#I admittedly could not decide on majors at all and only have a loose timeline for ages.

[officer-achilles]

Wolf 359 College AU Anyone?

(This is the abbreviated version as I write out my full ideas...)

+ Mr. Cutter is a landlord, a lawyer, and a professor and has everyone else either working for him, with him, or are somehow indebted to him.

+ The Hephaestus Crew share a large rental property that Mr. Cutter owns. Their next door neighbors (in another of Mr. Cutter's rental properties) are SI-5. The SI-5 house is referred to as 'The Urania' which is the name of their house Wi-Fi.

+ Dr. Pryce is also a professor at this college with PhD Student Alexander Hilbert as her primary TA before she replaces him with Maxwell.

+ Mr. Cutter has Kepler and Jacobi as his TA's.

+ Minkowski and Lovelace work at a nearby rock climbing gym called 'The Hephaestus'. Eiffel works at a nearby pizza parlor.

+ Rachel Young is Mr. Cutter's personal assistant. Enlil is his chauffeur and also Dr. Pryce's semi-illegitimate son. Hera is Dr. Pryce's eldest child who was kicked out after she began transitioning- Mr. Cutter offered her a rent free stay living with Eiffel and Co. in exchange for having her do all repairs and maintenance tasks around the house.

+ Hilbert lives in the room right next to Eiffel and Eiffel swears that Hilbert is up to something weird. Eiffel's started getting sick way more often after he moved in- and he thinks he smells something weird through the air vents connecting their rooms... Maybe Hilbert is running a meth lab?

+ Maxwell and Hera work at a nearby tech repair store and are best friends.

+ Jacobi and the bartender (named Victor Reimann) at the nearby bar 'The Sol' used to hook up- and now Jacobi hates 'The Sol' with his entire heart.

+ Eiffel, Minkowski, Lovelace, and Kepler were all enlisted in the army at some point. Only Minkowski and Kepler completed their four years. Eiffel left of his own accord after his daughter Anne was born. Lovelace was dishonorably discharged after an incident involving her squad member Samuel Lambert.

+ Lovelace still talks to her high school friends who all live far away now. Fisher, Fourier, Hui, and Rhea are always wanting to visit her but have yet to find time.

+ Anne was born when Eiffel was around 20 years old. The car accident happened around when Eiffel was 24. Though in this version Eiffel swerves just in time to avoid hitting anyone- though the resulting telephone pole that he crashes into instead leads to Anne going fully deaf and Eiffel becoming hard-of-hearing (he now wears hearing aids). Eiffel was likely going to end up in jail for this but his court-ordered lawyer (a Mister Marcus Cutter) reduced his sentence to six months in jail, time in rehab, and monthly check-ins with his sponsor (who just so happened to be Marcus Cutter as well). Now that Eiffel is 26, verging on 27 he is in a much better place. And he will finally be allowed consistent visitation rights with Anne.

+ Mr. Cutter invited all the tenants of his two major rental properties to attend his and Dr. Pryce's course- and because this is the man who controls their rent- they all agree. Which means Eiffel is stuck in classes where his TA's are Dr. Hilbert, Jacobi, and Kepler.

+ Hera has memorized Dr. Pryce's daily schedule down to the minute in order to avoid interacting with her at all- even though she is forced by Mr. Cutter to attend Dr. Pryce's classes alongside everyone else.

[strawberrypinky]

I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed with negativity on the internet recently and thus I've decided to take matters into my own hands and spread some ✨love and positivity✨

And what better way to do that, than to recommend wonderfully written fanfiction I've come across this year? Admittedly, I haven't read as much as I would have liked, but I still want to share the few I did read. So without further ado, here are my fic recs of 2024 (thus far! Might add to this along the line):

Baldur's Gate 3 Fic recs:

O Fortuna [by @gufu-vire] on AO3 - Raphael x Dark Urge ❦ Plot: Post the events of BG3, a redeemed Dark Urge and Raphael renegotiate terms to fulfil a contract sworn upon during the crisis of the Absolute. An adventure fraught with tension, frustration, conflict, and more as the reader partners up with the devil you love to hate…

This is possibly a very biased mention on this list, because I consider Goof a very dear friend and moot, but it is a deserved spot nonetheless! I have yet to catch up with a majority of the chapters, but I'm enjoying a lot of sneak peeks and Gufu's creative process in private in the meantime. Between the conflict this story is utterly hilarious and witty and is a perfect balance between action and idle affairs. There are also so many intriguing takes on Raphael as a character & Harleep deserves a trophy on his own. I could talk a lot about this story, but truly, I cannot recommend it enough!

