Datasets:

Jennny

/

spolier_classification

like 0

48ede17d8ed579fa0405c7df4242a036

2015-06-17

[[0, "For fear of repeating myself too many times, here's the quick rundown on the overall strengths and weaknesses of the series before delving into Book 4-specific details: The strengths are the gripping plot and the developed aspects of the characters, whose interesting actions move the story along."], [0, 'The downsides are the reliance on cliches/stereotypes that take away from the surprise and the lack of complexity in some of the characters.'], [0, 'These hold true both for this book as well as the entire series.'], [0, "In Fire and Ash, Nix and Benny's relationship complicates in a very good way."], [1, 'Their decision to take a break - which makes sense both for the characters and within the context of real emotions - allows for romantic complexity that enhances the story.'], [1, "The ending, and Nix's muffin peace offering, is cute but a little cliche and unsurprising; the pat ending denies any further complexity."], [0, 'Overall, the series was an enjoyable read.'], [0, 'Both interesting and compelling, the story pulls readers in.'], [0, 'Definitely a great read for zombie fans!']]

13424356

e94bda5d90d5793e4fa125734965cfd6

For fear of repeating myself too many times, here's the quick rundown on the overall strengths and weaknesses of the series before delving into Book 4-specific details: The strengths are the gripping plot and the developed aspects of the characters, whose interesting actions move the story along. The downsides are the reliance on cliches/stereotypes that take away from the surprise and the lack of complexity in some of the characters. These hold true both for this book as well as the entire series. In Fire and Ash, Nix and Benny's relationship complicates in a very good way. Their decision to take a break - which makes sense both for the characters and within the context of real emotions - allows for romantic complexity that enhances the story. The ending, and Nix's muffin peace offering, is cute but a little cliche and unsurprising; the pat ending denies any further complexity. Overall, the series was an enjoyable read. Both interesting and compelling, the story pulls readers in. Definitely a great read for zombie fans!

47046afdd97b29bed127e92f7cd980e7

2013-10-19

[[0, 'That was just amazing.'], [0, 'Review to come!'], [0, 'My heart was literally clouded with different emotions that my mind got so lost, along with it.'], [0, 'So now finally I manage to broke out of it.'], [0, 'I was wondering how to possibly write a review without spoiling anything.'], [0, "I think I'll just have to write why you need to read this ASAP and why you need not worry about the ending."], [0, 'Let me start with.'], [0, 'It is worth the wait!'], [0, 'The light has come.'], [0, 'Every question I have, was answered.'], [0, "I don't know about the others but I have these I-knew-it and oh-my-god-that's-it moment."], [0, 'I love the Herondales and will always be Team Will.'], [0, 'Enough said.'], [0, 'And I will always and forever adore Jem.'], [0, 'He is such a wonderful person.'], [0, 'So wonderful I wanna hug him when I meet him.'], [0, 'They'], [0, 'are parabatai.'], [0, 'And nothing will ever ever ever changed it.'], [0, "I'll be honest that I was a mess of tears because of them."], [0, 'Amazing, truly amazing it hurts.'], [0, 'Characters, are strong and the development is great.'], [0, 'The Lightwood brothers, Cecily, Sophie, Charlotte, Henry and Magnus.'], [0, "Oh, don't forget Bridget."], [0, 'Plot is tight and awesome.'], [0, 'It made me laugh, made me cry made me tense.'], [0, 'EVERYTHING!'], [0, 'Twists!'], [0, "Oh, if you're as clueless as me, you have to watch out for it."], [0, 'Ending, Did I say that it has a perfect ending?'], [0, "Well, I'll repeat it."], [0, 'IT FREAKING HAS!'], [0, "I was blown away because I didn't expect it."], [0, 'Not a bit.'], [0, "I swear if you like CA and CP you'll most definitely LOVE Clockwork Princess."], [0, 'Worth reading is an understatement.'], [0, 'READ IT!']]

