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Kiss Kill Vanish
Valentina Cruz no longer exists.
One moment, she was wrapped in Emilio’s arms, melting into his kiss. The next, she was witnessing the unthinkable: a murder in cold blood, ordered by her father and carried out by her boyfriend. When Emilio pulled the trigger, Valentina disappeared. She made a split-second decision to shed her identity and flee her life of privilege, leaving the glittering parties and sultry nightlife of Miami far behind.
She doesn’t know how to explain to herself what she saw. All she knows now is that nothing she believed about her family, her heart, or Emilio’s love, was real.
She can change her name and deny her past, but Valentina can’t run from the truth. The lines between right and wrong, and trust and betrayal, will be blurred beyond recognition as she untangles the deceptions of the two men she once loved and races to find her own truth.
One moment, she was wrapped in Emilio’s arms, melting into his kiss. The next, she was witnessing the unthinkable: a murder in cold blood, ordered by her father and carried out by her boyfriend. When Emilio pulled the trigger, Valentina disappeared. She made a split-second decision to shed her identity and flee her life of privilege, leaving the glittering parties and sultry nightlife of Miami far behind.
She doesn’t know how to explain to herself what she saw. All she knows now is that nothing she believed about her family, her heart, or Emilio’s love, was real.
She can change her name and deny her past, but Valentina can’t run from the truth. The lines between right and wrong, and trust and betrayal, will be blurred beyond recognition as she untangles the deceptions of the two men she once loved and races to find her own truth.
423 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2014
45 people are currently reading
6135 people want to read
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July 3, 2014
I realize that it’s my stupid rich-girl upbringing screwing me over, but I’d still rather buy one tray of high-grade sushi and starve for the rest of the week than eat fourteen 7-Eleven cheese dogsOverall: not the worst book I've ever read, but it was overwhelmingly boring, with a character whose whininess and self-pity can rival the best (or worst) of Bella Swan, and a love interest that makes me want to run flying into the arms of darling Edward.
It may be surprising, but my main problems with this book isn't even about the fact that the main characters' love interests (yes, plural, there will be a love triangle) are, respectively, someone who is...
...nothing but a drunk sack of dumbAnd...
...a murderer [who] spun it around so he was the wounded one.No, I didn't like this book much because:
1. The boring plot. The murders, the danger, all that's just in the past, and it doesn't even freaking involve her. Instead, in the present we have a main character who spends 90% of the book whining and nothing else
2. The main character is dull as hell. Yeah, I feel bad for her. No, she's not even the worst character in the world, sure, she's wishy washy and stupid sometimes, but hey, teenagers (no offense, remember, I've been there, too!) but man, is she boring to read about
3. The romance. Ok, I said that I wouldn't complain about the romance. I lied. It didn't seriously piss me off, but I had problems with it. Love triangle aside, both love interests are just assholes, and I can't comprehend her interest in them
The writing is good, the instrospection is good, but if I wanted to hear that much whining from a teenager, I'd go plant myself outside of a Forever 21 dressing room.
The Summary: Jane is not actually named Jane. It is the most boring, obvious alias in the world, and her real name is Valentina Cruz. She is currently a starving artist, living in Montréal, Canada, barely making ends meet playing a freaking mandolin (which she doesn't really know how to play) for handouts, and was in fact, homeless, until a rich douchebag of an aspiring artist, Lucien picked her off of her streets to be his muse.
It wasn't always this way. In her old life, not so very long ago, Jane was the beloved daughter of a Miami art collector, a very, very wealthy art collector. She is used to the high life, she is a connoisseur of art, she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and was clandestinely dating the man of her dreams until the man of her dreams became a murderer.
A murderer, who, as it turned out, was working under her father. Her father, who is not an art collector at all but the leader of a drug cartel.
After witnessing darlin' 23-year old Emilio (can you say statutory rape?) splatter a man's brains all over the floor, Jane fled. She originally intended to go to Spain, but only had enough money to go to Montréal. A frozen city, a French-speaking city. Hint: she doesn't speak a fucking word of French.
Enter Lucien and his brother, Marcel. Both wealthy, drug-addled playboys, both entitled bastards who toy with Jane like a cat does a mouse. Then Emilio re-enters the picture.
"Jane" spends her days being a muse, thinking about food because she is constantly hungry, and reminiscing about how sad and pathetic her life currently is.
Will something finally happen before the book makes me fall asleep?
Hint: No.
"Jane":
Leaving Key West with nothing but a stolen mandolin and my passport was stupid. I see that now.She was born a rich girl, and so that just sets the stage for failure already. Jane doesn't think anything through. She spends the book whining "Oh, I know I should have _________ but instead I'm just going to __________ even if I know I should have done ___________ instead. Sigh. Woe is me.
It gets really fucking old. I might have felt bad for her the first few times around, but come on, enough is enough already.
Some examples:
1. AAAAAHHHH RUN: Ok, she saw dad order her bf to kill a guy. That really sucks, yeah, I get it. But instead of like, panicking and running, why not just hang around for awhile instead of kicking it into high gear and running the fuck away before you get the whole story. At least plan things through. Take a little time and get your shit together instead of going AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH NEED TO GTFO RIGHT NOW. Emilio showed no signs of wanting to kill her. Her dad sure as hell ain't gonna kill her and she knew it. Y SO IMPULSIVE? Sure, running away is probably not the worst idea considering daddy is a murderer, but taking 5 minutes to actually plan shit is probably wise
2. AAAAAHHHH RUN (Part II): Jane had nothing on her when she left. Nothing. Barely enough money for a plane ticket. Barely anything on her. She doesn't know how to fucking plan at all. Jane did well in school, but it's all just book smarts, and not an iota of common sense. Ok, she doesn't have a lot of access to money, um, HELLO, HER DAD IS RICH? Fuck, steal a few fucking silver spoons or something. Raid the jewelry box. Steal shit from her sisters. From what she's been telling us, she wasn't exactly fond, nor did she have the highest opinion of her sister anyway, because apparently one is a boy-crazy spend-a-holic and the other is as dumb as a Kardashian brick. She had jack shit when she ran. From a main character from such a wealthy family, that's just fucking dumb. Daddy gave you credit cards for a reason
3. You murderer! I love you! Again, not the brightest brick in the wall. She ran away because beloved bf is a killer, and now he's back and she's like I LOVE YOU I WILL RUN AWAY WITH YOU <33333 Seriously? Why not just fucking stay in your posh life and not suffer this shit in the first place if you're just gonna be ok with the fact that your bf is a killer if you're not ok with the fact that your dad is a killer, too. But Emilio has suuuuuuuuuch a good heart because he's killing to make money for his family. Um, what do you think your dad is doing?
I mean, if it were me, I'd just stay and pretend to not know what's going on until I could scrounge together enough money to hightail it to another country and erase my identity, if I ran at all.
I failed ethics in college (true story). I got a B the second time around, though.
4. The Bella Swan shit: You know how after Edward leaves, Bella is pretty much comatose, spending her day doing ;_; and nothing else? MEET JANE, BITCHES. Jane does fucking nothing. She can't fucking support herself (cause someone didn't think shit through!), so eeeeeeeeeveryone comes to her rescue because Jane can do jack shit. Sure, she actually kicks a guy in the balls, but that's about all the action that you get out of her.
She's hungry? A kind old man constantly gives her food, and eventually, a job, or else other guys bring her food (sushi! No, really, sushi)
She can't make the rent? It's magically paid for her.
She doesn't have clothes to wear to nice parties? Her typically bitchy rooommates somehow magically turns kind and gives her a fucking awesome dress.
She's homeless? Someone magically appears to rescue her and gives her a job posing as a model.
And no, she never thinks about these things. She spends the entire book reminiscing and feeling sorry for herself. That's it.
The Romance:
His fake Spanish accent makes me want to claw his face, but I don’t want to get close enough for him to grab me again.Neither of the love interests in this book are anything to be desired. I mean, out of the two, I might even be tempted to pick statutory-rapist murderer over drunken-drug-addled playboy.
Yum.
Emilio may be a murderer, but the alternative doesn't seem very attractive in comparison because, there's no other way to put it, Marcel is a patronizing, condescending asshat. He constantly insults her. He constantly puts her down.
“You’re the one who upset me,” I spit. Suddenly every emotion is funneled into my disgust for Marcel. “You made me sound like a paid escort.”He manipulates her, he goads her.
He snorts. “I’m sorry, you’re not?”
He snorts, and a wild, cruel look takes over his face. “And what would you do if I dropped it in the pool?”In the first 60% of the book, there is nary a single moment when I felt anything but utter contempt for that overwhelming thundercunt. He is sexist, he is so my-shit-don't-stink, and he probably thinks it's true, considering the fact that he is going to be the heir to a soap empire. Don't let that fool you. Squeaky clean Marcel ain't.
Every time he opens his mouth.
"You have retail sexpot written all over you.”I wanted to kick him in the balls.
I glare at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Chill out. It’s a compliment.”
All quotes were taken from an uncorrected proof subject to change in the final edition.
July 16, 2014
You've all seen this pretty cover around. You have, haven't you? Well, we did and it was hard not to press that request button at Edelweiss. It might have been better if we did not. But not everything is that bad, at least we were part of an amazing read-a-long, with even more amazing Emma and Rashika. The have already posted their reviews and you can find them here:
Rashika's review at The Social Potato and
Emma's review at Never Judge a Book by Its Cover.
And now, it's time for us to answer those questions!
How did you feel about Valentina as a character?
Tanja: I was devoid of any feelings for her. Basically annoyance was there at the start but as soon as I got to be in her head for some time, I lost interest. I couldn't care less for that spoiled brat. Even though you could find justifications for her behavior as she is raised as that, it was hard to understand that during her so-called exile. Basically she was lacking logic and often compassion for others. Not to mention her blind love for certain someone.
I never felt any character growth either. That and her lack of feelings for any sort of justice, bothered me the most.
Glass: I honestly do not remember last time when one of the young adult characters made me want to scream out of complete frustration like Valentina. She wants to be a child and the gown up at the same time. She thinks that the whole world owes her something (but pretends that she is selfless and different from other little snobs). Daddy's little girl. Spoiled brat. Miss Know It All. I didn't like her at all.
Was the plot well developed and believable?
Tanja: No and NO! About the development, basically the first half of the book was at times even too slow and then everything started going places and in the meantime creating plenty of loop-holes. About this story being believable - it's a bit complex. Yes the whole idea was there and something existing in this world. It's something I can see happening, but the problem is that non of the characters fit the role they play. They are too young and with all that too naive for everything that's going on. So they don't tell the story in believable way.
Glass: Kiss Kill Vanish was based on great idea, but unfortunately it failed to deliver equally great story. As Tanja said, it is probably because characters are too young, but maybe that wouldn't be such a big problem if the whole thing wasn't told from perspective of one character. I wanted to know much more about her father and sisters, I felt like they didn't get enough attention and a lot of plot holes would have been explained if we got to hear their side of the story too.
