Review: 2.5 to 3 stars for the effort.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 23, 2014
I received this book via Netgalley for an honest review.Wounded Courage is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone considering that the main characters in this book are different from the first one.What caught my attention when I saw this book on Netgalley is the fact that it’s supposed to be a NA Contemporary Romance novel, but with a lot of action and mysteries like a thriller. While there are a lot of action and “mysteries“ in this book, I can’t see why this book is a NA novel.While the plot itself could have been interesting, I wasn’t fully won over. Is it because I haven’t read the first book in the series? Is it because the plot lacks surprising twists and other fake leads? I don’t know, but I do think that the plot isn’t tight enough to truly works as it should. I wasn’t out of breath while reading this book and I even sighed a few times.Also, the connection between Murphy and Addison is pretty much boring. I couldn’t see it fully, couldn’t feel the fact that they’ve known each other for years, that they’ve always been attracted by each other. Seriously, I couldn’t see anything. Even the emotions didn’t seem true. I had a feeling that it was forced and I had a hard time enjoying their time together.Some of the things in Addison’s behavior really bothered me. Some things are very repetitive, the tension with her family told several times, but actually never showed and it’s pretty much overlooked. I couldn’t understand her or her emotions.Murphy is interesting, but in a way I had a hard time connecting with him. I don’t know if it’s because his characterization isn’t deep and thorough enough, but in the end he’s not a character I’ll remember.The whole story isn’t that interesting when there’s everything to make it brilliant and thrilling. In the end, I’m left with a “meh“ feeling that doesn’t sit well with me.Some dialogues were not that well introduced and many internal musings broke the rhythm of the story and dialogue. That didn’t help either.I don’t know if I’ll read another book in this series, but maybe I’m too harsh because I’m more used to that type of story being more tight with several fake leads, many insane twists with some very bad consequences.