⭐ Pros: the playlist wasn't bad, hate reads are always fun
Cons: ludicrous storyline, characters, relationships, Twilight meets Fast and Furious meets mediocre smut
TWs: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Alcohol, Violence, Death of parent
Hannah is to blame for this one and if I had to go through it, you do too. While I loathe this book entirely... it is the book that got me out of a decade long reading slump so... thanks? However, this was a 3 book long hate read and I won't pretend otherwise. Hannah knew it would be rough for me, she knew I would have big feelings and even bigger opinions about this book, which is why she recommended it to me in the first place. I am, after all, the one who painstakingly finished every single book of the god awful 50 Shades series and I haven't shut up about it since. I didn't choose this life, it chose me.
THE PLOT, THE CHARACTERS, THE WRITING
This book... took years off my life. Honestly, I read it in two days but my brain paid the price. The prologue did a great job of making me think that I was about to enjoy this. However, almost as quickly as the chapters began, so did my realization that this was going to be a pure, unadulterated hate read. I don't actually mind a good hate read and this book delivers. It was a start to finish shit show and I loved/hated every second of it.
The author referenced a lot of music that doesn't suck throughout the book and included a link to a Ravenhood playlist on Spotify. The playlist? Easily the best part of this whole book.
The story instantly parallels Twilight and that won't be the first comparison I make. A young girl moves in with her estranged father after living with and basically parenting her own mother for most of her life. Big Bella vibes. Next, she meets a guy with a raven tattoo on her first day of work and he introduces her to his close knit but outwardly rough family that loves cars (Oh, hello, Dom Toretto. How'd you get in here?)
And of course, the finishing touch would be the smut. The smut takes it out of Twilight and into 50 Shades territory. Just on those comparisons alone, I am already tired. But since we are on the subject...
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SMUT
I admittedly don't vibe with smut the way I'm supposed to; I'm easily irritated by words, scenarios and to be honest, I'm too immature for it to get me going. I mainly end up giggling and screaming, whether the smut is good or not. This book had me screaming but not in a sexy way. Here are some examples:
He rubs his fingers along my walls... I explode, convulsing as I lose myself, calling his name as he jackhammers his tongue along my clit.
Taking his cue, I grip the handles of his chair as he lines up his thick dick at my entrance, and I slowly sink onto him, the angle and intrusion, stretching me full.
Sean begins to lap me up wildly, adding fingers to his assault.
Objectively, this isn't terrible and I'm aware of that but still. If I hadn't been reading this on my phone, I would've thrown the book across the room. I now fully understand the headspace Elvis must've been in when he shot his television. I get it now, King, I'm sorry I judged you.
HERE COME THE SPOILERS CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE SAFE ZONE
Sean was giving Liam Hemsworth levels of dumb and excitable. He is more cliche of a leading man: sensitive, says and does all the right things, has a Zippo light that they referenced 6 times (I counted).
Dom was more stoic and brooding but just as annoying to me. He is quiet with a hard exterior but a sweet side. He reads a lot and keeps to himself. I like it. I like a man who knows when to shut the fuck up.
The waterfall date was fun but I would've been worried about bugs or fish or whatever other random creatures may have become unwillingly involved in my ~sex~.
The pool threesome is one of the worst things... I've ever read. It was fine, but about half way through the exchange, I realized that I was supposed to believe these people - ALL 3 - were fucking while balancing on a pool float in a controlled body of water. ReAlLy?
Last summer, my husband, my best friend and I all got on a larger pool float in our pool in the backyard - no we didn't have sex on it, calm down. Not only did we all fall off several times just attempting to get and stay on the thing, but the next day when I came outside and the float had popped. This just doesn't- I just- IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. They would've been slipping and sliding all over the place, water up noses and getting feet stuck in random cup holders. Thanks, I hated it.
Overall, this book sucked. The story was shit, the characters were annoying, the stakes/drama was so dumb I didn't care even slightly. I would recommend it for a hate read or if you are looking for a book like this that requires no critical thinking, in that sense, it is very readable.
Also, please enjoy my GoodReads review and follow me there if you'd like! This review is a great summary of all the things I plan to discuss at length below.
HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
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