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Unreal #1
Unreal
Julie and Kim knew better. They went anyways!
When an innocent road trip takes a dark turn, two young women will end up fighting for their lives. They can't possibly come out of this alive....or can they?
To celebrate her college graduation, Julie Edwards and her best friend, Kim, take off on a road trip across the country. But a simple pit stop becomes the end of the road when the two young women get tangled up into something they never saw coming ... in their wildest dreams!
What people are saying about
Didn't expect the change of events to begin and continue so close to the beginning of the story. The who-done-it character is a surprise. The ending was satisfying . - S. Burkhardt
Enjoyed reading it very much. Liked the characters. It moved along quickly . Would definitely recommend it. Difficult to put down. - Amazon Customerpegg
Fast paced ......trigger warning for those who have been through sexual abuse this book is hard to read. Well written though. - Christina Powers
I read # 1 and #2 and now reading the last in series.. so hard to put down!! Can't wait to see what happens in the end !!!! - Roberta F. Goslicki
Disturbing, intense and believable. Couldn't put it down. The characters were well portrayed and felt very real while reading. Plan to read in all in one sitting. - Lori Hughes
This book is for mature audiences only. It deals with topics such as abuse and is recommended for readers 18 and older.
Don't wait! Download and read it now!
When an innocent road trip takes a dark turn, two young women will end up fighting for their lives. They can't possibly come out of this alive....or can they?
To celebrate her college graduation, Julie Edwards and her best friend, Kim, take off on a road trip across the country. But a simple pit stop becomes the end of the road when the two young women get tangled up into something they never saw coming ... in their wildest dreams!
What people are saying about
Didn't expect the change of events to begin and continue so close to the beginning of the story. The who-done-it character is a surprise. The ending was satisfying . - S. Burkhardt
Enjoyed reading it very much. Liked the characters. It moved along quickly . Would definitely recommend it. Difficult to put down. - Amazon Customerpegg
Fast paced ......trigger warning for those who have been through sexual abuse this book is hard to read. Well written though. - Christina Powers
I read # 1 and #2 and now reading the last in series.. so hard to put down!! Can't wait to see what happens in the end !!!! - Roberta F. Goslicki
Disturbing, intense and believable. Couldn't put it down. The characters were well portrayed and felt very real while reading. Plan to read in all in one sitting. - Lori Hughes
This book is for mature audiences only. It deals with topics such as abuse and is recommended for readers 18 and older.
Don't wait! Download and read it now!
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 2, 2014
2100 people are currently reading
1112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
June 8, 2017
Horrible
Does this author not have anyone proof read her writings? And, what is it with all the cheek caressing, neck holding, hand holding and falling to the knees? Get someone to help you write.
Does this author not have anyone proof read her writings? And, what is it with all the cheek caressing, neck holding, hand holding and falling to the knees? Get someone to help you write.
Want to read
October 29, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/29/2017)!
August 23, 2017
Subject matter:
Violent sexual situations.**
This is not a book I would normally read. But in this world today we can't lie to ourselves and say this can't happen. It does...probably even more than we know.
Riley & Kim are best friends who have just graduated from college. Before the process of real life begins, they are going to take a "wherever" we end up trip...just the two of them.
Everything begins happily. At lunch time they stop early a small town cafe in a city they don't know.
Riley is harassed by a scuzzy looking guy but they are rescued by 2 young guys who just happen to be going the same way. Things go wrong from here...they are brutally attacked & taken to an unknown location.
The characters are really well written. Riley in particular. Pain, not believing what is happening to her & rage all at the same time. Will she survive?
The author did a nice job working with this material. It is something all young girls should be aware of. People aren't always what they pretend to be...😢
Violent sexual situations.**
This is not a book I would normally read. But in this world today we can't lie to ourselves and say this can't happen. It does...probably even more than we know.
Riley & Kim are best friends who have just graduated from college. Before the process of real life begins, they are going to take a "wherever" we end up trip...just the two of them.
Everything begins happily. At lunch time they stop early a small town cafe in a city they don't know.
Riley is harassed by a scuzzy looking guy but they are rescued by 2 young guys who just happen to be going the same way. Things go wrong from here...they are brutally attacked & taken to an unknown location.
The characters are really well written. Riley in particular. Pain, not believing what is happening to her & rage all at the same time. Will she survive?
