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Sublime
When Lucy walks out of a frozen forest, wearing only a silk dress and sandals, she isn’t sure how she got there. But when she sees Colin, she knows for sure that she’s here for him.
Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With each passing day their lives intertwine, and even as Lucy begins to remember more of her life—and her death—neither of them is willing to give up what they have, no matter how impossible it is. And when Colin finds a way to physically be with Lucy, taking himself to the brink of death where his reality and Lucy’s overlap, the joy of being together for those brief stolen moments drowns out everything in the outside world. But some lines weren’t meant to be crossed…
Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With each passing day their lives intertwine, and even as Lucy begins to remember more of her life—and her death—neither of them is willing to give up what they have, no matter how impossible it is. And when Colin finds a way to physically be with Lucy, taking himself to the brink of death where his reality and Lucy’s overlap, the joy of being together for those brief stolen moments drowns out everything in the outside world. But some lines weren’t meant to be crossed…
336 pages, ebook
First published October 14, 2014
177 people are currently reading
8536 people want to read
About the author
Christina Lauren
87 books98k followersChristina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced twenty New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 30+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 620 reviews
March 22, 2014
“A boy.”If you love completely passive main characters with no interest other than a boy, this is the book for you. If you think Luce from the Fallen series and Bella from Twilight were such fantastically inspiring heroines, this book is for you. The main female character in this book makes Bella Swan seem like an sword-wielding, ass-kicking ninja girl. She sits. She walks. She ponders the meaning of life (but not really, she just thinks about her luuuuurve). And that's pretty much it. She has no motivation, no desire to get anything done but to be with the boy of her dreams.
The woman laughs and closes her eyes, but it isn’t a happy laugh. It’s an of-course-a-boy-knows laugh. A why-did-I-even-bother-asking laugh.
This is the story about the most feminine boy in the world, the epitome of desexualized romantic ideal, so pure and heartachingly romantic that it feels about as real as the poster of Nick Carter on my 13-year old self's wall.
Not this poster. Still funny.
Colin is a paragon, an achingly romantic boy who will go to desperate lengths to get *bleeped* by the girl of his dreams.
Who happens to be a ghost. A ghost with color-changing hair.
He waves a hand, blindly indicating the area around her head. “Your hair is blond, and Jay says it’s brown. And your eyes? Oh God. What is going on?”What's going on, indeed! You know how in all those YA books, we readers complain about the heroine's different, special, unusual eyes that are purple, green, gold, amber, etc? Well, wait til you meet Lucy. I still have no idea what color her eyes are. Are they gray or brown?
“Different? Aren’t they, like, brown or something?”Wait, no. They're green-brown.
Colin mumbles, “Maybe gray.”
Her eyes are murky green-brown.Wait, no. They're violet, flecked with red. Wait, what the heck?!
Her eyes are this rich, grinding violet, flecked with metallic redWait, no, crap! They're blue!
Her eyes changed colors as he watched, from deep gray to an aching, honest blue.DAMMIT. NEVER MIND. Her eyes are yellow.
Her eyes morph from dark to pale yellow in the light of the bright, full moon.NEVER MIND. They're greenish silver.
He watches her eyes shift from green to silver in the light.I take that back. They're auburn? What?! Auburn?! Isn't that a hair color?!
Her eyes open, and hunger and joy swirl green and auburn insideGosh darn it, I'm wrong again. Her eyes are indigo.
Her eyes are a provocative, sympathetic indigo.ASKHFJDH DAMMIT. I made a mistake. They're brown again.
Her eyes have gone metallic brown, swirling.Ok, I got it this time. Her eyes are burgundy.
Her eyes darken, mocha swirling into burgundy....You know what? I give up. I just give up.
Her eyes are all the shades in that river of puke.
This book is YA. I know to expect romance, but as they say, you never expect the Spanish Inquisition. What I was completely unprepared for is the overwhelming amount of insta-love and romance. There is nothing in this book but romance. I had hoped for a scary ghost story with elements of romance, instead, I got a romance in which one of the characters happen to be a ghost. I don't have a problem with romance, I have a problem with insta-love and I have a problem with simplistic, uncomplicated romances. There is zero relationship development, there is no conflict; this is a most blissfully uncomplicated, overwhelmingly unbelievable instance of romance with absolutely no spark, no chemistry, no fire.
The Summary: Lucy wakes up alone in the forest. She is disoriented, she has no idea where she is, who she is. It turns out she's at a school, the most horrible school in the world. Saint Osanna's Preparatory School (more on why it's horrible later). She doesn't know what to do, she wanders into school, nobody seems to notice her. But then Lucy notices...him...Colin. Aaaaaaaaaand cue insta-love.
Wild, dark curls fall into his eyes, and he flips them away with an unconscious shake of his head. In that moment, her silent heart twists beneath the empty walls of her chest. And she realizes, in the absence of hunger or thirst, discomfort or cold, this is the first physical sensation she’s had since waking under a sky full of falling leaves.Lucy whispers something to him, not knowing why.
“I think I’m here for you.”Then disappears. Because that's completely natural.
She attends class, nobody seems to notice her except Colin, and sometimes his best friend, Jay. To Jay, Lucy has brown hair, to Colin, Lucy has platinum blonde hair. Hair like moonbeam, like starlight.
She looks like a shadow of a girl. A shadow wearing a cap of sunshine.
For some reason, nobody finds it strange that a strange new girl is, you know, attending class with them at school.After a long, long time, Lucy comes to the astounding realization that she's could be, you know, a ghost.
She’s spent hours since she woke trying to understand what she is. If she’s back where she was killed, then is she a ghost?So she was murdered, but she's still not sure if she's a ghost!
Clearly, Lucy isn't the brightest of stars. Which is surprising, since before her death, she was rumored to go to Harvard. Maybe they mean Harvard, a street, somewhere in Podunk.
Meanwhile, Colin is obsessed, fascinated. Colin has met this girl ONCE and he cannot get her out of his head. She is all he thinks about.
Colin hasn’t seen her in a week, and he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about what she said just before she ran out the door.So quickly, astonishingly fast, they fall in love. They can barely touch, because electricity burns through them with every caress.
He dreams about kissing her.
He wants Lucy to be his girlfriend in every way that matters, including the ways that mean he can touch her. The urge to kiss her is becoming suffocating.She dreams about kissing him.
If the simple touch of his lip on her fingertip felt so intense, what would it feel like to actually kiss him? She’s afraid she’d be unable to process so much sensation.Colin and Lucy discover that there is a way they can be together...
“I started researching hypothermia, and it takes a long time for the brain to shut down entirely. I mean, in between being cold and being dead, there’s a lot of room.”Will he do it? Will Colin risk his life to feel boobies?
“You are crazy.”
His hands find waist, ribs, breasts. They grow wild and impatient, itching to feel every inch.What do you think?
The Most Horrible School In The World: Why the FUCK does anyone send their kids to Saint Osanna's? It's the most dangerous school in the world. Kids die there constantly, from suicide, exposure, any sorts of stuff.
Stories of a place where students seemed to die at a higher rate than any other boarding school in the country. Colin never understood why it was a surprise that kids died or disappeared more frequently here than other places from things like exposure, pneumonia, and suicide.Ok, parents are protective of their kids. Boarding schools are expensive. Have you heard the news? Whenever something happens at a school, parents go crazy, so why the heck is THIS SCHOOL still in business? Furthermore, one of its former headmasters was a serial killer.
Prosecutors allege the 42-year-old former headmaster of Saint Osanna’s boarding school outside of Coeur D’Alene stalked [his victim] for several weeks prior to the murder.Also, nobody seems to notice the fact that a strange girl is attending classes.
Lucy’s been lurking around campus for more than two months—minus the ten days of unexpected vanish—and no teacher really bothers to question her presence, let alone her decidedly non-dress-code boots.Lucy is an unobtrusive presence, but people DO notice her. Why the fuck isn't a teacher noticing the fact that a strange girl not on the roll sheet attending their classes. The other students see her. Why does no one bother to talk to her?
There were 2000 kids at my high school, even if one new student showed up in my 30-40 student class, you can bet your ass the teacher and the students would notice and say hi. This book's premise is so silly.
Lucy: There was never anyone so useless as Lucy. She sits on a bench.
Lucy is exactly where Jay said she was, sitting on a bench in front of Ethan Hall.She walks along a lake.
“Amanda said they saw her walking down by the lake,”She's sittin' on the dock of the bay.
There’s an old dock not far from where the trail ends. Colin isn’t surprised when he sees Lucy sitting at the end of it.She sits and waits. Sits and waits. Sits and waits.
She sits by the statue of Saint Osanna the next morning with her arms wrapped around her legs pulled tight to her chest.Lucy doesn't give a crap about why she is here, on earth, as a ghost.
