It is true, I have given up on reading Rule, after getting about a third of the way through (just over 100 pages). I was reading this as an ebook for our group read in AYearAThon, and it is one that came very highly reviewed to me. I cannot count how many times my close friends told me that I needed to pick this novel up.
I am usually a fan of the new adult genre, and the tattooed bad boys, but this one fell very flat for me. The writing was not very strong, and didn't feel like it had gone through much of an editing process. There were many scenes and over-the-top descriptions that I felt could have been shortened, making this novel a bearable 300 pages.
I don't think the hype had anything to do with my expectations, but instead did not compare to some of the other new adult novels I have read. Overall, I was very disappointed in this novel, and cannot believe how long of a series it has become. I will be taking a short break from new adult, and will instead focus on some lighter reads while finishing my semester.
Never, Never Part Three
Written by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
Number of Pages: 92
Average Rating: 3.60/5 stars
My Rating: 3.5/stars
Published: January 19th, 2016
Read in January 2016
Summary according to Goodreads
Together, Silas Nash and Charlize Wynwood must look deeper into the past to find out who they were and who they want to be. With time ticking down, the couple are in a race to find the answers they need before they lose everything. Can they regain what they once had? And will it restore who they once were?
My Thoughts
First thing: I was extremely disappointed with this final part of the story. The previous two were some of my favourites, and I could not put them down. I was completely immersed in the prior instalments, but felt like I rushed myself through this one. I had heard average reviews, but many were disappointed with the ending.
I still really enjoyed the characters, Silas and Charlie's relationship was strong even when they did not remember it. It was easy to see how these characters fell in love, their personalities go so well together. Colleen Hoover is gifted at creating characters that you can connect to, and it is one of my favourite things about her novels. Watching these two fall in love many throughout the story was enjoyable, because you were living it with the characters.
If it were not for the epilogue, I would have given this story four stars, but the final conclusion made me very angry. It was so cliche for them to end it how they did, and if you read this finale, I would suggest just skipping the epilogue. The plot was not as interesting as the others, and instead worked on wrapping up all of the loose ends. It would have been much more beneficial for this story to be released at once, so there was no decline in rating. Otherwise I would have rated it a five stars overall.
I am so happy to say that I only purchased two books in the month of January - a major accomplishment for me! My TBR is now at 278, slowly getting down to a more manageable number.
Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young
Summary according to goodreads
When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she's grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother's death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.
Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions - including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey's pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful.
Welcome to the Ruby.
My Thoughts
As I am sure many of you know, The Program is one of my favourite series/duologies. I find her writing to be very captivating, and her stories interesting and real. I have no doubt that I will enjoy this novel as much as I have her others.
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
Summary according to goodreads
Ambitious New York City teenager Craig Gilner is determined to succeed at life - which means getting into the right high school to get into the right job. But once Craig aces his way into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School, the pressure becomes unbearable. He stops eating and sleeping until, one night, he nearly kills himself.
Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbours include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.
My Thoughts
This is a novel I have been wanting to read for a few years, and had even started back in the tenth grade. The last time I tried to read this, I was very depressed, and was not in a healthy mental state to read a plot like this. Now that I have a better handle on my mental illness, I would like to give this book a second chance. I have heard nothing but good things, and look forward to reading it soon.
