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my_corner_of_the_library's Reviews (320)
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book.....I REALLY loved this book...but...
THE WRITING
I am someone who can really be turned off by a poor writing style, however, the writing style of this book is one of the reasons I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it was insightful and descriptive without being over the top or too flowery. I really felt for these characters, and I felt like the writing was a big part of it.
THE PLOT
This...is where this book goes from a 5 star book to a 4 star book for me. I didn't mind that there wasn't a lot of plot, because I really loved experiencing Addie's life. I loved seeing her flit from year to year, learning the ins and outs of different cities and cultures.
However, what little plot there was ended up being EXTREMELY predictable. There wasn't a single twist in this book that couldn't be seen a mile away, which made the beautiful writing feel a bit like a drag for me.
THE CHARACTERS
I really loved the characters in this book. I felt like they all had their own personality. I will say that there was a bit of a "birds of a feather" thing going on, and every character being an artist of some kind did end up getting kind of old by the end. I would have liked to see a few characters that were scientists or anything that wasn't an artist.
ULTIMATELY...
I really enjoyed reading this book and never felt a struggle to get through it.
THE WRITING
I am someone who can really be turned off by a poor writing style, however, the writing style of this book is one of the reasons I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it was insightful and descriptive without being over the top or too flowery. I really felt for these characters, and I felt like the writing was a big part of it.
THE PLOT
This...is where this book goes from a 5 star book to a 4 star book for me. I didn't mind that there wasn't a lot of plot, because I really loved experiencing Addie's life. I loved seeing her flit from year to year, learning the ins and outs of different cities and cultures.
However, what little plot there was ended up being EXTREMELY predictable. There wasn't a single twist in this book that couldn't be seen a mile away, which made the beautiful writing feel a bit like a drag for me.
THE CHARACTERS
I really loved the characters in this book. I felt like they all had their own personality. I will say that there was a bit of a "birds of a feather" thing going on, and every character being an artist of some kind did end up getting kind of old by the end. I would have liked to see a few characters that were scientists or anything that wasn't an artist.
ULTIMATELY...
I really enjoyed reading this book and never felt a struggle to get through it.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fredrik Backman always delivers....and this one blew me out of the water.
Every single character in this book was unique and special with a backstory that was completely their own. The fact that you barely needed to be told who was talking to identify who was speaking because their voices were all so distinct tells you just how masterfully these characters were developed. And yet...despite the fact that they were all so...themselves, I felt like I had a connection with each of them. I could identify people I knew in each character and see myself in each of them, as well.
As for the plot...I felt like I was taken on a ride. Just like anyone, when there is a mystery in a book I constantly look for hints to try and figure out the "big twist", and in this book every time I would think I had it nailed down Backman would show me that the only reason I thought that is because he lead me there on purpose. As soon as I was 100% convinced of my theory he would turn it around and tell me, "Nope! Try again." Only to find out that the things I was so focused on didn't really matter...in a beautiful way.
When it comes to the writing, I cannot express how moved I was. Backman has a way of mixing simple, straight to the point sentences with beautifully expressed sentiments that had me rethinking so many of my own feelings and also made me feel seen and validated in those feelings. If I was highlighting all the quotes that struck me hard in this book there would be entire chapters highlighted.
Solid 5/5
Every single character in this book was unique and special with a backstory that was completely their own. The fact that you barely needed to be told who was talking to identify who was speaking because their voices were all so distinct tells you just how masterfully these characters were developed. And yet...despite the fact that they were all so...themselves, I felt like I had a connection with each of them. I could identify people I knew in each character and see myself in each of them, as well.
As for the plot...I felt like I was taken on a ride. Just like anyone, when there is a mystery in a book I constantly look for hints to try and figure out the "big twist", and in this book every time I would think I had it nailed down Backman would show me that the only reason I thought that is because he lead me there on purpose. As soon as I was 100% convinced of my theory he would turn it around and tell me, "Nope! Try again." Only to find out that the things I was so focused on didn't really matter...in a beautiful way.
