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eloisearchangelobooks 's review for:
Trying To Live With The Dead
by B.L. Brunnemer
I liked this book... and I didn't.
My issues didn't stem from the plot- I loved that. My issue with this story is that the mfc, Alexis, is so heavily marketed as 'not like other girls.' Trying to Live With the Dead perpetuates the narrative that girls who are 'typical females' are petty, jealous, and bitchy creatures, a few are quiet and meek and then there are the girls who are 'not like the others.'
I don't understand why the RH genre can't get to a place where there's not a head bitch trying to tear the mfc down. Let's have girls lift each other up for once.
But anyway, back to my semi-rant.
Alexis would rather have her car fixed than get a new pair of shoes (upon saying this, the men around Alexis fall in love with her!), she knows how football works and she can punch a guy in the dick. She also has no other girl friends because they can be 'so much drama.' And, oh yeah, she also manages to attract slimy men wherever she goes. There's not a bar, party, or event she goes to that doesn't end in a dude trying to grope her and then a fight breaking out.
There was a time in my reading of these RH novels where I could completely overlook this trope and keep on enjoying, but Trying to Live With the Dead tried this reader's patience.
Other than this tired, tired trope, I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the ghosts and the search to figure out what was going wrong. I felt like Lexi and her magic's progression was unique and well-written.
I even enjoyed the boys. When they weren't too busy telling Alexis she wasn't like other girls, they were actually pretty cool. They each have a backstory, their own pains, and successes. They were fun to read. That can be tricky with these RH novels. Sometimes the boys blend together or get way oversimplified. That didn't happen with this set of guys.
All in all, I'm excited to see where this series goes. I think there's a lot of potential here.
My issues didn't stem from the plot- I loved that. My issue with this story is that the mfc, Alexis, is so heavily marketed as 'not like other girls.' Trying to Live With the Dead perpetuates the narrative that girls who are 'typical females' are petty, jealous, and bitchy creatures, a few are quiet and meek and then there are the girls who are 'not like the others.'
I don't understand why the RH genre can't get to a place where there's not a head bitch trying to tear the mfc down. Let's have girls lift each other up for once.
But anyway, back to my semi-rant.
Alexis would rather have her car fixed than get a new pair of shoes (upon saying this, the men around Alexis fall in love with her!), she knows how football works and she can punch a guy in the dick. She also has no other girl friends because they can be 'so much drama.' And, oh yeah, she also manages to attract slimy men wherever she goes. There's not a bar, party, or event she goes to that doesn't end in a dude trying to grope her and then a fight breaking out.
There was a time in my reading of these RH novels where I could completely overlook this trope and keep on enjoying, but Trying to Live With the Dead tried this reader's patience.
Other than this tired, tired trope, I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the ghosts and the search to figure out what was going wrong. I felt like Lexi and her magic's progression was unique and well-written.
I even enjoyed the boys. When they weren't too busy telling Alexis she wasn't like other girls, they were actually pretty cool. They each have a backstory, their own pains, and successes. They were fun to read. That can be tricky with these RH novels. Sometimes the boys blend together or get way oversimplified. That didn't happen with this set of guys.
All in all, I'm excited to see where this series goes. I think there's a lot of potential here.