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The Dirty Ones
They said write what you know so that's what I did. I wrote dirty, I wrote erotic, I wrote the truth.
And then they called me a liar. But it's not me who's lying, it's them.
Our story isn't for everyone. It's not even for us.
So if you're looking for the fairy tale and the stupid prince on his dumb white horse, move along. You've got a hold of the wrong book. This is not your story, this is not your life, and this is not your opportunity to dip your frightened little toe into the dark pool of water and "try new things" and then pull it out and decide... #NotForMe.
When you go in with us you go all in. So make a decision before you turn this page.
Because I'm making one promise with this book.
Just one.
We are The Dirty Ones and this is our truth.
The Dirty Ones is a brand new, thrilling, standalone romance about the secret world of erotica authors by New York Times bestselling author, JA Huss.
And then they called me a liar. But it's not me who's lying, it's them.
Our story isn't for everyone. It's not even for us.
So if you're looking for the fairy tale and the stupid prince on his dumb white horse, move along. You've got a hold of the wrong book. This is not your story, this is not your life, and this is not your opportunity to dip your frightened little toe into the dark pool of water and "try new things" and then pull it out and decide... #NotForMe.
When you go in with us you go all in. So make a decision before you turn this page.
Because I'm making one promise with this book.
Just one.
We are The Dirty Ones and this is our truth.
The Dirty Ones is a brand new, thrilling, standalone romance about the secret world of erotica authors by New York Times bestselling author, JA Huss.
358 pages, ebook
First published December 4, 2018
About the author
J.A. Huss
143 books8,635 followersJ.A. Huss never wanted to be a writer and she still dreams of that elusive career as an astronaut. She originally went to school to become an equine veterinarian but soon figured out they keep horrible hours and decided to go to grad school instead. That Ph.D wasn’t all it was cracked up to be (and she really sucked at the whole scientist thing), so she dropped out and got a M.S. in forensic toxicology just to get the whole thing over with as soon as possible.
After graduation she got a job with the state of Colorado as their one and only hog farm inspector and spent her days wandering the Eastern Plains shooting the shit with farmers. After a few years of that, she got bored. And since she was a homeschool mom and actually does love science, she decided to write science textbooks and make online classes for other homeschool moms. She wrote more than two hundred of those workbooks and was the number one publisher at the online homeschool store many times, but eventually she covered every science topic she could think of and ran out of shit to say.
So in 2012 she decided to write fiction instead. That year she released her first three books and started a career that would make her a New York Times bestseller and land her on the USA Today Bestseller’s List eighteen times in the next three years. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie award in 2016 and 2017 respectively, her audiobook Mr. Perfect was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017, and her book, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Johnathan McClain is her first (and only) writing partner and even though they are worlds apart in just about every way imaginable, it works.
She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.
After graduation she got a job with the state of Colorado as their one and only hog farm inspector and spent her days wandering the Eastern Plains shooting the shit with farmers. After a few years of that, she got bored. And since she was a homeschool mom and actually does love science, she decided to write science textbooks and make online classes for other homeschool moms. She wrote more than two hundred of those workbooks and was the number one publisher at the online homeschool store many times, but eventually she covered every science topic she could think of and ran out of shit to say.
So in 2012 she decided to write fiction instead. That year she released her first three books and started a career that would make her a New York Times bestseller and land her on the USA Today Bestseller’s List eighteen times in the next three years. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie award in 2016 and 2017 respectively, her audiobook Mr. Perfect was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017, and her book, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Johnathan McClain is her first (and only) writing partner and even though they are worlds apart in just about every way imaginable, it works.
She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
December 5, 2018
4 stars!!!
JA Huss took readers on one wild, crazy, and twisty ride with The Dirty Ones. I assumed this would be like many of her romantic suspense/erotica books, but it was very different. Personally, I would classify this as a psychological thriller with some erotica thrown it. It was hella good and sucked me in from the start. I couldn't stop reading because I needed answers and there were so many things that were discovered towards the end that I never saw coming. For someone who reads as much as I do, it's nice to be surprised every now and then and this book succeeded in shocking me.
The Dirty Ones are a small group of people that went to college together. In their senior year, they were thrown together in this mess and now, a decade later their exploits are out in the open. Someone wrote a book anonymously called 'The Dirty Ones' that airs out all their dirty laundry. The question is- who did it? And why would anyone want to bring that back up? The things in that book could ruin any of them. Yet it's out there, and all they're left with is questions.
This book... it had me all over the place. There were emotional parts that had me tearing up, insanely steamy parts, and so many moments where I thought my heart would beat right out of my chest. Julie's writing is completely captivating and this story was unlike anything I've read before. If you're looking for a book with tons of twists and turns that will make you think and has a unique story-line, pick up The Dirty Ones. Be ready for a binge because you won't be able to put it down!
JA Huss took readers on one wild, crazy, and twisty ride with The Dirty Ones. I assumed this would be like many of her romantic suspense/erotica books, but it was very different. Personally, I would classify this as a psychological thriller with some erotica thrown it. It was hella good and sucked me in from the start. I couldn't stop reading because I needed answers and there were so many things that were discovered towards the end that I never saw coming. For someone who reads as much as I do, it's nice to be surprised every now and then and this book succeeded in shocking me.
The Dirty Ones are a small group of people that went to college together. In their senior year, they were thrown together in this mess and now, a decade later their exploits are out in the open. Someone wrote a book anonymously called 'The Dirty Ones' that airs out all their dirty laundry. The question is- who did it? And why would anyone want to bring that back up? The things in that book could ruin any of them. Yet it's out there, and all they're left with is questions.
This book... it had me all over the place. There were emotional parts that had me tearing up, insanely steamy parts, and so many moments where I thought my heart would beat right out of my chest. Julie's writing is completely captivating and this story was unlike anything I've read before. If you're looking for a book with tons of twists and turns that will make you think and has a unique story-line, pick up The Dirty Ones. Be ready for a binge because you won't be able to put it down!