❦

Sleep Deprivation - [by @nyda-the-tav & Aisln] on AO3 - Gortash x Tav ❦ Plot: As Orin continues to harass the group of misfits trying to stop the Absolute, Ophelia (Tav) looks for safety in the arms of Gortash in an effort to combat sleep deprivation.

I've only recently started reading this story & both authors best believe that once I've caught up with all 50(!) chapters, I'll leave a more detailed review for Sleep Deprivation. But what I've read thus far has been nothing short of a joy, and I'm always down for a good Tav being absolutely ruined by Gortash himself. The dynamic between the supposed enemy and the hero is gripping, hilarious and not to mention really well written! Kudos to the authors! I'm really excited to read more of what you two come up with!

❦

His Star - His Queen [by @random-introverted-blog] on AO3 - Astarion x Tav/Astarion x Dark Urge ❦ Plot: An ascended Astarion kidnaps the Dark Urge/Tav from a different timeline, after loosing her in his. Desperate to save Tav/Durge from himself, Astarion follows her to rescue his love from certain suffering at his own hands.

I was recommended this story on TikTok (of all places, lol) and I wasn't sure what to expect - but holy shit. The first chapter alone had me on the edge of my seat, as you're really thrown into the action from the start, but the entire premise had me hooked as soon as Ascendant Astarion made his appearance. I often have issues with the ascended version of Astarion's character (I just looooove fixing him & I've got issues with the 'make him worse' story arc), but the exploration of what could have been in tandem with trying to save the heroine from inevitable suffering is beautiful & I can't recommend it enough. I've yet to catch up with every chapter (can you tell I've got trouble keeping up with fics, lmfao?) but either way, "His Star - His Queen" is deservedly on this list!

Note: This fic includes non-consensual sexual content

❦

Judgement by the Hounds [by @septembersummer] on AO3 - Gortash x The Dark Urge ❦ Plot: A look into the relationship of The Dark Urge (Seren) and Gortash, from their first meeting up to their shared end. "The rise and fall of the worst situationship of all time" indeed.

This one I actually finished (very slay), though I'm not sure I actually processed it. I went through all five stages of grief reading this and I'm not even sure I can say anything without spoiling the entire premise. Dear author, you have written possibly the most captivating and enchanting portrayal of Durge and Gortash & though I knew how it would end, I was wishing for a happy end through it all. There's nothing to say about this, other than it was utter perfection.

❦

Miscellaneous One Shot recommendations:

legacy with no memory by @discordsmuse on AO3 - Gortash x The Dark Urge The Weight of A Promise by @sserpente on tumblr [Part 2 is equally good!] - Gortash x Tav/OC kiddo. by @avocado-writing on tumblr. - Gortash & OC

to have and to hold by @littlejuicebox on tumblr. - Astarion x Tav

choices. by @deadtired-highkeyenergetic on tumblr - Astarion x Tav

how to win a custody battle in one easy step. by alltears on AO3 - Astarion x Tav

Dangerous by NaeveTheWizard on AO3 - Astarion x The Dark Urge

❦

Honourable Mentions:

I'm also giving a shout-out to @avani-telvanni & @infernaldaydreams, because while neither have written fanfiction I could recommend, I am obsessed with their respective artworks for Tav x Gortash/Durge x Gortash. You guys are absolutely amazing and I'm conistently in awe of what you create. You deserve all the recognition you receive and more 💕

Hogwarts Legacy Fic rec's: a very short list, but two are dear to me nonetheless!