The author did a nice job working with this material. It is something all young girls should be aware of. People aren't always what they pretend to be...😢
November 13, 2017
Well, I like the story line and read it all the way through to see how it ended. True, the editing was terrible but the story was still worth reading.
January 2, 2019
There is a reason why some books are free.......and a distinct lack of editing of any description is probably one. I no longer plough on through as I used to as I'd feel bad. After all, I came to the conclusion that it's not my fault, I just point it out since I've had to endure it.
This is a strange book altogether.....I was correcting the subtitle on Goodreads and I see another author's name pops up and then book 3 appears to have 2 differing titles, so it's all a bit messy. The writing is really peculiar as well. This passage just baffled me altogether, "They had met one another in Driver's Ed, at changes in majors at college, and in the ugliest of breakups. The latter was entirely Kim's domain; Julie was shy in nature. Kim was hers, though......".......is it just me or does that make no sense whatsoever ?? Neither this: "The strangers' lips were already tinged with the first of what would probably be several cocktails before the day was out, met her face."
There are also WAY too many italics used, like she has to find almost one word per sentence to emphasise for no reason whatsoever and it makes for some tricky reading as you say it to yourself....I'm only copying over one example here or I'll lose the will to live...".....she wiped her hands on her apron as she saw Julie in her travelling clothes. Julie registered the brave faceshe was putting on for her own benefit......"
Breakdown, in the context it was used, needed a space or a hyphen, of was written instead of off, she writes Julie at one point when she means Kim and I reached this gem of a sentence and gave up !! "Many people would be on there on a Sunday morning shouldn't have come as a surprise......" I mean to say, it is presented just horribly. All this and I'd only managed 7% !!
Sadly I won't be downloading anymore by this author, whatever her name is the next time.
This is a strange book altogether.....I was correcting the subtitle on Goodreads and I see another author's name pops up and then book 3 appears to have 2 differing titles, so it's all a bit messy. The writing is really peculiar as well. This passage just baffled me altogether, "They had met one another in Driver's Ed, at changes in majors at college, and in the ugliest of breakups. The latter was entirely Kim's domain; Julie was shy in nature. Kim was hers, though......".......is it just me or does that make no sense whatsoever ?? Neither this: "The strangers' lips were already tinged with the first of what would probably be several cocktails before the day was out, met her face."
There are also WAY too many italics used, like she has to find almost one word per sentence to emphasise for no reason whatsoever and it makes for some tricky reading as you say it to yourself....I'm only copying over one example here or I'll lose the will to live...".....she wiped her hands on her apron as she saw Julie in her travelling clothes. Julie registered the brave faceshe was putting on for her own benefit......"
Breakdown, in the context it was used, needed a space or a hyphen, of was written instead of off, she writes Julie at one point when she means Kim and I reached this gem of a sentence and gave up !! "Many people would be on there on a Sunday morning shouldn't have come as a surprise......" I mean to say, it is presented just horribly. All this and I'd only managed 7% !!
Sadly I won't be downloading anymore by this author, whatever her name is the next time.
July 29, 2022
good, but i doubt ill read the 2nd one
December 18, 2015
Entirely to obvious
This, book just didn't do it for me. It was more like a love story then thriller. Everything was figured out way before the book was over. I will be honest I skipped through some chapters. Julie was everything I don't want to read about.
There wasn't anything thriller about this entire book. It was a love story. Julie wanted to be saved Julie was saved. I liked Ethan, even though him risking his life for a girl he hardly knew was absurd he was likeable.
The only only thing that came as a shocker was Julie's mom I wasn't expecting that. The story felt thrown together. Pete and Matt were suppose to be good at kidnapping girls and running the operation however they allowed Ethan to be alone with Julie. No one was watching the door or anything.
The writing was basic. There were minor errors. I'm rating this book low because the story was average the protagonists are forgettable and it's a love story is something a child could write.
This, book just didn't do it for me. It was more like a love story then thriller. Everything was figured out way before the book was over. I will be honest I skipped through some chapters. Julie was everything I don't want to read about.
There wasn't anything thriller about this entire book. It was a love story. Julie wanted to be saved Julie was saved. I liked Ethan, even though him risking his life for a girl he hardly knew was absurd he was likeable.
The only only thing that came as a shocker was Julie's mom I wasn't expecting that. The story felt thrown together. Pete and Matt were suppose to be good at kidnapping girls and running the operation however they allowed Ethan to be alone with Julie. No one was watching the door or anything.
