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Equal Parts
Nobody knows happiness better than nineteen-year-old Felicity Eastwood. For years now, she’s been ‘gifted’ with the ability to collect and transfer happiness to anyone at will. Well, everyone except herself.
That is until Achilles - renowned criminal mastermind with a face painted like Death and enough charm to cause hormonal riots – crashes into Felicity’s world and makes her feel … something.
Determined not to let such a coveted superpower slip beyond his reach, Achilles kidnaps Felicity, hoping to use her ability to brave his own skeletons. Felicity is only a half-unwilling prisoner though, forgoing escape to learn more of the man behind the mask and pursue the inexplicable spark between them.
As the lines between hero and villain begin to blur, Felicity finds herself wondering if Achilles might be the key to her own happiness at long last. Is it possible to be so happy with someone so dangerous?
But Achilles isn’t the only villain in the town, and the pursuit of happiness can be a deadly hunt…
Equal Parts is a 78,000-word, standalone New Adult romance. No cliffhangers, and a HEA guaranteed. It is recommended for readers 17+.
That is until Achilles - renowned criminal mastermind with a face painted like Death and enough charm to cause hormonal riots – crashes into Felicity’s world and makes her feel … something.
Determined not to let such a coveted superpower slip beyond his reach, Achilles kidnaps Felicity, hoping to use her ability to brave his own skeletons. Felicity is only a half-unwilling prisoner though, forgoing escape to learn more of the man behind the mask and pursue the inexplicable spark between them.
As the lines between hero and villain begin to blur, Felicity finds herself wondering if Achilles might be the key to her own happiness at long last. Is it possible to be so happy with someone so dangerous?
But Achilles isn’t the only villain in the town, and the pursuit of happiness can be a deadly hunt…
Equal Parts is a 78,000-word, standalone New Adult romance. No cliffhangers, and a HEA guaranteed. It is recommended for readers 17+.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 23, 2012
66 people are currently reading
4057 people want to read
About the author
Emma Winters
15 books325 followersEmma Winters is a twenty-something New Adult writer from Down Under, with a love of everything Stateside. She was that weird girl at school who bought books instead of clothes, preferred the library to the schoolyard, made literary jokes that no one understood, and crushed on fictional characters instead of real boys.
While she is studying to become a teacher by day, by night Emma appeases the voices in her head by giving them life on paper. When she isn't tapping frantically at her keyboard, Emma can be found trawling marketplaces for teacups, performing embarrassing dance moves in public and private, annoying her long-suffering boyfriend with Shiny New Ideas, or planning for the zombie apocalypse, which she is sincerely excited about.
You can email her at: [email protected]
While she is studying to become a teacher by day, by night Emma appeases the voices in her head by giving them life on paper. When she isn't tapping frantically at her keyboard, Emma can be found trawling marketplaces for teacups, performing embarrassing dance moves in public and private, annoying her long-suffering boyfriend with Shiny New Ideas, or planning for the zombie apocalypse, which she is sincerely excited about.
You can email her at: [email protected]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
February 15, 2021
This book is bipolar. I might as well write two different reviews. Because while the first half wasn't flawless but kept me interested, the second half made me rage.
✘ Rage because I was in love with the idea of this book rather than this book itself.
✘ Rage because Achilles? I'd take this crazy painted face as a hero over some tattooed douche jerk on any day.
✘ Rage because this story had so much potential I actually felt sick to see how much the NA cliché ruined it.
☠ I'm going to talk about Achilles before starting to point what I didn't like.
"He killed Carova's mayor, he murdered people on a daily basis, he was weirdly charismatic, and he knew everything about everyone - or so it seemed.
And now, he was standing right in front of me, clutching his shoulder with one hand and a bloodied nail-gun in the other.
"Christ, girl, you gave me a heart attack!" He jumped back at the sound of my shriek."
Truth to be told, when my friend Harriet talked to me about him, I was super excited - a SUPER-VILLAIN ? Who paints his face as a mask of death? Who's sarcastic? Give him to me! Like, yesterday! I read this book because of him and for this reason I don't regret anything, despite the low rating and the rage moments I came across.
▩ What did I love so much in him?
Well, first of all, the fact that he's a real villain. No false assassin who never kills anyone, no random bad-boy whose only crime is to be a manwhore, no. A real psychopath, for whom killing someone is a boring routine. How refreshing is this?! See? This is where the story was filled with awesome possibilities. I'm not gonna lie : who doesn't like a villain falling in love? Okaaaay, maybe there're some but me?! I'm such a sucker for it. The problem in NA is, usually the main problem to reform in the male-lead is the fact he's a manwhore. Yikes. Oh, yeah, he has some family issues as well, he's probably orphan/abused/whatever and icing on the cake, he's tattooed. Now, I have nothing against tattoos in real life, I actually love them, but the way they're used in NA to picture the perfect bad-boy? Sick.
While here, we get a real maniac who IS going to fall in love (that's NA, duh) and yeah, frankly, I can't say that I'm not adoring this shit. I loved the fact that he never feels the need to find excuses for his murderous behavior, but always takes full responsibility for it. However, there are some reactions I didn't get, especially toward the end. Maybe that's just me, and the fact I've read The Broken Empire trilogy a few weeks ago, but I struggle to understand his motivation at some point, and the evolution of his believes can appear rather out of character. Oh, and please stop smirking.
Well, now, who cares about that? He's dangerous and sexy.
"So he lost his hands. Then, because he tried to undermine me by interrogating you himself, I chocked him with them."
I shuddered. "And the cut throat?"
He shrugged. "To set an example."
