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The Siren #1
The Rush
Greek mythology meets YA brilliance in this epic romance fans of Percy Jackson, the Everneath Series, and the Covenant Series will love!
A life not her own - a future already decided.
Every facet of Ivy Pierce's life is meticulously planned out. Cynical and jaded by 16, Ivy's only hope is to escape the legacy she was born into.
She has a plan, a carefully thought out escape plan. She just has to play by the rules until everything falls into place. Unfortunately, as predictable as her life can be, she never sees Ryder Sutton coming. He tumbles into her life, unimpressed and untouched by her and the rules she's forced to live by. He's an enigma to her. A gorgeous, frustrating, sincere mystery in the ugly prison of her life.
What blooms between them is a fiercely intense attraction that cannot be ignored. Even though they would both be better off without each other - even if both their lives depend on staying apart.
A life not her own - a future already decided.
Every facet of Ivy Pierce's life is meticulously planned out. Cynical and jaded by 16, Ivy's only hope is to escape the legacy she was born into.
She has a plan, a carefully thought out escape plan. She just has to play by the rules until everything falls into place. Unfortunately, as predictable as her life can be, she never sees Ryder Sutton coming. He tumbles into her life, unimpressed and untouched by her and the rules she's forced to live by. He's an enigma to her. A gorgeous, frustrating, sincere mystery in the ugly prison of her life.
What blooms between them is a fiercely intense attraction that cannot be ignored. Even though they would both be better off without each other - even if both their lives depend on staying apart.
MP3 CD
First published March 20, 2013
256 people are currently reading
2568 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Higginson
122 books3,494 followersRachel Higginson is the best-selling author of The Five Stages of Falling in Love, Every Wrong Reason, Bet on Us and The Star-Crossed Series.
She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart. Now she spends her days writing stories and raising five amazing kids.
She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart. Now she spends her days writing stories and raising five amazing kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
March 29, 2022
Review coming 📚📙📗📘📕📔📙📚📗📖📘📕📔📚📒📓📘📕📔📗📚📖
May 18, 2013
My most FAV book so far this year. Which is weird for me cos I don't do paranormal. (Unless its all things JR Ward, of course)
Read this without spoilers. Didn't know what I was getting myself into and I'm glad I did. Totally unexpected. Nothing like I've ever read before.
MY FAV EXCERPTS FROM MY NEW FAV BOOK:
RYDER:
“His gray eyes were heated in the low lights of the bathroom but full of excited adrenaline from being on stage. The ends of his hair were damp from being under the hot lights and curled around his neck and over his ears, slick with sweat. His shirt clung to his body, sticking to him from the performance. He was full of feral energy; his presence was completely intrusive and demanding. His energy was infecting the room, reaching every molecule and atom around me, making the air bounce off the walls in excited frenzy.
He was overwhelming.”
RYDER, ABOUT IVY, THE HEROINE'S TATTOO:
“My soul is free,” he whispered into the silence with the reverence the phrase was meant to hold. “My soul is free.” He repeated the words and my heart expanded at the incantation. The words I had chosen so carefully held the deepest meaning of my existence. I loved the way they sounded out loud, how they fell out of his lips and off his tongue with care.”
HE'S JUST HOLDING HER HAND:
“I felt every small connection of his skin to mine, the pads of his fingers, his joints that bent to curve around my hand, the heel of his hand as it pressed into mine. I closed my eyes against the sensation. The feeling was so profound, so all consuming that it intensified until my fingertips tingled and my toes curled. I closed my eyes and prayed this was all that Ryder was, just a rush of feeling, of sensation, that the only pull I felt to him was the rush.”
THEIR CONNECTION:
“All of a sudden the space between us was filled, brimming over with emotion and tension. There had been some of that before; the space between us had never been empty. But now it was completely full, atoms and particles and molecules and whatever else occupied the space between zinged around in a wild frenzy, charged with the growing something that enveloped everything separating us.”
HER LIFE:
“My stomach erupted in nerves. Not nerves like the butterflies Ryder gave me, unless these butterflies had strapped razor blades to their wings and were flying about with the sole intention of shredding me from the inside out until I bled to death.”
THEY SAY SHE'S NOT GOOD FOR HIM:
“Fun fact,” Ryder smirked at me. “Tanner blames that on your terrible influence. Turns out your poison to a good boy like me.”
“Huh, imagine that,” I sighed. “And what do you say to that.”
“I say it’s less like poison and more like kryptonite.” His steady gaze held mine and my heart thumped in my chest, responding to his words, even if I wouldn’t let any other part of me."
RYDER'S RAGE:
"He was a man possessed by rage and retribution.”
“Ryder’s whole body tensed when he realized Taylor was the one that hurt me. It was like he followed that bloodied fingertip up the length of his arm and to his face and put the entire night together in his head.
And then Ryder snapped.
He launched himself forward, onto Taylor and his fist connected with Taylor’s face like a branch breaking off a huge tree during a lightning storm. I heard the crunch of bones from even inside the car and then watched the splurt of blood soil Ryder’s face, hands and chest. My hand flew to my mouth and I gasped against the horror of the moment.”
THE TITLE:
“The way he played his guitar.... the way he drank his coffee.... the way he didn't bother with his hair, the way he laughed at me, the way his silver eyes cut to me from across a room and he could determine in once glance if I was alright or if I needed to be rescued, the way he protected me from everything, even myself.... but most of all the way he made me feel when we're together, when we're not together, hell the way he made me feel anything at all.... the butterflies and blushing.... the rush of it all. Damn it. I'd fallen for the rush.”
Firsts for me:
- Never have I welcomed a hero who is slow to love his heroine like Ryder is. What a relief.
- he has a gf and I was fine-ish with that.
- I was ok with the long wait for the bottom line (I'm sure readers of Paranormal got it waaay before I did.)
- never been exposed to this Siren phenomenon before.
I love the writing style. Truly a gift. I can't explain it so I'm gonna paste some beautifully written quotes here. I hear the YA voices but its not too simplistic or too heavy. Powerful yet young and fresh. A perfect balance.
I didn't want this book to end. I wanted to bask in the intense scenes she depicted. The emotions, the descriptions, the characters. How does she create a hero who says so much without actually verbalizing his feelings? Its entirely in the heroine's POV but I can feel his intensity and how he is drawn, unwillingly, to her, NOT because of who she is but because of a pull within himself and a bond between them that has NOTHING to do with what she is. Maybe it helped that I read a chapter in his POV on the author's blog. Either way, it kept me reading even when my body protested at its lack of sleep, even when I was nauseous with worry and hatred and disgust and wallowing in the bittersweetness.
1 star short of 5 cos:
- its too long
- its an installment read. I prefer closure and a follow up in the form of a series not a cliffhanger with installments to follow
- There isn't enough "together" time for the H and h. (Although I get this, cos its probably a YA Paranormal read before its a Romance)
- it needs some editing although it didn't distract from the impact of the story.
- and it bothered me very much that *****SPOILER******
The h didn't contact the hero's family when he got in a helluva lotta trouble for defending her. She has so many intense emotions and I needed her emotions to be concentrated on HIM and HIS wellbeing when she saw the enormity of the situation he found himself in, because he cares about her.
Read this without spoilers. Didn't know what I was getting myself into and I'm glad I did. Totally unexpected. Nothing like I've ever read before.
MY FAV EXCERPTS FROM MY NEW FAV BOOK:
RYDER:
“His gray eyes were heated in the low lights of the bathroom but full of excited adrenaline from being on stage. The ends of his hair were damp from being under the hot lights and curled around his neck and over his ears, slick with sweat. His shirt clung to his body, sticking to him from the performance. He was full of feral energy; his presence was completely intrusive and demanding. His energy was infecting the room, reaching every molecule and atom around me, making the air bounce off the walls in excited frenzy.
He was overwhelming.”
