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Velvet #2
Cashmere
This edition cancelled by the publisher.
400 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2017
93 people are currently reading
1950 people want to read
About the author
Temple West
9 books368 followersTemple West, debut author of the YA paranormal romance Velvet, is as nerdy in real life as she is on the Twitter. Armed with a very shiny English degree, she spent four months in Oxford holed up at the Radcliffe Camera amongst the hush of ancient books and the rich musk of academia. Returning to Los Angeles, she acquired a concurrent degree in film, mostly as an excuse to write essays about The Princess Bride and Hook. She can sew (poorly), drive stick (please fasten your seatbelt), and mostly lift her feet off the ground while stuttering into first gear on a very small motorcycle. She currently lives in Seattle and is the proud mother to a one-year-old laptop and a vintage Remington typewriter.
She loves getting questions on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and her website (or here on Goodreads), so don't be afraid to submit a question!
She loves getting questions on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and her website (or here on Goodreads), so don't be afraid to submit a question!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 14, 2017
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to In Medias Res and NetGalley.)
This was a YA paranormal romance story featuring vampires.
Caitlin was an okay character in this, although it was a shame that she and Adrian had to spend so much of the book apart from each other. She seemed to be really passionate about her fashion designing though, and put a lot of effort into that part of her life.
The storyline in this was about Caitlin going to New York on a fashion internship, and taking a couple of vampire body guards with her. We got lots of information about the internship, Adrian and Caitlin were not allowed to see each other, and Lucien remained missing unfortunately. The pace in this was very slow though, and the fashion stuff seemed to overshadow the vampire stuff quite a bit.
The ending to this was the most action-packed part of the story, although I did get a bit confused as to how Caitlin did what she did.
6 out of 10
This was a YA paranormal romance story featuring vampires.
Caitlin was an okay character in this, although it was a shame that she and Adrian had to spend so much of the book apart from each other. She seemed to be really passionate about her fashion designing though, and put a lot of effort into that part of her life.
The storyline in this was about Caitlin going to New York on a fashion internship, and taking a couple of vampire body guards with her. We got lots of information about the internship, Adrian and Caitlin were not allowed to see each other, and Lucien remained missing unfortunately. The pace in this was very slow though, and the fashion stuff seemed to overshadow the vampire stuff quite a bit.
The ending to this was the most action-packed part of the story, although I did get a bit confused as to how Caitlin did what she did.
6 out of 10
Want to read
September 5, 2016I was pretty dissatisfied that the first book didn't give me any answers, so I am SUPER tempted to read book 2.
February 9, 2017
I was lucky to get to beta read this book and I absolutely loved it.
Caitlin has always been so much fun to me. I love her snark and her loyalty and her mild awkwardness. As for Adrian, I don't even know what to say about this boy. He's the perfect partner for Caitlin's banter and the two of them together are delightful. I could read them forever.
This installment is not your normal second book in a series. There are a lot of things going on and while we get some answers, there's a lot still to learn. Of course we get some growth and kissing. We also get supernatural stuff and epic fashiony things and I loved every page of it.
The ending is mildly cliffhangery, but it's weirdly satisfying and delicious. I can't wait to see what happens next.
**Huge thanks to Temple for spoiling me rotten**
Caitlin has always been so much fun to me. I love her snark and her loyalty and her mild awkwardness. As for Adrian, I don't even know what to say about this boy. He's the perfect partner for Caitlin's banter and the two of them together are delightful. I could read them forever.
This installment is not your normal second book in a series. There are a lot of things going on and while we get some answers, there's a lot still to learn. Of course we get some growth and kissing. We also get supernatural stuff and epic fashiony things and I loved every page of it.
The ending is mildly cliffhangery, but it's weirdly satisfying and delicious. I can't wait to see what happens next.
**Huge thanks to Temple for spoiling me rotten**
Read
January 8, 2017I'm not going to rate this one again, since I did with the first read. Just know that it's still 5 stars and I love it even more than I did the first time.
December 11, 2023
Holy shit
February 19, 2017
The best. The freakin' best.
Cait and Adrian are great by themselves; even better together. And chapter 22, my God, YA take note on how to be sex positive well making it super funny in the best kind of awkward way.
I mean, c'mon;
"Holy shit."
"What?" He asked, covering himself up on reflex.
"No!" I said, blushing. "I'm sorry, no, it's beautiful! I've just never seen one up close before."
"It's...beautiful?"
"No! I mean...yes? I don't know. It's...it's there. On you. Right there."
I pointed at his nether region.
He turned bright red but remained calm. "Yes, that is where such things tend to be."
"Shit, I'm so sorry, I'm babbling."
"No, I...thank you, for thinking it's beautiful. When you said 'holy shit,' I thought it was a negative 'holy shit.' Like, a critical 'holy shit.' Like, 'holy shit,' that's a really underwhelming penis."
Cait and Adrian are great by themselves; even better together. And chapter 22, my God, YA take note on how to be sex positive well making it super funny in the best kind of awkward way.
I mean, c'mon;
"Holy shit."
"What?" He asked, covering himself up on reflex.
"No!" I said, blushing. "I'm sorry, no, it's beautiful! I've just never seen one up close before."
"It's...beautiful?"
"No! I mean...yes? I don't know. It's...it's there. On you. Right there."
I pointed at his nether region.
He turned bright red but remained calm. "Yes, that is where such things tend to be."
"Shit, I'm so sorry, I'm babbling."
"No, I...thank you, for thinking it's beautiful. When you said 'holy shit,' I thought it was a negative 'holy shit.' Like, a critical 'holy shit.' Like, 'holy shit,' that's a really underwhelming penis."
July 31, 2021
And the award for the most uncomfortable sex scene ever written goes to... temple west!!! 👏👏👏👏👏
February 9, 2017
The original review of this title can be found
here
on The Book Hookup.
In case you missed it, make sure you check our stop for the Cashmere Blog Tour here . We hosted Adrian and Caitlin for an exclusive Cashmere-spoiler-free Q&A session, and it was a ton of fun!
*Disclaimer: An e-copy of this title was provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
Actual rating of 4.5 stars!
This book! Talk about an emotional rollercoaster!
We immediately fell back in to the routines of the adorable, secret relationship happening between Caitlin and Adrian–Man, I full-on ship the hell out of their cuteness!– and all the vampire business regarding the Demon Dad and the illustrious Council. I love the way the author manages to incorporate the vampire side of the story while still maintaining a semblance of the day-to-day life that your average teenager will go through; regular relationship stuff, school work, and a home life with Caitlin's family. But then a shift happens and Caitlin is given the opportunity to chase her dream of being a fashion designer through an internship while still having to deal with Council/Vampiric Business, and so the storyline changes a bit, but the rhythm of the storyline stays the same. I love how this plot always has a realistic feel to it with a paranormal edge. It allows me to connect with Caitlin while still being engaged and mystified by all the scarier, more confusing elements of the unique vampire world that West has truly created, adapted, and made entirely her own. A lot of crazy (SPOILERISH) stuff happens as Caitlin undergoes more intense questioning about why Adrian's demon father is so truly captivated with her, and this allows Caitlin to learn things about herself, about what she truly is. It was completely unexpected but downright cool as hell if I'm being honest when it all comes to fruition. But then other spoilery things happen that I can't talk about (even though I have an unlimited amount of thoughts and feelings about them!!!), so just know that an ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SHIT HITS THE FAN AND I AM NOT OKAY!!!! I'm terrified/perplexed/anxious about how West plans to continue the storyline and end the trilogy after ALL THAT CRAP THAT JUST HAPPENED AT THE VERY END OF THIS BOOK went down. I mean, I obviously have faith because she just spun the hell out of that story and turned the entire vampire world on its head with her own interpretation of their lore, but I'm alittle whole freaking lot scared witless about how things can go from here on out. I've become slightly invested in this world and certain characters and I will literally cry if they don't get a HEA. I need that or I won't be okay, and right now, I have major concerns that those things won't be able to happen.
