Book Reviews – Page 10 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily

Posted on December 27, 2016December 24, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Dash and Lily have had a tough year since readers first watched the couple fall in love. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.

With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the holiday magic of New York City in December.

Told in alternating chapters, The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily reunites two beloved characters and is bound to be a Christmas favorite, season after season.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

I was nervous to pick up The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily because I read some bad reviews. However, it was just as funny and amazing as I thought it would be, and perfect for the holiday season.

The story picks up a year after Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares and it’s been a rough year for Lily. Her beloved grandpa had a heart attack, which led to a nasty fall and health complications. Lily being the kind person she is took it on herself to be her grandpa’s caregiver and that took a toll on her relationship with Dash. Of course, Dash being the best book boyfriend that he knows how to be, tried his best to be supportive but Lily, who handled her feelings in the worst way, kept pushing him away.

It broke my heart to see Lily and Dash going through a rough time and Lily drove me absolutely crazy. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to just tell Dash how she felt. However, I’m only 23 and still have a firm grasp on how it feels to be a teen and feel so much for a person and feel like they don’t feel the same way (even when they obviously do). So I found it in my heart to be sympathetic towards Lily and I had to give her points for when she really did try with Dash.

Besides, Dash and Lily, this novel also contained all my favorite characters from the first book, including Sofia, Boomer, Langston, and Mrs. Basil E. It was so great seeing these characters again and what was going on in their lives. I was even a little glad to see Edgar again. He’s still trouble, by the way.

Overall, I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this novel and Dash made me utterly swoon (I’m currently searching for my own Dash in The Strand). If you’re looking for a funny, romantic holiday read The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily is the perfect book.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Sometimes you make plans. Sometimes plans make themselves.”

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Book Review: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares

Posted on December 26, 2016December 24, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.

What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Co-written by Rachel Cohn (GINGERBREAD) and David Levithan, co-author of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON with John Green (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), DASH & LILY’S BOOK OF DARES is a love story that will have readers scouring bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Review

I first read Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares while I was in high school and I remember loving it the first time I read it but I didn’t remember the details enough to just dive into the sequel. So I decided it was time for a reread and I’m so glad I did because I loved it just as much as I remembered.

Told in alternating POVs between Dash and Lily, this is a cute holiday romance filled with amazing characters and the perfect amount of hilarity. I read the whole book in a day because I couldn’t put it down. It was that good.

The story began with Dash discovering a red notebook in The Strand (my favorite bookstore) that leads him on this adventure that’s presumably started by Lily, but actually it was her brother Langston’s idea. Lily absolutely loves Christmas but this year she feels utterly abandoned. Her parents went to Fiji to celebrate their 20th anniversary, her grandfather went to Florida to propose to his girlfriend, and Langston was totally wrapped up in his new boyfriend. Therefore Langston decided it was time Lily found a love of her own, hence the notebook.

Through the notebook Lily and Dash give each other dares while also sharing some of their best and worst Christmas memories. Along the way they enlist their friends and families to help them as they try to discover if they can really have a relationship off the pages of the notebook or if the person they thought they knew is nothing like how they really are in person.

I’m always surprised by how much I love this novel because although I’ve liked Rachel Cohn’s books I could never get into David Levithan’s writing. Even one of the other novels they wrote together, Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List, irritated me to no end and I never finished it. Somehow though Dash and Lily really works for me and I could see myself reading this novel every year during the holidays. Definitely give it a read if you haven’t already.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I mean, what if love isn’t a yes-or-no question? It’s not either you’re in love or you’re not. I mean, aren’t there different levels? And maybe these things, like words and expectations and whatever, don’t go on top of the love. Maybe it’s like a map, and they all have their own place, and then when you see it for the sky—whoa.”

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Book Review: The Assassin’s Blade

Posted on December 22, 2016December 22, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin’s Guild, she’s sworn to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam.

In these action-packed prequel novellas to Throne of Glass, Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and avenge tyranny. But by acting on her own terms, will Celaena truly free herself from her master, or will she suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery?

This bind-up features all four of the previously published e-novellas along with a story now available in the US for the first time, The Assassin and the Healer.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Review

*This book is part of my POPSUGAR 2016 Reading Challenge.*

It took me forever, but I finally finished the Throne of Glass series. The Assassin’s Blade was the only book holding me back but after realizing I was behind on my Goodreads challenge I finally got the push I needed to finish it. It took me so long to read this book not because it was bad but because I knew how it would end and I wasn’t looking forward to that ending. In truth, the book was actually very good.