When it comes to the writing, I cannot express how moved I was. Backman has a way of mixing simple, straight to the point sentences with beautifully expressed sentiments that had me rethinking so many of my own feelings and also made me feel seen and validated in those feelings. If I was highlighting all the quotes that struck me hard in this book there would be entire chapters highlighted.
Solid 5/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Infertility, Pregnancy
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My opinion of this book changed several times over the course of reading this chonk of a book...
This book was very long...and it felt very long. That isn't to say that it wasn't an enjoyable read (for the most part), but I definitely felt every page. I found the premise of this book very interesting, and I really appreciated how in depth all of the world building was. This book was actually a five star read for me up until the climax and everything after.
I definitely saw where things were going and I wasn't surprised at all when we got there. I was really looking forward to it, actually. I thought an epic battle between Kira and Ctein and the Maw would be amazing and I was really looking forward it with how much it was built up to. However.....that was the LONGEST climax of my life. There was no need for it to draw out like that. I didn't understand how we could be in the middle of this amazing chase scene or epic battle scene and Kira stops to contemplate all her life decisions that lead to that point....Like....I just read 700+ about all the things she's contemplating. I want to know about the battle that ISN'T being explained!
And then the end where she starts handing out gifts it felt incredibly cheesy. Honestly...I was really reminded of the Wizard of Oz where everyone is receiving their gifts. I...hated it. It felt so random and did NOT fit with the rest of the book at all. There were so many twists along the way that I didn't see coming and that was how it ended?
So taking one star off because I can really see how people would be unsatisfied with the ending.
This book was very long...and it felt very long. That isn't to say that it wasn't an enjoyable read (for the most part), but I definitely felt every page. I found the premise of this book very interesting, and I really appreciated how in depth all of the world building was. This book was actually a five star read for me up until the climax and everything after.
I definitely saw where things were going and I wasn't surprised at all when we got there. I was really looking forward to it, actually. I thought an epic battle between Kira and Ctein and the Maw would be amazing and I was really looking forward it with how much it was built up to. However.....that was the LONGEST climax of my life. There was no need for it to draw out like that. I didn't understand how we could be in the middle of this amazing chase scene or epic battle scene and Kira stops to contemplate all her life decisions that lead to that point....Like....I just read 700+ about all the things she's contemplating. I want to know about the battle that ISN'T being explained!
And then the end where she starts handing out gifts it felt incredibly cheesy. Honestly...I was really reminded of the Wizard of Oz where everyone is receiving their gifts. I...hated it. It felt so random and did NOT fit with the rest of the book at all. There were so many twists along the way that I didn't see coming and that was how it ended?
So taking one star off because I can really see how people would be unsatisfied with the ending.
I'm quite disappointed to be DNFing this book (about 90% complete), but....
I was truly disappointed with this book. I was told it was a hot modern retelling of Hades and Persephone with loads of sex, both vanilla and kinky (including BDSM and orgies). What I wound up getting was a very flat world that made absolutely no sense, characters that did not develop in the slightest, insta love, LOADS of typos and mistakes, and writing that really drew me out of the moment.
The World
Can someone...ANYONE, please explain to me how this world was supposed to work. So...you have the Thirteen (trust me it's "the Thirteen", it was repeated at least 3 dozen times, despite mostly being an inaccurate title) that represent Greek Gods that....aren't Gods? They have no powers, and outside of Olympus, which ultimately seems like just a big city, they have absolutely no bearing on this otherwise completely modern world. They all have major responsibilities that seem to play no real role in their lives, since we don't see any of them actually doing anything. They seem like a really full of themselves city council that ultimately does nothing.
The author makes references to a lot of modern things such as Star Wars, smartphones, high-tech security systems, etc. Yet...no one knows anything about the other half of the city that's just...right over there.
The Characters
One of the things that really got to me was how background all the other characters were, besides Zeus, Persephone, and Hades. There is not a single description of almost anyone in the book besides those three, and when there was it was exclusively skin color. And not even in an artful way. Most characters were described as "The black woman..." or "The middle-aged white man...". Even her sisters and mother were not described in any way other than one sister who had "light brown skin".