May 4, 2019
What a hell of a read!! This is one of the best erotica's I've ever read,ja huss is so fabulous with the written word and her characters are so authenic and muiliti layered and beautifully twisted! This book is a original and like nothing I've ever read before and it grabbed me from page one and didn't let go until the very twisted,didn't see coming end! And yes the sex was hot,filthy, and so friggin good ,but it was so much more. If your looking for a book that is deliciously hot and has a wicked storyline with great characters,this is the book for you!!! I can guarantee most of you will read this in one sitting, because I sure did !!💋💖😉
What happened in college has been a secret for over 10 years,but someone has decided that it's time that the world knew about their dirty little secret. Who is the writer of their story is it kiera the bestselling erotica writer who left that world behind without looking back or the next in line to be senator Connor Arlington or one of the other scandalous members of the dirty ones . What happened at the tower all those years ago night after night left its mark on everyone of its members and the time has come to let the world know about the dirty ones.
What happened in college has been a secret for over 10 years,but someone has decided that it's time that the world knew about their dirty little secret. Who is the writer of their story is it kiera the bestselling erotica writer who left that world behind without looking back or the next in line to be senator Connor Arlington or one of the other scandalous members of the dirty ones . What happened at the tower all those years ago night after night left its mark on everyone of its members and the time has come to let the world know about the dirty ones.
December 13, 2018
*Insert When Harry Met Sally Diner scene yeses*
What can I say? This book was sizzling hot, but with a boatload of crazy....prepare for a suspenseful and panty-drenching ride!
December 7, 2018
★ 2 STARS ★
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Este livro tinha tudo para ganhar vários elogios e uma nota mais alta pelo enredo em si, que de fato é interessante e com algo único. No entanto, a maneira como a trama se desenrolou não me agradou. Tive algumas dificuldades no decorrer da leitura e fatores que me incomodaram bastante e infelizmente os pontos negativos foram maiores que os positivos.
A princípio a história me prendeu, pelo menos nos capítulos iniciais me vi intrigada. Porém, não consegui ter uma conexão profunda em relação aos personagens principais. Pra mim, faltou carisma e química, não me convenceu em nada.
Há um certo mistério e uma dose de suspense na trama. Particularmente eu adoro isso, mas aqui esse elemento me irritou muito, pois a constante lembrança desse mistério ficou repetitiva.
Outro ponto que me incomodou também foi a descrição extensa da maioria dos ambientes e cenários. Nada contra isso, é bom ter pelo menos uma descrição mínima para que o entendimento do leitor seja maior. Porém achei um tanto quanto desnecessário a quantidade de vezes que isso ocorreu. Tempo precioso que ao meu ver poderia ter sido dedicado a exploração do enredo por exemplo ou na elaboração e desenvolvimento da história em si e interação dos personagens.
Por conta disso o andamento da trama, pra mim foi lenta, em algumas partes até mesmo entediante e repetitivo... Sem muitos acontecimentos significativos que me levassem a crer que o mistério estava próximo de ser desvendado.
Levando em consideração o ritmo que a historia manteve até determinado ponto, o final foi corrido e em decorrência disso se tornou confuso. Tive que reler algumas páginas para que pudesse entender melhor o que estava acontecendo e isso me frustrou!
Embora esta leitura não tenha sido tão agradável e prazerosa quanto eu imaginava, não posso deixar de dizer que mesmo com tantos pontos negativos e a minha irritação, ainda assim, não consegui parar de ler enquanto não chegasse ao final.
Sei que estou entre a minoria, mas infelizmente esse livro não funcionou pra mim.
PS: Tenho notado que ultimamente na maioria dos livros o uso de preservativo é praticamente inexistente. Sexo seguro parece ter se tornado algo ultrapassado e sem importância. Só eu acho este “esquecimento” preocupante??? Isso realmente me incomodou demais aqui neste livro, devido as cenas que li. Sei que são personagens fictícios, mas um lembrete nunca é demais!
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Este livro tinha tudo para ganhar vários elogios e uma nota mais alta pelo enredo em si, que de fato é interessante e com algo único. No entanto, a maneira como a trama se desenrolou não me agradou. Tive algumas dificuldades no decorrer da leitura e fatores que me incomodaram bastante e infelizmente os pontos negativos foram maiores que os positivos.
A princípio a história me prendeu, pelo menos nos capítulos iniciais me vi intrigada. Porém, não consegui ter uma conexão profunda em relação aos personagens principais. Pra mim, faltou carisma e química, não me convenceu em nada.
Há um certo mistério e uma dose de suspense na trama. Particularmente eu adoro isso, mas aqui esse elemento me irritou muito, pois a constante lembrança desse mistério ficou repetitiva.
Outro ponto que me incomodou também foi a descrição extensa da maioria dos ambientes e cenários. Nada contra isso, é bom ter pelo menos uma descrição mínima para que o entendimento do leitor seja maior. Porém achei um tanto quanto desnecessário a quantidade de vezes que isso ocorreu. Tempo precioso que ao meu ver poderia ter sido dedicado a exploração do enredo por exemplo ou na elaboração e desenvolvimento da história em si e interação dos personagens.
Por conta disso o andamento da trama, pra mim foi lenta, em algumas partes até mesmo entediante e repetitivo... Sem muitos acontecimentos significativos que me levassem a crer que o mistério estava próximo de ser desvendado.
Levando em consideração o ritmo que a historia manteve até determinado ponto, o final foi corrido e em decorrência disso se tornou confuso. Tive que reler algumas páginas para que pudesse entender melhor o que estava acontecendo e isso me frustrou!
Embora esta leitura não tenha sido tão agradável e prazerosa quanto eu imaginava, não posso deixar de dizer que mesmo com tantos pontos negativos e a minha irritação, ainda assim, não consegui parar de ler enquanto não chegasse ao final.
Sei que estou entre a minoria, mas infelizmente esse livro não funcionou pra mim.
