Title: Sons of Mayhem #1: The First Novel
Author: Nikki Pink
Date Published: June 8th 2014 (first published November 24th 2013)
Publisher: NA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook

This review arrived much later than I wanted to as I got caught up reading Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds (which I recommend even without a review that everyone should go out and get it). In addition to this third part, readers can expect most likely one more part to this review as I have less complaints and actually, more compliments the further I read. (Which means that there are less screenshots of atrocious writing to go through and more talking about the novel as a whole) If you haven't read Parts 1 and 2, here and here you go.

I am going to introduce a TL;DR section for those who don't want to go through my long rambles.

TL;DR Review:

Although the first two parts of this review pretty much displayed my hatred for this disastrous novel, this review finds that as the novel progressed to more than half of it's chapters, the action and a real plot starts to kick in, finally veering away from the horrifying and lackluster romance of Jase and Nicole and delving into the criminal underworld and the darker side of biker gangs. Also, while readers have previously been assaulted by boring and senseless sex scenes, in this third half, there was a beautiful sex scene that was raw and revealing and represented the sort of sex that should be written about.

Full Review:

We begin with Chapter Thirteen where a prospective looking to join the Sons of Mayhem calls Nicole and Lucy sluts. "Less talking, more kissing sluts." What an atrocious man to call women sluts but when you consider that Nicole and Lucy thought of themselves as the very same in the beginning of the novel, it makes one wonder if they're being hypocritical. So, they are allowed to call themselves sluts but someone else can't? Why use "slut" in the first place when it is a derogatory term? It makes no difference if you're calling yourself a slut or calling someone else a slut. It's a term designed by the patriarchy for the patriarchy to control the behaviour and conduct of women. Then again, the two girls beat up the prospective because he was forcing them to do something they didn't want to, eg. kiss each other. You go, Glen Coco. And then the next page, we're back to derogatory slut-name calling, "...the only person I like fucking me are slutty young bitches."

I cannot understand what's the point of calling the girls who sleep with the Sons of Mayhem sluts. Is it some sort of identity for them, especially when you put this into reality and you think of the girls who do become the arm candy for real biker gangs? (Are there any? I don't know) Is it some sort of slut-shaming on the part of Pink because Lucy and Nicole are set apart as exclusive for both their men, Brodie and Jase, respectively? Is it slut-shaming real women who sleep with bikers? Is it a reinforcement of a stereotype? Is it critical commentary? I cannot fathom but it makes the book much less enjoyable in my eyes, especially when I am constantly assaulted by the words "slut". My same discomfort applies to "bitches" which is used much too liberally throughout the novel.

I think it's very noble that Jase has been sex-free for a long time and Nicole is his return to it but when Nicole thinks, "Where's this going? I don't want to hear about all the women you've been with", I find her pretty ignorant. As we've been able to see throughout the novel, having sex freely is apparently biker lifestyle and even if she likes it or not, she's going to hear about Jase's feminine conquests, if not from him, then from someone else. I'd rather hear it from Jase than to have someone else tell me. It would feel like he was hiding something from me.

At this point, everything is still Jase and Nicole. Here is a wonderful thought Nicole had when Jase took her on the sweetest and most romantic "date" by the river: "Take off my panties. I haven't needed it like I need it now in forever. Ever." I got a little confused. Is she using Jase for the sex? Does she not know self-pleasure? I can assure you, women have better orgasms with self-pleasure than penetrative sex. Okay, I can't assure you but I think it's pretty much true. This obsession must be a product of Nicole being unsatisfied by her "gay" boyfriend. Oh, and her eyes glowed. I thought you couldn't see you own eyes unless looking in a mirror. How very peculiar.

Here's a quote I rather like from Jase: "There's a time for peace and a time for war. There's a time to forgive and forget, to negotiate and make amends, to make agreements and agree to let sleeping dogs lie. And then there are times when you have to gather your crew, grab your weapons and kick some serious fucking ass." After this moment is when the novel really picks up. Of course, there is about one more sex scene featuring very rough sex and I think, perhaps, the most raw and real sex that this book has ever written. Although when I first read it, I found that scene rather unnecessary and atrocious but looking at it again, it as raw, real and it was beautiful. Congratulations, Pink, you finally did not make me want to throw up. Here's another gold quote from Jase: "Silence surrounded them. A dark, brooding silence; the kind of silence you can almost grab and hold, the kind of silence that forebodes unspeakable violence."

After this, I was practically glued to the novel, rarely putting it down because damn, Pink is absolutely amazing at writing crimes and the criminal world of gangs. That's one thing she has done right with this novel so far. But, there is a moment of racial insensitivity that really irks me. One of the Sons of Mayhem make a deal with a Korean gang and he offers the Son a "present" in the form of a massage and he thinks this, "What the fuck? I don't want you fried rice fingers on me." I was so appalled. First, it was so racist that I couldn't believe what I was reading. Secondly, Koreans aren't famous for fried rice. The Chinese are. I should know. I am Chinese.

And then, there's a lovely moment (after a senseless tragedy) where Lucy has an epiphany that she did not belong with biker gangs and being their sex toys. But Nicole seems convinced that they do belong with Brodie and Jase and the Sons of Mayhem. At this point, I am torn between cheering for Lucy's sensibility and siding with Nicole because for some odd reason, I am feeling a little soft spot for Jase. He has grown on me, much to my fervent hatred for him in the beginning.

Although, we had another mention of vibrations once more. And some more outdoor sex. Not as nice as the rough sex though. It was just another filler sex scene. My least favourite kind.

And then, there was a rape. I can't say that rape was glamourised in this novel because Jase expressed some qualms over hearing how the Son was recounting his experience with the Asian masseuse but it certainly was treated very, very poorly. Again, giving biker gangs a bad name. Then again, only to readers it was revealed that it was explicitly a rape. To the other characters, it was just sex with a girl.

There was considerably a lot more action and decent writing in this sections of the novel, keeping me glued to my phone screen and wanting to know what happened next. It makes me think that this is perhaps the third series in the serialisation where the story really has picked up and developed. The focus on the biker gang and the criminal underworld in this section of the novel shifts the story from Jase and Nicole's lackluster romance to the action-packed world that I expected when I first downloaded this novel. I read so quickly and so intensely that I didn't even realise how fast I was going through the novel as compared to earlier when it was so difficult for me to get through it. Which changed my whole point of view of the novel. Now, if only the action-packed segments were intertwined perfectly with Jase and Nicole's romance, then this book would be a definite read.

Would I recommend it: I would only recommend it if one can bear the horrible Jase and Nicole romance to get to the good action bits.
Rating: 2/5 (Taking into account the great action writing)

Part 1 | Part 2 |