The writing was basic. There were minor errors. I'm rating this book low because the story was average the protagonists are forgettable and it's a love story is something a child could write.
July 31, 2017
The story line was pretty good, although it dragged until close to the first half. I almost put it down, but continued to see if things picked up. It did later but why oh why can't this author edit his/her work? Every other page had supposed sentences that didn't make sense, words left out, and typos.
I have self-published myself, and the first thing you do after writing is check your work or have someone else with fresh eyes read it. There are also plenty of spell and grammar checkers out there.
I won't be reading any sequels. The lack of editing spoiled this author and his work for me.
I have self-published myself, and the first thing you do after writing is check your work or have someone else with fresh eyes read it. There are also plenty of spell and grammar checkers out there.
I won't be reading any sequels. The lack of editing spoiled this author and his work for me.
June 1, 2017
Thrilling page-turner that needs better editing
This book was a page-turner, and I enjoyed reading it. There were, however, grammatical errors, misspellings, and missing words here and there on every page. These things do no affect the plot and story, which I liked, but they were distracting.
This book was a page-turner, and I enjoyed reading it. There were, however, grammatical errors, misspellings, and missing words here and there on every page. These things do no affect the plot and story, which I liked, but they were distracting.
November 14, 2015
Interesting story but needs editing
I don't think that this book was ready for publication. There are a lot of typographical and grammatical errors. Cleaned up a bit, it would be worth a read.
I don't think that this book was ready for publication. There are a lot of typographical and grammatical errors. Cleaned up a bit, it would be worth a read.
January 9, 2018
This is my first review ever. Trigger warning for this book, it is about sexual assault/trafficking.
I enjoyed the pace of the book. The author did a good job with imagery and that the book progressed at an ideal pace. I didn't feel like it dragged on before advancing. It captivated me and I couldn't hardly put it down. The author was effective in bringing out all the appropriate emotions at the right time.
I did find all the grammatical errors to be distracting. My biggest pet peeve of the book was the over-use of italics. I understand putting emphasis on words, but it was ridiculously over-done. I also struggled with words that were completely wrong, but not caught in editing because the word was spelled correctly (example: striped instead of stripped). There was also a point in the book in which the main character is said to have looked at Kim. However, it was Kim's mother that she was looking at (Kim was not even there). When I find these errors, I have to go back and re-read the section to make sure I didn't miss something; only to find out it was just a mistake.
While I do tend to notice errors like this in books, I still enjoy the story-telling. I was not surprised at any of the twists in the book. I was disappointed in the character, but had figured out the twist well before the big reveal. I was surprised with Julie's mother and the lack of any information pertaining to the search for Julie and Kim (was there even a search?).
Spoiler Alert:
I found the circumstances that led Ethan to the trafficking to be far-fetched. I would think that two men who are involved in sexual assault are extremely unlikely to invite a person they just met that day to join them because of one vague comment made about "the blonde upstairs". After finishing the book, I understand where the author was going with it (a sort of guardian angel from Julie's father), but it still doesn't sit well with me.
I enjoyed the pace of the book. The author did a good job with imagery and that the book progressed at an ideal pace. I didn't feel like it dragged on before advancing. It captivated me and I couldn't hardly put it down. The author was effective in bringing out all the appropriate emotions at the right time.
I did find all the grammatical errors to be distracting. My biggest pet peeve of the book was the over-use of italics. I understand putting emphasis on words, but it was ridiculously over-done. I also struggled with words that were completely wrong, but not caught in editing because the word was spelled correctly (example: striped instead of stripped). There was also a point in the book in which the main character is said to have looked at Kim. However, it was Kim's mother that she was looking at (Kim was not even there). When I find these errors, I have to go back and re-read the section to make sure I didn't miss something; only to find out it was just a mistake.
While I do tend to notice errors like this in books, I still enjoy the story-telling. I was not surprised at any of the twists in the book. I was disappointed in the character, but had figured out the twist well before the big reveal. I was surprised with Julie's mother and the lack of any information pertaining to the search for Julie and Kim (was there even a search?).
