nononanette's review
3.0
I really liked it. Her characters were all interesting and well developed. Since gang violence played such a pivotal role the book could have been much richer had Cosway been able to make it more vivid, less a plot device. I know it's just a romance so perhaps I'm expecting too much.
tayslibrarybooks's review
2.0
A Crack in Everything (Cracks Duet, #1)
2.5 stars
'Because I can only see my dreams clearly when I look through you first
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this book. The synopsis is very vague and I wasn't sure if that vague-ness would carry over into the actual prose. Unfortunately, A Crack in Everything seemed to suffer from an identity crisis.
Set in a low-income housing block in Dublin, Ireland, the novel follows Evelyn - known as Ev - through her final year of college. While it is categorized as a romance novel, it can also be read as a coming of age story.
I had two main problems with A Crack in Everything: first, that Cosway tells so much throughout the story. Instead of showing us scenes where Evelyn falls in love with Dylan, it is told to the reader through paragraphs of exposition. There are moments of good prose, but those are overshadowed by the clunky way that the story unfolds.
The second problem
2.5 stars
'Because I can only see my dreams clearly when I look through you first
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this book. The synopsis is very vague and I wasn't sure if that vague-ness would carry over into the actual prose. Unfortunately, A Crack in Everything seemed to suffer from an identity crisis.
Set in a low-income housing block in Dublin, Ireland, the novel follows Evelyn - known as Ev - through her final year of college. While it is categorized as a romance novel, it can also be read as a coming of age story.
I had two main problems with A Crack in Everything: first, that Cosway tells so much throughout the story. Instead of showing us scenes where Evelyn falls in love with Dylan, it is told to the reader through paragraphs of exposition. There are moments of good prose, but those are overshadowed by the clunky way that the story unfolds.
The second problem
Spoiler
was Cosway's implementation of the 'kill the gays' trope. With the death of Evelyn's best friend Sam, it only served to create growth for Ev and tension for her and Dylan's relationship rather than actually to center around Sam.hawful's review
3.0
I've been a fan of Cosway since Tegan days!
This...? I wanted to like it a lot more than I did.
There was no real flow, just a collection of scenes. And with the fact that this is a two-parter, I wanted more conflict.
The abrupt death of Sam seemed forced. That's where Cosway really lost me.
The rating were be lower if I didn't like the little character quirks of Dylan.
This...? I wanted to like it a lot more than I did.
There was no real flow, just a collection of scenes. And with the fact that this is a two-parter, I wanted more conflict.
The abrupt death of Sam seemed forced. That's where Cosway really lost me.
The rating were be lower if I didn't like the little character quirks of Dylan.
suzy76's review
5.0
This was truly a lovely read. Yes I bawled like a baby in parts but it was just felt so true and real and truly gorgeous. I can't wait to read the next.
rachelreadsravenously's review
5.0
5 stars
"You're sunshine, Evelyn, and there's nothing but clouds around here."
I'M NOT CRYING. THERE'S JUST WATER LEAKING OUT OF MY FACE.
Boy am I glad I waited to read this book until part 2 is out. I'm gonna try and squeeze in a semi-comprehensible review here but it's probably just gonna be me screaming all over the place.
Evelyn is a teen living in a bad part of Dublin. One day when he's running away from a gang, Dylan rushes into Evelyn's apartment for a place to hide. From then on the two become friends and then more. But there are sinister forces working against the two of them that threaten to tear them apart.
"It was warm here. And safe. I loved kissing him. I could kiss him forever. If only I could."
I basically spent the first half of the book like this:
And the last fourth of the book like this:
What can I say, I love this book! And then it ripped my cold little heart to shreds. LH Cosway is Queen of the Feels and I will forever be her devoted servant, taking her heart lashings with every book.
I would say more but honestly I need to dive into book two ASAP so I'm off to do just that!
"I loved Dylan O'Dea. And probably would forever."
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"You're sunshine, Evelyn, and there's nothing but clouds around here."
I'M NOT CRYING. THERE'S JUST WATER LEAKING OUT OF MY FACE.
Boy am I glad I waited to read this book until part 2 is out. I'm gonna try and squeeze in a semi-comprehensible review here but it's probably just gonna be me screaming all over the place.
Evelyn is a teen living in a bad part of Dublin. One day when he's running away from a gang, Dylan rushes into Evelyn's apartment for a place to hide. From then on the two become friends and then more. But there are sinister forces working against the two of them that threaten to tear them apart.
"It was warm here. And safe. I loved kissing him. I could kiss him forever. If only I could."
I basically spent the first half of the book like this:
And the last fourth of the book like this:
What can I say, I love this book! And then it ripped my cold little heart to shreds. LH Cosway is Queen of the Feels and I will forever be her devoted servant, taking her heart lashings with every book.
