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My breath became shallower, more labored. The vitality seeped out of my body. The echo of gurgling water pouring into the tub was monotone and soothing, and suddenly, I was exhausted. I wanted to sleep.
Not only does Shen create fantastic characters, but she crafts a great story. I love how her words paint such vivid scenes which I can see and feel. The opening sequence is magnificent and sets the perfect stage for what follows. The only thing that I could've lived without was the whole pen-pal connection. It felt a little too similar to 'Punk 57' for me, especially when combined with the high school bullying theme, and I didn't think it added much to the story. Both of these books were released so close together, that they were probably being written during the same period of time. However, the similarities were noticeable. They probably stand out to me more than usual since I read 'Punk 57' fairly recently.It wasn’t the first time I’d spoken to a cloud like it was my dead aunt, so I couldn’t blame my level of intoxication on this particular quirk. “Weather’s looking fine. Sailor is going to appreciate it. How do I look?” Ten years later, Vicious and Emilia meet again. Both of them have changed, but in so many ways they remained the same. What happens when certain circumstances make them work together, spending lots of time together? I heard him rummaging through the cabinets. My eyes fluttered open. Grabbing a first-aid kit, he produced a small bottle of medicine and a syringe, frowning at the tiny instructions on the vial as he spoke. Sweet Persy- this heroine, y’all. Persephone has stolen the crown as my favorite LJ Shen leading lady. She feels different than our other heroines- a whimsical quality to her character. This is a character who charms and endears- she’s light, she’s joy, compassionate and optimistic. She’s the heart and soul of this story- and it is that heart and soul that not just inspires us, but who thaws Cillian. She’s a (mostly) quieter character overall- softer, more gentle and tender, more subtle. I found this to make her so much more relatable, because at her core, she’s a hopeless romantic. A girl who wishes on clouds, dances with her students, and believes that love can heal. We knew she was the softer sister, but she has a quiet fortitude that we hadn’t seen yeh. She has integrity, she has principles, and she stands up for herself in her own way- with love, with empathy, with affection- and with a little sass. Her inner strength is the most magnanimous of Leigh’s heroines- because it comes from a place of unconditional love. Her strength is actually her softness. The heroine has ZERO spine. The hero is a total jerk. Nothing makes sense. NOTHING. It's like everyone is an idiot!!! AND THIS WAS IN THE NAME OF ENEMIES TO LOVER TROPE.
I wanted to dissolve into smoke, to crawl into him and never leave. It was crazy, but that was how much I craved this man. So, he decides to make Persephone an offer, take the money she needs, and get into an arranged marriage with him, so he can have the male child he needs to secure the company. A transactional marriage, nothing else. He was light in a dark fog. But I knew better than everyone how bad the gorgeous flames in him could burn.”
Sure, it wasn’t feminist, or inspiring, or progressive, but it didn’t make it any less the truth. My truth. In the words of Joe Exotic, I am never going to recover from this. Cillian holding my hair while he is making me puke. Chivalry might be dead, but you’re not, so shut up and be grateful.” He gave the satin cords another yank. I winced.
there you were. Pure and scar-free, with your big kind eyes and honest smile. You were so clean, and I was filthy. I guess I wanted to dirty you up" When he walked into the room, no matter how dingy and small, you could feel the wealth, the status, the power.
Gah! I loved Vicious and his asshole ways. Seriously, Shen did an amazing job with him. She toed the line making him a huge jerk, but still lovable and redeemable. I loved the two of them together. Even though he gave Emilia so much hell, you could tell these two belonged together. And Vicious could be super swoony when he wanted to be. He was so hateful and monstrous that this pure beautiful creature seemed to be something he could never deserve to have so he wanted to taint her, torture her, all the while torturing himself along with her. It’s disappeared. Hopefully not in her hairdo.” I heard the grin in my sister’s voice. “Oh, by the way. Can you bring Hunter’s ring if his brother doesn’t show up to take it? Technically, it’s Cillian’s job, but he’s probably in the gardens, skinning a female employee and making fashionable coats out of her flesh.” Emilia and Vicious’ story is so good and doesn’t end with a cliffhanger as this will be a series with Vicious’ best friends all getting their own books! The lessons learned, the love that was always there and the writing…
In LJ Shen’s The Villain, Kill’s character is pretty unlikeable unless you’re trying to see him from Persephone’s love goggles. Unlike a regular anti-hero, he just didn’t really do anything good in the entire book that would make for a redeeming quality. https://karensingermd.com/ But he was still there to help Persephone when she needed it, so that’s something at least. I soaked her hospital gown with tears, clutching the fabric in my little fists, ignoring Momma’s soft pleas to get off her ill sister. Emilia, Millie, or Help as our hero calls her (yes, seriously, for like 60% of the book, he calls her “Help”) is the daughter of the new servants in the Spensers’ Mansion. She is poor and low class when compared to these spoiled brats. However, she is beautiful, sexy, innocent and she has a pure good heart. She is also a skillful artist who paints pictures. She has an obsession with the cherry blossom tree and she has the same color hair. Will you give me a sign?” I pressed. “That you’re there in the sky? A lightning? Rain? Oh, I know! Maybe a pigeon can poop on me.” There was an age different between us. Twelve years weren’t something you could easily disregard. It never bothered me, though.Hero tries to sleep with another woman after he had already gotten together with h. She sleeps with someone else and hero could have stopped it, but he doesn't. Not enough Grovel. The cherry blossom represents the fragility and magnificence of life. It’s a reminder of how beautiful life is, almost overwhelmingly so, but that it is also heartbreakingly short. As are relationships. Be wise. Let your heart lead the way. And when you find someone who’s worth it—never let them go.” Vicious, the school heartthrob, the ice man with no heart, a brutal man who preys on innocent victims. For more than 10 years his prey has been his servant's daughter. Frustrated by his own feelings he target his anger on the innocent girl. At the same time he can't help but be attracted to her. Bingo.” I tugged a skin-soothing ointment tube from the diamond-studded Hermès. I scrubbed the lotion on my skin, pleased with my drunken self, when the door behind me flung open. Because frankly, books where a cold and ruthless hero suddenly becomes smitten with the heroine turning the good book into the complete mushy-mushy, rainbow-and-unicorns cheese fest annoy me as hell.
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