Wicked Games audiobook

By the time they crossed the Georgia state line, they’d forgotten all about the green Mazda, but if they’d looked, they would have seen that it was still behind them... Thank you, Khanh!Well... holy shit. I nearly passed this one up because of all the negative reviews - just look down the page at all those one stars - but it was Khanh's review that piqued my curiosity. I often find myself being in the minority on books, though it's usually a case where I wasn't feeling the magic from a book everyone else is raving about, so I decided to take a chance on this one. My thought was "I'll just try a few pages and see..." and the next thing I knew it was over and my heart was literally racing.Personally, I think whoever did the design and marketing for this book got it all wrong. This is not a lusty teenage romance full of empty-headed characters; in fact, it's far closer to being a psychological thriller of the Abigail Haas variety. I was literally hooked. It's frightening. It's engaging. It has well-developed characters. Being a teen makes most people experience the edge of insanity from time to time and I think Olin shows that, and then proceeds to show how someone can cross the line bit by bit every day.The, in my opinion, AMAZING characters:This book is about three people - Lilah, Carter and Jules - who do some pretty damn awful things. But I felt like characterization and careful understanding and sympathy are never neglected by the author. These people are appalling. Carter is dating Lilah but cheats on her with Jules, and Lilah is absolutely fucking crazy (no exaggeration). And yet... and yet I felt completely absorbed into their lives and stories. It was a rare occasion where cheating, though still not forgivable, is told in such a way that I understood and sympathised with both parties.Lilah:Similarly, I loved the way Lilah's character was handled. I can't help smiling to myself now as I recall how bitter, twisted and insane she was. She is a fantastic portrait of a teenage girl's gradual descent into insanity. She is interesting, she is a villain, but she's more than that too. Because, whatever she may go on to do, I felt such a sadness for Lilah - especially towards the beginning - because I remember how it feels to be an angsty teenager and worry that you're not good enough and nothing will ever be right again. I'm surprised more people don't sympathise with Lilah's self-destructive personality. Obviously it's completely unhealthy, but I found her a highly sympathetic character in the beginning of the book - maybe this says something about me as a teenager ^_^ - and there were certain scenes that seriously wrenched at my gut. I think it would have been very easy for the author to drop these kinds of characters into boxes but he steered clear of them all. There was zero slut-shaming, the guy was sweet and gentlemanly... I liked Wicked Games a lot.Really bloody scary:I do not get scared. I swear. Only with real life spiders because they're obviously up to something (why else would they need EIGHT legs, hmm?). But this book freaked me out. Like heart-pounding "the door's locked, right? are you sure???" kind of freaked out. It's just that I'm more likely to be affected by scary real life things than scary horror things because, duh, I'm probably not going to get eaten by a werewolf anytime soon. And, honestly, parts of this book are genuinely terrifying.Ending:Also, I LOVED the ending. I thought that was just sheer brilliance, to be honest. I'm not sure if the author has set it up for a sequel or if he intends to leave it hanging there (which would be deliciously evil), but I'm good with both. So, I'm pleased to be in the positive minority for once, but I'm a little surprised. I wonder if part of it has something to do with the way this book appears to be something it isn't... a lot of readers - sometimes myself included - don't like to get something they hadn't bargained for. We don't want to pick up a "dystopia" and get a romance, even a well-written one. It's like... I like chicken and I like ice cream but I wouldn't want to get one when I ordered the other. Okay... what am I even talking about anymore? Just: maybe take a chance on this one, you might be surprised :)Blog | Leafmarks | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: In Wicked Games, an engaging, memorable story will have you sitting of the edge of your seat.Opening Sentence: “Are you sure you’re okay?” asked Carter.The Review:Lilah and Carter met as freshman. That first year, their love was strong, and it seemed as if nothing could tear them apart. But cracks are forming that are starting to show. All it takes is one night with Jules and one depressed, jealous girlfriend to make actions spiral out of control, and tears, sweat, and even blood will be shed.This is an intensely hooking novel. From the start, I was a little nervous I was starting a another typical love story with typical characters and a typical plot. The first chapter is on a beach, with two young lovers, so that strengthened my fear. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some romance, but I’ve been reading a lot of those lately, so when I realized it was much more than a cheesy love story, I was estatic. Let me tell you, this captured me and reeled me in on a hook, with it’s unique characters, enrapturing plot, and beautiful writing style. The characters were right next to me, acting out the words on the page. Just, wow!Carter is a swoon-worthy male character, caring, affectionate, with a tinge of rebellion. When his girlfriend is being rude and over-dramatic, then threatens to hurt herself if he leaves her. You could say it’s a pretty rough patch to be in. But Carter handles it with an admirably calm exterior, though we, the readers, get to see the tumultuous storm of emotions on the inside. Jules was also an amazing one, and I fell in love with her point of view. Lilah’s the crazy one, the moody one, the one that made me think a murderer was lurking in every corner. Her POV was also exceptionally well done. Just enough humanity to make me feel sorry for her, and empathy for her case.Uch. The ending. The ending of this book was surprising, heartbreaking, horrible, in so many ways. It was sadly ironic. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll stop there. Don’t try to infer what happens, because I didn’t say what character the horrible thing happens to, so technically, you will probably be way off if you guess. I know I was, even though I was waiting for a different tragedy.For anyone fitting in the new adult or young adult categories, I think you’ll love this one. It’s mysterious, beautiful, amazing, I can’t say enough good things about it! I hope you check it out because I know you won’t be disappointed. This book has it all — a killer romance, awesome characters, a unique plotline, and lots of action. You’ll be pulled in like I was and I know you’ll be left begging for more of this author’s work!Notable Scene:“Lilah,” he said. “What happened? To your legs?”She quickly covered her cuts with her hand. “I thought you were going to leave me.”FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of Wicked Games. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Ok, so this is one book that took me by surprise in how much I really liked it. In fact, I was more than about a third of the way down with this book before I put it down. Stopping reading was not really the choice I wanted to do but I needed to turn out the light and get some sleep. This is the down side of starting a book in bed at night before going to sleep. Sometimes you choose a really good one like Wicked Games and then are having a dilemma...two sleep or not to sleep, that is the question. While Carter and Jules were not that interesting. Well interesting enough that I wanted to find out what happened to them. It was Lilah that really made this book interesting. She was way crazy like mentally. She was so unstable that I was captivated by what she would do next. This story ended on a good note. It even had me shaking my head thinking this was a twisted, evil story. I wonder what the author has in store next.