So, yeah. I loved Achilles. Why the 2-stars rating then? Really want to know the truth? I could have given it 1 star, and I'm going to explain why. The only reason I left it at 2 is Achilles.
Because GUYS!
░ Welcome to my New Adult nightmare! ░
▩ An heroine I can hate.
Yet Flick started well enough : with issues but not so much, an history which isn't rape (thanks god!), a believing and understanding way to deal with her captor, the super villain Achilles, with whom she shares some funny conversations full of banter. She even offers us some badass moments that pleased me to no end. That's fair to say that I liked her at first. Yeah, but that, that was before.
➸ Before she starts calling other girls sluts because they wear short dresses and have sex with Achilles (I assume). I wanted to throw my Kindle at this point.
➸ Before she starts rambling uncontrollably and just goes round and round in circles. Damn, how annoying she was! Achilles wants my power. Achilles is more complex than he seems. Yeah, but he only wants my power, right? He doesn't care for me, RIGHT? I can't be closer to him. I want to be closer to him. But in any case he only wants my power, RIGHT?
Yes, the girl says RIGHT? all. the. freaking. time. Just make up your own mind for Pete's sake!
➸ Although she managed to fool me in the beginning, it appeared more and more clearly that she owned almost all the personality/physical traits I hate in NA heroines :
✔ She's a fucking virgin. OF COURSE. She "isn't like the other girls", you know, the slutty girls. And we can't forget this because she talks about how she is different way too often for my sanity.There's only so many judgmental craps I can take.
✔ She is a red-head. Now, I have nothing against red-head, obviously, because I'm one of those but what is it with red-head in NA? I mean, are there some cards authors take, all wondering, "hmm hmm, I need some virgin, let's take the red-head here". Enlighten-me, pretty please. Oh, and neither my sisters nor me fucking blushes all the time, thank you very much. Stop the clichés.
✔ She has issues to accept herself and flirts with self-loathing, OF COURSE. Now that I'm talking about it, I must stress that I adored the way Achilles reacted to her childish and unconfident comments - he calls her on her shit, let's say, and I seriously started to ask myself why in the fucking world he was in love with her.
Damn, you can feel how annoying I think she is, right? RIGHT?
"You've foiled my shemes, you meddling kid! Little did you know your innocence was the only thing stopping me from conquering the entire world!"
Did I say that I loved this guy? Yeah?
"Prove it," he growled, right up in my face. "Come on, prove me wrong. Or are you happy being weak, feeling sorry for yourself?"
You tell her.
That's fair to say that I hated her in the end. Despite the fact she finally offers us some declaration of badassery (which was pretty cool), it was too late for me and her. We'll never be BBF. Not by a long shot.
Now, Ladies and gentlemen, let me present you...
▩ The plot-holes
I used to be a very annoying kid who couldn't help but wonder out loud all day long to understand how things work. Well, I am sorry, but absolutely nothing has changed. Whether I enjoy a book or not, if I don't understand characters' motivations, I end frowning more often than not. That was the case here. Although I can't address you my questions without spoiling the story for you, the only thing I can say is that I didn't get and buy some reactions.
Now, in the first half, it didn't prevent me from liking it. I already said what I thought about the second half.
Moreover, some twists were really, I mean, REALLY predictable. You've been warned.
▩ The writing was okay, I guess. Sure, we can't say it's poetic and there are some grammar mistakes but then, the way sentences are put together was appropriate for the book in my opinion : fast-paced, short sentences, sarcasm. I'm okay with that.
► To sum-up, this book contains way too much New Adult's clichés for me to love it, but now, I hate NA, so if you like this genre, and don't mind what I pointed above, maybe you'll like it because it does offer us some interesting ideas. What can I say? I just can't deal with girl hates and annoying rambling anymore. The same book in Achilles's POV? Now you get my interest. Finally, I'll look at future books of Emma Winters, because there are some promising ideas in this one, if you get rid of the NA clichés, let's say.
Oh, and before I leave, I'm totally stealing Achilles's saying for my voicemail.
"If you need us, we'll be absolutely unavailable, so don't bother."
✮ You can find the beautiful art here and here
September 9, 2014
4.5 Stars!
He painted his face into some kind of terrifying skeleton, his eyes blackened completely, with no white whatsoever. Even though I knew they had to be some kind of contact lenses, they still held a permanent place in my nightmares. And yet, in the flesh he seemed a lot more human. That could have been because he was bleeding profusely, though.
Cute, funny and oddly dark. That's how I'd describe Equal Parts by Emma Winters. Going into this book, I knew to expect something different, a buddy of mine over here had already read it and after reading her stellar review I knew I had to have a go at it too. While it is a New Adult novel, Equal Parts lacked the intense smuttiness that I've become used to in most NA books. I'm not saying there wasn't any sexual tension and swoon worthy moments but that isn't what made the story.
The world Felicity/Flick lives in is much like our own, except that it is made up of mainly two different groups. The superheroes and the supervillains, Felicity is neither. She's a superneutral, she has the power to draw happiness from the people around her and then transfer it to those that need it the most.
I wasn't a superhero. I wasn't a supervillain, either. I was a superneutral. No bias, no taking sides. In the human world, I was Switzerland. No one provoked me, and I provoked no one in return. Just the way I liked it.
So while leaving the hospital she volunteers at one night, she happens to bump into none other than, Achilles, a supervillain. Out of all the supervillains in Carova, Achilles is the most dangerous and most feared. He's hurt and he demands that Felicity help him. Felicity has three options:
1. She helps him, and then he goes after her for her power.
2. She refuses and he kills her for it.
3. She makes a run for it, and hopes he dies before he can catch up to her.
She chooses to help him, and in turn he helps her. A shocking incident , has her helping him again. And her worst nightmare comes true, Achilles kidnaps her and tries to find out how her power works.
