revengelyne's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
0.5
This definitely going to be another "it's not me, it's you" review.
I don't know why but the bully romances I have been reading lately have been nothing but misses. They have promising premises like this one that gain my interest and end up being a huge disappointment in the end. The female lead is always drawn to where the filthy rich tend to send their heirs to learn how to take over their family business, but the boys are always these bad males who tend to either call the poor female lead names, demand she leave the school, and/or allow their female counterparts to do something that would ostracize her from the rest of the class. It is always the same premise of any and all bully romance harem novels.
The female lead is always supposed to be this badass female who is supposed to come in with guns blazing and force change upon the school. She forges friendships with the poor people because, you know, reasons. And though they warn her to stay away from those "Kings of nameless schools", she ignores them. They always smell like some sort of weird thing for her and they make her body cream itself whenever they are near or speak to her.
While I did try to read this book, I ended up skimming through about forty percent of it because the story and its characters felt uninteresting. The female lead and her bully males had nothing about them that offered to set them apart from other school bully novels. But in all honesty, these novels read the same except the story and characters are changed slightly to fit another narrative.
I don't know why but the bully romances I have been reading lately have been nothing but misses. They have promising premises like this one that gain my interest and end up being a huge disappointment in the end. The female lead is always drawn to where the filthy rich tend to send their heirs to learn how to take over their family business, but the boys are always these bad males who tend to either call the poor female lead names, demand she leave the school, and/or allow their female counterparts to do something that would ostracize her from the rest of the class. It is always the same premise of any and all bully romance harem novels.
The female lead is always supposed to be this badass female who is supposed to come in with guns blazing and force change upon the school. She forges friendships with the poor people because, you know, reasons. And though they warn her to stay away from those "Kings of nameless schools", she ignores them. They always smell like some sort of weird thing for her and they make her body cream itself whenever they are near or speak to her.
While I did try to read this book, I ended up skimming through about forty percent of it because the story and its characters felt uninteresting. The female lead and her bully males had nothing about them that offered to set them apart from other school bully novels. But in all honesty, these novels read the same except the story and characters are changed slightly to fit another narrative.
Final Thought:
Will I continue this series? No. I could find nothing about this novel that I believed would keep me interested in reading the second novel. So, any answers I had will die with this novel.
bookwormbetty's review against another edition
5.0
Not your average bully romance that is for dang sure. This book keeps you interested that is for sure. It's not heavy on the RH aspect at all, or even any romantical aspects too...yes...romantical...this is me, deal with it.LOL The twist and turns the author throws your way leaves you guessing. It is a world that has paranormal thrown in, but, you don't know how, so the author does a great job of making you want more.
The tone of the overall book is dark, more gothic in feeling, but there are also aspects that had you totally thinking you know what is going to happen next...guess what? You don't so I suggest you buckle up buttercup this is a ride you never saw coming.
The tone of the overall book is dark, more gothic in feeling, but there are also aspects that had you totally thinking you know what is going to happen next...guess what? You don't so I suggest you buckle up buttercup this is a ride you never saw coming.
emmalynpierson54's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really great book. The perfect combination of romance and mystery. The characters had so much depth and it made this book so much more enjoyable.
diloretobeth89's review against another edition
5.0
OMG
I neeeeeed book two!!! hazel is so strong. I was yes to through my kindle. I cried for hazel. I've been through every emotion I can think of anything. I need the next book
I neeeeeed book two!!! hazel is so strong. I was yes to through my kindle. I cried for hazel. I've been through every emotion I can think of anything. I need the next book
kylieandersen's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
danifleurdelune's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I dove into this book, except that I knew it was a bully romance. I was pleasantly surprised with the plot and secret society twists and turns. I’m a sucker for it.
The MMC’s are douche waffles and there’s definitely an insta attraction from the FMC that overrides all her brain capacity.
I’m hoping there will be some serious graveling in book two, but time will tell!