RYDER, ABOUT IVY, THE HEROINE'S TATTOO:
“My soul is free,” he whispered into the silence with the reverence the phrase was meant to hold. “My soul is free.” He repeated the words and my heart expanded at the incantation. The words I had chosen so carefully held the deepest meaning of my existence. I loved the way they sounded out loud, how they fell out of his lips and off his tongue with care.”
HE'S JUST HOLDING HER HAND:
“I felt every small connection of his skin to mine, the pads of his fingers, his joints that bent to curve around my hand, the heel of his hand as it pressed into mine. I closed my eyes against the sensation. The feeling was so profound, so all consuming that it intensified until my fingertips tingled and my toes curled. I closed my eyes and prayed this was all that Ryder was, just a rush of feeling, of sensation, that the only pull I felt to him was the rush.”
THEIR CONNECTION:
“All of a sudden the space between us was filled, brimming over with emotion and tension. There had been some of that before; the space between us had never been empty. But now it was completely full, atoms and particles and molecules and whatever else occupied the space between zinged around in a wild frenzy, charged with the growing something that enveloped everything separating us.”
HER LIFE:
“My stomach erupted in nerves. Not nerves like the butterflies Ryder gave me, unless these butterflies had strapped razor blades to their wings and were flying about with the sole intention of shredding me from the inside out until I bled to death.”
THEY SAY SHE'S NOT GOOD FOR HIM:
“Fun fact,” Ryder smirked at me. “Tanner blames that on your terrible influence. Turns out your poison to a good boy like me.”
“Huh, imagine that,” I sighed. “And what do you say to that.”
“I say it’s less like poison and more like kryptonite.” His steady gaze held mine and my heart thumped in my chest, responding to his words, even if I wouldn’t let any other part of me."
RYDER'S RAGE:
"He was a man possessed by rage and retribution.”
“Ryder’s whole body tensed when he realized Taylor was the one that hurt me. It was like he followed that bloodied fingertip up the length of his arm and to his face and put the entire night together in his head.
And then Ryder snapped.
He launched himself forward, onto Taylor and his fist connected with Taylor’s face like a branch breaking off a huge tree during a lightning storm. I heard the crunch of bones from even inside the car and then watched the splurt of blood soil Ryder’s face, hands and chest. My hand flew to my mouth and I gasped against the horror of the moment.”
THE TITLE:
“The way he played his guitar.... the way he drank his coffee.... the way he didn't bother with his hair, the way he laughed at me, the way his silver eyes cut to me from across a room and he could determine in once glance if I was alright or if I needed to be rescued, the way he protected me from everything, even myself.... but most of all the way he made me feel when we're together, when we're not together, hell the way he made me feel anything at all.... the butterflies and blushing.... the rush of it all. Damn it. I'd fallen for the rush.”
Firsts for me:
- Never have I welcomed a hero who is slow to love his heroine like Ryder is. What a relief.
- he has a gf and I was fine-ish with that.
- I was ok with the long wait for the bottom line (I'm sure readers of Paranormal got it waaay before I did.)
- never been exposed to this Siren phenomenon before.
I love the writing style. Truly a gift. I can't explain it so I'm gonna paste some beautifully written quotes here. I hear the YA voices but its not too simplistic or too heavy. Powerful yet young and fresh. A perfect balance.
I didn't want this book to end. I wanted to bask in the intense scenes she depicted. The emotions, the descriptions, the characters. How does she create a hero who says so much without actually verbalizing his feelings? Its entirely in the heroine's POV but I can feel his intensity and how he is drawn, unwillingly, to her, NOT because of who she is but because of a pull within himself and a bond between them that has NOTHING to do with what she is. Maybe it helped that I read a chapter in his POV on the author's blog. Either way, it kept me reading even when my body protested at its lack of sleep, even when I was nauseous with worry and hatred and disgust and wallowing in the bittersweetness.
1 star short of 5 cos:
- its too long
- its an installment read. I prefer closure and a follow up in the form of a series not a cliffhanger with installments to follow
- There isn't enough "together" time for the H and h. (Although I get this, cos its probably a YA Paranormal read before its a Romance)
- it needs some editing although it didn't distract from the impact of the story.
- and it bothered me very much that *****SPOILER******
The h didn't contact the hero's family when he got in a helluva lotta trouble for defending her. She has so many intense emotions and I needed her emotions to be concentrated on HIM and HIS wellbeing when she saw the enormity of the situation he found himself in, because he cares about her.
May 16, 2015
I tried to like this but it missed the trick on a lot of points. I was frustrated quite a few times and considered more than once stopping reading it. I finished eventually but it dragged in. I would not continue this series.
January 15, 2014
This unfortunately is a DNF for me.
I got as far as 44%, and I can't do it anymore. Nope. I can't. My time's too much of a precious thing.
Ivy's pity-party finally did me in. I absolutely abhor weak female leads and she takes the cake on this one.
I got as far as 44%, and I can't do it anymore. Nope. I can't. My time's too much of a precious thing.
Ivy's pity-party finally did me in. I absolutely abhor weak female leads and she takes the cake on this one.
April 8, 2013
Rachel Higginson's work never disappoints. I basically bought this book 'site unseen', and blindly began reading knowing I would probably love it. I have no regrets.
At first, I thought the main character seemed conceited, and the hook of the story wasn't immediate for me. I was afraid my preconceived notion that I would love the book may have been wrong. However, I just had to give it a few chapters before I started to understand the character and for the story to begin to grow on me. Don't let the beginning discourage you from the story, it turns out so much more than you would expect.
Not having paid attention to the series name and only briefly skimming the blurb, I wasn't sure what I was reading. I thought perhaps the author was trying to write in a different genre than what she typically has. Possibly a YA fiction instead of a YA/Paranormal/Romance? I was okay with that, but I think I was about a 1/4 of the way through the book before the paranormal aspect of the story started to sink in. It was so subtle and unexpectedly refreshing to not be immediately or suddenly immersed in a paranormal universe or culture. It was gently introduced and then subtly reinforced as the story developed. The situation the main character was
More unexpected was the romance aspect of the story. As I mentioned, I thought perhaps I was reading a YA fiction in the beginning, then I decided it was a YA Paranormal, but ultimately determined it was YA Paranormal/Romance. The characters didn't inexplicably fall hard and fast in love, with seemingly little to no knowledge/understanding of each other as with so many romance/love stories out there. The characters were developed, personalities and insecurities exposed, and they naturally attracted over the course of the story. The love interests and intentions weren't clearly discernible up until the end. You could see the main character falling, but you weren't sure if her interest would be returned. It was delightfully enticing, and encouraged me to push forward to see how it played out. The romantic development was beautiful and meaningful.
I love the emotional life experiences the author puts her characters into. They're always facing traumatic challenges that real people experience, but do not often speak about in mixed company, or unmixed company for that matter. As a person who has had some traumatic life experiences, I love to read stories of characters who are sculpted by their experiences, but strive to overcome them. They are both heartbreaking and uplifting.
The length of the book was just enough to get to know the characters and the situation, and to build anticipation for the rest of the series. The end was somewhat sudden, but not terribly climactic, so I'm not sure if you could call it a cliff-hanger. For me, the conclusion came to a natural stop that left me comfortably optimistic for the next book.
A well crafted and worthwhile read. I look forward to the rest of the series.
At first, I thought the main character seemed conceited, and the hook of the story wasn't immediate for me. I was afraid my preconceived notion that I would love the book may have been wrong. However, I just had to give it a few chapters before I started to understand the character and for the story to begin to grow on me. Don't let the beginning discourage you from the story, it turns out so much more than you would expect.