Was the romance more than a plot device?
Glass: In my opinion, no. There were few scenes that were kind of romantic, but they failed to make me feel anything other than one short swoon-moment and that is that. Things are going too slow in one minute and in the other way too fast. I had a feeling like I missed something because of the way characters were portrayed at the beginning and the middle of the book.
Tanja: Depends which one, as yes this book also has some sort of love triangle. One is definitely just a plot device. It was without feelings and utterly emotionless, at least from my side. The one I refer to is with how I like to call him - Valentina's puppy. The other one was a plot device but it's the point of it. But still in any case, the answer is no.
Describe Emilo in one word.
Glass: Frustrating.
Tanja: Mysterious. (I wanted to say Rashika totally has a crush on him, but that's more than one word. Did I just say that? OOPS!)
To sum up?
Tanja: If right now you're asking yourself "Where the heck did she find that one star?" here's the answer - writing. That and page-turning. Let me put it this way - the writing was nothing extraordinary or something you'll remember the rest of your life, but it was to the point and neatly done. I see that Ms. Martinez has the talent but with characters as this it's not enough.
Glass: I believe that a lot of YA fans will enjoy this book, especially younger readers. Jessica Martinez has captivating writing style and I loved her previous novels, but unfortunately, this one didn't work out for me. On the plus side, Kiss Kill Vanish is fun and quick read despite all of the things I didn't like.
Rating: We need to say that after the reading we book gave this book 3 starts, but after our discussion we counted pros and cons and it turned out to be not so good. So our rating at the end is:
2 stars.
Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
*Copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Harper Collins, via Edelweiss. Thank you!*
Rashika's review at The Social Potato and
Emma's review at Never Judge a Book by Its Cover.
And now, it's time for us to answer those questions!
How did you feel about Valentina as a character?
Tanja: I was devoid of any feelings for her. Basically annoyance was there at the start but as soon as I got to be in her head for some time, I lost interest. I couldn't care less for that spoiled brat. Even though you could find justifications for her behavior as she is raised as that, it was hard to understand that during her so-called exile. Basically she was lacking logic and often compassion for others. Not to mention her blind love for certain someone.
I never felt any character growth either. That and her lack of feelings for any sort of justice, bothered me the most.
Glass: I honestly do not remember last time when one of the young adult characters made me want to scream out of complete frustration like Valentina. She wants to be a child and the gown up at the same time. She thinks that the whole world owes her something (but pretends that she is selfless and different from other little snobs). Daddy's little girl. Spoiled brat. Miss Know It All. I didn't like her at all.
Was the plot well developed and believable?
Tanja: No and NO! About the development, basically the first half of the book was at times even too slow and then everything started going places and in the meantime creating plenty of loop-holes. About this story being believable - it's a bit complex. Yes the whole idea was there and something existing in this world. It's something I can see happening, but the problem is that non of the characters fit the role they play. They are too young and with all that too naive for everything that's going on. So they don't tell the story in believable way.
Glass: Kiss Kill Vanish was based on great idea, but unfortunately it failed to deliver equally great story. As Tanja said, it is probably because characters are too young, but maybe that wouldn't be such a big problem if the whole thing wasn't told from perspective of one character. I wanted to know much more about her father and sisters, I felt like they didn't get enough attention and a lot of plot holes would have been explained if we got to hear their side of the story too.
Was the romance more than a plot device?
Glass: In my opinion, no. There were few scenes that were kind of romantic, but they failed to make me feel anything other than one short swoon-moment and that is that. Things are going too slow in one minute and in the other way too fast. I had a feeling like I missed something because of the way characters were portrayed at the beginning and the middle of the book.
Tanja: Depends which one, as yes this book also has some sort of love triangle. One is definitely just a plot device. It was without feelings and utterly emotionless, at least from my side. The one I refer to is with how I like to call him - Valentina's puppy. The other one was a plot device but it's the point of it. But still in any case, the answer is no.
Describe Emilo in one word.
Glass: Frustrating.
Tanja: Mysterious. (I wanted to say Rashika totally has a crush on him, but that's more than one word. Did I just say that? OOPS!)
To sum up?
Tanja: If right now you're asking yourself "Where the heck did she find that one star?" here's the answer - writing. That and page-turning. Let me put it this way - the writing was nothing extraordinary or something you'll remember the rest of your life, but it was to the point and neatly done. I see that Ms. Martinez has the talent but with characters as this it's not enough.
Glass: I believe that a lot of YA fans will enjoy this book, especially younger readers. Jessica Martinez has captivating writing style and I loved her previous novels, but unfortunately, this one didn't work out for me. On the plus side, Kiss Kill Vanish is fun and quick read despite all of the things I didn't like.
Rating: We need to say that after the reading we book gave this book 3 starts, but after our discussion we counted pros and cons and it turned out to be not so good. So our rating at the end is:
2 stars.
Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
*Copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Harper Collins, via Edelweiss. Thank you!*
November 3, 2014
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
Kiss Kill Vanish was a total bust right from the beginning. Honestly, I don’t know how I even made it to the end, but I did and I have a lot of criticisms.
1. The beginning is boring as hell. The stuff they write on cereal boxes are more interesting than what this book had to offer me. I’m told in the synopsis that Valentina Cruz no longer exists and that she just witnessed her father and boyfriend commit a murder. THAT SOUNDED EXCITING. And I was expecting something just as exciting or something related to that, instead of a girl sitting down as a muse for a wannabe artist in the first few chapters. CHAPTERS. I HAD TO SUFFER CHAPTERS OR BOREDOM. Where’s all my interesting plot gone? The first few chapters of a book are meant to draw you into a story, on a scale of 1 to 10, this book got 0 for interestingness.
2. Guess what, it continues it’s boring-ness for the rest of the book. LIKE WHY. WHY DO YOU DO THIS. I was expecting a lot of flashbacks to the night that the murder happened and a lot of juicy details but I get none of that. Instead, I am forced to sit through pages and pages is events that really don’t perk my interest at all.
3. The thing is, I didn’t just hate the book for it being a total liar in the synopsis and how nothing happens for majority of the read. The main character makes everything so much more unbearable.
- She spends most of her time whining about how crap her life has become. I mean, I’m sorry, but GET OVER YOURSELF.
- She’s a spoiled little brat. Why? See my first dot point.
- She’s completely and utterly witless. Sometimes I begin to wonder if she even has a brain. Because not once in this book is it shown that she actually might possess one. One prime example is that she chooses to flee to Montreal when she sees her boyfriend commit a crime. Not only is she totally rash, (I mean, dude, calm down, your boyfriend murdered someone, but you don’t need to flee the city. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS.) but also MONTREAL? You can’t even speak French. Also, you and your boyfriend spoke about going to Montreal and your father has been to Montreal. Cannot you have chosen a place where people can’t find you as easy?
4. The plot was flawed. There were so many loopholes. I get that ‘on the run’ novels are pretty hard to tackle because it can get unrealistic real quick, but this just started off as unrealistic. Valentina was also a really poor planner and every action she made was totally irrational and just made me cringe.
5. The romance. God. Your boyfriend, Emilio, killed someone. You, Valentina, then still run to him and completely ignore the fact that he committed a crime. What’s more, is that you still rely on him to solve all your problems. WOMAN. THIS GUY HAS ISSUES. CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT? Oh but wait, you do too, so I guess that explains that. She’s basically ‘O Emilio!’ all the damn time like girl, he’s not your bloody Romeo. But thinking of it, he is because Romeo technically also killed someone. Well then…
Moreover, Valentina thinks more about Emilio than her family and friends during her time in Montreal. It’s concerning, to say the least.
Oh, and there’s a love triangle. You know what? I’m not even going to go there.
In all, Kiss Kill Vanish was a waste of time. The plot was underdeveloped and I struggle to just conjure up one reason as to why Valentina was an okay protagonist. She just isn’t. Also, I can only see the romance as a plot device. If I had a say in it, I wouldn’t recommend this at all.
Kiss Kill Vanish was a total bust right from the beginning. Honestly, I don’t know how I even made it to the end, but I did and I have a lot of criticisms.
1. The beginning is boring as hell. The stuff they write on cereal boxes are more interesting than what this book had to offer me. I’m told in the synopsis that Valentina Cruz no longer exists and that she just witnessed her father and boyfriend commit a murder. THAT SOUNDED EXCITING. And I was expecting something just as exciting or something related to that, instead of a girl sitting down as a muse for a wannabe artist in the first few chapters. CHAPTERS. I HAD TO SUFFER CHAPTERS OR BOREDOM. Where’s all my interesting plot gone? The first few chapters of a book are meant to draw you into a story, on a scale of 1 to 10, this book got 0 for interestingness.
2. Guess what, it continues it’s boring-ness for the rest of the book. LIKE WHY. WHY DO YOU DO THIS. I was expecting a lot of flashbacks to the night that the murder happened and a lot of juicy details but I get none of that. Instead, I am forced to sit through pages and pages is events that really don’t perk my interest at all.
3. The thing is, I didn’t just hate the book for it being a total liar in the synopsis and how nothing happens for majority of the read. The main character makes everything so much more unbearable.
- She spends most of her time whining about how crap her life has become. I mean, I’m sorry, but GET OVER YOURSELF.
- She’s a spoiled little brat. Why? See my first dot point.
- She’s completely and utterly witless. Sometimes I begin to wonder if she even has a brain. Because not once in this book is it shown that she actually might possess one. One prime example is that she chooses to flee to Montreal when she sees her boyfriend commit a crime. Not only is she totally rash, (I mean, dude, calm down, your boyfriend murdered someone, but you don’t need to flee the city. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS.) but also MONTREAL? You can’t even speak French. Also, you and your boyfriend spoke about going to Montreal and your father has been to Montreal. Cannot you have chosen a place where people can’t find you as easy?
4. The plot was flawed. There were so many loopholes. I get that ‘on the run’ novels are pretty hard to tackle because it can get unrealistic real quick, but this just started off as unrealistic. Valentina was also a really poor planner and every action she made was totally irrational and just made me cringe.
5. The romance. God. Your boyfriend, Emilio, killed someone. You, Valentina, then still run to him and completely ignore the fact that he committed a crime. What’s more, is that you still rely on him to solve all your problems. WOMAN. THIS GUY HAS ISSUES. CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT? Oh but wait, you do too, so I guess that explains that. She’s basically ‘O Emilio!’ all the damn time like girl, he’s not your bloody Romeo. But thinking of it, he is because Romeo technically also killed someone. Well then…
Moreover, Valentina thinks more about Emilio than her family and friends during her time in Montreal. It’s concerning, to say the least.
Oh, and there’s a love triangle. You know what? I’m not even going to go there.
In all, Kiss Kill Vanish was a waste of time. The plot was underdeveloped and I struggle to just conjure up one reason as to why Valentina was an okay protagonist. She just isn’t. Also, I can only see the romance as a plot device. If I had a say in it, I wouldn’t recommend this at all.