PS: Tenho notado que ultimamente na maioria dos livros o uso de preservativo é praticamente inexistente. Sexo seguro parece ter se tornado algo ultrapassado e sem importância. Só eu acho este “esquecimento” preocupante??? Isso realmente me incomodou demais aqui neste livro, devido as cenas que li. Sei que são personagens fictícios, mas um lembrete nunca é demais!
December 4, 2018
Holy Cow! I was not expecting that!!! I went into this book without research and I strongly urge anyone reading this review to go in blind as well. It made for an ending that just pretty much blew me away due to the unexpected turn of events.
The way this story started, I had no idea where it was going to lead. Like most of J.A. Huss books, this ended up in a completely different place than I was expecting. I absolutely love when that happens. I immediately wanted to find someone who has also read this so I could discuss what happened.
The only thing I will say is this story picks up 10 years after the event took place. A group of 8 college students did something their senior year that is coming back to haunt them. Now they are on a race to find out why everything is being dredged back up in a book that is being published anonymously.
That's it. I won't give anything else away because you just need to experience this story as it unfolds. I will give you a warning that I am copying out of the anonymous book that is in the actual story line. It's seems appropriate for us as well. Basically, it states: "Our story is not for everyone. It's not even for us. So if you're looking for the fairy tale and the stupid prince on his dumb white horse, move along. You've got the wrong book."
The way this story started, I had no idea where it was going to lead. Like most of J.A. Huss books, this ended up in a completely different place than I was expecting. I absolutely love when that happens. I immediately wanted to find someone who has also read this so I could discuss what happened.
The only thing I will say is this story picks up 10 years after the event took place. A group of 8 college students did something their senior year that is coming back to haunt them. Now they are on a race to find out why everything is being dredged back up in a book that is being published anonymously.
That's it. I won't give anything else away because you just need to experience this story as it unfolds. I will give you a warning that I am copying out of the anonymous book that is in the actual story line. It's seems appropriate for us as well. Basically, it states: "Our story is not for everyone. It's not even for us. So if you're looking for the fairy tale and the stupid prince on his dumb white horse, move along. You've got the wrong book."
December 18, 2018
This is LEGIT the second book in as many days that has BLOWN ME AWAY. And again, I can't say too much about it because it is another book best gone into completely blind. Needless to say, I ADORED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. The writing was fantastic. It was well paced. The plot was SO very engaging and well-developed. There were twists and turns. Hot sex. The characters were likable and intriguing. And for some reason, I thought this ended on a cliffhanger, but it does NOT. So yay for that as well!
SIDE NOTE: I usually NEVER do this, but after marinating on this one for a few days, I realized that as much as this book entertained me, the plot after the big "twist" feel apart and had plot holes you could pretty much drive a truck through. So with that in mind, I am going to have to knock a star off...
January 28, 2019
2.5 Stars
*May contain small vague spoilers but I couldn’t honesty express my frustration with this story or explain the rating if I didn’t touch upon the epic fail of the resolution*
When I first saw the listing for this title I was neither here nor there on the whole secret life of erotica authors spiel. Then at one point I read a blurb that said it was about a group of former friends who are tormented by what they did years earlier when they were in college or something, and it sounded a bit like a plot to a few horror movies I’ve seen, and I laughed.
No, not that one.
But when I looked at the book mystery plot it intrigued me. I read the release blitz excerpt, the teasers, and asked a few questions (thanks again Eve!) I went into this knowing that there’s no monogamy here. I can’t do that shit blind. Everyone has slept with everyone. There’s ménages; there were orgies. [Or was there? See safety spoiler for some serious lazy writing explanation.] None the less, it was categorized as ‘dark erotic suspense.’
So I compartmentalized all that because I made up my mind that if I was going to read this, I was reading it for the suspense angle. It was hard though to not gravitate to a romantic vibe. The story is told via Connor and Kiera’s alternating first person point of view, and while I agreed with Kiera that they were from and still living in two different worlds, I also believed Connor that she was something more. I felt the pull between them.
I got caught up in them even though I was trying not to because I knew this wasn’t romance.
The Amazon sample had already sucked me into the story. I related with the themes of a time and place that left you connected to people whether you’d seen them in six months or ten years. I understood how corruption, secrets, and debauchery can bond individuals at that time and place in their lives.
The opening is alluring and intriguing. I wanted to know more about these people and I wanted to know who wrote the book and who was pulling the strings. It was more than just an I Know What You Did in the Tower and Most Likely To Write a Dirty Book. Or so I thought.
There’s no doubt the first half or a little more is a great story. A solid 4 stars with the potential for 5. But potential is key with this book. It’s everything and the only thing. The premise and the characters had a ton of potential. The plot started out strong too. It could have been one of the best mysteries I’ve read in a long time. And it did have me turning page for quite a while.
But once you reach a certain point, the real genre becomes clear. This might have mystery/suspense; it might have erotica and dark themes. Hell, it has touches of romance too and gothic elements. And then it was as if I’d put down all those books and turned on daytime TV.
Suddenly, it was as if CNN and Days of our Lives had an orgy. And out popped this love child which is the last quarter or so of the book.
Now what I wanted to know was did someone else write this—the ending. Cause it sure didn’t resemble the quality of characters and plot and development that it started out with. In fact, everything it had established and developed imploded. It shot itself in the foot. The expression gone off the rails was made for this.
The writer’s guide to soap operas blew open and the most popular clichés and tropes came spilling out.
Bobby Ewing stepped out of the shower. A mad witch doctor in a white lab coat with a German accent was the evil villain’s henchman.
Okay that really happened on TV. But it happens here too more or less. The elements that screamed clichéd one-dimensional bad guys and ‘I don’t know how to finish this storyline’ were all there to ruin what was a really good erotic psychological mystery-thriller.
Instead, it turns out that the psychological ploy is on the reader. It’s meant to keep you guessing and whispering…in your books circles to generate buzz (and by extension make money). It's lazy writing. And my advice, don’t waste your time. Even the author's note at the end admits that she doesn't know (see safety spoilers). What pulls you in won’t deliver because it doesn’t exist. The characters that draw you in and seem real and interesting turn out to be idiots. And the reveal—the big answer—well it won’t add up any more than the fact that their senior year of college set in the US (when most students are 21/22) happened ten years ago (yes it says that many times) and yet these people are only 29 and 30 in the present!