Not having paid attention to the series name and only briefly skimming the blurb, I wasn't sure what I was reading. I thought perhaps the author was trying to write in a different genre than what she typically has. Possibly a YA fiction instead of a YA/Paranormal/Romance? I was okay with that, but I think I was about a 1/4 of the way through the book before the paranormal aspect of the story started to sink in. It was so subtle and unexpectedly refreshing to not be immediately or suddenly immersed in a paranormal universe or culture. It was gently introduced and then subtly reinforced as the story developed. The situation the main character was
More unexpected was the romance aspect of the story. As I mentioned, I thought perhaps I was reading a YA fiction in the beginning, then I decided it was a YA Paranormal, but ultimately determined it was YA Paranormal/Romance. The characters didn't inexplicably fall hard and fast in love, with seemingly little to no knowledge/understanding of each other as with so many romance/love stories out there. The characters were developed, personalities and insecurities exposed, and they naturally attracted over the course of the story. The love interests and intentions weren't clearly discernible up until the end. You could see the main character falling, but you weren't sure if her interest would be returned. It was delightfully enticing, and encouraged me to push forward to see how it played out. The romantic development was beautiful and meaningful.
I love the emotional life experiences the author puts her characters into. They're always facing traumatic challenges that real people experience, but do not often speak about in mixed company, or unmixed company for that matter. As a person who has had some traumatic life experiences, I love to read stories of characters who are sculpted by their experiences, but strive to overcome them. They are both heartbreaking and uplifting.
The length of the book was just enough to get to know the characters and the situation, and to build anticipation for the rest of the series. The end was somewhat sudden, but not terribly climactic, so I'm not sure if you could call it a cliff-hanger. For me, the conclusion came to a natural stop that left me comfortably optimistic for the next book.
A well crafted and worthwhile read. I look forward to the rest of the series.
February 7, 2016
Oh gawd where to start! I have to admit I was really unsure starting this book. I was so afraid that I would end up hating it, especially since I absolutely love Rachel Higginson's Star-Crossed Series, but I kept reading and fell in love. I have to admit, it was a little slow and confusing in the beginning. But, once I went further into the book I started to understand the story and I just had to keep reading! Th Siren was a tad darker than I'm used to reading, but it really touched my heart and as I began to discern the characters and get their stories, I loved the story. Rachel Higginson did not disappoint, she is an amazing writer and I can't wait to finish The Fall and The Heart.
April 9, 2013
I was really looking forward to this book. I liked the Star Crossed Series. Unfortunately, this book was extremely disappointing. I forced myself to finish it because I had read the reviews and knew a little bit about where the author was going. If I hadn't done that I would of thought this was a book about human trafficking. She definitely waited too late in the book to reveal what was actually going on. She also missed out on a major opportunity to explore the back story of how and why Ivy and the other sirens are trapped in this lifestyle. Maybe that will come up in the second book, but I doubt that I will read it.
August 1, 2023
Don’t read this. I had to DNF this out of sheer frustration at 55%.
This is how you shouldn’t write a slow burn. It DRAGS horribly.
By 55%, I still didn’t know wtf the plot was suppose to be about.
All you hear is the h whining about everything.
It was just one huge pity party of “my life sucks”
and as a reader, I couldn’t sympathize with her situation since I didn’t know her back story. Everything was a huge annoying mystery. 🤦🏼♀️🤷🏻♀️
Then there’s the non-romance. He’s barely in the book.
Let’s talk about this supposed love interest though…
he has a GF that he’s completely devoted to, and he is in love with this beautiful and kind girl. She’s likable and not an evil ow.
So he spends most of the on page scenes kissing, looking deeply into her eyes, or making out with the GF right in front of the h.
He had more chemistry with his Gf than he had with the h, and the h knows how very unaffected the H is with the h. Sounds so romantic, doesn’t it?
The h starts having feelings, like jealousies, and SHE becomes obsessed, first. he is immune to her.
She also likes his GF, because she’s a nice girl who defends her, and his gf is her only friend in their school.
But she’s out there going to her BFs work place with her out of school girl friends to check him out, because of how hot he is and making eyes with him. As in she’s chasing him when he has a GF, when he hasn’t shown interest in her, while pretending she’s not chasing him, when she obviously is. No wonder this girl has no girl friends.
And I hate girls who chases men, especially when the guy has a KIND gf/wife.
🚧 Safety spoilers (I skimmed read very quickly to the end to get this info)
- Clean romance. No sex. Only 1 kiss the entire book between the MCs.
- No cheating.
- lots of OW angst, since H had a gf.
- H and his girlfriend broke up a few days after meeting the h, but she doesn’t find out until 75% of the book, so it felt like he had a Gf the entire book.
- H’s girlfriend broke up with him, because she liked another guy, and it’s the gf who tells the h later in the book. H never explained what happened, or shared his feelings about the gf to the h. It was basically like, oh you guys broke up, and he’s like yes, we did, end of that discussion. As I said, this book was just frustrating.
- The h was seeing an OM half the book, but he was like a puppy or a house plant to her. They only shared a hug.
- book ends with the MC still being only friends, but this is a trilogy. I obviously won’t be reading it.
🌟 - And the plot? SPOILER🌟🌟
You finally find out what the book/trilogy is about at 75%.
The h, her mom, and the other women are in a sex cult.
These women are modern day sirens.
They no longer seduce sailors to their deaths, but they still have this paranormal aura that makes men fall deeply in love with them.
During highschool, they groom teenage sirens like the h to practice their dating with boys. No sex though. They date these boys, see them fall in love and then break up with them.
Then once they’re of age, they will basically turn into sugar babies who DO have sex with their targets. They find rich men, marry them and take all their money.
And so the h is rebelling against this. If I had known this early on, I wouldn’t have found the book as frustrating maybe.🤷🏻♀️
With a sex cult plot, it’s ridiculous to keep it so clean. It’s like having a porn star MC with no sex happening, wtf.
KU book.
Pros: the h is like a fem fatale beautiful, a heart breaker, an unusual trope.
This is how you shouldn’t write a slow burn. It DRAGS horribly.
By 55%, I still didn’t know wtf the plot was suppose to be about.
All you hear is the h whining about everything.
It was just one huge pity party of “my life sucks”
and as a reader, I couldn’t sympathize with her situation since I didn’t know her back story. Everything was a huge annoying mystery. 🤦🏼♀️🤷🏻♀️
Then there’s the non-romance. He’s barely in the book.
Let’s talk about this supposed love interest though…
he has a GF that he’s completely devoted to, and he is in love with this beautiful and kind girl. She’s likable and not an evil ow.
So he spends most of the on page scenes kissing, looking deeply into her eyes, or making out with the GF right in front of the h.
He had more chemistry with his Gf than he had with the h, and the h knows how very unaffected the H is with the h. Sounds so romantic, doesn’t it?
The h starts having feelings, like jealousies, and SHE becomes obsessed, first. he is immune to her.
She also likes his GF, because she’s a nice girl who defends her, and his gf is her only friend in their school.
But she’s out there going to her BFs work place with her out of school girl friends to check him out, because of how hot he is and making eyes with him. As in she’s chasing him when he has a GF, when he hasn’t shown interest in her, while pretending she’s not chasing him, when she obviously is. No wonder this girl has no girl friends.
And I hate girls who chases men, especially when the guy has a KIND gf/wife.
🚧 Safety spoilers (I skimmed read very quickly to the end to get this info)
- Clean romance. No sex. Only 1 kiss the entire book between the MCs.
- No cheating.
- lots of OW angst, since H had a gf.
- H and his girlfriend broke up a few days after meeting the h, but she doesn’t find out until 75% of the book, so it felt like he had a Gf the entire book.
- H’s girlfriend broke up with him, because she liked another guy, and it’s the gf who tells the h later in the book. H never explained what happened, or shared his feelings about the gf to the h. It was basically like, oh you guys broke up, and he’s like yes, we did, end of that discussion. As I said, this book was just frustrating.
- The h was seeing an OM half the book, but he was like a puppy or a house plant to her. They only shared a hug.
- book ends with the MC still being only friends, but this is a trilogy. I obviously won’t be reading it.