"You were intimidating!" I protested. "I've never had a thing for homicidal charmers before.
"But now you do?"
"Apparently," I muttered, knowing he could feel my racing heartbeat under his chest.
"Well, if it helps, I've never had a thing for beautiful, deceptively brave, innocent charmers before."
Of course, Felicity is only half unwilling. Both she and Achilles are hiding something. Felicity ran away from the pain of loss and Achilles became a villain because he wanted fame while keeping his real identity a secret. But Felicity being in his life, kind of shows him that's there's more to life than the living the life of a criminal.
"Don't get too much of an ego, but you're kind of my everything.
I'm not sure what else to say, besides that if you're looking for something a lot different. With really unique characters that you can relate to minus the sex, then this is your book. FYI, they do actually do the rough and tumble. Twice.
"Achilles?"
"Yeah?" He sounded on the brink of sleep, same as me.
"Are we a thing now?"
Another throaty chuckle, "We were always a thing, darling. Just took both of us a while to see it."
He painted his face into some kind of terrifying skeleton, his eyes blackened completely, with no white whatsoever. Even though I knew they had to be some kind of contact lenses, they still held a permanent place in my nightmares. And yet, in the flesh he seemed a lot more human. That could have been because he was bleeding profusely, though.
Cute, funny and oddly dark. That's how I'd describe Equal Parts by Emma Winters. Going into this book, I knew to expect something different, a buddy of mine over here had already read it and after reading her stellar review I knew I had to have a go at it too. While it is a New Adult novel, Equal Parts lacked the intense smuttiness that I've become used to in most NA books. I'm not saying there wasn't any sexual tension and swoon worthy moments but that isn't what made the story.
The world Felicity/Flick lives in is much like our own, except that it is made up of mainly two different groups. The superheroes and the supervillains, Felicity is neither. She's a superneutral, she has the power to draw happiness from the people around her and then transfer it to those that need it the most.
I wasn't a superhero. I wasn't a supervillain, either. I was a superneutral. No bias, no taking sides. In the human world, I was Switzerland. No one provoked me, and I provoked no one in return. Just the way I liked it.
So while leaving the hospital she volunteers at one night, she happens to bump into none other than, Achilles, a supervillain. Out of all the supervillains in Carova, Achilles is the most dangerous and most feared. He's hurt and he demands that Felicity help him. Felicity has three options:
1. She helps him, and then he goes after her for her power.
2. She refuses and he kills her for it.
3. She makes a run for it, and hopes he dies before he can catch up to her.
She chooses to help him, and in turn he helps her. A shocking incident , has her helping him again. And her worst nightmare comes true, Achilles kidnaps her and tries to find out how her power works.
"You were intimidating!" I protested. "I've never had a thing for homicidal charmers before.
"But now you do?"
"Apparently," I muttered, knowing he could feel my racing heartbeat under his chest.
"Well, if it helps, I've never had a thing for beautiful, deceptively brave, innocent charmers before."
Of course, Felicity is only half unwilling. Both she and Achilles are hiding something. Felicity ran away from the pain of loss and Achilles became a villain because he wanted fame while keeping his real identity a secret. But Felicity being in his life, kind of shows him that's there's more to life than the living the life of a criminal.
"Don't get too much of an ego, but you're kind of my everything.
I'm not sure what else to say, besides that if you're looking for something a lot different. With really unique characters that you can relate to minus the sex, then this is your book. FYI, they do actually do the rough and tumble. Twice.
"Achilles?"
"Yeah?" He sounded on the brink of sleep, same as me.
"Are we a thing now?"
Another throaty chuckle, "We were always a thing, darling. Just took both of us a while to see it."
October 25, 2019
I knew as soon as I started reading this book that I was going to love it..
Equal parts is a story which involves two main characters, Achilles and Felicity. Felicity is a 19-year-old who has the ability to give others happiness just by simply touching them. She volunteers at a hospital, so she can give patients a dose of happiness. Achilles on the other hand prefers to take the happiness and torture people. Both of the characters have one thing in common which is, they don't have any happiness for themselves.
This book is a little dark, it has some cute and funny moments which made me lol. I loved the banter between Achilles & Felicity! This book was something different and it has its own spin.
"Don't get too much of an ego, but you're kind of my everything."
Equal parts is a story which involves two main characters, Achilles and Felicity. Felicity is a 19-year-old who has the ability to give others happiness just by simply touching them. She volunteers at a hospital, so she can give patients a dose of happiness. Achilles on the other hand prefers to take the happiness and torture people. Both of the characters have one thing in common which is, they don't have any happiness for themselves.
This book is a little dark, it has some cute and funny moments which made me lol. I loved the banter between Achilles & Felicity! This book was something different and it has its own spin.
"Don't get too much of an ego, but you're kind of my everything."
March 14, 2015
**4.5 SUPERHUMAN STARS**
wow...did I LOVE this book or what?! Yep. Loved it.
This book had it all!!!
SEXY SUPERHEROES
ACHILLE'S "TATE LANGDON" FACE PAINT
FLICK'S E.T-LIKE POWERS
Just trust me on this one, and READ IT. Don't judge the book by the crappy cover...just picture a sexy man on the cover...NOW READ THE BOOK!
wow...did I LOVE this book or what?! Yep. Loved it.
This book had it all!!!
