Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn #3, by Jenny Han)

Goodreads Synopsis 

New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.

After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same.

Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?

Review

I give ★★★✩✩

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a burn for a burn, a life for a life. That's how this all started, and that's how it's going to end."

For starters, let me point out that Kat in the cover above really looks like someone incapable of putting together two pieces of clothing, why would someone wear a black bra under a white laced top?!

Back to the real topic, the heart-wrenching, heartbreaking, evil, evil book called Ashes to Ashes. The book with the worst possible ending I've had to come across EVER. Where do I even start? 

Well, from the beginning of course. 

The second book ends with us finding out that Mary is in fact dead. And she's a seriously pissed off ghost. Not only does she want to make Reeve's life horrible but she wants to literally actually end him. This is just beyond my expectations. 

Let me point out that I stayed completely quiet about the whole failed plan to make Alex miserable in the first book because he was in fact innocent, so their first plan to make Reeve pay for everything hurt way too many people. That should've immediately screamed MARY YOU'RE EVIL right from the start even though it was Kat's idea to put this whole thing together. Whom was also half responsible for this, and yet she gave absolutely no shit about it (may have never even mentioned how awful she felt about even coming up with the idea.) To be quite frank, and a bit of a cold-hearted person, Shepherd was more or less of a karma for Kat coming up with this plan to hurt Reeve, Rennie and Alex. BUT what was more infuriating was the fact that Kat was just another character in the third book. There have been no credits given to her. She saved Lilia and herself and risked her dog's life because of stupid, stupid Mary. Also, what happened to her aunt? She had a pretty important role in the first book and second one and then all of the sudden she disappears and Mary becomes the most awful, annoying and deadly ghost. Kat was introduced as this amazing, i-dont-give-a-flying-crap girl and then the third book just killed her off. I was rooting so badly for her and Alex to get together, because, I mean, opposites attract and he is described as sweet, romantic boy with artistic dreams and she's just a hopeless human. Just perfect together. 

To be honest, unlike many many other readers, Lilia was a character I liked. The fact that she was centred somewhat in the center of this  drama was what made me like her BUT HER CHOICE TO PICK ALEX AND BREAK UP WITH REEVE IN THE END COMPLETELY WIPED ANY GOOD EMOTION I FELT TOWARDS HER. The whole point of the second book was to get us to love the two of them together, Lilia and Reeve. They had to break so many kind of codes to be together. The excitement was slowly built and I was so excited their relationship would develop more in the third book but then SHIT HAPPENED. And authors are so evil sometimes. It took forever for them to get together. There were so many obstacles like Rennie's clingy long arms (at least that's how I imagined her and her friendship to Lilia.) and Lilia's loyalty towards Mary and Reeve's bro-code with Alex. But they had finally made it together and there was no going back and Rennie died because of it. Rennie died because of Lilia's relationship with Reeve and they still did NOT end up together. How is she so heartless? She said she loved him, they actually FELL IN LOVE AND SHE DID NOTHING ABOUT IT AND IT'S PISSING ME OFF. I wanted them together despite their differences in social status and studies. OPPOSITES ATTRACT DAMMIT! 

"I've fallen for the one person I shouldn't have. For the boy who broke Mary's heart. For Rennie's one true love. For Alex's best friend. It has to end here. Now."

NO IT DOESN'T!

The truth is that even though Lilia was in fact my favourite, after Reeve, she had suffered the least out of all of them. They all had one major loss, what was Lilia's? A piece of jewelry from Reeve? I got seriously mad whenever Lilia wouldn't put the energy to keep her relationship alive with Reeve. She was worried about what people thought about her more than actually being with him and enjoying the time they had together. For a main character Lilia lacked the strength and will to keep a relationship so complicated. In fact I'm convinced she didn't deserve Reeve. Maybe it was all pity for what happened to his leg. 

I may have also disliked Reeve at some major points for instance when he was with Rennie. Why did he just not freaking say no to her if he wasn't attracted to her? Why couldn't he just let her go and stop leading her on. I'd feel zero guilt if I ran into someone I actually liked and let go of the clingy person attached to me that I find UN-attractive. Reeve was just too much of a wuss to deal with his guilt and his problems and how the hell did he talk to Mary on Halloween and didn't totally freak out? If he did, why was it not mentioned? How come he hears Mary and doesn't deal with his shit by talking to someone? And isn't it a bit suspicious to just have your ghostly past pop up out of nowhere after so long? He loved Lilia? He should've told her. Reeve goes through So.SO.MUCH. I should've dedicated some ten minutes crying for all the pain he's had to endure. That poor bastard.  The thing is, Reeve was such a bad-ass character, so tough and strong and the quarter-something-American and he was popular and cool and everything and he couldn't HANDLE ANYTHING LIKE A MAN.


