READING: Twisted Palace (Paper Princess #3) by Erin Watt

Publication date: October 17 2016
Published by: TimeOut LLC
Genre:New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
1st read Rating: 

2nd read Rating: 

From mortal enemies to unexpected allies, two teenagers try to protect everything that matters most.

Ella Harper has met every challenge that life has thrown her way. She’s tough, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend the people she loves, but the challenge of a long-lost father and a boyfriend whose life is on the line might be too much for even Ella to overcome.
Reed Royal has a quick temper and even faster fists. But his tendency to meet every obstacle with violence has finally caught up with him. If he wants to save himself and the girl he loves, he’ll need to rise above his tortured past and tarnished reputation.

No one believes Ella can survive the Royals. Everyone is sure Reed will destroy them all.
They may be right.
With everything and everyone conspiring to keep them apart, Ella and Reed must find a way to beat the law, save their families, and unravel all the secrets in their Twisted Palace.


2nd read (April 18 2019)
Weirdly enough, I am not that disappointed in TP this time around. I thought it was a ridiculously over the top story to begin with anyway, so I didn't really have any expectations. 

Reed's imminent jail time and it bringing him and Ella closer together, I think was what this book was all about. It had the perfect balance between sweet and hot Reed-Ella moments and all the rest i.e. murder mystery, was not that important, imo. Granted, I wanted to know whodunit and the ending was satisfying enough in the sense that it killed two birds with one stone.

READING: Broken Prince (Paper Princess #2) by Erin Watt

Publication date: July 26 2016
Published by: TimeOut LLC
Genre:New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
1st read Rating: 

2nd read Rating: 

Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.
What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.

Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.
She might be right. 

Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.


2nd read (Apr 1 2019)
Much better than the dreadful Paper Princess. There were still some cringe worthy and eye rolling moments (I'd be surprised if there weren't) but I think Reed's POV gave a whole different meaning to his actions and overall behaviour. He manages to convince me that he is completely aware he screwed up and that he has been a major jerk. He appears remorseful and self destructive - my two favourite qualities in a guy 😀 Loved his fight with Delacorte at school-real badass. 

When Ella comes back, I expected him to be a creep and follow her around everywhere demanding they get back together, and her to fall for it after a couple of chapters. To my genuine surprise, that didn't happen. Instead, he was relatively calm about the fact that Ella wouldn't have him back (like I said, completely aware he screwed up) because he knew that they belonged together and at some point she would forgive him. Well, I don't know about the belonging together crap, but Ella didn't give up as easily as I thought. She had a moment of weakness here and there but come on! She lived with the guy, it was only natural and expected. They officially reconciled and got together around 70% in, which for YA-NA world, it's aaaaaaages! So, congrats for not rushing it. It would have made the epic cliff-hanger of PP kinda pointless, otherwise.

Speaking of cliffhangers-BP has an even bigger jaw-dropper than PP 😲 !

Also, I think the twins have the most interesting relationship out of all the characters in the book. Watt should make a book (or a series) just about them.

READING: Paper Princes (Paper Princess #1) by Erin Watt

Publication date: April 4 2016
Published by: TimeOut LLC
Genre:New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
1st read Rating: 

2nd read Rating: 


Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone. 

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.
He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees. 

These Royals will ruin you…

THIS IS NOT A YA BOOK! STOP ADVERTISING IT AS SUCH!

2nd read (Mar 29 2019)
What.Was.I.Thinking.With.The.5.Stars 😲

This book is bad. Really bad. Apart from the bad writing, it oversexualises teenagers (so many sexual references, innuendos and sexual acts) and redeems disgusting creeps who happen to be out of this world handsome (and rich) so we shouldn't care that they are total pigs. Also, they have a good heart deep down inside and they can definitely be redeemed by the love of a decent woman. 
Barf.

Stop sending these unrealistic messages to young girls! Stop building expectations: high schools are not filled with incredibly rich, beautiful 6"4 17 year old guys, who are completely wretched sure, but are good in sex! Just stop!