She’s here, a ghost in girls’ clothing, haunting this private school. But she doesn’t want to haunt anyone. She wants to be tangible and solid. To sleep in a dorm and eat in the dining hall and flirt. With him. All she wants is to be near him.She doesn't give a crap about how to move on. She doesn't give a fuck about finding her parents.
She tells him that she didn’t feel the need to find her parents even though they might still be alive and how that lack of compulsion worries her somehow.All Lucy cares about is being with the boy she loves for no reason at all.
Colin: Colin is, like many of his YA compatriots, a Ken doll. He is an asexual ideal, a feminized boy who only exists in the very purest, very cleanest of romantic fantasies.
I would say that he has no penis, but he seems to be able to think ONLY with his penis, so there goes that argument. What else would you expect from a boy who is willing to risk death to touch boobies?
Colin's thoughts are so idealized, so detailed, that he doesn't feel at all masculine. I'm not saying that a guy can't wax poetic about a girl's looks, but this is just too much.
Colin is everything a girl could want, he dreams about Lucy so much, and none of it is realistic.
He wants more. He practically aches for her touch. It’s more than hormones. It’s like he’s physically drawn into her space, has to force himself to keep any sort of acceptable distance.Sucked into her presence. Drawn in by her aura. Please. He cannot stop thinking in excruciating details about her appearance. Her smile. Her eyes.
Her dimple makes him think of giggled pleas, mischievous promises, and the taste of sugar on his tongue. Gunmetal eyes meet his, and the color is alive, churning like an angry ocean, pulling him in.He notices her "fragility," her "vulnerability," not to mention the various colors of her eyes while hiding his romantic thoughts from his macho best friend. Right, every girl's fantasy.
He lets himself drown.
Colin mumbles, “Maybe gray,” but his heart is thundering.Not recommended. This is a romance, and not even a believable one.
He’s pretty sure if he says, “They’re like melted metal,” Jay will actually have a T-shirt made for him with the words I AM A DELICATE POET printed across the chest.
Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof subject to change in the final edition.
March 23, 2014
I have been a fan of Christina Lauren since "Beautiful Bastard" and while I am head over heels in love with that series, "Sumblime" has taken my love for their writing to an entirely new place.
Every single line in this book reads like poetry, poetry that I can't help but read and re-read, highlight, then re-read. It's incredible.
The tale of Lucy and Colin is not only completely original (I love Twilight but literally there are no comparisons or similarities here at all so I'm not sure where that's coming from) but it's intriguing and angst-y and addictive, the formula for an incredible read.
In another review someone mentioned that Lucy makes Bella Swan appear as a heroine and that is completely false and honestly, Lucy's sweet demeanor is refreshing. It's nice to read about a lovely young girl who doesn't have a chip on her shoulder or something to prove. I love Lucy's personality and she IS strong, she just comes off as sweet and kind and soft spoken. That being said she is also funny and charming and I love her character!
Also, Colin isn't a "feminine boy" at all. He may not be an asshole like most boys/men in novels now but that's also refreshing. I love how sweet he is and I love the lengths he is willing to go to be with her in a physical way.
This book is beyond great and it's unexpected, original, and definitely worth the read! Not to mention the cover is absolutely beautiful and it fits right in with the hauntingly beautiful story!
Every single line in this book reads like poetry, poetry that I can't help but read and re-read, highlight, then re-read. It's incredible.
The tale of Lucy and Colin is not only completely original (I love Twilight but literally there are no comparisons or similarities here at all so I'm not sure where that's coming from) but it's intriguing and angst-y and addictive, the formula for an incredible read.
In another review someone mentioned that Lucy makes Bella Swan appear as a heroine and that is completely false and honestly, Lucy's sweet demeanor is refreshing. It's nice to read about a lovely young girl who doesn't have a chip on her shoulder or something to prove. I love Lucy's personality and she IS strong, she just comes off as sweet and kind and soft spoken. That being said she is also funny and charming and I love her character!
Also, Colin isn't a "feminine boy" at all. He may not be an asshole like most boys/men in novels now but that's also refreshing. I love how sweet he is and I love the lengths he is willing to go to be with her in a physical way.
This book is beyond great and it's unexpected, original, and definitely worth the read! Not to mention the cover is absolutely beautiful and it fits right in with the hauntingly beautiful story!
March 31, 2020
This YA Paranormal Romance by Christina Lauren was definitely a different type of book for these authors. I am a huge fan of their books so I went in hoping I would enjoy it even if it was different from what I usually read by them. Initially, it took me back to the days when I read books like Twilight, Fallen, Hush Hush and Shiver. I was intrigued, wanting to figure out what happened to Lucy and see what would become of her relationship with Colin.
It might be my age showing but it simply wasn’t as easy to become invested in a forbidden love between a teenager and a ghost as I would have been all those years ago. I found their connection unhealthy and a bit disturbing. That’s also what kept me reading despite the fact that I had serious issues with Colin’s obsession with near-death experiences. Does this mean I have officially reached old lady status? Say it isn't so!
This one fell short for me mostly because I felt there was just so much left unexplored. It felt like they added all these bits of backstory and then never fully explored/resolved them. I mean - a whole school that is just “accepting” of ghosts randomly showing up and becoming involved with students? How? Why? What is it about this place? Ultimately, I found myself turning the last page, thinking - “That’s it? What the heck did I just read?" 🤷🏻♀️
Sadly, this one wasn’t a win for me and left me feeling like a crabby, old lady. Silver linings - the cover is stunning and at least I can cross it off my Christina Lauren book bucket list. 😉
It might be my age showing but it simply wasn’t as easy to become invested in a forbidden love between a teenager and a ghost as I would have been all those years ago. I found their connection unhealthy and a bit disturbing. That’s also what kept me reading despite the fact that I had serious issues with Colin’s obsession with near-death experiences. Does this mean I have officially reached old lady status? Say it isn't so!
This one fell short for me mostly because I felt there was just so much left unexplored. It felt like they added all these bits of backstory and then never fully explored/resolved them. I mean - a whole school that is just “accepting” of ghosts randomly showing up and becoming involved with students? How? Why? What is it about this place? Ultimately, I found myself turning the last page, thinking - “That’s it? What the heck did I just read?" 🤷🏻♀️
Sadly, this one wasn’t a win for me and left me feeling like a crabby, old lady. Silver linings - the cover is stunning and at least I can cross it off my Christina Lauren book bucket list. 😉
October 17, 2014
4~ 4.5 Stars
“I’ve lost everyone I loved. Instead, I got you. The universe might have taken the others away, but it sent you back.”
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I just loved the writing style and delivery of this story. It’s very different from other books that I have read by these authors but I must say this one was completely captivating, heart breaking and simply out of this world.
The story starts with a girl who awakes on a trail at Saint Osanna’s Preparatory School and doesn’t even know who she is but feels pulled to the school and in particular to one student, Colin. Colin is the only living member of his family and loves the thrill of danger. He has broken practically every bone in his body at one time or another. He loves doing stunts on his BMX and loves a good adrenaline rush.
When Lucy approaches Colin they are instantly attracted to one another. She doesn’t even know who her own name yet but knows she must be there for him.
”I think I’m here for you.”
Lucy starts randomly attending classes and blending into the school but Colin can't stay away from her. Their connection to one another grows strong and Colin quickly realizes that she isn’t actually alive but is a student who died ten years earlier.
”Is it dangerous to want so much to know someone without first knowing yourself?”
Colin wants more from their relationship and so finding out that near death experiences can bring the two together with both fully feeling touches and caresses Colin starts messing with the line between life and death with the assistance of his best friend Jay. (Love scenes are fade to black)
”When you’re touching me, it’s like the first moment of submersion, always. It’s a relief so overwhelming it almost takes my breath away.”
Is Lucy some sort of guardian or is she slowly taking Colin’s life from him?
”The other kids who are like you. They seem to want to take someone with them. Try not to, Lucy.”
This story will have a reader guessing on how it will end? I was good with the authors' ending but some GR reviews that I have read had issues with it so be warned you may not like it. The story completely worked for me and the fact that I’m left thinking about Lucy and Colin long after the last page is the proof.
“I’ve lost everyone I loved. Instead, I got you. The universe might have taken the others away, but it sent you back.”
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I just loved the writing style and delivery of this story. It’s very different from other books that I have read by these authors but I must say this one was completely captivating, heart breaking and simply out of this world.
The story starts with a girl who awakes on a trail at Saint Osanna’s Preparatory School and doesn’t even know who she is but feels pulled to the school and in particular to one student, Colin. Colin is the only living member of his family and loves the thrill of danger. He has broken practically every bone in his body at one time or another. He loves doing stunts on his BMX and loves a good adrenaline rush.
When Lucy approaches Colin they are instantly attracted to one another. She doesn’t even know who her own name yet but knows she must be there for him.
