Torment: Part One

Ok so I got an arc of this book and I procrastinated writing an actual review, obviously lol. Basically, I hated this book. I LOVED part one. Like absolutely raved about it to everyone I could and still did up until I read this one. Part 2 went in a completely different direction than I was expecting. First of all Shay is a stupid hoe and he cannot be redeemed in my eyes ever. He abused her and alienated her from EVERYONE and then at the end she's still like 'oh no shayyyy' The ending was trash but it was fine. If it would have been just that, I probably would have given this either 2.5 or 3 stars. But then Dylan Page put an author note at the end explaining why everything happened the way it did and explaining what maybe did or will happen with the rest of the characters. I'm sorry but I don't need an author to tell me in a very condescending way that she left some questions unanswered because "life doesn't give you all the answers" um ok bye then. Honestly to me that just told me that either she rushed this book (even though it was pushed back🤔🤔) or she just didn't care enough to give us all the answers. I really wish I hadn't hyped this is up so much for myself. Honestly every single character got worse than they were in book 1 or did a 180 and became terrible in the book. Keenan (kieran?? Whatever the heck his name is. He was my favorite and now I don't even care enough to remember his name) was barely in this book because "it was never a love triangle" ummm ok then why did you pit shay and him against each in book 1 then? Why did you write them in a way where you could pick which one you wanted her to end up with?? Also there's so many people in Page's facebook group who are weirdly into the stepdad and im like 🤢🤢🤢🤢. The dad literally let everything happen just so shay wouldn't go off the rails instead of getting him the help he needed when he was a kid. Anywayyy, I'm probably forgetting something so if I do forget something, I'll just come back and add it to the review.

“In front of me, I see her, that beautiful girl, daisy in hand, looking at me like I’m her whole world, and I feel lighter. For her. This is for her” Sweetness and Sunshine. That is who she is. Two perfect words that describe the beauty that makes up all things Mina. Manic and Unstable. That is who he is. Two broken words that give us Shay. His one true focus and love has always been Mina. She is all he sees, and quite literally - he will kill for her. “Torment - Part Two,” by Dylan Page is the second and last book in her Bleeding Hearts Duet. It is a dark and forbidden romance. It is focused on Shay and Mina, step-siblings from a young age, and it picks up where it left off in book one. It is not a standalone, and you’ll need to read book one before starting this. I was taken on a ride. An emotionally titillating rollercoaster ride. This love was toxic, unhinged, and at most points downright insane. As an outsider looking in I see what looks like Stockholm Syndrome- but the reality is, is that you have a young man, who was never diagnosed with mental illness struggling. Struggling to see who he is, when all he sees is Mina. The one person that took a chance on him, that has loved him- standing by his side for what he needs, and is selfless. And on the inside, she’s fighting her feelings for what is considered right, what she wants, and ultimately what she is sacrificing by loving Shay. You need to read this. This story isn’t for everyone, but I will leave it at this. I never expected to understand, and to see that through the jagged edges and broken pieces of this relationship that someone so unhinged could love; and ultimately be able to see that in his own way that is how he loved her. trigger warning advised: domestic abuse, dub-con, gang violence, PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders.