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Wicked Games #2
Reckless Hearts
What do you do if you find yourself fantasizing about kissing your best friend? Sensitive guitarist Jake has been asking himself that same question for a long time, and there’s no easy answer. Telling his dream girl –talented anime artist Elena– about his feelings might lead to the ultimate rejection, but not telling her just might kill him.
Before Jake can make his move, though, a new mysterious guy enters the picture in an unexpected way. In Elena’s mind, Harlow is excitement-personified: a rebellious yet kindred spirit who she instantly connected with online. Jake’s gut is telling him that something about Harlow is off, and that Elena is in way over her head, but the more Jake pushes the issue, the more he pushes Elena right into Harlow’s arms –and into a tragedy that neither of them would ever see coming.
Before Jake can make his move, though, a new mysterious guy enters the picture in an unexpected way. In Elena’s mind, Harlow is excitement-personified: a rebellious yet kindred spirit who she instantly connected with online. Jake’s gut is telling him that something about Harlow is off, and that Elena is in way over her head, but the more Jake pushes the issue, the more he pushes Elena right into Harlow’s arms –and into a tragedy that neither of them would ever see coming.
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First published November 24, 2015
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About the author
Sean Olin
8 books71 followersSean Olin is the author of Killing Britney, a 2005 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 2, 2015
Don't we just love watching trainwrecks happen?
Last year, I read the author's Wicked Games, a young adult suspense thriller with extremely unlikeable characters who got themselves entangled in a situation that actually spelt complete and utter DISASTER. It was the sort of drama where you know everything was going to go totally wrong, and it was only a matter of watching everything explode. I do admit that the first book was suspenseful, the edge-of-your-seat kind of thriller that would make your heart pound, but because it had extremely unlikeable characters (as in I would have loved to go inside to slap them silly) the connection wasn't really there. I didn't feel for them, heck, I wasn't even scared for them or anxious of what might happen. Don't get me wrong, I love unlikeable characters, but unlikeable characters that you just CANNOT root for? You won't find me on the same page with that.
With that said, I think Reckless Hearts amended that... easily.
Yes, it still has the same trainwreck, but this time, with two rootable characters you just want to cheer on and will feel nervous for, and even an antagonist who is so awful and so conniving. We have these characters plus a story that will put you literally on your toes... pretty much everything that I want in a suspense thriller.
What are you to do when you're in love with your best friend next door but you have to move away across time because your mother remarried? You've been wanting to tell your feelings to her, but you're so shy and timid and so hesitant to "change" your relationship with her now that you made up some silly pretend girlfriend so she wouldn't think your love songs were about her? And what are you to do when one day, you suddenly end up having a problematic and conniving brother who is hell-bent not just on making your life hell, but to steal your very girl under your nose?
This is Jake's unfortunate situation. Despite being so timid, I found him really adorable. You could tell how much he cared for Elena, his best friend, and how much he wanted to give her the world. And at the same time, you can't help but fear for him too everytime Nathan is in the picture, because good lord, this guy is crazy. He is the kind of dude who'd do crazy, evil things just for the heck of it - without even a single blink. He uses bullying tactics to intimidate Jake and uses Elena's insecurity for making her fall in love with him (or an "image" of him he conveniently made up to torture Jake).
As for Elena, I found her situation kind of complex, too. Of course, she did things that I think were completely idiotic, but I kind of understood why she decided to do them. When you're in a vulnerable situation and surrounded by problems, and you meet that one person that gives you some sort of sanctuary and makes you feel special, wouldn't you feel that temptation to simply give in? That's why even though she contributed to the trainwreck they were bound to crash into, I didn't absolutely fault her for it. She was a victim just as much as Jake was. As much as you want to feel sorry for her, you'd want to bonk her on the head, too.
And let me reiterate: the plot in this book will put you almost over the edge. It's exciting, it's crazy, and well, pretty intense. Especially if down the line, your life gets in danger, for something that started innocently.
If I do have one complaint, it's that the antagonist didn't feel complex enough. This was mostly told in Jake and Elena's POVs, but in the previous book, all three characters had their own chapters but Nathan had almost none here, so we didn't really see what was going on in his head. It looked like he was only doing shitty stuff because for the heck of it and I kind of wanted more complexity from him.
I'm so happy that I decided to continue reading this author's works after her first one. Now I can hardly wait for the third book!