Victory [by @jonquil] on AO3 - Victor Rookwood x Original Female Character ❦ Plot: Victor Rookwood is enraptured by the new, ancient-magic-wielding student attending Hogwarts - and Victor Rookwood always comes out on top.

Technically I started reading "Victory" in 2023, when it first came out, alas, it was finished earlier this year and I couldn't help but include it, because it remains one of my favourite fanfiction ever. To me, it's the best fictionalisation of "Enemies to Lovers" in a long time, as I was rooting for the villain to win from start to finish. From the wonderful characterisation of Rookwood to the alternative canon timeline and ultimately the victory of the villain - there's nothing like it and I was hooked from start to finish. I am still sad it's over, but I'm excited to read the prequel (as soon as I get to it, lmfao), because I know it'll be equally spectacular!

Note: This fic contains non-consensual sexual content.

❦

Invisible String [by @legacygirlingreen] on tumblr (though it can be found on both AO3 and wattpad too!) - Sebastian Sallow x Reader ❦ Plot: In an alternative, victorian-attitude-compliant timeline, Sebastian Sallow falls for the new fifth-year. This story explores the sweet beginnings of a tender love amidst hardships and battles ahead.

Admittedly, this is possibly the most biased fic rec ever, but I stand behind it nonetheless. While this fic started in March of last year & brought me and my platonic soulmate May, aka legacygirlingreen, together, it remains my favourite Sebastian Sallow fic to this day. The amount of love, time and creativity May put into this has me in awe time and time again. The sweet and tender love the two protagonists experience is perfectly fluffy and slice-of-life, yet the alternative version of the canon events of Hogwarts Legacy add the perfect amount of drama and action. I will always come back to this fic, because yes - It is that good.

[douxreviews]

Charmed - Season Six Review

"It helps to be a sister."

With more plot holes than actual plot, some really questionable character arcs, and frustratingly inconsistent mythology, Season Six is undoubtedly one of Charmed's worst years.

Following the downward trajectory that began in the latter half of Season Five, we enter Season Six with the series in a state of confusion. Piper and Leo's separation is, unfortunately, the crux of the season, and the character responsible for all this - Chris - plays a frustratingly important role in the season as well. Portrayed by an actor with the charisma of a dead fish, and written with very little conviction, Chris is probably the worst major character the series ever introduced. As we watch the more familiar and, yes, admittedly bland Leo slowly grow apart from Piper and the sisters, we're forced to endure a very slow, and very odd reveal of Chris' true identity. Episodes like 'Chris Crossed' try to add depth to him, but the general confusion surrounding his place in the series make it more of a baffling watch than a satisfying one.

Initially coming across as somewhat of a villain, it's obvious that Holy Marie Combs' pregnancy threw the writers under the bus, with Chris' subsequent unveiling as Wyatt's brother raising more than a few questions about what came before it. Like why would Chris kill a Valkyrie with such reckless abandon in the season premiere, and why did he have to go through all the effort of enlisting a demon just to teach the sisters a lesson about their individual wants and desires in 'My Three Witches'? And how the hell did Drew Fuller ever get hired in the first place?

Chris' plan also required him to keep Piper and Leo apart so he could place himself close to Wyatt, but watching the separation unfold is a truly aggravating experience, especially when it felt neither organic, nor appropriate. There are a few parts of the season that try to toy with Piper's role as a single mother, though the inconsistent writing prevents most of these moments from hitting home. There are some admittedly strong scenes that explore Piper's pain over Leo's departure, notably in the premiere where Phoebe's new power of empathy allows her to feel the hurt and betrayal that Piper had been holding back for months thanks to a spell gone awry. Largely, though, the arc is a mess, and it’s a relief when it all comes to an end with baby Chris' birth in the finale.

Chris' plan to save Wyatt from getting corrupted by evil forces leads us to the show's first major antagonist since The Source; the misguided Elder, Gideon. His motives are flimsy as hell, but the presence of a primary villain is welcome in light of the reversion to a stand-alone narrative last season. The story never quite works, with Gideon's reasons for betraying the sisters and attempting to destroy Wyatt feeling a little unfounded. There are some interesting repercussions to his actions, though. Leo's decision to kill Gideon for betraying him essentially ends his time as a fully-fledged Elder, sending him down a dark path next season.