🌟 - And the plot? SPOILER🌟🌟
You finally find out what the book/trilogy is about at 75%.
The h, her mom, and the other women are in a sex cult.
These women are modern day sirens.
They no longer seduce sailors to their deaths, but they still have this paranormal aura that makes men fall deeply in love with them.
During highschool, they groom teenage sirens like the h to practice their dating with boys. No sex though. They date these boys, see them fall in love and then break up with them.
Then once they’re of age, they will basically turn into sugar babies who DO have sex with their targets. They find rich men, marry them and take all their money.
And so the h is rebelling against this. If I had known this early on, I wouldn’t have found the book as frustrating maybe.🤷🏻♀️
With a sex cult plot, it’s ridiculous to keep it so clean. It’s like having a porn star MC with no sex happening, wtf.
KU book.
Pros: the h is like a fem fatale beautiful, a heart breaker, an unusual trope.
February 6, 2017
I had no idea what to expect when I started reading The Rush. I went in completely blind and ended up reading my favorite book of 2017 to date. Rachel Higginson's writing pulls you in from the very first page and keeps you captive till the very last page.
The Rush is from the POV of Ivy, a girl who hasn't meet a man she can't have. However, Ivy is very broken and shattered young lady that seems to stem from a tragic incident that occurred last year. All Ivy wants to do is make it through the next two years, until she can escape her oppressive and abusive home life to finally live a life of freedom.
With Ivy telling the story you get only bits and pieces of the information. The reader is left to it's imagination to figure out who is Ivy and what is going on with her. And it makes perfect sense for the reader to be left in the dark for much of the book. Ivy is a girl barley holding it together and is unable to tell her truth out of fear that it will destroy her.
Everything in her life changes when Ryder crashes into her life. He is the first person to not be affected by Ivy's presence and it draws her in. Ryder feels like the first real safe person in her life and a possible real friend. The more she spends time with Ryder, the wall she built to protect herself beings to crumble and Ivy starts to let the truth out.
As Ivy begins to free herself of her guilt, shame and fear, She begins to assert herself against those who wish to keep her caged. Ryder is Ivy's rock. The one person she can trust to unburden herself without fear of being used. Ryder has no agenda for Ivy and has no desire to use her for his own personal gain. He is just a guy who really sees Ivy for who she is and gives her a gift of unconditional love.
Ivy's journey is heartbreaking, terrifying and ultimately hopeful. her siren song will pull you from page one and keep you mesmerized until the very last page, but her song will not destroy you but show you what true strength and sacrifice looks like.
The Rush is from the POV of Ivy, a girl who hasn't meet a man she can't have. However, Ivy is very broken and shattered young lady that seems to stem from a tragic incident that occurred last year. All Ivy wants to do is make it through the next two years, until she can escape her oppressive and abusive home life to finally live a life of freedom.
With Ivy telling the story you get only bits and pieces of the information. The reader is left to it's imagination to figure out who is Ivy and what is going on with her. And it makes perfect sense for the reader to be left in the dark for much of the book. Ivy is a girl barley holding it together and is unable to tell her truth out of fear that it will destroy her.
Everything in her life changes when Ryder crashes into her life. He is the first person to not be affected by Ivy's presence and it draws her in. Ryder feels like the first real safe person in her life and a possible real friend. The more she spends time with Ryder, the wall she built to protect herself beings to crumble and Ivy starts to let the truth out.
As Ivy begins to free herself of her guilt, shame and fear, She begins to assert herself against those who wish to keep her caged. Ryder is Ivy's rock. The one person she can trust to unburden herself without fear of being used. Ryder has no agenda for Ivy and has no desire to use her for his own personal gain. He is just a guy who really sees Ivy for who she is and gives her a gift of unconditional love.
Ivy's journey is heartbreaking, terrifying and ultimately hopeful. her siren song will pull you from page one and keep you mesmerized until the very last page, but her song will not destroy you but show you what true strength and sacrifice looks like.
July 2, 2013
I wish the 5 star rating said LOVED IT!
First of all, I really like this author. Her style of writing is funny and fast paced, and I generally like all of her characters. Then again, I've only read the first four books in the Star Crossed series. Anyhow, this book was all of the aforementioned things, thus the 5 stars.
The book is much longer than I anticipated - I kept checking my progress (on the Kindle) as I was reading, afraid the story would end. Of course, it did end, and it ended at somewhat of a cliff hanger for me....ugh. Honestly, it's not a cliff hanger, I just wanted the story to keep going and I'm being dramatic.
As for characters, I liked them. I thought there was different sides of each of them, but unfortunately due to Ivy's...condition...you don't get to know many of the other characters well.
There were only a few errors (I think mostly relating to format).
So, you get mythology come to life - though evolved, for better or worse; a girl fighting her fate and attempting to protect her little sister; plus some good, old fashion falling-for-the-guy-you-can't-have (that must be another common theme to this author's books!).
First of all, I really like this author. Her style of writing is funny and fast paced, and I generally like all of her characters. Then again, I've only read the first four books in the Star Crossed series. Anyhow, this book was all of the aforementioned things, thus the 5 stars.
The book is much longer than I anticipated - I kept checking my progress (on the Kindle) as I was reading, afraid the story would end. Of course, it did end, and it ended at somewhat of a cliff hanger for me....ugh. Honestly, it's not a cliff hanger, I just wanted the story to keep going and I'm being dramatic.
As for characters, I liked them. I thought there was different sides of each of them, but unfortunately due to Ivy's...condition...you don't get to know many of the other characters well.
There were only a few errors (I think mostly relating to format).
So, you get mythology come to life - though evolved, for better or worse; a girl fighting her fate and attempting to protect her little sister; plus some good, old fashion falling-for-the-guy-you-can't-have (that must be another common theme to this author's books!).
June 26, 2017
Loved this! And I need more. This better be a series ;-)
The Rush is a paranormal series that will have you guessing what exactly Ivy is. After you find out,it is obvious, but still kept me guessing for half the story. Ryder is totally swoon worthy. Nix is a completely creepy villain. And Ivy's mom will NOT be receiving a mother of the year award anytime soon.
I recommend this and all of Rachel Higginson's books to everybody!
The Rush is a paranormal series that will have you guessing what exactly Ivy is. After you find out,it is obvious, but still kept me guessing for half the story. Ryder is totally swoon worthy. Nix is a completely creepy villain. And Ivy's mom will NOT be receiving a mother of the year award anytime soon.
I recommend this and all of Rachel Higginson's books to everybody!
Want to read
February 16, 2023Absolutely love the new covers! So beautiful.
December 1, 2013
THE RUSH is not my most favorites of Higginson's. But it was good. It is definitely a different take on Sirens. Of course, I haven't read too many books about Sirens to compare it to. And I think the only ones I have read were mainly about Mermaids. So for a story solely about Sirens, I think it is different and unique. And all in all this was a good read.
My problem? Gosh, it sounds so weird saying that because I have never had a problem before with her work per se, but with this one I did. I did however have problems with infuriating characters *cough* Kiran *cough* (From another series of hers.) The whole book I felt like there was something I had overlooked from the beginning. Like the answer to all life's problems was dangling before me at arm’s reach and I couldn't quite grasp it. I disliked that I had to go nearly the entire book before we were let in on Ivy's secret even though it was practically spelled out for us the whole time. Sure hints were thrown out at us, but we didn't have all the info we needed, so it all came off as confusing. I just couldn't enjoy the book like I had hoped to.
*Waits for Rachel to wipe clean any evidence of our friendship*
I did however enjoy the characters...all of them! From Ivy to Ryder to Chase to Phoenix. Heck I even liked Nix to a certain extent. He definitely added the creep factor to the story and made things very interesting. But Ivy and Ryder were spectacular characters. I loved how they interacted and my feelings were instant for them both. I just adored them.
