Do you like to read?

Good. So do I. What started out as a place where I posted reviews, thoughts, and suggestions surrounding mostly young adult fiction has now turned into my personal venting space. I'm going to review books. I'm going to be honest. And I'm going to be snarky. You've been warned.







Oct 5, 2013

Enchant Me

I don't even know where to begin. When I first read about Enchant Me, I was intrigued. Like all books I read about and end up being duped by. The description felt fresh and unique. I've never read anything that had to do with druids and I like a good supernatural-with-a-splash-of-romance twist. Another plus -- I grew up around Steilacoom and was curious to see how it looked in a fictional world.

Well, I don't mean to come off as a huge jerk, but Enchant Me by Anne Violet was quite possibly the worst book I have ever read. I kept cringing as my eyes slid painfully over every word -- and not because there were monsters hiding in the bushes. I should have stopped reading, but 99 cents is 99 cents, and I wasn't going to waste it. Though I wish I would have bought a doughnut from the grocery store instead...

 
So what's Enchant Me about? A 17-year-old girl named Alexis. After she broke up with her boyfriend, the jaded ass spread rumors about her, turning her into a pariah. On top of that, Grannie Dearest told her she's about to gain some crazy druid powers, and it won't be a pleasant experience, either. Despite all of that, she happens to meet a gorgeous guy named Christian, and there's instant attraction. But all isn't what it seems. Christian has secrets of his own. And that jaded ex of hers? He isn't going to sit by and watch Alexis be happy.

See, that sounds interesting, right?

No, it's not. Nothing about this story worked for me. Not even the fact that the story took place in Steilacoom, a place I know and love. Maybe I'm overly sensitive because I know Steilacoom so well, but I think I'm allowed to be. Violet didn't do Steilacoom, or my favorite park, any justice. She could have described it so much better, brought it to life and really made it unique. Instead it just felt generic. And one last logistical issue: a whole bunch of teenagers aren't going to drive 40 minutes out to the boondocks of Graham for some party. At least no one I went to school with would, but maybe I wasn't cool in high school.

Sadly, the complaining doesn't end with location. None of the characters felt real and believable. Alexis is supposed to be an outsider at school, but it seemed as though really only three people had beef with her. She was given so many characteristics to make her unique that it felt forced. I don't care if she's a belly dancer if it doesn't add to the story and only seemed like an inserted afterthought. Oh, she bought a really expensive, fancy motorcycle without any help from her mom or obtaining a loan? Yeah right. It was hard to like her, especially when she kept making stupid decisions. Even the grandmother felt two-dimensional. Her only purpose was to spew information and tell Alexis how powerful she was without really painting any sort of picture. She just showed up with answers. How convenient. Convenient describes a lot of things that happened in Enchant Me.

Like Christian and his story. He felt like an old man, not a teenager. I kept expecting him to really be a vampire or some other immortal being. And saying that he, a senior in high school, had enough money from selling his art to have him set for life is a bunch of bull. But maybe I just don't know anything about art.

I couldn't believe how situations kept getting resolved -- or unresolved. The whole prom thing was ridiculous, and the end of the book felt anticlimactic. I don't care what happens to any of these characters. Even though I know the second book takes place in Ireland, a place I adore, I just don't care. Maybe I would if I was 14, but unfortunately I'm not.
And I'd really hope a 14-year-old would have better taste.

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In case you were curious, my favorite park in Steilacoom, which is vaguely featured in this book, is Saltar's Point. Named after a guy you've never heard of until now (Captain John Saltar), one of the best things about this park is the bridge that goes over the train tracks.


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