The characters in this seem super one-note to me. Persephone and Hades are the only characters that are portrayed as having any growth, but ultimately they end up exactly how they started. Persephone just instantly accepted this whole new world that she knew nothing about and hardly blinked at the existence of Hades who supposedly didn't exist and was portrayed as having this huge character arc from happy perfect socialite to rebellious strong woman...but that didn't really happen? She didn't change at all, just the perception of her changed. Sort of.
Hades kept talking about how he was this majorly intimidating person with a front to put on...that he never actually put on and no one was actually intimidated by. He put on this front for people who didn't know he existed, and therefore no one actually cared...so it's just kind of a side point to his actual personality that ultimately never changed.
The Writing
So...I actually don't have strong feelings about the writing in this book. Overall it was fine, but then there would be moments when I would just ask myself, "Really?"
The Plot
There really wasn't one. What was supposed to be our main conflict really didn't end up mattering, at least until the point I got to. It literally says at several points things like, "We were surprised. Absolutely nothing significant has happened." And then Persephone and Hades would purposely try to start some drama, which didn't amount to anything? I found it very boring for the most part.
The Sex
Ok, this is where I get heated. So buckle up, because here we go.
This book was described as seriously hot and kinky, which is honestly why I picked it up. I could move past the lack of character development and plot if this book actually had some really hot and kinky sex scenes. BUT IT DIDN'T?!?! I feel like I got a completely different book than everyone else. There was absolutely NO BDSM or kink anywhere in this book as far as I got. The CLOSEST the book got was when they were in the "playroom" with the others and while sitting far back in the shadows where no one could see there was some foreplay going on...and then they left to go have sex. They never actually used anything in the playroom, they never actually brought anyone else into the scene, the other people in the room didn't actually have sex themselves while our characters were there, and the bedroom scenes were all the same. SO WHERE WAS THIS KINKY SEX?
As to the actual writing of the scenes, this REALLY got to me. Again, if an author wants to have well-written vanilla sex scenes that's fine, those can be really hot as well, but this wasn't it. I honestly felt like I was reading a first-time writer's scenes off Wattpad. Why do we need to have a line of thought like, "F*ck he's hot," right as something good is happening? Like, yes, I know, you told us that already. Is this the point you need to say it again and interrupt the scene? I kept getting so irritated by this that I tried listening to the audiobook instead, which was a MASSIVE mistake. The female narrator for Persephone would make every "sexy" thing Hades said sound like it was coming from a constipated serial killer....it was awful to try to listen to.
I was truly disappointed with this book. I was told it was a hot modern retelling of Hades and Persephone with loads of sex, both vanilla and kinky (including BDSM and orgies). What I wound up getting was a very flat world that made absolutely no sense, characters that did not develop in the slightest, insta love, LOADS of typos and mistakes, and writing that really drew me out of the moment.
The World
Can someone...ANYONE, please explain to me how this world was supposed to work. So...you have the Thirteen (trust me it's "the Thirteen", it was repeated at least 3 dozen times, despite mostly being an inaccurate title) that represent Greek Gods that....aren't Gods? They have no powers, and outside of Olympus, which ultimately seems like just a big city, they have absolutely no bearing on this otherwise completely modern world. They all have major responsibilities that seem to play no real role in their lives, since we don't see any of them actually doing anything. They seem like a really full of themselves city council that ultimately does nothing.
The author makes references to a lot of modern things such as Star Wars, smartphones, high-tech security systems, etc. Yet...no one knows anything about the other half of the city that's just...right over there.
The Characters
One of the things that really got to me was how background all the other characters were, besides Zeus, Persephone, and Hades. There is not a single description of almost anyone in the book besides those three, and when there was it was exclusively skin color. And not even in an artful way. Most characters were described as "The black woman..." or "The middle-aged white man...". Even her sisters and mother were not described in any way other than one sister who had "light brown skin".