But in other news, I'm crazy-excited to get my hands on the next installment because I just know that I'm going to be in for one hell of a ride! As for this one, well, there were a few things that I would have wanted to go a little differently, but if I hadn't have felt so sick, I know I would've read it all in a matter of a few hours. Every time I woke up, I pounced right back on it. It was a damn good book! Especially when Cait and Adrian were being all adorkably cute together, just like the teaser quote I'm about to post below. I'd love to post the whole chapter this quote belongs to for context and extra cuteness, but that's just not possible.
♥ A very special thanks to Ms. Temple West and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.
In case you missed it, make sure you check our stop for the Cashmere Blog Tour here . We hosted Adrian and Caitlin for an exclusive Cashmere-spoiler-free Q&A session, and it was a ton of fun!
*Disclaimer: An e-copy of this title was provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
Actual rating of 4.5 stars!
This book! Talk about an emotional rollercoaster!
We immediately fell back in to the routines of the adorable, secret relationship happening between Caitlin and Adrian–Man, I full-on ship the hell out of their cuteness!– and all the vampire business regarding the Demon Dad and the illustrious Council. I love the way the author manages to incorporate the vampire side of the story while still maintaining a semblance of the day-to-day life that your average teenager will go through; regular relationship stuff, school work, and a home life with Caitlin's family. But then a shift happens and Caitlin is given the opportunity to chase her dream of being a fashion designer through an internship while still having to deal with Council/Vampiric Business, and so the storyline changes a bit, but the rhythm of the storyline stays the same. I love how this plot always has a realistic feel to it with a paranormal edge. It allows me to connect with Caitlin while still being engaged and mystified by all the scarier, more confusing elements of the unique vampire world that West has truly created, adapted, and made entirely her own. A lot of crazy (SPOILERISH) stuff happens as Caitlin undergoes more intense questioning about why Adrian's demon father is so truly captivated with her, and this allows Caitlin to learn things about herself, about what she truly is. It was completely unexpected but downright cool as hell if I'm being honest when it all comes to fruition. But then other spoilery things happen that I can't talk about (even though I have an unlimited amount of thoughts and feelings about them!!!), so just know that an ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SHIT HITS THE FAN AND I AM NOT OKAY!!!! I'm terrified/perplexed/anxious about how West plans to continue the storyline and end the trilogy after ALL THAT CRAP THAT JUST HAPPENED AT THE VERY END OF THIS BOOK went down. I mean, I obviously have faith because she just spun the hell out of that story and turned the entire vampire world on its head with her own interpretation of their lore, but I'm a
But in other news, I'm crazy-excited to get my hands on the next installment because I just know that I'm going to be in for one hell of a ride! As for this one, well, there were a few things that I would have wanted to go a little differently, but if I hadn't have felt so sick, I know I would've read it all in a matter of a few hours. Every time I woke up, I pounced right back on it. It was a damn good book! Especially when Cait and Adrian were being all adorkably cute together, just like the teaser quote I'm about to post below. I'd love to post the whole chapter this quote belongs to for context and extra cuteness, but that's just not possible.
He laughed, then turned serious. "You are, in your entirety, what I want," he said finally. "You are so beautiful."
I stared up at him, at his burning silver eyes. "So are you."
–quote taken from the eARC of Cashmere at 85%
♥ A very special thanks to Ms. Temple West and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.
October 24, 2018
Update 10/24/2018:
As I said in my review of Velvet, I love me some vampires and I'm not ashamed to admit it. The sequel has the same vibe as the first book. There are some new secondary characters to get invested in. We don't get many answers as it sets up for book three, but it moves along so well I didn't mind. Most of the book focuses on Caitlin's fashion internship in NYC. I don't really care about fashion, but it was interwoven so well with action that my attention was held throughout. The end is a bit confusing, but I'm expecting we will get a lot more answers relatively early in book three. I'll be impatiently waiting.
Original:
As I said in my review of Velvet, I love me some vampires and I'm not ashamed to admit it. The sequel has the same vibe as the first book. There are some new secondary characters to get invested in. We don't get many answers as it sets up for book three, but it moves along so well I didn't mind. Most of the book focuses on Caitlin's fashion internship in NYC. I don't really care about fashion, but it was interwoven so well with action that my attention was held throughout. The end is a bit confusing, but I'm expecting we will get a lot more answers relatively early in book three. I'll be impatiently waiting.
Original:
Want to read
August 13, 2015*Inhumane screeching of excitement*
February 18, 2017
am I the only one who thinks Caitlin is something more than just a human??
May 8, 2017
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Wow this book surprised me. I did not expect it to be that good!
There was a point where I was contemplating dropping the series. While I enjoyed the first book I realized that not a lot had happened. And the publication date for this book kept on getting pushed back. I was losing patience. I saw this on Netgalley and decided to give it a go anyways. There had to have been a reason why I enjoyed the first book. And wow was I surprised.
This book was so much better than the first one. There are some new characters and a lot of reveals throughout the book. And that ending! Omg I need the third book soon.
Highly recommend this series.
Wow this book surprised me. I did not expect it to be that good!
There was a point where I was contemplating dropping the series. While I enjoyed the first book I realized that not a lot had happened. And the publication date for this book kept on getting pushed back. I was losing patience. I saw this on Netgalley and decided to give it a go anyways. There had to have been a reason why I enjoyed the first book. And wow was I surprised.
This book was so much better than the first one. There are some new characters and a lot of reveals throughout the book. And that ending! Omg I need the third book soon.
Highly recommend this series.
May 2, 2016
Oh my gosh, I need this book to hurry up! I'm dying to read it, I think I've read the first atleast 10 times waiting for it!
to-buy
September 5, 2021Searching for Lucian, Caitlin and Adrian must form new alliances and trust strange magic to stay one step ahead of the Council and Adrian’s father, all the while investigating whether or not Caitlin is more than what she seems — and if she is, what they’re going to do about it.
Want to read
January 11, 2016I adored everything about Velvet. Yes, it had some less than impressive reviews, but mine was a glowing review, and I can't wait to give another one to Cashmere! Now, WHEN DO WE GET TO READ YOU?!
April 28, 2017
4.5 stars
Bloody hell, I loved that... that was everything I needed.
Bloody hell, I loved that... that was everything I needed.
February 8, 2017
The original review of this title can be found
here
on The Book Hookup.
*Disclaimer: An e-copy of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
In case you missed it, make sure you check our stop for the Cashmere Blog Tour here . We hosted Adrian and Caitlin for an exclusive Cashmere-spoiler-free Q&A session, and it was a ton of fun!