”I think I’m here for you.”
Lucy starts randomly attending classes and blending into the school but Colin can't stay away from her. Their connection to one another grows strong and Colin quickly realizes that she isn’t actually alive but is a student who died ten years earlier.
”Is it dangerous to want so much to know someone without first knowing yourself?”
Colin wants more from their relationship and so finding out that near death experiences can bring the two together with both fully feeling touches and caresses Colin starts messing with the line between life and death with the assistance of his best friend Jay. (Love scenes are fade to black)
”When you’re touching me, it’s like the first moment of submersion, always. It’s a relief so overwhelming it almost takes my breath away.”
Is Lucy some sort of guardian or is she slowly taking Colin’s life from him?
”The other kids who are like you. They seem to want to take someone with them. Try not to, Lucy.”
This story will have a reader guessing on how it will end? I was good with the authors' ending but some GR reviews that I have read had issues with it so be warned you may not like it. The story completely worked for me and the fact that I’m left thinking about Lucy and Colin long after the last page is the proof.
December 23, 2014
I really liked this book in the beginning, but as it went on, it went downhill. At first I was captivated by Lucy's story. I wanted to know what happened to her and why she came back after death. Her connection to Colin intrigued me and their relationship excited me. However, at about the halfway point the story lost its gravity and some of plot developments just seemed silly. Towards the end I had a hard time taking it seriously, and I did not care about the characters any longer.
The story is really heavy on the romance, which I am usually okay with, but Colin and Lucy's relationship got to be too weird for me. At first I liked how they took their time and it was sweet. Then it became all about physicality and it lost meaning. They became too focused on the wrong goal and I stopped believing in them.
Also, just a warning, there are some mature romance scenes, so I wouldn't suggest this for the younger audience.
The mystery aspect is really interesting, and I like how it is explored. There are answers to Lucy's state of being and how she got there, but I did want to know more. As the book went on it became a little confusing and then very confusing by the end. I do wish it was explained more clearly, especially the ending. I understand that the vagueness adds to the haunting feel, but it just left me disoriented and not in a good way.
I like the writing style. It is quick and kept my attention. It's descriptive without going overboard. I was easily able to imagine everything, but the plot didn't get bogged down. I read this book in one sitting, and I think the writing was a big reason I was able to do that. It also created a strong, eerie atmosphere. The story is set in winter at a boarding school with a creepy history, and the writing did a great job of making this come to life.
This book starts out with intensity and intrigue. I felt drawn in by the setting and Lucy and Colin's characters. However, it lost its pizzazz as it went on and felt unrealistic and not believable. The characters became aggravating and the ending left me unsatisfied.
Overall, I was entertained by this story and I enjoyed the writing, but it failed to have a powerful effect.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Review originally posted at: http://travelingthroughpages.booklike...
The story is really heavy on the romance, which I am usually okay with, but Colin and Lucy's relationship got to be too weird for me. At first I liked how they took their time and it was sweet. Then it became all about physicality and it lost meaning. They became too focused on the wrong goal and I stopped believing in them.
Also, just a warning, there are some mature romance scenes, so I wouldn't suggest this for the younger audience.
The mystery aspect is really interesting, and I like how it is explored. There are answers to Lucy's state of being and how she got there, but I did want to know more. As the book went on it became a little confusing and then very confusing by the end. I do wish it was explained more clearly, especially the ending. I understand that the vagueness adds to the haunting feel, but it just left me disoriented and not in a good way.
I like the writing style. It is quick and kept my attention. It's descriptive without going overboard. I was easily able to imagine everything, but the plot didn't get bogged down. I read this book in one sitting, and I think the writing was a big reason I was able to do that. It also created a strong, eerie atmosphere. The story is set in winter at a boarding school with a creepy history, and the writing did a great job of making this come to life.
This book starts out with intensity and intrigue. I felt drawn in by the setting and Lucy and Colin's characters. However, it lost its pizzazz as it went on and felt unrealistic and not believable. The characters became aggravating and the ending left me unsatisfied.
Overall, I was entertained by this story and I enjoyed the writing, but it failed to have a powerful effect.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Review originally posted at: http://travelingthroughpages.booklike...
September 2, 2016
Sublime is bizarre but fascinating story about troubled sensitive boy and strange lost girl who is not really a girl. Colin and Lucy understand each other perfectly, but what will this special connection cost them?
Are you intrigued? I definitely was. Poetic writing, dual POV, intense characters. Sublime definitely isn't traditional YA paranormal story. It is a story about obsessive connection, about insane lenghts person would go to just to be with someone he is in love with.
A boy and a ghost girl. I knew there was no rational way that this story could end up happily, yet I couldn't stop reading, waiting for the "train wreck" to happen. Throughout the whole book I had no idea how it all would play out and that was exactly what kept me reading.
Most of the book I was rooting for Colin and Lucy to find a way to be together, until I suddenly wasn't. What happened? I was waiting for some kind of characters developement but it never came. Than story took quick turn into territory that made me really uneasy. I am all for fighting for you love, but everyone should draw a line. And for me that line is in the moment when being with someone is harmful for your health and your life in general. And even though this is fiction, I just couldn't enjoy reading about one of characters recklessly and repeatedly risking his life because of his "girlfriend".
However, I would like to emphasize the fact that writing was really good and beautiful. So even though plotline didn't work for me, do not make this fact discourage you from the reading. Who knows, you may end up loving it.
*ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review*
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing
Are you intrigued? I definitely was. Poetic writing, dual POV, intense characters. Sublime definitely isn't traditional YA paranormal story. It is a story about obsessive connection, about insane lenghts person would go to just to be with someone he is in love with.
A boy and a ghost girl. I knew there was no rational way that this story could end up happily, yet I couldn't stop reading, waiting for the "train wreck" to happen. Throughout the whole book I had no idea how it all would play out and that was exactly what kept me reading.
Most of the book I was rooting for Colin and Lucy to find a way to be together, until I suddenly wasn't. What happened? I was waiting for some kind of characters developement but it never came. Than story took quick turn into territory that made me really uneasy. I am all for fighting for you love, but everyone should draw a line. And for me that line is in the moment when being with someone is harmful for your health and your life in general. And even though this is fiction, I just couldn't enjoy reading about one of characters recklessly and repeatedly risking his life because of his "girlfriend".
However, I would like to emphasize the fact that writing was really good and beautiful. So even though plotline didn't work for me, do not make this fact discourage you from the reading. Who knows, you may end up loving it.
*ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review*
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing
October 30, 2014
A copy of this audiobook was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
A ranty, snarky, SPOILERY review follows. Read at your own peril.
I wasn't interested in reading this writing duo's Beautiful Bastard series because erotica really isn't my thing, so I don't honestly know what made me think I'd like their foray into young adult. Well, besides the fact that I do have a lot of Goodreads friends who seem to like this pair's work, so I thought, Maybe this will be more my speed, and I can still see what all the fuss is about without venturing into that territory.
And it starts off fine, with a character that doesn't know who or what she is, only that once she sees Colin, she knows she's here for him. Their romance went from 0-to-90 in no time, and that's with Lucy revealing that she's a ghost and Colin discovering that he couldn't physically touch her without causing her some discomfort. Insta-love: boo. Romantic complications: intriguing.
Here's where things getinteresting weird. Completely by accident, they discover that putting Colin at the brink of death lets him hover between this world and...well, whatever lies after. While he's in the in-between, he and Lucy can make physical contact. The places there "relationship" couldn't go before are suddenly possible and they're ready to explore them. Even though they've known each other mere weeks and she's a freaking ghost. Whatever, teenagers have done crazier things, right? /sarcasm
So, the pair calls on Colin's best bud to help them continually test the limits and leave Colin in this in-between state for as long as possible before true death sets in. They do so by recreating the same circumstances under which they discovered this miracle that very first time: dropping Colin into a frozen-over lake -- the very lake Lucy actually haunts -- and inducing hypothermia. Oh, they take precautions to make sure Colin always returns, but really, this is just about the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I get that both Colin and Jay are adrenaline junkies, but realistically, who would go to such lengths just to be able to touch his girlfriend? Move on, buddy.
With all the attention on these two gettin' it on -- and the fact that the authors write erotica for a living -- you'd have thought that when it finally does happen, it'd be more than just a fade-to-black sex scene. I don't have a problem with sex in YA, as long as it's not gratuitous and it's portrayed realistically. Nothing about this story was realistic, though, so I guess I should have expected this.