Safety Recap:
*I purchased this book from Amazon. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions. In the interest of providing unbiased book reviews and to avoid misleading other readers, it is the blog’s policy not to withhold or delay any reviews no matter the star rating.
*May contain small vague spoilers but I couldn’t honesty express my frustration with this story or explain the rating if I didn’t touch upon the epic fail of the resolution*
When I first saw the listing for this title I was neither here nor there on the whole secret life of erotica authors spiel. Then at one point I read a blurb that said it was about a group of former friends who are tormented by what they did years earlier when they were in college or something, and it sounded a bit like a plot to a few horror movies I’ve seen, and I laughed.
“‘We’re locked in a room while a murderous crazy person runs free through a mansion. Will Mrs. Peacock kill us with the candlestick in the library? Or the wrench in the billiard room?’”
No, not that one.
But when I looked at the book mystery plot it intrigued me. I read the release blitz excerpt, the teasers, and asked a few questions (thanks again Eve!) I went into this knowing that there’s no monogamy here. I can’t do that shit blind. Everyone has slept with everyone. There’s ménages; there were orgies. [Or was there? See safety spoiler for some serious lazy writing explanation.] None the less, it was categorized as ‘dark erotic suspense.’
So I compartmentalized all that because I made up my mind that if I was going to read this, I was reading it for the suspense angle. It was hard though to not gravitate to a romantic vibe. The story is told via Connor and Kiera’s alternating first person point of view, and while I agreed with Kiera that they were from and still living in two different worlds, I also believed Connor that she was something more. I felt the pull between them.
“‘I’ll never leave you again, Kiera. I’ll never lie to you. I’ll never cheat on you and if you fall, I’m still gonna be there. Because it’s my job to catch you.’”
I got caught up in them even though I was trying not to because I knew this wasn’t romance.
“It’s a new kind of kiss for us…A kiss that starts a new beginning and ends an old, well-buried past.”
The Amazon sample had already sucked me into the story. I related with the themes of a time and place that left you connected to people whether you’d seen them in six months or ten years. I understood how corruption, secrets, and debauchery can bond individuals at that time and place in their lives.
“The stars aligned that night we all met up in the woods. That’s how someone explained it to me once. Things…happened and then there was momentum.”
The opening is alluring and intriguing. I wanted to know more about these people and I wanted to know who wrote the book and who was pulling the strings. It was more than just an I Know What You Did in the Tower and Most Likely To Write a Dirty Book. Or so I thought.
“Maybe no matter what you do or how hard you try, your dream and your future have nothing in common?”
There’s no doubt the first half or a little more is a great story. A solid 4 stars with the potential for 5. But potential is key with this book. It’s everything and the only thing. The premise and the characters had a ton of potential. The plot started out strong too. It could have been one of the best mysteries I’ve read in a long time. And it did have me turning page for quite a while.
But once you reach a certain point, the real genre becomes clear. This might have mystery/suspense; it might have erotica and dark themes. Hell, it has touches of romance too and gothic elements. And then it was as if I’d put down all those books and turned on daytime TV.
Suddenly, it was as if CNN and Days of our Lives had an orgy. And out popped this love child which is the last quarter or so of the book.
Now what I wanted to know was did someone else write this—the ending. Cause it sure didn’t resemble the quality of characters and plot and development that it started out with. In fact, everything it had established and developed imploded. It shot itself in the foot. The expression gone off the rails was made for this.
The writer’s guide to soap operas blew open and the most popular clichés and tropes came spilling out.
Bobby Ewing stepped out of the shower. A mad witch doctor in a white lab coat with a German accent was the evil villain’s henchman.
Okay that really happened on TV. But it happens here too more or less. The elements that screamed clichéd one-dimensional bad guys and ‘I don’t know how to finish this storyline’ were all there to ruin what was a really good erotic psychological mystery-thriller.
Instead, it turns out that the psychological ploy is on the reader. It’s meant to keep you guessing and whispering…in your books circles to generate buzz (and by extension make money). It's lazy writing. And my advice, don’t waste your time. Even the author's note at the end admits that she doesn't know (see safety spoilers). What pulls you in won’t deliver because it doesn’t exist. The characters that draw you in and seem real and interesting turn out to be idiots. And the reveal—the big answer—well it won’t add up any more than the fact that their senior year of college set in the US (when most students are 21/22) happened ten years ago (yes it says that many times) and yet these people are only 29 and 30 in the present!
Safety Recap:
*I purchased this book from Amazon. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions. In the interest of providing unbiased book reviews and to avoid misleading other readers, it is the blog’s policy not to withhold or delay any reviews no matter the star rating.
January 27, 2019
This book started well. It felt a bit like I imagined ‘I know what you did last summer’ would have gone. I’ve not seen it since I definitely don’t do horror.
But I digress.
The first 50% of this book had me on the edge of my seat. The only downside was the fact that none of them seemed particularly interested in actually reading the book. They may think they know what happened and even if they don’t want to go over the details again at least skip to the end and find out how their story concludes. I found myself intrigued but annoyed at the same time.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
A group of students at an exclusive school had an interesting senior year. They were all invited to a mysterious tower on the school grounds. Here they were given tasks to do with one of them instructed to write down everything. Refusing wasn’t an option.
Ten years later and Connor Arlington finds himself stood in line at an airport shop when two ladies arguing over a book catches his eye. The book is their story. The story of their senior year but how?
He grabs the book and dashes to go and see Kiera Bonnaire. The one tasked with writing down every detail of those Saturday nights ten years ago.
But Kiera didn’t write the book. Well she wrote the original notes but not this published version.
So if she didn’t write it who did?
She was the only one present every Saturday. Who has her original notes and why would they release them now?
Like I said the first half of this was brilliant. I was hooked, intrigued and reading as fast as I could but...