Last year, I read the author's Wicked Games, a young adult suspense thriller with extremely unlikeable characters who got themselves entangled in a situation that actually spelt complete and utter DISASTER. It was the sort of drama where you know everything was going to go totally wrong, and it was only a matter of watching everything explode. I do admit that the first book was suspenseful, the edge-of-your-seat kind of thriller that would make your heart pound, but because it had extremely unlikeable characters (as in I would have loved to go inside to slap them silly) the connection wasn't really there. I didn't feel for them, heck, I wasn't even scared for them or anxious of what might happen. Don't get me wrong, I love unlikeable characters, but unlikeable characters that you just CANNOT root for? You won't find me on the same page with that.
With that said, I think Reckless Hearts amended that... easily.
Yes, it still has the same trainwreck, but this time, with two rootable characters you just want to cheer on and will feel nervous for, and even an antagonist who is so awful and so conniving. We have these characters plus a story that will put you literally on your toes... pretty much everything that I want in a suspense thriller.
What are you to do when you're in love with your best friend next door but you have to move away across time because your mother remarried? You've been wanting to tell your feelings to her, but you're so shy and timid and so hesitant to "change" your relationship with her now that you made up some silly pretend girlfriend so she wouldn't think your love songs were about her? And what are you to do when one day, you suddenly end up having a problematic and conniving brother who is hell-bent not just on making your life hell, but to steal your very girl under your nose?
This is Jake's unfortunate situation. Despite being so timid, I found him really adorable. You could tell how much he cared for Elena, his best friend, and how much he wanted to give her the world. And at the same time, you can't help but fear for him too everytime Nathan is in the picture, because good lord, this guy is crazy. He is the kind of dude who'd do crazy, evil things just for the heck of it - without even a single blink. He uses bullying tactics to intimidate Jake and uses Elena's insecurity for making her fall in love with him (or an "image" of him he conveniently made up to torture Jake).
As for Elena, I found her situation kind of complex, too. Of course, she did things that I think were completely idiotic, but I kind of understood why she decided to do them. When you're in a vulnerable situation and surrounded by problems, and you meet that one person that gives you some sort of sanctuary and makes you feel special, wouldn't you feel that temptation to simply give in? That's why even though she contributed to the trainwreck they were bound to crash into, I didn't absolutely fault her for it. She was a victim just as much as Jake was. As much as you want to feel sorry for her, you'd want to bonk her on the head, too.
And let me reiterate: the plot in this book will put you almost over the edge. It's exciting, it's crazy, and well, pretty intense. Especially if down the line, your life gets in danger, for something that started innocently.
If I do have one complaint, it's that the antagonist didn't feel complex enough. This was mostly told in Jake and Elena's POVs, but in the previous book, all three characters had their own chapters but Nathan had almost none here, so we didn't really see what was going on in his head. It looked like he was only doing shitty stuff because for the heck of it and I kind of wanted more complexity from him.
I'm so happy that I decided to continue reading this author's works after her first one. Now I can hardly wait for the third book!
November 17, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
“When I’m with him, I feel, I don’t know. Reckless.”
This was an interesting story, but it wasn’t as gripping as the first in the series.
I felt quite sorry for Jake and the position he found himself in; not knowing whether to confess to his best friend that he was in love with her, for fear of losing her altogether wasn’t easy for him, and I could understand his indecision.
I didn’t feel for Elena quite the same way I did for Jake, but I could sort-of understand her hesitancy to start something with Jake, even if she came across as a bit flighty.
“No way would he betray her by falling in love with her.”
The storyline in this was mainly about Jake having secret feelings for Elena, and Elena not really having quite the same feelings, and instead chasing after a guy called Harlow who she’d met online. This online guy did have a bit of mystery surrounding him, but in my opinion he wasn’t exactly a nice person!
There was a bit of romance in this, but I didn’t really like it all that much. There was too much hurt mixed in with the romance for me, with Jake’s feelings not really being returned, and Harlow who wasn’t exactly nice to Elena.
“Jake, you’re my best friend. You mean more to me than anyone in the world.”
The ending to this was okay, and there was a bit of a twist, it just didn’t have quite the impact it was intended to though.
6 out of 10
“When I’m with him, I feel, I don’t know. Reckless.”
This was an interesting story, but it wasn’t as gripping as the first in the series.
I felt quite sorry for Jake and the position he found himself in; not knowing whether to confess to his best friend that he was in love with her, for fear of losing her altogether wasn’t easy for him, and I could understand his indecision.