Going into this story, I knew it was unlikely I'd get a HEA. A ghost and a real, live boy, falling in love? Yeah, that's never going to work out. Not in any good way, anyway. Since everything else in this book was so utterly wrong, it shouldn't have surprised me that Colin made one final,stupid last-ditch attempt to be with his ghost girl by throwing himself back into that frozen lake. Without anyone knowing. And without any aide. This boy's survival instincts are seriously on the fritz. But the "walkers" like Lucy were known to take people with them, so maybe it was more Lucy's influence than the fault of Colin and all his risk-taking. It was clear to me that Lucy was draining a bit of Colin's life force each time they met in that overlap between their worlds, and so maybe some of his sanity left with it. I don't think it went to Lucy, though, because I'm pretty sure she was convinced that she was becoming less of a ghost because of Colin's presence in her afterlife, not because of anything she might be doing to him, whether intentional or not.
Pretty much, this book is only getting a star because I listened to the audio, and it features the voice of Elizabeth Louise for Lucy's chapters and Cal Wembley for Colin's. Louise has repeatedly lent her voice to one of my favorite new adult series, and considering what she had to work with, I thought she did a fair job on this audiobook. Cal Wembly sounded an awful lot like Kirby Heyborne, and when I did some research, I found both names listed as narrators for this book-- somewhere, but I can't find the link now that I'm trying to write up my review. Either way, I wouldn't be surprised if he were one and the same, as a lot of narrators have pseudonyms they record under based on the genre or type of book they're recording. When I first started listening to audiobooks, I couldn't stand Cal/Kirby, but his voice has really grown on me. But maybe it's those first stories that I initially disliked because I discovered that, as Colin, I found Cal's narration a bit annoying. That's a good sign that Cal becomes the character, but it doesn't bode well for the overall experience. Still, I probably wouldn't have even finished this book had I been reading a physical copy, so there's that.
I've read a story like this before, and I had a much better experience with that one than I did here. If you're curious, it's Hereafter by Tara Hudson. Mind you, that link takes you to my review, one of the very first ones I ever wrote here on the blog, and by my reviewing standards now, I'd probably only rate the book three stars. That's still much better than Sublime rates, though. And Hereafter's premise revolves around more than endangering one's life for sex -- like, saving a boy's life. Imagine that.
GIF it to me straight:
I don't even...what the...what the hell did I just read?!?
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
A ranty, snarky, SPOILERY review follows. Read at your own peril.
I wasn't interested in reading this writing duo's Beautiful Bastard series because erotica really isn't my thing, so I don't honestly know what made me think I'd like their foray into young adult. Well, besides the fact that I do have a lot of Goodreads friends who seem to like this pair's work, so I thought, Maybe this will be more my speed, and I can still see what all the fuss is about without venturing into that territory.
And it starts off fine, with a character that doesn't know who or what she is, only that once she sees Colin, she knows she's here for him. Their romance went from 0-to-90 in no time, and that's with Lucy revealing that she's a ghost and Colin discovering that he couldn't physically touch her without causing her some discomfort. Insta-love: boo. Romantic complications: intriguing.
Here's where things get
So, the pair calls on Colin's best bud to help them continually test the limits and leave Colin in this in-between state for as long as possible before true death sets in. They do so by recreating the same circumstances under which they discovered this miracle that very first time: dropping Colin into a frozen-over lake -- the very lake Lucy actually haunts -- and inducing hypothermia. Oh, they take precautions to make sure Colin always returns, but really, this is just about the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I get that both Colin and Jay are adrenaline junkies, but realistically, who would go to such lengths just to be able to touch his girlfriend? Move on, buddy.
With all the attention on these two gettin' it on -- and the fact that the authors write erotica for a living -- you'd have thought that when it finally does happen, it'd be more than just a fade-to-black sex scene. I don't have a problem with sex in YA, as long as it's not gratuitous and it's portrayed realistically. Nothing about this story was realistic, though, so I guess I should have expected this.
Going into this story, I knew it was unlikely I'd get a HEA. A ghost and a real, live boy, falling in love? Yeah, that's never going to work out. Not in any good way, anyway. Since everything else in this book was so utterly wrong, it shouldn't have surprised me that Colin made one final,
Pretty much, this book is only getting a star because I listened to the audio, and it features the voice of Elizabeth Louise for Lucy's chapters and Cal Wembley for Colin's. Louise has repeatedly lent her voice to one of my favorite new adult series, and considering what she had to work with, I thought she did a fair job on this audiobook. Cal Wembly sounded an awful lot like Kirby Heyborne, and when I did some research, I found both names listed as narrators for this book-- somewhere, but I can't find the link now that I'm trying to write up my review. Either way, I wouldn't be surprised if he were one and the same, as a lot of narrators have pseudonyms they record under based on the genre or type of book they're recording. When I first started listening to audiobooks, I couldn't stand Cal/Kirby, but his voice has really grown on me. But maybe it's those first stories that I initially disliked because I discovered that, as Colin, I found Cal's narration a bit annoying. That's a good sign that Cal becomes the character, but it doesn't bode well for the overall experience. Still, I probably wouldn't have even finished this book had I been reading a physical copy, so there's that.
I've read a story like this before, and I had a much better experience with that one than I did here. If you're curious, it's Hereafter by Tara Hudson. Mind you, that link takes you to my review, one of the very first ones I ever wrote here on the blog, and by my reviewing standards now, I'd probably only rate the book three stars. That's still much better than Sublime rates, though. And Hereafter's premise revolves around more than endangering one's life for sex -- like, saving a boy's life. Imagine that.
GIF it to me straight:
I don't even...what the...what the hell did I just read?!?
September 15, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Sublime by Christina Lauren
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
True love may mean certain death in a ghostly affair of risk and passion from New York Times bestselling duo Christina Lauren, authors of Beautiful Bastard. Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author of Shatter Me calls Sublime “a beautiful, haunting read".
When Lucy walks out of a frozen forest, wearing only a silk dress and sandals, she isn’t sure how she got there. But when she sees Colin, she knows for sure that she’s here for him.
Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With each passing day their lives intertwine, and even as Lucy begins to remember more of her life—and her death—neither of them is willing to give up what they have, no matter how impossible it is. And when Colin finds a way to physically be with Lucy, taking himself to the brink of death where his reality and Lucy’s overlap, the joy of being together for those brief stolen moments drowns out everything in the outside world. But some lines weren't meant to be crossed…
What I Liked:
Here we go with the Pretty Cover Syndrome. Although, this cover is more haunting and ethereal, than really pretty. The positions of the two people on the cover are really cliche, but the people themselves are rather interesting. Nevertheless, I feel for the cover syndrome, and paid for it.
Lucy is dead, but she doesn't know it until later in the book. She just wakes up one day, walks to the boarding school that is nearby, and starts attending. Colin sees her for HER, unlike most of the students, who don't really see her until they really stare at her. Colin and Lucy fall in love. They're totally drawn to each other. So why is Lucy here? Is she haunting the school? Is she waiting for Colin? Who was she when she was alive? How did she die? Nothing seems to make sense, but nothing seems to matter when Colin and Lucy are together. But they may pay for the measures they take to be together...
One thing that I liked was how captivating this story was (or seemed to be). I wanted to know more, I wanted to find out what was going on, I wanted my questions to be answered. The authors really had me going, because I just could not figure out this book, as I was reading! Problem was, I couldn't figure it out after I finished the book. So.
The romance is very steamy and very evocative and slow-burn and I love the physical nature of Colin and Lucy's relationship. On the emotional side, it was all insta-love/insta-lust, so the feelings were kind of supposed to be just THERE... but I like how sizzling the relationship was.
Moving on to the next section!
What I Did Not Like:
My biggest problem: while I LOVED not being able to figure out what was going on in the book (while reading), I finished the book and looked around, like, that's it? None of my questions were answered! I'm so confused! Literally EVERYTHING was left to my imagination! We have no idea why Lucy came back! We have no idea why it's Colin! One reason was given, but the authors made it seem like that wasn't the real reason. And then things happened with OTHER people like Lucy, and in the end, it contradicted everything that we knew to be true of Lucy and the other dead people. I. Don't. Understand. Anything.
Also the romance was very insta-love-y. While I mentioned that I love the physical nature of the relationship, I just could not understand how the two of them seemed to love each other that deeply from the start. Not typical teenage stuff... just saying.
Nothing happens in this book. Literally, nothing. Lucy pops up, she and Colin get to know each other, she disappears, comes back, they try to get to know each other more, things happen, the end. It felt like the same old, same old, back and forth, blah, blah, blah.
I know this doesn't seem like a lot of dislikes, but the ending and the feeling of dissatisfaction left me with a bitter aftertaste - I wanted to know more, I didn't get more, and I'm not going to get more (this is totally a standalone novel, given the ending alone).
Would I Recommend It:
Naahhh. Great cover, successful authors (apparently; I wouldn't know, as this is my first novel of theirs that I have read), horrible story. Seriously, I spent the whole book wondering what was going on, which is okay while reading... but not okay once you reach the end of the book and things still aren't cleared up.