~Thank you Katherine Tegen for sending me this copy!~
July 5, 2014
***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato
Kiss Kill Vanish while fun, is actually a pretty weak novel overall. It’s entertaining and in spite of its length, a pretty quick read, yet it lacks a lot of things to make it more. More than just a fun quick read. It lacks good characterization and a strong believable plot.
The sad thing is that all of us who had buddy read this (Glass, Tanja and Emma) were majorly disappointed. We all had high expectations and while all of us gave it 3 stars after reading, once we got to discussing, we all kind of just exploded and ranted and it turned out, we had more bad things to say than good.
Instead of writing a review though, we wanted to go with discussion questions to help us organize our thoughts more. This will serve also as a way to reflect more on the discussion we had.
How did you feel about Valentina as a character?
Valentina was one of the most annoying characters I have ever encountered. She was confused about what she wanted and in all honesty, no matter what her situation was, I'd always think of her as a spoilt brat. She seemed to be not only very condescending and judgmental but also largely hypocritical. Plus, I really just couldn't understand her. It made sense for her to run away within hours of experiencing a certain event, abandoning her family in the process, yet she found it hard to wrap her head around certain other things. She was such a messed-up character and worse, she never underwent any character development. At the end of the day, she was the same as she had been before. Not changed for the better or for the worse… and definitely not likeable.
Also, as someone who believed in justice, her character... really rubbed me the wrong way. She was a teenager and she needed to get off her high horse. SERIOUSLY. Her actions were childish and ugh I had to resist the urge to slap her in the face…. (I am not sure how that would be possible but still).
Was the plot well developed and believable?
NOT AT ALL. It was all over the place and not nearly as well developed as it could have been. Of course it was fun, books with the ‘on the run’ trope tend to be, but it wasn’t the least bit believable and that was what killed the book. There were too many loop-holes and too many conveniences and not enough explanations. Plus, Valentina was a pretty sheltered female lead in spite of her circumstances and she always figured everything would work out. She never bothered to actually think things through or flesh out her plans properly. She jumped into things without thinking and that really bothered me.
On top of everything, the ending was rushed. We got to the juicy bits and then BAM it’s over.
Was the romance more than a plot device?
Nope. The romance in this book was a total plot device. My feelings towards the love interest were pretty 'eh', too. It went from ‘omg please don’t tell me he’s the love interest’ to ‘awww how cute’ to ‘how pathetic’. This guy seemed to be too involved with a girl he knew almost nothing about. It was ridiculous. Plus, he did seem like her puppet: she would say jump and he’ll ask, "how high?" Some of his actions were clear indicators of that, but I cannot go into more detail without spoiling. Really, the only purpose his character served was to help the story progress and their romance was basically a plot device in my opinion. Well, it would be more appropriate to say Marcel’s character was a plot device. He didn’t really have any purpose aside from helping the story progress. He underwent one huge chunk of development, but now that I think back, I am not sure how believable that was, either. You cannot change overnight… even if it’s a result of a tragedy.
Describe Emilio in one word.
ZOMG (SEE TANJA.. I DID IT!)
To sum up?
Read this book if you’re not too concerned about the believability of some things and are just looking for something fun.
Kiss Kill Vanish while fun, is actually a pretty weak novel overall. It’s entertaining and in spite of its length, a pretty quick read, yet it lacks a lot of things to make it more. More than just a fun quick read. It lacks good characterization and a strong believable plot.
The sad thing is that all of us who had buddy read this (Glass, Tanja and Emma) were majorly disappointed. We all had high expectations and while all of us gave it 3 stars after reading, once we got to discussing, we all kind of just exploded and ranted and it turned out, we had more bad things to say than good.
Instead of writing a review though, we wanted to go with discussion questions to help us organize our thoughts more. This will serve also as a way to reflect more on the discussion we had.
How did you feel about Valentina as a character?
Valentina was one of the most annoying characters I have ever encountered. She was confused about what she wanted and in all honesty, no matter what her situation was, I'd always think of her as a spoilt brat. She seemed to be not only very condescending and judgmental but also largely hypocritical. Plus, I really just couldn't understand her. It made sense for her to run away within hours of experiencing a certain event, abandoning her family in the process, yet she found it hard to wrap her head around certain other things. She was such a messed-up character and worse, she never underwent any character development. At the end of the day, she was the same as she had been before. Not changed for the better or for the worse… and definitely not likeable.
Also, as someone who believed in justice, her character... really rubbed me the wrong way. She was a teenager and she needed to get off her high horse. SERIOUSLY. Her actions were childish and ugh I had to resist the urge to slap her in the face…. (I am not sure how that would be possible but still).
Was the plot well developed and believable?
NOT AT ALL. It was all over the place and not nearly as well developed as it could have been. Of course it was fun, books with the ‘on the run’ trope tend to be, but it wasn’t the least bit believable and that was what killed the book. There were too many loop-holes and too many conveniences and not enough explanations. Plus, Valentina was a pretty sheltered female lead in spite of her circumstances and she always figured everything would work out. She never bothered to actually think things through or flesh out her plans properly. She jumped into things without thinking and that really bothered me.
On top of everything, the ending was rushed. We got to the juicy bits and then BAM it’s over.
Was the romance more than a plot device?
Nope. The romance in this book was a total plot device. My feelings towards the love interest were pretty 'eh', too. It went from ‘omg please don’t tell me he’s the love interest’ to ‘awww how cute’ to ‘how pathetic’. This guy seemed to be too involved with a girl he knew almost nothing about. It was ridiculous. Plus, he did seem like her puppet: she would say jump and he’ll ask, "how high?" Some of his actions were clear indicators of that, but I cannot go into more detail without spoiling. Really, the only purpose his character served was to help the story progress and their romance was basically a plot device in my opinion. Well, it would be more appropriate to say Marcel’s character was a plot device. He didn’t really have any purpose aside from helping the story progress. He underwent one huge chunk of development, but now that I think back, I am not sure how believable that was, either. You cannot change overnight… even if it’s a result of a tragedy.
Describe Emilio in one word.
ZOMG (SEE TANJA.. I DID IT!)
To sum up?
Read this book if you’re not too concerned about the believability of some things and are just looking for something fun.
June 9, 2020
Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
After seeing all of the subpar ratings on goodreads, I thought this book wasn’t for me but it landed on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago and I decided I should give it a try. On a normal day, I do appreciate a good mystery novel. It turns out, Kiss Kill Vanish is right up my alley.
The plot is well crafted and intelligent. I was caught off guard by how emotionally invested I was with this story. I was hooked from the very start and like I always say if an author can make me drop everything because I’m so absorbed in the story she or he must be a genius.
“Fascinating. Our fathers are filthy rich opposites. His is a vile mogul and mine is a genial murderer. I wonder whose is easier to love.”
Valentina, the protagonist of the story, and the rest of the supporting characters are a snarky set. It was so fun to read the hilarious conversations and exchange.
In fear of spoiling the book for some readers, I won’t mention my favorite pairing because it is too spoilery, but let me tease you anyway. Here’s my favorite interaction from them.
“What are your sisters like?”
“Um…. Beautiful and narcissistic.”
“Do I get to meet them?” he asks.
“Absolutely not.”
“But beautiful and narcissistic is my favorite combination,” he says. “Beautiful narcissistic girls love me.”
“Both good reasons for you not to meet the,”
“Oh, I get it,” he says. “You want me all for yourself.”
They are definitely joining my endless list of favorite fictional otps.
Final Verdict: I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. Kiss Kill Vanish is a fantastic, fast paced, Young Adult novel that will continuously surprise you with its unpredictable twists.
After seeing all of the subpar ratings on goodreads, I thought this book wasn’t for me but it landed on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago and I decided I should give it a try. On a normal day, I do appreciate a good mystery novel. It turns out, Kiss Kill Vanish is right up my alley.
The plot is well crafted and intelligent. I was caught off guard by how emotionally invested I was with this story. I was hooked from the very start and like I always say if an author can make me drop everything because I’m so absorbed in the story she or he must be a genius.
“Fascinating. Our fathers are filthy rich opposites. His is a vile mogul and mine is a genial murderer. I wonder whose is easier to love.”
Valentina, the protagonist of the story, and the rest of the supporting characters are a snarky set. It was so fun to read the hilarious conversations and exchange.
In fear of spoiling the book for some readers, I won’t mention my favorite pairing because it is too spoilery, but let me tease you anyway. Here’s my favorite interaction from them.
“What are your sisters like?”
“Um…. Beautiful and narcissistic.”
“Do I get to meet them?” he asks.
“Absolutely not.”
“But beautiful and narcissistic is my favorite combination,” he says. “Beautiful narcissistic girls love me.”
“Both good reasons for you not to meet the,”
“Oh, I get it,” he says. “You want me all for yourself.”
They are definitely joining my endless list of favorite fictional otps.
Final Verdict: I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. Kiss Kill Vanish is a fantastic, fast paced, Young Adult novel that will continuously surprise you with its unpredictable twists.
October 22, 2014
I think this is more a 4.5/5 stars. Closer to a 4 than a 5, hence the 4 star rating
STILL! This book was SO GOOD! I couldn't peel myself away from it once I reached the halfway mark. I love love loved the romance. Jessica Martinez finally chose the guy I would usually root for but never got the girl. Such a good book. Review to come!
_____________
Full review:
I must admit. I have had friends who read Kiss Kill Vanish and weren't impressed. I try not to let other people's opinions affect me in regards to judging a book I haven't read but I have to say I do become wary of the book. I wished I didn't request it for review but still, I tried emptying my pre-reading judgements and started it. I must say, I was surprised! The beginning is slow. That is a given. The author took a while trying to set up everything and get the ball rolling.. still, I wasn't bored or disliked the protagonist. It's funny how I actually really liked Valentina. I loved the plot and thought it was addicting. I especially loved all the well crafted twists. Even I, someone who loved mysteries and usually solves them rather quickly, wasn't able to see the twists coming my way.
To spare you the details, Valentina witnessed her boyfriend kill someone in cold blood when her dad ordered him to do so. She couldn't take it and fled. She found out her father is pretty much a drug lord, trafficking drugs and making millions and millions of dollars. Valentina decides to runaway and goes to Montreal (she lived in Florida). I felt, for such a pampered sheltered rich girl, she did fairly well. She barely complained and wasn't naive. She didn't have a misconception that everything should come to her easily because that's how it has always been. She lived in a closet sized room with other people and worked as a model for a rich guy. Yea it seems fishy, but let's be real, someone like her can't do manual labor! I do understand that about her. Heck, I've never had a job which has more to do with our culture where the parents take care of the kids and kids shouldn't be worrying about money than my family or all arabs/muslims being rich. So I get why some people think she's too sheltered and should look at reality and get an actual job.. this is easier said than done.
The romance in this book.. guys it is so unpredictable and I LOVED IT TO PIECES. THANK YOU THANK YOU Jessica Martinez for finally letting an underdog win the girl. THANK YOU for finally making my guy bias win the girl. I don't want to mention which guy I'm talking about (because there are several, though NO love triangle (square?) at all). All I can say is that I was very very happy with the romance.
