Wednesday 28 May 2014

Entice By Rachel Van Dyken


Here I go being the odd one out again.

I still believe that this series got better from the first novel but that ending was pitiful and left me longing for an alternate. The prologue and first chapter to the next book has me rolling my eyes and over the dramatics and theatrics of it all but once again, I am interested to see what caused all those betrayals. There is so much build up in the beginning story line and then we get to the most flaccid ending.

At first, I thought the problem might be the couple dynamics, because Trace and Nixon were struggling in the beginning but then I find that I like Trace and Nixon together, especially as they battle the residual resentments from Trace moving on and Nixon faking his death. Mil and Chase however didn't have me convinced or move.

I don't know when they fell in love and the emotions backing them as a couple feels like it appeared out of thin air. They were so bland as a couple that I found myself craving Nixon and Tracey scenes more than Chase and Mil's. Also, let's talk about how the end of this installment focused on every one except Mil and Chase. Thought it was there book o.O

This novel needs a better sense of time also. I can't tell you how much time has passed since Tracey enrolled at Elite. All I know is, that they haven't had a break since and they have lost friends along the way.

The person that strike fear into every one reminds me of Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3, for those who are about that Marvel Comics life like myself; He was more a face of terror than terror itself. I understand setting us up for Tex's story but this ending unbelievable and flat especially from a man of his calibre and superstitious mindset.

Chase didn't portray the things I adored about him from book 1 and 2. He was suppose to be a "love sick puppy" over Mil but I just didn't believe him. His words, feelings and reactions held more impact when he was panting after Trace, than when he was discovering his love for Mil. He deserves better, Mil isn't it. I found myself missing the love triangle.

This novel continues to be YA mafia romance so expect more cliche "mafia" scenes and the continued absence of any police presence or good, on the brink of death, sex scenes. These mafia gods even fly commercial -_-

Mil was not tough and feisty as I expected. I liked the gun wheeling girl from the previous novels but this one just had really terrible flashbacks. She was more the abused 14 year old than the 20 year old mob boss. I don't even know what the point this novel was aiming to make. I am lost as to their Vegas visit and all the random acts of violence that followed.

Even Luca wasn't his usual devious self leading up to the most unbelievable final fight scene. At this point, they should all just kill each other and put us out of our misery. They literally shoot first then ask questions later and I am getting tired of the repetitive themes. The ghost that is ever present, constant betrayal from a past that their parents set in motion and relationship epiphanies that's portrayed with the same urgency as brushing your teeth. It needs a new spin because we've read this before from this same series.

You might think from my above review that I might not have liked this novel but I was actually interested. My problem is the ending. It had a great build up that had me focused and wanting to know what Mil was hiding and what Chase,  Trace and Nixon's response would be to Chase being a  married man. In the end, it was just more gunshots, death and secrets from the past that's ripping this friendship to threads.

Book 4 has me interested but I hope that we get more than the usual. While chapter one has me scared and intrigued in one I can't wait to see if Tex is the shake up I am still looking for to give this series a higher rating than the one it's kept so far.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18465431-entice

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