Spoiler Alert:
I found the circumstances that led Ethan to the trafficking to be far-fetched. I would think that two men who are involved in sexual assault are extremely unlikely to invite a person they just met that day to join them because of one vague comment made about "the blonde upstairs". After finishing the book, I understand where the author was going with it (a sort of guardian angel from Julie's father), but it still doesn't sit well with me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2018
This would have been a much better book if it had been edited. There were far too many spelling, punctuation and other errors to be able to recommend it to any literate person. If you're illiterate, it might make a good paperweight. The plot is a pretty standard "We never should have taken that turn" horror story. Two girls on a road trip are kidnapped and terrible things ensue. Problem is, the story peaks around the middle of the book, then just meanders around till it hits another ending. On the positive side, it did keep my interest, so it can't have been all bad.
April 28, 2018
This book was awful. First there was the numerous grammatical and topographical errors, and then there were the unnecessarily explicit and overly graphic rape scenes. There is something called class and tact, but this author has none of it. I would also suggest that this book have a trigger warning. For those who have been through sexual assault or molestation, take my advice and DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!
December 24, 2016
Unreal
Actually I give 2 3/4 star. The beginning drew me in, but as the book progressed, it seemed to drag on and on with no clear end in sight. Maybe I'll try it again another another time.
Actually I give 2 3/4 star. The beginning drew me in, but as the book progressed, it seemed to drag on and on with no clear end in sight. Maybe I'll try it again another another time.
September 6, 2020
Thrilling and sometimes I could not put it down! Some parts are really graphic and hard to read but you keep going because you want to know what happens to the girl in the end. Worth a read and the grammatical errors are there but don't spoil the book.
January 21, 2019
OVERVIEW OF STORY: Julie and Kim have a big plan for their last adventure before settling into adulthood. A road trip. No maps, no plans, no worries. Unfortunately for the friends, they don’t know that evil is waiting for the perfect moment to derail them in a horrific and unexpected way. The first stop they make is at a little cafe, they meet two boys on the same sort of trip. The foursome wanders into the woods, drinking and talking the day away. Julie wants to return to their trip but Kim, the freer of the two, tells her to loosen up. Julie wakes up bound and naked. She and Kim are now being prostituted unwillingly. Ethan is invited through a new client for a weekend of fun that turns out to be debauchery. While there, he is thrust into a room with Julie horrified by her situation he vows to leave and return with help for her and Kim. Leaving Julie’s room, he finds out Kim is dead, and Julie can’t wait for help. So, they make a run for it, fight their way out of the woods and manage to make it to freedom. One of her captors dead the other maimed. And this whole thing is a lot bigger than anybody thought it would be. It turns out that Julie’s step-dad is the one who set them up for their little detour. When this comes out her formerly over-protective mother sides with her husband. Julie finds that the only person she can stand to be around or even remotely trust is Ethan. They form a tight friendship that grows into a relationship she thought she would never be able to have after everything she endured.
OPINION OF BOOK: I thought Unreal and the way it was told were original. I don’t read blurbs or reviews, I like to be surprised. I had no idea where this was going, and it was a terrible and terrific ride all at the same time. The author did a wonderful job of getting into the characters heads and divulging their emotions and driving forces without stating outright they did this because of this. The characters were well rounded and felt like people that I knew by the end of the book. There were a whole host of villains that I loved to hate. From the two guys who took Kim and Julie, the men who so callously used them and the man who had ultimately set them up. I was shocked by Julie’s mother’s reaction to what happened to her daughter. I expected her to be horrified. Instead, she believed the lies her husband told her about Julie wanting this, and Ethan hadn’t saved her but was a John. It’s no wonder Julie turned to Ethan who saved her in so many ways. All in all, this book carries the ugly truth about something that can and probably does happen far too often. But it also goes on to show how people can come out the other side of it. They will never be the same again and they may never be whole again. But they can live again.
OPINION OF WRITING: Unreal is in need of editing. There was an overuse of italics and improper word choices. Sentences would change direction or cut off mid-stream. Without using all the graphic details of the assaults, the same things were said repeatedly. And it started to feel a little lecture-like. The explanation of the kidnapping of the girls seemed a little contrived and left me with a lot of questions. How did the boys know where the girls would stop? And the bad guys just happen to have a cabin conveniently located within walking distance of where the girls stop for food? Why was there so much attention paid to the restaurant when it was inconsequential to the movement of the story?