The last is the plot and plot progression. As I mentioned earlier, the beginning was slow, that's the reason why I took half a star off. It took 100 pages to really get into the novel and get hooked. However after the 100 page mark, things got crazy with a capital C. I'm not even kidding. Deaths, conspiracy, murder plotting, ambushing, everything you can think of. It was so addicting. however there are also the sweet moments with Valentina and another person that I can't help but gush about. All in all, this book took me by complete surprise and I loved it. I couldn't stop reading it and ended up marathoning the last 250 pages on a friday night. Kiss Kill Vanish is definitely worth the buy and read!
STILL! This book was SO GOOD! I couldn't peel myself away from it once I reached the halfway mark. I love love loved the romance. Jessica Martinez finally chose the guy I would usually root for but never got the girl. Such a good book. Review to come!
_____________
Full review:
I must admit. I have had friends who read Kiss Kill Vanish and weren't impressed. I try not to let other people's opinions affect me in regards to judging a book I haven't read but I have to say I do become wary of the book. I wished I didn't request it for review but still, I tried emptying my pre-reading judgements and started it. I must say, I was surprised! The beginning is slow. That is a given. The author took a while trying to set up everything and get the ball rolling.. still, I wasn't bored or disliked the protagonist. It's funny how I actually really liked Valentina. I loved the plot and thought it was addicting. I especially loved all the well crafted twists. Even I, someone who loved mysteries and usually solves them rather quickly, wasn't able to see the twists coming my way.
To spare you the details, Valentina witnessed her boyfriend kill someone in cold blood when her dad ordered him to do so. She couldn't take it and fled. She found out her father is pretty much a drug lord, trafficking drugs and making millions and millions of dollars. Valentina decides to runaway and goes to Montreal (she lived in Florida). I felt, for such a pampered sheltered rich girl, she did fairly well. She barely complained and wasn't naive. She didn't have a misconception that everything should come to her easily because that's how it has always been. She lived in a closet sized room with other people and worked as a model for a rich guy. Yea it seems fishy, but let's be real, someone like her can't do manual labor! I do understand that about her. Heck, I've never had a job which has more to do with our culture where the parents take care of the kids and kids shouldn't be worrying about money than my family or all arabs/muslims being rich. So I get why some people think she's too sheltered and should look at reality and get an actual job.. this is easier said than done.
The romance in this book.. guys it is so unpredictable and I LOVED IT TO PIECES. THANK YOU THANK YOU Jessica Martinez for finally letting an underdog win the girl. THANK YOU for finally making my guy bias win the girl. I don't want to mention which guy I'm talking about (because there are several, though NO love triangle (square?) at all). All I can say is that I was very very happy with the romance.
The last is the plot and plot progression. As I mentioned earlier, the beginning was slow, that's the reason why I took half a star off. It took 100 pages to really get into the novel and get hooked. However after the 100 page mark, things got crazy with a capital C. I'm not even kidding. Deaths, conspiracy, murder plotting, ambushing, everything you can think of. It was so addicting. however there are also the sweet moments with Valentina and another person that I can't help but gush about. All in all, this book took me by complete surprise and I loved it. I couldn't stop reading it and ended up marathoning the last 250 pages on a friday night. Kiss Kill Vanish is definitely worth the buy and read!
July 8, 2014
Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
You've all seen this pretty cover around. You have, haven't you? Well, we did and it was hard not to press that request button at Edelweiss. It might have been better if we did not. But not everything is that bad, at least we were part of an amazing read-a-long, with even more amazing Emma and Rashika. The have already posted their reviews and you can find them here:
Rashika's review at The Social Potato and
Emma's review at Never Judge a Book by Its Cover.
And now, it's time for us to answer those questions!
How did you feel about Valentina as a character?
Tanja: I was devoid of any feelings for her. Basically annoyance was there at the start but as soon as I got to be in her head for some time, I lost interest. I couldn't care less for that spoiled brat. Even though you could find justifications for her behavior as she is raised as that, it was hard to understand that during her so-called exile. Basically she was lacking logic and often compassion for others. Not to mention her blind love for certain someone.
I never felt any character growth either. That and her lack of feelings for any sort of justice, bothered me the most.
Glass: I honestly do not remember last time when one of the young adult characters made me want to scream out of complete frustration like Valentina. She wants to be a child and the gown up at the same time. She thinks that the whole world owes her something (but pretends that she is selfless and different from other little snobs). Daddy's little girl. Spoiled brat. Miss Know It All. I didn't like her at all.
Was the plot well developed and believable?
Tanja: No and NO! About the development, basically the first half of the book was at times even too slow and then everything started going places and in the meantime creating plenty of loop-holes. About this story being believable - it's a bit complex. Yes the whole idea was there and something existing in this world. It's something I can see happening, but the problem is that non of the characters fit the role they play. They are too young and with all that too naive for everything that's going on. So they don't tell the story in believable way.
Glass: Kiss Kill Vanish was based on great idea, but unfortunately it failed to deliver equally great story. As Tanja said, it is probably because characters are too young, but maybe that wouldn't be such a big problem if the whole thing wasn't told from perspective of one character. I wanted to know much more about her father and sisters, I felt like they didn't get enough attention and a lot of plot holes would have been explained if we got to hear their side of the story too.
Was the romance more than a plot device?
Glass: In my opinion, no. There were few scenes that were kind of romantic, but they failed to make me feel anything other than one short swoon-moment and that is that. Things are going too slow in one minute and in the other way too fast. I had a feeling like I missed something because of the way characters were portrayed at the beginning and the middle of the book.
Tanja: Depends which one, as yes this book also has some sort of love triangle. One is definitely just a plot device. It was without feelings and utterly emotionless, at least from my side. The one I refer to is with how I like to call him - Valentina's puppy. The other one was a plot device but it's the point of it. But still in any case, the answer is no.
Describe Emilo in one word.
Glass: Frustrating.
Tanja: Mysterious. (I wanted to say Rashika totally has a crush on him, but that's more than one word. Did I just say that? OOPS!)
To sum up?
Tanja: If right now you're asking yourself "Where the heck did she find that one star?" here's the answer - writing. That and page-turning. Let me put it this way - the writing was nothing extraordinary or something you'll remember the rest of your life, but it was to the point and neatly done. I see that Ms. Martinez has the talent but with characters as this it's not enough.
Glass: I believe that a lot of YA fans will enjoy this book, especially younger readers. Jessica Martinez has captivating writing style and I loved her previous novels, but unfortunately, this one didn't work out for me. On the plus side, Kiss Kill Vanish is fun and quick read despite all of the things I didn't like.
Rating: We need to say that after the reading we book gave this book 3 starts, but after our discussion we counted pros and cons and it turned out to be not so good. So our rating at the end is:
2 stars.
You've all seen this pretty cover around. You have, haven't you? Well, we did and it was hard not to press that request button at Edelweiss. It might have been better if we did not. But not everything is that bad, at least we were part of an amazing read-a-long, with even more amazing Emma and Rashika. The have already posted their reviews and you can find them here:
Rashika's review at The Social Potato and
Emma's review at Never Judge a Book by Its Cover.
And now, it's time for us to answer those questions!
How did you feel about Valentina as a character?
Tanja: I was devoid of any feelings for her. Basically annoyance was there at the start but as soon as I got to be in her head for some time, I lost interest. I couldn't care less for that spoiled brat. Even though you could find justifications for her behavior as she is raised as that, it was hard to understand that during her so-called exile. Basically she was lacking logic and often compassion for others. Not to mention her blind love for certain someone.
I never felt any character growth either. That and her lack of feelings for any sort of justice, bothered me the most.
Glass: I honestly do not remember last time when one of the young adult characters made me want to scream out of complete frustration like Valentina. She wants to be a child and the gown up at the same time. She thinks that the whole world owes her something (but pretends that she is selfless and different from other little snobs). Daddy's little girl. Spoiled brat. Miss Know It All. I didn't like her at all.
Was the plot well developed and believable?
Tanja: No and NO! About the development, basically the first half of the book was at times even too slow and then everything started going places and in the meantime creating plenty of loop-holes. About this story being believable - it's a bit complex. Yes the whole idea was there and something existing in this world. It's something I can see happening, but the problem is that non of the characters fit the role they play. They are too young and with all that too naive for everything that's going on. So they don't tell the story in believable way.
Glass: Kiss Kill Vanish was based on great idea, but unfortunately it failed to deliver equally great story. As Tanja said, it is probably because characters are too young, but maybe that wouldn't be such a big problem if the whole thing wasn't told from perspective of one character. I wanted to know much more about her father and sisters, I felt like they didn't get enough attention and a lot of plot holes would have been explained if we got to hear their side of the story too.
Was the romance more than a plot device?
Glass: In my opinion, no. There were few scenes that were kind of romantic, but they failed to make me feel anything other than one short swoon-moment and that is that. Things are going too slow in one minute and in the other way too fast. I had a feeling like I missed something because of the way characters were portrayed at the beginning and the middle of the book.
Tanja: Depends which one, as yes this book also has some sort of love triangle. One is definitely just a plot device. It was without feelings and utterly emotionless, at least from my side. The one I refer to is with how I like to call him - Valentina's puppy. The other one was a plot device but it's the point of it. But still in any case, the answer is no.
Describe Emilo in one word.
Glass: Frustrating.
Tanja: Mysterious. (I wanted to say Rashika totally has a crush on him, but that's more than one word. Did I just say that? OOPS!)
To sum up?
Tanja: If right now you're asking yourself "Where the heck did she find that one star?" here's the answer - writing. That and page-turning. Let me put it this way - the writing was nothing extraordinary or something you'll remember the rest of your life, but it was to the point and neatly done. I see that Ms. Martinez has the talent but with characters as this it's not enough.
Glass: I believe that a lot of YA fans will enjoy this book, especially younger readers. Jessica Martinez has captivating writing style and I loved her previous novels, but unfortunately, this one didn't work out for me. On the plus side, Kiss Kill Vanish is fun and quick read despite all of the things I didn't like.
Rating: We need to say that after the reading we book gave this book 3 starts, but after our discussion we counted pros and cons and it turned out to be not so good. So our rating at the end is:
2 stars.
October 6, 2014
Great read! This book had everything it needed to make it a compelling and intriguing read. The characters were multi-layered and just when you thought they would act one way, they would throw you a curve ball. I was not a big fan of the romance between a 24 year old and a 17 year old especially when certain information was revealed at the end. Emilio should know better. At first I hated Marcel. Martinez did a great job of slowly revealing his inner layers and making you love his character in the end. I felt Valentina's character was strong and vulnerable at the same time. She truly grew and matured as the story goes on. She has a big decision to make in the end, and while I think I would have chosen to do some things differently I can still respect why she did what she did.
This seemed like a stand alone novel which I appreciate. I will be picking up more titles by this author for certain. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good thriller with great characters who have to make interesting choices.