Outside of Piper and Leo's family drama, there are just as many issues to be found, with Phoebe's plots this season continuing her path to full-on narcissism. Gone are the days of the fun, relatable misfit. Now she's much more concerned with sperm hunting and using, abusing and later losing her new power of empathy to find said sperm. Bar a few fun moments, Phoebe is pretty abhorrent this season. It's hard to feel sympathy for her anymore, and most of the beats her arc hits feel like they're driving her character further and further into the ground. This season also marks the first instance of a tradition that lasts through to season eight; Phoebe's annual love interests. Here, it's a carry-over from last season; Jason Dean. He's mostly fine, though he falls squarely into the same category as most male characters on this series and becomes rather disposable. He eventually departs after finding out Phoebe's secret and he isn't missed.

Paige's decision to quit her job as a social worker last season is still causing her to drift from place to place. But rather than mooching around the manor honing her witchcraft as she did in Season Five, here she takes up temping, giving the writers a chance to throw her into a new and absurd situation each week. Some of these fall flat (hi, talking dog!), but some do lead to some genuinely intriguing situations, most notably in 'Love's a Witch', where Paige is caught in the middle of a magical family feud. The episode is decent enough, though it's more significant for its introduction of Paige's semi-recurring love interest, Richard. Initially appearing as a witch with a magic-averse attitude, we soon learn about his addiction to dark magic. There are some cool, dark little moments for Richard, but in general the plot is never fully realized and his addictions eventually drive him away from Paige. I think the biggest problem with Paige's weekly exploits is that each of them seem to emphasize how uneven she's become. At least her early episodes in Season Four are mostly consistent; you could really get to know her. Here she goes from peace-maker, to busybody, to activist, to floozy to a whole host of other things and it’s hard to get a read on who she is anymore, which is a huge disappointment.

It goes without saying that there are very few great episodes, this season. 'Love's a Witch' is one of them, as is the two-part season finale 'It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World'. The idea of dual realities is something that’s done a lot on other high concept shows, and it's explored in a fun and creative way, in this double lenghth episode. It also gives a choppy and dissatisfying season a remarkably poignant ending, with future Chris' death, and the birth of baby Chris. 'Forget Me... Not' is another highlight that has a lot of fun with a broken timeline, and it also features a cool little mystery that drives the hour to a crazy witch/dragon showdown.

Rare highlights aside, this season is a total mess. 'Witchstock' is a crock of an episode, where a wasted trip to the 60's feels like more of a chance to poke fun at the visuals of that era more than anything else. It's also completely devoid of any of the emotional resonance of 'That 70's Episode' back in Season One. 'Crimes and Witch Demeanours’ is a dull clip-show, that makes a half-hearted attempt to make amends for the girls' abuse of Daryl, who is at this point a walking, talking plot device. 'Prince Charmed' takes the cake, though (literally). It’s an abhorrent hour that features Phoebe and Paige acting like brain-dead bimbos, while Piper makes some really questionable choices about her love life and role as a single mother. It culminates in an embarrassing food fight that is hard to watch, not just because its an awfully written scene, but because it's hard to see three characters who were once so admirable acting like this. I feel so bad for Holly. She deserves so much better than this sub-par material.

Potions and Notions

The Cleaners pop up this season. Their job is to clean up whenever magic is exposed. Where were they when Prue and Piper were exposed on live TV in 'All Hell Breaks Loose'?

There's a weird separation story line that plays out mid-season when Phoebe and Paige decide to leave with their respective beaus. It wraps up without much fanfare when Phoebe splits from Jason, and Paige leaves Richard.

Spells and Chants

Piper: "Okay, neurotic people, can we get back to my neurosis right now, please?"

Piper: "Come to me and be seduced, I have a girl to introduce. Fall for her, you can't resist her, Trust me, mister, she's my sister."