15719896

51cbb3bf022921afdf46f67eb7951913

That was just amazing. Review to come! My heart was literally clouded with different emotions that my mind got so lost, along with it. So now finally I manage to broke out of it. I was wondering how to possibly write a review without spoiling anything. I think I'll just have to write why you need to read this ASAP and why you need not worry about the ending. Let me start with. It is worth the wait! The light has come. Every question I have, was answered. I don't know about the others but I have these I-knew-it and oh-my-god-that's-it moment. I love the Herondales and will always be Team Will. Enough said. And I will always and forever adore Jem. He is such a wonderful person. So wonderful I wanna hug him when I meet him. They are parabatai. And nothing will ever ever ever changed it. I'll be honest that I was a mess of tears because of them. Amazing, truly amazing it hurts. Characters, are strong and the development is great. The Lightwood brothers, Cecily, Sophie, Charlotte, Henry and Magnus. Oh, don't forget Bridget. Plot is tight and awesome. It made me laugh, made me cry made me tense. EVERYTHING! Twists! Oh, if you're as clueless as me, you have to watch out for it. Ending, Did I say that it has a perfect ending? Well, I'll repeat it. IT FREAKING HAS! I was blown away because I didn't expect it. Not a bit. I swear if you like CA and CP you'll most definitely LOVE Clockwork Princess. Worth reading is an understatement. READ IT!

17deb25686b888de5354385f9256944f

2008-06-26

[[0, "I love the Women's Murder Club series!"]]

13137

a9206e43486f37cbf519b5798650b2d4

I love the Women's Murder Club series!

193832a225295d00fc707d9923643bbc

2017-07-05

[[0, "Contemporaries aren't usually my bag, but DAMN did I inhale this book."], [0, 'I honestly could not put it down and focusing on real life was difficult because all I wanted to do was get back to this story.'], [0, 'Aspen was great, Bram was... super hot but also very difficult.'], [0, 'This book was just a giant ball of stress, anger, desire, fear with the perfect amount of humor cut in.'], [1, 'My stomach was in knots especially when Aspen flees Lake Tahoe, I could not handle it.'], [1, 'I came so close to tears and I just do not cry at books.'], [1, 'That broke my heart , but the emotional pay off is so good.'], [0, 'My heart was put through the ringer but it was completely worth it.'], [0, 'Also of note: suuuuuuper hot.'], [0, 'I mean, damn, there are a lot of sex scenes in this book.'], [0, "For the most part they were well used, but a few could have been edited out because there wasn't much they were bringing to the table."], [0, 'Especially because some of them were so important to the characters.'], [0, 'So, why only four stars?'], [0, 'The first issue was the entire motorcycle side quest.'], [0, "I'm guessing these are characters from the author's other series?"], [0, 'Because it felt tacked on and useless.'], [0, 'Was not a fan.'], [0, 'Also the stuff with Heath at the end felt cheap.'], [0, 'We already went through an incredibly real and personal journey with our main characters.'], [0, 'There had to be a better way to get them in the same room together.']]

32717752

ae28b48aa569a9b5aac6a520a68e0f05

Contemporaries aren't usually my bag, but DAMN did I inhale this book. I honestly could not put it down and focusing on real life was difficult because all I wanted to do was get back to this story. Aspen was great, Bram was... super hot but also very difficult. This book was just a giant ball of stress, anger, desire, fear with the perfect amount of humor cut in. My stomach was in knots especially when Aspen flees Lake Tahoe, I could not handle it. I came so close to tears and I just do not cry at books. That broke my heart , but the emotional pay off is so good. My heart was put through the ringer but it was completely worth it. Also of note: suuuuuuper hot. I mean, damn, there are a lot of sex scenes in this book. For the most part they were well used, but a few could have been edited out because there wasn't much they were bringing to the table. Especially because some of them were so important to the characters. So, why only four stars? The first issue was the entire motorcycle side quest. I'm guessing these are characters from the author's other series? Because it felt tacked on and useless. Was not a fan. Also the stuff with Heath at the end felt cheap. We already went through an incredibly real and personal journey with our main characters. There had to be a better way to get them in the same room together.

