Shon Review: Stark Springs Academy Series by Ali Dean

Title / Author: Black Diamond (Stark Springs Academy #1) by Ali Dean
Kindle Edition, 189 pages
Published January 10th 2016 
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, New Adult
Source: Amazon
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis

When Roxie Slade snaps into a pair of skis, there’s no one on Sugarville Mountain in Vermont who can keep up with her. Not even the boys. Still, Roxie was shocked when she received a scholarship to Stark Springs Academy, a boarding school that churns out Olympians in each graduating class. Entering as a high school junior, Roxie can’t wait to learn from renowned coaches and train with the fastest ski racers from all over the globe. But, upon arrival, Roxie discovers that Stark Springs lives under its own set of rules, and it appears one boy plays dictator.

Ryker Black is not friendly and Roxie cannot fathom why everyone wants to be his friend. Sure, he’s gorgeous and rides a snowboard like it’s his fifth limb, but he’s cold, ruthless, and holds way too much power over the Stark Springs population. Roxie won’t put up with it. She’s here to train, and she doesn’t care about impressing anyone off the slopes. The only problem? Ryker Black doesn’t permit defiance. Not without consequences.

Title / Author: Double Black (Stark Springs Academy #2) by Ali Dean
Kindle Edition, 186 pages
Published April 4th 2016 
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, New Adult
Source: Amazon
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis 

* This is the second book in the Stark Springs Academy series, which should be read in order. You should read Black Diamond before reading the description below.* 

If you don’t like the rules, make new ones.
If you want to be the best, show no fear.
And if Ryker Black is your boyfriend, you better be ready to fight. On and off the slopes.
 
Overnight, Roxie Slade went from an outsider at Stark Springs Academy, to a ruler at the prestigious boarding school for elite winter athletes. But Roxie didn’t know if she wanted that power, and she definitely wasn’t sure about sharing it with Ryker Black, who came from a different world and lived by a different set of morals. Ryker may have decided to trust her, but could she trust him?
 
Roxie only cared about her rising position in the ski rankings, but now her status at Stark and within the winter sports community is skyrocketing, whether she asked for it or not. Can she handle both while attempting a real relationship with Ryker Black? Roxie once believed that her sole purpose was proving herself on the slopes, but she’s done that once, and she’s far from satisfied. She has so much more to prove.
 

Title / Author: Black Ice (Stark Springs Academy #3) by Ali Dean
Kindle Edition,  pages
Published August 31th 2016 
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, New Adult
Source: Amazon
Rating: 2.75 stars

Synopsis

When your enemy dies under strange circumstances? Don’t stop looking over your shoulder. When secrets of a past scandal are plopped into your lap? Solve a mystery.
 
And when you’re a member of the National ski team? Don’t get distracted.
 
Roxie’s senior year at Stark Springs Academy is not what she envisioned. She never intended to be privy to Stark’s biggest secrets, but she’s thrown right into the middle of it, whether she wants to carry that burden or not. As Ryker Black’s girlfriend, nothing is simple or straightforward. A ski racer first and foremost, Roxie can’t let the ghosts of Stark Springs Academy distract her from the race course. Will she be able to pull it off?

Shon & Wendy's Thoughts on Black Diamond

Shon's Thought: I don't know what happened the book start off so promising and towards the end it kind of just fizzle out. In the last 20% of the book Roxanne just whined and cried. I'm like what just happened? I don't think I want to continue with this series.

Wendy's Thoughts: OK so in the beginning I was so into this book and about mid-way it started to get to childish. A lot of whining and back and forth rants. NO ACTION lol. 

My Thoughts about Double Black

Why do I keep doing this to myself? I'm not really enjoying this series but I'm also sort of enjoying this series. It's like a bad accident, you know you should not look but you slow down look anyway.

Basically, book two was just a set up for book three.

My Thoughts on Black Ice

I'm not really liking how this book start off. Roxanne think Ryker had Petra killed. Now our two main characters think they're Colombo. So, because your girlfriend think that you are a murderer, you and her are going to find the real murderer. What the heck am I reading?

Oh look she's whining again. I made it a whole hour into the book before she started whining and complaining. Make it stop!

I made it two hours before I see a technical terms. You would think after two books of the same thing. This would not be necessary. There's a bright side to all of this if I ever decide to watch the Winter Olympic ski racing on TV at least I'll know what they're talking about. LOL

Okay I decided that they're not Columbo they remind me more of Fred and Daphne from Scooby Doo.

I love how everything came magically together and they find out who the killer is. I was witting for some one to say "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids"

I love how Wendy said in her review about the first book how there was no action. Thank goodness this author does not know how to write 'sexy time' scenes.

Spoiler Alert!

He takes his time kissing me and moving us to the bed and the urgency that has been building for days, weeks, months, is finally satisfied when he pushes inside, and we're one. Well, it seems neither of us are satisfied for a long, and as soon as we've a moment to recover, it's building  again. We hardly sleep at night, but in the morning, neither one of us is tired.

My Final Thoughts...

Stark Springs Academy Series was an okay series. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. It was hard to get into the story at times because there was too many technical terms and too much information about skiing and it took away from the story.