This seemed like a stand alone novel which I appreciate. I will be picking up more titles by this author for certain. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good thriller with great characters who have to make interesting choices.
January 2, 2015
Kiss Kill Vanish was one of those books that was virtually impossible to put down. I was fascinated by Jane's story, how she ran away from a life of luxury in Miami to live in almost abject poverty in Montreal. In fact, Montreal makes a fantastic backdrop to the story - it's close enough to the US, but has that nice touch of a place where they speak a foreign language.
Jane is a muse to Lucien, a rich boy who dabbles in art. He pays Jane very well to model for him. The modeling is mostly boring and Jane is never asked to remove her clothes, although a few clothing choices outdoors in a Montreal winter are a little iffy. Lucien has a bad boy brother Marcel, who hangs out with the wrong people.
Jane's Miami boyfriend Emilio sees her at an art show in Montreal. He makes plans for them to be together, but there are things to take care of in Miami first. Things happen....and Jane ends up on a road trip to Miami with Marcel.
This was a fun read for me. I loved Jane's perspective, especially once we discover her true identity. For a young girl hiding out, she is quite resourceful and she is lucky to be surrounded by very kind people who help her out with food, jobs, and a place to practice playing her mandolin. In parts you may have to suspend belief, but overall, I enjoyed the book.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for a review copy of this book.
Jane is a muse to Lucien, a rich boy who dabbles in art. He pays Jane very well to model for him. The modeling is mostly boring and Jane is never asked to remove her clothes, although a few clothing choices outdoors in a Montreal winter are a little iffy. Lucien has a bad boy brother Marcel, who hangs out with the wrong people.
Jane's Miami boyfriend Emilio sees her at an art show in Montreal. He makes plans for them to be together, but there are things to take care of in Miami first. Things happen....and Jane ends up on a road trip to Miami with Marcel.
This was a fun read for me. I loved Jane's perspective, especially once we discover her true identity. For a young girl hiding out, she is quite resourceful and she is lucky to be surrounded by very kind people who help her out with food, jobs, and a place to practice playing her mandolin. In parts you may have to suspend belief, but overall, I enjoyed the book.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for a review copy of this book.
April 7, 2016
An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.
In an almost thriller-like fashion, Kiss, Kill, Vanish should be about a girl on the run, hiding her identity and hopping from city to city. But it’s not. There is no action, pacing is achingly slow and you only have a glimpse of a developed character.
Valentina doesn’t grow up at all and doesn’t even change her ways. She is purely tending to Emilio’s needs and wants and seems to become putty in his hands. You never know who to trust and the entire time I was picking up on little clues and hints even if they were super subtle.
I was bored the entire time since it was all written in a way that was so detailed about her every day life. What she ate and what she did and thought. Her thoughts were pretty trivial to say the least and it can honestly say she was a spoiled brat and thought of herself as someone vastly superior to others because of her wealthy upbringing. I also can’t understand that she was pretty much obsessed with Emilio when in reality she should be thinking about her father, who is indeed a monster in my eyes. It never made any sense. She hardly thought about the consequences and didn’t work to get anything don’t making others do her work for her.
This one had potential, but it never came through.
In an almost thriller-like fashion, Kiss, Kill, Vanish should be about a girl on the run, hiding her identity and hopping from city to city. But it’s not. There is no action, pacing is achingly slow and you only have a glimpse of a developed character.
Valentina doesn’t grow up at all and doesn’t even change her ways. She is purely tending to Emilio’s needs and wants and seems to become putty in his hands. You never know who to trust and the entire time I was picking up on little clues and hints even if they were super subtle.
I was bored the entire time since it was all written in a way that was so detailed about her every day life. What she ate and what she did and thought. Her thoughts were pretty trivial to say the least and it can honestly say she was a spoiled brat and thought of herself as someone vastly superior to others because of her wealthy upbringing. I also can’t understand that she was pretty much obsessed with Emilio when in reality she should be thinking about her father, who is indeed a monster in my eyes. It never made any sense. She hardly thought about the consequences and didn’t work to get anything don’t making others do her work for her.
This one had potential, but it never came through.
November 26, 2014
2.5 stars
*sigh* I really wanted to love this one but it just wasn't meant for me.
*sigh* I really wanted to love this one but it just wasn't meant for me.
September 17, 2014
It’s no secret that Jessica Martinez’s debut novel, Virtuosity is one of my all-time favorite books. Carmen and Jeremy King had an amazing chemistry and they worked together so well. It’s been years, but I still remember their love so vividly. Then came Jessica’s sophomore novel, The Space Between Us. It too was memorable, but for entirely different reasons. I can still taste the disappointment, the feeling of being let down by an author I trusted. I didn’t even bother with The Vow, choosing to trust a few friends who didn’t think much of it. But Kiss Kill Vanish lured me in with its memorable title, gorgeous cover, and still, still, Jessica’s name on it. But was it worth it? No.
I’d love to say that it’s a matter of personal taste, and I suppose it always is to a certain extent. But a completely outlandish plot and a protagonist who refuses to think with her own head should bother just about anyone. The plot of Kiss Kill Vanish is so poorly thought-through, so full of plot holes and nonsensical details that it borders on being ridiculous.
Just days ago, I read a good book made infinitely better by its smart, resourceful heroine. With Kiss Kill Vanish it’s exactly the opposite: it’s a mediocre book made worse but the witless, thoughtless protagonist whose moral compass needs some serious recalibrating. With her selfishness, inconsistencies and complete and utter blindness to anything that might offend her delicate sensibilities, Valentina was absolutely infuriating.
Her thoughtlessness influenced every aspect of her life: her relationship with her father and her sisters, her romantic entanglements and even her superficial friendships with her roommate and employers. It was clear from the very beginning that her boyfriend Emilio was a dishonest, manipulative criminal, and yet the mere sound of his voice was enough to weaken Valentina’s resolve. She not only witnessed him murdering someone, but she suspected him of killing another person in cold blood, and yet she insisted on pretending that nothing was wrong.
Even the second romance was born mostly out of Valentina’s selfishness. The way she handled Emilio and Marcel showed that she was too immature to tie her own shoes, let alone handle adult relationships. I’ve seen reviewers compare her to Bella Swan, but I actually liked Bella, and there was nothing even remotely likeable about Valentina Cruz.
The plot itself and the final scenes combined with Valentina’s character made me realize that it’s time for Jessica Martinez and me to part ways. One wonderful book does not a career make, and while I’ll always adore Virtuosity, I doubt I’ll ever read another one of her books.
I’d love to say that it’s a matter of personal taste, and I suppose it always is to a certain extent. But a completely outlandish plot and a protagonist who refuses to think with her own head should bother just about anyone. The plot of Kiss Kill Vanish is so poorly thought-through, so full of plot holes and nonsensical details that it borders on being ridiculous.
Just days ago, I read a good book made infinitely better by its smart, resourceful heroine. With Kiss Kill Vanish it’s exactly the opposite: it’s a mediocre book made worse but the witless, thoughtless protagonist whose moral compass needs some serious recalibrating. With her selfishness, inconsistencies and complete and utter blindness to anything that might offend her delicate sensibilities, Valentina was absolutely infuriating.
Her thoughtlessness influenced every aspect of her life: her relationship with her father and her sisters, her romantic entanglements and even her superficial friendships with her roommate and employers. It was clear from the very beginning that her boyfriend Emilio was a dishonest, manipulative criminal, and yet the mere sound of his voice was enough to weaken Valentina’s resolve. She not only witnessed him murdering someone, but she suspected him of killing another person in cold blood, and yet she insisted on pretending that nothing was wrong.
Even the second romance was born mostly out of Valentina’s selfishness. The way she handled Emilio and Marcel showed that she was too immature to tie her own shoes, let alone handle adult relationships. I’ve seen reviewers compare her to Bella Swan, but I actually liked Bella, and there was nothing even remotely likeable about Valentina Cruz.
The plot itself and the final scenes combined with Valentina’s character made me realize that it’s time for Jessica Martinez and me to part ways. One wonderful book does not a career make, and while I’ll always adore Virtuosity, I doubt I’ll ever read another one of her books.
September 19, 2014
I can't say enough good things about this book. It is one of my favorite books I've read this year. It's a thriller that sneaks up on you in such a wonderfully unique setting. Some great books you want to race through to find out what happens. With others, you want to savor each page. This was a combination of both. Highly recommended.
April 4, 2015
I genuinely felt excitement when I started this book but as the story progressed I quickly lost interest. It was boring, there's no other way to say it. So many unnecessary events ughhh... And V had a flat personality. She made me want to pull my hair out.
The romance? Predictable. I'm sorry but this book disappointed me.
The romance? Predictable. I'm sorry but this book disappointed me.
October 4, 2014
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Kiss Kill Vanish is the first novel I've read by Jessica Martinez and while I was excited to finally read something by this author (and come on, that cover incites excitement, right?), I was left a bit...wanting. Though the genre description (mainly on Goodreads) suggests that this is a thriller, there's not that much thrilling about it. There were some things that redeemed this novel, but unfortunately, not a lot of things saved this one for me.
Valentina, the protagonist, is someone that really irked me. I understand that she found out some pretty nasty things about her family, but she made herself into a victim. I know, I know. When someone finds out the dark truth behind her family's wealth, it can be pretty traumatizing. But the thing that bugged me about Valentina was how desolate she made her world feel. There were moments when the characters around her called her childish, naive, and selfish and I actually agreed. Valentina is the perfect example of a self-victimized character who chooses to run and hide when the crap hits the fan, rather than seeing the things around her for what they are. It sucks to be put in a situation like hers, but she should have made something out of the situation rather then sticking her head in the mud and feeling sorry for herself.
At least, she doesn't see the truth around her until almost the end of the novel. As a result, more than half of the novel is full of Valentina's self-pity and whining about her situation. She trusts the wrong people, depends on people--even though they have proven to be undependable--, and decides to basically prove what others are saying about her by planning something ridiculous near the end of the book.
Basically, the "thrilling" part of this book doesn't start until something kind of huge happens (no spoilers from me!) The event causes a slow-motion domino effect where Valentina's life FINALLY begins to look a bit more intriguing. Even so, I found myself sighing occasionally while I attended her self-pity parties in her tiny "closet" of a bedroom.
By the way, I was so excited for her to be Cuban because of all of the allusions that were given to Cuban culture. But, I was sadly disappointed.
Anyway, my favourite character (and probably one of the only reasons why I finished this book) is Marcel. He starts out so damaged that you can't ever picture him as anything more, but his character is so multi-layered that even Valentina is left with the uneasiness of how well-created he is. Isn't that something, when a side character shows more promise than the protagonist?
Marcel is basically the catalyst for so much, but I won't go further with that, unless you want spoilers.
As for Emilio. I don't know what to say about him. He's obviously too old for Valentina, he somehow gets away with a lot of stuff that would not be okay in his situation, and honestly, the story would have survived without him. If you've read this book and are shaking your head at my last statement about Emilio: think about it. Take all of those moments that he appears in Valentina's life and imagine them to be someone else (like one of her sisters), instead of Emilio. A lot of those times can also be a cruel case of wrong place at the wrong time. He's an unnecessary character.