The characters in this seem super one-note to me. Persephone and Hades are the only characters that are portrayed as having any growth, but ultimately they end up exactly how they started. Persephone just instantly accepted this whole new world that she knew nothing about and hardly blinked at the existence of Hades who supposedly didn't exist and was portrayed as having this huge character arc from happy perfect socialite to rebellious strong woman...but that didn't really happen? She didn't change at all, just the perception of her changed. Sort of.
Hades kept talking about how he was this majorly intimidating person with a front to put on...that he never actually put on and no one was actually intimidated by. He put on this front for people who didn't know he existed, and therefore no one actually cared...so it's just kind of a side point to his actual personality that ultimately never changed.
The Writing
So...I actually don't have strong feelings about the writing in this book. Overall it was fine, but then there would be moments when I would just ask myself, "Really?"
The Plot
There really wasn't one. What was supposed to be our main conflict really didn't end up mattering, at least until the point I got to. It literally says at several points things like, "We were surprised. Absolutely nothing significant has happened." And then Persephone and Hades would purposely try to start some drama, which didn't amount to anything? I found it very boring for the most part.
The Sex
Ok, this is where I get heated. So buckle up, because here we go.
This book was described as seriously hot and kinky, which is honestly why I picked it up. I could move past the lack of character development and plot if this book actually had some really hot and kinky sex scenes. BUT IT DIDN'T?!?! I feel like I got a completely different book than everyone else. There was absolutely NO BDSM or kink anywhere in this book as far as I got. The CLOSEST the book got was when they were in the "playroom" with the others and while sitting far back in the shadows where no one could see there was some foreplay going on...and then they left to go have sex. They never actually used anything in the playroom, they never actually brought anyone else into the scene, the other people in the room didn't actually have sex themselves while our characters were there, and the bedroom scenes were all the same. SO WHERE WAS THIS KINKY SEX?
As to the actual writing of the scenes, this REALLY got to me. Again, if an author wants to have well-written vanilla sex scenes that's fine, those can be really hot as well, but this wasn't it. I honestly felt like I was reading a first-time writer's scenes off Wattpad. Why do we need to have a line of thought like, "F*ck he's hot," right as something good is happening? Like, yes, I know, you told us that already. Is this the point you need to say it again and interrupt the scene? I kept getting so irritated by this that I tried listening to the audiobook instead, which was a MASSIVE mistake. The female narrator for Persephone would make every "sexy" thing Hades said sound like it was coming from a constipated serial killer....it was awful to try to listen to.
adventurous
dark
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:
Complicated
So...I was pleasantly surprised by this book
Going into this book I thought to myself, "I'm either going to love this book or hate this book." Given how disappointed I've been in so many YA books recently, I really didn't have too high of hopes. However, I was really pleasantly surprised. It didn't end up being the book I wanted or expected, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
I went into this book hoping for a dark siren and pirates tale, and that isn't exactly what I got. But what I DID end up getting was a cute, slow burn relationship between the main characters, a wholesome family dynamic among Elian's family and an ADORABLE relationship between Kye and Madrid.
Guys, I had no idea how much I wanted a wholesome loving family dynamic among a royal family until I read this book and found myself feeling so giddy that I would audibly go, "Awww" when they were all together. When it came to Kye and Madrid I was ABSOLUTELY preparing myself for one or both of them to die because they were too cute for a fantasy book.
As far as the writing goes....eh. There wasn't much I hated about this book, though I will say the pacing felt a bit...all over the place. Some fights would happen in the matter of a page and I would wish they were a little more detailed, whereas others felt like they took WAY too long. The climax seemed to be almost a quarter of the book.
Ultimately a solid 4 stars for me.
Going into this book I thought to myself, "I'm either going to love this book or hate this book." Given how disappointed I've been in so many YA books recently, I really didn't have too high of hopes. However, I was really pleasantly surprised. It didn't end up being the book I wanted or expected, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
I went into this book hoping for a dark siren and pirates tale, and that isn't exactly what I got. But what I DID end up getting was a cute, slow burn relationship between the main characters, a wholesome family dynamic among Elian's family and an ADORABLE relationship between Kye and Madrid.