I didn’t feel for Elena quite the same way I did for Jake, but I could sort-of understand her hesitancy to start something with Jake, even if she came across as a bit flighty.
“No way would he betray her by falling in love with her.”
The storyline in this was mainly about Jake having secret feelings for Elena, and Elena not really having quite the same feelings, and instead chasing after a guy called Harlow who she’d met online. This online guy did have a bit of mystery surrounding him, but in my opinion he wasn’t exactly a nice person!
There was a bit of romance in this, but I didn’t really like it all that much. There was too much hurt mixed in with the romance for me, with Jake’s feelings not really being returned, and Harlow who wasn’t exactly nice to Elena.
“Jake, you’re my best friend. You mean more to me than anyone in the world.”
The ending to this was okay, and there was a bit of a twist, it just didn’t have quite the impact it was intended to though.
6 out of 10
April 9, 2016
1.5 stars. The low rating is due large in part to disappointment. Wicked Games was a train wreck of awesomeness with characters that were complex and compelling. This companion? Not so much. The story dragged and lacked the suspense that made its predecessor so compulsively readable. Sad face here friends, a sad face indeed.
July 11, 2015
The first book, Wicked Games, was such a twisted, gripping read, but hardly anything happened in Reckless Hearts. I called the twist at around the 20% mark, but what disappointed me the most was how draggy and slow this sequel was.
April 10, 2021
I was worried it would be terrible since the first novel in the series was pretty shit. But I really liked it! You could read this one without reading the first, as this is more of a standalone sequel. It seems that these characters are just the next generation in Dream Point. Both stories take place in the same town, but with new people. The characters of the previous novel are mentioned briefly a few times, and they only allude to the events that took place the previous year, but that’s it. You could read the series out of order, or just read one or the other - But I’d recommend reading this one and skipping the first.
January 30, 2016
Best friends, Jake (an aspiring musician) and Elena (online animation artist) are about to move to the next level when Jake’s mother marries a hotel mogul. Jake finds himself in a new (much wealthier) town with a new stepdad and an obnoxious stepbrother. Elena, feeling abandoned by Jake, begins a relationship with someone she meets online. Jake is certain there’s more to Harlow than his online profile would indicate.
In this teen romance there are no real surprises, just some plot twists and turns that keep the reader interested. Jake and Elena are sympathetic characters, we definitely root for them, and are not disappointed. Part of Wicked Games series all set in the beach town of Dream Point, I’m looking forward to checking out the rest.
In this teen romance there are no real surprises, just some plot twists and turns that keep the reader interested. Jake and Elena are sympathetic characters, we definitely root for them, and are not disappointed. Part of Wicked Games series all set in the beach town of Dream Point, I’m looking forward to checking out the rest.
Want to read
March 26, 2015November 24th???!!!?!?!?!
...But still,
...But still,
January 13, 2019
It was crazy how Jake was right and almost got killed by his best friend on accident. But I REALLY wish that the book further elaborated on if Nate’s new plan to get revenge on Jake at the end works or not....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2019
I have to take a few stars away from the fact that an autistic character was being used as a token.
I liked the story overall, but that's not okay.
I liked the story overall, but that's not okay.
August 2, 2021
“He felt so bottomlessly sad that the feeling was almost comforting, like a long-lost friend, rich with memory and possibility. Like life was real and this moment was important. He told himself to remember the feeling. To remember this walk. To use it in his music.”
February 23, 2016
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: After the enchanting, suspenseful first installment, I had high expectations for this second novel. Unfortunately, I was left feeling unfulfilled.
Opening Sentence: DP Movers – their slogan was, “you point the way, Dream Point!” – had arrived this morning at eight thirty.
The Review:
Jake is a sensitive musician who is in love with his best friend. His sudden move into his rich new stepdad’s luxurious mansion has convinced him of his need to confess his love, but things keep getting in the way – namely, a boy that Elena has met online on her favorite anime website. Jake is seeing red flags and attempts to warn Elena of how she’s being catfished, but it only pushes her away, and she goes running to Harlow. The chain of events that follows will, in the end, threaten lives.
Last year, I read Wicked Games for review and absolutely loved it, despite the mostly negative reviews (which I still don’t understand. Guess I was the black sheep.). The novel was atmospheric, enchantingly written, with a healthy amount of suspense. That being said, I was thrilled to continue the trilogy and jump into its companion novel. Though characters from the previous installment are mentioned, the book centers around completely different characters, which I didn’t have a problem with. The synopsis was utterly different, which, before reading, I was excited for – I was sure Penn would make something incredible. However, although I enjoyed this second book, I’m feeling underwhelmed.