SEXY SUPERHEROES
ACHILLE'S "TATE LANGDON" FACE PAINT
FLICK'S E.T-LIKE POWERS
Just trust me on this one, and READ IT. Don't judge the book by the crappy cover...just picture a sexy man on the cover...NOW READ THE BOOK!
February 8, 2019
Not sure if this is the place for shout outs but I so dig this writer!
This book was a complete surprise as I randomly picked it up because I liked the concept of the story.
It was a different read that went deeper and darker than I expected.
I look forward to reading more of Emma Winters books soon!
For years now, she’s been ‘gifted’ with the ability to collect and transfer happiness to anyone at will.
That is until Achilles - renowned criminal mastermind with a face painted like Death and enough charm to cause hormonal riots – crashes into Felicity’s world and makes her feel … something.
OHHH BOYYY OHHH BOY
Determined not to let such a coveted superpower slip beyond his reach, Achilles kidnaps Felicity, hoping to use her ability to brave his own skeletons. Felicity is only a half-unwilling prisoner though, forgoing escape to learn more of the man behind the mask and pursue the inexplicable spark between them.
THERE IS A BIG SPARK
This book was a complete surprise as I randomly picked it up because I liked the concept of the story.
It was a different read that went deeper and darker than I expected.
I look forward to reading more of Emma Winters books soon!
For years now, she’s been ‘gifted’ with the ability to collect and transfer happiness to anyone at will.
That is until Achilles - renowned criminal mastermind with a face painted like Death and enough charm to cause hormonal riots – crashes into Felicity’s world and makes her feel … something.
OHHH BOYYY OHHH BOY
Determined not to let such a coveted superpower slip beyond his reach, Achilles kidnaps Felicity, hoping to use her ability to brave his own skeletons. Felicity is only a half-unwilling prisoner though, forgoing escape to learn more of the man behind the mask and pursue the inexplicable spark between them.
THERE IS A BIG SPARK
December 13, 2016
While reading this I was hoping, and hoping... But at Chapter 17 my hopes were destroyed. And from that point on everything went up in smokes. I just plainly didn't care! At all! I tried reading on, but I was just so disappointed. I wish someone would have warned me about this book, because I wouldn't have read it if I knew beforehand.
September 22, 2014
Equal Parts tells the story of 19 year old Felicity Westwood, who has the ability to give people happiness through touching them. Though she hasn't felt happiness in a while.
There are superheros and supervilians, well Felicity is superneutral.
Then she meets Achilles
The biggest, most feared villain in the city, and he kidnaps Felicity to use her power.
And the lines between hero and villain blur for Felicity as she sees Achilles in a different way.
I really loved this book. Though it's new adult, it didn't really focus on the smut or love in the story. Yes there is sex but that wasn't the reason why I liked it. I don't know how to explain it but it was very interesting and the is a new spin on paranormal if that's what you'd call it.
Felicity was a strong heroine who I really like and Achilles wasn't that much of a bad guy that he seems to be.
I hope there is a novella or something more of their future.
There are superheros and supervilians, well Felicity is superneutral.
Then she meets Achilles
The biggest, most feared villain in the city, and he kidnaps Felicity to use her power.
And the lines between hero and villain blur for Felicity as she sees Achilles in a different way.
I really loved this book. Though it's new adult, it didn't really focus on the smut or love in the story. Yes there is sex but that wasn't the reason why I liked it. I don't know how to explain it but it was very interesting and the is a new spin on paranormal if that's what you'd call it.
Felicity was a strong heroine who I really like and Achilles wasn't that much of a bad guy that he seems to be.
I hope there is a novella or something more of their future.
April 23, 2018
I quite liked this, mainly because of Achilles. He’s a crime lord that paints his face to look like a skeleton and is cheekily charming. Yes, fun. Felicity was pretty good, but I could’ve done without a lot of her moping and personality switches. Still enjoyed the book, even if it’s sort of NA paranormal.
March 16, 2017
Well Achilles, I love the hell outta you (even before I realized you weren't a psychotic murderer). This story was great. A world of superheroes, supervillians, and the 'undesirables', if you will, whose powers weren't considered useful. Intro... Felicity who can transfer happiness to people through her touch. Naturally Achilles wants her for her happy juice, but ends up being the ultimate sweetheart and winning her heart. The villians and heroes were cool characters, but Achilles really made this book, even though it's told from Felicity's POV. I got excited as soon as I anticipated a scene with him in it. Lol. Lots of drama in the story, of course. The only downside for me was how little Felicity thought of herself in the beginning, but she finally got some confidence and put some value on herself and not just her powers towards the end.
September 1, 2019
Extraordinary book
December 8, 2015
Oh. My. Lord. Of. All. Things. Holy. And. Good.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Am I shouting? Hmmmm. Probably.
But this book was just...God it was such a fresh breath of air. Right in my face! Love love loved it!
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Am I shouting? Hmmmm. Probably.
But this book was just...God it was such a fresh breath of air. Right in my face! Love love loved it!
January 22, 2017
WHAT did I just read!? The first 50% was awesome (crappy writing but cool story). The second part was unrecognizable as anything resembling a coherent storyline. Plot holes that you could park a car in throughout. Nothing was done even remotely well. I'm in shock this has 4 stars on Goodreads. This book could have been so, soooo much more. Sad.