For me and it’s clear I’m in the minority since most readers appear to love this. The second half just didn’t live up to the first. I found it far-fetched, crazy and disappointing. I wasn’t expected a true life story or even for it to be that realistic but it was far too much for me.
Still I’m glad I read it. The first half alone was worth the read and it reminded me how much I like this author’s books and how long it’s been since I read one. Yes I found the ending disappointing but then it was always going to be hard to find an end that lived up to the promise of the first.
December 11, 2018
4 dirty fucked up stars
Well well well, this was pleasantly surprising.
In pure JA Huss fashion, this book was HOT as hell, and the story was just like the blurb promised- f-u-c-k-e-d up.
Told from the dual perspective of Kiera and Connor, The Dirty Ones is a tragic tale of power and betrayal and human psychology (or more like how easily you can control it).
Ten years ago seven friends get trapped in a deadly game, one that ends up with a dead man, a woman with a bullet in her body, and another in a loonytoon house, and 5 others left to pick up the pieces of their lives at the end of a horrible year.
When the book detailing all their misadventures gets published 10 years later, they have to worry if the people controlling their lives in the last year of their college are back. But as the mystery unravels itself, all they have to do is wonder if they know anything at all.
And that is literally all I can tell you about the story without entirely ruining it for you because that is the kind of book it is. And I HATE these kinds of books because it's so bloody difficult to review them, because I CANNOT rant about ANYTHING lest I giveaway some major spoilers.
I really thoroughly enjoyed this book though. The story drops enough subtle hints that if you catch them, it becomes nearly impossible to not drown in the mystery that just keeps growing thicker and thicker with each page.
Of all the books that I've read by Huss, this just might be my favorite. And for a reason.
Sex+sex+fucked characters+dark dark secrets+more sex=One happy baby .
Baby aka yours truly.
Well well well, this was pleasantly surprising.
In pure JA Huss fashion, this book was HOT as hell, and the story was just like the blurb promised- f-u-c-k-e-d up.
Told from the dual perspective of Kiera and Connor, The Dirty Ones is a tragic tale of power and betrayal and human psychology (or more like how easily you can control it).
Ten years ago seven friends get trapped in a deadly game, one that ends up with a dead man, a woman with a bullet in her body, and another in a loonytoon house, and 5 others left to pick up the pieces of their lives at the end of a horrible year.
When the book detailing all their misadventures gets published 10 years later, they have to worry if the people controlling their lives in the last year of their college are back. But as the mystery unravels itself, all they have to do is wonder if they know anything at all.
And that is literally all I can tell you about the story without entirely ruining it for you because that is the kind of book it is. And I HATE these kinds of books because it's so bloody difficult to review them, because I CANNOT rant about ANYTHING lest I giveaway some major spoilers.
I really thoroughly enjoyed this book though. The story drops enough subtle hints that if you catch them, it becomes nearly impossible to not drown in the mystery that just keeps growing thicker and thicker with each page.
Of all the books that I've read by Huss, this just might be my favorite. And for a reason.
Sex+sex+fucked characters+dark dark secrets+more sex=One happy baby .
Baby aka yours truly.
December 13, 2018
4. 5 Stars
I very much enjoyed this read just didn't love the reveal so much. Still the story had my full attention the entire time!
I very much enjoyed this read just didn't love the reveal so much. Still the story had my full attention the entire time!
June 13, 2020
2.5 stars, and rounding it up to 3 is being charitable.
I generally don't rate lower than a 3. I DNF a lot of books, so my reasoning has always been if I finish something, it had to have enough redeeming qualities to warrant 3 stars. That logic has always worked for me... until this book. The reason I didn't DNF it is because it was actually pretty good until the end. The writing was good enough and the suspense was definitely there. It was pretty hot in parts, too. I didn't feel a deep connection to the characters, but generally that is the case when a book is mysterious and suspenseful, so that didn't really bother me. It was well on it's way to being a solid 4 stars when it all crashed and burned at the end. There were A LOT of plot holes, and the explanation of the "big mystery" made no goddam sense. I still don't really understand the ending, but I don't care enough to go back and try to figure it out. I have liked other books by this author, especially Eighteen: 18, so I will try her again. But suffice it to say that the conclusion of this one did NOT work for me.
I generally don't rate lower than a 3. I DNF a lot of books, so my reasoning has always been if I finish something, it had to have enough redeeming qualities to warrant 3 stars. That logic has always worked for me... until this book. The reason I didn't DNF it is because it was actually pretty good until the end. The writing was good enough and the suspense was definitely there. It was pretty hot in parts, too. I didn't feel a deep connection to the characters, but generally that is the case when a book is mysterious and suspenseful, so that didn't really bother me. It was well on it's way to being a solid 4 stars when it all crashed and burned at the end. There were A LOT of plot holes, and the explanation of the "big mystery" made no goddam sense. I still don't really understand the ending, but I don't care enough to go back and try to figure it out. I have liked other books by this author, especially Eighteen: 18, so I will try her again. But suffice it to say that the conclusion of this one did NOT work for me.
December 3, 2018
Woohoo one of my most anticipated reads is on my Kindle 😍😍😍 I'm so intrigued and excited.
😍😍
😍😍
December 8, 2018
Spoiler alert! I am planning to write about the ending because personally I LOVE it when reviews do that, particularly when there’s a whackado, unpredictable ending that reminds me of one of the terrible soap operas I watched in high school (Passions, Dante’s Cove- I’m looking at you here).
I started reading this mainly to find out what the heck it was actually about, because the blurb didn’t give much away. It’s one of those books where characters talk around things and give little away, so you have to keep reading just to find out what the eff is going on. Huss creates a great sense of suspense that is unfortunately squandered by the characters’ idiocy.
A man finds a bestselling book called The Dirty Ones which is apparently a very unique name which could only refer to the story of his group of college friends who, we slowly discover, were coerced into doing a bunch of “dirty” things together in a mysterious tower, which for the main part remain undetailed (boo! 👎) but seem to be mainly vanilla couples sex with some mff threesomes and an occasional orgy (no guy on guy cos apparently blackmailer is rather heteronormative).