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 4.5 stars! This book was an epic, emotional rollercoaster ride from start to finish! It's hard not to feel a tad jumbled as we bounce between the joyous, cute moments shared between Adrian and Caitlin, the tenser times with the Council, the mystery surrounding Adrian's demon dad and the disappearance of Lucian, and all the highs and loves of everyday life in-between, but Ms. West knows how to chart the course of a book and so this stayed consistently amazing.
Cashmere is full of action and playful downtime, swoons, and snark. We might have gotten some of the answers I was begging for in Velvet, but Cashmere certainly leaves you with a whole host of new ones, too. I can't get book three in my hands soon enough.
♥ Review: We immediately fell back in to the routines of the adorable, secret relationship happening between Caitlin and Adrian–Man, I full-on ship the hell out of their cuteness!– and all the vampire business regarding the Demon Dad and the illustrious Council. I love the way the author manages to incorporate the vampire side of the story while still maintaining a semblance of the day-to-day life that your average teenager will go through; regular relationship stuff, school work, and a home life with Caitlin's family. But then a shift happens and Caitlin is given a real chance to chase her dream of being a fashion designer through an internship opportunity while still having to deal with Council/Vampiric Business, and so the storyline changes a bit, but the rhythm of the story stays the same. I love how this plot always has a realistic feel to it with a paranormal edge. It allows me to connect with Caitlin while still being engaged and mystified by all the scarier, more confusing elements of the unique vampire world that West has truly created, adapted, and made entirely her own. A lot of crazy (SPOILERISH) stuff happens as Caitlin undergoes more intense questioning about why Adrian's demon father is so truly captivated with her, and this allows Caitlin to learn things about herself, about what she truly is. It was completely unexpected but downright cool as hell if I'm being honest when it all comes to fruition and we get that big answer. But then other spoilery things happen that I can't talk about (even though I have an unlimited amount of thoughts and feelings about them!!!), so just know that an ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SHIT HITS THE FAN AND I AM NOT OKAY!!!! I'm terrified/perplexed/anxious about how West plans to continue the storyline and end the trilogy after ALL THAT CRAP THAT JUST HAPPENED AT THE VERY END OF THIS BOOK went down. I mean, I obviously have faith because she just spun the hell out of that story and turned the entire vampire world on its head with her own interpretation of their lore, but I'm alittle whole freaking lot scared witless about how things can go from here on out. I've become slightly invested in this world and certain characters (this includes some pretty incredible new characters we meet and some old ones that are shown in a new light that I'm quickly learning to love) and I will literally cry if they don't get a HEA. I need that or I won't be okay, and right now, I have major concerns that those things won't be able to happen. Please, Ms. West, don't do these things to my heart! My emotions are easily manipulated and I'm trusting them with you. Okay? Okay.
If I had complaints they'd be so minuscule that it wouldn't really be worth mentioning and, in fact, they're more about my personal preferences than any real issue with the book. There were a few things that I would have wanted to go a little differently, but I'm only going to comment on one thing, but it can be a bit spoilerish, so I'm going to hide it with a tag.
I do know that if I hadn't have felt so sick, I would've read Cashmere all in a matter of a few hours. Every time I woke up, I pounced right back on it. It was a damn good book! Especially when Cait and Adrian were being all adorkably cute together, just like the teaser quote I'm about to post below.
♥ Teaser Quote: Just fyi, this adora-cuteness happens at 1%. Freaking. One. Percent. That's how I knew I was about to love this book and being back around these two dorks! (<---- Dorks said affectionately, btw.)
♥ Rec It? Absolutely! Ms. West has came up with vibrant characters, an interesting exploration of a unique vampire world envisioned solely by her, and a complex romance that I can definitely get behind. The ending to this book was a little painful and left a giant cloud of "WTF?!" hovering above my head. (It was a good sort of WTF, though.) I expect some amazing things from the final installment, so I only have one question left for Ms. West: What do I have to do to get my hands on that last book? I'm not opposed to doing terrible things to make it happen. Or...like, if you need another opinionated reader while you write it or whatever, I totally volunteer as tribute! ;)
♥ A very special thanks to In Medias Rey Publications and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.
*Disclaimer: An e-copy of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
In case you missed it, make sure you check our stop for the Cashmere Blog Tour here . We hosted Adrian and Caitlin for an exclusive Cashmere-spoiler-free Q&A session, and it was a ton of fun!
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 4.5 stars! This book was an epic, emotional rollercoaster ride from start to finish! It's hard not to feel a tad jumbled as we bounce between the joyous, cute moments shared between Adrian and Caitlin, the tenser times with the Council, the mystery surrounding Adrian's demon dad and the disappearance of Lucian, and all the highs and loves of everyday life in-between, but Ms. West knows how to chart the course of a book and so this stayed consistently amazing.
Cashmere is full of action and playful downtime, swoons, and snark. We might have gotten some of the answers I was begging for in Velvet, but Cashmere certainly leaves you with a whole host of new ones, too. I can't get book three in my hands soon enough.
♥ Review: We immediately fell back in to the routines of the adorable, secret relationship happening between Caitlin and Adrian–Man, I full-on ship the hell out of their cuteness!– and all the vampire business regarding the Demon Dad and the illustrious Council. I love the way the author manages to incorporate the vampire side of the story while still maintaining a semblance of the day-to-day life that your average teenager will go through; regular relationship stuff, school work, and a home life with Caitlin's family. But then a shift happens and Caitlin is given a real chance to chase her dream of being a fashion designer through an internship opportunity while still having to deal with Council/Vampiric Business, and so the storyline changes a bit, but the rhythm of the story stays the same. I love how this plot always has a realistic feel to it with a paranormal edge. It allows me to connect with Caitlin while still being engaged and mystified by all the scarier, more confusing elements of the unique vampire world that West has truly created, adapted, and made entirely her own. A lot of crazy (SPOILERISH) stuff happens as Caitlin undergoes more intense questioning about why Adrian's demon father is so truly captivated with her, and this allows Caitlin to learn things about herself, about what she truly is. It was completely unexpected but downright cool as hell if I'm being honest when it all comes to fruition and we get that big answer. But then other spoilery things happen that I can't talk about (even though I have an unlimited amount of thoughts and feelings about them!!!), so just know that an ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SHIT HITS THE FAN AND I AM NOT OKAY!!!! I'm terrified/perplexed/anxious about how West plans to continue the storyline and end the trilogy after ALL THAT CRAP THAT JUST HAPPENED AT THE VERY END OF THIS BOOK went down. I mean, I obviously have faith because she just spun the hell out of that story and turned the entire vampire world on its head with her own interpretation of their lore, but I'm a
If I had complaints they'd be so minuscule that it wouldn't really be worth mentioning and, in fact, they're more about my personal preferences than any real issue with the book. There were a few things that I would have wanted to go a little differently, but I'm only going to comment on one thing, but it can be a bit spoilerish, so I'm going to hide it with a tag.
I do know that if I hadn't have felt so sick, I would've read Cashmere all in a matter of a few hours. Every time I woke up, I pounced right back on it. It was a damn good book! Especially when Cait and Adrian were being all adorkably cute together, just like the teaser quote I'm about to post below.
♥ Teaser Quote: Just fyi, this adora-cuteness happens at 1%. Freaking. One. Percent. That's how I knew I was about to love this book and being back around these two dorks! (<---- Dorks said affectionately, btw.)
I snorted. That's exactly what you said about algebra and I'm still getting a D."