The MMC’s are douche waffles and there’s definitely an insta attraction from the FMC that overrides all her brain capacity.
I’m hoping there will be some serious graveling in book two, but time will tell!
gemmylou87's review against another edition
5.0
Woah, That Ending!
You think you know the whole high school bully romance genre, then you read this and are thrown. That ending was a cliffhanger and a half and makes you want to leap straight into the next book for an explanation!
You think you know the whole high school bully romance genre, then you read this and are thrown. That ending was a cliffhanger and a half and makes you want to leap straight into the next book for an explanation!
erikawastaken's review
2.0
This is just really disappointing. I love several of the author’s other works, but this falls so horribly flat. The characters are one-dimensional and feel like paper dolls being moved around a set.
The romance isn’t there in the RH. Like, there is no reason for the attraction or for her to decide she needs to seek out suddenly and comfort (wtf?) her bullies. At least with some of the author’s other works in this genre, there is an existing relationship between the characters, so it sort of makes sense. Also, the guys aren’t sexy, despite the main character constantly telling us they are.
The only thing that saved this from being a 1 star DNF Is the occult mystery portion. Honestly, I would have enjoyed this more if there was no romance at all in this first book. Like, if she had just been like, “yeah, not dealing with hottie a-holes” and did her own thing until the final incident. Or if the bullying thing had just been left out - it feels like it was slapped on to fit the trend. We could have had the same vibe/story if the guy had just been aloof.
Note/thought after reading other reviews: Maybe it was the release timing (March v. May 2019), but it seems odd that everyone in the reviews is holding up Stunich’s Filthy Rich Boys as some sort of trendsetter for bully/prep school books? Like there are plenty of authors who wrote this plot long before Stunich -- even with murder plots and secret societies.
Second note after reading other reviews: Race and diversity is handled very poorly in this book. I made notes while updating but left it off my review because I was like, “maybe I’m being too sensitive.” But seeing others, I was like, “okay, so it wasn’t just me.” Like, are we supposed to assume Hazel is Black because she “has dreads” and “is from the ghetto.” The only physical description we get is halfway through when she says a dress “sets off her dark skin.” This just read as a white author trying to write a BIPOC character and having no idea how to do it or a reason why. If Hazel’s race is central to the plot, why not create a robust, not-stereotypical character?
The romance isn’t there in the RH. Like, there is no reason for the attraction or for her to decide she needs to seek out suddenly and comfort (wtf?) her bullies. At least with some of the author’s other works in this genre, there is an existing relationship between the characters, so it sort of makes sense. Also, the guys aren’t sexy, despite the main character constantly telling us they are.
The only thing that saved this from being a 1 star DNF Is the occult mystery portion. Honestly, I would have enjoyed this more if there was no romance at all in this first book. Like, if she had just been like, “yeah, not dealing with hottie a-holes” and did her own thing until the final incident. Or if the bullying thing had just been left out - it feels like it was slapped on to fit the trend. We could have had the same vibe/story if the guy had just been aloof.
Note/thought after reading other reviews: Maybe it was the release timing (March v. May 2019), but it seems odd that everyone in the reviews is holding up Stunich’s Filthy Rich Boys as some sort of trendsetter for bully/prep school books? Like there are plenty of authors who wrote this plot long before Stunich -- even with murder plots and secret societies.
Second note after reading other reviews: Race and diversity is handled very poorly in this book. I made notes while updating but left it off my review because I was like, “maybe I’m being too sensitive.” But seeing others, I was like, “okay, so it wasn’t just me.” Like, are we supposed to assume Hazel is Black because she “has dreads” and “is from the ghetto.” The only physical description we get is halfway through when she says a dress “sets off her dark skin.” This just read as a white author trying to write a BIPOC character and having no idea how to do it or a reason why. If Hazel’s race is central to the plot, why not create a robust, not-stereotypical character?
fozlandgirl's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0