Marianna’s review of A Shade of Chrome and Malice (Celestials of Arcadia, #2) > Likes and Comments
372 likes · Like
no way, 1 star!!! you loved the first book so much.. need the details!
Does this change your mind about the first 2 books? Do you love them still just as much or have they fallen down a few steps off the ladder because of your feelings towards this one?
I hated the plot with Slate. What was the point of that part? How was it closure? It was stupid. I didn’t like this book much either. It had WAY too much going on. Felt like we going it circles. I mean how many plot twists do you need? The end battle had like 5+ random plot twists in it.
sorry that one failed :(( that sucks after the first book being so good? 😭
I sobbed and wanted to vomit. I felt the betrayal like it was personal. I couldn’t sleep afterwards and I don’t think I’ve fully enjoyed a book since because this messed with my head and my mood so much.
I also loved the first book and I love Chrome. And I don’t think I’ve ever hated a fictional character as much as I hate Gray right now. I’ve only ever felt a betrayal similar to this in one other book and this was 10x worse!
I also never DNF, and I just can’t move past this.
Honestly I can’t even see it as “sleeping with him for closure” I think that excuse (I know that’s what it’s being played off as) is a cop out. If you love someone, you’re happy with them, committed and BONDED to them, YOU DONT NEED CLOSURE FROM AN EX THAT LIED TO YOU FOR SEVERAL YEARS. This makes no sense based on book 1 AND the prequel. It’s just bullshit justification that makes absolutely no logical sense based on everything already written.
@jordie no I completely agree the closure justification was so uncalled for and made no sense. She could have gotten closure so many other ways. BREAK UP WITH CHROME IF YOU NEED CLOSURE! God it was truly insane. And also I didn’t even get into it yet but the book was all over the place in general. I’m so disappointed
Gray is at the bottom of my shitless now but slate is the real enemy, he’s known since they were teenagers that Chrome had a bond with her, chrome had to leave so he wasn’t killed, asked slate to make sure she was safe and slate was like “oooooh imma just move in on his girl”. Then we get to chrome and malice and again Slate is like “heheh chromes not here imma bang her lol”
Devil in disguise. Gray sucks tho so fuck them both
After everything I’ve seen, I’m not even going to read this. Is it possible book 1 was just a fluke it was so good? I loved it so much but I can’t invest more time in a series where this is going down in book 2. Don’t want any part of it. It’s a shame.
I have to agree with you so much. I actually refused to continue with the series after finding out about this in this book. I think that once she made Chrome and Gray Soul Bonded / Soul Mates you pass the point of there being a love triangle. I feel like the infidelity part makes it taint the entire relationship, as if Chrome didn't have to go through so much already. I also think the closure excuse is just that, an excuse. There were so many other ways she could have gotten closure without sleeping with Slate and no amount of justification will convince me otherwise. Again it just makes me not believe this unbreakable love and bond between Gray and Chrome anymore (only on Gray's side though). Chrome is a literal saint. To be fair I am not a why choose person, I especially don't buy into the fated mates with more than one person. I think it takes away from the importance of what a soul mate/fated mate is. I was so heartbroken to read about this and knew there was no way I could get past it. It's so disappointing.
Makiita wrote: "Gray is at the bottom of my shitless now but slate is the real enemy, he’s known since they were teenagers that Chrome had a bond with her, chrome had to leave so he wasn’t killed, asked slate to m..."
I couldn't agree more. I genuinely cannot get over how easy it was for them to forget about Chrome and betray him like that. there's not justification for it. Them being bonded made it impossible to see this as a love triangle. Poor chrome deserves so much better I feel sick.
Who needs enemies when Slate is your cousin.
I read this at the start of the month and i genuinely haven’t stopped thinking about how hurt I am by it. I’m really hoping I can feel better in the next book but I’m really not sure how I’ll ever forgive this. Like how do we forgive Grey???? I did love the Cotton plot though so that’s why I rated 3 stars (after a lot of back and forth lol) & some other parts I did enjoy - but I understand your review and completely agree. I think we just love these characters so much that this feels like such a personal betrayal 🥲 Chrome is literally everything to me - he deserves better.
I know a lot of people were okay with what happened but unfortunately couldn’t be me. I’d be interested to see how you feel if you decide to pick it back up at some point.
Thank you for this! You just saved me a lot of time. I just can't do infidelity. And book 1 was one of my all time favorites because of the MMC. I'll wait to see how book 3 goes, but I can't brain up a reason to make it not be a DNFable offense.