He wrapped his arms around my waist and smiled. "Yeah, but you're slightly less motivated when it comes to algebra. And you are improving. I'm not just saying that because I think you're hot."
I snorted again. Adrian kissed the top of my head and let me go, but I grabbed his jacket. "Whoa, there, fella, my face would like some of that."
He grinned, wrapped me back up in his arms, and planted an intentionally sloppy kiss halfway on my mouth and half on my chin.
"Gross."
– quote taken from the eARC of Cashmere at 1%
♥ Rec It? Absolutely! Ms. West has came up with vibrant characters, an interesting exploration of a unique vampire world envisioned solely by her, and a complex romance that I can definitely get behind. The ending to this book was a little painful and left a giant cloud of "WTF?!" hovering above my head. (It was a good sort of WTF, though.) I expect some amazing things from the final installment, so I only have one question left for Ms. West: What do I have to do to get my hands on that last book? I'm not opposed to doing terrible things to make it happen. Or...like, if you need another opinionated reader while you write it or whatever, I totally volunteer as tribute! ;)
♥ A very special thanks to In Medias Rey Publications and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.
March 11, 2017
I received this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
There’s nothing I love more than being able to read part of a series back to back…well, binging a series is also fun too, same concept, but more finality to it that way! Regardless, I couldn’t bring myself to wait another year to start Temple West’s Velvet trilogy and after finding that I really enjoyed that one I immediately went to book two, Cashmere.
Cashmere picks up a few months after the events of Velvet. Lucian is still missing and Tommie aka the name of the man who is being possessed by Adrian’s demon father, is also unaccounted for. Add to that we have Guard (there was a more specific name but of course I’ve forgotten it!) members in town, sent by the Council, leading the search for Lucian. Things are incredibly tense! Adrian and Caitlin must still play their roles from last time, Adrian being the bodyguard and they can’t allow their feelings to ever show through or else there will be hell to pay.
Caitlin has been offered a grand opportunity with an internship at a fashion designer where other high school students attend for one month. There she can live out her dream of being a designer and learn the trade through experience. Though the Guard has sent bodyguards with her, sadly not Adrian, because they still believe she could be important to Adrian’s dad and requires watching over. But naturally, we learn there’s more to it than that. I still don’t feel like we have a very good idea of what exactly Caitlin is. We get a name and some possible theories, all we know is that it’s something the Council doesn’t like.
I struggle to accurately explain why I enjoy these books. When I look at all my notes and reflect on things, you would think I would be put off by it. True, this time around we have less romance focused plots and none of the cliché tropes, so I was happier about that. But the pacing is still a little off. I mean we have like a month of time before the internship and then a month at the internship and it’s like we live out each and every one of those days with Caitlin. All while the search for Lucian is going down and while Caitlin and Adrian and Julian try to figure out what exactly she is and what it means. You would think it would bog me down having to drag through so many non-critical moments…and yet, I’m not! It’s weird, because pacing is usually an issue for me. If it’s too slow, I’m likely to quit the series after giving the first book a go, but I find I am still really enjoying these characters and the storyline itself!
We get a newly added character thrown into the mix, Kalare. She’s a vampire and a sort of Guard member. But she’s very different from the others in her group. Kalare is kind of sassy and I loved it! I feel like I could totally be BFFs with her! Caitlin is like her polar opposite with being more bubbly about things so it was kind of funny that these two slowly become friends! And oh yes, there’s definitely some tension between her and Julian…of the romantic kind of course! And Caitlin may or may not take advantage of this at one point! I’m most excited to see if more things develop between them!
Another thing I enjoy is how Caitlin continues to try to balance her normal life with her somewhat twisted paranormal life. Or at least involvement with the paranormal peeps! She has human friends with very human like troubles and I admire her. She’s very conscientious about other’s feelings it seems like and she tires hard to maintain her friendships with her human gal pals while trying to continue to keep Adrian and his family’s secret, secret. Though I was surprised to see that she and Trish were on the outs in this one, for a great deal of time. Trish was another favorite of mine!
This series so far has done very well for itself if balancing Caitlin’s life with normalcy and paranormalcy. She’s struggling to figure out the big secret that surrounds her life these days and I feel like we only just reached the surface of all that mystery!
There was a lot less kissing in this one! Granted our star-crossed lovers are separated for most of it, and they’re trying to keep their (true) love a secret from pretty much all the vampires, except Julian for as we already know, he knows about them! We aren’t left completely in wanting though, and trust me on this…less is more! Lol!
The ending was pretty shocking too! Far more scandalous than Velvet’s cliffhanger. I feel like this one came in parts! So I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on the next one! And it seems safe to say, it shouldn’t (hopefully) take Temple as long to write this one! Cashmere is another perfect example of why vampire romances will always have a special place in my heart!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
Cashmere releases on February 14, 2017
There’s nothing I love more than being able to read part of a series back to back…well, binging a series is also fun too, same concept, but more finality to it that way! Regardless, I couldn’t bring myself to wait another year to start Temple West’s Velvet trilogy and after finding that I really enjoyed that one I immediately went to book two, Cashmere.
Cashmere picks up a few months after the events of Velvet. Lucian is still missing and Tommie aka the name of the man who is being possessed by Adrian’s demon father, is also unaccounted for. Add to that we have Guard (there was a more specific name but of course I’ve forgotten it!) members in town, sent by the Council, leading the search for Lucian. Things are incredibly tense! Adrian and Caitlin must still play their roles from last time, Adrian being the bodyguard and they can’t allow their feelings to ever show through or else there will be hell to pay.
Caitlin has been offered a grand opportunity with an internship at a fashion designer where other high school students attend for one month. There she can live out her dream of being a designer and learn the trade through experience. Though the Guard has sent bodyguards with her, sadly not Adrian, because they still believe she could be important to Adrian’s dad and requires watching over. But naturally, we learn there’s more to it than that. I still don’t feel like we have a very good idea of what exactly Caitlin is. We get a name and some possible theories, all we know is that it’s something the Council doesn’t like.
I struggle to accurately explain why I enjoy these books. When I look at all my notes and reflect on things, you would think I would be put off by it. True, this time around we have less romance focused plots and none of the cliché tropes, so I was happier about that. But the pacing is still a little off. I mean we have like a month of time before the internship and then a month at the internship and it’s like we live out each and every one of those days with Caitlin. All while the search for Lucian is going down and while Caitlin and Adrian and Julian try to figure out what exactly she is and what it means. You would think it would bog me down having to drag through so many non-critical moments…and yet, I’m not! It’s weird, because pacing is usually an issue for me. If it’s too slow, I’m likely to quit the series after giving the first book a go, but I find I am still really enjoying these characters and the storyline itself!
We get a newly added character thrown into the mix, Kalare. She’s a vampire and a sort of Guard member. But she’s very different from the others in her group. Kalare is kind of sassy and I loved it! I feel like I could totally be BFFs with her! Caitlin is like her polar opposite with being more bubbly about things so it was kind of funny that these two slowly become friends! And oh yes, there’s definitely some tension between her and Julian…of the romantic kind of course! And Caitlin may or may not take advantage of this at one point! I’m most excited to see if more things develop between them!
Another thing I enjoy is how Caitlin continues to try to balance her normal life with her somewhat twisted paranormal life. Or at least involvement with the paranormal peeps! She has human friends with very human like troubles and I admire her. She’s very conscientious about other’s feelings it seems like and she tires hard to maintain her friendships with her human gal pals while trying to continue to keep Adrian and his family’s secret, secret. Though I was surprised to see that she and Trish were on the outs in this one, for a great deal of time. Trish was another favorite of mine!
