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A review by theeditorreads
Empire High Untouchables by Ivy Smoak
4.0
Synopsis:
The Hunter and the Caldwell brothers are The Untouchables of Empire High. A school where Brooklyn Sanders started a week ago. Niece of the janitor, Brooklyn thinks that rather it is she and her ‘scholarship student’ friend Kennedy Alcaraz who are the actual untouchables in the posh Empire High.
Sixteen-year-old Brooklyn has been noticing the brothers from her first day in school. But she seems to have eyes only for Matthew Caldwell. After all that she has had to face recently, it is only him who makes her feel alive. But in this high school where the poor students are treated as pariahs, will Matt even notice her?
Review:
James and Robert Hunter, and Mason and Matthew Caldwell are the royalty of Empire High. They live in their own world, aloof from most of the other students. After losing her mother and still not settled in her new school, Brooklyn lives in the constant fear of something bad about to happen.
Narrated in the first person from Brooklyn’s perspective, this is a story of high school drama, of broken hearts, of finding love, of letting it tear you apart. Of the sadness that is a part and parcel of our lives and yet about trying to find the silver linings in the heavy clouds that loom over the horizon. Brooklyn knows that Matt is bad news for her, especially the way he treats her – like some dirty secret – and yet she always finds her way back to him. There’s also a potential love triangle, but to answer the author’s question at the end of the book, I am and always will be #TeamMatt. Sigh!
I felt the build-up was too slow. It felt too late, with Matt blowing hot and cold simultaneously. He felt all kinds of sweet to me though, towards the end. But then I wasn’t expecting the cliff-hanger. Though the fact that I will get more of Brooklyn and Matt makes my heart sing with joy! This is the first book I’m reading by [a:Ivy Smoak|13490770|Ivy Smoak|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1571161081p2/13490770.jpg], even though her [b:Made of Steel|42378408|Made of Steel (Made of Steel #1)|Ivy Smoak|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539790108l/42378408._SX50_.jpg|55554353] Series has been on my TBR for a long time. Now, I look forward to reading her books.
There are so many things I’m looking forward to in the sequel. What is it exactly that Matt’s hiding? And the ending was something I wasn’t expecting at all. What a shocker it was! I can’t wait for the next book. This one had a tone of sadness running throughout the story which ended with another tragedy. But there was an inkling of a happy ever after too, so I will just hope for the best.
P.S. This would have been a solid five stars for me but for a little reference that I found problematic. The word ‘raped’ is casually thrown around – in jest – even if it was mentioned only once and that too in a chat between two girls. But what I think is that it is not a word that can be casually used, ever!
Thank you to InkSlinger PR for an e-ARC of the book.
My review of the books in the Empire High Series is as follows:
Empire High Untouchables | Empire High Elite | Empire High Betrayal
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
The Hunter and the Caldwell brothers are The Untouchables of Empire High. A school where Brooklyn Sanders started a week ago. Niece of the janitor, Brooklyn thinks that rather it is she and her ‘scholarship student’ friend Kennedy Alcaraz who are the actual untouchables in the posh Empire High.
Sixteen-year-old Brooklyn has been noticing the brothers from her first day in school. But she seems to have eyes only for Matthew Caldwell. After all that she has had to face recently, it is only him who makes her feel alive. But in this high school where the poor students are treated as pariahs, will Matt even notice her?
Review:
James and Robert Hunter, and Mason and Matthew Caldwell are the royalty of Empire High. They live in their own world, aloof from most of the other students. After losing her mother and still not settled in her new school, Brooklyn lives in the constant fear of something bad about to happen.
Narrated in the first person from Brooklyn’s perspective, this is a story of high school drama, of broken hearts, of finding love, of letting it tear you apart. Of the sadness that is a part and parcel of our lives and yet about trying to find the silver linings in the heavy clouds that loom over the horizon. Brooklyn knows that Matt is bad news for her, especially the way he treats her – like some dirty secret – and yet she always finds her way back to him. There’s also a potential love triangle, but to answer the author’s question at the end of the book, I am and always will be #TeamMatt. Sigh!
I felt the build-up was too slow. It felt too late, with Matt blowing hot and cold simultaneously. He felt all kinds of sweet to me though, towards the end. But then I wasn’t expecting the cliff-hanger. Though the fact that I will get more of Brooklyn and Matt makes my heart sing with joy! This is the first book I’m reading by [a:Ivy Smoak|13490770|Ivy Smoak|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1571161081p2/13490770.jpg], even though her [b:Made of Steel|42378408|Made of Steel (Made of Steel #1)|Ivy Smoak|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539790108l/42378408._SX50_.jpg|55554353] Series has been on my TBR for a long time. Now, I look forward to reading her books.
There are so many things I’m looking forward to in the sequel. What is it exactly that Matt’s hiding? And the ending was something I wasn’t expecting at all. What a shocker it was! I can’t wait for the next book. This one had a tone of sadness running throughout the story which ended with another tragedy. But there was an inkling of a happy ever after too, so I will just hope for the best.
P.S. This would have been a solid five stars for me but for a little reference that I found problematic. The word ‘raped’ is casually thrown around – in jest – even if it was mentioned only once and that too in a chat between two girls. But what I think is that it is not a word that can be casually used, ever!
Thank you to InkSlinger PR for an e-ARC of the book.
My review of the books in the Empire High Series is as follows:
Empire High Untouchables | Empire High Elite | Empire High Betrayal
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings