Kelly here with another book review, this time of Escaping Reality by Lisa Renee Jones (Source: Arc provided from the publisher through NetGalley.)
I loved this book, and I hated this book. I still haven’t made up my mind yet whether it is 4 stars or two stars, so I’m going to explain my reasons for both, and let you decide for yourself.
What I loved:
Even though the first few pages were a bit hard to sink into, by the 3rd chapter I was hooked. Amy was nothing special, but Liam is intoxicatingly hot.
The suspense in this book is really what propelled me forward. There is a big mystery, and lots of pieces of the puzzle to try to work out, and that had my brain furiously reading on, wanting more clues.
There was a fair amount of sex in this book, a lot more than say in Easy or Hopeless, and it was relatively detailed in some parts ( though not in others.) I thought all in all that was well done, and not cheesy like some books with tons of sex can tend to be. The characters really couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
What I hated:
This is only half a book. And I don’t just mean that because it is short (though it is quite short – a bit shorter than Damaged.) As soon as we get to the start of the climax of the story, it ends. I feel cheated, and I got this book for free. Had I paid for it, I would have returned it.
Don’t get me wrong. The story itself is good. What’s here of it, anyway. But it left off the end. This isn’t just a cliffhanger. It’s a lack of ending. (And a lack of any HFN or HEA) I think a cliffhanger can be good if the story wraps up some plot threads, and leaves other plot threads to be resolved during the series. But this doesn’t do that. It feels like a cheap ploy, and as a reader it infuriated me. I would have bought the next book anyway because Lisa Renee Jones’ writing is very good and entertaining, and because I was enjoying the story. But now I have no faith that the next book will give me an actual ending.
So 4 stars or 2 stars?
Based on the writing and the story and the plot, right up until the point where the book cuts off, I would have given it four stars, but I feel like since I only got half the book, maybe the book should only get half the rating?
My Recommendation:
Wait until book 2 comes out, check reviews to see if there is satisfactory resolution in the end, and if so buy them both because the story will leave you entertained and Liam will make you swoon. But for now, hold onto your pennies.
J. Anne Huss
I’ve never heard of this one, Kelly. It’s on my radar, but I’ll take your advice and wait and see for #2.