So I might be the odd one out, but OMG I LOVED WICKED GAMES by Sean Olin. Read my full review here Review goes live 10/5/2016

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...I was a little worried about getting into Wicked Games because so many people didn’t enjoy it. I don’t know whether it’s my love for all things dramatic and thrilling, or the fact that a lot worse happens in Pretty Little Liars (this was blurbed really well), but I actually found myself flipping pages, anxious to know what happens. I honestly think this would actually make a really good TV series with all the crazy shit that happens throughout the novel, and that along with sex, betrayal and a psycho on the loose, it’s all the makings of an addictive series.Okay, I’ll at least admit this – I’m not a big fan of the characters. Lilah is completely INSANE. Like, I wouldn’t go near her with a 1000-meter pole. That’s how bad she is. Sure, she’s got some actual problems, such as depression and self-harm, but does that mean that she has to go completely crazy? Her parents are probably the worst because no, they don’t try to make her better, they just kind of avoid the whole problem all together. And Carter! While I definitely liked Carter’s character much better than Lilah’s, he’s no better. He knows she has a problem, and instead of actually helping her, he avoids breaking off their relationship to protect her feelings. GAH. Frustration to the max people. Jules was okay. I mean, compared to the other two, she certainly has more redeeming qualities. However, that totally does not justify going for another girl’s boyfriend. Obviously, she can like him, but actually act on that? Yeesh. Morals have no place in this novel for sure. So therefore, in the end, my favourite character is Jeff, Carter’s best friend, who basically has the tiniest role in this novel.Speaking of the end, totally did not see that coming. And I’m not just talking about the epilogue either. All the action that happens totally reminds me of something that happens on the TV show Revenge (which is why this book would be a good TV show...) and it’s seriously thrilling. And the epilogue! Holy crap the author knows how to set up what’s hopefully in the next book. I mean, the last few lines sent a figurative chill down my spine and it’s really haunting. I love books that leave you with a shocking and suspenseful end, don’t you?While I didn’t like the characters, Wicked Games still had an engaging plot that comes to a horrifying end. Jaws will drop, eyes will pop, hearts will thud. There are no happy endings in Sean Olin’s latest novel, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the next book in this series.

