Deep (Stage Dive, #4) by Kylie Scott Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of Lick, Play, and Lead on my blog, now! Lick is now available to stream on Passionflix.

I should have read the blurb for this final installment - color me surprised when I was thrown into one of my least favorite tropes in the prologue / first chapter. Accidental pregnancy trope is already a top contender for gag-worthy plot points, but add in the fact that the female lead is twenty? Probably my worst nightmare. This series was already cruising the line of "do I like these books or are they just easy to read?" but this book truly takes the cake on me deciding that they were just quick and easy to read. I will say that the books did improve as the series went on, but that all went down the drown with Deep. That being said, Ben is definitely one of the better male leads and actually takes accountability for his actions, unlike some of the other band members.

Lizzy is so incredibly frustrating and just downright annoying during this entire book. I truly felt as though I was going to pull my hair out if she made one more ridiculous decision - yes, she is twenty and pregnant with no idea how she and Ben are supposed to coparent and embark on this journey together, but good grief the girl does not have a single brain cell floating around in her head. To make matters absolutely worse, she tries not to curse, which just results in the most annoying fake curse words known to man being sputtered every other page. Considering Lizzy was still working on her psychology degree, you would have thought that she would have been able to become more well-adjusted and maybe actually take the time to think about what having a baby at twenty would mean for her.

Ben is likable in the sense that he is in the running in being the best male lead of this series - Jimmy was no walk in the park, Mal truly had me second-guessing how much I originally liked him, and David was the most avoidant man on the planet. I was glad that he was actually taking accountability for getting Lizzy pregnant, and even though they were not in a relationship, he was still focused on making sure she was feeling well and had a support system from him as a coparent. He really wanted to provide for her even with the uncertainty of where their relationship stood, so I have to give him credit for being responsible.

The smut was a mildly redeeming aspect of this book - it honestly was the only thing keeping me going at one point because the plot was just not doing it for me. I truly wish I enjoyed this installment as much as I enjoyed Lead, but not every interconnected stand alone is built the same and unfortunately it shows in this final book. If you are looking for quick romances, this series certainly can be up your alley - they are easy to read and always tie up the relationships by the end of the book. I hope Passionflix decides to adapt the rest of the books into movies because I honestly think I enjoyed the movie of Lick more than the book.

You can add Deep on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Our Fault (Culpables, #3) by Mercedes Ron Review

This is a spoiler-free review! This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of My Fault (Culpa Mía) and Your Fault (Culpa Tuya) on my blog, now. My Fault,Your Fault, and My Fault: London are now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

My favorite toxic forbidden couple is back in the final installment of the Culpables series. This series certainly is something, and with some of the most out of pocket plot devices coming into play, it is no surprise why it was a Wattpad sensation. Sure, there is a major trope in here that drives the story forward that just so happens to be one of my least favorite tropes, but for the sake of the drama I endured it. Nick and Noah are working through their own issues while apart, and with a number of life events changing their paths, they are forced to reconnect and truly take a look at their relationship - both past and possible future.

Noah's characterization in this book was a definite improvement, and Nick's development was still at his playboy lifestyle. I was hoping to see Nick become more mature, but it seems that his character is somewhat stuck at a certain stage, despite his need for control and the immense amount of responsibility he has in this book. Noah's life is still full of ups and downs, and she just never seems to catch a break when it comes to complicated individuals sneaking into her life. Just once, it would have been nice to see her happy - it truly felt as though she spent the entire book on edge or being confronted with yet another life-altering event that surely would send her over the edge.

Jenna and Lion are still just as present as ever, with Jenna taking on a much larger role of the two when it came to page presence and being there for Noah. She is super supportive of Noah and is always urging her to be honest, but there were times where Jenna seemed to be pushing Noah back to Nick only for her benefit in order to make their friend group whole again. Lion was only present for a few chapters here and there - Nick did not seem to have a support system in place, unless you count his driver slash bodyguard, Steve. I think the fact that Nick was somewhat of a lone wolf in this book contributed to his development stalling.

