Agree to Disagree: This Man (Series) by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Leftie here. Before proceeding any further, please note we're covering a whole series here, so 3 books in total. Apologies ahead for the length...


RATING: ----

Via Goodreads

Leftie: I would've rated it lower or even say I didn't like it, but that would be totally hypocritical of me since I did end up finishing the book. And got me to read the next one too! Gah!

I'm not gonna focus on the minor editing issue (like "standing" is the progressive tense of "stand", not "stood", for starter), or the weak female character, or the over-the-top alpha male character who has extreme control issues, or the gratuitous sex, or the fact that it probably could have been 100 pages shorter, or the way it ended the way it ended leaving you hanging and no choice but to read the 2nd book, or the story (and the ending) giving me a feeling of "been there, read that" which made me less forgiving of the book... No I'm not gonna...

Like I said, yes, I did finish it and read the next one (I can only imagine how it would have been if I read this one with the 2nd one not published yet, with the way it ended... not even going there). Begrudgingly, despite it all, it hooked me in, so in my books, that's gotta count for something... *sigh*

Rightie: Despite the book's faults (mainly the repetitiveness of some phrases), I liked this book and is certainly better than some more-hyped books I've read in this genre. The author has a lot of potential and should definitely keep writing. Ava is not my favourite heroine, but I like Jesse Ward well enough;) Can't wait to read the second book!

Via Goodreads

Leftie: Again, I would've rated it lower or even say I didn't like it, but, again, that would be totally hypocritical of me since I did end up finishing the book.

Minor editing issue still there? Yup. Weak female character? Yup. And actually has gone more neurotic I thought. Over the top alpha male with control issues? Yup, still there, and has gone more over the top, if that's possible. Gratuitous sex? Yup, of course still there. They fought and have sex, fought and have sex, fought and have sex, get the idea? It was the only way he knows how to communicate, so went the explanation *raises eyebrow* Could the book have been shorter like the first one? Yup. HEA at least? Of course! Again, the story (and the ending) giving me a feeling of "been there, read that" which made me less forgiving of the book... 

Oh, and I don't get, in both books, the whole thing about him not liking when she swears and him swearing in the same breath. And I'm not even touching his issue with alcohol, and her issues, in general, nor his age issue, which made me brace myself, before it was revealed , in case he was in his 50's or something. There was an attempt to explain his behaviour near the end, a tad too late if I may add. If the characters were fleshed out more, instead of just the constant sex, that probably would have explained a lot of things. I guess that's the goal of the 3rd book. It is titled This Man Confessed after all. Not sure how to explain the female character though.

But hey, yes, I did finish it. Again, begrudgingly, despite it all, it hooked me in, again, even made me swoon a few times (how about that!), AND here's the kicker, I think I may just be looking forward to the 3rd one at that (just maybe), so in my books, that's gotta count for something... *sigh*

Rightie: I wanted to like this book. I really did, as I liked the first one. Alas, it was not meant to be. The constant fighting then making up, which I didn't mind in This Man, became quite tedious:( Some parts of the plot did not sit well with me ( ie. what happened the 4 days Jesse disappeared and the thing in the office with Sarah) although I will admit they are almost to be expected. Ava also irritated me to no end. 

I will point out that this was a fast read for me, which shows that Ms. Malpas knows how to tell a story. The build up to climactic events was well done.

Via Goodreads

Leftie: Considering the love-hate relationship I have with the first 2 books, the fact that I continued to read this last one is a testament to Ms. Malpas' writing, where I'm concerned.

Keeping this thought process along the same line as the other 2 books, let's see... Editing? Waaaay better. Ava, the h? Still neurotic, still don't like her. Jesse, the H? Still OTT but now has gotten just swoon-alicious, in a lovable alpha jerk way, for me anyway:p. Gratuitous sex? Not so much anymore, fortunately. Jesse berating Ava for swearing while he swears like a sailor himself? Not so much anymore either, fortunately. Could it have been shorter? Again, yes, but I didn't mind it as much this time around, maybe because I know it's the last in the series so it's the ending. 