The last story, I fell in love with a complex characters, even the wildly insane antagonist. For this novel, I thought the characters were pretty cookie cutter: the boy next door (literally) who is sensitive and plays guitar; the artistic, intriguing Elena; finally, the rebellious, spoiled son of a millionaire. I do give points for Elena being diverse, she was Cuban, I believe. She was in a bad situation – her sister was knocked up by a partying burnout that her father despises. Jake also was in an interesting setting, in a luxurious new home with a new family. Despite the situations they were navigating, I didn’t feel compelled to read this novel like I had so compulsively been drawn into Wicked Games.
Watching Elena be catfished was a little annoying. Despite the way Jake communicates his concern to her – which was a trainwreck – there were red flags all along. Really, she should have seen it coming. Harlow’s character was definitely predicable, as well, and I saw from the very beginning the so-called “twist” that came along towards the end.
Altogether? This book was underwhelming. Yes, it had all the elements of a well-written story – diverse characters, an interesting plotline. Unfortunately, it all fell a little flat to me, and was in a sharp contrast to the first installment, which I found myself so entranced by. There were still really great passages, but I think that a lot of the times the book dragged, and it largely lacked the suspense that made the first one so readable. I think that I still want to read the third, of course, but this one wasn’t as good as I anticipated.
Notable Scene:
They’d talked about what a relief it was not to have to try and impress each other – not to have to deal with the other person trying and failing to impress you – how they could actually be themselves with each other.
No way would he betray her by falling in love with her.
FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Reckless Hearts. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: After the enchanting, suspenseful first installment, I had high expectations for this second novel. Unfortunately, I was left feeling unfulfilled.
Opening Sentence: DP Movers – their slogan was, “you point the way, Dream Point!” – had arrived this morning at eight thirty.
The Review:
Jake is a sensitive musician who is in love with his best friend. His sudden move into his rich new stepdad’s luxurious mansion has convinced him of his need to confess his love, but things keep getting in the way – namely, a boy that Elena has met online on her favorite anime website. Jake is seeing red flags and attempts to warn Elena of how she’s being catfished, but it only pushes her away, and she goes running to Harlow. The chain of events that follows will, in the end, threaten lives.
Last year, I read Wicked Games for review and absolutely loved it, despite the mostly negative reviews (which I still don’t understand. Guess I was the black sheep.). The novel was atmospheric, enchantingly written, with a healthy amount of suspense. That being said, I was thrilled to continue the trilogy and jump into its companion novel. Though characters from the previous installment are mentioned, the book centers around completely different characters, which I didn’t have a problem with. The synopsis was utterly different, which, before reading, I was excited for – I was sure Penn would make something incredible. However, although I enjoyed this second book, I’m feeling underwhelmed.
The last story, I fell in love with a complex characters, even the wildly insane antagonist. For this novel, I thought the characters were pretty cookie cutter: the boy next door (literally) who is sensitive and plays guitar; the artistic, intriguing Elena; finally, the rebellious, spoiled son of a millionaire. I do give points for Elena being diverse, she was Cuban, I believe. She was in a bad situation – her sister was knocked up by a partying burnout that her father despises. Jake also was in an interesting setting, in a luxurious new home with a new family. Despite the situations they were navigating, I didn’t feel compelled to read this novel like I had so compulsively been drawn into Wicked Games.
Watching Elena be catfished was a little annoying. Despite the way Jake communicates his concern to her – which was a trainwreck – there were red flags all along. Really, she should have seen it coming. Harlow’s character was definitely predicable, as well, and I saw from the very beginning the so-called “twist” that came along towards the end.
Altogether? This book was underwhelming. Yes, it had all the elements of a well-written story – diverse characters, an interesting plotline. Unfortunately, it all fell a little flat to me, and was in a sharp contrast to the first installment, which I found myself so entranced by. There were still really great passages, but I think that a lot of the times the book dragged, and it largely lacked the suspense that made the first one so readable. I think that I still want to read the third, of course, but this one wasn’t as good as I anticipated.
Notable Scene:
They’d talked about what a relief it was not to have to try and impress each other – not to have to deal with the other person trying and failing to impress you – how they could actually be themselves with each other.
