#l.j. shen

[blkgrlsread2]

Experience shapes you, and heartbreak defines you.

L.J. Shen, Cold Hearted Casanova

[whyyareallnamestaken]

Hiba volt. Nagy hiba. Óriási.

[litandlifequotes]

I loved her when I hated her. And I loved her when I didn’t want anything to do with her. I was so crazy about her, the lines had blurred together. Feelings were mixed, emotions twisted together.

Vicious by L.J. Shen

[lightsbookreviews]

authors tag

💕 

Elena Armas

Natasha Anders

Hannah Bonam-Young

Carian Cole

Mazey Eddings

Nichole Greene

Hannah Grace

Noah Hawley

Ali Hazelwood

Emily Henry

Ana Huang

Avery Keelan

Elle Kennedy

Rina Kent

Christina Lauren

Veronica Lancet

Becka Mack

Alex Michaelides

Meghan March

Eden O'Neill

Kennedy Ryan

Bryan Reardon

L.J. Shen

Sierra Simone

Gemma Weir

Brighton Walsh

Ashley Winstead

Julia Wolf

Mariana Zapata

[lemoncrushh]

Last night I finished reading this book:

I have literally had this since the Twilight era. It had been on my shelf, and I kept meaning to get to it...

Well, I FINALLY did a few days ago. This is a very strange book, and definitely YA. I knew it was YA - the FMC is 15 so that's a given - but sometimes YA can still feel like adult (like the Fearless series by Lauren Roberts for example). But this was definitely marketed towards the young teens crowd. However, I still enjoyed it.

It definitely gives the 2000s vibes, since it was published in 2007. It's funny how even I as a grown woman can forget about a time before smart phones lol.

Chloe, the FMC starts seeing ghosts, and after a meltdown at school, she is taken to a home for teens with mental problems. After meeting the other kids and being diagnosed with schizophrenia, she sees a ghost there who is trying to tell her something. She learns more about the other teens - particularly two boys who are foster brothers - and this is when the story takes a turn I didn't expect.

Without giving away spoilers, I will just say this was full of a lot of huhs and ohhhs. Just when I thought it was gonna go one way, it went another. Sometimes in a good way, and sometimes not. And of course, I was left with a cliffhanger.

I rated this 4 stars on goodreads, but I think I'd give it more like a 3.75 stars.

I don't have the rest of the series, and while I'm not jumping at the bit to buy new copies, I may try to find some used ones at HPB (which I think is where I got this one). I would like to know how Chloe's story wraps up.

So now that I've read two YA books in a row, I think it's time to change the pace a bit and read something juicy. Here's my next read:

I have this version with the pretty pink sprayed edges :). I haven't read anything by L.J. Shen yet, but I have a bunch of her books on my wishlist so I'm excited to see how I like her writing.

Let me know if you've read either of these!

Happy reading!

[romancerecovered]

Vicious by L.J. Shen

Left: 2016 self-published eBook

Right: 2024 Bloom Books print reissue 

[hintofsageandhoney]

Truly, Madly, Deeply By: L.J. Shen- Book Review

First Ever Book Review, please give me your raw thoughts!

I never know what to expect when I join a book club, but I always dive in anyway. I tend to buy the suggested books without much research, letting the experience unfold as it will. This particular read for April took me by surprise—not necessarily in a bad way, but it was certainly more than I expected. With over 80 chapters, it was lengthy, though thankfully, my job allows for plenty of downtime, so I managed to finish it within a week.

Now, onto the book itself! If I were to rate it, I’d give it 2 out of 5 stars. The story was heavy with trauma, and the characters seemed to bond through shared pain rather than genuine emotional growth. The central figures, Ambrose (Row) and Cal (Dot), were deeply in love, but their relationship was overshadowed by Cal's best friend and Row's sister, Dylan, who extremely disapproved.

The turning point came on the night before Cal left for college. Wanting to rid of her virginity quickly, she slept with Row—who had loved her since childhood unbeknownst to her. For her, it was a task; for him, a dream fulfilled. But their moment was shattered when Dylan arrived at the secluded cliffside and caught them. Her reaction was explosive—she immediately severed ties with Cal, branding her selfish, unreliable, and incapable of genuine friendship. Dylan accused herself of only ever attracting friends because of her hot older brother, though she never expected such betrayal from her closest friend.

At first, I struggled to understand why Dylan was so willing to end her friendship over her brother. Maybe I lack the perspective, having never had a sibling involved in this kind of situation. Perhaps she was simply overreacting. But as the story unfolded, it became clear—Dylan wasn’t just being dramatic. She genuinely believed Cal was incapable of real love, and she was protecting Row from inevitable heartbreak.

