? Also no. Just someone who is keeping it real. Jay, her romantic love interest is just…damn. (Um, I might have casted Sam Heughan for this in my head…and I like the image…)
…
So. Anyway.
…
Where was I?
Right. The romance. - The romance that is way too much defined by physical attraction, which, on the other hand, is redeemed by the general dynamics between the two. It was so untypical. Most commonly, romances consist of the following: The usual angst (is he into me or is he not?) and pretence (I’m going to pretend I’m not into him) and game-playing (I’m playing hard to get) and misunderstandings and miscommunications that originate from non-communication. These things – usually - get used as plot device over and over in alternations and variations of each other to keep the sexual tension alive (and keep the story longer than 10 pages), which makes my eyes roll. (That’s why I’m not into pure romance novels.)
In “Veiled” there is none of that. All we get is genuine and open curiosity about one another and honesty. Ada isn’t afraid of confrontation and to tell Jay how she feels. Both, Ada and Jay are equally confident, but never arrogant. Confidence like that? That is just sexy. Overall, the dynamics between the two are refreshingly different and wonderfully captured by the author.
But! Yes, there is a “but”. It is the way how Ada, after some sexy stuff goes down, goes on and on (over a page!) about how indescribably life-changing and mind-blowing this experience was for her and how there should be a new definition for mind-blowing, because mind-blowing cannot even start to cover the awesomeness of what happened there. (*Yawn*?) This is so cringe worthy and unnecessary it physically hurts. And I just don’t get it. It’s all telling, no showing. I am not ashamed at all to say that I’d rather read ten more pages of smut that “shows me” and therefore makes me blow my mind too, than reading about how mind-blowing it all is (which is just, ugh,...gross.)
To end this review on a positive note: Did I mention how hilarious this book is? I laughed out loud several times and let me tell you, I’m not the type to laugh out loud while reading. I don’t even LIKE funny. I prefer my entertainment dark and twisty.
Oh, and it was suspenseful too: I finished Veiled in only two sittings.
This certainly won’t be my last Karina Halle book. I need to find out what else this woman can glue me to my reading chair with. (I don’t have a reading chair, but you get what I mean).