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A review by thespinalstack
Cupid's Match by Lauren Palphreyman
3.0
E-galley provided by Netgalley and Wattpad Books in exchange for an honest review. All quotations and opinions are based off an uncorrected proof.
“Miss Black, we have a big problem…”
The problem is that this book isn’t exactly what the kids call: good. And I would just like to say that I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I enjoy bad books all the time, when they’re actually fun or have any charm to them.
See, this book wasn’t cute, charming, or funny enough to pull off what it was going for and I suppose that’s my biggest compliant. It has this completely cliche, really laughable premise and still takes its self too seriously. It might be the fact that I’m pretty used to Greek/Roman myths being told with a lot of great humor that’s ruined me, but yikes this could have been better.
Lila Black is every stereotypical teenage girl you’ve ever read. There is virtually nothing that makes her at all distinguishable from any of the thousand of teen girl character’s you could ever read about. I had nothing to hold onto from her, she was just lacking all personality.
Cupid himself was a really lack-luster love interest as well. He’s this character that is a walmart brand version of every other paranormal bad boy, but wasn’t even charming? Like- he never said a single witty thing. In fact, he really didn’t do much? Or say much? He’s present in most of the scenes, but never does anything important?
And honestly? If you’re characters have to kiss to show that they are now IN LOVE. (*law and order sound*) Then, it’s not very well-written. Cupid and Lila didn’t like each other and then they did. I couldn’t tell you a single reason why.
To be fair, the events of the book are already starting to blur in my head. No part of the plot stood out to me. I could do a step-by-step walk through of the book and I couldn’t really point out anything that was particularly creative or new. The whole book feels like a flash-back to a period of my life where I just wanted to read YA Paranormal Romance and ONLY that. Back when the trend was “Twilight, but different somehow” and I was living for it.
To be clear, I’m not saying that no one should read this book or that this book is terrible beyond belief. Sometimes, I’m in the mood to read not so great book. Maybe to get over book hangovers or to read something that is so filled with classic tropes you feel like you’ve read it already. I definitely think this book serves a purpose and has the potential to be exactly what someone is looking for.
TL;DR: I didn’t really enjoy this book, but I think that other people can. As long as you like Roman myth, you miss YA paranormal romance circa 2011, and don’t really care if the story is well done or medium.
“Miss Black, we have a big problem…”
The problem is that this book isn’t exactly what the kids call: good. And I would just like to say that I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I enjoy bad books all the time, when they’re actually fun or have any charm to them.
See, this book wasn’t cute, charming, or funny enough to pull off what it was going for and I suppose that’s my biggest compliant. It has this completely cliche, really laughable premise and still takes its self too seriously. It might be the fact that I’m pretty used to Greek/Roman myths being told with a lot of great humor that’s ruined me, but yikes this could have been better.
Lila Black is every stereotypical teenage girl you’ve ever read. There is virtually nothing that makes her at all distinguishable from any of the thousand of teen girl character’s you could ever read about. I had nothing to hold onto from her, she was just lacking all personality.
Cupid himself was a really lack-luster love interest as well. He’s this character that is a walmart brand version of every other paranormal bad boy, but wasn’t even charming? Like- he never said a single witty thing. In fact, he really didn’t do much? Or say much? He’s present in most of the scenes, but never does anything important?
And honestly? If you’re characters have to kiss to show that they are now IN LOVE. (*law and order sound*) Then, it’s not very well-written. Cupid and Lila didn’t like each other and then they did. I couldn’t tell you a single reason why.
To be fair, the events of the book are already starting to blur in my head. No part of the plot stood out to me. I could do a step-by-step walk through of the book and I couldn’t really point out anything that was particularly creative or new. The whole book feels like a flash-back to a period of my life where I just wanted to read YA Paranormal Romance and ONLY that. Back when the trend was “Twilight, but different somehow” and I was living for it.
To be clear, I’m not saying that no one should read this book or that this book is terrible beyond belief. Sometimes, I’m in the mood to read not so great book. Maybe to get over book hangovers or to read something that is so filled with classic tropes you feel like you’ve read it already. I definitely think this book serves a purpose and has the potential to be exactly what someone is looking for.
TL;DR: I didn’t really enjoy this book, but I think that other people can. As long as you like Roman myth, you miss YA paranormal romance circa 2011, and don’t really care if the story is well done or medium.