Chris: "I'm Piper and Leo's son." Paige: "What?" Chris: "They're my parents. I came back to save my family." Paige:"You're serious." Chris: "Yeah. Only now I've gotta save myself. Because if my mom doesn't get pregnant in the next month, there is no me." Paige: "This is all so wrong!" I'm right there with you, Paige.

Best Episode: It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World.

Honorable Mentions: Forget Me... Not, Love's a Witch, I Dream of Phoebe.

Worst Episode: Prince Charmed.

It's a shame that the decision to return to a big bad formula is destroyed by clumsy plotting and hack dialogue. At least Chris' death gives the series the chance to move on from this mess next season and try something new.

4 out of 10 Valkyries.

Panda

[canaryatlaw]

Alright, so today was interesting. I feel like I should be more tired than I am, all things considering, because I woke up at 5:30 and could not fall back asleep for my life because the rain/snow was falling on the roof right outside my room and it was loud as hell. So I tried to fall back asleep for a while, and when I checked my phone it was 8:30 which surprised me because I didn't think it had been THAT long. But I figured I probably wasn't gonna get any more sleep so I got up and had some cocoa krispies for breakfast and just generally hung out. It was a snow day so everyone was home for the day. We didn't actually get that much snow, only about 3 inches, but everyone was already battering down the hatches because of the forecast so nobody had anywhere to go. They're all saying now that the rain and such is gonna freeze overnight and make the road icy tomorrow, but they were probably (hopefully) salting them all day so that won't happen. Sigh. At least NY actually knows how to deal with snow, unlike some other states I know....lol. My mom had mentioned the other day that my younger brother wanted me to make oatmeal raisin cookies which I'm also rather fond of, so I found a recipe I liked and started making those, which came out quite good. I decided I would work on my trial ad for a bit, so I wrote my direct and cross, which thankfully didn't take too long. Easy enough problem at least. Hung out for a bit more, then finished the wolf of Wall Street with my sister, which I still found to be a gross and boring movie. We made some brownies quickly and then I went to dye my hair since its way overdue, only to find out my mom threw out my hair dyeing supplies.....I wasn't very pleased about this, but I guess I'll just have to go to Sally's tomorrow and get some more. Oh well. My brother and dad then convinced me to watch the first episode of the new season of Sherlock with them. They see the show of course from an outside perspective, untainted by all the crazy fangirls and other crap surrounding it, so they just think it's great lol. Admittedly it was pretty interesting, I've only loosely been following it up to this point but I have been curious as to what they're up to with Moriarty. Guess we'll have to see. I then made a cheese sauce for the Mac and cheese we were having for dinner, which didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped, but it was still good. Then I sat around for a bit more until the flash came on, which I watched most of with my dad and some with my mom as well, since my dad has been watching the show but hadn't seen any of this season yet, so I had to catch him up, but then he had to take a phone call halfway through and that was that. I thought it was a good episode, kind of depressing in many ways but still good. LEN. AGH. I know he's not *real* and is just a projection of the speed force, but just hearing his drawl again and everything got me so fucking amped to see real him on legends next week. Like so fucking excited. And EDDIE. Aw. Poor Eddie. When he showed up my dad asked if Barry was going to save him too, and I had to explain he wasn't actually there to save 😭 very sad. Glad they got Wally back though. And I kind of loved Jesse standing up to Savitar and basically kicking his ass, though I'm sad they now basically wrote her off for the time being at least. And that ending....BARRY. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SCREW UP ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. LITERALLY ALL OF THEM. Ugh. Like I'm sure they will get back together soon enough, but it's still frustrating. And then it was time for legends! Another really solid episode IMO, I really enjoyed it. I so loved Sara taking charge at every turn and clearly being so much better at it than Rip, which he then acknowledges and forever concedes the position to her which is amazing because I don't think anybody actually wants Rip to be captain again. Though he really doesn't have a purpose now?? Like what, is he just gonna carry a gun? I guess they'll figure something out, but still. Also, where in the timeline did Rip supposedly go back and give the pieces of the spear to the JSA? It had to be after the legends met up with the JSA because they all remembered the legends, but that was after Rip time scattered everyone and presumably became Phil. So??? Doesn't make any sense *sigh* what else is knew. The actual plot was interesting, of course there's no scientific basis for Thawne not having super speed in space, but it's not like that's ever stopped them before. I loved Ray's little I'm stranded on the moon vlog featuring Thawne just because of the posts on here about the legion doing a web show lol. Too good. The stuff with Henry and Nate was so sad, I was legit crying by the end when Nate was talking to his dad as a child, like there was so much well-played emotion there, major props to the actors. Of course it was sad Henry had to sacrifice himself, but I suppose it made sense with the plot. And now Amaya knows the future, which could screw things up for Mari. But yeah, overall I really liked it. And that's about it for today, and I should be getting to bed now, so I'm gonna do that. Goodnight my dears. Be safe.