Currently reading and had to skip over that scene of slate and Gray bc WTF DO YOU MEAN?! I was so sick for chrome
Appreciate this heads up so much. This is heartbreaking to hear as just finished book 1 and loved it - but what was the point of the bond building and intensity if there is infidelity to come in book 2. Tempted to wait for book 3 reviews next year etc and see whether to carry on because I can’t with how much I love Chrome 🥲 is there a way back for them in book 3 if that’s the authors intention i wonder..but still this is annoying to hear!
Thanks to this review I will skip this series! I don’t like that trope!!!!
Now I’m scared to continue Marianna 😭😬😂
I absolutely hate this kind of messiness 😭 I think I'll probably skip this series now. I hope your next read is better! ♥︎
Taking this series off my physical tbr asap. I hate that trope. It’s just irredeemable for me.
Okay what, I’m not reading this book because wtf!?! She does what to poor Chrome?! He literally has been through so much, the whole thing with Slate never sat right with me anyways after I read the prequel series. Like what a shit friend/cousin. Damn I was so excited for this too.
Ummmm respectfuly to have this much of an opinion when you didn't finish is wild sounds more like a you problem and not the book lol
@jennifer I said in my personal opinion so yes it is a me problem… this is my opinion of a book and I said it wasn’t for me and I read more than half and stated why I don’t continue.
As someone who also loved the first book and knowing this is what happens in book 2, I think imma skip it altogether!!
I agree with everything. I read the whole book and it was such a let down because book 1 was excellent. The betrayal aside the plot was a giant mess and spoiler it barely came together in the end.
This is actually terrifying omg NOOOO 😩
their names are chrome and cotton? IM DECEASED WHAT 😭✊
You’re not wrong and the rest of the book felt the same. I don’t like cheating but if you’re going to do it make it make sense! You can’t have a character need memories wiped in one book just to be happy with someone else suddenly turn into the type of person ok with cheating. The whole book felt like the author had a flow chart with big moments that needed to happen and then just tossed random stuff between those moments to get to them!
I also feel the same way you do regarding the whole infidelity. I personally think gray and slate are quite selfish, also the plot is quite messy, I'm just not vibing with this one at all. I'm currently at 68% and I am really considering dnfing the book which I hate doing, it's an OCD thing for me, once I start one I usually need to finish it
back to top
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Bookishness
(last edited Dec 27, 2025 02:41PM)
(new)
Dec 27, 2025 02:40PM
no way, 1 star!!! you loved the first book so much.. need the details!
reply
|
flag
Does this change your mind about the first 2 books? Do you love them still just as much or have they fallen down a few steps off the ladder because of your feelings towards this one?
I hated the plot with Slate. What was the point of that part? How was it closure? It was stupid. I didn’t like this book much either. It had WAY too much going on. Felt like we going it circles. I mean how many plot twists do you need? The end battle had like 5+ random plot twists in it.
sorry that one failed :(( that sucks after the first book being so good? 😭
I sobbed and wanted to vomit. I felt the betrayal like it was personal. I couldn’t sleep afterwards and I don’t think I’ve fully enjoyed a book since because this messed with my head and my mood so much. I also loved the first book and I love Chrome. And I don’t think I’ve ever hated a fictional character as much as I hate Gray right now. I’ve only ever felt a betrayal similar to this in one other book and this was 10x worse!
I also never DNF, and I just can’t move past this.
Honestly I can’t even see it as “sleeping with him for closure” I think that excuse (I know that’s what it’s being played off as) is a cop out. If you love someone, you’re happy with them, committed and BONDED to them, YOU DONT NEED CLOSURE FROM AN EX THAT LIED TO YOU FOR SEVERAL YEARS. This makes no sense based on book 1 AND the prequel. It’s just bullshit justification that makes absolutely no logical sense based on everything already written.
@jordie no I completely agree the closure justification was so uncalled for and made no sense. She could have gotten closure so many other ways. BREAK UP WITH CHROME IF YOU NEED CLOSURE! God it was truly insane. And also I didn’t even get into it yet but the book was all over the place in general. I’m so disappointed
Gray is at the bottom of my shitless now but slate is the real enemy, he’s known since they were teenagers that Chrome had a bond with her, chrome had to leave so he wasn’t killed, asked slate to make sure she was safe and slate was like “oooooh imma just move in on his girl”. Then we get to chrome and malice and again Slate is like “heheh chromes not here imma bang her lol”Devil in disguise. Gray sucks tho so fuck them both
After everything I’ve seen, I’m not even going to read this. Is it possible book 1 was just a fluke it was so good? I loved it so much but I can’t invest more time in a series where this is going down in book 2. Don’t want any part of it. It’s a shame.