Rating:
2 stars. Not a one-star-read because this one had me going for a while - I mean, I finished it really quickly, because I wanted to know what was going on. But not any higher than two stars because seriously, this book needs a negative rating from me. I just did NOT like it.
Sublime by Christina Lauren
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
True love may mean certain death in a ghostly affair of risk and passion from New York Times bestselling duo Christina Lauren, authors of Beautiful Bastard. Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author of Shatter Me calls Sublime “a beautiful, haunting read".
When Lucy walks out of a frozen forest, wearing only a silk dress and sandals, she isn’t sure how she got there. But when she sees Colin, she knows for sure that she’s here for him.
Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With each passing day their lives intertwine, and even as Lucy begins to remember more of her life—and her death—neither of them is willing to give up what they have, no matter how impossible it is. And when Colin finds a way to physically be with Lucy, taking himself to the brink of death where his reality and Lucy’s overlap, the joy of being together for those brief stolen moments drowns out everything in the outside world. But some lines weren't meant to be crossed…
What I Liked:
Here we go with the Pretty Cover Syndrome. Although, this cover is more haunting and ethereal, than really pretty. The positions of the two people on the cover are really cliche, but the people themselves are rather interesting. Nevertheless, I feel for the cover syndrome, and paid for it.
Lucy is dead, but she doesn't know it until later in the book. She just wakes up one day, walks to the boarding school that is nearby, and starts attending. Colin sees her for HER, unlike most of the students, who don't really see her until they really stare at her. Colin and Lucy fall in love. They're totally drawn to each other. So why is Lucy here? Is she haunting the school? Is she waiting for Colin? Who was she when she was alive? How did she die? Nothing seems to make sense, but nothing seems to matter when Colin and Lucy are together. But they may pay for the measures they take to be together...
One thing that I liked was how captivating this story was (or seemed to be). I wanted to know more, I wanted to find out what was going on, I wanted my questions to be answered. The authors really had me going, because I just could not figure out this book, as I was reading! Problem was, I couldn't figure it out after I finished the book. So.
The romance is very steamy and very evocative and slow-burn and I love the physical nature of Colin and Lucy's relationship. On the emotional side, it was all insta-love/insta-lust, so the feelings were kind of supposed to be just THERE... but I like how sizzling the relationship was.
Moving on to the next section!
What I Did Not Like:
My biggest problem: while I LOVED not being able to figure out what was going on in the book (while reading), I finished the book and looked around, like, that's it? None of my questions were answered! I'm so confused! Literally EVERYTHING was left to my imagination! We have no idea why Lucy came back! We have no idea why it's Colin! One reason was given, but the authors made it seem like that wasn't the real reason. And then things happened with OTHER people like Lucy, and in the end, it contradicted everything that we knew to be true of Lucy and the other dead people. I. Don't. Understand. Anything.
Also the romance was very insta-love-y. While I mentioned that I love the physical nature of the relationship, I just could not understand how the two of them seemed to love each other that deeply from the start. Not typical teenage stuff... just saying.
Nothing happens in this book. Literally, nothing. Lucy pops up, she and Colin get to know each other, she disappears, comes back, they try to get to know each other more, things happen, the end. It felt like the same old, same old, back and forth, blah, blah, blah.
I know this doesn't seem like a lot of dislikes, but the ending and the feeling of dissatisfaction left me with a bitter aftertaste - I wanted to know more, I didn't get more, and I'm not going to get more (this is totally a standalone novel, given the ending alone).
Would I Recommend It:
Naahhh. Great cover, successful authors (apparently; I wouldn't know, as this is my first novel of theirs that I have read), horrible story. Seriously, I spent the whole book wondering what was going on, which is okay while reading... but not okay once you reach the end of the book and things still aren't cleared up.
Rating:
2 stars. Not a one-star-read because this one had me going for a while - I mean, I finished it really quickly, because I wanted to know what was going on. But not any higher than two stars because seriously, this book needs a negative rating from me. I just did NOT like it.
January 10, 2015
Christina Lauren's new Romantic Paranormal YA offering entitled Sublime, seems to beg the question "How far would you go for the one you love?"
The answer for the read's young lovers, Colin Novak and Lucy Gray, a resounding "to the brink of death and beyond."
The story begins as a series of haphazard fits and starts as Lucy tries to figure out the 'how's and why's' of her sudden appearance at St. Osanna's Preparatory School for Girls and Boys, and her inexplicable attraction to a certain BMX biker with a penchant for daredevil stunts and broken bones.
Where do we go from here you ask?
Why to the discovery phase...of course! Somewhere around chapter 13.
This is where things really start to get both interesting and more than just a little creepy.
As the story crafting goddesses would have it, Lucy is dead...and Colin is the only surviving member of his family.
To make matters all the more titillating, it seems that Colin played a pivotal role in the capture of Lucy's murderer.
Wait...there's more!
The real WTF moments come when romantic sparks begin to fly between the very much alive Colin, and the dead but strangely corporal Lucy.
How is it that a ghost and a mortal make their 'love moments happen'?
Well...
It seems that someone has to die...
Almost.
While you scratch your head in perplexed wonder and search Amazon for Sublime's pre-order link, I will go on to say that while this book is a ghost/mortal love story; it is far from a typical one.
The characters are vibrant and full of life. They are very goal oriented, and as such are never found to be pining of some seemingly impossible obstacle or waxing poetic over some unsolved philosophical quandary.
They are reckless an in love teens, and as such willing to do just about anything for "just one more day" in each other's arms.
This is a book for the true romantic. The reader who believes in the pot of gold at the end of sun-kissed rainbows an the love that lasts beyond forever.
The answer for the read's young lovers, Colin Novak and Lucy Gray, a resounding "to the brink of death and beyond."
The story begins as a series of haphazard fits and starts as Lucy tries to figure out the 'how's and why's' of her sudden appearance at St. Osanna's Preparatory School for Girls and Boys, and her inexplicable attraction to a certain BMX biker with a penchant for daredevil stunts and broken bones.
Where do we go from here you ask?
Why to the discovery phase...of course! Somewhere around chapter 13.
This is where things really start to get both interesting and more than just a little creepy.
As the story crafting goddesses would have it, Lucy is dead...and Colin is the only surviving member of his family.
To make matters all the more titillating, it seems that Colin played a pivotal role in the capture of Lucy's murderer.
Wait...there's more!
The real WTF moments come when romantic sparks begin to fly between the very much alive Colin, and the dead but strangely corporal Lucy.
How is it that a ghost and a mortal make their 'love moments happen'?
Well...
It seems that someone has to die...
Almost.
While you scratch your head in perplexed wonder and search Amazon for Sublime's pre-order link, I will go on to say that while this book is a ghost/mortal love story; it is far from a typical one.
The characters are vibrant and full of life. They are very goal oriented, and as such are never found to be pining of some seemingly impossible obstacle or waxing poetic over some unsolved philosophical quandary.
They are reckless an in love teens, and as such willing to do just about anything for "just one more day" in each other's arms.
This is a book for the true romantic. The reader who believes in the pot of gold at the end of sun-kissed rainbows an the love that lasts beyond forever.
April 15, 2016
1 Star
I’m not sure what just happened but I’m damn certain I’m not happy about it. This review probably won’t make a lick of sense. I don’t care. Prepare for an indignant rant.
First of all, I was beyond excited to read this book leading up to its release – I even had it on my “highly anticipated” shelf, which is quite a prestigious position which I only grant a select few. In the past, I’ve devoured all of Christina (&) Lauren’s books and didn’t even contemplate the possibility of not enjoying one of their stories. Yet, here I am, feeling confused and disappointed.
So, Lucy is dead. It sucks to be Lucy. Yet, somehow she’s back, wandering aimlessly around her old high school, unaware of what the frack is going on. She’s drawn inexplicably to reckless and grating Colin, and he in turn is drawn to dull and unlikable, Lucy. These two were really quite a pair. I didn’t connect with either of them, to the point that I couldn’t care less what the outcome of their supposed star-crossed love story was going to be (can we even call it a love story? Because there wasn’t an ounce of chemistry present here – Bennett & Chloe, they weren’t!!)
Colin once stated, with absolutely nothing to back up his claim, that Lucy is neither dead nor alive. Well, blow me down!! What the hell is she then?! I kept waiting for some brilliant revelations to arise which would elucidate what was going on to my poor addled mind, but alas, no revelations were given (at least none of any substantial importance or merit). This story just was -- was what, I have no idea -- but it didn’t make a lick of logical sense. Herein lies my problem. I’m too logical. I need reasons; explanations. It doesn’t have to be grounded in reality. Hell, I love paranormal stories, as long as they are written well within the world that has been created. I can’t say this one was. I honestly didn’t know what was going on half the time. There was a level of mystery present, sure, but nothing in the way of solid explanations later on. So much was left unexplained and it pisses me off beyond belief!!
