From reading the description I was really excited to read this.
Although this was a good book, and does has some potential in the next books or rather episodes,it just didn’t end up being for me and I was starting to struggle reading it.

Amazing character development. Love the plot line will definitely recommend to friends and family. Amazing book

I couldn’t vibe with the narrative voice in this. There were so many missing pronouns etc which was purposeful for the MC’s voice but it just really put me off. I also didn’t realise it was ‘episode one’ and not the full length story.

I want to begin by stating that I was given the opportunity to read this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. While i initially felt bad about leaving a bad review, upon realising that the author does not have the book listed under his name (but all the others in the series) I would assume its to silence the readers, so i no longer feel that way.

This read as a 13 year old girls Y/A fan fiction from Wattpad. Needless to say it was cringe to the levels of My Immortal but far less iconic. Our main character is Winter Elise Diamond, she has white hair, an obsession with a very average man and wears jeans instead of skirts because she’s not like other girls. “You are a woman that stands out amongst the all the girls wearing their ridiculous skirts in this weather."

There is just undertones of everything:
- racism: “Nearly every culture south or east of America could claim him.”
- sexism: “Only guys (and girls on the softball team) liked beer pong.”
- slut shaming: *several instances*
- emotional incest: “And the only boy I had ever met that was as special as my dad was [Love interest]”

If that wasn’t enough for you Winter is in fact different, she is jealous of her crushes little sister. There is a lot to unpack there so we’ll move on. How about the fact the author let sexual content happen in front of said 13 year old.. moving on. She wants to drug her crush… moving on. Her best friend abuses her boyfriend but it’s okay because she can make it hurt more? No moving past that.


It the way of the authors writing style
F
A
I
L

I just couldn't get into this book. I liked that it was broken up into parts but I don't think it worked for this book.

While reading this I did find myself confused a couple times. The plot was very good and I was invested in reading.

This book reads in episodes like a tv show.
We follow Winter struggling and looking for love.
Not sure the narrative was that of a sixteen-year-old it sounded younger.
I found the book quite confusing and difficult to follow and disjointed.
Good idea but not for me.

I hate to be mean to someone’s hard work. But this was AWFUL. I was so excited about the prospect of the synopsis. But it was extremely underwhelming. Also the episodic type of book isn’t a great idea at least with this story.

*Thanks netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review about this book*

I understand the author's intentions as to why it was broken up into "episodes" as it was, however it didn't really make me want to buy the other "episodes". There wasn't enough *meat* to the story to keep me hooked as 85 pages isn't enough to get a really good story going in my opinion. The writing was confusing to me and brought me out of the story, and the main character wasn't really likeable and there were contradictions throughout regarding the main character. It didn't grab my attention. Although the premise to the story sounds intriguing and new. I was confused by the last 10-12 pages.

2.5🌟
(I received an e-arc from netgallery and am voluntarily leaving this review)
This was...... something.
Not sure how i feel about this.
It was weird but i think that's the whole point.
This feels like an intro to a bigger idea. I just wish the execution was better because I HATED the main character. She was annoying and i have Never seen anyone talk like that.
I would like to read the next one and give it at least 1 more chance.
I like that this is divided into short episodes of sort.

I kind of had fun when I read the synopsis. Sure, it reads a little goofy and juvenile, but I thought it was appealing to me somehow.
But the execution? Nope. Nothing worked with me. The writing, the protagonist, the 'horror' elements. It ended up not being fun at all.

I’m not entirely sure what I just read.

The biggest fault in this book for me was the narration. It was strange and hard to follow. I understand that this is a sixteen year old girl, but it was so juvenile, it drove me insane. I don’t know any sixteen year old that speaks this way. The repetition was not necessary either. I really just didn’t vibe with the writing style unfortunately.

Besides that, I like the idea of episodic short stories. It’s one of the things that first intrigued me about this. I liked the idea of a magic pill making two people obsessed with each other. It’s an interesting premise. However, I unfortunately feel like it failed to deliver.

This is my first time reading "episodes" of a book and I do like how it is laid out. This reads like you are watching an episode on TV. The only reason this is three-stars for me is because at the beginning of the episode, I think the author was trying to set the scene with Winter and her thoughts but it almost turned me away from reading. I am glad I stuck with it because the writing style gets better and the story gets interesting.

Thank you NetGalley, BT Gottfred, and Bold Soul Books for allowing me to review.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this short story but it kind of fell short of my expectations. I struggled with finishing it, but I did. I'm not really sure I like the writing style with the elongated words and the sentences that have floating words. I will probably read another episode just to see if it gets better.

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Soul Books for this advance ARC.

I have to admit, I was excited by the concept and description of this story, but I felt like the execution fell flat. I had a hard time figuring out who the target audience for this book is. The lead character, Winter, is supposed to be an older high school girl, but the way her character thinks/talks reminds me of about sixth grade age girls. That made me think middle grade until the toxic relationship between Winter’s best friend, Ophelia, and her boyfriend, Trent, the drugs, and the fact that there’s not one semi healthy relationship between characters in the book. The guy Winter has a crush on talks like he’s 25, which, in combination with Winter talking like she’s 12 just gave me weird vibes. I do think that the plot line for this could be a really fun to read one, I just feel like the “voices” for the characters are not the right age and it makes the book really difficult to get into.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Soul Books for the ARC of this book. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

WOW! Hellooo, synopsis.

From the initial ARC reviews, I was scared to get this one, but I'm so glad I did!