OPINION OF BOOK: I thought Unreal and the way it was told were original. I don’t read blurbs or reviews, I like to be surprised. I had no idea where this was going, and it was a terrible and terrific ride all at the same time. The author did a wonderful job of getting into the characters heads and divulging their emotions and driving forces without stating outright they did this because of this. The characters were well rounded and felt like people that I knew by the end of the book. There were a whole host of villains that I loved to hate. From the two guys who took Kim and Julie, the men who so callously used them and the man who had ultimately set them up. I was shocked by Julie’s mother’s reaction to what happened to her daughter. I expected her to be horrified. Instead, she believed the lies her husband told her about Julie wanting this, and Ethan hadn’t saved her but was a John. It’s no wonder Julie turned to Ethan who saved her in so many ways. All in all, this book carries the ugly truth about something that can and probably does happen far too often. But it also goes on to show how people can come out the other side of it. They will never be the same again and they may never be whole again. But they can live again.
OPINION OF WRITING: Unreal is in need of editing. There was an overuse of italics and improper word choices. Sentences would change direction or cut off mid-stream. Without using all the graphic details of the assaults, the same things were said repeatedly. And it started to feel a little lecture-like. The explanation of the kidnapping of the girls seemed a little contrived and left me with a lot of questions. How did the boys know where the girls would stop? And the bad guys just happen to have a cabin conveniently located within walking distance of where the girls stop for food? Why was there so much attention paid to the restaurant when it was inconsequential to the movement of the story?
January 5, 2018
OK first off I am mad I even read the reviews. I have had this book on my TBR shelf for at least 6 months and have always hesitated because of reading the reviews. Quite a few people said it was obvious and too romantic to be a thriller but I disagree. I did not figure out who was behind all of this mess until I got to about 87% of the book. Second this book was a thriller for me, I kept feeling like my heart was about to pop out of my chest and knew it was beating faster than normal. I even checked my heart rate on my apple watch and come to find out it was really beating faster than normal. So looking at the reviews before reading the book is a no go for me. I will rely on the synopsis of the book to peak my interest. Also for the people bashing the author on the errors and mistakes I believe this was her first book if I'm not mistaken if not so what books are not going to be perfect. There were some errors but not enough for me to overly notice and not like the book.
This book was a thriller for me and to think this could and is probably happening right now is super crazy. The horror Julie and Kim experienced was horrible but all too real. We have seen some many stories of this nature on the news and to see how it affects the people involved and their families for so many years is awful. My heart literally pumped 10 times faster than usual when Julie met Ethan. OMG I was about to scream out at some points because it had me on the edge. Just to think though that these things are really happening is so scary. The only thing I am mad about is how there is a part 2 and a part 3. I'm not a fan of reading a continuation of books because it's so nerve wrecking but I'm just going to have to push through because I have to know what is going to happen with this story line.
This book was a thriller for me and to think this could and is probably happening right now is super crazy. The horror Julie and Kim experienced was horrible but all too real. We have seen some many stories of this nature on the news and to see how it affects the people involved and their families for so many years is awful. My heart literally pumped 10 times faster than usual when Julie met Ethan. OMG I was about to scream out at some points because it had me on the edge. Just to think though that these things are really happening is so scary. The only thing I am mad about is how there is a part 2 and a part 3. I'm not a fan of reading a continuation of books because it's so nerve wrecking but I'm just going to have to push through because I have to know what is going to happen with this story line.
January 15, 2018
From the few reviews I read, I thought this might be riddled with typos (and if so it was going in the DNF pile), but that wasn't the case. That doesn't mean this book doesn't need a lot of editing help. It flowed poorly from one scene to the next and there were many times where I had to re-read a section to grasp what the author was trying to say. An especially glaring part was near the end when Julie was confronting her mom and stepdad, people were being lifted off the ground while having a weapon held on them...it didn't make sense no matter how many times I read it.
The first part of the book was the most engrossing, Julie and Kim's nightmare was scary to read. Then it switches to Ethan's POV, and I started losing interest. His introduction was so clumsy, and I just kept wondering where this is going? And even after the book ended, I still don't feel like I got to know his character at all, he's a mostly blank page. If you met some guy and he seemed like a bit of a player (even though it didn't seem believable when he made that up), would you just automatically think he was into kidnapping and rape? I realize it was set up that way so Ethan could help Julie, but it was so awkward!
And while Julie's rescue was intense, after that everything seemed weird. Julie's mom...the police slapping around suspects...Julie being allowed to be in a room unsupervised with one of her attackers...Ethan's injuries that he seemed completely uninhibited by...weird!