I really enjoyed learning more about Celaena’s past and her relationship with Sam. Now I finally understand why everyone loves him. He was amazing and my heart hurts for him and what he went through. This book also made me realize even more why I do not like Arobynn. He is honestly a trash human being and so incredibly manipulative that it tittered the line of unbelievable.

Reading this novel after I read Empire of Storms definitely cleared up a lot of questions I had about Empire of Storms. In The Assassin’s Blade I learned the history of the Silent Assassins, Ansel, and the Pirate Lord, all of which comes in handy with where the series is currently at.

Overall, The Assassin’s Blade was definitely worth a read and I’m glad I finally read it and can now say I’ve read all of Sarah J. Maas books this year. It’s crazy to think I didn’t even know who she was a year ago. Make sure to check out Maas’ novels if you haven’t yet. They’re all spectacular.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I love you. And from today onward, I want to never be separated from you. Wherever you go, I go. Even if that means going to Hell itself, wherever you are, that’s where I want to be. Forever.”

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Book Review: Nevernight

Posted on December 20, 2016December 19, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis:

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, a sixteen year old Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic ― the Red Church. Treachery and trials await her with the Church’s halls, and to fail is to die. But if she survives to initiation, Mia will be inducted among the chosen of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the only thing she desires.

Revenge.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Review

I’d been meaning to read Nevernight for the longest time so when I saw some people on Instagram were doing a readalong for it I decided to sign myself up. If you don’t know what a readalong is it’s basically exactly what it sounds like. Each week we were supposed to read a certain number of chapters then discuss it before moving on. It’s basically an online book club and I’ve liked it a lot so far. As for Nevernight itself, I actually really enjoyed it too. Just not at first.

Before the novel began, the reader is given this one page intro from the Narrator that tells us the hero is currently dying in the heroine’s arms. The heroine is Mia, the protagonist, but of course it’s unknown who the hero is. All we know is the Narrator is not going to sugarcoat this story and he was also in love with Mia. Interesting. This part drew me in but once the story actually began I was bored.

Mia’s journey to get to the Red Church didn’t really interest me and I’ve never been a fan of flashbacks, which a lot of the first third of the book entailed. However, once I got to the real action of the story I was hooked. Mia grew on me by the end but I really liked her friend and fellow acolyte, Tric, and Mia’s shadow friend, Mister Kindly. They were my favorite characters.

The narrator was also enjoyable although I could’ve done without all the footnotes. While some were short and funny, others were so long I just skipped them because they distracted me too much from the story and honestly, I didn’t care about the information they provided.

Despite these minor flaws I will definitely read the sequel because I want to see what happens next in Mia’s story and if the next book starts at about the same pace this book ended at, I know it won’t be a slow beginning like this first book. At least I hope not.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Apologies,” Mia frowned, searching the floor as if looking for something. “I appear to have misplaced the fucks I give for what you think…”

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Book Review: The Thousandth Floor

Posted on December 6, 2016November 28, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. But people never change: everyone here wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

Leda Cole’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

Eris Dodd-Radson’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

Rylin Myers’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will her new life cost Rylin her old one?

Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy by an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

I buddy read this book with my friend Jess and although we both weren’t into it in the beginning the last 100 pages sucked us in and now we both need to read the sequel.

When I first began reading I felt like this novel had way too many POVs and I still felt that way until I got to the end and realized why all those POVs were essential. To me Watt was the most unnecessary POV and I liked him the least out of all the characters we followed. Eris was my favorite, I liked Rylin but hated all her bad decisions, Avery annoyed me because of how she handled her problems, and I went from feeling sympathetic towards Leda to hating her. There was a lot going on in this novel but like I said the way Katharine McGee was able to bring everything together in the end saved this novel for me.

This book definitely gave me Gossip Girl vibes. Jess and I kept comparing these characters to the characters of Gossip Girl and began referring to Watt as Lonely Boy because he’s honestly exactly like the TV show version of Dan. Spoilers if you haven’t seen the show but Dan was Gossip Girl and in The Thousandth Floor Watt’s hacker name is Nadia. There’s a lot of other reasons why they’re similar but I don’t want to go into too much detail and spoil it but they’re very alike. Trust me. However, once again, what differentiated this book for me, besides the fact that it takes place in the future, was the surprising end.