October 25, 2022
HOLY HELL
Felicity (Flick) Eastwood can transfer happiness from one person to another. However, she herself, feels none. One evening after her volunteer shift at the hospital, she feels a shiver down her spine. This marks the first time in 3 years she has felt any real emotion, thus, she decides to follow it. And it ends at Achilles, a super-villain with a face painted like a skeleton. Only, where she should be screaming and running for her life, he intrigues her, and her him. Once Achilles finds about her power, he decides he must have it for himself and kidnaps her. Here is where the story picks up; Stockholm syndrome in a world where no one is black or white, but every shade of color possible.
I just want to gush.
The CharactersFelicity and Achilles are some of the most complex characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. The fact that the author doesn't reveal all the skeletons in their closets (pun intended) adds to the mystery and personality of these incredibly imperfect characters. To be honest, we never do find out about Achilles past, where he came from, how he came to be the way he is. We just accept that he is a weird fish out of water, as is Felicity. Though, we do get a teeny bit more of a peek into her background.
Felicity's best friend, Lucia, was built up just enough to find endearing yet not worry too much about what happens to her in the end. She helps provide backbone to the story in a much needed place and she could not be more perfect.
The Romance. They are so imperfectly perfect for each other. They fill in all the small weak points that have made their lives blase hitherto: he makes her strong, she makes him soft. At the end, they infinitely seem more human in their imperfect fish out of water ways.
The Plot. So incredibly unique. It's not just a story of Stockholm Syndrome. It's ultimately a story about courage and how love changes people in all the right ways. Achilles will never be all good. But he learns to be good enough for Felicity. It is also a story about growing into yourself and not letting your demons rule your life. Everyone has demons, but sometimes you have to get up and face them head on, and it's okay to require a little bit of help.
The world building. This is probably the one element I found lacking in Equal Parts. We know we have a world with superheroes and super-villains. We know they fight each other. We know that authorities are pretty bad at catching the bad guys. Yea, that's about it. While I enjoyed no detail was wasted on useless landscape descriptions, I would have enjoyed knowing more about this world and how this mapping of superhero/supervillain fit outside of Felicity and Achilles' city.
It ended on a note that didn't wrap up nearly enough, but was just perfect. I can't explain it any other way. You'll have to read it to find out. I highly recommend this book for anyone who understands that people are not just good or evil and wants to explore that, as well as an amazing love story.
Felicity (Flick) Eastwood can transfer happiness from one person to another. However, she herself, feels none. One evening after her volunteer shift at the hospital, she feels a shiver down her spine. This marks the first time in 3 years she has felt any real emotion, thus, she decides to follow it. And it ends at Achilles, a super-villain with a face painted like a skeleton. Only, where she should be screaming and running for her life, he intrigues her, and her him. Once Achilles finds about her power, he decides he must have it for himself and kidnaps her. Here is where the story picks up; Stockholm syndrome in a world where no one is black or white, but every shade of color possible.
I just want to gush.
The CharactersFelicity and Achilles are some of the most complex characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. The fact that the author doesn't reveal all the skeletons in their closets (pun intended) adds to the mystery and personality of these incredibly imperfect characters. To be honest, we never do find out about Achilles past, where he came from, how he came to be the way he is. We just accept that he is a weird fish out of water, as is Felicity. Though, we do get a teeny bit more of a peek into her background.
Felicity's best friend, Lucia, was built up just enough to find endearing yet not worry too much about what happens to her in the end. She helps provide backbone to the story in a much needed place and she could not be more perfect.
The Romance. They are so imperfectly perfect for each other. They fill in all the small weak points that have made their lives blase hitherto: he makes her strong, she makes him soft. At the end, they infinitely seem more human in their imperfect fish out of water ways.
The Plot. So incredibly unique. It's not just a story of Stockholm Syndrome. It's ultimately a story about courage and how love changes people in all the right ways. Achilles will never be all good. But he learns to be good enough for Felicity. It is also a story about growing into yourself and not letting your demons rule your life. Everyone has demons, but sometimes you have to get up and face them head on, and it's okay to require a little bit of help.
The world building. This is probably the one element I found lacking in Equal Parts. We know we have a world with superheroes and super-villains. We know they fight each other. We know that authorities are pretty bad at catching the bad guys. Yea, that's about it. While I enjoyed no detail was wasted on useless landscape descriptions, I would have enjoyed knowing more about this world and how this mapping of superhero/supervillain fit outside of Felicity and Achilles' city.
It ended on a note that didn't wrap up nearly enough, but was just perfect. I can't explain it any other way. You'll have to read it to find out. I highly recommend this book for anyone who understands that people are not just good or evil and wants to explore that, as well as an amazing love story.
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published-tbr
May 4, 2022Considering it's been a decade since this book came out with zero sign from the author, thank God it's a standalone.
I recall enjoying this villain romance before but I've no memory of it so keen to reread!
I recall enjoying this villain romance before but I've no memory of it so keen to reread!
April 17, 2015
Nomen est Omen
While the ancient Romans were what we may consider these days to be a bit socially awkward, philosophically speaking they knew their shit....
The name says it all
Let's start by giving praise where praise is due. I loved this book, the concept of it was brilliant. I am plainly put- a sucker for a good antihero. To be honest I always was, but in this day and age even more so. I think what pushes my rebellious side lately is the saturation of self-righteousness that seems to be everywhere. Everybody's constantly outraged by everything, and the internet breaks every five minutes because of something so colossally stupid that I welcomed.... YES WELCOMED a morally challenged maniac. Just for shits and giggles.
Achilles.
The big cheese.
A psychopath and a killer with a penchant for Maybelline.
…....Achilles.
