#amreading

Just finished this book last night. I gave it a 4/5 stars. 

Summary:

He makes good girls...bad. 

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

Thoughts:

** spoiler alert ** 

Truly enjoyable. I picked up this book because I was just tickled about how an anti-hero Dante Walker is. Of course as the story progressed he grew a conscience and then a heart and it was heartbreaking and rewarding to read about. 

The story itself is excellently paced with dips and highs that hit you hard. There were tears as I read Dante's POV who can be a dick of the highest order but can also be the biggest sweetheart. He's damaged (of course he is) and he doesn't apologize for any of his attitude or bad behavior. I find it interesting on how continually torn he is about 'work' and 'feelings'. 

I like Charlie though her agreeing to the contract was kind of a, "huh, really?" moment for me. She's a smart  girl and yes, a beautiful soul without being perfectly, annoyingly, good but I thought she would question the 'contract' part. 

Of course, the addiction part of the contract make sense too.

But this book wasn't just about the 'love story' between Dante and Charlie, but it was also about family (that bit of when Dante came home and saw his mom on top of the stairs KILLED ME. SOBS GALORE) and friendship and what you do when you love someone, the limits you pushed when you want to protect them. 

Charlie and Annabelle and Blue. Charlie and Blue and Charlie's grandmother. Dante and Charlie's grandmother and Charlie. Dante and Charlie's grandmother. Dante and Annabelle. Dante and Blue. 

The relationships, even the friendships were real and complicated and yet extraordinarily simple at times; Blue and Dante's brohate relationship, Annabelle and Dante's smack talking contest. 

There wasn't clear manipulation of our emotions though you feel for the characters. 

There is no prolong angst though yes, there were hard and sad moments. 

I have to say though, eventhough Charlie and Anabelle and Dante are made of awesome, my heart belonged to Blue, so the ending slayed me.

I hope in book two, Blue would be a Liberator, 'cause that would be awesome.

Am now reading this book.

Summary:

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.

Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.

Thoughts:

** spoiler alert **

The world-building is...well, I'm still confused about it, the beginning was kind of jarring for me though the author did manage to pile in the character introduction there. But it was also filled with loads of information that was unfamiliar but the author made it seemed like we should know this already. Was there a prequel that I should know about?

Anyway, what's interesting to me is that by cover and by explanation is that this seems to be a twist on Snow White...if Snow White was a magic-user or something. And her friends Ruby (Red Riding Hood) and Ellie (Cinderella) are also magic-users and is in the same school as her.

Lili St Crow's story tend to go dark so I'm interesting on how she'll twist the old fairy tale stories that we all know and love.

I am intrigue by how Cami got her scars and where she comes from and her relationship with Nico, the heir to the Vultusino (I get the impression that they are like the Supernatural mob) throne. 

Cami speaks with a stutter and as such is often frustrated with herself, she also use a lot of gestures to get her feelings across and her relationship with Nico, a sullen, difficult and volatile boy who grew up with her as her brother. Their relationship is sweet and the fact that Nico's name is one of the words that she hardly ever stutters on is extra sweet. I love it. 

Though Cami is pampered, the Patriach of the clan is hard on Nico. He is very strict and is not hesitant on doling out corporeal punishment which doesn't seem to do much now. Nico seems to expect his father's anger, his disapproval. And his father can't seem to be kind to him although he does love him. Cami knows this. And Nico although he won't say it, yearns for his father approval. 

Cami seems to be the only thing they have in common these days. 

Anyway, back to reading.