🐍 2025/032 | GINA FINLEY - “DROWN” | 3.5★

DETAILS

Synopsis

I want to be anywhere but here. Most people would kill to be here in Diamond Cove. The beaches, the mansions, the ocean. But I'd kill to leave because it's the last place I want to be. My life is in shambles and the last thing I need is to be the new girl in the new school. But here I am. And everyone is warning me to stay away from one guy and his little gang of surf warriors. Dash. Even his name sounds dangerous. He's everything I should stay away from. But I can't. He's pulling me in and I'm letting him. Even when I know how dangerous it is. How dangerous he is. He wants to see how far he can push me. To see if he can break me. Except he doesn't realize that I'm already broken. And that might make me more dangerous than he is. * Drown is the first book in the Diamond Cove series and it is a dark high school bully romance. It contains mature themes, involving profanity, violence, bullying, and dub/non-con sexual situations. And it absolutely ends on a cliff hanger. Reader discretion is advised.

 

Chapters In Total

Prologue	:	-
Chapters	:	37
Epilogue	:	-
Pages	:	-

 

Note(s)

·       DIAMOND COVE HIGH #1 ·       Trigger warning: o   School bullying o   Violence o   Drugs o   Profanity

 

Others

1.    -

 

Main Character(s)

Male	:	DASHIELL HAMILTON JUNIOR (THE FIFTH)
Female	:	CARA BRYNE

 

Other Character(s)

Dashiell Hamilton Junior (The Fifth)	:	Dash Senior at Diamond Cove High
Cara Bryne	:	New student at Diamond Cove High Senior
Mrs. Jackson	:	Front office
Whitney Dixon	:	Senior Dash’s ex-girlfriend
Foxworth	:	Dash’s best friend
Tyler	:	Dash’s best friend
Shane	:	Dash’s best friend
Lucy Riordan	:	Cara’s friend Fox’s ex-girlfriend
Parker Backman	:	Cop Undercover agent
Jason Miner	:	Football player
Dashiell Hamilton Senior (The Fourth)	:	Dash’s father The most powerful person in Diamond Cove
Andrew Winchester	:	Diamond Cove High headmaster

 

Quote(s)

1.    “Where you need to go is wherever you came from, … And take that ancient sweater with you.” She says it so casually it takes me a moment to realize how cruel it is and how her demeanor is the polar opposite of what she put on display in the office. 2.    Been there, done that, have the scars to prove it. 3.    We stand there awkwardly for a minute and I drink some more of the beer. This is what I was afraid of what would happen if I came. We’d make polite conversation for a minute or two and then we’d stand around, trying to figure out how to talk to one another. She pulls out her phone and glances at it. Great. We’ve already reached the awkward point where we pretend to check our phones. 4.    It’s just this… cool thing that everyone has to see. 5.    I’ve told you many times. Be ruthless, but be careful. Too many people don’t realize you can be both. You can have everything you want – power, money, women – any of that, as long as you’re careful. But if you fuck it up? … well, then everything else goes away. Be ruthless. But be careful.

 

BOOK JOURNEY

Thoughts

(1) Whua! Didn’t say I expect that! —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (2) Sorry to hear that. —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (3) Oh man! The image is just so vivid! —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (4) Nooo! Please don’t let it be the bully thing going!

 

Reading Experience

Kept me intrigue and wanting for more! I like that Dash open up and share his secret with Cara. Loving the sharing moment! But I don’t like he’s being violent! I know that Cara might be hurt if Dash didn’t intervene earlier but… Anyhow, Jason shouldn’t have bothered anyone like that! Let that be a lesson!

 

Question(s)

1.    -

 

Three Most Important Concepts in This Book

1.    Keep your mouth shut when you’re not in the upper hand. 2.    Time to get self-defence classes. You don’t know when it’ll be useful. 3.    Do not bully others and it might bite you in the ass later.

 

Suitable For People Who

1.    Please refer to “Tags”

 

Reading Start and End Dates

Start	:	14.02.2025
End	:	14.02.2025

 

Total Reading Duration

2

Hours

51

Minutes

 

Reading Timeline [In Chapter(s)]

14.02.2025

:

01

à

37

 

Tags

Fiction; Contemporary; Romance; High School

 

Pace

·       Fast

 

Spiciness

·       🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

 

Rating



 

Social Media

Goodreads

Instagram

 

Notes

Reading Experience

·       Plot and Content: The appeal of the storyline, the depth and interest of the content, and the relevance and accuracy of the information presented. ·       Language and Style: The fluidity and beauty of the writing, and whether the author’s style aligns with the reader's preferences and expectations. ·       Characterization and Development: The dimensionality and vividness of the characters, and whether their development feels deep and credible. ·       Pacing and Structure: The appropriateness of the pacing, the coherence of the structure, and whether the plot progresses smoothly. ·       Emotional Resonance: Whether the reader can connect with the emotions, themes, or viewpoints presented in the book. ·       Visual Presentation: The book’s design, including layout, font, illustrations, and cover design, and how these elements enhance the reading experience. ·       Personal Impact: The influence of the book on the reader’s thoughts, emotions, or life experiences. ·       Reading Comfort: The comfort of reading, considering factors like paper quality, book weight, and the reading environment.

 

Pace

·       Fast Pace: The plot progresses rapidly, with frequent events occurring, creating a sense of tension and urgency for the reader. Typically, these books have short paragraphs and chapters, with concise and brisk language, and frequent conflict and suspense. Examples include thrillers or action-adventure novels. ·       Medium Pace: The plot develops at a moderate speed, neither too rushed nor too slow. These books usually feature a balanced progression of story and character development, with a relatively even writing style. Many literary or commercial novels may have this pace. ·       Slow Pace: The plot advances slowly, often focusing on the characters' inner worlds, environmental descriptions, or nuanced emotional portrayals. These books typically have longer paragraphs and chapters, with a more complex writing style and a lot of information. Literary classics or works with intricate psychological depictions often exhibit a slow pace.

 

Spiciness

·       0★ No Spiciness Completely non-romantic and non-suggestive; suitable for all ages. ·       1★ Very Mild Occasional flirtation or light hints; very tame and appropriate for most readers. ·       2★ Mild Some romantic tension or innuendo; suitable for young adult readers but no explicit content. ·       3★ Moderate Noticeable romantic or sexual themes; suitable for mature readers with some emotional depth. ·       4★ Spicy Frequent and more explicit romantic or sexual content; intended for adult readers with significant emotional stakes. ·       5★ Extremely Spicy Highly explicit content with detailed sexual scenes or intense emotional drama; strictly for mature audiences.

 

Ratings

·       0.0: Unreadable or offensive. ·       0.5: Extremely poor; frustrating and unenjoyable. ·       1.0: Poorly written with little redeeming quality. ·       1.5: Very weak; minimal positives, mostly disappointing. ·       2.0: Some merits but overall disappointing. ·       2.5: Slightly above disappointing; some redeeming qualities. ·       3.0: Solid but flawed; enjoyable but forgettable. ·       3.5: Good; has engaging moments but still some flaws. ·       4.0: Very good; well worth reading with a few minor issues. ·       4.5: Excellent; impactful and nearly perfect, with just a few minor flaws. ·       5.0: Exceptional; a must-read that stays with you.