The twists and turns in this book actually had me locked in - compared to My Fault, I found that Your Fault lacked that intensity from the first book, but Our Fault certainly brought it all back. There were times where I had to re-read some paragraphs because I could not believe how quickly things were escalating from calm to borderline insane. The author definitely wanted to go out with a bang, because the last 25% of this book felt like I was being flung around in tornado with the amount of nonsense that ensued. 

I am glad that I was able to read this final installment before the movie is released later this year - I cannot begin to imagine what my thoughts would be if I watched this unfold on screen without some warning. This series was a wild ride and I would definitely recommend these books to readers looking for a touch of toxicity with their forbidden romance.

You can add Our Fault on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles, #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Dream Dark, here.

I find myself, yet again, coming back to a series in which it has been eight years since I last read the book prior... yikes! High school me was very motivated and the iBooks app had me in a chokehold - as well as having a family member who owned a book store. But alas, here I am, finally making my way to finish this series. I have always loved this series, and was heartbroken when only Beautiful Creatures received a movie adaptation and the rest were never made.

Ethan and Lena are such a great couple, and I love that the books are in Ethan's perspective -  even though Lena is the female lead, this story is so focused on Ethan and his responses, that his voice really stands out as an outsider to Lena's world and as someone who has become so intertwined into her world. His perspective, especially with everything that happens to him throughout the book, is so vital in understanding the connection between mortals and casters. His friendship with Link and his constant worry about him shows him in a multi-dimensional light that adds layers to his character without pushing his needs to the side.

Lena's involvement in this book takes somewhat of a sideline to Ethan's own development, along with Link and Ridley's constant will-they-won't-they situationship they have going on. I honestly really enjoyed the chapters that focused on Link's life and adjustments as he navigates his friendships and relationships on top of the paranormal musings of the town. Sure, it has been years since I have dived into this series, but the relationships between the characters are so easy to get right back into and understand their dynamics. The plot picks up in this installment, and I found it so natural to just be transported back into the world. The stakes became higher and I loved how we were not just circling around Ethan and Lena's relationship instead of actual plot points.

The pacing felt very natural, and the authors do a great job in keeping the reader engaged in the story without sidelining other plots in order to push a certain narrative. The antagonists of the story do not feel like they cause all of this destruction without actual motives - it was believable, and their involvement in Ethan and Lena's story blended well with their own side plots. I will say, the flashback/backstory portions of this installment started to lose me for a bit, but it was more so because I was hooked into Ethan's development.

If you are a fan of Fallen by Lauren Kate or Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, this series is certainly for you. It is so reminiscent of early young adult paranormal romances, and has a great ensemble of characters that keeps the reader entertained and invested in the story. I will certainly be seeing this series through and cannot wait to see how Ethan and Len's story pans out.

You can add Beautiful Chaos on Goodreads now, and follow the authors to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Your Fault (Culpables, #2) by Mercedes Ron Review

 

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of My Fault (Culpa Mía) on my blog, here. My Fault (Culpa Mía) is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, and Your Fault (Culpa Tuya) will be available to steam on December 27th, 2024.

As a major fan of the After series by Anna Todd, this series has reminded me so much of the complicated love we saw between Hardin and Tessa, and with Nick and Noah, it definitely ups the stakes in terms of tough romances. They are still dealing from the events in My Fault, and it truly feels as though Noah is going through it so much more compared to Nick because of her reactions and how everything has affected her, whereas Nick is constantly worrying when Noah is not with him. They definitely start to form this codependent relationship, and it is much more heavy coming from Nick - he becomes more controlling, and frankly, I found myself not loving his character in this second installment.

Both Steve and Rafaella do not condone Nick and Noah's relationship, and their distaste for it is even more present as this story progresses. Rafaella is certainly the forefront of the anti-Nick-and-Noah's relationship, and while it is understandable considering everything Noah and Rafaella have been through, I will always be rooting for that forbidden romance. Lion and Jenna's relationship has a larger presence in this book, and it was nice to see Nick's dedication to Lion as a friend, as well as Jenna and Noah's friendship as they both struggle with having boyfriends involved in dangerous business.

The introduction of a few new side characters with a bit of a villainous side causes the plot to shift from mostly romance to more of a constant struggle of Nick and Noah's wants and needs, and I will admit that it began to feel repetitive. Each pose a problem for Nick and Noah, yet it seems that Noah is the one who always ends up getting hurt. Their age gap definitely feels more noticeable in this book compared to the first, where they felt closer in age, but with their lives being pulled into different directions in Your Fault, it is a constant reminder that they are in different stages of life.