Following Lucy’s “journey” was as boring as watching paint dry, and Colin, oh Colin, this guy irritated the shit out of me! He’s a self-centred, reckless, brat.
It has taken me hours to collect my thoughts, in order to write anything coherent in this review – and trust me, my friends can attest to the fact that there was some serious incoherent rambling going on during the months it took me to slug my way through this book. Ultimately, I’ve had to remind myself to separate the fact that this was written by a team of authors whose work I genuinely adore, from the truth that I can barely say I tolerated this particular story.
So, yeah, this story really wasn’t for me. Luckily, I love ALL of Christina Lauren’s OTHER novels to such a degree that I won’t be deterred from reading more of their work. I’ll just pretend this never happened.
I’m not sure what just happened but I’m damn certain I’m not happy about it. This review probably won’t make a lick of sense. I don’t care. Prepare for an indignant rant.
First of all, I was beyond excited to read this book leading up to its release – I even had it on my “highly anticipated” shelf, which is quite a prestigious position which I only grant a select few. In the past, I’ve devoured all of Christina (&) Lauren’s books and didn’t even contemplate the possibility of not enjoying one of their stories. Yet, here I am, feeling confused and disappointed.
So, Lucy is dead. It sucks to be Lucy. Yet, somehow she’s back, wandering aimlessly around her old high school, unaware of what the frack is going on. She’s drawn inexplicably to reckless and grating Colin, and he in turn is drawn to dull and unlikable, Lucy. These two were really quite a pair. I didn’t connect with either of them, to the point that I couldn’t care less what the outcome of their supposed star-crossed love story was going to be (can we even call it a love story? Because there wasn’t an ounce of chemistry present here – Bennett & Chloe, they weren’t!!)
Colin once stated, with absolutely nothing to back up his claim, that Lucy is neither dead nor alive. Well, blow me down!! What the hell is she then?! I kept waiting for some brilliant revelations to arise which would elucidate what was going on to my poor addled mind, but alas, no revelations were given (at least none of any substantial importance or merit). This story just was -- was what, I have no idea -- but it didn’t make a lick of logical sense. Herein lies my problem. I’m too logical. I need reasons; explanations. It doesn’t have to be grounded in reality. Hell, I love paranormal stories, as long as they are written well within the world that has been created. I can’t say this one was. I honestly didn’t know what was going on half the time. There was a level of mystery present, sure, but nothing in the way of solid explanations later on. So much was left unexplained and it pisses me off beyond belief!!
Following Lucy’s “journey” was as boring as watching paint dry, and Colin, oh Colin, this guy irritated the shit out of me! He’s a self-centred, reckless, brat.
It has taken me hours to collect my thoughts, in order to write anything coherent in this review – and trust me, my friends can attest to the fact that there was some serious incoherent rambling going on during the months it took me to slug my way through this book. Ultimately, I’ve had to remind myself to separate the fact that this was written by a team of authors whose work I genuinely adore, from the truth that I can barely say I tolerated this particular story.
So, yeah, this story really wasn’t for me. Luckily, I love ALL of Christina Lauren’s OTHER novels to such a degree that I won’t be deterred from reading more of their work. I’ll just pretend this never happened.
October 14, 2014
Hauntingly romantic and eerily beautiful, Christina Lauren proves with their debut young adult novel that not only do they have the chops to write steamy adult stories, but that they’ve got talent in other areas as well. Sublime will hit shelves in October and introduce readers to a love story with a twist: where one person is alive, and the other? Dead.
When she wakes up on the grounds of St. Osanna’s boarding school, she’s not sure of anything, even her name. It isn’t until she sees him and utters six simple words--“I think I’m here for you.”--that this story begins. What follows is a series of twists and turns, ghosts, hauntings, mysteries and of course, death.
At the center of it all are two kids who feel drawn to each other despite their circumstances. It’s hard to have faith though, when one of you keeps disappearing unexpectedly and the other isn’t sure if she’s ever coming back this time.
Colin’s the daredevil on campus. He’s pierced and tall and gorgeous, and he loves to play hard. He’s the orphaned boy who’s lost everyone in his family except those who stepped in when his parents no longer could. He has his surrogate father and mother, Joe and Dot, and his best friend, Jay. He also has the school nurse, Maggie, who he spends more time with than he probably should.
Lucy’s the lost girl who just sort of shows up one day, and has no idea why. She doesn’t remember much about her life, or her death. All she knows is that she’s back and she wants to figure out why. Oh, and she wants to stay.
After an accident shows Colin a way he can be with this new mysterious girl of his in a way that’s tangible and real and dangerous, he’s immediately planning for the next time. Lucy wants to discourage him, but she secretly wants the same thing he does. To feel him; to be with him. But these dangerous activities will lead to things neither of them expects as the mystery of why Lucy’s there starts to unravel.
And gaaaaaaah, ya’ll. Let me just say this book was a roller-coaster of feels for me. I spent the whole time holding back because I was so afraid these girls were going to break my little heart. I kept putting off reading it because I didn’t want to get to the end!! I kept going back though, because the words were so pretty and the story just intrigued the heck out of me. I had to know what was going on. Not only that, but I was loving reading the Colin and Lucy moments. I mean…this boy. Total husband material with his words and the blinking and just, all of it. Fans of swoons will be a fan of Colin. Just saying.
See what I mean? You all know Christina Lauren has proven with their Beautiful series that they can totally write a hot guy, but with Sublime, they also prove they can write an adorable and sweet young adult that I’ll fall for just as hard as I did for Max Stella. They also created a gorgeous story with a twist I didn’t expect, and an entire cast of characters I would totally read about again. I’m so sad it’s over and I can’t wait for everyone else to get into Colin and Lucy’s story and to fall in love with them just like I did.
When she wakes up on the grounds of St. Osanna’s boarding school, she’s not sure of anything, even her name. It isn’t until she sees him and utters six simple words--“I think I’m here for you.”--that this story begins. What follows is a series of twists and turns, ghosts, hauntings, mysteries and of course, death.
At the center of it all are two kids who feel drawn to each other despite their circumstances. It’s hard to have faith though, when one of you keeps disappearing unexpectedly and the other isn’t sure if she’s ever coming back this time.
Colin’s the daredevil on campus. He’s pierced and tall and gorgeous, and he loves to play hard. He’s the orphaned boy who’s lost everyone in his family except those who stepped in when his parents no longer could. He has his surrogate father and mother, Joe and Dot, and his best friend, Jay. He also has the school nurse, Maggie, who he spends more time with than he probably should.
Lucy’s the lost girl who just sort of shows up one day, and has no idea why. She doesn’t remember much about her life, or her death. All she knows is that she’s back and she wants to figure out why. Oh, and she wants to stay.
After an accident shows Colin a way he can be with this new mysterious girl of his in a way that’s tangible and real and dangerous, he’s immediately planning for the next time. Lucy wants to discourage him, but she secretly wants the same thing he does. To feel him; to be with him. But these dangerous activities will lead to things neither of them expects as the mystery of why Lucy’s there starts to unravel.
And gaaaaaaah, ya’ll. Let me just say this book was a roller-coaster of feels for me. I spent the whole time holding back because I was so afraid these girls were going to break my little heart. I kept putting off reading it because I didn’t want to get to the end!! I kept going back though, because the words were so pretty and the story just intrigued the heck out of me. I had to know what was going on. Not only that, but I was loving reading the Colin and Lucy moments. I mean…this boy. Total husband material with his words and the blinking and just, all of it. Fans of swoons will be a fan of Colin. Just saying.
He kisses her so carefully, as if too much contact will cause her to evaporate. His tongue glances her lip, her tongue, the skin of her neck. His piercing is cold; his skin is hot. His hands pull her closer, shadow up and down her sides and over her curves. “Missed you,” he whispers.
See what I mean? You all know Christina Lauren has proven with their Beautiful series that they can totally write a hot guy, but with Sublime, they also prove they can write an adorable and sweet young adult that I’ll fall for just as hard as I did for Max Stella. They also created a gorgeous story with a twist I didn’t expect, and an entire cast of characters I would totally read about again. I’m so sad it’s over and I can’t wait for everyone else to get into Colin and Lucy’s story and to fall in love with them just like I did.
September 23, 2018
This was a bittersweet story orphan Colin falls for a beautiful girl with a deadly secret. They both are so draw to each that they ache to touch. But being in each other's world is dangerous for both. Even though everyone one but his best friend is against this relationship they form a bond that neither one is willing to give up even if death is the only option.
October 11, 2014
I wanted to like this, I really did. I absolutely fell in love with the cover. It's so mysterious and amazing. I love this cover.