Guys, I had no idea how much I wanted a wholesome loving family dynamic among a royal family until I read this book and found myself feeling so giddy that I would audibly go, "Awww" when they were all together. When it came to Kye and Madrid I was ABSOLUTELY preparing myself for one or both of them to die because they were too cute for a fantasy book.
As far as the writing goes....eh. There wasn't much I hated about this book, though I will say the pacing felt a bit...all over the place. Some fights would happen in the matter of a page and I would wish they were a little more detailed, whereas others felt like they took WAY too long. The climax seemed to be almost a quarter of the book.
Ultimately a solid 4 stars for me.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Why did I like this book? That is the question I asked myself so many times I can’t count.
Going in having a vague idea of the plot…..Why do I want to read this?
Seeing how possessive all the men were and how poorly they treated our MC….Why am I enjoying this?
Watching the MC get SA’d and then almost immediately get over it…Why am I not mad at her, and why do I support her?
Answer? I have absolutely no idea…It may be because this is exactly what I expected going into this book, and therefore had different expectations of this than I do for most books, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. If I was rating this purely based on my enjoyment of reading this book it would probably be 5 stars, however I like to ask myself if I can understand why people wouldn’t like a book, and I absolutely see it.
Was the writing amazing? Not particularly…
Was the plot mind bending or inspirational? Not particularly…
Were the characters novel, one way or the other, or overly lovable? Not particularly…
But did I genuinely enjoy every moment of this book? Absolutely.
Going in having a vague idea of the plot…..Why do I want to read this?
Seeing how possessive all the men were and how poorly they treated our MC….Why am I enjoying this?
Watching the MC get SA’d and then almost immediately get over it…Why am I not mad at her, and why do I support her?
Answer? I have absolutely no idea…It may be because this is exactly what I expected going into this book, and therefore had different expectations of this than I do for most books, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. If I was rating this purely based on my enjoyment of reading this book it would probably be 5 stars, however I like to ask myself if I can understand why people wouldn’t like a book, and I absolutely see it.
Was the writing amazing? Not particularly…
Was the plot mind bending or inspirational? Not particularly…
Were the characters novel, one way or the other, or overly lovable? Not particularly…
But did I genuinely enjoy every moment of this book? Absolutely.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After my read of To Kill A Kingdom I found myself really craving a sexy, magical pirate story. I wanted Pirates of the Caribbean meets smut…that’s how I found this book, and oh boy…I DEVOURED EVERY PAGE.
Is this my favorite book of all time with absolutely no criticism? Not at all. But, did I love every page and did it fill my need for such a book? YES.
So what did I love? A strong, sassy, MC who is fierce and not afraid to be the badass she is. A tall dark and handsome love interest that is smooth talking with eyes for only our MC and will slay the world to get her back. A loyal crew that is more like friends that stand by our MC through the worst of times without question. A second love interest that is poised and beautiful that falls apart for no one else.
What didn’t I love? Well…
I hate talking bad about this book, but there were things I wasn’t a fan of. The biggest one would be Bennet’s time on the HMS Blitz. I was so looking forward to watching how Bennet navigated being part of ship that wasn’t hers and had such a different culture, but instead we spent literally the entire time in the bedroom obsessing over sex. Now I am as horny as the next smut reader, but it just seemed like too much and really started to feel repetitive and like I was missing out on any plot during that time.
Also…I understand this was a smutty book, and I went into it with the expectations of there being a lot…but the entire plot revolved around sex, and by the end it started to feel like too much. How is it possible that throughout the entire time of this book and every situation Bennet found herself in the one and only focus and solution to any problem was sex?
Need information? Seduce, repeatedly.
Get captured? Immediate SA attempt.
Saved from SA attempt and need an escape plan? Seduce
Taken to another ship? Repeatedly assaulted.
Saved from ship? Reward with sex.
Need another escape plan? Sex.
And that’s like…only half the book. I just felt that there could have been some other focus in the book instead of everything revolving around sex.
Is this my favorite book of all time with absolutely no criticism? Not at all. But, did I love every page and did it fill my need for such a book? YES.