Nick is really going through it in this book, and she is battling internal battles with everything she has gone through, as well as trying to find a happy medium with Nick that makes her happy without causing her mother to take drastic actions. She is emotionally vulnerable and on edge every second she is alone, and it does not help matters that Nick does love to keep a secret from her, even when he is doing it with good intentions. Their communication really needed to improve, and I understand that there were points where Nick was trying to protect Noah, but with her streak, he should have seen her intercepting everything from a mile away.

So much happened in this book, and it was tough to put it down -- it is something you can definitely finish in one sitting, and from the looks of the trailer for Your Fault, the movie will be pretty book-accurate and fast-paced. Once again we had Nick and Noah's perspectives in this book, and I have to say, Nick's perspective was giving major stalker vibes at some points - he worries about Noah, but he was really taking it to the next level, and it was a hit to his character development for me. He became controlling of her life and was not listening to her, even when she would constantly choose him over literally anything else in her life.

If you are looking for an angsty-romance read, this series is for you -- for fans of After by Anna Todd and the Perfect Addiction movie/Wattpad story, you will be thrown into a romance that has everyone wondering, whose fault is it?

You can add Your Fault on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

My Fault (Culpables, #1) by Mercedes Ron Review

This is a spoiler-free review! My Fault (Culpa Mía) is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

After watching Culpa Mía about fifty times in the past year, and with the impending release of Culpa Tuya in December 2024, I knew I had to finally crack this book open. I am an absolute sucker for a forbidden romance trope, especially when they hare each other from the beginning. This book was honestly a blast to read and I ate it up in no time -- the author gives readers a dual perspective with Nick and Noah's chapters, which provides much needed inner thoughts from our leads.

When Noah's mother marries a wealthy man and moves them from Canada to California, Noah is in for a shock when she is finally introduced to her new stepbrother, Nick. Both are not thrilled to be in each other's lives, and with Nick's hush-hush activities, it was only a matter of time before Noah was throne into a world he kept hidden from everyone.

Noah has experienced some serious trauma as a child, and it continues to follow her as she is uprooted and thrown into a new life. As she tries to navigate the new wealth at her fingertips, she is distracted by Nick's presence and taunting, letting her stubbornness get the better of her at every turn. For the first time in his life, Nick is met with someone that does not take his orders and speaks to him freely, causing tension in their home and in Nick's personal life. Everywhere he turns, Noah appears, and despite his intense efforts to kept her away from his less than legal activities, she is there to stay.

As Nick and Noah navigate their combined lives, they find more than step-sibling tension between them, leading them down a complicated and forbidden path as they attempt to make sense of these new feelings. Noah is learning the ins and outs of Nick's personal life, and when his actions leave her fearing a repeat of her past, she pushes herself to stay away from him as he continues to pursue her.

I loved the incorporation of the side characters, and really enjoyed how the author gave both leads support from these characters -- especially with Jenna for Noah, and Lion for Nick. It was refreshing to see side characters be utilized to help the leads on their own journeys, rather be there simply to push them together. The more antagonistic side characters were threatening and certainly served their purpose in wreaking havoc on Nick and Noah's lives, even more so when these characters were using Nick or Noah against the other.

The story moves pretty quickly and paces well, and considering the characters are constantly on the move, it suits the story well. I am sure there were some things lost in the Spanish to English translation, but the writing, especially being originally published on Wattpad, kept me hooked. The ending felt a little slow, but with the POV changes every chapter, it was enough to have readers push through to see the end result. If you are coming from watching Culpa Mia right into reading the book, I will say there are some changes that in my opinion do not take anything major from the story, and are made to consolidate the source material into a single film. 

I will definitely be seeing this series through, and will hopefully have time to read Your Fault (Culpa Tuya) before the movie releases later this year. For fans of After by Anna Todd and Through My Window by Ariana Godoy (I have only seen the Netflix movies for Through My Window, but I will make my way to the books soon!), this young adult forbidden romance is right up your alley.

You can add My Fault on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!