✅ Short episodic novellas. So good for when I don't have the attention span or time to emmerse myself in a full novel. Ends on a cliffhanger!

✅ MC, Winter: Big girl rep, "bitch", white hair!, funny, self-deprecating, not good at small talk, just wants somebody to love

• White hair hate - whaaaat!? White hair is BEAUTIFUL 🤍 Younger people go to GREAT lengths to achieve dyed white hair! What wacko universe are these kids living in lol.

✅ Mandatory sassy BFF.. (this one is actually abusive to her bf though, so trigger warning)

✅ Mandatory nice boy love interest

F.U.N and unique. I had a good time.

"It’s like my eyes wanted to hide under the awning of my forehead. What boy had the patience to gaze past an awning to find my eyes? And if they couldn’t find my eyes, how could they find my soul?"

I was hooked from the description. I was excited to read it and was going to be putting the rest of the series on my To Be Read list.
I unfortunately will not be continuing to read the rest of the Candy Cane series.

The plot seems like it would do way better if it was a longer book. If the story had a more in dept plot. This book only being 75 pages long felt rushed. chapter 5 felt rushed to me, felt as if you were trying to hurry and get to the end of chapter 6. I also feel like the beginning of chapter 6 could have been put in the beginning when she was talking a little bit about her father and how they came into money shortly after skiing.

You could also probably do without repeating so many things three times. If that's part of your writing style I do apologize, But after a while it became unnecessary and redundant,

I gave it two stars because i finished it and it wasn't the worst thing I've read. There is really a lot of potential with this story line if done properly.

am thankful to have gotten the eARC for free from Netgalley and Bold Soul Books so I can leave my voluntary and honest review.

I really hate being so harsh on someone’s work that they put a lot of themselves into but I have to be honest. This was awful. I have no idea what I just read?? It is due to be published next month in August and it looks like a first draft.

Part of the problem is the author has decided to release the book in different parts making the parallel to episodes in television. This is the first mistake as it makes the book feel even more directionless than it probably is because you can’t read the whole story. Had he at least released all the “episodes” at the same time for ARC readers to review it may have improved things a bit more.

I don’t ever DNF ARC books. It’s just not something I do. So had the book been released in its entirety I would have read it in full. However, in this circumstance I doubt I will read the rest of the episodes unless I get a very morbid curiosity or he goes back and fixes what he has written so far.

For starters the main character Winter, is a teenager. I believe as a junior in High School. However she comes across like a middle schooler with how she talks. The girl needs serious mental health help and I fear that teens reading this will not understand how wrong her behavior is. You have secondary characters who are in a very toxic relationship. Ophelia hits her boyfriend Trent and he isn’t much better to her.

The plot jumps all around and is not cohesive at all. So while the description is very inviting the execution is just not there. I honestly implore the author to rethink the publication date and have some Beta Readers give some pointed feedback and work with an editor.

I’ll note that the kindle formatting is a mess which made it harder to read. I did go and check it on the NetGalley Shelf which was much better. So just a note that it depends on where you read it.

Ok I’ll stop beating up on this book. It does have potential from a conceptual stance. It just needs a lot of work! It’s a female MC that is clearly written by a man. It’s not genuine. She is written much younger than her age, seams like a stalker. The male she “loves” acts not like a teen at all. You have toxic relationships and more. Not suitable for teens to be reading yet. Sorry.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Candy Cane by B.T. Gottfred
Winter and the Drug of Love - Episode 1
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: 7 August 2024


A mysterious new drug called Candy Cane is sweeping through Veramor High School. This red and white pill, dubbed the Drug of Love, comes with strict instructions:

1. Never take it alone.
2. Split the pill with a partner.
3. Experience an unparalleled emotional high.

However, users are warned of intense after-effects, including jealousy and anger. Most crucially, the drug can only be taken once with any given person, making partner selection critical.

This story, presented in nine "episodes" mirroring a TV season format, promises to unravel multiple mysteries. Episode one sets the stage, introducing more questions than answers.

"Candy Cane" presents an intriguing premise that blends elements of young adult fiction with a drug-centred plot reminiscent of more mature themes. However, the execution falls short in several areas, making it a challenging read.

The episodic format is an innovative approach, potentially allowing for a TV-like pacing and cliffhangers. However, this structure may contribute to the disjointed feeling reported by some readers.

The main character, Winter Elise Diamond, appears to be the novel's weakest link. Her voice and actions seem inconsistent with her stated age, reading more like a middle schooler than a high school student. This discrepancy can be jarring and may hinder reader engagement.

Winter's fixation on Zacharias Coronado quickly becomes uncomfortable, potentially crossing the line from romantic interest to obsessive behaviour. This characterisation might be intentional, but it could alienate readers looking for more balanced or relatable protagonists.

The concept of Candy Cane itself is compelling, raising intriguing questions about love, addiction, and the consequences of seeking artificial emotional highs. However, it seems the narrative doesn't fully capitalise on these themes in this opening instalment.

While this book may not appeal to all readers, it's important to note that tastes vary widely in literature. Some may find the unique premise and episodic structure refreshing, while others might struggle with the characterisation and pacing.

In conclusion, "Candy Cane" shows potential in its premise but stumbles in execution, particularly in character development. Readers interested in unconventional YA stories with darker themes might find value here, but those seeking more traditional narratives or mature character voices may want to look elsewhere.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bold Soul Books, and the author, B.T. Gottfried, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

The idea of this and the summary sounded so much more interesting than the actual book, and it wasn’t really a book. It was a very short story.