This book...

~had me feeling definitely frustrated at times losing count the number of times I made a fist gesture in the air; 
~had me swooning for Jesse, for the most romantic lines I've read in a long while; 
~had me screaming at Ava up until the last 60 pages, didn't get her for the most part, real REAL shame that Ms. Malpas didn't create a better h; 
~had me rolling my eyes when it was showing that the characters were (still) barely growing;
~had me feeling hopeful to see their relationship starting to grow a little at least even though it was the most co-dependent relationship I've read in a romance novel in a while yet it worked perfectly for this couple (sigh); 
~had me shaking my head at all the drama, there were soooo many, just too much; 
~then back again to being frustrated because certain things I thought could have been said sooner rather than later (as in practically the ending) to make me better understand people's motivation, umm, like the lieS of omission on Jesse's part; 
~and finally, had me nodding my head when things finally worked out and just wanting to hug Jesse & Ava (yes, even her, albeit begrudgingly) for what they've gone thru and managing to get thru it.

So now in my mind, how do I rate this book?

1.5* 
-if it was just about Ava (really sorry but most of my frustrations in this book were because of her and I really did try to understand her but didn't for the most part).
4.5* 
-if it was just about Jesse (it would have been higher if we're only talking about the romantic lines that were coming out of his mouth... Oh Jesse, Jesse).
2.0* 
-for the weak h which just made me too tolerant of the H even though he's done jerk-y things to her; don't think that's fair especially when you give the best lines to the H already.
5.0* 
-or higher, just for the mere fact alone that Ms. Malpas put me thru so much emotions with this book and still got me sticking it out right til the end, which for me means that she writes well. And yes, I can see myself reading future stories from her.

Final rating: 3*
Again, considering the love-hate relationship I have with all 3 books now, and making me feel all over the place, taking the middle road once more for what it's worth.

Rightie: (did not bother to read, AT ALL)


Leftie here, again. Wait, what?!? Did that sound we agreed to disagree? Confoozling! Funny enough, there appears to be no middle ground with this series, either you hate it or love it. OR, either you love to have it or you hate that you love it. Ackkkkk!!! 

Agree to Disagree: Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

RATING: ---

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match. (courtesy of goodreads.com) 

(via Goodreads)

Leftie: Ok, I happen to be the one who ended up liking this book. I should also say that I feel like I need to explain myself further. 

First off, I'm not too big on YA (Young Adult) /NA (New Adult) genre, especially YA. And this what this book is classified as, I think. 

For me, the emotions in this book are just real intense for a YA/NA genre. Reading about Travis, the book's hero, is like seeing into the making of an alpha male that women swoon over in adult romance novels, and reading about someone young with that trait was a little disconcerting at times I must say. Then there's Abby, the heroine. I can easily go off-tangent just trying to describe how I feel about this young girl. How I feel about this girl will change from one minute to the next, that I know. 

I think the writer did try to provide some context as to why these 2 characters felt and acted like they did, although it wasn't enough for me to fully understand where they were coming from. Then I go back to the emotions again. It felt un-natural to have such intense emotions at that age. Yet it also felt natural when I try to remember what things felt like at that age. If  real adults are going thru the same issues, they would have been told to seek help, yet these 2 young characters dealt with it on their own acting like it's the most natural thing and nothing to be concerned about. And this is what I think disturbed a lot of the readers out there who felt very strongly against this book, especially the issues around anger, jealousy and promiscuity. 

Then there's the whole campus setting that felt very parochial, or maybe it's just me, because I went to university in the city and not a college town. It just felt high school-ish for me and too clique-ish.

I know I would not have liked this book at all if I read this in my teens or 20's. Remembering how I was then, this book would have probably earned a lot of head-shaking and eye-rolling from me, especially Abby. But I'm not in my teens or 20's anymore so in the end, I realized I like this book for the way the writer got me enmeshed in the story and the characters. I say that alone makes it a good fiction for me. It evoked emotions in me (whether my current self or remembering my young self), that's for sure.