One of my big issues with the novel, however, was trying to wrap my head around this world McGee created. When I first thought about the tower I thought of it like the Empire State Building but as I kept reading I realized it wasn’t like that at all. Apparently the Tower covers most of Manhattan and there’s buildings within the tower as well as streets and parks. So for a while I thought that meant all of New York City was the tower but then Eris and her friend, Mariel, went to a party outside of the Tower so I had to wrap my head around that. It was just a bit confusing for me and I struggled to understand the setting.

As I’ve said the plot is what really made this book awesome for me. It did start slow and I was annoyed with each character at least once in this book because they either did something stupid or I could foresee what they were planning backfiring on them. Despite that, McGee did write some good romances and like I said the last 100 pages really made the book worthwhile for me. I definitely plan on buying this one and reading the next book. I need to know what happens next!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I believe in happiness. I’m just not sure love will actually get you there.”

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Book Review: All the Bright Places

Posted on December 1, 2016November 28, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis:

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Every day he thinks of ways he might kill himself, but every day he also searches for—and manages to find—something to keep him here, and alive, and awake.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her small Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school—six stories above the ground— it’s unclear who saves whom. Soon it’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. . . .

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

All the Bright Places has been sitting on my shelves for at least a year and although I heard great things about it I just never seemed in the right mood to read it. However, after reading a lot of fantasy this year I found myself in a contemporary mood and ended up giving this book a try. Unfortunately it did not live up to the hype.

This novel is told in the altering first person perspectives of Violet and Finch who met on the ledge of the bell tower at school. While Finch was known for being weird, Violet was a popular girl. Therefore it was easy for them to weave this story that Violet talked Finch down from the tower even though the truth was it was actually the other way around. After this shared experience Violet and Finch naturally end up romantically involved.

For Finch his focus was on staying “awake” as he calls it. Finch goes through these periods of being “asleep” where he loses track of time and can’t really do anything. I took this to mean he falls into a deep depression. Differently Violet is just focused on counting down the days until graduation so she can leave town and move one from her sister’s death. Both Violet and Finch have their issues but Finch’s obviously stems from a mental illness that his family doesn’t seem all that concerned about. Differently, Violet’s parents are very concerned about her and they have a right to be since she refused to get in a car because her sister died in a car accident.

I wanted to like the message of this novel but it was hard for me to acknowledge that when I disliked the characters so much. I found both Violet and Finch irritating and though I wanted to feel sympathetic towards them it was difficult for me to find sympathy. I just didn’t really love anything about this book. The plot was just fine, the romance wasn’t all that exciting, and though I get the message I was annoyed with how this book ended. In summary I don’t get the hype at all so this is definitely a borrow for me.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.”

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Book Review: Empire of Storms

Posted on November 29, 2016November 30, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what — and who — to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

*Warning: This review will contain some spoilers. If you don’t want to be spoiled please don’t read.*

I borrowed Empire of Storms from the library because I’m on a book buying ban and honestly I’m having a hard time returning it. I don’t want to give it back. I want to keep it forever. I want to reread it immediately. I need it on my shelves. It was so good!

Empire of Storms picks up a little after where Queen of Shadows ended. Aelin is finally headed back to Terrasen to reclaim her throne but things don’t go as planned. Lord Darrow, who’s one of the biggest jerks in this novel, basically tells Aelin she can’t be queen and if she tries to take her throne back they (the Lords of Terrasen) will see it as an act of war. So rude. Although Aelin is pissed, and rightfully so, she doesn’t fight and instead gets to work on putting her many plans in motion.

This novel followed a lot of characters so there were a lot of different plot lines going on. The Valg king, Erawan, attacked Rifthold and Rowan had to go rescue Dorian and then they ended up going to Skull’s Bay to pay the Pirate Lord a visit. Manon, who’s such a softie, was dealing with her terrible grandmother and the other witches and ended up making a choice that led to a big revelation, altering her fate. My favorite lady, Elide, was freed from Morath but had to try to find Aelin/Caelena who she didn’t know was the same person. On her way to Terrasen she was hunted by Lorcan, who was still looking for the Wyrdkeys. They ended up partnering up and thus a new ship was born.

Of course all these different storylines ended up coming together and it led to a huge revelation about Aelin’s fate and a devastating ending. Empire of Storms was filled with a lot of action as Aelin & Co. had to fight not only Erawan’s forces but also Maeve’s, the Queen of the Fae. This novel also contained a lot of romance. Basically everyone hooked up with someone in this novel. Seriously, there was a lot of kisses and sex and declarations of love, which also caused for some hilarity since the Fae can tell when someone had sex or desires someone. Speaking of hilarity, Aelin still had the same level of sass we’ve come to know and love but there were also some new characters that were great additions to the sass in this book. Particularly, Fenrys, who’s one of the Fae in Rowan’s “cadre.” He was fantastic.