This series so far has done very well for itself if balancing Caitlin’s life with normalcy and paranormalcy. She’s struggling to figure out the big secret that surrounds her life these days and I feel like we only just reached the surface of all that mystery!
There was a lot less kissing in this one! Granted our star-crossed lovers are separated for most of it, and they’re trying to keep their (true) love a secret from pretty much all the vampires, except Julian for as we already know, he knows about them! We aren’t left completely in wanting though, and trust me on this…less is more! Lol!
The ending was pretty shocking too! Far more scandalous than Velvet’s cliffhanger. I feel like this one came in parts! So I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on the next one! And it seems safe to say, it shouldn’t (hopefully) take Temple as long to write this one! Cashmere is another perfect example of why vampire romances will always have a special place in my heart!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
Cashmere releases on February 14, 2017
February 21, 2017
First off let me say that I loved Velvet and it was a favorite of mine. It also was one of the rare books I picked up to reread parts of which doesn't happen very often for me. So when I say I was so extremely excited for Cashmere I want everyone to fully understand.
Cashmere did not disappoint me at all! I was giggling and smiling pretty much the whole time. And I think that's one of the many reasons why I adore this series so much. It has so many adorable amazing moments and characters that you just love so much and care about so much. While there are those moments there are definitely moments that had me wanting to cry. Which I think makes this series balance out so well.
I had no problems with this book. And could probably go on forever about all that I love about Cashmere. I am just so happy to have a vampire series in my life again that I love so much.
Cashmere did not disappoint me at all! I was giggling and smiling pretty much the whole time. And I think that's one of the many reasons why I adore this series so much. It has so many adorable amazing moments and characters that you just love so much and care about so much. While there are those moments there are definitely moments that had me wanting to cry. Which I think makes this series balance out so well.
I had no problems with this book. And could probably go on forever about all that I love about Cashmere. I am just so happy to have a vampire series in my life again that I love so much.
November 2, 2017
I finished the first book in the series, Velvet, a while ago. I loved it so much, the snarky witty banter, the fashion, the nerdyness and all the cute so you can imagine that the wait for Cashmere was almost unbearable. I was on all social media sites on the look out for this book and then Temple finally announced the second book in the series and here we are 2017 and it's finally released.
I was so excited for this and of course made the purchase as soon as I was able but then I put off reading it. It took so long for Cashmere to come out and because of my social media spoiler habits (I really have to put a stop to looking up my favorite book series on the internet) I knew that Cashmere was going to end on a cliffhanger. The question I said to you really want to read it, knowing you are going to love it and then have to wait for the third book. So I put off reading it for as long as I could but couldn't take it anymore I need more nerdy-cuteness.
So you know when you have such high hopes for a sequel and then it didn't meet your expectations? Well Cashmere passed all my expectations, I loved it so hard. Temple did such a great job with the plot which I admit I did not know where I was going on that crazy ride and then the ending, that killed me. The characters stayed true to themselves but grew more and the relationship between Adrian and Caitlin grew as well. Caitlin and Adrian are more of a couple and the nerdyness is all over the page with Star Wars, Star Trek and Harry Potter references just to name a few. Caitlin and Adrian are more comfortable with each other and more protective of each other as well.
However all is not well, Lucien is still missing, Marina is acting more shady than normal, Trish is starting to ask some serious questions and with new vampires showing up we just don't know who to trust. Not to mention that there is a mystery on the horizon and some shocking truths will be revealed and lets not forget that the De la Mara's father "Tommie" is still around reeking all kinds of havoc and plotting something that no one can even begin to guess at what it is.
Temple has built an amazing world in Velvet and is continuing on with Cashmere. I truly enjoyed this book with all of its fashion, romance, action, mystery, surprises and danger. With the truth now revealed and only part of the puzzle is shown I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I must have my questions answered and I have to see where this is going to go and who will survive. Temple I cannot wait years for the next book, it might cause serious damage to my emotions.
I was so excited for this and of course made the purchase as soon as I was able but then I put off reading it. It took so long for Cashmere to come out and because of my social media spoiler habits (I really have to put a stop to looking up my favorite book series on the internet) I knew that Cashmere was going to end on a cliffhanger. The question I said to you really want to read it, knowing you are going to love it and then have to wait for the third book. So I put off reading it for as long as I could but couldn't take it anymore I need more nerdy-cuteness.
So you know when you have such high hopes for a sequel and then it didn't meet your expectations? Well Cashmere passed all my expectations, I loved it so hard. Temple did such a great job with the plot which I admit I did not know where I was going on that crazy ride and then the ending, that killed me. The characters stayed true to themselves but grew more and the relationship between Adrian and Caitlin grew as well. Caitlin and Adrian are more of a couple and the nerdyness is all over the page with Star Wars, Star Trek and Harry Potter references just to name a few. Caitlin and Adrian are more comfortable with each other and more protective of each other as well.
However all is not well, Lucien is still missing, Marina is acting more shady than normal, Trish is starting to ask some serious questions and with new vampires showing up we just don't know who to trust. Not to mention that there is a mystery on the horizon and some shocking truths will be revealed and lets not forget that the De la Mara's father "Tommie" is still around reeking all kinds of havoc and plotting something that no one can even begin to guess at what it is.
Temple has built an amazing world in Velvet and is continuing on with Cashmere. I truly enjoyed this book with all of its fashion, romance, action, mystery, surprises and danger. With the truth now revealed and only part of the puzzle is shown I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I must have my questions answered and I have to see where this is going to go and who will survive. Temple I cannot wait years for the next book, it might cause serious damage to my emotions.
February 10, 2017
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, none of my thoughts have been changed by this.
Okay so, I read Velvet in like two days and within those two days, the story COMPLETELY hooked me. I love the concept of fake dating and vampire and demons and all the fun stuff. Now, normally I don't really do paranormals, they're just not my cup of tea but West's story has got me.
Upon finishing Velvet, I was lucky enough to have an eARC of it immediately went onto Cashmere. Cashmere is such a fabulous second novel. Second books can get a little iffy sometimes and tend to go on but West always kept the story going. I loved seeing developments between different characters and especially meeting new ones. The ending was so fabulous and I honestly don't know how I will ever wait for 2018. So excited to see what happens next in Caitlin's story
Okay so, I read Velvet in like two days and within those two days, the story COMPLETELY hooked me. I love the concept of fake dating and vampire and demons and all the fun stuff. Now, normally I don't really do paranormals, they're just not my cup of tea but West's story has got me.
Upon finishing Velvet, I was lucky enough to have an eARC of it immediately went onto Cashmere. Cashmere is such a fabulous second novel. Second books can get a little iffy sometimes and tend to go on but West always kept the story going. I loved seeing developments between different characters and especially meeting new ones. The ending was so fabulous and I honestly don't know how I will ever wait for 2018. So excited to see what happens next in Caitlin's story
March 19, 2017
I fell in love with Velvet instantly, naturally I'd been excited for Cashmere. I was grandly rewarded. Temple West continued to provide lots of humor in her story but it did grow darker - and I'm having a hard time imagining much humor in the final book but confident she'll continue to give us a mix of humor, geekiness, drama, and of course love. Man I hope there is a happy ending for most of the characters, a few others will hopefully get "what's coming to them".
