Book: King (King #1) by T.M. Frazier

★★¹⁄₂/★★★★★

“Stop being alive, and start living.”  

I've had this book with me for a while now and been meaning to read it but didn't have the time until last week. And to say I wasn't excited to get my hands on it when I first saw it was an understatement. I always love a good dark romance and with all the good reviews I'd seen, I was convinced that I'll totally love this book. 

On the contrary, I was a bit disappointed when I got around the book. I admit I haven't read that many dark romances but I had my expectations and sadly with King, I was underwhelmed. The plot has potential but I don't think it was well developed. There were heavy scenes that felt flat to me and though the writing is good, I think Frazier could've done better. Same with the characters. I really wanted to like Doe and King but they failed to appeal to me. I don't know what's wrong but I wasn't hooked with their story and at times they actually annoyed me.

“I found myself again in the most unlikely place. I’d found myself again in the haunted eyes of a girl who was just as lost as I was. Or maybe, we didn’t find each other at all. Maybe, we just decided to be lost together.”

 Right from the start I didn't know what to expect from Doe. She's lost her memories, she's homeless and just barely surviving. She's scared but she knew she has to survive so when opportunity presents itself, she knew she has to grab it. She's desperate. Next thing she knew she's at Brantley King's party with a newfound friend. There are bikers which to her mean protection. And though she's terrified, she knew she has to score one if she wanted to stay alive longer. 

King is a big bad boy. He lives outside the law. He's an ex-con who just got out of prison and is ready to get back to his old life when Doe suddenly shows up. Of course there's an instant attraction between Doe and King but both didn't want to act on it. It's too complicated for them. But along the way they start to grow closer and at some point decided they need to feel each other.

I know I should love King because I'm always drawn to alpha asshole jerks but for some reasons I didn't. I think he's too much to handle though there were times when I rooted for him.

“I would have given anything in the world for that smile and that breath, to have not been his very last.”

Of all the characters I think my most favorite is Preppy. He made me laugh, cry, giggle and cry some more! He's a very endearing character and I love that Doe has found a friend in him. He's damn funny and he broke my heart. Same with Grace. I think she's very sweet and lovely. 

Overall, I did enjoy the book a bit but there were so many things that didn't work for me. I failed to connect with the characters. Doe is too nice and too forgiving at times that it's maddening already. I also didn't get that way she acts sometimes and for someone who has amnesia, she's way trusting. King, on the other hand, is hella confusing. Sometimes he's nice, sometimes he's bad, sometimes he's both and I don't know how he does that! He frustrated me more than anything in this book. Also, I hated how he treated Doe sometimes, ordering her around and all. Then there's the last 10% when things got so crazy I didn't know what to expect anymore. The ending makes it worse by giving us a cliffhanger. Ugh.

So there. I know I ended up just ranting so forgive me but this is all just my opinion. I'm actually glad that a lot of people have loved it and hope the next person does too. I just think this book isn't for me.

Book: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

★★★★★/★★★★★

“We always think there's enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like 'if'.”

I've had the audiobook version of this book  for over a year now but just managed to listen and get around it last week. And if I had known that this book is a gem, I would've read it the same day I got it! Because A Man Called Ove is the kind of book you will love no matter how grumpy and inflexible Ove was! It'll make you contemplate life, time and the people around you. The kind of book that will make you smile and think and laugh and cry. Absolutely a thought-provoking and must read!

I actually didn't expect to love Ove this much since, I think, this is the only book I've ever read with a protagonist older than 50 years old. I was expecting it to be light, a few giggles here and there, but there were times when I found my cheeks wet with tears, my heart aching. Honestly, it's a sad book but with its great humor and compelling characters, Backman was able to make us laugh despite the heaviness of the story. 

“She just smiled, said that she loved books more than anything, and started telling him excitedly what each of the ones in her lap was about. And Ove realised that he wanted to hear her talking about the things she loved for the rest of his life.”

One thing I love most about Ove is his love for his wife, Sonja. Ever since Sonja died, Ove believed that there's no reason to continue his life anymore. Being grumpy and all, Ove is the kind of guy who thinks he's always the wisest man in the room and he refuses to adapt to the modern world of technological advancement. But despite his cranky attitude, Sonja loved him. Sonja was his sun, his colors, and without the one person who truly understood him, Ove sees no point in living anymore. So he's determined to follow her, he's even prepared everything from cleaning the house to his letter with instructions, but everytime he tries, something comes up that postpones it. It all starts when a family moves in next door and accidentally flattens his mailbox. Ever since that family moved in Ove finds himself tangled with their business and one after the other, problems and issues happen. And of course, everyone needs Ove's help to solve those problems.

Throughout the book we see Ove's life before and after Sonja. Through flashbacks we see parts of his past starting with his kind father who taught him how to be honest, decent and fair. We also come to see Ove's kindness in several occasions and those times really warmed my heart! But it's also sad how some people only took his kindness for granted. And then he fell in love with Sonja.

This book is really heartwarming and sad and lovely and heartbreaking! I love Ove and though he's rude to his neighbors, or to anyone for that matter, he can't help but lend a hand everytime they need one. He shows them kindness despite acting all cranky. And Parvaneh is such a funny and lovely character! She's the only one beside Sonja who can order Ove around and I liked it everytime Ove finds her irritating! Lol. And all the characters in this book will surely warm your heart and each one of them is special to Ove in a away.

This wonderful story of Ove really moved me. It's funny, deep and will surely warm your heart. I enjoyed every second of it and I guess there's really power in the ability of people to touch each other's lives.

“Death is a strange thing. People live their whole lives as if it does not exist, and yet it's often one of the great motivations for the living. Some of us, in time, become so conscious of it that we live harder, more obstinately, with more fury. Some need its constant presence to even be aware of its antithesis. Others become so preoccupied with it that they go into the waiting room long before it has announced its arrival. We fear it, yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves. For the greatest fear of death is always that it will pass us by. And leave us there alone.”