Books Unfiltered: Rants, Reviews, and Reflections
This is not just another collection of reviews. It's where I get real about books-no filters, no sugar-coating. From dissecting the latest Wattpad hits to ranting about clichés, tropes, and everythin...
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KITTEN? NO THANKS
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"He's a 6'5'' man with a chiselled jawline, standing in his secret underground basement, glaring at a trembling figure. Why? Because XYZ is the most feared, richest, youngest (insert every possible '-est') man in the entire world. 'Are you going to talk or not?' he growls, his anger issues as big as his muscles—both of which, apparently, no one can ever control.
Time skip. His men drag the daughter of some unfortunate soul who dared to owe him money back to his million-dollar mansion. The girl? A 19-year-old beauty with impossibly long hair, glowing skin, legs that make up 90% of her body, and a two-inch waist. She's pure innocence incarnate, of course. When she arrives, XYZ lays eyes on her for the first time and growls, 'You're mine, little kitten.'
And just like that, she falls in love. Fast forward to their happy-ever-after with four kids and a thriving mafia empire run between steamy kisses and possessive glares."
You all really thought I would write something like this?? I wouldn't have written this even if I had just 2 minutes left during my English board exam.
The way I cringed while writing this was just... I can't even tell you all. But let's be honest, this is the basic layout of most mafia romances. The genre has now been reduced to just its name—a mafia and some romance with that mafia—nothing more.
It's no longer about actual mafia culture or deep storytelling; it's just "bad boy meets innocent girl," over and over again.
Mafia stories used to be all about power, betrayal, and survival. These were gritty tales that didn't shy away from the harsh realities of crime. But on Wattpad? It's all about steamy kisses and unrealistic obsessions.
I'm not saying I've always hated the mafia genre. There was a time I enjoyed it, back when stories included thrill, mystery, and morally gray characters who actually had some complexity. But somewhere along the line, the genre became all about unrealistic power dynamics and glorified toxicity.
And that's where things started going downhill for me. Let's break it down:
1. The Bad Boy and Stockholm Syndrome The male lead kidnaps the female lead, and by the end, she's head over heels for him (Stockholm Syndrome in full bloom). Like, sis, he literally locked you in a mansion, and now you're planning your future with him?
The problem isn't the trope itself; it's the way it's romanticized. These stories often ignore the darker implications and consequences, presenting this as "true love."
2. The Male Lead: All Tattoos, Nothing else The things in these books are as predictable as the order me and my friend place at a café we've probably visited a hundred times. Like the billionaire bad boy boss, unrealistic wealth, perfect looks, and an inexplicable obsession with the female lead.
