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• BLURB •
A Stepbrother Bully Romance
I’m the whispers in the dark you can’t ignore.
The bully you can’t run away from.
I’m the tormentor who makes your life a living hell.
The villain you love to hate.
I’m the vicious stepbrother sleeping in the next room.
The one who knows all your secrets.
And I’ll stop at nothing to make you pay.
WARNING: This book is recommended for mature readers due to graphic language, sexual content, and dark elements. It is NOT a safe read.
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• MY REVIEW •
This was one devastatingly heartbreaking story of epic proportions! Whilst it’s a gripping read from start to finish, it’s not for the fainthearted.
“I’m not afraid of anything, Stray.”
There is some seriously sensitive subject matter within that can be triggering for anyone to read. Be aware that it contains violence, abuse, harassment, and sexual content not suitable for underage readers. Although set in a high school backdrop, the target audience is more New Adult and onwards due to the theme of the book and its explicit content.
There’s more to the story of Knox and Aspen, their step-sibling rivalry and their twisted attraction to one another. So much more. It’s complex, troubling, and at times sickeningly disturbing to see what their lives are truly like outside of the façade they show everyone else around them.
The world-building is exceptionally well-developed right along with the characters themselves. This is a dark contemporary romance with thriller and suspense thrown into the mix. There is so much going on at once but it’s easy to follow, will have you second-guessing everything, and have you trying to figure out what everyone’s deal is. It’s riveting, angsty, and unpredictable.
Told from both Knox and Aspen’s points of view with occasional flashbacks to past memories here and there. They’ll take you on a painful journey of struggle, hate, and deceit. Black Mountain Academy can be a harsh environment but it’s nothing in comparison to their household. Things are not what they seem and it gradually unravels.
“Love always leads to pain.”
You’ll see appearances from other characters from Black Mountain Academy, which really interconnects the books in the collection together regardless of each book being standalone reads. The secondary characters in Hate Me are just as complex as Knox and Aspen are. Each one with their own strong personalities and motives to their actions. I don’t think I’ve read a book that has so many secondary characters who all play a vital role in expanding the world-building and maintaining the atmosphere throughout, which in this case is a thrilling, teeth-clenching mood. This is one roller coaster ride with a whole bunch of loops and steep dives. Even if you suspect anything, trust me when I say it’s nowhere near as off-the-wall as the truth when it gets divulged. Your mind will be reeling, you’ll be processing it for some time, and you may possibly be in a confused state too.
My only critique is that the ending felt a little abrupt in comparison to the the rest of the book. Knox and Aspen’s relationship is a slow and painful burn and I would’ve loved for an extended epilogue. But meh. It’s not a deal breaker. I just would’ve loved more. Lol.
A steady-paced storytelling with a gradual build-up. Honestly, when I think about this book, the first thing that really comes to mind is how unsuspecting it truly is, because as I mentioned earlier, it’s more than meets the eye. The blurb alone only skims the surface of Knox and Aspen’s story. But on the other hand, that may just be a good thing. The less you know, the better— it’ll heighten the experience. 😉
Twisted, gritty and psychotic. Perfect read for dark romance fans. I would recommend it.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Thank you to Ashley Jade and Candi Kane PR for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! ❤
🔔 Interested in reading Hate Me? Grab a copy here: Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU
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Read more Black Mountain Academy reviews!
📕 Pretty When She Cries by A. Zavarelli
📕 Mr. Heartbreaker by Jordan Marie
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The Entire Black Mountain Academy
About The Series
Black Mountain Academy: From the outside, it may look perfect and ideal — school uniforms, exemplary teachers, privileged students. But anyone on the inside could tell you about the debauchery, the scandals, the drama, the forbidden–taboo–romances.
Because where Black Academy is concerned… never judge a book by its cover.
Black Mountain Academy, a multi-author series of standalone books filled with drama, angst, love, lust, and everything in-between. Light or dark, twisted or sweet, the BMA series has something for every reader!
For more details on each book in the series, check out the Black Mountain Academy webpage: Black Mountain Academy
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Happy reading, guys! Catch you in my next one! Xo
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