Wednesday 6 November 2013

Rock the Beat By Michelle A. Valentine


I guess Riff and Aubrey still owns the crown o.O

I like Holly, and I like Trip. I even like them as a couple. However, their story is uninspiring and just plain easy. There was no conflict where so much possibilities lied. Even with the remaining pages, it still feels incomplete. There are many unknown variables, and the issues that are touched in this novel needed a lot more attention and motivation to bring across their severity. HIV ain't no joke. It was good to see her move away from the stereotypical cancer diagnosis, but give us some more on it. You don't drop that bomb and leave it half way. All or nothing in my opinion!

This story had good bases and ideas but a weak execution. It wasn't feeble by any means, but it also wasn't as strong as it needed to be. I didn't mind taking a break from the spotlight to show an at home vibe. Black Falcon is at a very tentative point in their lives. Babies are being born, members are getting married, and naturally a hiatus is coming or present. I like the build up to that blow up and I hope it makes Tyke's novel better.

Still, I would have liked us to commit more to this endeavor. Everything in this novel was skimmed with description and depth except for the sex scenes. It's like once they started, all else was forgotten. Not that the conversation or lines were that stimulating to begin with, but when the sex came, what little we had before went also.

More Tyke would have ben nice. The way they were portrayed before in other novels had me expecting a lot of twin action. A couple phone calls wasn't nearly as stimulating.  Also, an explanation as to why Trip wants to show his individuality would have been nice also. I feel like I don't really know the twins or Holly for that matter. Plus is the universal sign for being poor peanut butter sandwiches? This one baffles me o.O

It would have been nice to also build a relationship with the other characters. Honestly, I forget about Jackson when he isn't around and Max just showed up whenever we needed a space filled. Once again, another aspect for expansion that was left by the way side. Even the motocross aspect was lacking. I think we only went on the track once, and that wasn't much details. I don't know what she or Trip is capable of. I guess I should just assume. There seems to be a lot of 'use your imagination' moments within this novel.

Thankfully, there was some actual rocking in the end, but then I suspect that's just for show, because you can't possibly have a rock star romance novel without a concert. So we got our standard cliche closing the show and book concert.

Praises for the mini prequel to the entire series, as it out shined the whole 'Rock the Beat' novel, with it's five minutes of fame in the back of this installment. It was short but sweet and sort of made me understand Noel's signature tune for Lanie. She really was a 'Ball Busting (fill in the blanks)' ;)

Don't let my review sway you though, as I still enjoyed the novel and read it in almost one night. I never said I wasn't interested, I just feel like this book needed a shake up of sorts. There are a few gasp worthy moments, but not enough. It was too laid back. There is a line between angst and mellow. This book tried to toe that line and ended up on the too mellow side.

Great ideas and concept, just a very half way there commitment to it's delivery. Still, can't wait for Tyke's turn! I also appreciate the detail to Trip's tattoos on the cover of this novel. If only the rest of this story was as detailed. o.O

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17610212-rock-the-beat

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