No way would he betray her by falling in love with her.
FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Reckless Hearts. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
November 22, 2015
What do you do if you find yourself fantasizing about kissing your best friend? Sensitive guitarist Jake has been asking himself that same question for a long time, and there’s no easy answer. Telling his dream girl—talented anime artist Elena—about his feelings might lead to the ultimate rejection, but not telling her just might kill him.
Before Jake can make his move, though, a new mysterious guy enters the picture in an unexpected way. In Elena’s mind, Harlow is excitement personified: a rebellious yet kindred spirit who she instantly connected with online. Jake’s gut is telling him that something about Harlow is off, and that Elena is in way over her head, but the more Jake pushes the issue, the more he pushes Elena right into Harlow’s arms—and into a tragic situation that neither of them would ever see coming.
As a sequel, Reckless Hearts had a more engaging storyline than the previous one. Sure, it's a standalone novel, but set at the same high school, a couple of years later. Since the blurb practically gives away the storyline, I'll jump right onto my assessment. So, the story was some sort of nice-guy-versus-bad-guy, with Harlow out to destroy Jake for taking his life away from him. Jake knows of Harlow distantly, but later on realizes who he is. Meanwhile, Harlow has Elena wrapped around his little finger, and gets her to commit a crime. The manipulations in this book are worse, in that, first of all, he is doing it just to get back at Jake. Secondly, he is irrational about it, but also brilliantly executes it. Now that's a psychological thriller, without the actual thrills, but good nevertheless.
As for the characters, I couldn't feel anything for them this time around either. I mean, Jake is the Nice Guy, you know? The one who is sitting in the shadows, lamenting how the douches get the girls, which in this case, the idea was planted into his head via his stepbrother. He rejects the idea, but also lets it get to him, leading him to pushing her away and further into his arms. Now, Elena, who I agree has a shit home life, but damn girl, that is not a reason to throw caution to the wind and invite a practical stranger to your doorstep! She is stupidly naive about him, and for all her bluster about taking care of herself, she actually goes along with a stranger whom she knows next to nothing about. Hello, catfishing. And Harlow, well, his real identity is hardly a suspense, is shades of deranged and entitled - a dangerous combination.
The ending was the only part that was surprising, but also felt a little hollow. Nice to know that Jake went to the trouble of gathering evidence, but only to win her over, not for, I don't know, her safety? He was ready to not tell her, when she admitted her feelings for him, which struck me as him not respecting her as a person and more like a possession. His whole reason to go after Harlow is that he thinks he stole her from him, and Harlow's motivation coupled with that makes Elena like a doll that is being pulled between them. The epilogue - well, since the last one had an open ending, I think that goes for this too, which filled me with actual dread. I do and do not want a continuation, which makes my opinion about this book evident.
Received a free galley from Katherine Tegen Books via Edelweiss; this does not influence my opinions or the review.
Before Jake can make his move, though, a new mysterious guy enters the picture in an unexpected way. In Elena’s mind, Harlow is excitement personified: a rebellious yet kindred spirit who she instantly connected with online. Jake’s gut is telling him that something about Harlow is off, and that Elena is in way over her head, but the more Jake pushes the issue, the more he pushes Elena right into Harlow’s arms—and into a tragic situation that neither of them would ever see coming.
As a sequel, Reckless Hearts had a more engaging storyline than the previous one. Sure, it's a standalone novel, but set at the same high school, a couple of years later. Since the blurb practically gives away the storyline, I'll jump right onto my assessment. So, the story was some sort of nice-guy-versus-bad-guy, with Harlow out to destroy Jake for taking his life away from him. Jake knows of Harlow distantly, but later on realizes who he is. Meanwhile, Harlow has Elena wrapped around his little finger, and gets her to commit a crime. The manipulations in this book are worse, in that, first of all, he is doing it just to get back at Jake. Secondly, he is irrational about it, but also brilliantly executes it. Now that's a psychological thriller, without the actual thrills, but good nevertheless.
As for the characters, I couldn't feel anything for them this time around either. I mean, Jake is the Nice Guy, you know? The one who is sitting in the shadows, lamenting how the douches get the girls, which in this case, the idea was planted into his head via his stepbrother. He rejects the idea, but also lets it get to him, leading him to pushing her away and further into his arms. Now, Elena, who I agree has a shit home life, but damn girl, that is not a reason to throw caution to the wind and invite a practical stranger to your doorstep! She is stupidly naive about him, and for all her bluster about taking care of herself, she actually goes along with a stranger whom she knows next to nothing about. Hello, catfishing. And Harlow, well, his real identity is hardly a suspense, is shades of deranged and entitled - a dangerous combination.