828f8f9862a028e734d4164be5e3e164

2015-12-15

[[0, 'IM SUCH A MESS RIGHT NOW I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW IM TYPING THIS SUCCESSFULLY']]

22024907

1c91adbb3602a9637ea799e36abb5c59

IM SUCH A MESS RIGHT NOW I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW IM TYPING THIS SUCCESSFULLY

96f335023d9138bcfbf2e4d2f8933f77

2014-01-02

[[0, '3.5 stars'], [0, "Spoiler free if you've read the first two books."], [0, "I'm not sure why I had this strong need to get back into the world of Shadowhunters but I did so I thought it was time I read City of Glass."], [0, 'Now, I freaking love The Infernal Devices series but The Mortal Instruments series has been a little on the down side for me.'], [0, "I don't really like any of the characters other then Luke and Magnus and I think that's why I'm not a massive fan of this series."], [0, 'But I some how have all the books and I do want to read them all.'], [0, 'The City of Glass has a great pace.'], [0, 'When it just starts to get a little boring, Clare throws a huge curveball.'], [0, 'They was three different things that happened that just blew me away.'], [0, 'I gasped like crazy.'], [0, "The writing, the concept, it's all great."], [0, "But I just don't like the characters."], [0, 'I really hate Simon.'], [0, "There's been so many things that's happened to him int he first two books that should have killed him but he somehow always sneaks his way back."], [0, "I find him annoying and stupid and I just can't stand him."], [0, 'He really should have died in book two.'], [0, "I don't even like Jace."], [0, "He's so controlling."], [0, "He makes decisions for Clary that she should make for herself and he treats her like she's stupid."], [0, "He tell Alec how Alec feels, like Alec doesn't know his own feelings."], [0, 'Clary makes so many bad decisions in City of Glass.'], [0, 'She never thinks anything though and she just trusts all the wrong people.'], [0, 'I feel like Isabelle should be more of an actual bad ass.'], [0, "Everyone in the books acts like she's some bad ass when she's not."], [0, 'She spends so much time pining over Simon.'], [0, "She's wears dresses when pants are so much more practical."], [0, 'I feel like she should quit being a twit and grow up.'], [0, 'And on a side note, new character Sebastian is creepy ass weirdo.'], [0, 'Now, all my feeling about the characters are just that.'], [0, 'My feelings.'], [0, 'I know a lot of people love these characters.'], [0, "But the reason I don't really like this series is because of the characters."]]

3777732

e908e8e741dc9e5bc8aa7661d0b6a67d

3.5 stars Spoiler free if you've read the first two books. I'm not sure why I had this strong need to get back into the world of Shadowhunters but I did so I thought it was time I read City of Glass. Now, I freaking love The Infernal Devices series but The Mortal Instruments series has been a little on the down side for me. I don't really like any of the characters other then Luke and Magnus and I think that's why I'm not a massive fan of this series. But I some how have all the books and I do want to read them all. The City of Glass has a great pace. When it just starts to get a little boring, Clare throws a huge curveball. They was three different things that happened that just blew me away. I gasped like crazy. The writing, the concept, it's all great. But I just don't like the characters. I really hate Simon. There's been so many things that's happened to him int he first two books that should have killed him but he somehow always sneaks his way back. I find him annoying and stupid and I just can't stand him. He really should have died in book two. I don't even like Jace. He's so controlling. He makes decisions for Clary that she should make for herself and he treats her like she's stupid. He tell Alec how Alec feels, like Alec doesn't know his own feelings. Clary makes so many bad decisions in City of Glass. She never thinks anything though and she just trusts all the wrong people. I feel like Isabelle should be more of an actual bad ass. Everyone in the books acts like she's some bad ass when she's not. She spends so much time pining over Simon. She's wears dresses when pants are so much more practical. I feel like she should quit being a twit and grow up. And on a side note, new character Sebastian is creepy ass weirdo. Now, all my feeling about the characters are just that. My feelings. I know a lot of people love these characters. But the reason I don't really like this series is because of the characters.

5f8ca8da98445f41c625874e04115773

2017-03-11

[[0, 'DNF at 15%'], [0, 'This book is dumb.'], [0, "It's idea is dumb; it's dialogue is dumb; its characters are dumb."], [0, "It doesn't matter whether or not you life video games."], [0, 'I don\'t, but I still enjoyed the TV show "Video Game High School".'], [0, 'There was nothing enjoyable about this.']]