[annie-m-lima-blog]

My first book review! Yay!

So I wanted to start a new ritual where I review books that I’ve read. Being perfectly honest here, I’m not a big reader. I used to read everything I could get my hands on, but that is a long forgotten habit. I now need an obligation to force myself to pick up books again.

….And you want to be a writer?

Yes, I know. But I read a book! It was just a terrible one. And now I’m upset because my first review is going to be a rant thinly disguised as something...else? Maybe?

Anyway, “What Are You Afraid Of” by Alexandra Ivy.

Outlines, well-developed characters, and a thesaurus. Obviously.

Ok, so this is a crime novel. I picked it up for some tips on how to drag out the suspense. My Zootopia novel (about cops chasing criminals) quite frankly needs all the help it can get. However, I discovered some important don’ts rather than do’s here so let's write those down (yes, I am aware of how salty I sound right now.) (Also spoilers)

Don’t make carbon copy characters: the Main Character, Carmen, and her love interest, Griffin, are one in the same. Carmen is a gorgeous woman. Griffin has a rockin’ bod. Carmen is a driven journalist. Griffin is a skilled software developer. She made bank off her book about serial killers. He made bank off of the FBI for the software to catch serial killers. (This is how they met by the way) She watched her mom get shot. He watched his mom get shot. See where I’m going with this? I understand that a love interest needs to have stuff in common with the MC but this made them seem plain and boring. No insta love: Especially when they start off having a major conflict. She used him to get information for her book. He was furious about that for months leading up to the start of the book. The second he sees her all that melts away by the steaming, hot, lustful thoughts he has about her body and suddenly she’s perfect, and he would protect her with his life. This happened all in the first 100 pages. Which made the second 264 pages that much harder to read. This scary suspense story was halted several times to mention how hot they thought each other was and in the middle of all the drama they have sex. Like a lot. Being chased by crazed maniacs is apparently a huge turn on for these guys. But on the plus side, she can write a decent sex scene. Outlines are your friends: I understand that these types of stories are supposed to give you plot twists. I was not expecting whiplash. The premise of the novel was pretty intriguing. The book that she wrote was a nonfiction documentation of five serial killers and their victims. So when she got an envelope filled with pictures of women with their heads bashed in, she suspected that it was old pictures from one of the serial killers she interview. It was his M.O. after all so that’s pretty believable. It wasn’t until she noticed that these women weren't mentioned in her interview with the killer that she started to feel uneasy. Notice that the prologue was a gruesome death scene so I know that a) the pictures are real and b) the killers raped the woman before they killed her. I mention this because Carmen believed that the pictures were faked. Sometimes. She flipped back and forth between the “are they real or are they not” thing through 2/3rds of the book. That coupled with the fact that the “maybe they’re fake” argument only went as far as to vaguely mention the thought every few pages made it more of an annoyance than a note of suspense. Secondly. Carmen is a thin, blonde white woman - the victims are also thin, blonde, white women. It is one of the important factors showing that this is not the original killer and is, in fact, a copycat killer(s)(They don’t know there is more than one killer for most of the book). The killer she interviewed was notorious for not being picky about his women. One who reads the back of the book knows this is the way to signify that the copycat is Carmen’s stalker...because they said so. However, Griffin took a look at these pictures and immediately assessed that she was being targeted. There was no build up, no major revelation. Can the killer not just have a preference? We KNOW he’s having sex with them. So it makes it utterly gross when they try and finger her uncle for the crimes. Her uncle’s motivation isn’t even sexual. This wasn’t a crazy plot twist. It was bad writing. Speaking of her uncle’s motivation; he secretly stole her inheritance when her father shot her mother and then himself. Firstly, how? It was 3 