Overall, I am in love with this book. I already started rereading it even though I know I have to return it soon. I still love Queen of Shadows because it had a much happier ending but Empire of Storms is a great novel. It’s well written, the characters are great, and the twists were perfect. There were twists that dated all the way back to the second book. That’s crazy!

Definitely read this book if you haven’t already. You’ll love it!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.”

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Book Review: Decidedly Off Limits

Posted on November 24, 2016November 12, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Borrow

Synopsis:

Best Friend Rule #1: never want the guy’s sister.
Oops.

Trent Salway is one of San Francisco’s hot up-and-coming-under-thirty bachelors. A highly successful mutual fund portfolio manager, a workaholic, and a ladies’ man, he’s got everything he could possibly want…except one thing.

Physical therapist Kelsey Quaid dumped her ex-fiancé six months ago because she was tired of not even being a distant second to his career. Which is why despite secretly crushing on her big brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember, there’s no way Kelsey can go there. One workaholic in her life is more than enough, thank you very much.

Before Kelsey’s brother leaves on his Navy SEAL mission, he asks Trent one simple request: make sure Kelsey isn’t dating any assholes while he’s away. As Trent does his best to do just this, he and Kelsey spend more and more time together. Sparks fly, as do a few items of clothing, and the next thing they know things are getting physical between them. Now, Trent has to decide what to do about the woman he’s falling for—the one whose brother would take him down faster than he takes down the enemy. And Kelsey will have to decide if Trent is just another workaholic or if he’s decidedly off limits.

Purchase From:

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Review

I’m typically a fan of the “best friend’s sibling” trope but the writing style of this novel really ruined it for me. Told in alternating POVs between Kelsey and Trent, both of their narrations are written as if they’re having a conversation with you and expecting you to respond. For example, at one point in Kelsey’s narration we get this:

Did you see who was third in line? That’s right. The Viking.

Then later in Trent’s POV we get a similar thing:

Did you recognize the woman who tried to outbid Kelsey? She was Beatrice Peterson, or Reese, as she preferred to go by.

Also, I still I have no idea who Beatrice is and why she’s so terrible, besides the obvious reasons, so no Trent, I did not recognize her. This was literally so frustrating. It was as if the author, Stina Lindenblatt, was attempting to do a breaking down of the fourth wall, like in House of Cards, but with a book and it just didn’t work well here. At least not for me. The thing is I know I’ve read other books that are kind of written like this that I loved but I think Lindenblatt just tried too hard with this, especially because we got it in both POVs so the voices started to sound a little similar.

Additionally, there were just too many points where the narrators kept asking me to “imagine” things or “remember when” something. This seemed to happen at the start of a lot of chapters and in both POVs and it was so irritating. Still, despite how infuriating I found the writing style to be I did push through and finished the novel and it wasn’t totally terrible. The plot itself was fine, in that it was exactly what I expected it to be. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, both think they can’t be together, they hook-up anyway, keep it a secret, there’s some kind of conflict, they go their separate ways, only to realize they’re perfect for each other. One major issue I did have with the plot was the “break-up” scene. It just felt so anticlimatic to me and completely out of nowhere. There was no build up and it was so abrupt that I had to go back and read it over to make sure that was the break-up scene. Seriously, the whole moment only took like two pages.

Still, I did really like Trent and Kelsey as people though. I thought their dialogue was great and their chemistry was good. Even so, overall I wasn’t all that impressed with this novel and I’m glad I only spent 99 cents on it.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I love everything about you. Your love for your job and the kids you help. Your love of life. Your love of those funny little owls. Your amazing photographs. Your heart. I love it all.”

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Book Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend

Posted on November 22, 2016November 12, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

When Gia Montgomery’s boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she decides to do the unthinkable…convince the cute guy waiting to pick up his sister to pretend to be her boyfriend for the night. The task is simple: two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

The problem is that days after prom, she can’t stop thinking about her fill-in boyfriend. But can Gia turn her fake boyfriend into a real one without exposing her lie and possibly destroying her friendships and her newfound relationship?