When you choose to attach a name like that, a legendary name, a powerful name to a character, you silently say, 'They share common traits'. This is true for all weather you want it or not (try naming your character George Bush if you don't believe me and see how far that gets you), and honestly that's what threw me. I kept expecting to find those common traits... The legendary Achilles was a Myrmidon- a precise, structured warrior that lived his life by a set of rules branded into him by others since birth. Then there is the whole matter of his rather famous, untimely death. Achilles of Equal Part was batshit cray-cray, emotional whiplash kind of guy with a sense of duty that served only himself.
Then there is the Death Mask. Dia de Muertos full on.
Now there is another subtext on its own.
There are so many different folk tales and hidden meanings in the way the Latin America celebrates the Day of the Dead, and yes, I expected some connection. The author made a brilliant display of just how important the public persona and the mask is for the MC, so at the end, I was left deflated. There were so many endless possibilities, and the end result got me trying to mash 300 Rise of an Empire with the best Mexico has to offer and got this.
What started with Achilles developed in a pattern throughout the novel where more then once I found myself curious about an element that Winters introduced, but then failed to use. There were superpowers, yes? We only saw a few jumps by Finn and some mindfuckery by Molten. In a city where crime rate is higher then the Nitrogen saturation in the air, you would think we would see some more shebang out of it all. Then the romantic side of it all. I don't care who the hell you are, how powerful, how badass, how sexy and enchanting. If you hurt a girl she will be angry. Very, very angry...She wouldn't stand around listening to the man that hurt her spout BS and then start explaining herself. The whole nightclub scene was underwhelming and disappointing. He gave her some lamery, she beamed at him, and he swung his Mjolnir happily ever after.
If you're wondering what the hell is going on with the hammer...read the book.
At the end of it I will say that this is not my last book by Winters, and I enjoyed Equal Parts. I just needed more detail, more engaging moments to find it brilliant. And it can be brilliant! Emma Winters has got all it takes - originality, shock value, sense of humor and a flair for the dramatic.
PS: I am aware of my current profile pic and the whole theme going on here. Kinda prophetic.
While the ancient Romans were what we may consider these days to be a bit socially awkward, philosophically speaking they knew their shit....
The name says it all
Let's start by giving praise where praise is due. I loved this book, the concept of it was brilliant. I am plainly put- a sucker for a good antihero. To be honest I always was, but in this day and age even more so. I think what pushes my rebellious side lately is the saturation of self-righteousness that seems to be everywhere. Everybody's constantly outraged by everything, and the internet breaks every five minutes because of something so colossally stupid that I welcomed.... YES WELCOMED a morally challenged maniac. Just for shits and giggles.
Achilles.
The big cheese.
A psychopath and a killer with a penchant for Maybelline.
…....Achilles.
When you choose to attach a name like that, a legendary name, a powerful name to a character, you silently say, 'They share common traits'. This is true for all weather you want it or not (try naming your character George Bush if you don't believe me and see how far that gets you), and honestly that's what threw me. I kept expecting to find those common traits... The legendary Achilles was a Myrmidon- a precise, structured warrior that lived his life by a set of rules branded into him by others since birth. Then there is the whole matter of his rather famous, untimely death. Achilles of Equal Part was batshit cray-cray, emotional whiplash kind of guy with a sense of duty that served only himself.
Then there is the Death Mask. Dia de Muertos full on.
Now there is another subtext on its own.
There are so many different folk tales and hidden meanings in the way the Latin America celebrates the Day of the Dead, and yes, I expected some connection. The author made a brilliant display of just how important the public persona and the mask is for the MC, so at the end, I was left deflated. There were so many endless possibilities, and the end result got me trying to mash 300 Rise of an Empire with the best Mexico has to offer and got this.
What started with Achilles developed in a pattern throughout the novel where more then once I found myself curious about an element that Winters introduced, but then failed to use. There were superpowers, yes? We only saw a few jumps by Finn and some mindfuckery by Molten. In a city where crime rate is higher then the Nitrogen saturation in the air, you would think we would see some more shebang out of it all. Then the romantic side of it all. I don't care who the hell you are, how powerful, how badass, how sexy and enchanting. If you hurt a girl she will be angry. Very, very angry...She wouldn't stand around listening to the man that hurt her spout BS and then start explaining herself. The whole nightclub scene was underwhelming and disappointing. He gave her some lamery, she beamed at him, and he swung his Mjolnir happily ever after.
If you're wondering what the hell is going on with the hammer...read the book.
At the end of it I will say that this is not my last book by Winters, and I enjoyed Equal Parts. I just needed more detail, more engaging moments to find it brilliant. And it can be brilliant! Emma Winters has got all it takes - originality, shock value, sense of humor and a flair for the dramatic.
PS: I am aware of my current profile pic and the whole theme going on here. Kinda prophetic.
February 7, 2015
This book was just.....bizarre. Far from normal and darkly romantic. That's what made this book stand out from other books I've ever read in my life and I guess i won't be able to read "normal" books after this outstanding book ever again. Absolutely loved it!!
(P.S by normal books i mean girls studying in high schools, with perfectly stable lives and supernatural hot boys enter their lives and their lives turn "upside down" ) No pun intended.
(P.S by normal books i mean girls studying in high schools, with perfectly stable lives and supernatural hot boys enter their lives and their lives turn "upside down" ) No pun intended.
October 8, 2015
4.5 stars
February 9, 2016
It was fantastic!!! And then... it sorta fizzled for me. The parts that were there were good, but I feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities for epic cool. Still really looking forward to the next books though!!! (Not really looking forward to waking up in 4 hours.... sleep... I got my homework done for the week too, now I just gotta prepare for my project... sleep.... SLEEP NOW!!!!)