So what did I love? A strong, sassy, MC who is fierce and not afraid to be the badass she is. A tall dark and handsome love interest that is smooth talking with eyes for only our MC and will slay the world to get her back. A loyal crew that is more like friends that stand by our MC through the worst of times without question. A second love interest that is poised and beautiful that falls apart for no one else.
What didn’t I love? Well…
I hate talking bad about this book, but there were things I wasn’t a fan of. The biggest one would be Bennet’s time on the HMS Blitz. I was so looking forward to watching how Bennet navigated being part of ship that wasn’t hers and had such a different culture, but instead we spent literally the entire time in the bedroom obsessing over sex. Now I am as horny as the next smut reader, but it just seemed like too much and really started to feel repetitive and like I was missing out on any plot during that time.
Also…I understand this was a smutty book, and I went into it with the expectations of there being a lot…but the entire plot revolved around sex, and by the end it started to feel like too much. How is it possible that throughout the entire time of this book and every situation Bennet found herself in the one and only focus and solution to any problem was sex?
Need information? Seduce, repeatedly.
Get captured? Immediate SA attempt.
Saved from SA attempt and need an escape plan? Seduce
Taken to another ship? Repeatedly assaulted.
Saved from ship? Reward with sex.
Need another escape plan? Sex.
And that’s like…only half the book. I just felt that there could have been some other focus in the book instead of everything revolving around sex.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail
DNF @ 115 Pages
This is a unique review for me. Typically when I DNF a book it largely has to do with writing I don’t like or a plot that doesn’t make sense. HOWEVER, this book had beautiful writing and an intriguing plot. For the first time, what really drove me away from this book to the point of DNFing was the characters, which will be what I focus on in this review.
I really, really, REALLY hated both main characters in this book.
When it came to our unnamed MC I seriously disliked being in her head. She was self patronizing and naiver than hell. Every time Maxim would blink funny she would go down a depressive hole that would ruin her whole day because she was blaming herself. She fell completely in love with a guy she admittedly knew absolutely nothing about, and wasn’t brave enough to ask any details of. She would recognize how terribly he treated her (comparing his treatment of her to the treatment of the dog several times) and still beat herself up constant for not getting his approval. She was whiny and annoying to the point I could not stand to be in her head any longer.
Next is Maxim…what a gem. Rude, secretive, hot headed, degrading, condescending, and a blatant cradle robber. He would constantly tell our MC how he only liked her because she was young, naive, and pretty. She didn’t ask him questions about his life and would weep at every strong word he gave her…isn’t that what everyone looks for in a partner in life? Yes, I think it might be if you are a controlling psychopath that definitely has bodies in the basement.
I can see how people would love this book for the plot and writing, but it is beyond me how anyone enjoys being in our MC’s head and constantly thinking about such a toxic relationship.
This is a unique review for me. Typically when I DNF a book it largely has to do with writing I don’t like or a plot that doesn’t make sense. HOWEVER, this book had beautiful writing and an intriguing plot. For the first time, what really drove me away from this book to the point of DNFing was the characters, which will be what I focus on in this review.
I really, really, REALLY hated both main characters in this book.
When it came to our unnamed MC I seriously disliked being in her head. She was self patronizing and naiver than hell. Every time Maxim would blink funny she would go down a depressive hole that would ruin her whole day because she was blaming herself. She fell completely in love with a guy she admittedly knew absolutely nothing about, and wasn’t brave enough to ask any details of. She would recognize how terribly he treated her (comparing his treatment of her to the treatment of the dog several times) and still beat herself up constant for not getting his approval. She was whiny and annoying to the point I could not stand to be in her head any longer.
Next is Maxim…what a gem. Rude, secretive, hot headed, degrading, condescending, and a blatant cradle robber. He would constantly tell our MC how he only liked her because she was young, naive, and pretty. She didn’t ask him questions about his life and would weep at every strong word he gave her…isn’t that what everyone looks for in a partner in life? Yes, I think it might be if you are a controlling psychopath that definitely has bodies in the basement.
I can see how people would love this book for the plot and writing, but it is beyond me how anyone enjoys being in our MC’s head and constantly thinking about such a toxic relationship.