ARC Review: Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Solitaire

Author: Alice Oseman
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: Hardcover, US, 368 pages
Genre: YA, contemporary
Release Date: March 30th 2015

Summary:

In case you're wondering, this is not a love story.

My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people – I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that's all over now.

Now there's Solitaire. And Michael Holden.

I don't know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don't care about Michael Holden.

I really don't.

This incredible debut novel by outstanding young author Alice Oseman is perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and all unflinchingly honest writers.

Review:

I am so sorry BUT I just can't read another page of this. Forget a page, not even another sentence!
DNF at 40%


This is so not for me.
At first I wasn't sure if I was a fan of the writing style. But then I decided that, while I was not really my cup of tea, I also don't mind it that much. Still it meant that this would take me a wee bit longer to read, also that it wouldn't get 5stars just based on that alone.

But soon, I stop caring about the writing style, because as the story was unfolding something else started grate on me: namely the setting. Well, of course this is fiction, it's imaginary. But it is supposed to be a contemporary novel, in fact this has been compared to John Green's works... well, the setting of this is just impossible. The last girls school that has coed for last two years? YEAH right... But let's not forget the Solitaire setting. First that possibility that said domain would be free is lets say... ZERO... then the group hacks the entire school. These kids are some uber- genius techies? Sorry but this seems just beyond possible. I actually found the whole Solitaire mystery not very enticing, but oh well...

I would have not mind any of the above that much, if this would have been a great character driven novel. BUT and that's where I just gave up. I really really dislike Tori.
She is pessimistic at best. Snarky, lies just for no reason, hates the entire world. Has a super weird relationship with her mother- for no apparent reason but that she doesn't really like her?? - in fact she doesn't seem to like anyone really. Her relationship with Becky- is ... well depressing. She has no other friends to speak off. Which is beyond sad.
And she is uber-bitchy to everyone around. She hates reading.. (yeah well, sorry but as a reader, I just can't related to her after that)
BUT the cherry on top of all that? She is totally condescending. She thinks she is so above everyone else. And I mean everyone. Lucas, Becky, her mother, well, really every single character in the book. Her snarky comments about everyone annoyed the crap out of me.
I mean I was not a happy clappy pink fuzzy teen. Hell, I still am not any of those things.
I would have enjoyed sarcastic and snarky- but this is bordering mean. And well, I decided, Tori and I are never going to work, ever ever. And that's that.

Rating: 

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Audiobook Review: Weekends Required by Sydney Landon

Weekends Required

Author: Sydney Landon
Narrator: Allyson Ryan
Series: Danvers #1
Length: 6hrs 40min
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: December 31, 2012

Summary:

Claire Walters has worked for Jason Danvers as his assistant for three years, but he’s never appreciated her as a woman—until the day she jumps out of a cake at his friend’s bachelor party.…

To support her ailing mother, Claire is forced to work a second job at a party-planning company. But when her handsome boss ends up with a front-row seat to the action, she’s mortified—and he’s intrigued.

With Danvers International in the middle of an important merger, Jason asks Claire to accompany him on weekend business trips—and suddenly all her fantasies are coming true. Her outspoken best friend thinks that getting a little “executive attention” will solve everything. But Claire sees more in Jason than just sex.

Jason is determined to know how the beautiful, sexy woman in the cake could also be his mousy assistant. The more time they spend together, the more he realizes how much fun it can be to mix business with pleasure. And how much he wants to offer her a happily ever after of her own….

Review:

UGH!!!This totally back fired!

Let me explain:
I am super busy and wanted to listen to something light and fun while I work in the studio.. but also getting my my cute&fluffy fix for the weekend. I was hoping to find a new series to listen to, so I could fill my studio time with some cute&fluffy, light fun for the next week.
I got this as an audio-expecting a fluffy romance.
But what I got instead was, well, annoying.

I couldn't only not relate to ANY character, there was also no character growth. In short the character building was lacking at best. Each character was so cliche, so predictable that they actually grated on my nerves.

The story line, well I kinda expected predictable- its a romance you know, so it comes with the territory. But I was wrong- it wasn't just predictable it was boring. VERY boring. The epilogue? OMG, are you serious?! Let's just not go there.

The worst thing though were hands down; the dialogues. They felt stiff, recycled and half the time just irritated me.
Though the writing style is not completely terrible, I am not a fan of it. It felt woody and unimaginative at times at other times it was repetitive and felt like Landon was trying way to hard.

The only part of this book I thought was actually any good was the smut! Yes, exactly! The SMUT- the only redeeming feature.
Now I happily read books without it- so I am happily rounding this down.

The narrator was ok. Honestly I would have DNFed if I would have read this myself. But saying that I am also not sure if I would recommend the narrator, since I didn't like the book. I think she made the reading more bearable, but I also have heard better narrations. It's quite hard to say, since I seriously loathed some of the dialogues and was all around unimpressed.


This book is to cliche and unimaginative for my tastes and it is the perfect example about everything I dislike in a romance novel. Well, except for that smut. That was actually quite yummy. Which is besides the point. Back to the issue at hand: My tenuous relationship with the genre has just been set back by at least ten books. I am not even sure I wanna dare reading or listening to anything in the genre for the foreseeable future.
I don't know if I should just ignore this and jump right back into cute and fluffy- cause I definitely didn't get my cutesy fix or if I should just go back to fantasy. Thing is instead of ranting right now, I really should be working. BUT Weekends Required just totally messed up my audio plans and my happy vibe. I am now forced to scour Audible for something to fix the mess my cute&fluffy fail has caused. Wish me luck or even better send me recommendations for really good audiobooks that I might like!

Needless to say I wont be going on with this series nor will I read any other books by the author.


Rating: 

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