Status Updates From Domino Effect (Domino, #1)

Started 6/3/2021

I have mixed feelings about this.

I wonder if this is really a mafia book...

It does get little better...ah, we will see...

That was a pretty lousy cliffhanger, but I figured it would end quickly.

Uhhh, as far as a reflection on the read goes - this fails. Miserably. Review to come.

This makes the second chapter in a row the author chooses to end it on a "fade to black" note, in which the heroine loses consciousness.

Almost done. Very close to the end.

Leave it to Nancy's narration to completely ruin what's supposed to be a tense captivity scene. Yikes, man.

You know, given the tensions between Ukraine and Russia going on right now, I'm really sure that there would be people really offended by some of the statements in this book.

"I wanted to grab myself by the nape of the neck and shake that
ridiculous notion right out of my head."

Funny that this reaction is exactly what I thought about doing to my e-reader for this book.

I'm kind of having a laugh with this. Almost would've worked better as a "Scary Movie" parody of an erotic novel, it's so paint by numbers, but it takes itself far too seriously for that.

I think this is the point where we find out that the hero named his...um...particular appendage and also figures out that the heroine's a virgin.

I'm taking bets on how long it is before he freaks out.

Never mind...too soon. Too soon, man.

I'm recalling memories of watching the anime series Ranma 1/2, and I'm remembering male Ranma calling Akane-chan "uncute" in the dub version.

His voice is in my head saying that this is "unsexy". And this goes down as one of the unsexiest things I've ever read. You know, who obsesses over their virginity this much? Who suddenly turns on their sexuality as quick as an "just add water" label? Goodness man...

Yeah...not enough you have to offend virgins, you offend people who are gay too!

*headdesks, then continues reading with the purpose of finishing this as soon as she can*

If it's bad enough that virgins get enough of a bad rap in this kind of literature, it's even worse noting how appallingly ignorant the heroine comes across. :(

Seriously, it's that bad. And her internal voice is very grating to read.

I'm surviving this one, though. Taking notes as well to use in my review for certain points mentioning problems in the narrative.

Yeah, I think the problem may be that this book is really juvenile for the subject matter and stuck too much in the heroine's head. It reads so boring - the heroine keeps on going on about how hot the hero is and basically keeps pushing the sensuality factor without having any kind of true steamy resonance. It's intimacy without the intimate - it's trying to tell you to think it's intimate when it's not.

Still reading, but slow. I'm hoping to finish this tonight so I can move to another, immersive read. This reads more tedious than I thought. =\

Also - word to the wise: just because you're a virgin doesn't make you relationship inexperienced. I don't know why there are some people who assume your sexual status makes you unable to have any kind of relationship with people, romantic or otherwise. Doesn't make sense.

I figured this was going to be one of those narratives with the naive, inexperienced person walking into this kind of scenario. Still sitting on my hands waiting to see where it goes, but the territory feels familiar, and at the same time it doesn't quite do much with it. Bit too wordy/sluggish with pacing and description.

This was a book I requested as a galley a while back ago, and through strength of will, I'm going to see what it offers. The galley's rather long. Definitely not sure if I'll be able to get through it in a few sittings, but we'll see. I have some other books I'm shadowreading in addition to this one, but I'm still having serial book hopping syndrome. =/

Her constant inner monologue is killing me. I feel like this story is very familiar so far...

"Was this really how it felt to be turned on? I didn't know. I had no experience with that feeling..."

Seriously?! Seriously?