Would I recommend this to anyone? Sure, especially if you're into stories set in Montreal and vaguely in Miami. If you like crime YA novels and male love interests that are actually realistic and not Adonis's twin, then you might enjoy this one.
P.S. I realize that I sound quite snippy in this review and I apologize.
Happy reading!
I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Kiss Kill Vanish is the first novel I've read by Jessica Martinez and while I was excited to finally read something by this author (and come on, that cover incites excitement, right?), I was left a bit...wanting. Though the genre description (mainly on Goodreads) suggests that this is a thriller, there's not that much thrilling about it. There were some things that redeemed this novel, but unfortunately, not a lot of things saved this one for me.
Valentina, the protagonist, is someone that really irked me. I understand that she found out some pretty nasty things about her family, but she made herself into a victim. I know, I know. When someone finds out the dark truth behind her family's wealth, it can be pretty traumatizing. But the thing that bugged me about Valentina was how desolate she made her world feel. There were moments when the characters around her called her childish, naive, and selfish and I actually agreed. Valentina is the perfect example of a self-victimized character who chooses to run and hide when the crap hits the fan, rather than seeing the things around her for what they are. It sucks to be put in a situation like hers, but she should have made something out of the situation rather then sticking her head in the mud and feeling sorry for herself.
At least, she doesn't see the truth around her until almost the end of the novel. As a result, more than half of the novel is full of Valentina's self-pity and whining about her situation. She trusts the wrong people, depends on people--even though they have proven to be undependable--, and decides to basically prove what others are saying about her by planning something ridiculous near the end of the book.
Basically, the "thrilling" part of this book doesn't start until something kind of huge happens (no spoilers from me!) The event causes a slow-motion domino effect where Valentina's life FINALLY begins to look a bit more intriguing. Even so, I found myself sighing occasionally while I attended her self-pity parties in her tiny "closet" of a bedroom.
By the way, I was so excited for her to be Cuban because of all of the allusions that were given to Cuban culture. But, I was sadly disappointed.
Anyway, my favourite character (and probably one of the only reasons why I finished this book) is Marcel. He starts out so damaged that you can't ever picture him as anything more, but his character is so multi-layered that even Valentina is left with the uneasiness of how well-created he is. Isn't that something, when a side character shows more promise than the protagonist?
Marcel is basically the catalyst for so much, but I won't go further with that, unless you want spoilers.
As for Emilio. I don't know what to say about him. He's obviously too old for Valentina, he somehow gets away with a lot of stuff that would not be okay in his situation, and honestly, the story would have survived without him. If you've read this book and are shaking your head at my last statement about Emilio: think about it. Take all of those moments that he appears in Valentina's life and imagine them to be someone else (like one of her sisters), instead of Emilio. A lot of those times can also be a cruel case of wrong place at the wrong time. He's an unnecessary character.
Would I recommend this to anyone? Sure, especially if you're into stories set in Montreal and vaguely in Miami. If you like crime YA novels and male love interests that are actually realistic and not Adonis's twin, then you might enjoy this one.
P.S. I realize that I sound quite snippy in this review and I apologize.
Happy reading!
Read
October 6, 2014I'm a big fan of Jessica Martinez. I loved her first book, Virtuosity. I thought the Vow (about a girl wants to marry her best friend so he doesn't get deported) was a book that seemed at war with itself -- a book that couldn't decide if it was a serious issue book or a romantic comedy.
I felt a bit the same way about Kiss Kill Vanish, which at times seemed to want to be a dark thriller, but was really more of a leisurely noir-ish story of girl who learns some pretty tough truths about just about everyone in her life.
What I liked:
The setting. I've always wanted to go to Montreal, and I felt like I was there. For a nice thematic contrast, some of the book takes place in Miami.
The writing. I think Martinez is a really talented writer. But a lot of this book was seriously slow paced. If a book's writing is good, I'm usually okay with that, but I did a fair amount of skimming in this book.
Some of the story's revelations were surprising; others made me think that the main character was a little slow to catch on to things. Which leads me to:
Things I didn't love so much:
Valentina. Oh, Valentina. Where do I begin in describing my frustration with her, the way I wanted to reach in the book and give her a good shaking? She's 17 years old pretending to be 19, has been on her own in Montreal for months, is always complaining that she needs money, and yet the idea of looking for a job hasn't seemed to occur to her. I'm not familiar with work rules in Canada, but here in the US, you can get a job by 16. All she does is mope around, complaining that it's too cold and she's too poor and doesn't speak French. Okay, so she's the rich, spoiled daughter of a criminal, and she's in hiding but still. Seriously? In all of Montreal, she can't find a job, and then when she does, she gets hired as ... an artist's muse? I think there's actually a whole section in the want ads for that. And then when she finds out
The pacing really moved in fits and starts. The first quarter was slow, then something really dramatic happened and I thought things would pick up, but nope, then back to slow again, with some really good stuff toward the end.
The mandolin. This will probably sound insane, but that &^#@! mandolin was mentioned 56 times. Yes, I counted. So, you probably know the Chekov quote about the loaded rifle. Well, if an object is mentioned that many times, I feel like it should have some major connection to the plot. Don't tease me with that mandolin and then not make it part of some cool plot twist. *cries*
I felt a bit the same way about Kiss Kill Vanish, which at times seemed to want to be a dark thriller, but was really more of a leisurely noir-ish story of girl who learns some pretty tough truths about just about everyone in her life.
What I liked:
The setting. I've always wanted to go to Montreal, and I felt like I was there. For a nice thematic contrast, some of the book takes place in Miami.
The writing. I think Martinez is a really talented writer. But a lot of this book was seriously slow paced. If a book's writing is good, I'm usually okay with that, but I did a fair amount of skimming in this book.
Some of the story's revelations were surprising; others made me think that the main character was a little slow to catch on to things. Which leads me to:
Things I didn't love so much:
Valentina. Oh, Valentina. Where do I begin in describing my frustration with her, the way I wanted to reach in the book and give her a good shaking? She's 17 years old pretending to be 19, has been on her own in Montreal for months, is always complaining that she needs money, and yet the idea of looking for a job hasn't seemed to occur to her. I'm not familiar with work rules in Canada, but here in the US, you can get a job by 16. All she does is mope around, complaining that it's too cold and she's too poor and doesn't speak French. Okay, so she's the rich, spoiled daughter of a criminal, and she's in hiding but still. Seriously? In all of Montreal, she can't find a job, and then when she does, she gets hired as ... an artist's muse? I think there's actually a whole section in the want ads for that. And then when she finds out
The pacing really moved in fits and starts. The first quarter was slow, then something really dramatic happened and I thought things would pick up, but nope, then back to slow again, with some really good stuff toward the end.
The mandolin. This will probably sound insane, but that &^#@! mandolin was mentioned 56 times. Yes, I counted. So, you probably know the Chekov quote about the loaded rifle. Well, if an object is mentioned that many times, I feel like it should have some major connection to the plot. Don't tease me with that mandolin and then not make it part of some cool plot twist. *cries*
February 13, 2017
Honestly, this is super disappointing. This book is actually written wonderfully. The atmosphere is excellent and the author really knows how to write imagery into her scenes. But...it's boring. There's no plot, that I can tell, and you can't write an entire story with the action only happening in flashbacks and expect readers to stay interested.
So I didn't finish this one. But I would definitely read this author again, there just needs to be a lot of tweaking on the pacing. This was too slow, especially for YA. And too long. If your book is over 400 pages and the plot takes forever to get going, maybe cut it down?
So I didn't finish this one. But I would definitely read this author again, there just needs to be a lot of tweaking on the pacing. This was too slow, especially for YA. And too long. If your book is over 400 pages and the plot takes forever to get going, maybe cut it down?
October 2, 2014
This is an great story! From the very first chapter I was intrigued by what surrounded Valentina yet she didn’t know.
Plot: This is about a girl who finds out her father is not who he says he is. She runs away only to discover more secrets. One thing that really pulled me into this plot was Valentina herself. She was blissfully unaware of her fathers actions and left so thinking she was done for. The plot carries this deep power struggle of facing her past as well as what she can do for her future.
Friendship/Love: This area totally caught me by surprise because I thought this was a safe haven for Valentina. After discovering so much about her life, truly this area has to be good for her. Instead it bit her…bad. It crept up on me since I was so caught up with Valentina and her discovering her fathers secrets. I honestly didn’t second guess it and even fell for every word he said.
Ending: I like the ending. After coming to a conclusion, Valentina takes matters into her own hands. Which I really enjoyed. I liked seeing her prove everyone wrong. She took what power she had left and made it work for her. You go girl!
This is a spectacular story that completely captured me. I really enjoyed the secrets, the action as well as the development of Valentina.
Plot: This is about a girl who finds out her father is not who he says he is. She runs away only to discover more secrets. One thing that really pulled me into this plot was Valentina herself. She was blissfully unaware of her fathers actions and left so thinking she was done for. The plot carries this deep power struggle of facing her past as well as what she can do for her future.
Friendship/Love: This area totally caught me by surprise because I thought this was a safe haven for Valentina. After discovering so much about her life, truly this area has to be good for her. Instead it bit her…bad. It crept up on me since I was so caught up with Valentina and her discovering her fathers secrets. I honestly didn’t second guess it and even fell for every word he said.
Ending: I like the ending. After coming to a conclusion, Valentina takes matters into her own hands. Which I really enjoyed. I liked seeing her prove everyone wrong. She took what power she had left and made it work for her. You go girl!
This is a spectacular story that completely captured me. I really enjoyed the secrets, the action as well as the development of Valentina.
September 16, 2014
My thanks to Katherine Tegen Books & Edelweiss
Point of View: Single (Valentina Cruz, aka Jane)
Writing: First Person | Present Tense
Setting: Montreal, Canada/Miami, Florida
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary/Mystery
This is probably one of the most boring books I have read recently. I didn't have much problem with the storyline, which by the way wasn't as good as I expected, but the pace and the wording were mind-numbing.
I completely didn't feel anything connection with the main character. While her reason for running away was supposed to be heartfelt and all, I just didn't care. She was just too boring and I honestly thought she was very snobbish.
I didn't like the romance, either. I didn't feel the love, and gosh, why the characters were all such a bunch of douches?!
I'm not sure I have anything nice to say about this book, so let's just end it here.
November 15, 2014
I struggled with this a bit. The premise was interesting, but I couldn't get interested in the characters.
Valentina wasn't the best MC. I understand she's got a lot of shit going on, but her inner monologue was a bit too whiny and waaaaay to hung up on Emilio. Marcel was the best character and really my reason for continuing to read.