The story started off wonderfully, full of mystery and excitement. And then it just got weird. It was mostly the romance that did me in for this book. It didn't start out weird but as it progressed I ended up going, "WHAT?!" as a result I am putting this book in the same category as the book Anna Dressed in Blood because of the romance and due to content that I found to be completely inappropriate especially for YA, this book is not one I would recommend.
Ok so we meet a girl named Lucy, she doesn't remember anything and finds herself walking in the
middle of winter and she later says she doesn't feel the cold. But can't seem to leave the ground of a school she finds herself at.
She finds this cute boy and says to him that she thinks she is here for him. DUN DUN DUN.... I loved the beginning, it had everything to make this book incredible. The mystery of Lucy was perfect, from the way she looked to different people to how people talked or didn't talk to her. Then Lucy finds out some things about her, just little snippets, that help confirm to the reader what you probably will already guess. Then Lucy starts to see others like her. The author really did do a good job of keeping you in the dark and then giving you false hope and false ideas. Yet the whole time you can just feel that something is off and that something isn't right.
Lucy as a character was fine, she was interesting, pretty, mysterious, and really a nice person. There was nice character development and a great ending.
The male lead in this story is Colin. Colin is a bit of a rebel. He survived a terrible accident that killed his family but left him alive. He is an adrenalin junky who
gets a high from near death experiences. So when he meets Lucy and falls for her, both he and Lucy think that they only way they can REALLY be together is by Colin nearly dying and then coming back. Colin seemed like a legit, cool, guy and I really liked him as a character.
Sadly though, due to some content I was completely disappointed in the rest of the book, I was disgusted and found that specifically one part of the book, to be completely inappropriate. I don't care if supposedly all teens do it, or if it's widely accepted, I was grossed out. I felt it to be completely unnecessary and because of that I lost desire to finish the book. I DID and found that this book lost it's spark to a certain degree because it wasn't just about finding out "how to be together" or to find out how to help Lucy with her problems, it-to me-became a story about "how we can get together because I'm horny."
Overall the whole of the story was awesome and great but due to sexual content I won't recommend this book. boo. however I do look forward to more by the author. I won't completely write her off because I did enjoy her writing.
Sexual Content: (masturbation, kissing, innuendos and a knowledge that 2 characters had sex)
Language: heavy (yes has F words)
Violence: moderate (talk of murder, characters trying to get as close to death as possible without completely dying)
Drugs/Alcohol: none
The story started off wonderfully, full of mystery and excitement. And then it just got weird. It was mostly the romance that did me in for this book. It didn't start out weird but as it progressed I ended up going, "WHAT?!" as a result I am putting this book in the same category as the book Anna Dressed in Blood because of the romance and due to content that I found to be completely inappropriate especially for YA, this book is not one I would recommend.
Ok so we meet a girl named Lucy, she doesn't remember anything and finds herself walking in the
middle of winter and she later says she doesn't feel the cold. But can't seem to leave the ground of a school she finds herself at.
She finds this cute boy and says to him that she thinks she is here for him. DUN DUN DUN.... I loved the beginning, it had everything to make this book incredible. The mystery of Lucy was perfect, from the way she looked to different people to how people talked or didn't talk to her. Then Lucy finds out some things about her, just little snippets, that help confirm to the reader what you probably will already guess. Then Lucy starts to see others like her. The author really did do a good job of keeping you in the dark and then giving you false hope and false ideas. Yet the whole time you can just feel that something is off and that something isn't right.
Lucy as a character was fine, she was interesting, pretty, mysterious, and really a nice person. There was nice character development and a great ending.
The male lead in this story is Colin. Colin is a bit of a rebel. He survived a terrible accident that killed his family but left him alive. He is an adrenalin junky who
gets a high from near death experiences. So when he meets Lucy and falls for her, both he and Lucy think that they only way they can REALLY be together is by Colin nearly dying and then coming back. Colin seemed like a legit, cool, guy and I really liked him as a character.
Sadly though, due to some content I was completely disappointed in the rest of the book, I was disgusted and found that specifically one part of the book, to be completely inappropriate. I don't care if supposedly all teens do it, or if it's widely accepted, I was grossed out. I felt it to be completely unnecessary and because of that I lost desire to finish the book. I DID and found that this book lost it's spark to a certain degree because it wasn't just about finding out "how to be together" or to find out how to help Lucy with her problems, it-to me-became a story about "how we can get together because I'm horny."
Overall the whole of the story was awesome and great but due to sexual content I won't recommend this book. boo. however I do look forward to more by the author. I won't completely write her off because I did enjoy her writing.
Sexual Content: (masturbation, kissing, innuendos and a knowledge that 2 characters had sex)
Language: heavy (yes has F words)
Violence: moderate (talk of murder, characters trying to get as close to death as possible without completely dying)
Drugs/Alcohol: none
June 29, 2016
Coherent review to come but...oh my God.
March 2, 2014
Review to come. Absolutely loved Christina Lauren's first YA novel. The girls can write and make you feel it all. Now I'm going to sit and have my book hangover.
February 22, 2014
I get the snorting that will come from describing this as haunting but, well, it's apt. I'll be thinking about this one for a while!
October 23, 2014
I’m well aware that this is a love story between a ghost and a human, and let’s face it, those never end well. Anna Dressed in Blood anyone? I knew going into this book, that this would 99% not end in HEA. I was expecting that. I was fine with that. I was prepared for it. But after finishing the story, I have no idea what the hell to think anymore. Hell, I don’t even know if this ended in a HEA or not because I have no clue what happened. No clue! What was up with that ending??? Looks like someone took a page from the ‘Lauren Oliver let the readers decide what that ending was about’ route. I even tried looking for spoilers about what the ending was about, and I didn’t find anything because nobody else knows what happened either! So, please consider this when you read my review and rating.
Lucy suddenly appears in the middle of the woods at a boarding school and she has no idea who she is or how she got there. She’s mysteriously drawn to the school and Colin who she has no idea who she is but she can’t seem to stay away. She also can’t seem to leave school property. Destined to spend all her time at school, sitting by the lake, sitting by the dock, sitting on a bench, sitting by the statue, etc. Lucy and Colin wonder why she’s here. When they discover that Lucy is actually a ghost and that she was murdered 10 years ago, this throws a wrench in their growing attraction. Attraction is more like insta-love in this case. They meet, they are attracted to each other and don’t know why, and they can’t really touch. They technically can touch, but for Lucy, Colin’s touch is too intense for her. For Colin, he can feel Lucy but he can’t really feel her. Meanwhile, their time together is cut short by Lucy’s unexplained disappearances. When Colin, who is an adrenaline junkie, accidentally falls into the frozen lake and almost dies, they discover that in those few moments in between life and death, he and Lucy can truly be together. This leads to Colin and his best friend Jay coming up with ways to help Colin keep cheating death… just so he can have sex with Lucy. Up until this point, I was somewhat enjoying the book. I was confused as hell most of the time, but I was eager to find out what would happen with Lucy and Colin. But after they thought it was a good idea to keep trying to almost kill Colin, just so he and Lucy can do dirty stuff, I lost interest. Not to mention the fact that it send a really unhealthy message about love, I thought it was just plain dumb. The whole boarding school aspect was also really odd. Apparently, a lot of people die, disappear or commit suicide, but nobody else finds this weird or alarming.
Most of the story I was confused as to what the hell was going on. Colin found out Lucy was a ghost, but he just accepted it. His reaction was very unrealistic. Not to mention the fact that he just accepts that Lucy is a ‘walker’ but we don’t really know anything about these walkers or why everyone seems to be okay with it. Several other people find out that Lucy is a walker, and they just accept the idea to easily too. I wanted to know more about the walkers and their history. The story focused too much on Colin and Lucy and their feelings for each other. Instead of feeling like Colin and Lucy wanted to be together because they loved each other, I just got the feeling that they mostly wanted to be able to touch just to have sex. Despite the fact that Lucy knows she’s a ghost and knows she was murdered, she has no desire to try to find her parents to see how they are doing. All she cares about is Colin, Colin, Colin. It was all very bizarre. And that ending! At least, I think this is what happens because, like I mentioned, I wasn’t exactly clear what happened at the end. Overall, this was all very bizarre. I was teased that there would be some sexy scenes (for YA), but I was disappointed that they were the ‘blink and you miss it’ kind of situations. I had to keep rewinding just to try to figure out just exactly what happened and what they even did. I had high hopes for this one, even if I wasn’t expecting a HEA. But, I was mostly confused. This could have been really good, but it just wasn’t for me. I’ve read a few of Adult books by this duo and I’m a fan. I would totally read another YA by the, I just hope I like it better. On the plus side, the writing was very beautiful, or like 99% of reviews are saying, ‘haunting.’
