User blog:Mt Mass/How Ride or Die COULD'VE turned out

Ride or Die'''. '''Some people love it, others hate it, and I'm just in between. That means that while it's definitely not the best book (far from it; I'd consider it terrible and I'll explain it why; some obvious and some kinda aren't imo) there could've been SO much potential to the direction it could've taken. But first, I'll just go over what I think went wrong with this book. As much as I'd love to expand a lot more on these opinions, I'm gonna keep them short and sweet.

Problems
1) A Bad Boy Romance: This one is the most obvious; I feel like people wouldn't roll their eyes hadn't there've been a book that revolves around the whole "bad boy" concept in the most cliche way possible, let alone the damn title even mention it. What is this, the 70s/80s? (No offense (?)) Now my problem isn't necessarily the concept of "bad boy" itself, but rather the way it's handled. You have Logan here who just does criminal work JUST 'CAUSE, he suddenly cares for the MC because she's a typical Grade A student (before she threw herself into a rabit hole). I mean hey, at least he cares? That's SOME character development... right? There was just so many ways he could've been written better imo and they make it so damn cheesy it made me cringe.

2) Cliche Setting: Bad Boy stuff usually surround itself in a school setting if I'm correct, specifically high school. Why? Because it's where you'd fine your usual cliche cliques: the nerds, the jocks, etc. As the book definitely didn't take such a route to portray the school setting (thankfully), it shouldn't necessarily be a surprise that this book would have something to do that involves school in general. Now while school itself isn't the entire premise of the book, just think about it: good girl with good grades suddenly meets and "falls" (I say "fall" as in PB would expect people to go for Logan or Colt because it's a BBR) for a bad boy... you also got that typical sassy and bitchy mean girl... come on.

3) MC: MC is not a big problem in a way, to be honest. Just slightly annoyed with her. I can understand MC trying to become rebellious and try to find her own self, trying to break her limitations from what her father gave her such as not driving... but getting involved in dangerous and criminal activities? Don't get me wrong, it's not necessarily... horrible in a way, but MC's bff (forgot her name and don't care) encouraging her to go interact with Logan who's apparently a "bad boy" and the MC just takes it? Really MC? Wyd? I am glad we get to play a spy and bring this gang to justice and all, but it still doesn't make up for the stupid decision the MC made. Then again, hadn't she done it, then there'd be no book lol. And don't even get me started on how the MC's bff complains about MC changing when SHE was the one that told her to go talk to Logan.

4) The Crew: The MPC (is that what they're called? Idek) just feels so... bland. Toby and X (also forgot her name lol) have SOME personality, more likely Toby, but other than that, they're just so damn generic. PB tries so hard to make us sympathize or at least understand where these criminals are coming from and has failed miserably so far. Compare them to TH:M crew and then the crew in RoD. TH:M actually have likable personalities imo. They actually have character and ACTUAL CHEMISTRY with each other. It feels natural, authentic, etc. And then you have the generic criminals who just looks out for themselves and nothing more, excluding Toby and X maybe.

5) The LIs: I really don't have much to say on this, but the LIs in this book are just. so. dull. Logan is forced and generic. His background also feels so... typical too. At least give me some flare! Colt is just an ungrateful and annoying brat, and Mona is just a little bland. Out of those three though, I'd rather go with Mona because I usually don't like to stay single and her design is pretty cute lmao. Damn shame she'll probably get sidelined.

Ideas on RoD
Now that I've pointed out what I think went wrong with RoD, here are some ideas I had in mind of how I think RoD COULD'VE went off as. Feel free to heavily judge on some of these shitty ideas:

1) DO NOT BRAND IT OFF AS A BAD BOY ROMACE: I think this one just speaks for itself.

2) MC is already in the gang/the leader of it: This is just one of the many things I thought would work better as a storyline. So techically yes, MC is "apart" of the gang (I use "apart" rather loosely in the context of considering her apart of the gang with/without helping Shaw out), BUT, I do think the approach would be different. Maybe the dad could've been the leader, died perhaps, and that's when MC steps up as the new leader. Perhaps a lot older than a high school teen. Think TH:M but with cars, basically.

3) MC was a cop: Another idea I thought that could've worked out. MC is in the police force (vet or newbie) and then maybe the LIs were probably like childhood friends or whatever. Would've been an interesting dynamic to experience, imo.

Moral of the story: RoD could've been a great book from the start hadn't they went for a cliche route. It seems like it's getting a little better...? But eh, I don't think it'd be greater.