I would say more but honestly I need to dive into book two ASAP so I'm off to do just that!
"I loved Dylan O'Dea. And probably would forever."
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
inkledoo's review
I’m sorry L H Cosway, but I couldn’t finish this. Got about 30% in and couldn’t handle the awkward, unnatural dialogue. The heroine was way too positive, and peppy, while the hero was way too irrationally grumpy and ranty. The characters also seemed to act super immature way too immature for their ages.
This makes me sad, because I love me a good book by this author; however, I feel like I’m either hit or miss with them. Totally in love, or can’t finish them.
This makes me sad, because I love me a good book by this author; however, I feel like I’m either hit or miss with them. Totally in love, or can’t finish them.
bookpauper's review
5.0
I thought the story was so beautiful. I started reading before bed and I was like, "Welp, it's time to hit the sack, that's a good couple of chapters down". I stopped to bookmark and realized I was 3/4 of the way through! I was so wrapped up in the book I put myself in a wonderful booky timewarp.
All of the characters are nuanced and real. They're clever and relatable and I couldn't help but root for them. I love L.H's words. I love the hopeful sadness. Fantastic.
All of the characters are nuanced and real. They're clever and relatable and I couldn't help but root for them. I love L.H's words. I love the hopeful sadness. Fantastic.
astridthebookishsweettooth's review
5.0
Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books
Dreaming big is the only way to get away from the harsh reality of living in a neighborhood in Dublin, where bleakness and gang violence rule the daily life of their inhabitants. It's what Dylan does - he is determined to leave this part of his life behind.
Evelyn doesn't have aspirations like that - her mom had her when she was 15, pretty much the average age for girls to get pregnant in that quarter of Dublin. Her aunt, a very young woman with hopes and dreams of her own took her in. This is the setting when A CRACK IN EVERYTHING starts.
Evelyn has a sunny, optimistic personality. While she realizes that the place she lives in isn't ideal she always looks for the good things in her life. Always on her side, having her back, supporting and loving her are her aunt Yvonne and her best, gay friend, Sam. When Dylan crashes into her life she not only finds a friend but a love so deep it could last a life time.
Dylan is the realist to Evelyn's optimist. Her positive outlook on life is what draws him to her. He looks at the bleak life ahead if he stays in the same place but Ev is the light that breaks through the clouds for him.
I am completely in love. Totally and 100%. Evelyn and Dylan experience first love like any teenager. Like any teenager they feel that it will last forever and in their case I would even agree. It's all-encompassing and deep.
... I can only see my dreams clearly when I look through you first.”
My insides blared on loudspeaker, while my voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t understand.”
Dylan gave a sad laugh. “I just feel like any achievements are pointless unless I have you by my side.”
In a heartbeat, I saw an entire life, a timeline of seventy or more years, with the only constant being Dylan’s hand in mine.
However, life and tragedy don't stop, not even for love. I loved, laughed and cried with the characters of this story. Sam, Evelyn's best friend, in particular stole my heart. He was an amazing friend, didn't have a filter and called people out on their BS. Just as wonderful was Yvonne, Evelyn's aunt. What a good heart this woman has.
Dylan, oh my, good to the core, honest, serious, an old soul if you will - he adored Evelyn, it was plain to see and he never held back to show her. He stood up for her and protected her. Dylan shot up the ranks to one of my favorite heroes, he is so incredibly special. His talent, to be able to smell the finest nuances of fragrances, is also unusual and makes him stand out of the mass of main characters.
Finally, Evelyn - her talent is gardening and it complements Dylan's perfectly.I loved the bright light she shone on her friends and especially on Dylan, who often fixated on the gloom and doom in his life. She was so good at pulling him out of it. Until she broke too.
One thing I wanted to mention which didn't make complete sense to me...Evelyn waited to have sex atypically long - Dylan is her first and they don't use protection. They don't even talk about it. It's Sam who actually raises the issue. It wasn't exactly plausible and completely out of character for somebody as cautious as Evelyn to have unprotected sex.
It didn't make sense to me given the time she waited for her first time and what she knew about her mom and other girls in the neighborhood who became pregnant as teenagers - however, that is nitpicking, because the first installment was otherwise perfection.
“God, we make me sick sometimes.” I chuckled. “We make me sick sometimes, too.”
A Crack in Everything is the first installment about an epic love that is unbearable to watch being torn apart because it's not the main character's doing that makes it happen. L.H. Cosway captures the atmosphere of the dreary, a little hopeless life in a working class quarter in Dublin. I wish I could tell you every little thing that I loved about this book but my review would become so long you wouldn't read it - that is if I haven't lost you already.
The story ends on cliffhanger and what a cliffhanger it is.
There was a crack in me now, and someday it was going to expand and swallow me whole.
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