I gave Velvet 5 stars and I'm giving Cashmere 5 - I think overall Cashmere outshines Velvet as an even more well rounded fleshed out story. It gave us lots of answers throughout and then bam leaves us with a whole new set of questions! I loved it. Both stories are filled with a lot of fun but Cashmere also managed to level up the creepiness. I don't recommend reading it before bed unless you want strange dreams, or maybe that was just me! Looking forward to the final book.
I gave Velvet 5 stars and I'm giving Cashmere 5 - I think overall Cashmere outshines Velvet as an even more well rounded fleshed out story. It gave us lots of answers throughout and then bam leaves us with a whole new set of questions! I loved it. Both stories are filled with a lot of fun but Cashmere also managed to level up the creepiness. I don't recommend reading it before bed unless you want strange dreams, or maybe that was just me! Looking forward to the final book.
March 18, 2017
This was a good follow up to Cashmere. There's new characters this time, and a revelation about an old one that what pretty major.
I love Kalare, she is definitly my fav of the vampires. Sabine is a bitch. Julien is much more involved in this book then the last. There was less Adrian in this one :(
The prom dance scene and the Harry Potter references are awesome!
In Cashmere, school's out and while trying to find Lucian, Caitlin tries to figure out why Tommie was after her in the first place. With the help of her sub conscience (who happens to be Data from Star Trek!) along with Adrian, Kalare and Julien, they must stay one step ahead of the Vampire Guard or risk terrible consequences.
The ending was very fast paced and a lot of questions are answered. I honestly can't predict what will happen next!
I love Kalare, she is definitly my fav of the vampires. Sabine is a bitch. Julien is much more involved in this book then the last. There was less Adrian in this one :(
The prom dance scene and the Harry Potter references are awesome!
In Cashmere, school's out and while trying to find Lucian, Caitlin tries to figure out why Tommie was after her in the first place. With the help of her sub conscience (who happens to be Data from Star Trek!) along with Adrian, Kalare and Julien, they must stay one step ahead of the Vampire Guard or risk terrible consequences.
The ending was very fast paced and a lot of questions are answered. I honestly can't predict what will happen next!
June 29, 2017
This is the 2nd book of a trilogy. I really liked this book. Adrian's and Caitlin's relationship gets closer and trying to find info on different things of the vampire world. Adrian is a vampire and Caitlin finds out things he didn't know and the investigate. Meanwhile Caitlin finds out the truth between her mom and Aunt. Also Caitlin gets accepted for an internship for a fashion company and runs into obstacles there as well. I can not wait for the next book to come out.
February 7, 2017
*I RECEIVED A FREE ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*
AAAAAHH I AM SO DAMN HAPPY I READ THIS!!!! I read book 1 last year and it ended up being number 10 on my top ten books of 2016! Ever since i've been waiting and waiting to read this book and suddenly a few days ago i saw someone update their status to currently reading on my goodreads news feed and i was like WHAT. IT'S NOT EVEN OUT YET!!! So i went straight to stalk the goodreads page of the book trying to find a way to get an ARC. Then an amazing person mentioned in her review that the book was available on Netgalley as a 'read now' title!!!!! HAPPIEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK. Obviously i downloaded it instantly and devoured it which leads to me now being overcome with feels.
Adrian omigod guys!!!! He is not your typical YA guy! He's a young vampire and uber hot but he's a total nerd!!!! He's a BIG BIG harry potter fan!!! The dude balanced with hotness and geekiness and sweetness! Not typical YA bad boy with an attitude but GAWD he's such a sweety pie!!!! Harry Potter fans there is a scene that will make you so incredible happy!!! And there are countless mentions of Harry Potter and even a dress up scene!
"I was the passionate, reckless one, he was the nerd who read Harry Potter and got accepted to Harvard and spent the majority of his life perfecting a look of polite indifference."
-Caitlin
Caitlin i thought i couldn't like her better than i already did but SHE KICKED ASS!!!!!! And i'm not talking physically being badass but her attitude was off the charts and i kept cheering her own! Immortal bitchy vampire hates her and wants to destroy her life? Caitlin will shut her up.
I loved that she kept pursuing her dreams of becoming a fashion designer no matter how much vampires impacted on her life. She knew who she was, who she wanted to become and she was not stopping until she fulfilled her dreams. (Notice i said she knew who she was not what she was *wink*).
One of the things that i absolutely LOVED in book 1 was the development between Adrian and Caitlin's friendship. Despite the slight attraction to each other their relationship was first and foremost based on friendship. It took a while for them to move further than that and it is honestly the first book where i've seen such a great development to a romantic relationship. So if you guys really hate insta love then i highly suggest reading book 1 because the friendship between the 2 was awesome!!! In this book we went more into the romantic aspect of their relationship and it was the sweetest thing ever!!! Also if you pick up this book i suggest paying special attention to chapter 22!!! I will not spoil!!! But hot damn i have never laughed this much because of a book!!!! It was an intimate scene that ended up being so ridiculously sweet and hilarious at the same time!!! IT WAS JUST PERFECT!!! I literally laughed for ten minutes straight!
Plot wise book 1 was more focused on the relationship blossoming between Adrian and Caitlin,,.it wasn't that complex. But in book 2 we delve much more into the plot, it gets really tense and interesting! There are so many things happening-it's a pretty long book-and again never a dull moment even though Caitlin and Adrian were separated for quite some time. Not only did we get more imvolved into the vampire world but we also got a little mix of a contemporary novel in Caitlin's intership. We really get a super insightful look at the fashion industry and it was fascinating!!! Caitlin's personality and passion really shone through! The balance between the supernatural vampires and the contemporary aspect of the internship was super well established! Loved every second of it!
We got introduced to quite a few new characters. I especially liked Kalare, Caitlin's new friend/bodyguard. She was absolutely badass and pretty rough but she had a super sweet side! Like when she started smoking organic stuff instead of cigarettes so she wouldn't ruin Cait's lungs since they were spending a lot of time together! AWWWW!!!
And though a few of our questions from book 1 has been answered there is still A LOT we don't know and we have loads of questions still unanswered! The author does an amazing job at keeping our interest piqued and makes us CRAVE book 3 that much more!!!!
Do not make the mistake of comparing this to Twilight. It is not your typical vamp romance!!! It is off the charts on the awesomeness scale and recommended to everyone!!! I cannot wait to see how it all plays out in the last book!
AAAAAHH I AM SO DAMN HAPPY I READ THIS!!!! I read book 1 last year and it ended up being number 10 on my top ten books of 2016! Ever since i've been waiting and waiting to read this book and suddenly a few days ago i saw someone update their status to currently reading on my goodreads news feed and i was like WHAT. IT'S NOT EVEN OUT YET!!! So i went straight to stalk the goodreads page of the book trying to find a way to get an ARC. Then an amazing person mentioned in her review that the book was available on Netgalley as a 'read now' title!!!!! HAPPIEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK. Obviously i downloaded it instantly and devoured it which leads to me now being overcome with feels.
Adrian omigod guys!!!! He is not your typical YA guy! He's a young vampire and uber hot but he's a total nerd!!!! He's a BIG BIG harry potter fan!!! The dude balanced with hotness and geekiness and sweetness! Not typical YA bad boy with an attitude but GAWD he's such a sweety pie!!!! Harry Potter fans there is a scene that will make you so incredible happy!!! And there are countless mentions of Harry Potter and even a dress up scene!
