Review: Shutter by Courtney Alameda

I adore this book cover. It is all kinds of creepy and the book sounds so good. Which is why I knew I had to read it. So when I won an ARC from Fierce Reads I had to read right away. Except that didn't happen. Because it has taken me many days to read this book. And I didn't love it. And oh. It just makes me so sad.

I'm not sure where to begin. So I'm beginning with my rating of this book. I'm giving it a two star. Though a lot of the time it was a one star for me. But at the same time, it wasn't that bad. But yeah. It wasn't very good either. I just had such huge issues with this book, and it makes me so sad, as I wanted to love it.

My issues with this book started right away. I did not like the way it was written. I didn't connect with any of the characters. I wasn't scared. I didn't care for the romance. I didn't understand the relationship between the girl and the three boys. Because it isn't shown. There isn't any feelings in this book. At least not for me. I couldn't bring myself to care for any of it. The girl has a bad past, but I didn't give a damn. I wanted to. But it was written in a way I do not like, which means I didn't care at all. And this book focus on descriptions. It doesn't focus on the characters at all. It doesn't focus on the current plot much either. Most of the book is of the girl describing things in her head. I didn't get it. Sigh. I just wanted it all to be so much better.

The book is told from the point of view of Micheline Helsing. I'm not sure if I liked her at all. Her personality was kind of.. different. Sometimes I liked her, but most of the time I just found her boring. And I just didn't care much about her at all. Sigh. Her relationship with her dad.. he was an idiot. And I hated how she handled it all. Sigh. She could have been so much better. But she wasn't. I sort of felt sorry for her, her past with her mom and her brothers. But it wasn't done well enough for me to feel.

Micheline is friends with three boys. Ryder, Jude and Oliver. I didn't get this friendship AT ALL. I didn't see any connection with any of them. We didn't get to read about their friendship. WHY they are friends. I didn't see them being friends either. And this is a big reason for why I did not like this book. The friendship could have been so amazing to read about. It wasn't. It was dull. Just so boring. And that just makes me so sad. And a little bit angry. Because I really wanted this book to be so much more.

I'm not even sure about the romance in this book. Ryder and Micheline. It is weird. Kind of cute. But all kinds of boring and I didn't love reading about it. Sigh. And I love romances in books. But this. I just had no feelings for any of them. And it bothered me so damn much. I'm just really upset that I did not like this book. Hmph. But I also didn't hate it, which is why it's a two star rating. I just wish and wish I had loved this book. I wish it had been better for me. But it wasn't. And I'm going to be honest about it.

The plot. I am not sure about it. There were too many descriptions of it all. I wasn't able to pay much attention. Which does not happen often. I wanted this book to scare me. To be all kinds of creepy yet awesome too. But it wasn't. Not for me. There are ghosts. And necros. And a whole bunch of other things. They are all the best at killing them, taking them down. All skilled with a gun. And it just. It felt a bit over-the-top for me. I'm not sure why. Sigh. I just couldn't seem to like it at all. Hmph. How mean.

Thing is, I think I would have liked the plot and the characters if they had been in the book more. If most of it hadn't been descriptions. If the characters had talked. If more things had happened. I think I would have loved it. But it wasn't like that. And yeah. I'm probably just saying the same thing over and over again, but I can't help it. I didn't like this book. Sorry. Though not really. There were a few things I liked, though. But not many. Some of the story I really enjoyed. I think I liked the ending. Well, maybe.

But there was just too much about this book that I didn't enjoy at all. Which is why I know I will not read this book again. Sigh. It just makes me sad. But it is the truth. I wanted this to be a book for me; but it wasn't. I'm just glad I'm finally done reading it, as it did take forever. I am thankful that I was able to read it early. And I am glad I read it. I just wish I had enjoyed it. But yeah. The way it was written ruined so much for me. I just need books that are written well. As in, well for me. And this was not.

Huge thank you to Fierce Reads, since I won their twitter giveaway for this ARC. <3 I will treasure it always. Because while I didn't love the inside, I adore the outside of this book. It is so damn stunning. Also huge thank you to Macmillan Kids on NetGalley, as I also got the eARC of this book from there. Anyway. I had issues with this book. But I still think some might really like it. And I do think you should all read Shutter. I think many will love it and find it to be creepy. It just wasn't a book for me. Sigh.

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