Amazing

I have probably read more self-indulgent published fiction, I just can't think of it at the moment.

Okay, so. In the previous book [b:Santa Olivia|5931169|Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia, #1)|Jacqueline Carey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328689699s/5931169.jpg|6103611], Loup and Pilar finally escape the US government prison camp which has been their entire lives. In this one, Loup and Pilar get paid ridiculous sums of money to fly all over the world meeting rich and famous people who are either immediately impressed with them, or are won over after they prove how badass they are. Loup makes sort-of-One-Direction fall in love with her, and then becomes beloved by all of their fans, which is definitely how fans react to a woman in proximity to their boy-band crushes. Then they rescue everyone Loup had to leave behind to escape, and defeat everyone who has ever wronged Loup and Pilar.

You know that thing? That thing, fifth, or sixth book of a series, where the protagonist(s) meet someone new who has to brought up to speed on a what an amazing, awe-inspiring badass they are? So there's this scene where they modestly and dismissively recount their amazing accomplishments in a way that... sounds like a TV Times episode summary, and not someone talking about their actual life?

Like "Oh yeah, one time I defeated an army of ninjas. After I rescued this girl who was held captive in a parallel dimension. I had to become queen of the mole people to get out again. It's no big deal."

This thing DRIVES ME NUTS, for a lot of reasons, one of which is I can't believe anyone actually talks about their own life that way, although I guess it's hard to know since I don't know a lot of people who've lived lives like that. But more than that, I feel like I can see the author yelling "MY CHARACTER IS SO AWESOME AND BADASS. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH, BUT BELIEVE ME."

Anyway, that happens in this book about two chapters in. The people she is speaking to are very impressed.

The book ends with Loup and Pilar defeating the US government in a battle conducted both on the court of public opinion and in actual court, using the power of their love.

I mean, I still read it and kinda enjoyed it. But also I was stuck on a train with no wireless.