So the gang gathers to try to discover who wrote the book, because it means it might be happening again and also Connor is going to be running for Senator because it’s expected by his father despite no mentioned political experience or interest, so, spanner in the works. The three women are all erotica writers for some reason but Keira is the main suspect cos she was the one who originally wrote the details down in a book and is the only one who knows everything- yet for some reason no one asks her to tell them everything.
Do the characters then decide to read the book for clues as to who wrote it? No. They whinge and drink and fuck a bit for old times sake. They invite the woman who shot one of them - a psychiatric inpatient- into the non- conversation, who then escapes into the 96 room mansion but no one really cares, because fucking and whinging to do.
So no one bothers to use their brain and try to figure anything out, couple of them die for reasons that are never explained then we get our massive deux ex machina of an ending.
Are you ready?! Wait for it... MASSIVE SPOILERS...
Turns out the students witnessed Connor’s father having one of many affairs and shooting his mothers lover, so he had them all hypnotised by a psychiatrist for a year to forget and made them think they were all blackmailed into fucking for this whole year, which may or may not have even happened (that’s deliberately not explained).
No, it’s not remotely believable nor does it make ANY sense. Why did the dad even care about the lover when he was having affairs? Why shoot him in front of everyone? If hypnosis works, why add all the sex and blackmail? Obviously it’s not possible, nor does it create a satisfying story. It’s just all pointless and dumb. I didn’t feel much while reading, but then neither did the characters- they were either raped for a year or made to think they were raped for a year but none of them seem all that upset about it. In fact they enjoyed it and all fell in love 🙄 but they do feel a bit dirty and wrong but this has little effect on anyone- except making Connor not want to be a Senator, which was never actually explored as a storyline so who cares?
I started reading this mainly to find out what the heck it was actually about, because the blurb didn’t give much away. It’s one of those books where characters talk around things and give little away, so you have to keep reading just to find out what the eff is going on. Huss creates a great sense of suspense that is unfortunately squandered by the characters’ idiocy.
A man finds a bestselling book called The Dirty Ones which is apparently a very unique name which could only refer to the story of his group of college friends who, we slowly discover, were coerced into doing a bunch of “dirty” things together in a mysterious tower, which for the main part remain undetailed (boo! 👎) but seem to be mainly vanilla couples sex with some mff threesomes and an occasional orgy (no guy on guy cos apparently blackmailer is rather heteronormative).
So the gang gathers to try to discover who wrote the book, because it means it might be happening again and also Connor is going to be running for Senator because it’s expected by his father despite no mentioned political experience or interest, so, spanner in the works. The three women are all erotica writers for some reason but Keira is the main suspect cos she was the one who originally wrote the details down in a book and is the only one who knows everything- yet for some reason no one asks her to tell them everything.
Do the characters then decide to read the book for clues as to who wrote it? No. They whinge and drink and fuck a bit for old times sake. They invite the woman who shot one of them - a psychiatric inpatient- into the non- conversation, who then escapes into the 96 room mansion but no one really cares, because fucking and whinging to do.
So no one bothers to use their brain and try to figure anything out, couple of them die for reasons that are never explained then we get our massive deux ex machina of an ending.
Are you ready?! Wait for it... MASSIVE SPOILERS...
Turns out the students witnessed Connor’s father having one of many affairs and shooting his mothers lover, so he had them all hypnotised by a psychiatrist for a year to forget and made them think they were all blackmailed into fucking for this whole year, which may or may not have even happened (that’s deliberately not explained).
No, it’s not remotely believable nor does it make ANY sense. Why did the dad even care about the lover when he was having affairs? Why shoot him in front of everyone? If hypnosis works, why add all the sex and blackmail? Obviously it’s not possible, nor does it create a satisfying story. It’s just all pointless and dumb. I didn’t feel much while reading, but then neither did the characters- they were either raped for a year or made to think they were raped for a year but none of them seem all that upset about it. In fact they enjoyed it and all fell in love 🙄 but they do feel a bit dirty and wrong but this has little effect on anyone- except making Connor not want to be a Senator, which was never actually explored as a storyline so who cares?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2019
1 star*
WTF is this bullshit? i honestly saw so many great reviews, but yho, i'm wondering if i read the same book as everyone.. i cant even tell if this was supposed to have some romance in it cause i sure as F didn't see it.
the plot just doesn't make sense... like for one, SPOILER--- why would Connor's father go into this elaborate hypnosis and memory editing of these kids versus just paying off the judges.. or even just giving them a simpler memory adjustment..or God forbide, just kill them??? the whole orgies and F'ing (which mind you, i dont even know whether that actually happened for real or not) were not necessary for an adjustment were they??? also, why opt to including the sex if it was just about a memory adjustment? was Connor's father a pervert who would then film and watch his own son getting it on with 2 girls??? why were the pairing for only M/F, were the "Associates" against m/m or f/f porn??? if Connor was so in love with Kierra, why didnt he look for her for those 10 good years? Even in their hypnotised state, why did they never report the issue to the cops?? if they were made to perform sexual acts, were they being blackmailed? were their lives being threatened? did they not have enough fear to push them to contact a person of authority versus just obeying?
also, Connor and Kiera's relationship (and i use that word very loosely) was just confusing. these two declared they needed Sophia in their relationship for things to work.. so why at around 86% does Connor suddenly get an epiphany that its now fine for them to pursue a monogamous relationship? Especially since their sex scenes were much better with Sophia present; and also, this is a day after their little foursome... and he has mentioned that he loves both of them..
i couldnt even be invested in the main characters since they were all F'ing each other.. i didnt feel the love. i only continued reading so i could know who wrote the book.