The ending was the only part that was surprising, but also felt a little hollow. Nice to know that Jake went to the trouble of gathering evidence, but only to win her over, not for, I don't know, her safety? He was ready to not tell her, when she admitted her feelings for him, which struck me as him not respecting her as a person and more like a possession. His whole reason to go after Harlow is that he thinks he stole her from him, and Harlow's motivation coupled with that makes Elena like a doll that is being pulled between them. The epilogue - well, since the last one had an open ending, I think that goes for this too, which filled me with actual dread. I do and do not want a continuation, which makes my opinion about this book evident.
Received a free galley from Katherine Tegen Books via Edelweiss; this does not influence my opinions or the review.
February 16, 2016
This review and more can be found on my blog, The Library Canary.
***I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my opinion. The review below reflects my open and honest thoughts.***
I really enjoyed the first book in this "series", Wicked Games. Okay, it's not really a series. They are companion novels, but same concept as far as plot goes. The first one was a total guilty pleasure book for me. It was entertaining and screwed up and I couldn't look away. But this one just didn't grab me the way the first one did. Here's why:
I didn't care about the characters.
This is the number one reason why books lose stars for me. Flat characters. If I don't connect with the characters, I'm docking a minimum of one star, if not more. I didn't like the MC. So much so that I don't even remember his name right now and I read this less than a week ago. Oops. I thought he was really whiny and angsty and I just never cared about him or his romantic plight. And the female lead. She was so... stupid. I can't use a better word for her. She was kind of an airhead in my honest opinion. She was very focused on getting a man and being with a guy and it annoyed the crap out of me. And she made the dumbest decisions. Getting on a motorcycle with some random dude you met on the internet? And even before that, giving the random guy on the internet your home address before making sure he's not a sociopath? Seriously girlfriend, use your brain.
The plot was extremely predictable.
I figured it out almost immediately and that made the book boring. I remember reading the first one and being surprised at what ended up happening, but this one was just way too predictable for me. I wanted to be shocked, but nothing about this book surprised me.
The one thing I really liked was the music.
The main character is a musician and I did enjoy that aspect. I enjoyed reading about him writing new songs and how music gave him an outlet for his emotions. I loved that music brought him and his dad together. When something happens to his guitar, I'm not going to lie, I was a little heartbroken.
The sister relationship was on point.
The female lead has this sister who is pregnant and in a bad relationship. The sisters are nothing alike and so they don't always get along. But even though they were completely different people, they were there for each other no matter what. They would drop everything for each other and even put themselves on the line to stick up for the other. This was so realistic and I really loved reading about their relationship.
Overall this one was a miss for me.
I didn't enjoy Reckless Hearts as much as I thought I would. The predictable plot and characters I couldn't connect with kind of killed the book for me. I did like a few aspects of the story, but it wasn't enough to make up for the things it lacked.
***I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my opinion. The review below reflects my open and honest thoughts.***
I really enjoyed the first book in this "series", Wicked Games. Okay, it's not really a series. They are companion novels, but same concept as far as plot goes. The first one was a total guilty pleasure book for me. It was entertaining and screwed up and I couldn't look away. But this one just didn't grab me the way the first one did. Here's why:
I didn't care about the characters.
This is the number one reason why books lose stars for me. Flat characters. If I don't connect with the characters, I'm docking a minimum of one star, if not more. I didn't like the MC. So much so that I don't even remember his name right now and I read this less than a week ago. Oops. I thought he was really whiny and angsty and I just never cared about him or his romantic plight. And the female lead. She was so... stupid. I can't use a better word for her. She was kind of an airhead in my honest opinion. She was very focused on getting a man and being with a guy and it annoyed the crap out of me. And she made the dumbest decisions. Getting on a motorcycle with some random dude you met on the internet? And even before that, giving the random guy on the internet your home address before making sure he's not a sociopath? Seriously girlfriend, use your brain.
The plot was extremely predictable.
I figured it out almost immediately and that made the book boring. I remember reading the first one and being surprised at what ended up happening, but this one was just way too predictable for me. I wanted to be shocked, but nothing about this book surprised me.
The one thing I really liked was the music.