I have to agree with you so much. I actually refused to continue with the series after finding out about this in this book. I think that once she made Chrome and Gray Soul Bonded / Soul Mates you pass the point of there being a love triangle. I feel like the infidelity part makes it taint the entire relationship, as if Chrome didn't have to go through so much already. I also think the closure excuse is just that, an excuse. There were so many other ways she could have gotten closure without sleeping with Slate and no amount of justification will convince me otherwise. Again it just makes me not believe this unbreakable love and bond between Gray and Chrome anymore (only on Gray's side though). Chrome is a literal saint. To be fair I am not a why choose person, I especially don't buy into the fated mates with more than one person. I think it takes away from the importance of what a soul mate/fated mate is. I was so heartbroken to read about this and knew there was no way I could get past it. It's so disappointing.
Makiita wrote: "Gray is at the bottom of my shitless now but slate is the real enemy, he’s known since they were teenagers that Chrome had a bond with her, chrome had to leave so he wasn’t killed, asked slate to m..."I couldn't agree more. I genuinely cannot get over how easy it was for them to forget about Chrome and betray him like that. there's not justification for it. Them being bonded made it impossible to see this as a love triangle. Poor chrome deserves so much better I feel sick.
Who needs enemies when Slate is your cousin.I read this at the start of the month and i genuinely haven’t stopped thinking about how hurt I am by it. I’m really hoping I can feel better in the next book but I’m really not sure how I’ll ever forgive this. Like how do we forgive Grey???? I did love the Cotton plot though so that’s why I rated 3 stars (after a lot of back and forth lol) & some other parts I did enjoy - but I understand your review and completely agree. I think we just love these characters so much that this feels like such a personal betrayal 🥲 Chrome is literally everything to me - he deserves better.
I know a lot of people were okay with what happened but unfortunately couldn’t be me. I’d be interested to see how you feel if you decide to pick it back up at some point.
Thank you for this! You just saved me a lot of time. I just can't do infidelity. And book 1 was one of my all time favorites because of the MMC. I'll wait to see how book 3 goes, but I can't brain up a reason to make it not be a DNFable offense.
Currently reading and had to skip over that scene of slate and Gray bc WTF DO YOU MEAN?! I was so sick for chrome
Appreciate this heads up so much. This is heartbreaking to hear as just finished book 1 and loved it - but what was the point of the bond building and intensity if there is infidelity to come in book 2. Tempted to wait for book 3 reviews next year etc and see whether to carry on because I can’t with how much I love Chrome 🥲 is there a way back for them in book 3 if that’s the authors intention i wonder..but still this is annoying to hear!
Thanks to this review I will skip this series! I don’t like that trope!!!!
Now I’m scared to continue Marianna 😭😬😂
I absolutely hate this kind of messiness 😭 I think I'll probably skip this series now. I hope your next read is better! ♥︎
Taking this series off my physical tbr asap. I hate that trope. It’s just irredeemable for me.
Okay what, I’m not reading this book because wtf!?! She does what to poor Chrome?! He literally has been through so much, the whole thing with Slate never sat right with me anyways after I read the prequel series. Like what a shit friend/cousin. Damn I was so excited for this too.
Ummmm respectfuly to have this much of an opinion when you didn't finish is wild sounds more like a you problem and not the book lol
@jennifer I said in my personal opinion so yes it is a me problem… this is my opinion of a book and I said it wasn’t for me and I read more than half and stated why I don’t continue.
As someone who also loved the first book and knowing this is what happens in book 2, I think imma skip it altogether!!
I agree with everything. I read the whole book and it was such a let down because book 1 was excellent. The betrayal aside the plot was a giant mess and spoiler it barely came together in the end.
This is actually terrifying omg NOOOO 😩
their names are chrome and cotton? IM DECEASED WHAT 😭✊
You’re not wrong and the rest of the book felt the same. I don’t like cheating but if you’re going to do it make it make sense! You can’t have a character need memories wiped in one book just to be happy with someone else suddenly turn into the type of person ok with cheating. The whole book felt like the author had a flow chart with big moments that needed to happen and then just tossed random stuff between those moments to get to them!
I also feel the same way you do regarding the whole infidelity. I personally think gray and slate are quite selfish, also the plot is quite messy, I'm just not vibing with this one at all. I'm currently at 68% and I am really considering dnfing the book which I hate doing, it's an OCD thing for me, once I start one I usually need to finish it
