Book Review: Entwined by Elisabeth Naughton

I read the first book in this series a while back. And by a while back I mean last year or maybe more. I had gotten the first book as a free download and I remember not hating it completely so I got the second one from the library when I was trying to think of something decent to request.

I had kind of forgotten that this series was all about Greeky mythology and that the male leads are all part of a super group of warriors who can each trace their roots back to a one of the ancient heroes of legend. Although I still don't remember why the bad lady was in hell or why she got thrown out of the special magic world. I mean I vaguely have and idea but most of that is just mush in the back of my brain trying to make sense of it.

I will say that I don't hate Callia and Zander. I think they have some kind of chemistry. But I do think that it is really weird that they could basically work in the same building for ten years and never once confront one another about what they thought happened. I just think it is odd that the major plot point is that her dad lied to both of them and they sort of just went with it. Also when her dad died I was not sorry to see him go, he clearly was a complete ass for what he did to his daughter.

The thing that gets me is the King and his one "real" daughter Isadora. First of mr. man can't seem to keep it in his pants. I mean the entire first book was basically them like "you are human!" and then the girl being like "but also my dad is your king." So he already had one daughter out of wedlock. So when there were hints that Callia's son was a prince I just sort of groaned and accepted the fact that of course she was also the kings daughter.

Isadora is really were my rage settles in. I didn't hate her so much in the first book. She was trying to help her sister and get out of an arranged marriage. She proved she had some back bone in that book. In this book she just kind of becomes Bitch tastick. When her dad is like "arranged marriage number two!" she just kind of sit back and takes it. She gets annoyed but doesn't really do anything and just seems to throw a tantrum by cutting her hair.

The super bitch moment is when Callia realizes that her son did not die during labor and is still alive. Callia is dying to go find her son and save him from the demon her father sold him to, and Isadora seems to think it is the perfect time to get all high and mighty suddenly. She says in so many words that Max will never be king because Callia is a bastard child. And oh by the way she still plans marrying Zander even through its super clear him and Callia have been in love all this time.

And no one says anything. No one is like "princess, not the time." Great personal revelations have just occurred and the main characters have finally learned the truth about what happened to their child, and now is the time she chooses to go all upity. Then she still after everything is super ready to marry Zander after all of that. Well not super ready she lets her handmaiden drug her so she can get out of it.

I want to punch this bitch. I get that we are supposed to feel sorry for her because daddy always made her choices but she is just a mean person. The shitter is the next book is about her, and I hate her. But I really like the guy she gets to bone, which is completely depressing.

Anyway. These are worth the read if you like Greek Mythology and romance novels. That might be a smaller niche than I think it is.

Book Reviews: Hex Hall & Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

I finished the first book in less than eight hours. Thats not really a good or bad thing but it does say that it was easy to read. Which might be caused by some of the meaner things I will say.

The first book is stupid predictable. It hurst how much of a cliche some of it is. New girl in a high school for special kids. Gets roomed with an outcast and chooses to be her friend rather than make friends with the bitchy girls who threaten her rather than woo her into their group. (Side note, I was in a Sorority. You don't threaten them. You play nice and ask them about themselves. Then you ply them with booze and take them out to a play ground. Not in that order or back to back but yeah.)

Of course there is the one super hot guy that all the girls get their panties in a twist over. (Boyfriend: Did she ruin that chair thinking about him? Me: Yes all the little high school girls did ruin chairs when he came in the room.) He is of course dating the queen bitch. He and the main girl get assigned detention together on the first day.

Girl has been lied to about origins and parents and finds this all out while at school. Well some of it is delayed until book two but yeah. Parents are evil. Blah Blah Blah.

I wanted to like these books. I did. Lead girl has the decency to be a smart ass and constantly snarky. Best friend is a vampire that loves pink. It has a base there that could be something not boring. But it is boring. So boring. This might be because the book is almost completely a copy paste of "Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy." But then again that is probably a copy paste of something else.

I don't get this whole really hot guy thing. I mean I get that some guys are hot. I am aware of that, don't question my appreciation of the male form. What I don't get is this idea that one guy or maybe one group of guys are the end all be all of hot in high school. I spent most of high school laughing terribly at those kinds of guys. I never met a single one of them that could have had a decent conversation with me. Also it might have just been my school but really none of them were that good looking. I am not a snob with it comes to looks but seriously where do they grow these boys because they certainly aren't in Indiana.

I just don't get it. I went to the high school that John Hughes made so famous. Its a real place and its in the Midwest. But I just never seemed to notice these things actually happening. I think they did, just not to me or anyone I knew. Why? Because I had traveled the world and read good books by the time hormones kicked in and was not a slave to the little monsters.

I like the guy in the second book so much better. He is sweet and has that whole stoic and silent think going for him. Yes he might not be dangerous and mysterious but I don't trust anybody I can't read like a book. No really, if they are mysterious there is a good chance they are just bi-polar. And I already have one of those hanging around I don't need to date one.

On top of that what is it with parents either lying or not trusting your parents? I mean how many parents really lie about important stuff about who they are and what they do as their job. Granted my parents did once lie to me in a major way but at the time they didn't want me to be freaking out. Yes I haven't completely forgiven my mother for not letting me know that my dad was stage four earlier but I get why they did it.

But in these books its like the parents are retarded. They have no idea how to talk to their children and the kids don't trust them to begin with. And then the bad guys in the second book apparently are doing this for their own good but she wouldn't understand because she is just a kid.

True I find teenagers to be vile creatures, and I say that fully acknowledging the face that I was one not too long ago. But why are the parents and adults so tight lipped?

Another thing why do long periods of time get brushed over in these books so quickly? Harry Potter was good because there was stuff going on all the time, even when they had homework and class. Perhaps if some of these books added a bit more rather than saying "the next several weeks of detention were nice while we laughed together, blah blah blah"? Do something with that time. Make the male lead more than just a cardboard box held up by good looks and raging hormones.

The one thing missing from these books was the main character liking a classic novel that most teens recognize but have never read. I hate that. Have you read Jane Austin? I have. Its really cumbersome. You have to be dedicated. And yes I do know just about every Shakespeare play and character. I am a dying breed of people that love to read, but yeah I get why that is normally included. Still it always feels forced because you know the girls don't act like book worms.

I was bored basically. I have complaints but they are mostly with the genre rather than the book itself. It was fine but it was predictable and boring. The second book was ever so slightly less so but had the bad habit of bringing in the new love interest just so he can be crushed. Oh yeah and mommy was lying as well as daddy. So yay!

I need to not read young adult. *Looks at books from the library* Crap.....