The main character is a musician and I did enjoy that aspect. I enjoyed reading about him writing new songs and how music gave him an outlet for his emotions. I loved that music brought him and his dad together. When something happens to his guitar, I'm not going to lie, I was a little heartbroken.
The sister relationship was on point.
The female lead has this sister who is pregnant and in a bad relationship. The sisters are nothing alike and so they don't always get along. But even though they were completely different people, they were there for each other no matter what. They would drop everything for each other and even put themselves on the line to stick up for the other. This was so realistic and I really loved reading about their relationship.
Overall this one was a miss for me.
I didn't enjoy Reckless Hearts as much as I thought I would. The predictable plot and characters I couldn't connect with kind of killed the book for me. I did like a few aspects of the story, but it wasn't enough to make up for the things it lacked.
October 11, 2015
Huge thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this for review!
So last year I tried to read the first book in the "Wicked Games" series and I could not get into it and had to drop it. I was surprised to get this from Harper and thought that since they'd sent me a copy I'd give it a try. Thankfully things went MUCH better this time around.
Overall this is a quick contemporary read. The writing isn't anything special and I saw the twist coming a mile away. But I enjoyed the characters and the overall story. I would have liked more depth and more emotions... especially because Jake was supposed to be this deep, emotional guy. This was a very surface level story that was a bit predictable but like I said, I liked the characters.
I actually could relate very well with both Jake and Elena. I was in love with my best friend for a long time before I finally realized what a hot mess it was and left for good, so I could totally understand Jake's reservations over telling Elena about his true feelings. I could also understand how hard it was for him to see her obsessing over another person. And I've been in the situation before where someone I held dear to me wanted MORE than I could offer in that relationship and how hard it was to want to be close to that person, but not in the way that they wanted. I really enjoyed the struggle that both Jake and Elena went through and it was so hard for me to choose who I wanted to root for.
I also like how anime played a part in this. It was fun that Elena was so into anime and that she enjoyed drawing and animating things. I was a bit wtf at Harlow and his insistence that it was super easy to just get animators in Japan to notice some stupid American teen, but at that point I knew that Harlow was a jack-off.
Overall if you enjoy YA contemporary and are looking for a quick read then this should fit that need. And if you liked the first book then you should like this and if you hated the first book know that this one was MUCH better.
So last year I tried to read the first book in the "Wicked Games" series and I could not get into it and had to drop it. I was surprised to get this from Harper and thought that since they'd sent me a copy I'd give it a try. Thankfully things went MUCH better this time around.
Overall this is a quick contemporary read. The writing isn't anything special and I saw the twist coming a mile away. But I enjoyed the characters and the overall story. I would have liked more depth and more emotions... especially because Jake was supposed to be this deep, emotional guy. This was a very surface level story that was a bit predictable but like I said, I liked the characters.
I actually could relate very well with both Jake and Elena. I was in love with my best friend for a long time before I finally realized what a hot mess it was and left for good, so I could totally understand Jake's reservations over telling Elena about his true feelings. I could also understand how hard it was for him to see her obsessing over another person. And I've been in the situation before where someone I held dear to me wanted MORE than I could offer in that relationship and how hard it was to want to be close to that person, but not in the way that they wanted. I really enjoyed the struggle that both Jake and Elena went through and it was so hard for me to choose who I wanted to root for.
I also like how anime played a part in this. It was fun that Elena was so into anime and that she enjoyed drawing and animating things. I was a bit wtf at Harlow and his insistence that it was super easy to just get animators in Japan to notice some stupid American teen, but at that point I knew that Harlow was a jack-off.
Overall if you enjoy YA contemporary and are looking for a quick read then this should fit that need. And if you liked the first book then you should like this and if you hated the first book know that this one was MUCH better.
March 8, 2016
Jake and Elena have been best friends nearly their entire lives. They spend every day together, hanging out, and sharing with one another what each one loves to do: Jake is a song writer and guitarist; Elena loves creating anime based on their friendship. And of course, Jake is hopelessly, desperately in love with Elena. Then Jake has to move, and that's when their friendship really gets interesting.
When readers meet him, Jake and his mom move to her new husband's mansion in the richest part of a high society neighborhood. For the first time, Jake is without Elena, and is stuck in this alternate reality when he thinks things just can't get worse. Enter Nathaniel, Jake's step-brother.
