Scan barcode
A review by kikiisreading
Collided by Lauren Asher
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Spoiler alert!!
Right from the start, I am German so I have my opinion on some things mentioned. Of course my opinion still isn't universal so, if you are German too but disagree with what I am saying: good that you could oversee it or that it just didn't bother you.
First, that's absolutely personal, and not something that could be really named as negative but why was "Elise" spelled with an y? I don't know why it bothered me so much but it did.
I know the Oktoberfest is, at least from what I have heard, really an excuse to drink double your weight and all and many wear Lederhosen OR DIRNDL but I hate it that this is the picture always potrayed, with of course the accent, no matter how much English you speak.
It's always beer drinking, celebrating the Oktoberfest and everyone wears Lederhosen, was just waiting for Bratwurst to appear. (Can't grasp that I mention all that in a review about an English fiction book.) Also I don't know in which universe Lederhosen are attractive but that's maybe just me. Again, also that apparently everyone is wearing them, when Dirndl are the women's wear for traditional clothing here. It feels a little stereotypical, especially with the 90% blondes with blue eyes that we encountered when it was about Germany and all. Or of course Liam's father drinking a beer with Jax and Liam being all prideful about how "we" are good drinkers and how Sophie's drinking (if I remember correctly) is insulting. I know a lot are actually like that, and it's unfortunately a stereotype with enough people feeding into it but that doesn't mean you have or should use it and I personally just dislike it. But maybe that's also due to the fact that I cringe whenever underage people and even those who should know better are full of pride whenever the problematic and unhealthy drinking problem- uh I mean situation is mentioned. So maybe a mixture of [bad] stereotypes and me hating that this is often how people here even potray themselves.
Liam and Sophie...
Sophie is quirky and not like others, natural, wears sneakers and you would never catch her with a... salad. Ew, am I right? The salad, not Sophie of course. No, I loved Sophie, I loved her being funny and witty and her way to talk and level of sarcasm and all but the salad thing and all other "not like the others" irked me the wrong way.
Liam... for a long time it seemed like he loved her body and looks more than anything and not her and I mean it was different and maybe it was his aversion for love but some comments were not it. Especially the one about, if she were a lesbian he would be the man to convince her she isn't because ew. I hope the intentions were "pure" (as pure as can be with THAT) but that was not it. Or constantly thinking or talking about how he never accepts no or will have her in the end because no matter what she says she WILL give in. I just don't go that way, that's not cute or romantic or attractive, it's really off-putting so I have to say, yes it's book two but Liam is my least favourite. Jax is fighting that spot with some things he has said but for that I have to continue reading.
But they both evolved and I loved how Sophie stood up for herself and figured it out: she has to live for herself.
Besides that, the list thing was present but not as exciting as thought, but that's me apparently not being as interested in that plot. Also Johanna's death was like wtf why did she have to die? (Wtf as in I was sad and shocked, it was a good plot.) And I am so happy for Liam getting closer to his family again.
And the end??? Hello? Makes me wish for a "second generation" series. Hope we also see more of that. I think I wanted to write more but that's gone. Over all it was a good read, I enjoyed it and I just can repeat that I love her (Asher) writing and way to tell stories.
*edit: now I know what I forgot; for some unknown reason weight was a little bigger topic than in any other Asher books. Putting aside that Sophie has the gene of eating what she wants in apparently ridiculous amounts without gaining weight and her distaste for veggies. It was mentioned several times that she is so light and skinny. SHE doesn't need to lose weight, she is probably just 100lbs, for my metric pals: that's around 45kg. And okay apparently she is tiny and it's not stated as a fact that she is 100lbs but I don't know what to think.
**edit: I also didn't know we Germans are known for our big Christmas celebration, maybe my town is just too small and it's just towns like that, that aren't that big but uh yeah.
Right from the start, I am German so I have my opinion on some things mentioned. Of course my opinion still isn't universal so, if you are German too but disagree with what I am saying: good that you could oversee it or that it just didn't bother you.
First, that's absolutely personal, and not something that could be really named as negative but why was "Elise" spelled with an y? I don't know why it bothered me so much but it did.
I know the Oktoberfest is, at least from what I have heard, really an excuse to drink double your weight and all and many wear Lederhosen OR DIRNDL but I hate it that this is the picture always potrayed, with of course the accent, no matter how much English you speak.
It's always beer drinking, celebrating the Oktoberfest and everyone wears Lederhosen, was just waiting for Bratwurst to appear. (Can't grasp that I mention all that in a review about an English fiction book.) Also I don't know in which universe Lederhosen are attractive but that's maybe just me. Again, also that apparently everyone is wearing them, when Dirndl are the women's wear for traditional clothing here. It feels a little stereotypical, especially with the 90% blondes with blue eyes that we encountered when it was about Germany and all. Or of course Liam's father drinking a beer with Jax and Liam being all prideful about how "we" are good drinkers and how Sophie's drinking (if I remember correctly) is insulting. I know a lot are actually like that, and it's unfortunately a stereotype with enough people feeding into it but that doesn't mean you have or should use it and I personally just dislike it. But maybe that's also due to the fact that I cringe whenever underage people and even those who should know better are full of pride whenever the problematic and unhealthy drinking problem- uh I mean situation is mentioned. So maybe a mixture of [bad] stereotypes and me hating that this is often how people here even potray themselves.
Liam and Sophie...
Sophie is quirky and not like others, natural, wears sneakers and you would never catch her with a... salad. Ew, am I right? The salad, not Sophie of course. No, I loved Sophie, I loved her being funny and witty and her way to talk and level of sarcasm and all but the salad thing and all other "not like the others" irked me the wrong way.
Liam... for a long time it seemed like he loved her body and looks more than anything and not her and I mean it was different and maybe it was his aversion for love but some comments were not it. Especially the one about, if she were a lesbian he would be the man to convince her she isn't because ew. I hope the intentions were "pure" (as pure as can be with THAT) but that was not it. Or constantly thinking or talking about how he never accepts no or will have her in the end because no matter what she says she WILL give in. I just don't go that way, that's not cute or romantic or attractive, it's really off-putting so I have to say, yes it's book two but Liam is my least favourite. Jax is fighting that spot with some things he has said but for that I have to continue reading.
But they both evolved and I loved how Sophie stood up for herself and figured it out: she has to live for herself.
Besides that, the list thing was present but not as exciting as thought, but that's me apparently not being as interested in that plot. Also Johanna's death was like wtf why did she have to die? (Wtf as in I was sad and shocked, it was a good plot.) And I am so happy for Liam getting closer to his family again.
And the end??? Hello? Makes me wish for a "second generation" series. Hope we also see more of that. I think I wanted to write more but that's gone. Over all it was a good read, I enjoyed it and I just can repeat that I love her (Asher) writing and way to tell stories.
*edit: now I know what I forgot; for some unknown reason weight was a little bigger topic than in any other Asher books. Putting aside that Sophie has the gene of eating what she wants in apparently ridiculous amounts without gaining weight and her distaste for veggies. It was mentioned several times that she is so light and skinny. SHE doesn't need to lose weight, she is probably just 100lbs, for my metric pals: that's around 45kg. And okay apparently she is tiny and it's not stated as a fact that she is 100lbs but I don't know what to think.
**edit: I also didn't know we Germans are known for our big Christmas celebration, maybe my town is just too small and it's just towns like that, that aren't that big but uh yeah.