Tag «Author: Jasinda Wilder»

DNF Series Review: Falling by Jasinda Wilder

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Falling Into You (from Goodreads):
I wasn’t always in love with Colton Calloway; I was in love with his younger brother, Kyle, first. Kyle was my first one true love, my first in every way.

Then, one stormy August night, he died, and the person I was died with him.

Colton didn’t teach me how to live. He didn’t heal the pain. He didn’t make it okay. He taught me how to hurt, how to not be okay, and, eventually, how to let go.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Disappointment 2016
Series: Falling
Author: Jasinda Wilder
# of Books: 5 (Falling Into You, Falling Into Us, Falling Under, Falling Away, Falling for Colton)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Drama
Heat Rating: N/A
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: March 2013 – January 2016
Source & Format: Own–eBook

thoughts

Disclaimer: I stopped reading Falling Into You (Book 1) at 39%. Find out why below…

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I picked up Falling Into You years ago for my Kobo when I first got into the New Adult genre. I was looking forward to reading it but the topic of death was one I was rarely in the mood for. So I put it off for years but continued to buy the sequels for the day I finally got around to the series.

I actually read Wilder’s Stripped Series before I read this one. I had really mixed feelings of it as a whole and I was a little skeptical starting Falling Into You when I pulled it for my Rock My TBR challenge. But, I tried my best to go in with an open mind and give Falling Into You a far chance.

What I Didn’t Like:

–The Immaturity = Dramatics–

Falling Into You starts with Kyle and Nell’s story–something I wasn’t entirely expecting but understand. However, because they are in high school, the petty drama was just a little too much for me to handle. Even worse was that Nell knew she was being melodramatic about certain things but continued on anyways.

So while I could cut them some slack because of their ages and I understand the more rushed nature of those “prequel-esque” chapters in order to set the tone of the story–I just got off on the wrong foot with those characters, resulting in me getting slightly annoyed by their behaviour and simply not caring what happened to them.

–The Romance–

It wasn’t the circumstances of the relationship that were off-putting, rather it was the almost “insta-love” vibe I got from Colton that really nailed the coffin closed on this series. I believe that connections between people can happen in a moment but this was just too much for me to swallow when I wasn’t loving everything that I had seen previously. I just didn’t enjoy the more implied, innate nature of the romance.

Will I Finish It?

Sigh…I bought the next two books in the series shortly after I bought the first one just because I got a really good deal. I hate having books unfinished that I’ve purchased but even the idea of skimming Falling Into You while trapped on a train for an hour wasn’t even appealing to me. Maybe later this year I’ll force myself to read a chapter a day or something while reading something else…

Series Rating: DNF

Falling Into You DNF | Falling Into Us N/A | Falling Under N/A | Falling Away N/A | Falling for Colton N/A

overall

This series wasn’t my cup of tea and I think if I had read some more reviews before buying a majority of the series, I would have known that. Perhaps one day I’ll power through them all just to get them finished on my Kobo but not at this time.

Read if You Like: dramatics, insta-love
Avoid if You: if you want more mature characters

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Series Review: Stripped by Jasinda Wild

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Stripped (from Goodreads):
So how did I get myself into this situation, you ask? Simple: desperation. When you’re faced with being homeless and hungry or taking off your clothes for money, the choice is easier than you’d imagine. That doesn’t make it easy, though. Oh no. I hate it, in fact. There’s nothing I’d like more than to quit and never go into another bar again, never hear the techno beat pulsing in my ears again, never feel the lecherous gazes of horny men again.

Then, one day, I meet a man. He’s in my club, front and center. He watches me do my routine, and his gaze is full of hunger. Not the kind of desire I’m used to though. It’s something different. Something hotter, deeper, and more possessive. I know who he is; of course I do. Everyone knows who Dawson Kellor is. He’s People Magazine’s Sexiest Man alive. He’s the hottest actor in Hollywood. He’s the man hand-picked for the role of Rhett Butler in the long-awaited remake of Gone With the Wind.

He’s the kind of man who can have any woman in the entire world with a mere crook of his finger. So what’s he doing looking at me like he has to have me? And how do I resist him when he looks at me with those intoxicating, changeable, quicksilver eyes?

I’m a virgin, and he’s an American icon of male sexuality. I’m a stripper, and he’s a man used to getting anything and everything he wants. And he wants me. I know I should say no, I know he’s the worst kind of player…but what my mind knows, my body and my heart may not.

And then things get complicated.

breakdown

Series: Stripped
Author: Jasinda Wilder
# of Books: 2 (Stripped, Trashed)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes? I think so.
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Drama, Contemporary, Celebrity
Heat Rating: hot (closer to the end in Stripped; from the start and throughout Trashed)
Point of View: First Person, Single (Stripped); Alternating (Trashed)
Source & Format: Public Library–eBook

thoughts

Jasinda Wilder first came across my radar with her Falling Series. I have most of the books from that series waiting to be read on my Kobo (and some other freebies from her) but I haven’t managed to read them yet. When I came across these two books at my library and read the concept for Stripped, I decided to pick them up as quick romance reads.

I like unconventional romances–they are nice breaks from the everyday love story. Plus, I like the fictional element to it. Lots of girls like the fantasy that a rich, handsome actor/celebrity will notice regular-old them and I am no exception. Do I let it consume my every thought?–of course not, but I like that fiction let’s me imagine it could be me one day.

Unfortunately, Stripped was just plain boring. Grey was one of the dullest heroines I have ever encountered. I truly think that she was crying every three pages about something–which is fine considering her life hasn’t been all that easy–but it just got so exhausting to read about. I really felt indifferent to her as I read through the book.

The romance was also dull, and if it wasn’t dull, it was cheesy. I knew it was going to be a love at first sight story as soon as I picked it up but I was hoping for some good sexual tension between the two of them but that never happened! First, it is nearly 50 pages (eBook) before Dawson is even introduced–which is just too long when nothing else is really happening plot-wise and especially in a book slated as a romance. Then they speak together twice before he is undeniably in love with her and decides to chase her. I just didn’t see the connection whatsoever between them.

What also really bothered me was that there was no fallout/consequences from her career as a stripper. Every little problem that was introduced is neatly tied up inexplicably and I guess I just wanted something to happen that would capture my attention.

Trashed on the other hand was more solid to me. It wasn’t the greatest romance novel ever but at least it had more substance to it than Stripped did. The characters just seemed better developed to me and so did the romance. Despite its “deep-connection” roots I could actually see why these two characters liked each other. Overall it was an improvement over Stripped.

I’m not sure if there will be any more books in this series but if there were, I’m not sure if I would read them. I suppose it depends on the premise and what my experience is with Ms Wilder’s other novels. These novels haven’t turned me off of her other works but perhaps have changed my expectations for them.

My Rating: 2/5

overall

These books could have been really great but they just felt underdeveloped. They weren’t dramatic and they weren’t overly realistic either so they just come across as underwhelming. But if you want quick, cheesy romances these are great summer reads!

Read if You Like: cheesy romances, quick reads
Avoid if You: like more drama, want stronger character development
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