There were some great twists and a really satisfying ending. I can see how this book will be popular, I just had a hard time with the very teenage voice of the MC
**Huge thanks to Katherine Tegen Books for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
**Squishy hugs to Rachel and The YA Bookcase for sending me the physical arc**
Valentina wasn't the best MC. I understand she's got a lot of shit going on, but her inner monologue was a bit too whiny and waaaaay to hung up on Emilio. Marcel was the best character and really my reason for continuing to read.
There were some great twists and a really satisfying ending. I can see how this book will be popular, I just had a hard time with the very teenage voice of the MC
**Huge thanks to Katherine Tegen Books for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
**Squishy hugs to Rachel and The YA Bookcase for sending me the physical arc**
September 3, 2015
I was so disappointed.
Look at the lovely cover.
How could a cover let me down like this?
Not good.
Look at the lovely cover.
How could a cover let me down like this?
Not good.
January 22, 2015
Liked it way more than I thought I would...
Review to come.
Content: not really anything - there is a lot implied but nothing actually on the pages
Review to come.
Content: not really anything - there is a lot implied but nothing actually on the pages
July 11, 2015
Huge thank you to the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this. I'm writing this honest review to say thank you!
Wow wow WOW! This was good. One of my top books for the YEAR! And as with all books that I LOVE I cannot even put into words why I loved it. The writing was so good, so sexy. I loved the tone and the setting and just everything. The characters were all passionate and flawed, emotional. Valentina was amazing. I loved her strength, her weaknesses. I loved how deeply she loved, how passionate she was, how she questioned things. I loved Marcel and his transformation. I hated Emilio and her father. Everyone was layered and dimensional.
Valentina is hiding from her father in Canada, it's cold, she's penniless, living off of charity and a random job as an art model. Marcel is a broken teen who's only trying to live in a way that pisses off his parents, his brother. At the start of the book I NEVER saw him being as big of a part of this book as he was. My god I loved how he just slipped into the story, into Valentina's life.
Emilio... what a creep. I get what he was doing, and when we find out his secret... WOW. I did NOT see that coming at all. And it makes sense, but he's not a good person and I was SO MAD at Valentina for trusting him so much. I kept forgetting that she's just a teenager, in love with love and Emilio was more than just love. He was older, dangerous, powerful, romantic. She was in love with an image of him. I wanted to shake her so hard sometime though, the ways she was waiting for him, the way she keep making excuses for him. And at the end when she was thinking about messing everything up, I was REALLY angry at her again. I guess she just came across as such so mature that her childish tantrums made me think 'wtf is wrong with you!' But I'm glad that things turned out like they did.
Guys, I can't even explain why this was so good without giving away EVERYTHING. So just read it. Drink in the beautiful writing. Have your loyalties torn like Valentina. And get ready to fall for Marcel.
Wow wow WOW! This was good. One of my top books for the YEAR! And as with all books that I LOVE I cannot even put into words why I loved it. The writing was so good, so sexy. I loved the tone and the setting and just everything. The characters were all passionate and flawed, emotional. Valentina was amazing. I loved her strength, her weaknesses. I loved how deeply she loved, how passionate she was, how she questioned things. I loved Marcel and his transformation. I hated Emilio and her father. Everyone was layered and dimensional.
Valentina is hiding from her father in Canada, it's cold, she's penniless, living off of charity and a random job as an art model. Marcel is a broken teen who's only trying to live in a way that pisses off his parents, his brother. At the start of the book I NEVER saw him being as big of a part of this book as he was. My god I loved how he just slipped into the story, into Valentina's life.
Emilio... what a creep. I get what he was doing, and when we find out his secret... WOW. I did NOT see that coming at all. And it makes sense, but he's not a good person and I was SO MAD at Valentina for trusting him so much. I kept forgetting that she's just a teenager, in love with love and Emilio was more than just love. He was older, dangerous, powerful, romantic. She was in love with an image of him. I wanted to shake her so hard sometime though, the ways she was waiting for him, the way she keep making excuses for him. And at the end when she was thinking about messing everything up, I was REALLY angry at her again. I guess she just came across as such so mature that her childish tantrums made me think 'wtf is wrong with you!' But I'm glad that things turned out like they did.
Guys, I can't even explain why this was so good without giving away EVERYTHING. So just read it. Drink in the beautiful writing. Have your loyalties torn like Valentina. And get ready to fall for Marcel.
April 20, 2017
An honest-to-goodness YA Suspense novel the likes of which I really can't recall having read before. I loved the writing here, and all the ways it twisted and turned until I stopped even bothering to guess what was happening; it was way more fun to let Martinez take me along for the ride. It's not as fast-paced a read as you might expect, given the subject matter, but it's an enjoyable and well-crafted one and I highly recommend it.
June 28, 2016
Rating: 3.8
The Why: The secrets that bind families together and the things we wish we never knew.
The was this was written it lft you always asking what am I missing? But as the story progressed you soon saw the pieces drop into place.
The Why: The secrets that bind families together and the things we wish we never knew.
The was this was written it lft you always asking what am I missing? But as the story progressed you soon saw the pieces drop into place.
November 1, 2017
"Pick your king, Valentina."
This was an interesting premise and, at first, I was rolling along with the story. Valentina ran from her father and boyfriend, leaving money and status behind. She's living in squalor in a foreign country as she tries to wrap her mind around what she's learned.
She was saved from actual hunger and homelessness by a strange boy named Lucien - who says she is his muse and he must paint her. He spends day after day paying her extraordinary amounts of money for her to just pose and he paints. He doesn't push for more and she just skates under the radar.
I have wanted to read this one for a while so I was disappointed when I didn't find myself interested in the story. There is a pivotal moment around 100 pages and I thought the story would kick off from there. Instead there is at least 100 pages of down time of getting to know other characters. It made me lose the reading momentum....
I am glad I finished it, I the end was surprising but didn't quite even out losing me in the middle.
This was an interesting premise and, at first, I was rolling along with the story. Valentina ran from her father and boyfriend, leaving money and status behind. She's living in squalor in a foreign country as she tries to wrap her mind around what she's learned.
She was saved from actual hunger and homelessness by a strange boy named Lucien - who says she is his muse and he must paint her. He spends day after day paying her extraordinary amounts of money for her to just pose and he paints. He doesn't push for more and she just skates under the radar.
I have wanted to read this one for a while so I was disappointed when I didn't find myself interested in the story. There is a pivotal moment around 100 pages and I thought the story would kick off from there. Instead there is at least 100 pages of down time of getting to know other characters. It made me lose the reading momentum....
I am glad I finished it, I the end was surprising but didn't quite even out losing me in the middle.
October 22, 2014
4.25 stars
If you haven't read a Jessica Martinez book you are seriously missing out. I loved Virtuosity, I enjoyed The Vow, and Kiss Kill Vanish was just something else entirely. In a lot of ways If you haven't read one of Martinez's book go read one now (after you finish my review, of course).
When I first started Kiss Kill Vanish I was 100% sure I wasn't a fan. The beginning of the story immediately starts with Valentina/Jane's life in Montreal, a really sad life working as a model for this creepy artist and living in what's pretty much a closet in a crappy apartment. She's on the run from her old life in Miami and it quickly comes out that she saw her father, who she always thought was a wealthy art dealer, and her boyfriend, one of her father's employees, kill a man on her father's yacht. After she witnessed the murder she immediately fled to Montreal to try to distance herself from her old life.
In Montreal Valentina goes by Jane and is pretty much just trying to find a way to make enough money to leave freezing, lonely Montreal and make a permanent escape to somewhere like Spain. When the story starts she's already met a young artist who hires her to be his muse and who she thinks is a poser and a loser. Her life in Montreal, putting up with this guy she hates, having no money for food or a blanket, and have no friends is a far cry from her previously glamourous life in Miami where she had million-dollar art works hanging in her house, lots of money to spend, and went to parties all the time.
There were several things about the story and Valentina that seemed so odd at first, and I think were part of why I didn't get into the story immediately, but, after I thought about them made sense. Valentina has a much older sense about her, she's only 17 during the book, but she could easily be much older, probably because of the way she was raised. For someone who grew up in such privilege her survival skills really impressed me. But, I was kind of baffled by the fact that after witnessing her father order her boyfriend to murder someone that she wasn't more curious about what was going on. I came to the conclusion that she must have been in shock and in the middle of some serious denial otherwise how could she not put all of it together or at least try to put all of it together through Googling or something?
I'm struggling with other things to say about this story because so much happens and changes so quickly over the story that I don't want to spoil anything. Even though I was skeptical at first, probably 15% of the way in something happened that really surprised me and pretty much just sucked me in completely. I had inklings of the way things in the story would happen and some of them were right, but there were other things (especially a BIG thing towards the end that I did not see coming but was BRILLIANT) that just blew my mind and made me have so much (even more than I originally had) respect for Martinez.
You know how sometimes you read a book and you finish and it's just kind of over? Well this is a book that in the five or so days since I finished it had just stayed with me. I almost want to go back and re-read it because there are so many layers and moving parts to the story that I'm sure there are things I missed. It would also be interesting to read the whole thing knowing how it ends. Also, the way Martinez handles romance is so amazing. Her romances are different and push the normal limits, but they're also really subtle and real feeling.
All that good stuff said there was one major thing about the story that drove me crazy. Martinez used this kind of countdown storytelling device where a chapter or new section would pick up with Valentina waiting for something to happen or waiting for it to be time to do something so it would start with eight minutes left and then spend the next eight minutes in Valentina's head as she waited around. It was a good way to show the emptiness and desperation of Valentina's life, but I just wanted to shake her and tell her to get out of her own head and shut up and leave and be early! Also, no spoilers, but I wish there had been more closure with her father and boyfriend at the end. There's closure with other parts of the story, but not having the closure for those relationships made it feel like something was missing.
Bottom Line: I loved Kiss Kill Vanish maybe even more than I loved Martinez's other books because I struggled with the beginning, but then Martinez sucked me in, got me hooked, and made me respect her even more. Not only is this a really interesting well done story about a fantastic character in a tough situation, it's also a great thriller/mystery full of intelligent twists and turns. If I had to compare Jessica Martinez to another YA author it would be Gayle Forman, that's how much I like her, so if you haven't read one of her books go to it ASAP because you're in for a treat.
I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (thank you!). All opinions are my own.
This review first appeared on my blog.
If you haven't read a Jessica Martinez book you are seriously missing out. I loved Virtuosity, I enjoyed The Vow, and Kiss Kill Vanish was just something else entirely. In a lot of ways If you haven't read one of Martinez's book go read one now (after you finish my review, of course).
When I first started Kiss Kill Vanish I was 100% sure I wasn't a fan. The beginning of the story immediately starts with Valentina/Jane's life in Montreal, a really sad life working as a model for this creepy artist and living in what's pretty much a closet in a crappy apartment. She's on the run from her old life in Miami and it quickly comes out that she saw her father, who she always thought was a wealthy art dealer, and her boyfriend, one of her father's employees, kill a man on her father's yacht. After she witnessed the murder she immediately fled to Montreal to try to distance herself from her old life.