***
This wasn't a kiss. This was an epiphany. My moment of clarity.
My salvation.
***
A good story that starts out rather slow but picks up speed half way in. It is a book that keeps your interest and eager to find its secrets. Secrets that are well worth the wait. I am absolutely anticipating book 2. I have to know what becomes of Ivy. Will she be able to find the freedom she so desperately seeks and escape the madness she calls life? Guess we will just have to see.
My problem? Gosh, it sounds so weird saying that because I have never had a problem before with her work per se, but with this one I did. I did however have problems with infuriating characters *cough* Kiran *cough* (From another series of hers.) The whole book I felt like there was something I had overlooked from the beginning. Like the answer to all life's problems was dangling before me at arm’s reach and I couldn't quite grasp it. I disliked that I had to go nearly the entire book before we were let in on Ivy's secret even though it was practically spelled out for us the whole time. Sure hints were thrown out at us, but we didn't have all the info we needed, so it all came off as confusing. I just couldn't enjoy the book like I had hoped to.
*Waits for Rachel to wipe clean any evidence of our friendship*
I did however enjoy the characters...all of them! From Ivy to Ryder to Chase to Phoenix. Heck I even liked Nix to a certain extent. He definitely added the creep factor to the story and made things very interesting. But Ivy and Ryder were spectacular characters. I loved how they interacted and my feelings were instant for them both. I just adored them.
***
This wasn't a kiss. This was an epiphany. My moment of clarity.
My salvation.
***
A good story that starts out rather slow but picks up speed half way in. It is a book that keeps your interest and eager to find its secrets. Secrets that are well worth the wait. I am absolutely anticipating book 2. I have to know what becomes of Ivy. Will she be able to find the freedom she so desperately seeks and escape the madness she calls life? Guess we will just have to see.
March 23, 2013
First let me say this my first book by Rachel Higginson and it won't be my last. I am not sure what I was expecting when I purchased this book, it was recommended by another author on Facebook that I love. I have found that I rarely go wrong when purchasing from other author's referrals and this was no exception. I am in love with this series. I had no idea there was a somewhat supernatural twist which I am typically drawn to, the love story, the characters, the amazing writing and plot were totally different from anything I've read. I read well over 100 books a year and this has been moved into my top 5 favorite series. Never have I read a book on Sirens, especially one that seemed so innocent and didn't want to be in the lifestyle she is caged into and can't escape. Ivy is trying so hard to be different from how she was raised, she's trying to not hurt the boys but still follow the rules and "deal" with life until she turns 18 and can escape. Then she meets that one guy that isn't drawn to her like the rest and that is the one she gets the butterflies for. I can't even imagine how this series will unfold, but I will be reading to find out. Thank you Rachel for writing an amazing book and I'll make sure to recommend to my friends as a Must Read for 2013!!
October 16, 2013
I loved this new series. I've never read any books about sirens before but this is a good one. You got Ivy Pierce who's a siren but doesn't want to be cause earlier in the year a guy she was goin out with got in an accident and she blames herself because the more time he was with her the harder it was for him to let her go when she broke up with him. All because of her curse. She hates what did but she has no choice but to go along until she's eighteen and she can get the trust find her father left her before he died. That and take care of her half sister Honor who's exactly like her and her mother but doesn't understand what's going on. Now the situation between her and Ryder is complicated. He's got a girlfriend and she's going out with Chase but it seems like the more they pull away from each other the closer they actually end up being which is how she ends up spilling the beans about what she is and what her tattoos mean. Nix and her mother are quite the characters. Nix is a sex trafficking pimp (her words). And her mom is so mean and cold with the little digs and put downs toward her it's ridiculous but that's all i can i say for now. So did not want this book to end cause it was left on a cliffhanger. Can't wait for the next one.
March 2, 2018
Oh. WOW. I mean WOW.
On reading about four pages I was instantly hooked on this story. There are so many ways that this is perfectly written. Let me count the ways.
There’s no mention of what she actually is until way later in the book. All we get are her thoughts & feelings at this moment & slowly we can piece together what happened with Sam, who & what she is & what’s expected of her. I loved learning in this way.
The characters are incredible; the good, the dark & the comic relief are so well written. Ivy is strong but so broken, Ryder is a breath of fresh air, Nix is just so creepy, like skin crawlingly creepy & Phoenix is loveable & funny, I even liked Kenna, there was just something so real about her.
The atmosphere of this story was intense & relentless. It was a mash-up of almost suffocating sexual tension & deep sadness over what Ivy’s life is. Then there’s that whole situation with Taylor which is just horrifying & disgusting. The author did not pull any punches.
I completely loved this book & can’t wait to read the next one.
On reading about four pages I was instantly hooked on this story. There are so many ways that this is perfectly written. Let me count the ways.
There’s no mention of what she actually is until way later in the book. All we get are her thoughts & feelings at this moment & slowly we can piece together what happened with Sam, who & what she is & what’s expected of her. I loved learning in this way.
The characters are incredible; the good, the dark & the comic relief are so well written. Ivy is strong but so broken, Ryder is a breath of fresh air, Nix is just so creepy, like skin crawlingly creepy & Phoenix is loveable & funny, I even liked Kenna, there was just something so real about her.
The atmosphere of this story was intense & relentless. It was a mash-up of almost suffocating sexual tension & deep sadness over what Ivy’s life is. Then there’s that whole situation with Taylor which is just horrifying & disgusting. The author did not pull any punches.
I completely loved this book & can’t wait to read the next one.
April 28, 2020
To all intents and purposes this book reads like a straight YA initially. Very good YA but you can feel the twist in the background; it's subtle. Ivy returns to high school at 16 after a stint in 'rehab'. Something awful happened that left her previous boyfriend Sam irreparably damaged, never to return to school. Ivy is reviled by many but she's taken under the wing of some members of the football team. Ivy is drawn to Ryder but he has a girlfriend and seems immune to Ivy's charms. This is the nub of confusion for Ivy. No male is supposed to be able to resist her charms. Ivy is different and she hates her life.
This was far from run of the mill YA. It has a subtle paranormal thread running through it. It is well written and the characters are believable in their flawed reality. This is the first of three books so I'm looking forward to the continuation of these characters.
This book was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog
This was far from run of the mill YA. It has a subtle paranormal thread running through it. It is well written and the characters are believable in their flawed reality. This is the first of three books so I'm looking forward to the continuation of these characters.
This book was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog
March 22, 2013
Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you Rachel for this wonderful book!
Now, I first have to say, I became absolutely obsessed with this book since I first heard of it. I became addicted to all the teasers, stalking Rachel's blog and Facebook page an extra twenty times a day than I already did, just hoping to get some more juicy scenes from the book. And then there was the song I Believe that Andrew James wrote specifically for the book and I fell in love with it - even bought it so I could just listen to it over and over every day and imagine the type of story this book would have. And man did my expectations not disappoint!
Even from reading all the teasers, I still had no idea what this book was about and even halfway through the book I was still like "What's going on here?" Now maybe I am just too stupid or maybe I just like to enjoy the ride the book takes me on so I don't obsess over trying to solve my questions or come up with explanations, I just wait with excitement and anticipation to find out what will happen as everything reveals itself in time. Whatever the case, I loved the not-knowing because that is what made the book so intriguing, well...that and Ryder Sutton.
Gotta admit, the name Ryder was not appealing to me. That was the one thing I knew I wouldn't like before I bought the book to read it. But you can't judge a character on the fact that you don't like their name, right? And it's not that it is a horrible name, I guess it just doesn't appeal to me is all. You know, like the name Kiran is just the most perfect name in the world that just thinking about the name gets me all giddy and giggly.
(For those of you who don't know, Kiran is from Rachel's Star-Crossed Series and he is my all-time favorite guy. Like seriously, I dream about him. If you've never met him, you should get acquainted with him. Pronto. Go buy Reckless Magic now before you die and leave this earth never getting to know him.)