While part of me wants to find out what happened to Kim, I'm not sure I want to trudge through two more books (and they seemed to have disappeared from Amazon?).
The first part of the book was the most engrossing, Julie and Kim's nightmare was scary to read. Then it switches to Ethan's POV, and I started losing interest. His introduction was so clumsy, and I just kept wondering where this is going? And even after the book ended, I still don't feel like I got to know his character at all, he's a mostly blank page. If you met some guy and he seemed like a bit of a player (even though it didn't seem believable when he made that up), would you just automatically think he was into kidnapping and rape? I realize it was set up that way so Ethan could help Julie, but it was so awkward!
And while Julie's rescue was intense, after that everything seemed weird. Julie's mom...the police slapping around suspects...Julie being allowed to be in a room unsupervised with one of her attackers...Ethan's injuries that he seemed completely uninhibited by...weird!
While part of me wants to find out what happened to Kim, I'm not sure I want to trudge through two more books (and they seemed to have disappeared from Amazon?).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2018
So real
This book has stayed with me, the book unreal has not left my mind. My heart is broken for Jules, and Kim. I also think about, all the other children, and grownups that have been kidnapped, and forced into a life of torture, of being abused, beaten,and killed, my heart hurts so much for them. Just like Greg the stepfather, who set this up, for them to be followed and kidnapped, not caring anything for Kim, and Jules, only for the money he would receive. I couldn't believe that Jules mom turned her back on her own daughter, and believing all the lies that Greg told about her. And I would have to say I had my doubts about Ethan, even though he did save her, I kept thinking he would hurt her to. You know I still have my doubts about him. This is a good book to read, it hits home, about what is going on in the world today. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read, and if you don't enjoy reading, now is the time to start. I couldn't put the book down, it was that good!! Thank You Riley Moreno for his book Unreal.
This book has stayed with me, the book unreal has not left my mind. My heart is broken for Jules, and Kim. I also think about, all the other children, and grownups that have been kidnapped, and forced into a life of torture, of being abused, beaten,and killed, my heart hurts so much for them. Just like Greg the stepfather, who set this up, for them to be followed and kidnapped, not caring anything for Kim, and Jules, only for the money he would receive. I couldn't believe that Jules mom turned her back on her own daughter, and believing all the lies that Greg told about her. And I would have to say I had my doubts about Ethan, even though he did save her, I kept thinking he would hurt her to. You know I still have my doubts about him. This is a good book to read, it hits home, about what is going on in the world today. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read, and if you don't enjoy reading, now is the time to start. I couldn't put the book down, it was that good!! Thank You Riley Moreno for his book Unreal.
April 19, 2019
The title could give away the ending! But read it anyway! Good read.
I considered hard before settling on 5 stars for this book but it's many strengths outweigh, what in my opinion is the " unreal" part of the book. It starts very strongly, good character building & descriptions. I was with the girls all the way through . I thought the story got quite quickly to the critical point of the story, then kept the tension going for a while as they struggled in their dilemma! It was well written & I felt able to empathise with them in a natural way. The twist at the end is a gem & clever. I did like the characters of Julie & Ethan & as I don't want to give away the ending I can't say why exactly I had a slight problem with the very end. Until that point, everything had felt right. Maybe it was just because towards the end I sort of lost a sense of timescale, so I really had no idea how long these later events had taken. Years? Clarity might have made it better at the end, for me anyway.
Otherwise, a great book to read, a good page turner. Recommend it!
I considered hard before settling on 5 stars for this book but it's many strengths outweigh, what in my opinion is the " unreal" part of the book. It starts very strongly, good character building & descriptions. I was with the girls all the way through . I thought the story got quite quickly to the critical point of the story, then kept the tension going for a while as they struggled in their dilemma! It was well written & I felt able to empathise with them in a natural way. The twist at the end is a gem & clever. I did like the characters of Julie & Ethan & as I don't want to give away the ending I can't say why exactly I had a slight problem with the very end. Until that point, everything had felt right. Maybe it was just because towards the end I sort of lost a sense of timescale, so I really had no idea how long these later events had taken. Years? Clarity might have made it better at the end, for me anyway.
Otherwise, a great book to read, a good page turner. Recommend it!
July 31, 2017
Unreal
Riley Moreno
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free through insta-freebies. The following review is my own. There was no compensation or promises from the author or insta-freebies*.