October 11, 2015
It started off alright, then it got weird and more weird....
July 24, 2018
4.5 stars
This was entertaining and a pleasant surprise BUT I missed Achilles POV because I had huge problems understanding his feelings and emotional development. I also would've liked a peak into his past and childhood to understand his motivation behind his actions. The world-building was disappointing, it felt like a X-Men movie but it was lacking in depth. Nevertheless I liked the characters and romance and it's really sad that the author never published another novel (no cliffhanger though). Like the sequel with different MCs or the novella with Felicity and Achilles.
This was entertaining and a pleasant surprise BUT I missed Achilles POV because I had huge problems understanding his feelings and emotional development. I also would've liked a peak into his past and childhood to understand his motivation behind his actions. The world-building was disappointing, it felt like a X-Men movie but it was lacking in depth. Nevertheless I liked the characters and romance and it's really sad that the author never published another novel (no cliffhanger though). Like the sequel with different MCs or the novella with Felicity and Achilles.
July 13, 2021
I can't believe I finished this book, and I hate myself for it. The beginning was kinda interesting but that was it.
The MMC is a pretend villain who treats the useless FMC like crap. The FMC is a pretend bad ass who lets the guy walk all over him. Don't even get me started on book it self, I don't think there is any redeemable quality about this book, the characters, the story line, the plot holes, it's just a disaster.
Picture this, and this is just one example (contains spoilers) -
Our main characters are having a somewhat romantic evening when the goons come knocking at the boss's door because some other woman has come saying she was supposed to go out with the boss. The MMC's first answer is "Shit", somehow appropriate under the circumstances but what follows is a disaster.
MMC says to the FMC,
“If I stay, will you tell me why you don’t give out your power in large doses?”
Shitty thing to say IMO, but FMC's million dollar answer nearly killed me - “Just go. I’m not worth the effort.”
Seriously, WTF, 😵🤬, I was swearing up a storm!
You would think it will end there but nope, this is what follows:-
FMC
"Crap. Self-deprecation was the one thing he seemed unable to stomach, if last night was anything to go by. As if to prove the theory, he pinched my jaw none-too-gently, turning it towards the mirror.
“Project for the night: stop insulting me by make assumptions about how I see you, and start seeing why you’re worth the effort.”
Then, in a whirl of black and the slam of a door, he was gone."
Did you think it ends here, nope! Our so strong heroine thinks, putting on make-up and her best dress and waiting for the guy to return from a date with another woman is being "the most assertive-aggressive girl this side of the whole damn country."
This is at about 45% of the book and like an idiot I continued to the end and yes , if you are wondering, it did get worse!
The MMC is a pretend villain who treats the useless FMC like crap. The FMC is a pretend bad ass who lets the guy walk all over him. Don't even get me started on book it self, I don't think there is any redeemable quality about this book, the characters, the story line, the plot holes, it's just a disaster.
Picture this, and this is just one example (contains spoilers) -
Our main characters are having a somewhat romantic evening when the goons come knocking at the boss's door because some other woman has come saying she was supposed to go out with the boss. The MMC's first answer is "Shit", somehow appropriate under the circumstances but what follows is a disaster.
MMC says to the FMC,
“If I stay, will you tell me why you don’t give out your power in large doses?”
Shitty thing to say IMO, but FMC's million dollar answer nearly killed me - “Just go. I’m not worth the effort.”
Seriously, WTF, 😵🤬, I was swearing up a storm!
You would think it will end there but nope, this is what follows:-
FMC
"Crap. Self-deprecation was the one thing he seemed unable to stomach, if last night was anything to go by. As if to prove the theory, he pinched my jaw none-too-gently, turning it towards the mirror.
“Project for the night: stop insulting me by make assumptions about how I see you, and start seeing why you’re worth the effort.”
Then, in a whirl of black and the slam of a door, he was gone."
Did you think it ends here, nope! Our so strong heroine thinks, putting on make-up and her best dress and waiting for the guy to return from a date with another woman is being "the most assertive-aggressive girl this side of the whole damn country."
This is at about 45% of the book and like an idiot I continued to the end and yes , if you are wondering, it did get worse!
December 10, 2017
I loved it, loved it, loved it !!! Did I say that I loved this book ? Probably not so I'll say it again : I loved it. It was
amazing
.
Carova is a city full of crime and where supernatural are free to use their powers. Among the criminals, the most famous and feared is Achilles. So what is Felicity to do when she gets kidnapped by this dangerous criminal ? Say goodbye to neutrality...
I know I'm repeating myself but I need to stress out how good this book was.
Felicity is my kind of heroine: she's smart, fierce, badass with a little bit of vulnerability that makes her endearing. And she was funny. She never stopped fighting and she stoop up for herself.
And Achilles... Achilles was good. Not as a person : he is more of the psychopathic kind of character, a real villain. No he was good because he knew what he wanted, went for it and made no apologies for his methods. And best of all, he won what he wanted. He was a self proclaimed villain but he still had some morals and a tiny little bit of vulnerability kept hidden somewhere really dark and secret and unattainable. But it existed (in theory ^^)
They both have a great relationship, never giving in without a fight. It felt really natural. I liked the whole plot, it was quirky and funny with enough emotions in it. The characters were great and I just WANT MORE. No I NEED more of Felicity and Achilles. I recommend this book 100%.
“- 'I've never had a thing for homicidal charmers before.'
- 'But now you do?'
- 'Apparently.' -I muttered, knowing he could feel my raicing heartbeat under his chest.
- 'Well, if it helps, I've never had a thing for beautiful, deceptively brave, innocent charmers before.'