Anyway, the name Ryder just doesn't have any of the magic that Kiran has. Aaah. I love Kiran.
Enough of that. The name Ryder did grow on me, and by the end of the book I was totally cool with it. And besides, all the other characters have awesome names so it makes up for it. (At least I think they're cool names). I mean, there's Ivy, Exie, Sloane, Ava, Nix, Phoenix, Kenna, Chase, Hayden, Anaxandra, Echo, Honor, Evaleen, and dude the list just goes on. All incredible names, right? Love it!
Now, I don't want to go into details, but I will say that I love friendships and I love it even more when there is a good story built around it. So many YA books these days are seriously lacking in the friendship department. I mean, the characters will have "friends" but they lack the love, care, and support that are a crucial part in making a good friendship. So yeah, I guess from that you could delineate that I am praising the friendships I see in this book and you are correct. It's the friendship between Ivy and Ryder that develops over time that really drew me into the book and the last line of the book summed it up beautifully.
Besides, tragedies were always easier to face when you had friends.
Perfect ending! I mean, Rachel could seriously end it all right there and just make it a one book story and I would be perfectly satisfied.
Of course, I am happy that there will be more books to come and can't wait to find out more about what's going to happen next.
Also, I gotta say that the plot of the book was very creative and interesting. I've never read anything like it before and I don't think there is anything out there like it.
Thanks again Rachel for writing this book! It was spectacular and I loved it!
Thank you Rachel for this wonderful book!
Now, I first have to say, I became absolutely obsessed with this book since I first heard of it. I became addicted to all the teasers, stalking Rachel's blog and Facebook page an extra twenty times a day than I already did, just hoping to get some more juicy scenes from the book. And then there was the song I Believe that Andrew James wrote specifically for the book and I fell in love with it - even bought it so I could just listen to it over and over every day and imagine the type of story this book would have. And man did my expectations not disappoint!
Even from reading all the teasers, I still had no idea what this book was about and even halfway through the book I was still like "What's going on here?" Now maybe I am just too stupid or maybe I just like to enjoy the ride the book takes me on so I don't obsess over trying to solve my questions or come up with explanations, I just wait with excitement and anticipation to find out what will happen as everything reveals itself in time. Whatever the case, I loved the not-knowing because that is what made the book so intriguing, well...that and Ryder Sutton.
Gotta admit, the name Ryder was not appealing to me. That was the one thing I knew I wouldn't like before I bought the book to read it. But you can't judge a character on the fact that you don't like their name, right? And it's not that it is a horrible name, I guess it just doesn't appeal to me is all. You know, like the name Kiran is just the most perfect name in the world that just thinking about the name gets me all giddy and giggly.
(For those of you who don't know, Kiran is from Rachel's Star-Crossed Series and he is my all-time favorite guy. Like seriously, I dream about him. If you've never met him, you should get acquainted with him. Pronto. Go buy Reckless Magic now before you die and leave this earth never getting to know him.)
Anyway, the name Ryder just doesn't have any of the magic that Kiran has. Aaah. I love Kiran.
Enough of that. The name Ryder did grow on me, and by the end of the book I was totally cool with it. And besides, all the other characters have awesome names so it makes up for it. (At least I think they're cool names). I mean, there's Ivy, Exie, Sloane, Ava, Nix, Phoenix, Kenna, Chase, Hayden, Anaxandra, Echo, Honor, Evaleen, and dude the list just goes on. All incredible names, right? Love it!
Now, I don't want to go into details, but I will say that I love friendships and I love it even more when there is a good story built around it. So many YA books these days are seriously lacking in the friendship department. I mean, the characters will have "friends" but they lack the love, care, and support that are a crucial part in making a good friendship. So yeah, I guess from that you could delineate that I am praising the friendships I see in this book and you are correct. It's the friendship between Ivy and Ryder that develops over time that really drew me into the book and the last line of the book summed it up beautifully.
Besides, tragedies were always easier to face when you had friends.
Perfect ending! I mean, Rachel could seriously end it all right there and just make it a one book story and I would be perfectly satisfied.
Of course, I am happy that there will be more books to come and can't wait to find out more about what's going to happen next.
Also, I gotta say that the plot of the book was very creative and interesting. I've never read anything like it before and I don't think there is anything out there like it.
Thanks again Rachel for writing this book! It was spectacular and I loved it!
August 26, 2014
Unfortunately I did not like this book much at all. It started off very well written, and quite intriguing. Ivy was a perfect stunning girl with a seemingly perfect life coming back to school after some sort incident with a boyfriend that ended tragically. I found it quite fascinating at first to see Ivy hating this perfect shell of a life she lived in, exquisite looks, fabulous apartment to live in.
Something about a curse and a desperate yearning to be free when she reached adult hood.
Until one Ryder, comes along immune to her charms and has promises of actual friendship rather than being another conquest. But he has a girlfriend. And the girlfriend is actually one of the most likeable characters in the whole thing. She doesn't quite warm up to Ivy who's becoming more and more involved in Ryder's life. But she sticks up for Ivy on several occasions when the mean girls chew her out for the accident with the previous boyfriend.
I must admit by halfway through I was skimming through just to see where the Siren thing came in. I hated Ivy by that point, I found her increasingly weak and pathetic with no backbone whatsoever. Made worse by something that happens towards the end when she disobeys Nix and her mother. Something terrible happens and....nothing is really resolved.
It just sort of ends... Not going to be continuing with this series
Something about a curse and a desperate yearning to be free when she reached adult hood.
Until one Ryder, comes along immune to her charms and has promises of actual friendship rather than being another conquest. But he has a girlfriend. And the girlfriend is actually one of the most likeable characters in the whole thing. She doesn't quite warm up to Ivy who's becoming more and more involved in Ryder's life. But she sticks up for Ivy on several occasions when the mean girls chew her out for the accident with the previous boyfriend.
I must admit by halfway through I was skimming through just to see where the Siren thing came in. I hated Ivy by that point, I found her increasingly weak and pathetic with no backbone whatsoever. Made worse by something that happens towards the end when she disobeys Nix and her mother. Something terrible happens and....nothing is really resolved.
It just sort of ends... Not going to be continuing with this series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2015
The Rush was...something. It was strange, frustrating, intense, and drama filled. So different from any other book I have read, it told the story of a young siren and her neverending struggles.
Judged by others because of her looks, abused by her family because of her ongoing refusal to adopt their lifestyle, and seen as guilty by those who should have protected her, Ivy did her best to survive. From a lone dead man walking to a troubled teen with friends, that was what this book was about, in a nutshell. With a few nuggets of gold placed here and there, the author wrote just enough to keep things interesting without necessarily committing herself to saying too much too soon.
This book had a diverse mix of characters and no small amount of tension. I found the protagonists to be peculiar and captivating. The supporting characters were relevant and meaningful to the direction of the story. The antagonists were complex and layered. Even as I got to know the characters, I still felt like I did not know them at all. It seemed like there was more that needed to be told in their stories.
The chemistry between Ivy and Ryder was evident from the beginning. I liked how they naturally evolved into friends. I also found it admirable how they remained loyal to their partners despite the attraction that they felt for one another. That said a lot about them, in my opinion. They were such strong characters.
Overall, I liked this book, but I found the pacing to be slow in some spots and the repetition to be a bit annoying. Additionally, I left like their were a couple of plot fails. Lastly, the ending of the story was maddening. Seriously! As a reader, I felt like I deserved more.
Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA
Status: PG-13
Chemistry/Intensity: Yes
Conflict/Drama: Yes
Family Dysfunction: Yes
Series Potential: Yes
Stand Alone: +/-
HEA: ?
Judged by others because of her looks, abused by her family because of her ongoing refusal to adopt their lifestyle, and seen as guilty by those who should have protected her, Ivy did her best to survive. From a lone dead man walking to a troubled teen with friends, that was what this book was about, in a nutshell. With a few nuggets of gold placed here and there, the author wrote just enough to keep things interesting without necessarily committing herself to saying too much too soon.