In Montreal Valentina goes by Jane and is pretty much just trying to find a way to make enough money to leave freezing, lonely Montreal and make a permanent escape to somewhere like Spain. When the story starts she's already met a young artist who hires her to be his muse and who she thinks is a poser and a loser. Her life in Montreal, putting up with this guy she hates, having no money for food or a blanket, and have no friends is a far cry from her previously glamourous life in Miami where she had million-dollar art works hanging in her house, lots of money to spend, and went to parties all the time.
There were several things about the story and Valentina that seemed so odd at first, and I think were part of why I didn't get into the story immediately, but, after I thought about them made sense. Valentina has a much older sense about her, she's only 17 during the book, but she could easily be much older, probably because of the way she was raised. For someone who grew up in such privilege her survival skills really impressed me. But, I was kind of baffled by the fact that after witnessing her father order her boyfriend to murder someone that she wasn't more curious about what was going on. I came to the conclusion that she must have been in shock and in the middle of some serious denial otherwise how could she not put all of it together or at least try to put all of it together through Googling or something?
I'm struggling with other things to say about this story because so much happens and changes so quickly over the story that I don't want to spoil anything. Even though I was skeptical at first, probably 15% of the way in something happened that really surprised me and pretty much just sucked me in completely. I had inklings of the way things in the story would happen and some of them were right, but there were other things (especially a BIG thing towards the end that I did not see coming but was BRILLIANT) that just blew my mind and made me have so much (even more than I originally had) respect for Martinez.
You know how sometimes you read a book and you finish and it's just kind of over? Well this is a book that in the five or so days since I finished it had just stayed with me. I almost want to go back and re-read it because there are so many layers and moving parts to the story that I'm sure there are things I missed. It would also be interesting to read the whole thing knowing how it ends. Also, the way Martinez handles romance is so amazing. Her romances are different and push the normal limits, but they're also really subtle and real feeling.
All that good stuff said there was one major thing about the story that drove me crazy. Martinez used this kind of countdown storytelling device where a chapter or new section would pick up with Valentina waiting for something to happen or waiting for it to be time to do something so it would start with eight minutes left and then spend the next eight minutes in Valentina's head as she waited around. It was a good way to show the emptiness and desperation of Valentina's life, but I just wanted to shake her and tell her to get out of her own head and shut up and leave and be early! Also, no spoilers, but I wish there had been more closure with her father and boyfriend at the end. There's closure with other parts of the story, but not having the closure for those relationships made it feel like something was missing.
Bottom Line: I loved Kiss Kill Vanish maybe even more than I loved Martinez's other books because I struggled with the beginning, but then Martinez sucked me in, got me hooked, and made me respect her even more. Not only is this a really interesting well done story about a fantastic character in a tough situation, it's also a great thriller/mystery full of intelligent twists and turns. If I had to compare Jessica Martinez to another YA author it would be Gayle Forman, that's how much I like her, so if you haven't read one of her books go to it ASAP because you're in for a treat.
I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (thank you!). All opinions are my own.
This review first appeared on my blog.
Read
November 4, 2017First of all, I love how the cover of the book "Kiss Kill Vanish" is designed. Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez was one of the most amusing and instense book I have ever read. I love how this book was a romance/murder type which brought more interest as I got more deeper to the book. This book was one of the most anticipated book I have ever read. The author shows how love could be hard to trust.
October 9, 2019
I’ve noticed a trend that many of my favorite books get negative reviews, usually because of the cliche romance, but that is my favorite genre; therefore, I was saddened, but not surprised, to see some of the reviews for Kiss Kill Vanish. I love that I thought I knew what the title meant in the beginning, but as the book progressed, the meaning of “Kiss Kill Vanish” changed. I enjoyed that the plot was not too predictable. Just like with the title, there were times when I thought I knew what was going to happen next, but then the story took a different direction. At first, it seemed like the typical teenage-girl-runs-away-from-home-because-her-super-rich-father-is-not-who-she-thought-he-was kind of story, and although the beginning of the book was heading in that direction, Jane/Valentina demonstrates a large growth in maturity as she becomes more aware of the lies her life was once built on. The characters also turned out to be more complex than they first seemed to be. Although I may not have found the plot super suspenseful or as intriguing as others may, I would not go so far as to say the book was a waste of my time because that is simply not true. This book was very enjoyable and difficult to put down at the high points. I definitely recommend it to readers who would enjoy a contemporary “thriller” with a touch of cliche romance.
October 3, 2014
*I received this book from the Publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*
Find this review and more on my blog Lilybloombooks
Kiss Kill Vanish was one of my most anticipated Fall release titles. I can't say what exactly piqued my interest and raised my expectations, but I was under the impression I was going to be blow away by this book. And well, that's not exactly how it happened. Now, this could be because I am currently suffering from one of the largest reading funks I have EVER been in, but I just couldn't jump completely on board with this story.
There were things that I did thoroughly enjoy, but ultimately, my dislike for the main character, the slow pacing and unrealistic plot just didn't cut it for me.
First, the good.
The plot twists. There were several of them, and I was blow away by each one. I was almost disappointed in myself for not seeing them sooner. I was on the edge of my seat anticipating the next twist, and although I felt one in particular was off the wall, Martinez did an amazing job with them all and tying everything together.
The romance.... kinda. I knew right when the character was introduced that there was going to be some sort of THING going on. While I normally wouldn't be looking to the romance to keep me entertained, it was one things that made this book bearable. It's not all-consuming, it's slow, sweet and realistic (even though he was a douche in the beginning). Since I wasn't a huge fan of Valentina solo (more on that later) I loved the way the love interest made her open her eyes and THINK.
Valentina's character growth. I will rant here in a minute about her overall - but she did come along way in the end. I gotta hand it to her - she is pretty brave (albeit stupid) to do what she did and stick to her guns about the revelations in her family. Ultimately, she did give up a lot and I am glad her moral compass was still intact at the end.
The end. It was a little rushed, but I felt everything came to a close nicely; leaving us with just enough information to see how things turned out, without an extremely long drawn out epilogue. This book was sitting at over 400 pages as it was, and short it sweet was perfect.
What didn't work.
Valentina 1.0. For most of the book, I was hoping that Martinez made her dense and stupid on purpose, but the end I am just not convinced that was the case. And when I say dense, I am talking DENSE. Who in their right mind thinks they can run away to another country and be surprised when someone from her "past" shows up. [spoiler] HI. you can track cell phones these days. Just saying.[/spoiler] I can overlook the fact that she had issues getting a job and earning money, since she was a spoiled rich girl, but c'mon. I don't like to judge, but she is the typical sheltered rich kid that thinks nothing can touch them and they have all the answers. I just couldn't help but think that she was throwing a tantrum verses actually trying to "start over". Like I said before, it was brave but it was also completely stupid. Yet, at the same time, I was sympathetic to her situation, so I couldn't bring myself to completely write her off. Ya know?
But don't get my started on how naive she was about the "family business".
Emilio and Valentina. It really frustrates me when woman (or I guess a man could too. Lets not be sexist) gets all weak and woe is me when the LOVE OF THEIR LIFE is gone. Betrayal hurts, I get it. But that person doesn't necessarily make you YOU, so find a way to move on. And of course she believes everything that comes out of that man's mouth. Her denseness knows no bounds. [spoiler] You really think a MAN is going to move his family, betray one of the most powerful men in the world, for YOU?! HOW PRECIOUS. [/spoiler] Call me a pessimist.
In the grand scheme of things, I guess you can say I was entertained enough to finish the book, and rather quickly, I might add.. Yet I wasn't blown away either. Just okay for me.
Tell me your thoughts -
Have your read KISS KILL VANISH? What did you think?
If not, does it sounds like something you would enjoy, based on the blurb alone? Why or why not?
Find this review and more on my blog Lilybloombooks
Kiss Kill Vanish was one of my most anticipated Fall release titles. I can't say what exactly piqued my interest and raised my expectations, but I was under the impression I was going to be blow away by this book. And well, that's not exactly how it happened. Now, this could be because I am currently suffering from one of the largest reading funks I have EVER been in, but I just couldn't jump completely on board with this story.
There were things that I did thoroughly enjoy, but ultimately, my dislike for the main character, the slow pacing and unrealistic plot just didn't cut it for me.
First, the good.
The plot twists. There were several of them, and I was blow away by each one. I was almost disappointed in myself for not seeing them sooner. I was on the edge of my seat anticipating the next twist, and although I felt one in particular was off the wall, Martinez did an amazing job with them all and tying everything together.
The romance.... kinda. I knew right when the character was introduced that there was going to be some sort of THING going on. While I normally wouldn't be looking to the romance to keep me entertained, it was one things that made this book bearable. It's not all-consuming, it's slow, sweet and realistic (even though he was a douche in the beginning). Since I wasn't a huge fan of Valentina solo (more on that later) I loved the way the love interest made her open her eyes and THINK.
Valentina's character growth. I will rant here in a minute about her overall - but she did come along way in the end. I gotta hand it to her - she is pretty brave (albeit stupid) to do what she did and stick to her guns about the revelations in her family. Ultimately, she did give up a lot and I am glad her moral compass was still intact at the end.
The end. It was a little rushed, but I felt everything came to a close nicely; leaving us with just enough information to see how things turned out, without an extremely long drawn out epilogue. This book was sitting at over 400 pages as it was, and short it sweet was perfect.
What didn't work.
Valentina 1.0. For most of the book, I was hoping that Martinez made her dense and stupid on purpose, but the end I am just not convinced that was the case. And when I say dense, I am talking DENSE. Who in their right mind thinks they can run away to another country and be surprised when someone from her "past" shows up. [spoiler] HI. you can track cell phones these days. Just saying.[/spoiler] I can overlook the fact that she had issues getting a job and earning money, since she was a spoiled rich girl, but c'mon. I don't like to judge, but she is the typical sheltered rich kid that thinks nothing can touch them and they have all the answers. I just couldn't help but think that she was throwing a tantrum verses actually trying to "start over". Like I said before, it was brave but it was also completely stupid. Yet, at the same time, I was sympathetic to her situation, so I couldn't bring myself to completely write her off. Ya know?
But don't get my started on how naive she was about the "family business".
Emilio and Valentina. It really frustrates me when woman (or I guess a man could too. Lets not be sexist) gets all weak and woe is me when the LOVE OF THEIR LIFE is gone. Betrayal hurts, I get it. But that person doesn't necessarily make you YOU, so find a way to move on. And of course she believes everything that comes out of that man's mouth. Her denseness knows no bounds. [spoiler] You really think a MAN is going to move his family, betray one of the most powerful men in the world, for YOU?! HOW PRECIOUS. [/spoiler] Call me a pessimist.
In the grand scheme of things, I guess you can say I was entertained enough to finish the book, and rather quickly, I might add.. Yet I wasn't blown away either. Just okay for me.
Tell me your thoughts -
Have your read KISS KILL VANISH? What did you think?
If not, does it sounds like something you would enjoy, based on the blurb alone? Why or why not?
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