- 'And now you do?'
His grin widened, taking on a wolfish look.
- 'Definitely”
Carova is a city full of crime and where supernatural are free to use their powers. Among the criminals, the most famous and feared is Achilles. So what is Felicity to do when she gets kidnapped by this dangerous criminal ? Say goodbye to neutrality...
I know I'm repeating myself but I need to stress out how good this book was.
Felicity is my kind of heroine: she's smart, fierce, badass with a little bit of vulnerability that makes her endearing. And she was funny. She never stopped fighting and she stoop up for herself.
And Achilles... Achilles was good. Not as a person : he is more of the psychopathic kind of character, a real villain. No he was good because he knew what he wanted, went for it and made no apologies for his methods. And best of all, he won what he wanted. He was a self proclaimed villain but he still had some morals and a tiny little bit of vulnerability kept hidden somewhere really dark and secret and unattainable. But it existed (in theory ^^)
They both have a great relationship, never giving in without a fight. It felt really natural. I liked the whole plot, it was quirky and funny with enough emotions in it. The characters were great and I just WANT MORE. No I NEED more of Felicity and Achilles. I recommend this book 100%.
“- 'I've never had a thing for homicidal charmers before.'
- 'But now you do?'
- 'Apparently.' -I muttered, knowing he could feel my raicing heartbeat under his chest.
- 'Well, if it helps, I've never had a thing for beautiful, deceptively brave, innocent charmers before.'
- 'And now you do?'
His grin widened, taking on a wolfish look.
- 'Definitely”
January 20, 2015
A Quick review of Equal Parts.
Though I'm giving it 2 stars, this story has a lot of potential and I did like the book. Felicity and Achilles are both interesting, different, and likable as main characters. I loved their wicked sense of humor and that gray area they live in. With a bit more development, they could be awesome. Same for the side characters.
This story started off on a promising note. I liked the setup. The world this story takes place in has the potential to be really cool and quirky, but there needs to be more world building. We only got bits and pieces here and there. As a result, it all felt kind of half baked.
The plot developed nicely for the first half of the story, but things got sloppy, boring, and a bit cliché a little after that. I'd love to read the next book in this series, but I'm hoping for a better, tighter plot. Something that grips me and lives up to the potential that's here.
Though I'm giving it 2 stars, this story has a lot of potential and I did like the book. Felicity and Achilles are both interesting, different, and likable as main characters. I loved their wicked sense of humor and that gray area they live in. With a bit more development, they could be awesome. Same for the side characters.
This story started off on a promising note. I liked the setup. The world this story takes place in has the potential to be really cool and quirky, but there needs to be more world building. We only got bits and pieces here and there. As a result, it all felt kind of half baked.
The plot developed nicely for the first half of the story, but things got sloppy, boring, and a bit cliché a little after that. I'd love to read the next book in this series, but I'm hoping for a better, tighter plot. Something that grips me and lives up to the potential that's here.
May 10, 2016
my rating: 4.5 stars
This is a funky read, one that won't appeal to everyone--but I'm a sucker for both dynamic villians AND superheroes. This book is basically my kryptonite.
Action, drama, mystery, good/evil/shades of grey, and a slow burning romance that leans more toward crazytown than disneyland...yeah. It's awesome.
Wish there was a book 2 just so I could revisit this world and these characters.
This is a funky read, one that won't appeal to everyone--but I'm a sucker for both dynamic villians AND superheroes. This book is basically my kryptonite.
Action, drama, mystery, good/evil/shades of grey, and a slow burning romance that leans more toward crazytown than disneyland...yeah. It's awesome.
Wish there was a book 2 just so I could revisit this world and these characters.
July 6, 2016
Charming. This book was so charming. Too charming, in fact, that if you'd take a look at the bare bones, you'd realize it's just an NA cliche disguised as a not-so-cliche NA story.
Gah. I confused myself.
Anyway. 5 stars for the first part because it was beyond amazeballs while 1 star for the second half because it was terribly butchered. Huh.
PS. I'm still confused.
PPS. A hammer. Really???
Gah. I confused myself.
Anyway. 5 stars for the first part because it was beyond amazeballs while 1 star for the second half because it was terribly butchered. Huh.
PS. I'm still confused.
PPS. A hammer. Really???
June 10, 2023
Achilles is the villain I needed in my life. I couldn't put the book down!!!! Felicity lives in a superhero world and won't choose sides. So Achilles chooses for her and kidnaps Felicity. SO MUCH ANGST AND DARK. Just what I needed right after the holidays lol.
June 8, 2015
Achilles rocked, Henry not so much!!
the ending was a bit like
the ending was a bit like
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2016
Super Human romance. Review to come.
August 30, 2018
It is very rare that I don't finish a book once I start it. There are some that it took a while to get into it and ended up being a good read. This one I just could not find any interest in.
July 3, 2017
I enjoyed this one. It was an interesting story with a great, super dark (murdering) H. The h was likeable and not a doormat. I appreciate that the author allowed their relationship to develop prior to the lovemaking however, the love scenes were tamer than I expected given that the H was so dark.
One thing I didn't like was that the H cheated on the h - hence the 4 stars. The H was with a OW early on and then again later AFTER he had passionately kissed the h. He really hurt her and I didn't like that part. Other than that, it's a great story that I'm glad I read.
One thing I didn't like was that the H cheated on the h - hence the 4 stars. The H was with a OW early on and then again later AFTER he had passionately kissed the h. He really hurt her and I didn't like that part. Other than that, it's a great story that I'm glad I read.
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