Review: Love from MustReadBooksOrDie
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 17, 2013
I reviewed this at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley!Court: Whoa. That is my response to this book. Freaking whoa. I admit, at first I thought it was going to be like every other "My mother was a whore, I am a whore." tropes...but this book went in a completely different direction than I was expecting and I loved it! Shel: My thoughts, exactly, Court! This was such an awesome surprise--a fantastic debut novel!Court: Emerald has a horrible and daunting past to overcome, and it doesn't help that she is 100% in denial about it! Her childhood explains it perfectly, but it doesn't mean that now that she's in her twenties that she is a fully functioning adult...because that she is not. She is foul mouthed, sarcastic, rude and doesn't give a flying flip if you care or not. I liked this about her because a) she doesn't make excuses or pretend to be something she isn't and b) the people she finds to befriend give it back to her and don't put up with her crap either. They are her perfect balance, and again I fell in love with the secondary characters in this story.Shel: Is it messed up that I love this messed up girl? I love her filthy mouth, her horrible attitude, her (edited) reaction to things, her (edited)  to the world/I'm not playing your games self. Of course I abhor the how and why of how she gained all of these features...but I love her. I loved reading about her journey.Court: Carter. Carter. Carter! I freaking love Carter Black. He is one of those that doesn't put up with her crap...BUT...I was over 80% before I realized that we also don't know a dang thing about him. We started making our predictions and were we ever DEAD WRONG! Yes, yes we were. BUT I have not been this anxious to get my hands on a sequel in a really, really long time...especially after the introduction was pretty low angst!Shel: DUDE!!! This guy..I have lots and lots and lots and LOTS of questions. I also have a ton of love for him...even though I still have no freakin' clue about who exactly he is. How is that even possible? HOW?!! Because Mariah Cole writes both characters in such a way that you feel (strangely) okay with not knowing much about him. GAH!Court: Emerald's journey is not an easy one, but I loved learning about her as she was doing the same thing. She still has a ways to go...but she's getting there. I also loved the stripper aspect of this book. Maybe it's Kristen Ashley's fault, but I have a newfound respect for these women, and I love seeing them in a more positive light doing what they need to do to get by...and having bosses that make sure nothing happens to them. So yeah. I freaking LOVE this book! <3Shel: I loved this book too. Now I must commence to cyberstalking Mariah Cole to find out when the hell the next book is coming out because I really am impatient to begin it!! NOW!!!!!!Courtney: 5 Stars!Shelley: 5 Stars