Nathaniel plays the bad boy to a T; the reader will see the plot twist coming a mile away, but it's still fun to see everything play out. Without Jake, Elena falls into an online trap with Harlow, a boy she meets online. Elena falls hard for Harlow, but Jake knows this guy isn't what he seems to be. Of course, we know "Harlow" is really Nathaniel.
It would have been helpful to get into Nathaniel's head a little more; the chapters switch between Jake and Elena's points of view, so we don't really get to see why Nathaniel is so messed up. The plot is so thin, and it takes a while for the action to really heat up. This novel definitely isn't for serious readers, or readers who want to take away anything from a story. Still, it serves its purpose in being fun to read, or a good choice for reluctant readers. Apparently, it's part of a series -- one I definitely won't be too eager to pick up.
When readers meet him, Jake and his mom move to her new husband's mansion in the richest part of a high society neighborhood. For the first time, Jake is without Elena, and is stuck in this alternate reality when he thinks things just can't get worse. Enter Nathaniel, Jake's step-brother.
Nathaniel plays the bad boy to a T; the reader will see the plot twist coming a mile away, but it's still fun to see everything play out. Without Jake, Elena falls into an online trap with Harlow, a boy she meets online. Elena falls hard for Harlow, but Jake knows this guy isn't what he seems to be. Of course, we know "Harlow" is really Nathaniel.
It would have been helpful to get into Nathaniel's head a little more; the chapters switch between Jake and Elena's points of view, so we don't really get to see why Nathaniel is so messed up. The plot is so thin, and it takes a while for the action to really heat up. This novel definitely isn't for serious readers, or readers who want to take away anything from a story. Still, it serves its purpose in being fun to read, or a good choice for reluctant readers. Apparently, it's part of a series -- one I definitely won't be too eager to pick up.
December 26, 2016
Jake and Elena have been neighbors and best friends forever, and although Jake would like to be more than just friends he's afraid that Elena doesn't feel the same way. When Jake's mom remarries and they move across town, a lonely Elena enters into a relationship with a boy named Harlow that she meets online. Jake begins to suspect that Harlow isn't who he claims to be but Elena brushes his suspicions off as jealousy. Elena's aloof attitude soon leave her and Jake in a precarious situation that one of them might not be able to walk away from.
I have to admit this book was pretty predictable. There weren't any plot twists that I didn't see coming right away, except for that surprise ending, but I liked this story and the characters. Even though you know what's about to heppen to these characters, they are so likable that you just can't stop rooting for them.
I have to admit this book was pretty predictable. There weren't any plot twists that I didn't see coming right away, except for that surprise ending, but I liked this story and the characters. Even though you know what's about to heppen to these characters, they are so likable that you just can't stop rooting for them.
August 21, 2016
-1 star for writing "quatro" instead of "cuatro", and "Miley Cirus" instead of "Cyrus".
-0.5 star because I was expecting a much better ending after those events.
-0.25 star because no latino father would tell his pregnant daughter to f*ck off and get out of the house. We're all about family, no matter how f*cked up they are.
-0.25 star because Elena needs to get her sh*t together; this girl doesn't have any idea of what she wants in life!
+2 stars for Jake, because even though he also needs to put his shit together, he's kinda sweet.
+1 star for Arnold Chan because he was hilarious!
-0.5 star because I was expecting a much better ending after those events.
-0.25 star because no latino father would tell his pregnant daughter to f*ck off and get out of the house. We're all about family, no matter how f*cked up they are.
-0.25 star because Elena needs to get her sh*t together; this girl doesn't have any idea of what she wants in life!
+2 stars for Jake, because even though he also needs to put his shit together, he's kinda sweet.
+1 star for Arnold Chan because he was hilarious!
June 21, 2015
Yeah, this book was on par of the last book, being in the same town again, a few years after Wicked Games, since Lilah was mentioned. And again, that ending! Though this one was even bigger, because it's going to be more than one person!
August 27, 2015
It started with promise, and I liked Elena and Jake quite a bit, but the development of the antagonist was unbelievable. It would've been far better had the Harlow character been a little less of a sociopath and more complex/layered.
Read
November 17, 2016DNF. Not sure why I picked this one up, especially after not liking the characters in the author's other work Wicked Games at all. The plot and the characters weren't working for me, so I gave up. No rating.
October 5, 2015
I received this book for free as part of a first reads promotion
September 16, 2016
Quite predictable. I guessed the identity of the new guy very quickly. I much preferred the first one. But the ending made me think that may be another book.
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