Sweet Evil by Wendy HigginsSeries: The Sweet Trilogy #1
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Bought
Add it: Goodreads
Rating:
Embrace the Forbidden
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?
This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
If I was to describe this book in one word it would be shit. Complete shit. I was really looking forward to Sweet Evil because everyone seemed to love it. It’s always being talked about on my Twitter timeline, and everyone is excited for the release of the second book. Sweet Evil just missed the mark in every single way. I can’t think of one thing that I liked about it.
I wasn’t a fan of Anna at all. One minute she’s being all goody two shoes, and the next she’s a rebel. Her characterisation was all over the place in this book. I think if she had developed into a rebel more slowly it would have been interesting, instead the back and forth was annoying. Especially as, ultimately, she’s bland and boring and dull… I’m running out of words. She’s a total Mary Sue/Bella Swan.
The love story in this is nothing to write home about. I thought it was awful (which I guess you could write home about how terrible it is and ask someone to come and save you) and so my thoughts are likely to be a bit of a rant.
The romance was just rushed insta-love. Anna and Kaidan were kissing by 30%, and in love by 65%. In total, it took FOUR FREAKIN’ DAYS. And it’s not just me interpreting it like that, Anna actually comes out and says that she fell for him after four days. Lord help me. I like it when there’s build up, not when the main pairing are kissing by a third of the way through. That is just too fast for me. Kaidan wasn’t even that hot.
Another issue I had was Anna’s adoptive mother, Patti. She was very over protective of Anna because she was worried about Anna’s Nephilim stuff. But all of this was thrown out of the window when Patti let Anna drive cross country with a half-demon guy that Anna had only just met. Who is a sex demon and is full on trying to get into Anna’s pants. ??????????? Okay then. Realistic.
I also didn’t like Anna’s relationship with her father, which I thought had so much potential in the beginning. Anna hadn’t seen her demon father since she was born, and she was driving across the country with Kaidan to meet him. But there was none of the awesome struggle or development that I was foolishly expecting. Anna said she loved her father straight away, even though she hadn’t seen him in sixteen years. There was no reason for this, they had only talked briefly. She told him she loved him during their (boring) reunion.
Overall, Sweet Evil is one of the worst books I have ever read. I don’t know what anyone sees in it. Clearly I have missed something since it is so well loved. Then again, so was Twilight *whistles*
Oh I totally had the same issue as you about Patti letting her swan off with him on a road trip! That was where the book went downhill for me. I ended up being disappointed with this one too because everyone seemed to love it and I’m still a bit baffled by all the hype. I wish I’d had your review before I picked it up! 😉 hope you enjoy your next read more!
Right?! It made no sense, especially after she had made such a big deal about her not going to his house and stuff. I’m totally baffled. Haha, I’m enjoying my current read a lot more already, thank goodness!
Totally agree about Patti–I wasn’t crazy about the book either but really I didn’t feel much at all about it–no hate, no love just a huge meh. I read it very quickly and it just didn’t really impact me in any way. Hopefully what you read next will be much better
Thanks Kristen! My current read is fantastic so far. I’m surprised Sweet Evil didn’t put me in a reading slump to be honest!
One of my friends told me all about this, and I thought it sounded like the worst ever, but even some of my friends loved it, and I’m like “WHAT DID YOU READ?” because I am all non-judgmental and stuff.
Also, this made me laugh: “The love story in this is nothing to write home about. I thought it was awful (which I guess you could write home about how terrible it is and ask someone to come and save you) and so my thoughts are likely to be a bit of a rant.”
So far as instalove goes, barf, but I am okay with insta-kissing, because hey that happens. However, they need to know what’s happening, which is lust not love. Follow that though and I am all for it. I have to live vicariously after all. But, obviously, the sexiest kisses are the ones that come after insane amounts of build up, like in Crown of Embers.
Hahahaha, well I think your judgement is on point. Whatever, we’re allowed to judge our friends, I think XD
I only like insta-kissing if it’s hot insta-kissing. These two had no chemistry and meh. There’s insane build up in Crown of Embers? GUESS WHAT I WANT TO READ NOW.
Hahahaha, <3 this review! Haven’t read Sweet Evil and now I definitely won’t!
Baha, thank you!
Hahaha. I won a copy of this book, but now I’m scared to read it. On the other hand, I also read the horrible Twilight and I laughed my ass of the whole book :p so this might be fun.
This is an excellent way of looking at it. If/when you do read it, be sure to let me know. I’d love to stalk your updates XD
I’ve had this one on my shelf for ages – I didn’t even know what it was about until I read your review. I’m pretty sure I picked it out because I liked the cover…
So yea, disappointing that I was lied by the pretty, again, and that I’m probably going to end up disliking this one.
I’ve been misled by the pretty so many times. I should have learnt my lesson by now.
I feel that way with Everneath. Why everyone is gushing about is beyong me. I liked Sweet Evil a bit more than you do, but i had more or less the same problems with it as you did. When the “overprotective” Patti send her out on that roadtrip, i did massive eyerolling. What the hell was up with that?
Exactly! Patti was just ridiculous. I wouldn’t want her as my adoptive mother if she was so easily swayed. Maybe the overprotective thing was just thrown in to add drama and then thrown away once it was no longer needed.
🙁 I do get your point and when I think about it, I agree with Anna’s stepmom letting her go on a trip with Kai etc. I get where you’re coming from. I still loved this book thoroughly. I dislike Twilight though. I guess everyone has their own comparisons and their own taste so.. yup. Sad you hated this, but were not all supposed to love the same books. Better luck with your next read perhaps 🙂
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it. And yep, if we all loved the same books I think the blogosphere would be pretty boring!
Hahahaha oh god. This is off my TBR, just because I don’t feel like wasting time on a book that has a) the worst type of insta love, and b) a terrible main character. What I don’t understand is that these characters are in love after four days. I JUST DON’T. That doesn’t happen. Nope.
Ah crap, I just bought this one because it was cheap. I should know by now there is usually a good reason why they are cheap. But I’ll be open minded (for now!)
Oh my god, best review ever. 😀 I’ve actually heard that this is quite a bad book – really unfortunate because I thought the cover was beautiful and it had so much potential! 🙁 x