"I was the passionate, reckless one, he was the nerd who read Harry Potter and got accepted to Harvard and spent the majority of his life perfecting a look of polite indifference."
-Caitlin
Caitlin i thought i couldn't like her better than i already did but SHE KICKED ASS!!!!!! And i'm not talking physically being badass but her attitude was off the charts and i kept cheering her own! Immortal bitchy vampire hates her and wants to destroy her life? Caitlin will shut her up.
I loved that she kept pursuing her dreams of becoming a fashion designer no matter how much vampires impacted on her life. She knew who she was, who she wanted to become and she was not stopping until she fulfilled her dreams. (Notice i said she knew who she was not what she was *wink*).
One of the things that i absolutely LOVED in book 1 was the development between Adrian and Caitlin's friendship. Despite the slight attraction to each other their relationship was first and foremost based on friendship. It took a while for them to move further than that and it is honestly the first book where i've seen such a great development to a romantic relationship. So if you guys really hate insta love then i highly suggest reading book 1 because the friendship between the 2 was awesome!!! In this book we went more into the romantic aspect of their relationship and it was the sweetest thing ever!!! Also if you pick up this book i suggest paying special attention to chapter 22!!! I will not spoil!!! But hot damn i have never laughed this much because of a book!!!! It was an intimate scene that ended up being so ridiculously sweet and hilarious at the same time!!! IT WAS JUST PERFECT!!! I literally laughed for ten minutes straight!
Plot wise book 1 was more focused on the relationship blossoming between Adrian and Caitlin,,.it wasn't that complex. But in book 2 we delve much more into the plot, it gets really tense and interesting! There are so many things happening-it's a pretty long book-and again never a dull moment even though Caitlin and Adrian were separated for quite some time. Not only did we get more imvolved into the vampire world but we also got a little mix of a contemporary novel in Caitlin's intership. We really get a super insightful look at the fashion industry and it was fascinating!!! Caitlin's personality and passion really shone through! The balance between the supernatural vampires and the contemporary aspect of the internship was super well established! Loved every second of it!
We got introduced to quite a few new characters. I especially liked Kalare, Caitlin's new friend/bodyguard. She was absolutely badass and pretty rough but she had a super sweet side! Like when she started smoking organic stuff instead of cigarettes so she wouldn't ruin Cait's lungs since they were spending a lot of time together! AWWWW!!!
And though a few of our questions from book 1 has been answered there is still A LOT we don't know and we have loads of questions still unanswered! The author does an amazing job at keeping our interest piqued and makes us CRAVE book 3 that much more!!!!
Do not make the mistake of comparing this to Twilight. It is not your typical vamp romance!!! It is off the charts on the awesomeness scale and recommended to everyone!!! I cannot wait to see how it all plays out in the last book!
March 26, 2017
This review (and others) can be seen in all its properly formatted glory on my blog Beauty and the Bookshelf.
After reading Velvet, there was one thing I so desperately wanted: the freaking sequel. The utter and pure enjoyment that came from reading Velvet and its vampy fun had me in a fantastic, giddy mood and wanting more. So imagine my reaction when (months later, boo hoo) the eARC of Cashmere was available as "Read Now" on NetGalley. You can bet your fangs I downloaded it faster than you can blink, and read it very soon after.
There's...something about this series. It's very reminiscent of Twilight (honestly, I got some serious Volturi vibes here), but I got over that in Velvet once I started getting addicted to the whole of the book. Sometimes I want to say a book isn't of the highest quality, but I mean it in a way that's neither offensive nor negative. It's like pitting Spongebob Squarepants against Game of Thrones. You can find both extremely enjoyable and good, but one clearly has a certain sort of quality the other doesn't, but they're both something in their own way. This series is like Spongebob. I enjoy it. It's fun! And it's a world I can escape to and feel good in--and I really, really like that.
My one problem--what I have to nitpick about--may be that there's a certain lack of credibility and believability and realism. Vampires and all that aside, some things just feel a slight bit off or over the top. It's not that I don't like it; it's that I expected a different route and maybe wonder what that route would do for the story. Don't get me wrong--I breezed through Cashmere (I started it one night and finished it the next and that rarely happens) and didn't want to put it down and was fretting as I neared the end. But here I am, a couple months later, struggling with what to put in this review. (It's probably not even the book's fault this review is so miserable; blame me instead.) All that said--I did like it! I certainly and most definitely did did did. I really like Caitlin and Adrian's story and they're super duper cute together like my gosh. And I was a fan of some of the new characters, too--and not a fan of others.
I know I keep saying this, but Cashmere was just fun. There's something about a book that can so effortlessly pull you in and keep you in and make you never want to leave. This is one of those books. It has vampires, but it's not exactly a vampire book. And the vampires themselves aren't dark and dreary and this book certainly isn't that either. It's light and breezy but also has some heavy clouds thrown in the mix. Is it perfect? No. Do I care? Not really. But I do know one thing: I want the freaking sequel. (Even if it's probably going to do a thing that series do and that I hate hate hate. But still. I want it. And I predict it's going to be called Satin.)
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
After reading Velvet, there was one thing I so desperately wanted: the freaking sequel. The utter and pure enjoyment that came from reading Velvet and its vampy fun had me in a fantastic, giddy mood and wanting more. So imagine my reaction when (months later, boo hoo) the eARC of Cashmere was available as "Read Now" on NetGalley. You can bet your fangs I downloaded it faster than you can blink, and read it very soon after.
There's...something about this series. It's very reminiscent of Twilight (honestly, I got some serious Volturi vibes here), but I got over that in Velvet once I started getting addicted to the whole of the book. Sometimes I want to say a book isn't of the highest quality, but I mean it in a way that's neither offensive nor negative. It's like pitting Spongebob Squarepants against Game of Thrones. You can find both extremely enjoyable and good, but one clearly has a certain sort of quality the other doesn't, but they're both something in their own way. This series is like Spongebob. I enjoy it. It's fun! And it's a world I can escape to and feel good in--and I really, really like that.
My one problem--what I have to nitpick about--may be that there's a certain lack of credibility and believability and realism. Vampires and all that aside, some things just feel a slight bit off or over the top. It's not that I don't like it; it's that I expected a different route and maybe wonder what that route would do for the story. Don't get me wrong--I breezed through Cashmere (I started it one night and finished it the next and that rarely happens) and didn't want to put it down and was fretting as I neared the end. But here I am, a couple months later, struggling with what to put in this review. (It's probably not even the book's fault this review is so miserable; blame me instead.) All that said--I did like it! I certainly and most definitely did did did. I really like Caitlin and Adrian's story and they're super duper cute together like my gosh. And I was a fan of some of the new characters, too--and not a fan of others.
I know I keep saying this, but Cashmere was just fun. There's something about a book that can so effortlessly pull you in and keep you in and make you never want to leave. This is one of those books. It has vampires, but it's not exactly a vampire book. And the vampires themselves aren't dark and dreary and this book certainly isn't that either. It's light and breezy but also has some heavy clouds thrown in the mix. Is it perfect? No. Do I care? Not really. But I do know one thing: I want the freaking sequel. (Even if it's probably going to do a thing that series do and that I hate hate hate. But still. I want it. And I predict it's going to be called Satin.)
