Bry AnnRecensioni

When Axel was a teenager, he lost his best friend Sarah because she killed herself. Already having anger issues, that just pushed him even further, and he ended up spending time in juvie. When he got out, he just wanted to count the minutes until he turned 18 and was able to get out of the small town he was from. When he was able to get out, he turned to boxing.

Aly has always lived in the shadow of her parents. They started becoming very ultra-religious when she was a child, and she has always had to be careful and live under their very strict rules. When she turned 18, she wanted to get away and find herself. She manages to get away from her family and on the train to Seattle, she meets Axel, now going by X who is now a professional boxer. Their paths cross for just a moment, but then nothing else happens for another 2 years.

X and Aly are both very interesting characters and I'm glad to have seen the story go the way that it did in the end. However, I think that the story got a little too convoluted at points. Maybe one fewer twist in the story would've made it a tighter story, in my opinion. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable story.

4 stars

Very good start to this series. While the subject matter was dark, I didn't feel like the characters were. Did they have Demons? Yes, but the also had redemptive qualities and could be empathetic. It was nice to watch how they wrestled their demons with the other.

3.9 stars

This book had a lot of parts that I really liked and others that left me scratching my head. Perhaps if I had read the previous books introducing the characters it would have made better sense. I had thought that this was a standalone story.

There were a lot of different character chapters which also confused me but I'm intrigued enough to want to continue.

Heartbreaking

The fact that this story happens to real people makes my heart hurt. My biggest issue wasn't in the content but rather on a certain aspect of how it was written. Knowing that Sage was shutting down in regards to what was happening to her was more than plausible but when she talked about herself as someone who needed Sage kept away it became disjointed. It made it seem like they were split personalities instead of the same woman. I could totally see writing the character as lethargic or catatonic but having her talk like this didn't offer it the fluidity I was looking for. I'd have rather had someone else discuss how she was doing as she struggled through the horrors she endured and came out the other side.

Just my preference. I'm still heartbroken reading the acknowledgment and knowing that a real person endured this.

3 Stars
Arc Book Review
Release Date-30/8/18

This was an enjoyable read that for me was slightly swings and roundabouts in nature.
There were some things here that I loved; while others not so much.
It had an extremely unique style of narration using four separate POV's rather than the more common one or two and rather than concentrating on just one individual couple here we get the added bonus of two; who each seem to share the spotlight equally.
This was a very unique concept that I haven't seen used that often.
A two-fer if you will.
The style of storytelling used here I initially found a trifle confusing, it did eventually start to grow on me and while I did feel a tad more connected to Sven and Rose, as the story unfolded Boss and Lacy also started to dig deeper and start to burrow beneath my skin.
So why not a higher star rating?
Well, I did struggle somewhat with the brutality depicted here and my final rating does reflect this slightly.
I do like my dark fiction but for some reason here I had issues wrapping my head around Boss's actions towards Lacy; his complete disconnect to Lacy as a fellow human being and his single-minded focus on his own personal goals at the expense of Lacy was really difficult to comprehend or even understand.
It wasn't even that the abuse happened, after all, I went into this with my eyes wide open.
Its that It came at the hands of the man who is essentially her future heart.
And yes I have read this type of thing before in my dark fiction its just Boss seemed to take it to a whole new level of extreme that shocked even me.
This was hardcore abuse that I found difficult to process and I just couldn't find it in my heart to forgive him for his incomprehensible actions towards Lacey.
He essentially broke her which I found unforgivable.
And no it doesn't give you a free pass if someone else is inflicted your orders.
There carrying out your wishes so your still ultimately responsible.
In some ways, it's worse.
I found Sven and Rose while initially starting this a much more likeable proposition.
He even internalises that he couldn't treat Rose this way.
I also should mention this ends on a cliffhanger which whilst not bothering me just thought I'd pre-warn you.
I think the next Installment is already out anyway.
At its essence "Roses and Thorns" is an interesting dark read that really pushed my boundaries far past what I was comfortable with.
This can be good or bad depending on your perception and mindset as sometimes we need to experience things outside of our compact little boxes.
Unfortunately, I don't think I will be continuing on here as I'm afraid I definitely reached my hard limit with the treatment of Lacy.
I'm not going to recommend this, either way, it all depends on your own personal dark barometer.
Just be aware going in that this is rather upsetting in places.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of "Roses and Thorns" of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions are entirely my own.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

3 Stars
Arc Book Review
Release Date-30/8/18

This was an enjoyable read that for me was slightly swings and roundabouts in nature.
There were some things here that I loved; while others not so much.
It had an extremely unique style of narration using four separate POV's rather than the more common one or two and rather than concentrating on just one individual couple here we get the added bonus of two; who each seem to share the spotlight equally.
This was a very unique concept that I haven't seen used that often.
A two-fer if you will.
The style of storytelling used here I initially found a trifle confusing, it did eventually start to grow on me and while I did feel a tad more connected to Sven and Rose, as the story unfolded Boss and Lacy also started to dig deeper and start to burrow beneath my skin.
So why not a higher star rating?
Well, I did struggle somewhat with the brutality depicted here and my final rating does reflect this slightly.
I do like my dark fiction but for some reason here I had issues wrapping my head around Boss's actions towards Lacy; his complete disconnect to Lacy as a fellow human being and his single-minded focus on his own personal goals at the expense of Lacy was really difficult to comprehend or even understand.
It wasn't even that the abuse happened, after all, I went into this with my eyes wide open.
Its that It came at the hands of the man who is essentially her future heart.
And yes I have read this type of thing before in my dark fiction its just Boss seemed to take it to a whole new level of extreme that shocked even me.
This was hardcore abuse that I found difficult to process and I just couldn't find it in my heart to forgive him for his incomprehensible actions towards Lacey.
He essentially broke her which I found unforgivable.
And no it doesn't give you a free pass if someone else is inflicted your orders.
There carrying out your wishes so your still ultimately responsible.
In some ways, it's worse.
I found Sven and Rose while initially starting this a much more likeable proposition.
He even internalises that he couldn't treat Rose this way.
I also should mention this ends on a cliffhanger which whilst not bothering me just thought I'd pre-warn you.
I think the next Installment is already out anyway.
At its essence "Roses and Thorns" is an interesting dark read that really pushed my boundaries far past what I was comfortable with.
This can be good or bad depending on your perception and mindset as sometimes we need to experience things outside of our compact little boxes.
Unfortunately, I don't think I will be continuing on here as I'm afraid I definitely reached my hard limit with the treatment of Lacy.
I'm not going to recommend this, either way, it all depends on your own personal dark barometer.
Just be aware going in that this is rather upsetting in places.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of "Roses and Thorns" of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions are entirely my own.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com