I just read this book and yes I strongly agree with you it literally gives you feels. The worst part is I related to both female characters, which made me constantly read and think of both perspectives quite relatable and understanding. I don’t dislike either of them. They were both innocent and lead on by Carter, it made me grow this strong hatred for him, he was the villian under disguise, oblivious to his voluminous actions.For instance, lilah; she had a attraction to him at the start and he made her believe that no girl was ever going to be competition and they were “CARTER AND LILAH FOREVER”. For him to make her believe and brainwash her into believing nothing could destroy their love. Except time goes by and she goes through that much stress, she becomes unwell and has a manic episode. Which is the worst thing in the world, (I for one have been through one and am still trying to cope with friends, ex, family, it’s truly horrendous, I can’t control myself sometimes and say things I don’t mean.) But then lilah comes out and she feels truelly fucking like she’s an outsider and that her worth is gone. Then Carter still stays with her even though he knows he can’t keep it up and that he was falling out of love with her. To have someone who you knew before you had a manic episode love you and then still claim to love you after, you cherish them because they appear to be the ones who would be your “FOREVER” turn his back on you because you just came out of hospital and you went to some stupid party you knew you didn’t want to go to, but did it for Carter to impress him and show him you love him, and accidentally make a fool of herself because her medication had an effect with the alcohol and made her say idiotic things. It was a mistake and she knew it and owned up for it. Then he goes and fucks a girl because he was at a party alone, oh my god she made a mistake and said some words? She’s still trying to recover from hospital, she wasn’t even ready for a party? But he does the dirty on her and lies and secretes it. Then she has to find it all out on her own, still loving the boy she met, the one who snuck in the beach with her. She forgives him. But that girl, no. It is not okay to have sex with a person in a relationship, especially hers and tries to steal him when she is still unwell. I would want to kill her to because she knew he wasn’t single and that Carter was lilahs? But anyway, he does that. He lied to her and continued to stay with her? So she wouldn’t hurt herself? But why was it all okay when he hurt her. He snuck around while he claimed to love lilah, why didn’t he cut it off with either one. Why did he have to go continually behind lilahs back with Jules and claim to love lilah still, until he was satisfied that he had no feelings for her and dump her. Making her try and get her own boyfriend to still love her, she was the same girl, she just needed time to recover. It at least takes a year, to fully recover a manic episode. If she was to much, he should have left. She wasn’t in the right mindset while he was dating her and creeping around. She was on edge, she knew she was acting different, trying to hard for his love and acting the wrong way about it; irony last chapter of the book. (Karma). It looked like she was going through an episode but it was unnoticed. Because they thought she was all recovered and well again. No I believe she wasnt, the stress of losing a loved one that meant everything to her, would have caused another manic exhaustion. Maybe a minor one. Then lilah had to see her own loved one Carter stick up for a girl that ruined their relationship and then after a lot of manic episode screams that clearly shouted she needed to go back to hospital. He left her for a normal girl that could make his days more exotic then stressful, would have punched her in the face, that just because something happened to her, that she had totally no control over had caused this. She would have hated herself, and do a lot of mentally ill things because no one noticed or cared she was off her pills, nor did she have anyone to comfort her. She lost control and no one was there to help her before she you know what at the end of the book.Now moving on this is why I don’t mind Jules, she was an innocent girl that saw a Carter look at her with lust and want. If I was her I would think well I’ve always had a crush on him and this is my chance to finally have him. Jules thoughts were probably pure and had no intention on invading anything or hurting Lilah, she probably wasnt thinking of her, she was thinking of how much Carter saw so much beauty in her and why didn’t he before? So she took her opportunity to take a chance to see if she was allowed to have him. If he had no intention to get rid of lilah why would he want her? That’s what I would think in her position. She knew she could have him and it made her belief that she was the one and lilah wasnt. But then Carter doesn’t even bother dumping his girlfriend and that would have made her question if she was good enough. Then later on she had to put up with a lot of shit of Lilah cause she was mentally unstable and wanting Jules to back off, Carter was her man, well that’s what he told Lilah. So jealousy would have come up and then yeah she gets abused and had her life at risk because of Carter’s mistake. Of course any girl would do anything to make it clear to a girl, that had had sex with her lover to back off. But Jules eventually gets Carter and then she goes through a little paranoia with the lilah thing, Tbh I thought a lot about this when I was reading that bit. I felt heartbroken for lilah, that she wasnt good enough and that he would never get rid of Jules if she was like lilah, to much stress and not exotic anymore? But that stung my heart that a girl that can have sex with a guy while his in a complicated relationship with a girl, is worth more then lilah. Lilah and Carter fell in love and she went through stress and Carter didn’t want to handle her or do all the things he did for Jules to keep her happy while she was in a state like lilahs, just not the same stress. It made me think he is going to get what he deserves at the time. So I understand where lilah came from he would rather change over a girl that takes other people boyfriends, rather then the girl who’s been loyal and trustworthy through the whole relationship. She loved him so much, she had to keep him and never let him go. Because she promised “FOREVER” and he forgot the carved promise he made; sidenote not her idea of certainty. But yeah she became unwell because of that. Carter was the villain who made her that way. Then he continued with jules, all the humiliation and the unsafe feeling she had to get, just because Carter couldn’t be faithful and made Jules in the first place feel like she was the most beautiful girl and that he would end it with lilah so they could be together a couple. Nope he took his time to play on both girls, the womanizer. Little did he have a single clue what a lie, betrayal, slyness to lilah could do while she just got out of hospital, also when she didn’t want Carter to go by himself to the party because she thought everyone was hating her and she felt like the “pysco bitch” in the room, Carter was the one who she should have kept eyes on because she was oblivious to his sneaky, sly actions that would be going on without her there. Carter was a bad guy, that was to charming and Fuck boy material under disguise. Lilah should have left him before the party, but there was no signs of his behaviour to end up like a hoe. But anyway Jules the poor girl goes through a slight mental breakdown caused by Carter. His ex girlfriend that he screwed over with her. But she loved him and had to hid her insecurity because I believe she thought he might change his mind because he saw some Lilah in her, bat shit crazy girl that isn’t worth his stress. She wanted to be exotic and a breathe of fresh air for him. But she wasn’t going crazy and all she was doing in noticing that her dilemma was true, but it wasn’t for Carter. She couldn’t even get his to trust her. He should have seen the signs of paranoia and got her out. She didn’t feel safe. But once again time taker Carter leaves it until someone gets hurt once again. Let’s aploud him. Oh well anyway he got what was coming and the ending was bomb