So:
WTF is this bullshit? i honestly saw so many great reviews, but yho, i'm wondering if i read the same book as everyone.. i cant even tell if this was supposed to have some romance in it cause i sure as F didn't see it.
the plot just doesn't make sense... like for one, SPOILER--- why would Connor's father go into this elaborate hypnosis and memory editing of these kids versus just paying off the judges.. or even just giving them a simpler memory adjustment..or God forbide, just kill them??? the whole orgies and F'ing (which mind you, i dont even know whether that actually happened for real or not) were not necessary for an adjustment were they??? also, why opt to including the sex if it was just about a memory adjustment? was Connor's father a pervert who would then film and watch his own son getting it on with 2 girls??? why were the pairing for only M/F, were the "Associates" against m/m or f/f porn??? if Connor was so in love with Kierra, why didnt he look for her for those 10 good years? Even in their hypnotised state, why did they never report the issue to the cops?? if they were made to perform sexual acts, were they being blackmailed? were their lives being threatened? did they not have enough fear to push them to contact a person of authority versus just obeying?
also, Connor and Kiera's relationship (and i use that word very loosely) was just confusing. these two declared they needed Sophia in their relationship for things to work.. so why at around 86% does Connor suddenly get an epiphany that its now fine for them to pursue a monogamous relationship? Especially since their sex scenes were much better with Sophia present; and also, this is a day after their little foursome... and he has mentioned that he loves both of them..
i couldnt even be invested in the main characters since they were all F'ing each other.. i didnt feel the love. i only continued reading so i could know who wrote the book.
So:
December 10, 2018
The Dirty Ones.
We could have just titled this book WTF did I just read, but that doesn’t really sound like a catchy title.
If you’re a fan of JA Huss, this sorcery isn’t new to you. If this is your first experience, just hold on tight and enjoy the ride.
When Connor stumbles across the title of a book in the airport, his worst nightmare begins to come true. A tell all book, released anonymously that depicts the crazy, sexual year of him and five college friends. A book that could ruin his political future – a book that no one was supposed to ever write, let alone read.
The Dirty Ones is a twisted tale that weaves an erotic romance that will leave you guessing. All six of the characters have something to lose if the truth ever comes out and none of the six can be trusted.
Okay. So this book was hot. It was erotic and JA broke some of her own sensual boundaries with some of the scenes she wrote. But it wasn’t just about the sex, it was this lavish world, with people with far too much money and the control that comes with that obscene amount of money.
Think Inception, but with a lot of sex.
This book sort of blew my mind. It wasn’t want I was expecting and although trying to figure out a JA plot is never going to happen in my lifetime, I love the way she forces you to play the guessing game. She can manipulate and drive your thoughts like no other.
We could have just titled this book WTF did I just read, but that doesn’t really sound like a catchy title.
If you’re a fan of JA Huss, this sorcery isn’t new to you. If this is your first experience, just hold on tight and enjoy the ride.
When Connor stumbles across the title of a book in the airport, his worst nightmare begins to come true. A tell all book, released anonymously that depicts the crazy, sexual year of him and five college friends. A book that could ruin his political future – a book that no one was supposed to ever write, let alone read.
The Dirty Ones is a twisted tale that weaves an erotic romance that will leave you guessing. All six of the characters have something to lose if the truth ever comes out and none of the six can be trusted.
Okay. So this book was hot. It was erotic and JA broke some of her own sensual boundaries with some of the scenes she wrote. But it wasn’t just about the sex, it was this lavish world, with people with far too much money and the control that comes with that obscene amount of money.
Think Inception, but with a lot of sex.
This book sort of blew my mind. It wasn’t want I was expecting and although trying to figure out a JA plot is never going to happen in my lifetime, I love the way she forces you to play the guessing game. She can manipulate and drive your thoughts like no other.
February 17, 2019
It lost some of its steam mid-point with a lackluster ending….
January 3, 2019
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Fantastic read!! It was a story that from the start indrigued me!! First time for me in psychological romance and J.A. Huss definitely didn't disappoint me.The pace of the story was amazing and the suspence was perfectly written with many surprises!!
Fantastic read!! It was a story that from the start indrigued me!! First time for me in psychological romance and J.A. Huss definitely didn't disappoint me.The pace of the story was amazing and the suspence was perfectly written with many surprises!!
November 4, 2019
Holy FUCK this book was amazing. This is the most mind-Fucky thing I've ever read (listened to) in my life. I don't even know what to say about this book. I mean I think the book's description is ALL you should know before you read/listen to this book. Don't try to find out more about it... just read.
Shelved as 'not-interested-anymore'
November 2, 2018"brand new dark romance about the secret world of erotica authors"
HAYDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...
HAYDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...
December 3, 2018
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began reading this story and it took me on a completely unexpected twisted journey that had me second guessing everything.
Seven people who were friends in college their senior are reunited 10 years after they parted ways when it is discovered a book has been published. A book about them and what they got up to together in that final year at college. This book could potentially have huge repercussions on their personal lives and they need to work out who exposed them.
Thus begins a fast paced mystery/suspense story laced with erotic moments as they try and piece together what they remember from so long ago and try to make sense of what they know now. Some of them have kept in touch and others have drifted apart but once they are all back together they seem to seamlessly fall back into their familiarity with each other.
This story kept me guessing until the very end and was filled with lots of steamy sex, mind fuckery and a mystery to solve. The Dirty Ones was an exciting, twisted read ☺
Seven people who were friends in college their senior are reunited 10 years after they parted ways when it is discovered a book has been published. A book about them and what they got up to together in that final year at college. This book could potentially have huge repercussions on their personal lives and they need to work out who exposed them.
Thus begins a fast paced mystery/suspense story laced with erotic moments as they try and piece together what they remember from so long ago and try to make sense of what they know now. Some of them have kept in touch and others have drifted apart but once they are all back together they seem to seamlessly fall back into their familiarity with each other.
This story kept me guessing until the very end and was filled with lots of steamy sex, mind fuckery and a mystery to solve. The Dirty Ones was an exciting, twisted read ☺
November 26, 2018
This book completely blew my mind. I started it, thinking I had an idea how it was going to go, then realised I couldn’t have been more wrong. There is no sweet romance story here. It’s clever, it’s mysterious and it definitely lives up to its title. That’s all I’m saying because I really don’t want to give any of it away.