Oh my! This book was not anything I expected. I went into it completely blind, not even reading the blurb. It starts out benign, two girls just starting their lives. They both have just graduated college and wanted to celebrate by hitting the road on a vacation. They are quickly taken off course and the horrors that follow are the stuff of nightmares. This book is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. However, I do believe it focuses not only on the horror of human trafficking and sexual slavery, but on the ramifications of surviving such a horror. It was a terrifying read that I just could not put down. I cannot wait to read Unreal Part II Winter’s Chill. I am sure I will be investing more time into Ms. Moreno’s writings. Loved it.
Riley Moreno
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free through insta-freebies. The following review is my own. There was no compensation or promises from the author or insta-freebies*.
Oh my! This book was not anything I expected. I went into it completely blind, not even reading the blurb. It starts out benign, two girls just starting their lives. They both have just graduated college and wanted to celebrate by hitting the road on a vacation. They are quickly taken off course and the horrors that follow are the stuff of nightmares. This book is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. However, I do believe it focuses not only on the horror of human trafficking and sexual slavery, but on the ramifications of surviving such a horror. It was a terrifying read that I just could not put down. I cannot wait to read Unreal Part II Winter’s Chill. I am sure I will be investing more time into Ms. Moreno’s writings. Loved it.
March 20, 2019
"Graphic and disturbing"
The subject matter is horrific. Nobody in their right mind can defend it. However, there may be better methods by which to facilitate change than through a novel. Is it really necessary to load a book with so much graphic detail of the abuse these girls suffer? Less, is often better than more. Many writers have delivered a similar message with one slice of action and several sections where the horrors are left to the reader's imagination. This book has its redeeming qualities as it draws to the conclusion of the first part of three. Nevertheless, the damage was done. I read for pleasure. I accept that some genres will provide less than pleasant experiences on every page, but at times I felt uncomfortable. Needless to say, the other two parts won't be on my bookshelves.
The subject matter is horrific. Nobody in their right mind can defend it. However, there may be better methods by which to facilitate change than through a novel. Is it really necessary to load a book with so much graphic detail of the abuse these girls suffer? Less, is often better than more. Many writers have delivered a similar message with one slice of action and several sections where the horrors are left to the reader's imagination. This book has its redeeming qualities as it draws to the conclusion of the first part of three. Nevertheless, the damage was done. I read for pleasure. I accept that some genres will provide less than pleasant experiences on every page, but at times I felt uncomfortable. Needless to say, the other two parts won't be on my bookshelves.
April 28, 2020
This book could be very triggering for some.
A young woman name Julie and her friend Kim head off on a pre Real World road trip after college graduation.
They meet two guys who seem nice at first. But are sexual traffickers. The book is told from Julies pov.
So... OK. Where do I start? I'm with everyone who had issue with the editing.
The characters weren't fleshed out. A few seemed like caricatures.
There were a few things that made me suspend my belief. The mother and stepfather?
Kims mother when she went to see Julie? I can totally see her blaming Julie in her grief. But slapping her in a hospital with nurses milling around?
How Ethan wound up in the situation?
Ethan and Julie together didn't strike me as strange. Especially as her mother was a a piece of trash. He did also rescue her.
I would read the next in the series if I knew for sure the editing was better.
A young woman name Julie and her friend Kim head off on a pre Real World road trip after college graduation.
They meet two guys who seem nice at first. But are sexual traffickers. The book is told from Julies pov.
So... OK. Where do I start? I'm with everyone who had issue with the editing.
The characters weren't fleshed out. A few seemed like caricatures.
There were a few things that made me suspend my belief. The mother and stepfather?
Kims mother when she went to see Julie? I can totally see her blaming Julie in her grief. But slapping her in a hospital with nurses milling around?
How Ethan wound up in the situation?
Ethan and Julie together didn't strike me as strange. Especially as her mother was a a piece of trash. He did also rescue her.
I would read the next in the series if I knew for sure the editing was better.
August 13, 2017
Unreal... Is the reality. Julie and Kim, two college graduates wanted to hit the road and see the world, instead they drop in the world which was far more different from what they expected and impossible to imagine in their dreams. Story of the book is more of love and brutality than thriller. Though there are some scenes which makes you a gasp, it has lacked because of the mistakes in the book. The book has given taste of real outside world how is it for two young college girls who were trying to make out some fun before their next steps in life and instead was put in a hell with no escape and no hope to return to normal life.