Also, Ella. She is the heroine, the main female character. This girl had been through so much in her past, having to do a lot of very difficult and uncomfortable things to survive and support her sick mom, and good on her that she did. She also appears very street smart which I guess you would have to be having been though all that.
Now, are we supposed to believe that she completely ignores how much these guys suck and how horrible they treat her and hook up with not one, but two of them in one month? And for what? So she can live in a mansion and have a car, money and food? Well, I guess she can blame it on survival, but I am pretty sure she could survive without being the Royals' bitch because that's what she ended up becoming. Showing you have respect for yourself doesn't mean throwing down (in your underwear, like you do) with one spoiled, entitled little girl that insulted you at school. It means standing up for yourself whenever anyone insults you, belittles you, or makes you feel unsafe, especially in this case, where the boys have apparent power over Ella in every aspect and they are taking full advantage of it. The scene when Easton propositions Ella in the kitchen in the most disgusting way and Reed is looking at them smiling, would make any reasonable person either punch the guy, kick him in the nuts or leave. Ella decided to make out with him instead. And then with his other brother. That is what vulnerable and impressionable young adult minds can take away from this book. 

One thing I will say though, this book is highly addictive and unputdownable. I don't know what that means for such a bad book, but there you go. 

Unfortunately, I never change my ratings after re reads so this will have to remain as is 😠
I am determined however to read the rest of the books and see how far this absurdity goes.

1st read (Nov 4 2016)
I know I probably shouldn't but I can't help the 5 stars. I just couldn't put it down. Way way over the top and slightly sexist but at the same time extremely entertaining. Definitely a book I love to hate!

READING: Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn #3) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publication date: September 16 2014
Published by: Simon&Schuster books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, High School, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery
Rating: 

New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.

After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same. 

Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?




2nd read (Mar 2019)
I am angry upset at the ending of this book and the whole series. I can't believe I let it slide the first time.
I wanted to slap Lilia for being such a spoiled princess (I want you, no I don't, but I still want you, no I don't really. I mean...)
I wanted to shake Kat for not following her dream just because. I don't buy that she wanted to stay with her friends. What friends??
Reeve was actually the only one that showed emotional growth. He was horrible to people before and that led to a tragic incident, but even then behind all the bravado and arrogance, he was still tortured by it. The conclusion to his story was really disappointing, as if yes, he finally got punished and got what he deserved. 

Like Rennie dying.

I wouldn't object to it, if Fire with Fire was not all about him changing and becoming a better person and him and Lilia falling in love.
As for hers and Alex's ending, I can't even. Did not like at all.

Verdict: 👍 I still love the series and it definitely stands the test of time, but the ending just killed me-and not in a good way. I don't care for all my endings to be HEA, but these kids have been through too much to not have one. 
For me, Fire with Fire was the best of the bunch, with Burn for Burn close second.

1st read (Feb 2016)
I can't believe how sad the ending was!!! Definitely not the HEA I was expecting!! Still it was beautiful, loved every minute of it.
I feel like I could read about Reeve, Lillia, Kat and Alex forever. This is a must read series for sure and without a doubt one of my favourites ❤️

READING: Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publication date: August 13 2013
Published by: Simon&Schuster books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, High School, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery
Rating: 

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.
And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...


2nd read (Mar 2019)
Couldn't wait to start reading this every day. I'd never think that I would still enjoy YA books, but I guess some of them have just struck a chord with me.

Where the book really shines, is Reeve's smooth transition from basically a self absorbed asshole, to a troubled, love struck boy. I remember being so shocked the first time I read it, when I found myself starting to like Reeve against my better judgement. What he did to Mary was unforgivable and inexcusable. He obviously has some issues he needs to sort out which became more apparent in this book when we learn a little bit about his background. He ends up accepting his fate after the accident at homecoming because he knows deep down that he deserves to be punished for what he did, even though for me personally, the whole thing is morally blurry. I am glad that what happened to him gave him clarity and a different perspective, but the way it happened was just wrong any way you try and twist it.

Poor Alex was the only one that did absolutely nothing wrong and I feel like he's owed a huge apology by Lilia and Kat. Especially by Lilia who emotionally manipulated him just a tad (a lot).

The last bit at Rennie's party was a page turner and Mary's realisation heart breaking, with a shocking and unexpected ending.

All in all, as good as I remembered it and more!