Phobic - Michelle Irwin Book: Phobic (Phoebe Reede: The Untold Story #2)
Author: Michelle Irwin
Publication Date: 11/30/2016
Reviewed by: Tammy Payne- Book Nook Nuts
My Rating: 5 Stars


REVIEW
Holy Smokes!! Yea this book is sizzling and I am not sure if one is in the frying pan or the pot. This book picks us up pretty much where book one left us. Phoebe is heading back to the states although she hasn't let her family know of the turn of events with Beau. Now on top of that where she has been sent to drive is none other than the same race team as Beau. Things don't go as smoothly as Phoebe plans however. There is one there however who does take a shine to her and that is Xavier.

Just when you think all is fine and dandy well think again.

So many things transpire in this book my emotions were on overload I literally didn't stop reading till I was done and then went back a chapter to make sure I didn't miss something. All I can say is please tell me when is the next book?
[a:Michelle Irwin|8076291|Michelle Irwin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1399168179p2/8076291.jpg]

First things first:

 

 

I listened to the audiobook and I do like Kate Rudd's voice even if I don't think she can really do good accents or male voices. I mostly adapted to her style and it worked for the story. I don't know if I'd seek for more books she's narrated—probably not—but I wouldn't skip on a book because she's voiced it either.

 

Then the story:

 

I actually had to pause and restart this audiobook because I felt like I was missing something important at the beginning. It turns out this really wasn't the case as Walker uses ample time to set up the world and story simply because time travel as a concept is just that confusing. Others have called this a pacing issue and info dumping, but I can't say I noticed as I was listening to the audiobook.

 

I did, however, notice how the author introduced new characters who became super important to the protagonist in a blink of an eye, even if I didn't label and file it under "characters too stupid to live" until later.

 

Other things that did bother me, were the main character and first person voice narrator calling a character "Pudgy" long after she'd learned his name. This fat-phobia resurfaced when Kate's—the time travelling protagonist—boyfriend took her home for dinner and she made a comment about how thin Trey is despite all the food his family's Guatemalan housekeeper keeps pushing at him and everyone at the table.

 

Speaking of secondary POC characters. I completely missed Charlayne's (African American, thankfully the author tweeted me and set me right *wipes forehead & flicks fingers*) description, but then again she only featured in a handful of scenes. She's supposed to be Kate's best friend and motivate her to keep time jumping, but it's not like she has her own personality on the page. You could even call her the token black character and you'd be right.

 

Other than a vague feeling of something not being quite right and the use of words "blood as pure as mine" when Kate's talking about her time travelling gene, I can't really pinpoint my problem with race in this book. An expert—which is to say a non white person—could tell you more.

 

There's a love triangle in this book and series.

 

If you need to know more, keep reading.

 

One of the love interests is another time jumper from an earlier time who is supposed to be a villain to some but is quite obviously helping Kate in her quest to correct the time shifts. Thing is, I couldn't care less about Kiernan Dunne and he's obviously supposed to be the one who ends up with Kate. Kiernan is from the past and in love with another version of Kate from another timeline, but when has that stopped a creative author?

 

I did however like Trey, one of the insta-love contenders of the year and a contemporary guy from one of Kate's changed timelines. Unlike with Kiernan, Walker actually shows how Trey and Kate grow closer and could be good together. And I figured he'd be the one she'd have to sacrifice to fix things, which made me like him all the more right up until the point where he insisted that all she had to do was to smile at him for him to fall in love with her again. It wouldn't matter what she'd say.

 

And I just can't with that. Neither can I with the fact that Kate's supposedly ready to have sex with Trey just after she's been threatened with rape. I was expecting that particular discussion to happen but I'd hoped the mere threat to her life would've sufficed to prompt it. After all, they might never see each other again after Kate's next time jump.

 

As for the big bad, I liked that it was basically a family feud combined with religion. It gave me ideas and hopes, which I do not trust the author to fulfill or win me over with her own interpretation.

 

I just wasn't sure about that until the author tweeted me.

A fan of Russian roulette? Craving for something more dangerous?

 

FEAR NOT! I have the drinking game for you!

