booksta_adventure's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So I’ve seen pretty mixed reviews of this book. Some absolutely love it, and others hate it because it’s so *problematic*. I went in thinking, “Well, it’s a dark romance, so it’s probably going to be problematic?” And sure it probably was, but that wasn’t what stuck with me; what stuck with me was the characters, and I ended up really enjoying the book!
Misha and Ryen have been Pen Pals since 5th grade. They live a town apart and have never met each other, and have never even looked each other up on the internet. Misha meets Ryen at his band’s party, and eventually realizes who she is, while she still has no idea who he is. Unfortunately, their time together is brief, as a tragedy in Misha’s family causes him to stop writing, and Ryen has no idea why.
About 1-2 chapters into this book, I realized that this was about the Misha and Ryen from the 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭’𝘴 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 series! I knew those side characters seemed too fleshed out to be just side characters, and now I have their backstory!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and devoured the audiobook in a day. I really related to Ryen’s feelings of being alone and friendless in Elementary school, I just didn’t respond the same way as her. (Fortunately for me, I think!)
What this book is giving:
✅ Bully Romance
✅ Friends to Enemies to Lovers
✅ Childhood Pen Pals
✅ Possessive MMC
✅ Same world as the 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭’𝘴 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 series
✅ Will, Michael, and Kai appearance
Look out for:
⚠️ Grief
⚠️ Slut shaming
⚠️ Teens having sex (shocking, I know)
Rating:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ½ / 5
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ ½ / 5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
asmabush's review against another edition
2.0
Update: 3/11/22
What was I thinking when I wrote my previous review ?? This was awful lmao.
What was I thinking when I wrote my previous review ?? This was awful lmao.
missgarrison's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
This book was such a roller coaster for me. In the beginning I couldn’t seem to get myself into it. I disliked Ryen with a passion and couldn’t stand her attitude. It took me multiple times picking this book up to finally be grabbed by something. I am happy I waited it out because the ending was so worth it for me.
This book was such a roller coaster for me. In the beginning I couldn’t seem to get myself into it. I disliked Ryen with a passion and couldn’t stand her attitude. It took me multiple times picking this book up to finally be grabbed by something. I am happy I waited it out because the ending was so worth it for me.
anonymous_123's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Ryen & Misha
lifebydaph's review against another edition
3.5
took me some chapters to get into but i loved the ending omg
karmiedesu's review against another edition
3.0
Writing this review a month after I read it but Ik future me is gonna question why I decided to 3 star this and not 4 stars considering it was not a bad book.
First of all, I thought I was into the bully romance bc like enemies to lovers type beat but this was like straight up bullying and I do not condone to this behaviour. I HATED IT.
Second of all, the were childhood friends right but Misha finds out Ryen is not the girl he imagined to be and he goes and makes her life hell. UHm sir- you could’ve just left her alone bc it was all just a misunderstanding anyways.
Third, what really icked me when Misha and Ryen were finally getting close and the sexual tension was rising, Misha had to say that he fucked this random chick to get Ryen jealous. It worked but it hurt so much bro. it just felt so unnecessary to include the side chick.
First of all, I thought I was into the bully romance bc like enemies to lovers type beat but this was like straight up bullying and I do not condone to this behaviour. I HATED IT.
Second of all, the were childhood friends right but Misha finds out Ryen is not the girl he imagined to be and he goes and makes her life hell. UHm sir- you could’ve just left her alone bc it was all just a misunderstanding anyways.
Third, what really icked me when Misha and Ryen were finally getting close and the sexual tension was rising, Misha had to say that he fucked this random chick to get Ryen jealous. It worked but it hurt so much bro. it just felt so unnecessary to include the side chick.
sammytvo's review against another edition
2.0
um I thought it was alright. I struggled to get through this book. I tried liking it as much as everyone else did but I couldn't get past the red flags. like in the beginning, I was liking it but idk the milk got sour lol
like ok a random guy sneaks into your room and it's okay bc he's hot??
I feel like Misha and Ryen's love was more like surface-level lust/ hate sex lol
There wasn't that much depths to their relationship besides the letters. the library and truck scenes were great tho
I would've like to see more character development from Ryen. Honestly, she was annoying. I related to her need to belong, to have friends, and to fit in tho
I also wish we saw Misha and his dad rekindle their relationship and fix their traumas together
I feel like 2016 me would have loved it, when I had my colleen hoover kick.
like ok a random guy sneaks into your room and it's okay bc he's hot??
I feel like Misha and Ryen's love was more like surface-level lust/ hate sex lol
There wasn't that much depths to their relationship besides the letters. the library and truck scenes were great tho
I would've like to see more character development from Ryen. Honestly, she was annoying. I related to her need to belong, to have friends, and to fit in tho
I also wish we saw Misha and his dad rekindle their relationship and fix their traumas together
I feel like 2016 me would have loved it, when I had my colleen hoover kick.