Darling Venom

Darling Venom 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌶️🌶️🌶️

" I wasn't supposed to be on that roof on Valentine's Day. Neither was Kellan Marchetti, the school's designated freak. We met on the verge of ending our lives. Somehow, the tattered strings of our tragedies tangled and tightened into an unlikely bond. We decided not to take the plunge and agreed to check on each other every Valentine's Day until school ended. Same time. One roof. Two restless souls. We kept our promise for three years. On the fourth, Kellan made a decision, and I was left to deal with the consequences. Just when I thought our story ended, another one began. They say all romances look the same and taste different. Mine was venomous, disgraceful, and written in scarlet scars. My name is Charlotte Richards, but you can call me Venom."

Trigger Warning: This book talks about difficult topics. Please read the warnings before reading and take care of your mental health.

This book was really well done. It was well-written and kept me hooked, except for the middle part which dragged just a little bit and I kind of wanted to rush through. Charlotte (Charlie, Dicks, Lottie, Venom) and Kellan met on their high school roof because they both had the same idea, to take their lives by jumping. They save each other's lives that night and get to know each other, keeping track of each other and helping one another through their hard times. Charlie heals and starts to grow, but Kellan doesn't. If anything he backslides more, and he won't let Charlie talk to him or befriend him in public, so she is stuck watching this all go down from the sidelines. Until Kellan finally ends it one night.

Years later, Charlie finds out that Kellan had left her a note and something to help her and his family through the grief. She meets his brother, Tate, whom Kellan always spoke poorly of, but she quickly realizes that she has the wrong opinion of him. You really watch the characters grow, healing from grief and from other issues that have held them back. It is an interesting take on the subject of suicide. Grab a box of tissues for this one, y'all, because there are some really tough spots. I may read the book again, but I would definitely recommend it. 

My Dark Romeo

My Dark Romeo - 3.5⭐⭐⭐🌶️🌶️🌶️  

 "It was supposed to be a harmless kiss at a lavish debutante ball. A clandestine moment with a handsome stranger. 

 But unlike his namesake, my Romeo isn’t driven by love. He’s fueled by revenge. 

 To him, I’m a chess piece. Leverage. His rival’s betrothed. 

 To me, he is a man deserving of poison. A dark prince I refuse to marry. 

 He thinks I’ll accept my fate. Well, I plan to rewrite it. 

 And in my story, Juliet doesn’t die. But Romeo? He perishes." 

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fantasy story as a child and now. I was recommended this book also, so maybe my expectations were too high. The beginning was slow and it was difficult for me to get into the book until the second third. I never liked the FMC. I get she was supposed to be quirky but she was really immature. The book was okay. I probably won't read it again and wouldn't recommend it. I will try others by the authors though because I think this was just a me thing. I've heard too many good things about them.