Smartly observed and wonderfully romantic, Kasie West’s talent shines in this tale of one girl’s unexpected quest to find love…and possibly herself.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

The Fill-In Boyfriend has been sitting on my shelves for at least a year and after seeing Kasie West’s books all over bookstagram I decided to finally give this book a try. Overall I liked it. It was a cute, short, romantic read that only took me a day to finish. The novel is told in the POV of Gia and the novel literally begins with her being dumped outside of her prom and it wasn’t the prettiest break-up.

From the very start of the novel I could tell what kind of person Gia was. She wasn’t so concerned with her break-up and was more worried about what her friends would think when she walked into prom solo. In other words, Gia is all about appearances, which is why she enlists a total stranger to pretend to be her now ex-boyfriend, Bradley. To be fair, the whole reason Gia feels she has to go to these extreme lengths instead of just telling her friends the truth about her break-up with Bradley is because this new girl, Jules, has infiltrated her friend group and has basically been implying that Bradley wasn’t real. Thus to prove Jules wrong Gia shows up to prom with the “fill-in Bradley,” who I’ll now refer to as FIB.

Gia reminded me a lot of Andie from The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson. They’re both very focused on keeping up appearances, they don’t stick with the same boyfriend for too long, and they like to keep their relationships with other people only on the surface level and never anything deeper than that. For this reason, I couldn’t help but compare the two novels and although I will say I like The Unexpected Everything better I still thought The Fill-In Boyfriend was a great novel and the plots were different enough that I think you can enjoy both without feeling like you’re reading the same book.

While The Fill-In Boyfriend heavily deals with the fact that Gia doesn’t real deal with her feelings it also focuses on her friendships and the tangled web of lies she weaves when she first hatches her plan with the FIB. Naturally, although this was only supposed to be a one night thing it quickly spirals out of control and along the way Gia found herself actually opening up to people in a way she hadn’t done before, not even with her family who’s just as closed off as she is.

Although I thought Gia’s whole “fake boyfriend” ploy was juvenile and Gia should’ve just manned up from the beginning and been honest I also hated Jules and kind of wanted to see Gia beat her at her own game. As I continued reading though I realized I kind of hated all of Gia’s friends and felt she was better off without them. However, I did fall in love with FIB and his little sister, Bec. They, along with Gia, made this novel for me and I really liked the chemistry between Gia and FIB.

Like I said, this book was really cute and a quick read. I recommend it if you’re look for something with a happy ending, some teen angst, and a lot of fluff.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“My preference is simple—you.”

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Book Review: Smut

Posted on November 17, 2016November 9, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Borrow

Synopsis:

When I first met Blake Crawford, all I wanted to do was hit him in the face.
Maybe the groin.
Okay, maybe I wanted to kiss him too, but that’s neither here nor there. I mean, he may have a gorgeous English accent, sexy full lips and an ass I’d like to bite but…
Where was I?
Right.
Being in the same creative writing class, he’s the last person I wanted to speak to, let alone be paired up with for my final assignment.
But here comes the kicker…not only did our project end up getting us both As but we found out we work well together.
Really well together.
I hate him and he hates me and yet we churn out gold.
We’ve started writing self-published erotica under a pen name and let me tell you one thing…
Writing dirty sex scenes with the sexiest, most infuriating man you know is a lot harder than you think.
And keeping our hands off each other?
Well that’s another story…one with an ending I didn’t see coming.

Purchase From:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

Review

Smut was a quick, fun read. The novel is told in alternating point of views between Amanda and Blake. This was your typical “I hate you but come to love you” kind of story. Amanda doesn’t like Blake because he’s a playboy that sleeps his way through most of the women in their writing class. Blake doesn’t like Amanda simply because she doesn’t like him. Naturally, they’re forced to work together for the final project of their class and they realize that just like with most people there’s more to each other than their perceived notions.

I think my biggest issue with this book was the reason why Blake and Amanda started writing erotica together. It felt like when they finished their writing project that could’ve been the end of the book except for the fact that Amanda and Blake weren’t together yet. So the last half of the book felt a bit forced, as if the author realized she needed some reason for Blake and Amanda to finally hook-up so she added the writing secret erotica together storyline. Similarly, I thought the inevitable moment when Blake and Amanda finally acknowledged they had feelings for each other was a bit anticlimactic. I expected something bigger and to me that part just fell flat.

Overall, I did find Smut to be a cute and funny read but I probably wouldn’t ever read it again. The smut in Smut was also well done so that’s also a plus. Still, this wasn’t an all time favorite for me.

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