The Hating Game

Read on: 04/12/2016

Rating: ★★★★ 4.3/5

“It’s a corporate truth universally acknowledged that workers would rather eat rat skeletons than participate in group activities.”

The book starts with Lucy telling us about her work life. After the publishing company she works for decides to merge with another company, as both were slowly sinking on their own, Lucy has to share her office with the executive assistant of the other company, whom she passionately hates, Josh Templeman. The two sit across each other and every day find ways to either mock or torment one another. Their childish behaviour in their workplace doesn’t affect their performance but when it is announced that one of them could have a promotion their rivalry heightens to a whole new level. Or does it?

If you’re looking for a funny and entertaining book, this one is perfect. Love-hate relationship, lots of drama and a quirky and relatable main character. Personally, I saw a lot of myself in Lucy, I try hard to make people like me, even if I’m not conscious about it most of the time, and I love books. Joshua’s relationship wit Lucy reminded me so much of my first and all-time favourite ship (Dramione) that I devoured the book in a day. I just couldn’t put it down.

However, I’d like to point out a couple things which I think could have been better explored. Both of the main characters are pretty much two-dimensional and we don’t see much of their lives outside of their workplace, somehow it all leads back to their relationship. It’s unrealistic that neither of them has friends outside of their workplace (they don’t really have any friends at work anyway), and that Lucy only talks to her parents, even if she lost a best-friend recently. It also took a long time for them to actually do much of anything together, half way into the book this was starting to bother me a little.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book, it was probably my favourite contemporary this year and it got me back into reading, which is great after weeks of working on university assessments.

Broken Prince

Read on: 05/10/2016

Rating: ★★ 1.5/5

“She’s mine and always has been. From before we even met, she was mine and I was hers. I fought it too long, but I’m giving in now. I’m all in now.”

You know when you don’t think a book is good but it is still addictive af? Yup, that’s this series.
An annoying, romantic couple, not that good writing, but somehow it manages to suck you into it and trap you there. I found myself not able to stop reading it yet still disliking most of it.

For me, Reed is the most annoying of them all. He acts like he rules the whole school and even defies his teachers. In what world would this even be acceptable? He is a brat and, even though I love the forbidden love trope, I just wanted him to get lost. I had no sympathy for the character whatsoever. His need to repeat how Ella was “his” girl and babe/baby all the time just made me want to skip his chapters.

Ella is okay most of the time. I thought her behaviour near the middle/end (?) towards Brooke was childish and I don’t care that Jordan is a bully cunt, she shouldn’t have stepped to her level. And it’s hilarious how there were no repercussions. They’re all specials snowflakes in that school, it’s amazing.

Val and Easton are the only characters I do like, despite his disgusting behaviour at the beginning of book one.

I think we can all agree that Brooke and Dinah can drown in the Artic Ocean. One’s already gone, now let’s get rid of the other :v

Again this ends with a massive cliffhanger. And although I do dislike almost everything about these books, I really can’t wait to get my hands on Twisted Palace!!!