This book had a diverse mix of characters and no small amount of tension. I found the protagonists to be peculiar and captivating. The supporting characters were relevant and meaningful to the direction of the story. The antagonists were complex and layered. Even as I got to know the characters, I still felt like I did not know them at all. It seemed like there was more that needed to be told in their stories.
The chemistry between Ivy and Ryder was evident from the beginning. I liked how they naturally evolved into friends. I also found it admirable how they remained loyal to their partners despite the attraction that they felt for one another. That said a lot about them, in my opinion. They were such strong characters.
Overall, I liked this book, but I found the pacing to be slow in some spots and the repetition to be a bit annoying. Additionally, I left like their were a couple of plot fails. Lastly, the ending of the story was maddening. Seriously! As a reader, I felt like I deserved more.
Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA
Status: PG-13
Chemistry/Intensity: Yes
Conflict/Drama: Yes
Family Dysfunction: Yes
Series Potential: Yes
Stand Alone: +/-
HEA: ?
July 17, 2013
Unique and addicting
Let me start by saying, I normally try to steer clear of the YA genre, and anytime I read a synopsis that involves teenagers or high school I stop there, and move on. It seems like most books in that genre tend to follow a similar plot of numerous books previously written. After a while, they all just started to feel the same, ya know?
I started out just reading the sample of this book, because my curiosity got the best of me. It pulled me in, so I decided to continue. The next thing I knew I'd completed the whole first book. It just pulls you in. The character depth was amazing. The story line was beyond original. This is the first book I had ever read about a siren. I loved the Greek mythology references as well. I cannot wait to read more in this series!
***Update after orginial post***
I just went to the writers blog, and see book 2 isn't due to be released until October 2013. I enjoyed book 1 and all, but I read a lot, and in 4 months, I doubt my interest in this series will be as strong, so most likely, even though I enjoyed book 1, I won't be reading more in this series. Long gaps in between book releases just personally don't work for me.
Let me start by saying, I normally try to steer clear of the YA genre, and anytime I read a synopsis that involves teenagers or high school I stop there, and move on. It seems like most books in that genre tend to follow a similar plot of numerous books previously written. After a while, they all just started to feel the same, ya know?
I started out just reading the sample of this book, because my curiosity got the best of me. It pulled me in, so I decided to continue. The next thing I knew I'd completed the whole first book. It just pulls you in. The character depth was amazing. The story line was beyond original. This is the first book I had ever read about a siren. I loved the Greek mythology references as well. I cannot wait to read more in this series!
***Update after orginial post***
I just went to the writers blog, and see book 2 isn't due to be released until October 2013. I enjoyed book 1 and all, but I read a lot, and in 4 months, I doubt my interest in this series will be as strong, so most likely, even though I enjoyed book 1, I won't be reading more in this series. Long gaps in between book releases just personally don't work for me.
February 20, 2015
I found this book a bit tedious. I thought it would be paranormal but all we read about is the "curse" this 16 year old high school student has throughout the book. I had to infer what that "curse" meant. To me, this just seemed like a coming of age book for teens who are battling with parents for independence and battling with their peers to remain relevant and liked.
March 23, 2013
I loved this novel! I found Ivy's story very intriguing and liked the fresh take on sirens. I can't wait to read the next one.
May 21, 2017
I surrendered halfway (more like 60%) into this book....really could'nt continue anymore. I hate it when reading became more like a chore, like what this book did to me :( I'm so dissappointed. Star-Crossed was my favourite series and I'm so anticipated to read this one but what I got was....a meh and horribly slow beginning and the middle of the book. Till the point I stopped reading I still could'nt put my hand on what Ivy really is. A siren? Okay. So she have this sweet and alluring scent that can attracts many mens except of course our Ryder. Why and what is the history? Maybe I can get the answers if I continue my reading but the answers were long overdue in my humble opinion. Half of the book filled with what I thought just fillers and nothing significant happened. Just a daily interaction between Ivy and her friends, Ivy and the mysterious Ryder and of course Ivy and all her monologues. Ryder? He was unlikeable for me. Why offers himself to take another girl home when he already have girlfriend who unbelievably just infront of him when he made that offer?? This unequivocally open the chance to a cheating environment and I loathe cheating. Sooo.. I don't know if it will get better later on but what can I do.. I'm kinda impatient. I want book that can suck me right into it at the beginning and The Rush did'nt give me that. How disconcerting... :d
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2018
I was really unimpressed by this story. I've read several of the authors Love & Decay series and loved those but this?
I like the idea behind it but it took forever for us to know what she was despite the series title and it just didnt work for me.
A lot of things are repeated: She hates her "curse" as she calls it.
She wants her inheritance so she can run away and disappear forever.
She will never be like the others in her group.
ETC.
The above things were rehashed so many times that i started getting bored, which is probably why it took me 4 days to read this. Even her kinda-romance with Ryder couldn't make me like this.
I won't be continuing the series
I like the idea behind it but it took forever for us to know what she was despite the series title and it just didnt work for me.
A lot of things are repeated: She hates her "curse" as she calls it.
She wants her inheritance so she can run away and disappear forever.
She will never be like the others in her group.
ETC.
The above things were rehashed so many times that i started getting bored, which is probably why it took me 4 days to read this. Even her kinda-romance with Ryder couldn't make me like this.
I won't be continuing the series
January 14, 2024
1.5 stars.
Interested premise, but not ready for publication.
What did I just read? It needs a better editor. This book is a mess.
Far longer than it should have been.
No character development.
No resolution at the end to her problem (or any of her problems).
No worldbuilding.
Too slow pacing with not much plot to show for it
Author unfocused on what issue she wants to tackle. Child abuse? Eating disorders? Human trafficking? Each is touched on but not tackled well.
I finished the book feeling dissatisfied.
Interested premise, but not ready for publication.
What did I just read? It needs a better editor. This book is a mess.
Far longer than it should have been.
No character development.
No resolution at the end to her problem (or any of her problems).
No worldbuilding.
Too slow pacing with not much plot to show for it
Author unfocused on what issue she wants to tackle. Child abuse? Eating disorders? Human trafficking? Each is touched on but not tackled well.
I finished the book feeling dissatisfied.
October 1, 2025
Weird storyline, second book in a row for me to include underage sexual exploitation 🤢😡, but the characters are sweet and relatable you cannot help but love Reed.
She’s a 16 years old Siren, just as the generations before her, but includes a cult like pimp situation brainwashing and exploiting the sirens.
Reed, 16 year old high school boy, is not swayed by the siren charm and is a great human who sees Ivy as the girl she is not for his gratification.
But can Ivy escape Nix and her mother before they break her spirit or worse…?
She’s a 16 years old Siren, just as the generations before her, but includes a cult like pimp situation brainwashing and exploiting the sirens.
Reed, 16 year old high school boy, is not swayed by the siren charm and is a great human who sees Ivy as the girl she is not for his gratification.
But can Ivy escape Nix and her mother before they break her spirit or worse…?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2016
I really enjoyed the book and read it straight through in one sitting. I absolutely love Rachel Higginson's books, and was so excited when I saw this one! And I am so excited for the next one! I am, however, a natural critic and thus have a few critiques to make. First of all (and honestly, this is just me making a comparison to the Star-Crossed series), there wasn't a lot of character buildup in characters besides the two main ones. I never really felt like we got to know the other characters very well. However, the door has definitely been left open for future development.
My biggest issue was that it took way too long to get to the root of the story. I am all for leaving the reader in the dark to start with... You know, keep them guessing about what is really going on so they keep turning the pages. But after a while, this just gets a little frustrating. It probably was not until 3/4 of the way into the book that you learn "what" Ivy is. And prior to that revelation, it became a little questionable if she really "was" anything at all. The hints were there, of course, but the follow through just seemed a little weak. I wanted more "evidence" of the world in which Ivy lived. I honestly could not tell if it was a paranormal or what for most of the book.
