A perfect horror book.
Wait.
What do you mean this isn't a horror book, it's only a romance?!

Perfected as a series would be a great Tender is The Flesh without a vegan metaphor clogging it up. Obviously Perfected doesn't have a pushed vegan metaphor, so it is a bit better, it's horror, but it keeps pushing itself as a romance and a growth of love between two people one of which you can't consent. Personally Tender is The Flesh is a really great horror book with a really muddied message and that's where this book also follows. If we remove the romance angle entirely this book would definitely be talked about in a different light.

Book two opens with Ella complaining about being in this basically a daycare for dogs, and the dog daycare is so good. There's ten other pets there, and they are each taken care of and lavished. They are happy! These pets are very loved, they have everything they could want. It's a perfect dog hotel. But still she laments about how it's a prison. Not sure how, but our main character has been really garbage, Ella doesn't know what kissing is or consent or any basic things that she thinks she's in prison.

I was starting to wonder if PETA would show up in this, this seems like a perfect world where we would get PETA. From what we get early on it sounds like PETA is just killing these guys and throwing them on the doorstep of scientist. Sounds about right for PETA. Except later it's revealed to be Marcus, a male pet who is trying to start a scandal by doing it. Male pets, like I suspected, do exist.

They're just labeled as creepy and perverted. Which doesn't make sense when everything down to freckle placement is controlled by the lab.

Ella gets mad at missy repeatedly. Missy bothers to help Ella out of the situation and slowly work her way sexually to help Missy have a better life. She trades her body so that Ella can have the means to get back home. Well Missy is doing this and sacrificing herself nobly, Ella is shaming her and telling her that she is a wrong person, and because Ella is the protagonist, Missy is in the wrong because of reasons. Not actual good reasons just because Ella says she's in the wrong.

Missy saves Ella's life another time.

She didn't scolds Ella for blowing their chance and in response Ella shames her and tells her basically where to put it for no reason other than Ella is a little brat, and can't appreciate Missy selling her body to further their goal and get them somewhere. If it's not clear, Missy is horribly mistreated in the series and does not deserve what's coming to her but the narration is pushing she deserves all of it.

Literally, Missy ashamed for selling her body just so Ella can get her selfish want of going back to her owners. She ashamed for not telling her that that is the only way and shame for doing that as if it is a horrible thing to actually work to sustain them and keep them alive.

Ella can choke on a rock.

I hate the atrocious Underground Railroad plotline in this series. These are white girls who are sold as pets/slaves but this series rehashes the actual Underground Railroad.

Oh and they emphasize they walk five feet away from the mother with deformed imperfect baby pets, and kill them right then and there. Among a place that's nothing but the ashes of dead babies and pets. This is still not a romantic horror or just a horror. It's only romance.

And It suffers for that horribly.

0 stars.

We're nothing if not consistently disgusting in this book series. ( )

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This is a voluntary review; all opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**

This was an impressive sequel! It seriously elevated this series into new heights!

I found the pacing of this novel was awesome. The story is always moving; new elements are constantly being added but it was never overwhelming. There were some good twists along the way as well. It just had me craving more and seeing how everything would come together.

Ella continues to have fantastic character development. I love good character progression and Ella--though she makes some mistakes along the way--is endearing in her efforts.

I also loved the unexpected friend Ella finds. I don't want to give away who it is but I'll just say that their character is a nice compliment to Ella's innocent approach and brings in some much needed realism (even if it is a little jaded).

Overall, I just loved how this book focused on developing the world and creating that larger picture that I felt was missing from the first novel. I can't wait to see where the finale goes!

Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!

Full Review: https://wp.me/p7hLUw-2pZ
Actual Rating: 4/5 ( )

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

After reading Perfected last year I immediately added the sequel to my wishlist on GoodReads. Quite unlike my TBR, my wishlist only holds a dozen or so books, making it quite special. I was very looking forward to this book.

Ella now is in Canada, where keeping girls as pets is - luckily - not allowed. But she's not happy, and from here the story goes downhill.

I finished my review of Perfected saying that it felt like reading Wither but making more sense. Unfortunately this isn't were it ended. Tarnished felt like Wither's sequel, complete with all the running around for seemingly no particular reason at all. Also, the world must be saved by the heroine of the book, of course. The more I thought about it, the more stupid the whole premise looked. I mean, as far as the more subtle dystopians go why would some ever pass a law that makes it legal to breed people as pets? I suppose that at this point more than one alarm bell is ringing already.

This being said, I enjoyed myself while reading it. It was a very fast read and not a bad sequel all in all, just not as good as its predecessor.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )

I'm still not over that I felt empty, in a good way, at the end of Tarnished. I mean, it couldn't end like that! Tell me there's a third book. Please.

First of all, Tarnished, with its character development and pacing, it is no doubt, much better than Perfected. I was mostly reading with my mouth gaping and furrowed brows with all the things that were happening - the pets turning up dead, the black market and others.

To my surprise, it was good to see how Ella grew as the story further progressed. If she wants to do something, she goes for it even though it's stupid and dangerous. Although I admit that I was glad that there is a development to Ella's character, I was relieved that another "pet" was with her reckless adventures that I was so sure that she would've got caught easily it if it wasn't for that "pet". Even I would get caught. Heck, I wouldn't even want to cross that border again.

Ella's accomplice is my favorite character in Tarnished so far! She's realistic, strong and knows more about the world she's living in. There's much more to discover to her character and I desperately want to know it all! Who knew she would be my favorite character right now when I was crazy (I still am! Just slightly crazy.) about Penn!

As I have read the first book, I know fans would love Tarnished! Perfected ended with a lot of questions hanging and most of those has been answered in Tarnished! It is a great installment for the Perfected series. ( )

PERFECTED was an interesting book, but TARNISHED definitely stepped the series up another level.

Ella tended to annoy me in PERFECTED, but TARNISHED brought her out of her 'pet' shell. She goes from meek to fierce and her loyalty to those she cares about shines through in just about every situation. She still has a few sheltered girl moments, but when she catches up to the game, she totally redeems herself in my eyes.

The romance between Ella and Penn. It's missing the spark I would expect to feel and they don't really have time to grow a relationship in TARNISHED. You can tell they feel things for eachother, but it isn't quite there for me yet. Maybe book three will bring their relationship into another level that will make me feel like they are a couple.

TARNISHED really surprised me. I was hesitant to pick up a review copy and when I had it it took me a while to read it. Thankfully when I started reading it, I had no problem staying engaged and it made me want to continue the series. Not sure when book 3 will be out, but I will make sure to keep an eye out for it.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ( )