Reading a story about it is one thing, but imagining your child (I don't have any) or someone in your care going thru the same thing is a totally different ball game. So as much as I like this book, I will never recommend this book to young girls (not that I'm surrounded by any, thankfully). After all, fantasy/fiction is one thing and reality another.

Rightie: I decided to give this book a try after Leftie's 4-star rating on Goodreads...well, let's just say I told her over the phone that I'm sending a virtual e-reader on top of her head after I read this dang book. AAAAAARGHHHH! This book brought out so many emotions in me, and none of them were good! 

First of all, I disliked the heroine Abby a LOT...like, A LOT:( None of her actions made any sense to me despite the background the author gave her (which was so lame....I can't even....). She was weak and vapid. I honestly would have walked out from Travis's place after that thing he did on the sofa (No spoiler, ok? Heehee.) WTF?!?!

And Travis...well, I liked him well enough at first. Despite the issues I had with his obsessive and violent tendencies, I was able to tolerate him a bit...until the book went on and on, and his "tendencies" became psychotic behaviours. I guess it didn't help that his girl was supporting him in this(cafeteria scene). AAAAAARGHHHHH! And really...what's with calling Abby "Pidge" all the freaking time?!?! Did the author even explain this? I can't remember. I might have blocked some parts of the book in my head.

Sorry for all the exclamation points. This book brings that out in me...even just writing this is making my blood boil. I mean....that's about a day in my life I could never get back....waaaaaaaaah :(

And so, there you have it...two opposing views on one book. If you have read this book, what did you think?

Agree to Disagree: Naked by Raine Miller

RATING: ---

Hello, Leftie here, we are introducing a new kind of post that will, without a doubt, you'll see every now and then in this page. We call it a "Agree to Disagree" and this happens, or will happen, when we feel the opposite about a book, strongly enough that we feel it merits a discussion, sorta'...

(via Goodreads)

In this book, we are introduced to Brynne, an American student studying in London and poses as a model on her off time, and Ethan who owns a security company and was asked by Brynne's father to look after Brynne because Brynne's father is some kind of an important person, I think, back in the US and I think something happened with Brynne in the past that if people find out it will cause some damage. Oh, and Ethan bought some nude photo of Brynne, and so start their story...


Leftie: That's me giving the description. That was the extent of how I will describe this book. If you can't sense how I feel by how I described it, then let me just further clarify that, I'm really sorry, but this book did not work for me. I should say that it probably would have worked for me if the whole story was not broken up into novellas the way this story was. It's a short read, just over a 100 pages, and for me, it just worked against the story. I didn't understand the characters' motivation since in my mind, everything felt out of context. Everything felt like it happened in fast-forward mode (FF4 in PVR mode, if I may add) that I didn't have time to buy into the characters' emotions, so in the end, it just earned a lot of eye-rolling from me.

A lot of people women loved this book, so I guess I'm in the minority about how I feel about this book(-let), lemme point that out now. But judging from the other reviews out there, I'm also not the only one who felt that this book(-let) will remind you of other more known books out there in the same genre (*cough-cough*, Fifty Shades by EL James... *cough-cough*, Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day, *cough-cough*). So having said that, there is definitely a high potential to like this book if you're a fan of those other books. Alas, not I...

Rightie: Oh Leftie, Lefite, Leftie...your attention span has always been better than mine. The reason I probably liked this book is because of the fact that everything was fast....zoom zoom! Wham bam! Thank you, ma'm!

Despite the book being only about 100 pages, I think the author did a good-enough job to make me sympathize with the characters. The heroine was likeable enough, despite her being able to fall asleep in a stranger's car....bwahaha!

And Ethan...well, I guess it helped that I had Daniel Craig in my mind the whole time I was reading it, despite the character being described totally different than my dear Daniel. I think Daniel works for any romance hero anyway, right? Oh Daniel....I mean, Ethan! You're crazy for what you did, but I can totally understand because, well, you fell in love....

And yes...I do agree with Leftie that the author might have been too inspired by some other works out there, but that's ok, Raine Miller. Just keep writing about Daniel....I mean, Ethan!

If you have read this book, what did you think?