December 3, 2018
Wow! That was one hell of a read. Plot twists, intrigue, emotional and seriously hot. Every time I thought I worked out what was happening I realised I hadn’t. Fantastic romantic suspense read. Definitely grab it if you’re looking for something completely different.
I received an arc of this book
I received an arc of this book
February 20, 2019
What I love about a J.A. Huss book is nothing is as it seems. Seriously you go in thinking one thing and then she gives you these twists and turns and but the time you are done reading it was nothing like you thought it was going to be, in all the good ways.
We have to talk about the sex scenes because holy mother of love they were hot, I wasn’t expecting what came and the dirty talking yes please, more and more of that.
Of the seven people, this story revolves around I have to say I really enjoyed the not knowing until you know. I would guess in my head and I would be totally wrong. Was it farfetched maybe but it's fiction people that is what I loved about it?
The narration… YES please more of both of them. I am newish to Savannah and I am really enjoying her voice and inflection. I am an old pro with Teddy he is a favorite of mine so of course, I loved his performance.
We have to talk about the sex scenes because holy mother of love they were hot, I wasn’t expecting what came and the dirty talking yes please, more and more of that.
Of the seven people, this story revolves around I have to say I really enjoyed the not knowing until you know. I would guess in my head and I would be totally wrong. Was it farfetched maybe but it's fiction people that is what I loved about it?
The narration… YES please more of both of them. I am newish to Savannah and I am really enjoying her voice and inflection. I am an old pro with Teddy he is a favorite of mine so of course, I loved his performance.
September 10, 2019
How do I rate this book? It is a twisty-turney mindf#*k of epic proportions and I admit I was confused and very unsure of what was even going on through most of it. The fact that I was mesmerized at the same time that I was confused shows what? Great writing and storytelling? I need more sleep? I need to lay off the wine? I’m still not sure. This is dark and dirty and trust me it all comes together at the end. Go in blind like I did and enjoy the ride! This is my first read by this author. Are all her books like this? I will definitely find out! 5 stars!!
December 22, 2018
Review to come
November 29, 2018
4.5 stars
Oh my goodness! What kind of mindfuckery was this? My head is spinning, and my hands are damp. I am confused, aroused, happy, sad, and everything in between. Huss truly knows who to mess with her readers' mind *shakes head* o.O
Oh my goodness! What kind of mindfuckery was this? My head is spinning, and my hands are damp. I am confused, aroused, happy, sad, and everything in between. Huss truly knows who to mess with her readers' mind *shakes head* o.O
November 28, 2018
The Dirty Ones
By: JA Huss
4 Stars
Well if I didn’t believe in the #BuddySystem before, I am a firm believer now!
As I entered this book, I was a bit confused about what had transpired many years ago. This group of friends, had gone through something together back when they were seniors in college. Other than the weekly ‘meetings’ they attended, slowly this book unravels to tell us what they went through….and eventually caused this group of friends to grow apart… Well some of them.
Now here it is 10 years later, and they are all brought back together. Panic striking them as they are trying to figure out who would have done this to them? After all this time, why now bring it up…10 years later?
I read this book and the majority of the time, I was trying to figure out who what, when, where and why? Then at the end of the book, I was like Ohhhhhh…now I get it. What a twist that hit me like I was falling from a tower!
If you are into reading psychological thrillers, this book would be for you. I am a dark reader and didn’t find this book to be dark at all. Understanding that every person reads at different darkness levels.
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By: JA Huss
4 Stars
Well if I didn’t believe in the #BuddySystem before, I am a firm believer now!
As I entered this book, I was a bit confused about what had transpired many years ago. This group of friends, had gone through something together back when they were seniors in college. Other than the weekly ‘meetings’ they attended, slowly this book unravels to tell us what they went through….and eventually caused this group of friends to grow apart… Well some of them.
Now here it is 10 years later, and they are all brought back together. Panic striking them as they are trying to figure out who would have done this to them? After all this time, why now bring it up…10 years later?
I read this book and the majority of the time, I was trying to figure out who what, when, where and why? Then at the end of the book, I was like Ohhhhhh…now I get it. What a twist that hit me like I was falling from a tower!
If you are into reading psychological thrillers, this book would be for you. I am a dark reader and didn’t find this book to be dark at all. Understanding that every person reads at different darkness levels.
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December 27, 2018
THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE ARC WOW JUST WOW! YUP, ALL CAPS ALL THE WAY! This was one crazy ride and I loved it. Never ever saw those twists coming even when they were hinted but that's the beauty of reading JA Huss and her awesome Dark Romance!
December 8, 2018
"When you go in with us you go all in. So make a decision before you turn this page."
I am a huge Huss fan, I have read most if not all her books. The Dirty Ones is a Huss classic. It is filled with suspense, angst and shocking turns. But the writing style is some of her finest work to date. The scenes, character development and momentum just unfolds so eloquently, you are sucked in. I love the introduction to the book. Just like many, you read the opening and laugh. You think Huss is up to her tricks, but you ignore it. When you turn that page you are just entwined with the story of Keira the scholarship student and her college friends from Essex, The story line is centered on what events took place their senior year in college and how those events have shaped, influenced and dictated their present lives.
If you enjoy mystery games, this is the book for you. The twists are sharp, and if you read Huss you need to catch every little element, because you know it has meaning. The book is so well thought out and presented. I wanted to know everything at once. The other major point I will make, there was never a feeling of let down, just more suspense and that made it a thriller!!
I received this ARC from Netgalley.
Shelved as 'not-interested'
July 1, 2019Kinda crazy, lazy, messy etc. etc. etc.
And what kind of author leaves to the reader to decide if things happened or not?? What is this? A guess game?? 🤔🤔🤣🤣🤣🙄🙄🙄
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And what kind of author leaves to the reader to decide if things happened or not?? What is this? A guess game?? 🤔🤔🤣🤣🤣🙄🙄🙄
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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