Scan barcode
A review by sotnasck
Idol by Kristen Callihan
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I haven't been writing "proper" reviews for quite some time. I simply cannot be bothered anymore so I rate it and call it a day, but this series was a recommendation from two friends that are really into this series and wanted to share it with me for the longest time (bless their hearts they do not give up on me no matter how bitchy I always am towards romance books)... So here am I writing a review again.
And where to begin? Guess I should say that the book is not terrible. Is it good? No. But frankly, I can see why people love it... And it has a lot of potential, the issue lies of course on said potential not being explored.
Everything. Happens. So. Fast. So much stuff happening without being processed, without the plot breathing, that I've read this book not a week ago and have already forgotten what the hell happened for most of it. Possibly nothing did happen. Everything is touched only on the surface. (Except for sex, we're on that all the time, and here is important to say that there is a difference, for me, between the characters being horny and the narrative being too sexual, and unrelated but worth mentioning the slightly sexist layer in some instances in the book).
I could see that there was greatness buried underneath the clingy relationship but the book never went there and that's very frustrating.
And if I say clingy, I mean it. Not only it happened ridiculously fast but it went downhill fast too. From their meeting (honey please don't take the naked drunk inside your house, that's unsafe as hell) to the instant "I must have you in my life so I will pressure you into coming out of your comfort zone so I can have what I want" to the instant "the only thing that matters in my life is this dude I met not even a summer ago" etc, etc, and if I keep saying instant it's because it felt that way. It was like the world would end if they were not together for a minute. The only thing worse than these two is the ridiculous baby doll pet name, I honestly wanted to throw my phone across the room everytime I had to read that, and it was way too many times. It added to my dislike of the character that it was already high on its own without having to deal with him calling his girlfriend the most ridiculous names. Bringing me to, Killian. What a disappointment. No, scratch that, to be disappointed I'd need some expectations and there was none, I was not sold from the start. (There was for Libby, who started as witty and funny and ended as, well, none of that because she blended herself into that bland relationship)... Killian is incredibly selfish, self centered, he thinks he's funny and charming but he is just annoying. Anyway, enough of these two.
Let me talk about the positive stuff because there is some! Music and how it's connected to the story, characters and relationships. A few of the characters make up for the protagonists. Some themes are good, even though superficially touched. And it was an easy book to read, it flows, no unnecessary dramas.
All in all, it's okay. Reading the rest of the series because my friends convinced me that it gets better. And spoiler! it does.
And where to begin? Guess I should say that the book is not terrible. Is it good? No. But frankly, I can see why people love it... And it has a lot of potential, the issue lies of course on said potential not being explored.
Everything. Happens. So. Fast. So much stuff happening without being processed, without the plot breathing, that I've read this book not a week ago and have already forgotten what the hell happened for most of it. Possibly nothing did happen. Everything is touched only on the surface. (Except for sex, we're on that all the time, and here is important to say that there is a difference, for me, between the characters being horny and the narrative being too sexual, and unrelated but worth mentioning the slightly sexist layer in some instances in the book).
I could see that there was greatness buried underneath the clingy relationship but the book never went there and that's very frustrating.
And if I say clingy, I mean it. Not only it happened ridiculously fast but it went downhill fast too. From their meeting (honey please don't take the naked drunk inside your house, that's unsafe as hell) to the instant "I must have you in my life so I will pressure you into coming out of your comfort zone so I can have what I want" to the instant "the only thing that matters in my life is this dude I met not even a summer ago" etc, etc, and if I keep saying instant it's because it felt that way. It was like the world would end if they were not together for a minute. The only thing worse than these two is the ridiculous baby doll pet name, I honestly wanted to throw my phone across the room everytime I had to read that, and it was way too many times. It added to my dislike of the character that it was already high on its own without having to deal with him calling his girlfriend the most ridiculous names. Bringing me to, Killian. What a disappointment. No, scratch that, to be disappointed I'd need some expectations and there was none, I was not sold from the start. (There was for Libby, who started as witty and funny and ended as, well, none of that because she blended herself into that bland relationship)... Killian is incredibly selfish, self centered, he thinks he's funny and charming but he is just annoying. Anyway, enough of these two.
Let me talk about the positive stuff because there is some! Music and how it's connected to the story, characters and relationships. A few of the characters make up for the protagonists. Some themes are good, even though superficially touched. And it was an easy book to read, it flows, no unnecessary dramas.
All in all, it's okay. Reading the rest of the series because my friends convinced me that it gets better. And spoiler! it does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content