Helpful Score: 11
This was easily one of the most poorly written books I've ever read. I can't call the characters one-dimensional, because that would imply that the characters were in some way consistent. Instead, each character veered wildly between clever, stupid, aggressive, pathetic, murderous, and lustful for no apparent reason except to advance the plot.
The plot isn't any better. Jordan Summers can't seem to keep track of what he's written just a few paragraphs before. With a straight face, he will tell you that the commander of the international military force (Red's grandfather) doesn't cut Red any slack. On the next page, Red will ignore three direct orders to report to his office, mouth off to him, nearly fall asleep in his office, and generally act like a spoiled petulant teenager with complete impunity. Likewise, Summers keeps mentioning how admirable it is that Red has "proved herself" in a mostly male military, when in fact she is openly hated by her fellow soldiers because she can't follow orders, slaughters everything in sight, and anyone working with her gets killed - fairly valid reasons not to want to work with her.
And finally, the background world is just pathetically poorly thought out. There's political maneuvering going on that is totally inconsistent (scaremongering about the paranormals attacking - except they're supposed to be government secrets that the public doesn't know about - except maybe the public does know about them but thinks they're all dead. Or something.) There are physical impossibilities, like maglev trains that run without tracks. There is nonsensical history, like extreme world-wide chaos that somehow resulted in hundreds of republics which are all exactly 100,000 square miles in area.
I know romances are all about the love story, but the characters were so poorly drawn I couldn't bring myself to care. The only thing consistent about Red's character is that she's petulant and self-involved. The existence of werewolves and vampires in the book is far more believable than the gaping plot holes. I give this book an F- for everything.
The plot isn't any better. Jordan Summers can't seem to keep track of what he's written just a few paragraphs before. With a straight face, he will tell you that the commander of the international military force (Red's grandfather) doesn't cut Red any slack. On the next page, Red will ignore three direct orders to report to his office, mouth off to him, nearly fall asleep in his office, and generally act like a spoiled petulant teenager with complete impunity. Likewise, Summers keeps mentioning how admirable it is that Red has "proved herself" in a mostly male military, when in fact she is openly hated by her fellow soldiers because she can't follow orders, slaughters everything in sight, and anyone working with her gets killed - fairly valid reasons not to want to work with her.
And finally, the background world is just pathetically poorly thought out. There's political maneuvering going on that is totally inconsistent (scaremongering about the paranormals attacking - except they're supposed to be government secrets that the public doesn't know about - except maybe the public does know about them but thinks they're all dead. Or something.) There are physical impossibilities, like maglev trains that run without tracks. There is nonsensical history, like extreme world-wide chaos that somehow resulted in hundreds of republics which are all exactly 100,000 square miles in area.
I know romances are all about the love story, but the characters were so poorly drawn I couldn't bring myself to care. The only thing consistent about Red's character is that she's petulant and self-involved. The existence of werewolves and vampires in the book is far more believable than the gaping plot holes. I give this book an F- for everything.
Helpful Score: 4
I hated this book. It was very hard to get into and the characters just did not intrigue me. Not worth the money paid for it and probably not going to grab the next one.
Helpful Score: 4
"What if Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf turned out to be the same person?" Intrigued? I sure was.
I was sucked in from word one, page one by this well paced story! A futuristic paranormal romance that was dark, hopeful, and sexy all rolled into one. You have a kick-@$$ heroine and hero that is sexy, tough, noble, and empathetic.
Red is an intense story with compelling characters who endear themselves from page one. Summers has crafted a complex story with a suspenseful plot as important to the story as the steamy romance. The author's website describes her writing as supernatural, urban fantasy, contemporary/suspense, and erotic romance. I'd have to agree this series launch is all that.
-- I need to stress that this book contains some very dark passages. When I read the first chapter of this story I could have easily been starting a murder-thriller. The parts of the story told from the serial killer's point of view, written in first person, put you inside his head, showing in no uncertain terms how demented the villain is.
I was sucked in from word one, page one by this well paced story! A futuristic paranormal romance that was dark, hopeful, and sexy all rolled into one. You have a kick-@$$ heroine and hero that is sexy, tough, noble, and empathetic.
Red is an intense story with compelling characters who endear themselves from page one. Summers has crafted a complex story with a suspenseful plot as important to the story as the steamy romance. The author's website describes her writing as supernatural, urban fantasy, contemporary/suspense, and erotic romance. I'd have to agree this series launch is all that.
-- I need to stress that this book contains some very dark passages. When I read the first chapter of this story I could have easily been starting a murder-thriller. The parts of the story told from the serial killer's point of view, written in first person, put you inside his head, showing in no uncertain terms how demented the villain is.
Helpful Score: 1
This was interesting, BUT, for my personal tastes there was just too much blood and raw sex descriptions in it! It detracted from the story I think. So no did not much care for it. I always finish a book I start reading, but almost didn't THIS one!