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2017
The second installment in the Velvet Trilogy, Cashmere continues off from where Velvet ended. Caitlin and Adrian are secretly in love, and if anybody else in the vampire community finds out, they could both be put to death. While going to high school and to an internship at a major fashion company, Caitlin is trying to figure out what she is, why she is being hunted and how to save herself, Adrian and Adrian's brother.
There is a surprisingly large concentration on fashion and fashion design in this story, a story about teenage drama and deeply brooding and handsome vampires. It felt like that there was more plot development on the Caitlin's fashion abilities then there was on Caitlin's or Aiden's characters themselves. That left this novel being boring and hard to really get engaged with. It was also quite hard to empathize with a fashion virtuoso. That is not something most people have anything at all to do with, so that doesn't lead to any moments that have the reader going "Oooooh I feel that." making the characters realer to them by giving them something they can empathize with. This novel almost leaves all of the interesting and action packed aspects of the first book out and makes this a mildly vampiric fashion school drama story with minimal action at the end. In conclusion, I don't really recommend Cashmere and give it the rating of THREE OUT OF FIVE STARS!!!
Want more of me? Go to: http://thenotsopubliclibrary.blogspot.ca
February 28, 2017
Wow! What an amazing sequel! My mind is spinning from all the action, new discoveries and now more mystery and unanswered questions. Book 3 can't come soon enough!
April 21, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
*I received an ecopy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I have mixed feelings on this book because despite enjoying it, I wasn't fully satisfied with the story. I loved the first book in this trilogy but I was little bit disappointed with its sequel because the story mostly focused on the Caitlin's fashion internship in New York and less on the whole vampire drama. It seemed more like Project Runway meets twilight which sounds really absurd I know but that's really what I had felt while reading it. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoyed Caitlin's internship in New York with vampire bodyguards secretly babysitting her in the dorms but it made the story lose its seriousness and excitement. Nevertheless, it is a good sequel but not the best.
The story starts after three months after their fight with Tommie and the day they found Lucian kidnapped by Adrian's father. Since Lucian's disappearance, the council has been searching for him everywhere. After Tommie's incident, things became even more complicated for Adrian and Caitlin when the council sends Praetorian Guards to stony creek. On the other hand Caitlin's friend Trish has been angry with her for no reason. When Caitlin gets accepted for an fashion internship in New York, she gets pretty excited about it but it'll take her faraway from Adrian. For her safety, the council decides to send vampire guards along with her to New York. Caitlin finally feels happy living a normal life for a while and her nightmares seems to be stopped since her fight with Tommie but surprisingly, her dreams took a new turn where she could talk with her consciousness but when it intensifies into something extraordinary so many questions arise which leads to a shocking revelation. Besides her secret relationship with Adrian now Caitlin has even more dangerous secret to keep from the council.
Caitlin is a pretty likable character. I liked her in Velvet but I liked her even more in Cashmere. She stood strong despite facing lots of hard and tense situations which makes her tough and emotionally strong. Adrian is definitely swoon worthy vampire. He's so adorable in this book especially the bedroom scene, it was quite hilarious. Though a relationship between a vampire and human is forbidden, Adrian can't deny his feelings for Caitlin anymore and so they begin a secret relationship. Their romance is sweet, cute and oh so adorable. As for the secondary characters, I liked Kalare, Julian, Trish and Caitlin's Aunt. In the friendship department Kalare and Caitlin top's the score but It doesn't mean I didn't liked her friendship with Trish. Kalare is totally kickass character. She oozes rebelliousness which is something I always love in a female character. I will totally ship her with Julian even though how much arrogant he is.
The plot is good but I had some issues with it. The story seemed unbalanced because the contemporary part overshadowed the paranormal part of the story. I've read so many paranormal books set in modern world but this one I had a bit difficulty while switching between two worlds because I can't concentrate on fashion part while some serious shit is happening in the background. Honestly, I really felt like I was reading a contemporary book not a paranormal one. Caitlin's internship really dragged the story and I wish the author had took more interest in other stuff too. The only exciting part of this book is at the ending. I would've enjoyed it more if there was more vampire action in it. I liked the writing which seems to be much improved. The book was told from Caitlin's Perspective[first-person] and I don't have any issues with it.
Overall, I like it but I don't love it! The book finally concluded with a major cliffhanger and I really hope the finale is more action packed and thrilling.
Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
*I received an ecopy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I have mixed feelings on this book because despite enjoying it, I wasn't fully satisfied with the story. I loved the first book in this trilogy but I was little bit disappointed with its sequel because the story mostly focused on the Caitlin's fashion internship in New York and less on the whole vampire drama. It seemed more like Project Runway meets twilight which sounds really absurd I know but that's really what I had felt while reading it. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoyed Caitlin's internship in New York with vampire bodyguards secretly babysitting her in the dorms but it made the story lose its seriousness and excitement. Nevertheless, it is a good sequel but not the best.
The story starts after three months after their fight with Tommie and the day they found Lucian kidnapped by Adrian's father. Since Lucian's disappearance, the council has been searching for him everywhere. After Tommie's incident, things became even more complicated for Adrian and Caitlin when the council sends Praetorian Guards to stony creek. On the other hand Caitlin's friend Trish has been angry with her for no reason. When Caitlin gets accepted for an fashion internship in New York, she gets pretty excited about it but it'll take her faraway from Adrian. For her safety, the council decides to send vampire guards along with her to New York. Caitlin finally feels happy living a normal life for a while and her nightmares seems to be stopped since her fight with Tommie but surprisingly, her dreams took a new turn where she could talk with her consciousness but when it intensifies into something extraordinary so many questions arise which leads to a shocking revelation. Besides her secret relationship with Adrian now Caitlin has even more dangerous secret to keep from the council.
Caitlin is a pretty likable character. I liked her in Velvet but I liked her even more in Cashmere. She stood strong despite facing lots of hard and tense situations which makes her tough and emotionally strong. Adrian is definitely swoon worthy vampire. He's so adorable in this book especially the bedroom scene, it was quite hilarious. Though a relationship between a vampire and human is forbidden, Adrian can't deny his feelings for Caitlin anymore and so they begin a secret relationship. Their romance is sweet, cute and oh so adorable. As for the secondary characters, I liked Kalare, Julian, Trish and Caitlin's Aunt. In the friendship department Kalare and Caitlin top's the score but It doesn't mean I didn't liked her friendship with Trish. Kalare is totally kickass character. She oozes rebelliousness which is something I always love in a female character. I will totally ship her with Julian even though how much arrogant he is.
The plot is good but I had some issues with it. The story seemed unbalanced because the contemporary part overshadowed the paranormal part of the story. I've read so many paranormal books set in modern world but this one I had a bit difficulty while switching between two worlds because I can't concentrate on fashion part while some serious shit is happening in the background. Honestly, I really felt like I was reading a contemporary book not a paranormal one. Caitlin's internship really dragged the story and I wish the author had took more interest in other stuff too. The only exciting part of this book is at the ending. I would've enjoyed it more if there was more vampire action in it. I liked the writing which seems to be much improved. The book was told from Caitlin's Perspective[first-person] and I don't have any issues with it.
Overall, I like it but I don't love it! The book finally concluded with a major cliffhanger and I really hope the finale is more action packed and thrilling.
August 28, 2021
Nothing happened until the last two chapters.
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