million dollars. So nobody outside of her parents and her uncle knew about that? She sure didn’t. She’s an heiress to a line of grocery stores, and she never got any money. She never questioned any of this? Furthermore, he’s coming out of the woodwork now that her book sold. Why? Griffin said that it was because she now had money for lawyers but she doesn’t know about the inheritance and never spoke to her uncle so...why would he bother? It seems to me like it would cause more attention to himself to stir stuff up now. Right before the big climax for two pages, the author put in a countdown of victims for the five killers. So, the killers killed five women like the first killer, four like the second killer, three like the third killer. It would be intimidating but on the next page Carmen gets kidnapped, and the timeline gets messed up. Note that this wasn’t mentioned anywhere in any of the snippets from the killers pov either. The author just threw this in last second just to neglect it. Not a plot twist. Don’t let the climax suck: She gets captured. The killer unceremoniously revealed himself as her housekeeper’s son. The guy was mentioned maybe three times all together and had two lines in the entire book. He thinks that her father was his father and that they were related, confirming the creepy incest vibe. This wasn’t set up at all but really and truly I should have seen this coming because the only two things I know about her father were contradictory to each other. I know that he adored his wife and that he killed his wife. Ronnie (the brother) admitted that he was the one who killed both her parents in a rage over being denied as the son. To cope with the trauma Carmen ….suppressed the knowledge that Ronnie was there and only remembered seeing the bodies of her parents? Because someone she admits to not knowing well killing her parents is more traumatic than her father killing her mother? That is most certainly NOT a plot twist. Then the author decided to write a plot twist inside of a plot twist creating a weird plot twist inception. It turns out that Ronnie was fed information by Carmen’s cousin to make him believe that he was Carmen’s brother. He's not, but the cousin wanted to drive Carmen's father away to protect the company from going bankrupt. Because he was worried about this at 15? Why did he even think that Carmen's father would back away from his only source of income over that? This cousin, let’s call him Ted because I already forgot his name, was part of Ronnie’s team and decided to tell him all of this after Griffin showed up to save Carmen, during their daring escape. Was there not a more convenient time to do this? Really? Do you have to do this right now? At least he killed Ronnie, forcing the author to stop calling him “unstable” and “insane” every few lines. Yes, I get it. You don’t have to tell me 23 times in 10 pages. Finally, they did the classic “Tim pulled a gun on Carmen so Griffin pulled a gun on Tim” fiasco. Law and Order SVU taught me that if you shoot the guy who has a gun on your friend his reflexes will pull the trigger on your friend. So I don’t care what the author says, Carmen’s dead. Reality doesn’t just stop because you want it to. Don’t add bad plot twists in the epilogue: After this is over, Griffin starts driving to Carmen’s uncle’s house while daydreaming about marrying Carmen (a whopping three weeks after their first meet) He storms into his office and makes a show of threatening the dude for Carmen’s inheritance. (You just said you’d marry her. You’re a millionaire. Why does it matter?) He admits to having it and agrees to repay her. He also admits to trying to run them off the road into a ravine that one time. So he’s a wannabe killer now too. Cool. You just tied up loose ends. STILL not a plot twist.

Those were all just the “big issues” I had with the story. The writing annoyed me too. I was told the same information 18 hundred times throughout the story. The clues were also unceremoniously thrown in as question that a character asked him(her)self. Every time. Also, I head hopped the entire time. We get Carmen’s, Griffin’s and Ronnie’s pov’s. We also got pov’s of three of the victims. It was overly disjointed and seemed smashed together.

Decent point: Those death scenes in the pov of the victim who was getting killed was admittedly pretty chilling. Kudos.

….I don’t have a way to end this...so bye? I guess? I’ll be reading Stephen King’s “Carrie” next. So hopefully my next review will be a happier one.