Now, that sounds like a lot of critique, which I suppose it is, but only in the constructive sense. Like I said before, I am just naturally (unfortunately) critical and can always find something to critique. But, if I really did not like this book I would not have read it in one sitting.
And my favorite parts... well, first of all I have read a lot of YA books, and this is one storyline I have not yet read. The change was refreshing. I don't want to reveal too much, because it does take a while for it to be revealed in the book, but while this "world" has certainly been written about in plenty of books, I just haven't seen this "branch" of it before. Again, it was refreshing. I often feel like I am reading the same books over and over again, but not so with Rachel Higginson.
Also, as always, Rachel Higginson creates a very addictive romance. Not one that is so obvious it is predictable... Not one that evolves so quickly you grow tired of it... Not one that is so cliche you are bored of it... But rather a blossoming romance that is sweet and realistic. I basically refuse to read a book without a love story in it, and being that I read A LOT, I feel like I have heard the same love stories over and over again. But Rachel Higginson always manages to change it up just enough that it is inevitable (the love connection) yet completely unpredictable (the path to the relationship). This was definitely the case with The Rush. The romance is definitely boiling in the background but is not so immediate and obvious that you lose interest in it. In fact the "denial" of the romance just makes it all the more interesting and adds another layer to the story (especially because it is not overdone... I have read books where the characters deny their attraction so much it just gets annoying... But Higginson keeps this facet just minor and subtle enough that it draws you in more).
About the actual story: So, Ivy is an all-too beautiful girl who draws guys in and leaves them hopelessly entranced. She is part of a "society" of women whose sole purpose is to lure rich men, snag their money, and then divorce them; better yet, leave them on a deathbed. (Admittedly, a little f'ed up and overly strange.) Ivy, however, has a conscience and doesn't want to be a part of this. But she feels trapped. She has a trust fund lined up and is trying to hang on until her 18th birthday when she will have access to it and can disappear and escape from the seemingly sick world she is otherwise destined for. Only that is two years away and she still has to survive until then.
The challenges she faces waiting until that time could have been a little more engaging, and a little more action-packed. Her internal struggles with a past event that left her "depressed" just confused me because it took way too long for that story to come out. And when it finally did (and after such a long wait), I was expecting something much more grand -- more significant and earth-shattering. Perhaps if we had been otherwise introduced to the affected character, Sam, the tragedy that shook Ivy's world would have better resonated with me. But left as it was, a mere background story, it just seemed a little weak to have played such a significant role in shaping the main character's life. I think bringing Sam into the story would have added a whole new emotional level to the book and created more realism in the reality that is Ivy's world. Perhaps also if she had known her real father even briefly before he passed... Just some direct and emotional connection to a character who has been prey to Ivy's "circle" of predators.
While the book does not end on a cliffhanger, it definitely is open-ended enough for a sequel. And, as always with her books, I will be rather impatiently awaiting its release. :) I hope for more character development and for the "world" Ivy lives in to be more substantiated. Perhaps introduce other types of characters also in that world... Though, I do feel like the door may have been left open for a revelation about the identity of Ryder...???
My biggest issue was that it took way too long to get to the root of the story. I am all for leaving the reader in the dark to start with... You know, keep them guessing about what is really going on so they keep turning the pages. But after a while, this just gets a little frustrating. It probably was not until 3/4 of the way into the book that you learn "what" Ivy is. And prior to that revelation, it became a little questionable if she really "was" anything at all. The hints were there, of course, but the follow through just seemed a little weak. I wanted more "evidence" of the world in which Ivy lived. I honestly could not tell if it was a paranormal or what for most of the book.
Now, that sounds like a lot of critique, which I suppose it is, but only in the constructive sense. Like I said before, I am just naturally (unfortunately) critical and can always find something to critique. But, if I really did not like this book I would not have read it in one sitting.
And my favorite parts... well, first of all I have read a lot of YA books, and this is one storyline I have not yet read. The change was refreshing. I don't want to reveal too much, because it does take a while for it to be revealed in the book, but while this "world" has certainly been written about in plenty of books, I just haven't seen this "branch" of it before. Again, it was refreshing. I often feel like I am reading the same books over and over again, but not so with Rachel Higginson.
Also, as always, Rachel Higginson creates a very addictive romance. Not one that is so obvious it is predictable... Not one that evolves so quickly you grow tired of it... Not one that is so cliche you are bored of it... But rather a blossoming romance that is sweet and realistic. I basically refuse to read a book without a love story in it, and being that I read A LOT, I feel like I have heard the same love stories over and over again. But Rachel Higginson always manages to change it up just enough that it is inevitable (the love connection) yet completely unpredictable (the path to the relationship). This was definitely the case with The Rush. The romance is definitely boiling in the background but is not so immediate and obvious that you lose interest in it. In fact the "denial" of the romance just makes it all the more interesting and adds another layer to the story (especially because it is not overdone... I have read books where the characters deny their attraction so much it just gets annoying... But Higginson keeps this facet just minor and subtle enough that it draws you in more).
About the actual story: So, Ivy is an all-too beautiful girl who draws guys in and leaves them hopelessly entranced. She is part of a "society" of women whose sole purpose is to lure rich men, snag their money, and then divorce them; better yet, leave them on a deathbed. (Admittedly, a little f'ed up and overly strange.) Ivy, however, has a conscience and doesn't want to be a part of this. But she feels trapped. She has a trust fund lined up and is trying to hang on until her 18th birthday when she will have access to it and can disappear and escape from the seemingly sick world she is otherwise destined for. Only that is two years away and she still has to survive until then.
The challenges she faces waiting until that time could have been a little more engaging, and a little more action-packed. Her internal struggles with a past event that left her "depressed" just confused me because it took way too long for that story to come out. And when it finally did (and after such a long wait), I was expecting something much more grand -- more significant and earth-shattering. Perhaps if we had been otherwise introduced to the affected character, Sam, the tragedy that shook Ivy's world would have better resonated with me. But left as it was, a mere background story, it just seemed a little weak to have played such a significant role in shaping the main character's life. I think bringing Sam into the story would have added a whole new emotional level to the book and created more realism in the reality that is Ivy's world. Perhaps also if she had known her real father even briefly before he passed... Just some direct and emotional connection to a character who has been prey to Ivy's "circle" of predators.
While the book does not end on a cliffhanger, it definitely is open-ended enough for a sequel. And, as always with her books, I will be rather impatiently awaiting its release. :) I hope for more character development and for the "world" Ivy lives in to be more substantiated. Perhaps introduce other types of characters also in that world... Though, I do feel like the door may have been left open for a revelation about the identity of Ryder...???
October 13, 2018
I loved the Reckless Magic series by Rachel Higginson. This one took a little bit longer to grow on me. It’s a little slow going so hang in there. It really is a good book. She slowly releases details throughout the book so it’s a little confusing at first. I felt like that was a little unnecessary because I felt like it was more confusing than necessary. The storyline is intriguing because it’s so different. You can’t help but love Ryder! I am excited to see where she takes things in book two.
October 4, 2022
Rush (The siren Series book 1)
Absolutely loved this book! I read and listened to the audiobook…. I enjoy both reading and listening to the book when I can’t read it.l. The characters were so real and well written. Fell in love with Ryder and Ivy. Their story is so full of emotion, every emotion. Can't get enough of Rachel Higginson!!! Definitely recommend her books 📚 and this series
Absolutely loved this book! I read and listened to the audiobook…. I enjoy both reading and listening to the book when I can’t read it.l. The characters were so real and well written. Fell in love with Ryder and Ivy. Their story is so full of emotion, every emotion. Can't get enough of Rachel Higginson!!! Definitely recommend her books 📚 and this series
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