Audiobook Comments: Elizabeth Lousie, I love her! She is one of my favorite NA narrators, but I had such a hard time placing her voice with a 17 year old character. While she did a great job, I just didn’t think Elizabeth Louise was a good fit for Lucy. Cal Wembly, omg, I hate to say it but I hated him! He sounded like a younger version of Kirby Heybourne who I hate. Just like the Kirbs, his ‘dialogue’ parts were not that bad, but his narration parts were horrible! It’s like he over-pronounces everything. Other than Justine Eyre and the Kirbs, I don’t really avoid narrators, but I doubt I would listen to anything else narrated by him. :(
2 out of 5 stars!
Lucy suddenly appears in the middle of the woods at a boarding school and she has no idea who she is or how she got there. She’s mysteriously drawn to the school and Colin who she has no idea who she is but she can’t seem to stay away. She also can’t seem to leave school property. Destined to spend all her time at school, sitting by the lake, sitting by the dock, sitting on a bench, sitting by the statue, etc. Lucy and Colin wonder why she’s here. When they discover that Lucy is actually a ghost and that she was murdered 10 years ago, this throws a wrench in their growing attraction. Attraction is more like insta-love in this case. They meet, they are attracted to each other and don’t know why, and they can’t really touch. They technically can touch, but for Lucy, Colin’s touch is too intense for her. For Colin, he can feel Lucy but he can’t really feel her. Meanwhile, their time together is cut short by Lucy’s unexplained disappearances. When Colin, who is an adrenaline junkie, accidentally falls into the frozen lake and almost dies, they discover that in those few moments in between life and death, he and Lucy can truly be together. This leads to Colin and his best friend Jay coming up with ways to help Colin keep cheating death… just so he can have sex with Lucy. Up until this point, I was somewhat enjoying the book. I was confused as hell most of the time, but I was eager to find out what would happen with Lucy and Colin. But after they thought it was a good idea to keep trying to almost kill Colin, just so he and Lucy can do dirty stuff, I lost interest. Not to mention the fact that it send a really unhealthy message about love, I thought it was just plain dumb. The whole boarding school aspect was also really odd. Apparently, a lot of people die, disappear or commit suicide, but nobody else finds this weird or alarming.
Stories of a place where students seemed to die at a higher rate than any other boarding school in the country. Colin never understood why it was a surprise that kids died or disappeared more frequently here than other places from things like exposure, pneumonia, and suicide.
Most of the story I was confused as to what the hell was going on. Colin found out Lucy was a ghost, but he just accepted it. His reaction was very unrealistic. Not to mention the fact that he just accepts that Lucy is a ‘walker’ but we don’t really know anything about these walkers or why everyone seems to be okay with it. Several other people find out that Lucy is a walker, and they just accept the idea to easily too. I wanted to know more about the walkers and their history. The story focused too much on Colin and Lucy and their feelings for each other. Instead of feeling like Colin and Lucy wanted to be together because they loved each other, I just got the feeling that they mostly wanted to be able to touch just to have sex. Despite the fact that Lucy knows she’s a ghost and knows she was murdered, she has no desire to try to find her parents to see how they are doing. All she cares about is Colin, Colin, Colin. It was all very bizarre. And that ending! At least, I think this is what happens because, like I mentioned, I wasn’t exactly clear what happened at the end. Overall, this was all very bizarre. I was teased that there would be some sexy scenes (for YA), but I was disappointed that they were the ‘blink and you miss it’ kind of situations. I had to keep rewinding just to try to figure out just exactly what happened and what they even did. I had high hopes for this one, even if I wasn’t expecting a HEA. But, I was mostly confused. This could have been really good, but it just wasn’t for me. I’ve read a few of Adult books by this duo and I’m a fan. I would totally read another YA by the, I just hope I like it better. On the plus side, the writing was very beautiful, or like 99% of reviews are saying, ‘haunting.’
Audiobook Comments: Elizabeth Lousie, I love her! She is one of my favorite NA narrators, but I had such a hard time placing her voice with a 17 year old character. While she did a great job, I just didn’t think Elizabeth Louise was a good fit for Lucy. Cal Wembly, omg, I hate to say it but I hated him! He sounded like a younger version of Kirby Heybourne who I hate. Just like the Kirbs, his ‘dialogue’ parts were not that bad, but his narration parts were horrible! It’s like he over-pronounces everything. Other than Justine Eyre and the Kirbs, I don’t really avoid narrators, but I doubt I would listen to anything else narrated by him. :(
2 out of 5 stars!
Sublime by nereyda1003
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Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed
Follow me at:
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March 15, 2016
A tragic romance story from the POVs of both lovers. It's a YA novel, but it read more like a romance novel with all the raunchy scenes and vague details. It was like reading the movie Ghost but the couple are teenagers, and they never knew each other before our heroine died. I liked it, but I didn't love it. If you think about what I said above, it made it really hard to like this book because of how disturbed I felt.
To check out my full review, click here. Be aware of SPOILERS!
January 22, 2016
Title:Sublime
Author: Christina Lauren
Source: Purchased Paperback
Pages: 336
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Characters: Lucia (Lucy) Gray, Colin
Point of View: Third - dual
Happily Ever After:
Release Date: October 14th, 2014
Date Read: January 17th, 2016
Overall Rating: 4 Stars
My first ever paranormal novel I've read. Review to come...
March 16, 2014
Beautifully written prose with a hauntingly gritty and mysterious tale that latches on and doesn't let go. The ending is devastatingly overwhelming but in a really good "puzzle pieces come together" kind of way.
More detailed review to come closer to publication.
More detailed review to come closer to publication.
May 15, 2015
“Is it dangerous to want so much to know someone without first knowing yourself?”
For the first five chapters I was thanking the heavens for delivering a good book, praising Christina Lauren for being so good at both genre (YA and NA) and praising myself for picking this but then for the past six chapters to the last I was thinking “What the hell am I reading” and “Why does it come to this?” It was really a waste because the beginning is so good that turned bad because the writer doesn’t know how to resolve the conflict or end it.
Basically, this book brings to life the I-will-chase-you-to-death pick-up line in a literal meaning.
For the first five chapters I was thanking the heavens for delivering a good book, praising Christina Lauren for being so good at both genre (YA and NA) and praising myself for picking this but then for the past six chapters to the last I was thinking “What the hell am I reading” and “Why does it come to this?” It was really a waste because the beginning is so good that turned bad because the writer doesn’t know how to resolve the conflict or end it.
Basically, this book brings to life the I-will-chase-you-to-death pick-up line in a literal meaning.
dnf
July 5, 2021
Read
March 6, 2014This book made me swoon, laugh and cry. And also gave me major anxiety! But I loved it! Review to come!
July 11, 2014
Review closer to release day!
Two OUaT reviewers have read and loved this book!!
Two OUaT reviewers have read and loved this book!!
February 24, 2020
2.5*
When I saw there was a book I've missed from this author duo, I was really excited to start reading (well listening in this case). But for me they better stick to the chicklit genre of entertaining rom com.
At least I managed to finish this literary experiment of them.
The story starts out with a mystery. A girl wakes up in the woods with no memory and is pulled toward this boy. The attraction is mutual and together they try to figure out how and why. But there isn't that much revealed about the why-part.
Flirting with death also isn't a very good signal in my opinion. So no matter how unique and strong the love and internal pull between the main characters may be, the ending didn't leave me with a satisfied feeling, but rather with a bad taste...
When I saw there was a book I've missed from this author duo, I was really excited to start reading (well listening in this case). But for me they better stick to the chicklit genre of entertaining rom com.
At least I managed to finish this literary experiment of them.
The story starts out with a mystery. A girl wakes up in the woods with no memory and is pulled toward this boy. The attraction is mutual and together they try to figure out how and why. But there isn't that much revealed about the why-part.
Flirting with death also isn't a very good signal in my opinion. So no matter how unique and strong the love and internal pull between the main characters may be, the ending didn't leave me with a satisfied feeling, but rather with a bad taste...
June 15, 2015
Rating 1.5 out of 5 stars.
Recensione su Una lettrice tra le nuvole
Yeah.... NO.
*disappointment everywhere*
Recensione su Una lettrice tra le nuvole
Yeah.... NO.
*disappointment everywhere*
winter-in-pandemonium
March 30, 2014I'm wondering if this is the YA novel this author duo penned and couldn't sell, without first publishing their fanfic. Based on the reviews I've seen from people I trust (not the sock accounts), I'm not surprised. I think I'll pass.
November 6, 2018
I was hooked on this one right from the start. And then I wasn't. I just couldn't get on board with the things that Colin did to be able to be with Lucy on a more physical level. When a relationship is harmful to your health and wellbeing, it's time to get out!
March 22, 2014
Loved this. Haunting and sexy, sweet and creepy--and the prose is gorgeous. Full review to come closer to release.
May 17, 2014
DNF this book bored me to tears! I couldn't connect with either character. And while I normally love books told in dual POV's this just didn't work for me.
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