And if she loved him she should've told him what was going on, or at least found a way to tell him without having Mary find out like an anonymous letter or some shit. BUT SHE DIDN'T EVEN TRY. She just cut him off and I wanted to burn the book right that second. Pretty sure the Goddamn author has done absolute no research on the meaning of love or the actions or anything. That was a cheap sacrifice. She should've found a way. AND IN THE EPILOGUE THEY'R JUST DONE. They've ruined the whole story for me with that. The rush was awful.
Let me get back to Mary. The character build up had absolute NO KIND OF CONNECTION TO THE THIRD BOOK. We meet sweet, innocent Mary in the first book and then the second we barely get anything on her and then suddenly she's the most evil person you'll ever come across. Because why, you ask? Because she killed herslef. HERSELF. Her fault she died. You want to end your suffering? You freaking grow up! Her reasoning for killing herself was pretty weak for such an insufferable, evil human-ghost. Her personality is so much stronger as a comparison to her old self. She's in fact weak throughout the whole first book. I get that she expected some kind of attention after coming back to Jar Island's highschool but that should've given her a hint when everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, except of the two girls, ignored her. And the fact that the only reason she even came up in the this book to just rant about her revenge plans and how she was so evil she wanted to burn everyone, I just  COULD NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE. I should've been wise and skipped every chapter involving Mary. AND GUESS WHAT FOLKS. She realizes everything was a mistake and wanted to make up for it for the smallest little act. LIKE THAT WOULD FIX LILIA AND REEVE. WELL DONE MARY YOU FAILED.  There was so much chemistry and love and beautiful things and it took an author 3 pages to flush it in my neighbor's toilet. I'm so devastated about it, you have no idea.
Alex is another example of poor character development. Normally after being turned down or rejected, people MOVE ON. Not Alex, he's a special kind of boy. He won't take no for an answer, i'm actually surprised Lilia doesn't feel harassed by his love towards her. He lacks every little aspect that makes up a good, strong personality. All he does is get mad and upset at Lilia turning him down AND HE GETS THE TROPHY IN THE END, YAY FOR HIM! To be honest Lilia's all to blame because she makes him believe there's a chance and he doesn't give up knowing he's got a 1% shot at being with her. Luckily the author is on his side. Me? Not so much. But what does it matter, i'm against this whole series. It's quite a shame because the hype was real on the first book. 

This book had so much more potential and it all went down the drain and i'm so so so so so sooooo disappointed you have no idea. They just threw in a death in Kat's family, they threw Lilia and Alex together after she's rejected him for THREE FUCKING BOOKS and they just made KAT have absolute no university and just forgot what happened to Reeve because I was honestly too disappointed with that epilogue that a wave of a long-term shock hit me and I still cannot get over it.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,14, 15, 16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29 days later and I can NOT get over it.

Big Disappointment. 
Cheers.
Love.

Fifty Shades Of Grey (By EL James, #1)

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

 

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Review

I give ★★★★★

I would have given less. Why did I not? 

Ana's story began from the very beginning, straight to the point, straightforward all the way. I didn't like a lot about this book, but I don't exactly rate unfairly. Obviously, it's all my opinion. This is my first '"erotica" book to ever read and finish, and I found some scenes, okay, most scenes disturbing; that doesn't mean it wasn't written properly. It captured my attention and I wanted to read more to see where her relationship with this mysterious guy was going. I liked the fact that it kept me going. I was curious to know more about him, because she's just so simple compared to him. It balances out their characters. They complete each other. After a while of reading constant sex scenes, it got less weird. It was still all strange but I didn't close the book and gave up. 

The voice of Ana sounded extremely childish at times, and I liked that because she's young and inexperienced and small things matter so  much, like her fear, excitement, nervousness; it all created a realistic feeling of being inside a young girl's head. Especially that inner Goddess of hers with those pom-poms. 

Christian felt like such a mature person compared to her, which I was so  thankful for. He is such a mystery it's overwhelming. I suppose most people are eager to read more on their "sexy time", instead what I wanted most was for him to let her touch him. Like his face or just hand or arm or anything really, the fact that he wouldn't let her, I would say I was a lot more frustrated than she was, and she kept insisting and I wanted to find out if he would let her and he's so closed and keeping everything to himself.. ugh! Share your mind with us, Christian. Throughout the book, all I wanted to do was find out what was in that little messed up head of his and to find out if he would ever hurt her or if she would ever leave him and my questions were not entirely answered. Not yet. 

I loved the ending and I was so happy, I definitely want to read the next book. 

I can't wait for the movie, the actors  seem the perfect fit. 

Beautiful Disaster By Jamie McGuire

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand. 

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match

Review

I give ★★★★★

Beautiful Disaster was a test to see how fit I was to read something a little closer to Adult-y stuff, even though it wasn't even close to warming up to Fifty Shades of Grey, I thought it might've gotten me one step closer to that Romance Genre. It was adventurous throughout the beginning to the end. Despite my irritation at times, I was unable to take breaks, the book had me hooked at all times, and the hardest thing to do was have a life when reading it, honestly.

The tension, sarcasm, the hate and love it was all there, everything I like about a beginning to end relationship in a book was there. Not to mention that it contained this idea of no third wheels when both Abby and America were in a relationship and hung out at their boyfriend's apartment. Thats just absolutely cool. I am also a fan of bets, I tend to lose them quite frequently but the whole idea, it was all there, in this book and it was awesome. 

“After climbing off his bike, I smacked his shoulder. “Did you forget I was with you? Are you trying to get me killed?”

“It’s hard to forget you’re behind me when your thighs are squeezing the life out of me.” A smirk came with his next thought. “I couldn’t think of a better way to die, actually.”

“There is something very wrong with you.” 

OH OH ,the jealous act. Yes. I love that too. 

"I let you have your say. My patience has run out." Parker tried to look at me, but Travis leaned in his way. "Don't fucking look at her. Look at me, you spoiled shit stain." Parker focused on Travis's eyes and waited. "If you so much as breathe in her direction, I'll make sure you'll be limping through med school."

“The anger subsided, and my shoulders fell. “I know you didn’t. But you have got to curb this overprotective big-brother thing you’ve got going on.”

Travis laughed once. “I’m not playing the big brother, Pigeon. Not even close.” 

Okay, so I may have mentioned if not, I'm mentioning it now. I am still in Disney world, meaning a make out scene may still make me flinch, so this was all new to me. All of it.