** spoiler alert ** 1. I decided to read this book because my friend recommended it to me, I read the blurb and was intrigued so I issued the novel and started to read and get hooked.2. A character from the book i found interesting was Jules. I found her interesting because she's artistic and passionate. For example when Jules and Carter hung out at Harpoon Haven and she was explaining why she liked acting. "The craft, maybe? Like, the work. Just being in the room. Exploring the play or musical and working through the hundreds of decisions that have to be made to turn it into a great work of art." She expresses herself without caring about embarrassing her views on acting. I also find it cool interesting that Jules is very close with her mum and their bond is like best friends, not many teens can say the same in my opinion. Jules tells her mum everything for example after the hectic first night with Carter and all the emotions whirling in her body, she came home to tell her mum the whole story. "Tell me all about it," Jules' mum said and so Jules started with "well, there's this boy."3. quote 1- "You're no always in control of everything, no matter how much you want to be." I like this quote because i feel it is so true, things can get out of control sometimes but no matter how much you want to control the situation you've just got to live in the moment and see where life will take you. quote 2- "She holds on so tightly that she doesn't realize she's ... killing us."I like this quote because it uses a metaphor, she(Lilah) is not literally killing them (Carter and herself) but instead holding onto their crumbling relationship. Sometimes its better to let go even when it seems impossible, you may be sad but making your partner sad as well can hurt you even more. Moving on can help you and your partner, instead of holding on tightly, squeezing the life and love out of a relationship.4. One question i'd ask the author would be "where did you get the idea to write this book, was it from experience or just made up?, if so how long did it take to finalize the story line?"5.- The moment i would change would be the party where Lilah gets upset and makes a scene by climbing on top of the roof.- I would change this part of the book by making her climbing down when instructed by Carter and running away but instead of disappearing she'd go to the beach where Carter later on met Jules. Lilah would watch their entire time together and her heart would break but her love would grip tighter onto Carter making her a lot more protective of him.- The reason i would change this part is because i feel it would add a whole different play on the book and further on affect the book in a big way. It would add suspense in the sense of waiting to see what Lilah will do next.

Truly this book does not deserve such a low rating. It was simply wonderful. The characters are very complex, very human, and very sympathetic. The pacing is great, never a dull moment, and the depiction of high school and the emotional drama that follows that age extremely well-done.Lilah is... not well. Crazy. Literally. But, she is also very young, and not given the proper care, so what could go wrong, right? Everything. Pretty much everything can go wrong. Lilah is with Carter, whom she adores, and who adores her. They are almost out of high school, making plans for fall and their stay in college together. And Carter is just hoping, wishing, that Lilah is going to get better, and their relationship will be better. And then, amidst all the panic, the stress, the anxiety and the, well, craziness of his girlfriend, he meets Jules. Nice, gorgeous, funny, and of course, not ill. Normal. A normal girl for a normal guy. And even though he doesn't want to, he starts making comparisons. And then feels awful. And on and on we go. What I loved so much this was who easy it made it look for someone to go over the edge. And really, it is, isn't it? Not without reason, of course, but sometimes there is one thing, or maybe two, that we just can't handle very well. And that was shown beautifully here. Definitely recommend this.

To be honest...I don't really know what I thought of this book. However...it really had me on edge and I think that just shows that this book is a job well done. (Plus the ending is an absolute psych - it's very clever)

thAT ENDING I JUSTok but: prose was very simple and telly rather than showy, but the characters... i loved them. until the epilogue. I DONT KNOW IM SO CONFLICTED

** spoiler alert ** I wish the book further elaborated on what happened between Carter and Jules after Carter started acting like Lilah and we learn that the cycle is starting over with Jules and her friend from work.....