After the initial fallout, the novel takes a five-year jump forward. Row returns to her hometown of Staindrop, Maine, from New York following the death of her father. This marks her first visit home in years, and she’s riddled with anxiety about what—or who—she might encounter. She doesn’t expect to see Dylan, let alone Row, who has become a world-renowned chef. Yet, she finds herself face-to-face with both: her ex-best friend, now pregnant, and the man she’s too afraid to admit she still loves. However, Row’s once-kind demeanor toward her has turned into cold hatred.

Let’s rewind a bit, though, because the backstory adds depth to these characters. Cal’s guarded nature stems from childhood bullying and a traumatic incident in high school that left her with severe anxiety, particularly around men. The author takes readers into that defining moment, which I appreciated—it gave context to her struggles. Row, on the other hand, endured a harsh upbringing, marked by abuse and his father’s alcoholism. He was forced to grow up far too quickly. Interestingly, Dylan, despite growing up in the same household, seems oblivious to her brother’s pain. This contrast made me more compassionate toward both Cal and Row.

Despite their eventual happy ending, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were never truly ready to be together. Over the course of 80-plus chapters, I hoped to see more character growth and healing. Reflecting on the story, I might bump my initial 2-star rating to a 2.5. The author’s intent becomes clearer: rather than showing characters who heal through therapy or self-discovery, the story focuses on where they are in the moment. Cal and Row’s connection feels rooted in trauma bonding, which isn’t my ideal love story, though others might find it compelling.

The novel also delves into their sexual tension, with several intense and unique scenes. Despite Row’s claim to “hate everything about her,” his lingering love and protective instincts reveal his true feelings. He shields her from harm, even when she doesn’t realize it. Cal, meanwhile, remains oblivious for much of the story, misinterpreting Row’s mistreatment as hatred rather than a defense mechanism born from his love and fear of vulnerability. Her deep trust issues prevent her from recognizing why Row feels like her safe space.

What frustrated me as a reader was Cal’s focus on repairing her relationship with Dylan while neglecting Row. From the writer’s perspective, I understand this choice, but it made the story feel unnecessarily drawn out. Did it need 80-plus chapters? Probably not—40 or fewer could have sufficed. Still, I see the value in the buildup.

While this book won’t make my favorites list, I’d still recommend it. What didn’t resonate with me might deeply connect with someone else. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and emotional healing—or, in this case, the lack of it. It presents an intense, tangled romance where pain and desire blur the lines between love and self-preservation. For readers who enjoy stories where characters wrestle with their emotional baggage and eventually find solace in each other, this book may hit all the right notes.

While I personally wished for more visible growth and healing, the author’s approach—focusing on raw emotion rather than self-improvement—offers an unfiltered look at relationships shaped by trauma. The length of the book might be daunting, especially with its slower pacing, but it does allow for deep exploration of each character’s psyche, which some readers may appreciate. Despite its frustrating elements, I admire the way it made me think about love beyond just passion—it’s about safety, understanding, and, sometimes, learning to let someone in despite all the walls built over time.

Would I revisit it? Probably not. But I can see how it could hold a special place for readers who are drawn to tumultuous love stories filled with intensity, heartache, and redemption.

[bookcoversonly]

Title: My Dark Romeo | Author: Parker S. Huntington / L.J. Shen | Publisher: Orion (2023)

[lostinw0nderlandd]

“And that makes me want to just cease to exist. Not actively die. Just … discontinue to be.”

[crisrf1986]

Mis lecturas del verano 2024

¡Hola, hola! Se acabó el veranito y vuelvo al blog con una entrada especial, un resumen de todas mis lecturas de la estación, que son bastantes. No haré reseña de todas, pues esto sería un testamento, pero si os dejaré información del libro y mi valoración en estrellas. Espero que os animéis a descubrir alguna de mis lecturas y que comentéis si compartimos libros leídos u opiniones. Empezamos…

[blkgrlsread2]

Problem was, you’re never homesick for the walls or the furniture. You’re homesick for the people who share it with you.

L.J. Shen, Cold Hearted Casanova

[whyyareallnamestaken]

Mi vagyunk egymásnak a minden.

[efexbe]

vicious by l.j. shen

[tuliplandia]

“He gave me lies, and I ate them from the palm of his hand. He gave me lies, and for him, I closed my eyes.”

— Sparrow, L.J. Shen

[lightsbookreviews]

The Villain, L.J. Shen

[bo0ksl0ver]

NEWS

I'm going to work tomorrow. Then I'll start reading Mockingjay. I can already imagine how the interactions of Katniss and Gale will infuriate me.

The next week will be very busy, as it's my friend's birthday, and of course my beloved demon (nephew). I'm already going to college next month, so I don't want to. Well, today I read "Defy" by L.J. Shen. It rated 2.5 stars.

And yes, I've already watched Heartstopper season 2. I really liked it, it was cute and touched on important issues.