 

You need to buy roughly as much alcohol as you'd normally consume in two years. Then double it and add few bottles extra. Looks better, but you should really make two more trips and you'll be set!

 

Pick a copy of Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer. Audiobook not necessary but Tavia Gilbert's voice will help you along in those short moments between sips.

 

Start drinking.

 

Listen to the first chapter and choose your phrases. As tempting as it might be, I suggest avoiding words "my mind" and "my brain" for your health. You don't want to pass out during chapter two, do you? Also smirking and all instances where Gabriella (B-Ella for those closest to her) is a horrible person or tells a 'cute' factoid of herself should be reserved for advanced players only.

 

Listen to chapter three and call for the ambulance.

 

Drink. Listen and drink.

 

Listen to chapter five and pass out.

 

Regain consciousness, take some hair of the dog and start counting ways this story is really nothing more than a Twilight fanfiction with Angels and worse writing.

 

Put Tavia Gilbert's magical voice on double speed and try to hold your fatty breakfast inside.

 

Keep listening. Your morning migraine will pale in comparison.

 

Drink some more.

 

I assume by this point you're somewhere around chapter ten. Stop and save yourself. I didn't and I'm telling you what comes after isn't worth your time, health or sanity.

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.


DISCLAIMER: If you have been following my reviews, I think I already said this somewhere along the way... I started reading books with the horror / mystery / suspense genre. I'm a fan of Stepehen King, R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike etc. so I hope you'd all understand that I had sky high expectations for this book.


First off, things that I liked about this book:

PHOBIC is a good take on the "haunted house" theory. I always love a good haunted house. ;) I like it that this one' pretty unique. It has its own flavor.

I like how the house was presented as a weird protector first for the family. I like that it leads us to a pretty complicated plot and that the mysteries aren't to be solved until you get to the end part. It's not so predictable.

I like that our characters seem to have a good chemistry. I believe that the main characters here, Piper and Todd would look good together. Sorry, I'm also a romance reader, so I tend to dwell on the love part. I like it when they talk like real friends and I like it that the love part was visible in the entirety of the book. I think even a horror should have some sweetness in it, so hats off to the author for this.

I like that I was pretty scared because I read it during the night with the lights off. I like how I connected with the tidbit that their house is haunted, I was particularly scared of the passages about the house creaking, appliances turning on by themselves etc. I wasn't scared of the ghosts here, unfortunately. I was scared of the house itself. I could imagine it clearly because of the descriptions.

I like that the bullying part of this book isn't shrugged off like a mild thing. I like that it capitulated on the fact that everyone gets what they deserved (I'm sorry for saying this, but it's true). I won't elaborate much about this because that would be a spoiler. I just want to say that if you think that you are being like Piper at school, fight back. Tell the adults. Don't let others intimidate you and no matter what, remember that you can only be bullied if you let people do it to you. That's the bottom line.

I like the cover, but there's a twist to this, so read on.


What I didn't like much about this book is that:

The story of the house is scattered, I don't know if it's just because of my timing (again, I read it during the night) that I wasn't able to understand what happened to the house in the past right away. I was able to get bits and pieces, but I had to go back a few steps to understand what really happened. The pieces of the past just kept on jumping from one chapter to another, I found it hard to keep up.

Another thing that I didn't like much is the high school drama. I think it's a good thing that Piper was finally able to stand up for herself in the middle, but I hate it that she was still so conscious about her looks and what other people thought of her. If this is a series and I get to see more of her, I wish she'd develop that sense of peace when it comes to her physical attributes and the rumors etc.

TODD. Gosh. Where do I even start? I like you for having a good chemistry with Piper, but I hate you for not liking her and liking a girl who has a boyfriend and who's a total b****? and then Oh! snap! You like her. WHIPLASH DUDE. TOTAL WHIPLASH. I find it surprising that I don't hate you for not believing in Piper right away. Instead, I dislike you for having such a misleading character. -______-


The bullies and their apparent change near the end. 4 words: I don't buy it.
It was super abrupt that I don't don't believe in it.
Gimme something more concrete and then maybe I'll believe you. LOL.

All in all, this is still a pretty good start to a series. It's not super scary, but it has its moments. I give it a 3.5.