July 21, 2018
Disaster
I really tried hard to get into this book but finally gave up. For one thing, the writing is like a beginning author. Almost every other paragraphs had a reference to: taking their hand, squeezing a hand and so on, it seemed like the author was using the affectionate phrases as fillers, and it made the story even more childish. This book might very well be the author's first attempt at writing, and she will improve with time and some good advice from a seasoned author. If that's the case, I wish her luck. Unfortunately this book is very mundane and I struggled to rate it a 2.
hand, squeezing their ::) and
I really tried hard to get into this book but finally gave up. For one thing, the writing is like a beginning author. Almost every other paragraphs had a reference to: taking their hand, squeezing a hand and so on, it seemed like the author was using the affectionate phrases as fillers, and it made the story even more childish. This book might very well be the author's first attempt at writing, and she will improve with time and some good advice from a seasoned author. If that's the case, I wish her luck. Unfortunately this book is very mundane and I struggled to rate it a 2.
hand, squeezing their ::) and
May 13, 2023
The content of this story was a bit hard to read especially knowing that these things are actually happening in our real world. The abuse these two young ladies went through was horrendous, to endure this hour after hour, day after day just trying to survive, praying for a way out was heart breaking. Not everyone finds a way out, those that do are forever broken.
Reading this story there were numerous sentences that were missing words or had double words. for example.... I went coffee house. Example... I went to the the coffee house.
It stopped the flow of the story because I had to reread the sentence. This author could have had the story looked over again before it was released to fix those matters.
Reading this story there were numerous sentences that were missing words or had double words. for example.... I went coffee house. Example... I went to the the coffee house.
It stopped the flow of the story because I had to reread the sentence. This author could have had the story looked over again before it was released to fix those matters.
November 22, 2017
Exciting book
I found this book to be a real page turner. Exciting story line with the bad guys being guys you really disliked. The characters are very believable with their own distinct personalities. The story itself is chilling and. could be something out of today's news. Hope the young ladies reading this book learn a valuable lesson. Would recommend this book to anyone that likes an exciting, hard go put down book. This is my first book by
Riley Moreno but it won't be the last.
I found this book to be a real page turner. Exciting story line with the bad guys being guys you really disliked. The characters are very believable with their own distinct personalities. The story itself is chilling and. could be something out of today's news. Hope the young ladies reading this book learn a valuable lesson. Would recommend this book to anyone that likes an exciting, hard go put down book. This is my first book by
Riley Moreno but it won't be the last.
July 15, 2018
So much potential
spoilers....Plot was quite original. I was taken by surprise a few times and did enjoy reading this book. However the characters were a little inconsistent. Ethan graduates from timid to hero pretty fast.... the real problem for me though were small mistakes. Like how Pete rapes her in the early chapters but in the final chapters it turns out he's unable to maintain an erection and she's notes thats why he didn't rape her.... But he did! If these small contradictions were taken care of I'd give a four.
spoilers....Plot was quite original. I was taken by surprise a few times and did enjoy reading this book. However the characters were a little inconsistent. Ethan graduates from timid to hero pretty fast.... the real problem for me though were small mistakes. Like how Pete rapes her in the early chapters but in the final chapters it turns out he's unable to maintain an erection and she's notes thats why he didn't rape her.... But he did! If these small contradictions were taken care of I'd give a four.
December 27, 2018
This book was horrible... not in the sense that it was a terrible read but the fact that I couldn’t believe what I was reading and it just kept getting worse. I was disgusted by how dark the human race could get.
I couldn’t stop reading because needed to know what happened next, which is why I flew through the pages of this book. Very disturbing. I’d hate to think that anyone would ever have to endure circumstances such as those presented in this book.
Also, someone should definitely send in corrections for this books as I care across tons of errors.
I couldn’t stop reading because needed to know what happened next, which is why I flew through the pages of this book. Very disturbing. I’d hate to think that anyone would ever have to endure circumstances such as those presented in this book.
Also, someone should definitely send in corrections for this books as I care across tons of errors.
January 17, 2019
This was a very dark story. It took me by surprise as I wasn't expecting just how dark it went. A great deal of the time was spent on the horrific details that she and her friend went through. The reveal at the end was unexpected and her mother's reaction was unbelievable. Not that it wasn't believable in the way the author wrote it, just her reaction to her child's journey left me shaking my head. The author was very descriptive and therefore, the book was at times hard to read. Use caution when reading.
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