16279856

e0ed19f7aa758137a1f20db623448630

DNF at 15% This book is dumb. It's idea is dumb; it's dialogue is dumb; its characters are dumb. It doesn't matter whether or not you life video games. I don't, but I still enjoyed the TV show "Video Game High School". There was nothing enjoyable about this.

8ab3bb5603d67e824b1c7cd441fa0b79

2013-09-30

[[0, "I don't know about everyone else, but I actually read this book after finishing Onyx."], [0, 'When I was reading Obsidian and Onyx, there was always mentioning of Dawson and Bethany and I really wanted to know more about them.'], [0, "Dawson's disappearance was the reason why Daemon was so against the idea of Katy and Dee being friends, and if you are like me, and haven't read Shadows, then his reaction is a bit extreme."], [0, "So it's really nice that I get to read a novella dedicated to Dawson and Bethany, and see where their relationship began and how it progressed."], [0, 'Dawson and Daemon are quite different, despite the fact that they are twins.'], [0, 'Dawson is really sweet, funny, and laid back while Daemon is more strict, serious, and ill tempered.'], [0, 'But they are both super charming, and Dawson is just as irresistible as Daemon!'], [0, 'I thought that because he was the nicer one, that he would be boring and lack that flare in Daemon that we all love but I was wrong.'], [0, 'Every moment that Dawson and Bethany were together made me really happy!!'], [0, 'They were just so darn cute!'], [0, 'And the relationship that they shared, how much they loved one another, is enough to leave anyone envious.'], [0, 'The love between Bethany and Dawson is beautiful, and very heart warming.'], [0, "I also really like Bethany's point of view as well."], [0, 'She is different from Katy, yet at the same time they are both really strong girls.'], [0, 'Bethany is really sweet, and I like how she handles herself around Dawson and the other Luxens.'], [0, "Obsidian and Onyx are written in a first person point of view- Katy's only, so we only get to see what she is thinking."], [0, 'I like that Shadows is written in third person omniscient, so there is a wider scope being covered which was brilliant.'], [0, 'Since this is a novella, the author has to give out a lot of information but has limited page space, so I thought it was a clever idea to take us into the mindsets of many characters.'], [0, 'I really enjoyed this novella, it was charming, sweet, funny, and at the same time creepy and dangerous.'], [0, "It's like we are given this amazing love story, side by side with this ticking time bomb...knowing that something bad is just waiting to happen."], [0, "It's really nerve wrecking!"], [0, "Especially if you are like me and you know how things are going to end, but you still hope that the turn of events won't go down that road."], [1, "I am starting Opal now, so I am glad in a way that I've read this novella before because I can compare how Dawson was before and how he is now."], [1, 'I think it will really provide insight on what happened to him, and how being captured really drained the life out of him as it did Bethany which by the way, is heartbreaking.'], [1, 'I really like Dawson and Bethany, and I sincerely hope that they will somehow rekindle.'], [0, "I felt like I devoured this book, and I had to pace myself-one chapter a day-so I don't neglect my other books."], [0, 'But wow, Jennifer L. Armentrout is such a talented writer, she knows how to bait readers with her amazing stories.'], [0, 'Got to go and dive into Opal, now hehe(;']]

13183957

2163a793feae835fded081186fad3930

I don't know about everyone else, but I actually read this book after finishing Onyx. When I was reading Obsidian and Onyx, there was always mentioning of Dawson and Bethany and I really wanted to know more about them. Dawson's disappearance was the reason why Daemon was so against the idea of Katy and Dee being friends, and if you are like me, and haven't read Shadows, then his reaction is a bit extreme. So it's really nice that I get to read a novella dedicated to Dawson and Bethany, and see where their relationship began and how it progressed. Dawson and Daemon are quite different, despite the fact that they are twins. Dawson is really sweet, funny, and laid back while Daemon is more strict, serious, and ill tempered. But they are both super charming, and Dawson is just as irresistible as Daemon! I thought that because he was the nicer one, that he would be boring and lack that flare in Daemon that we all love but I was wrong. Every moment that Dawson and Bethany were together made me really happy!! They were just so darn cute! And the relationship that they shared, how much they loved one another, is enough to leave anyone envious. The love between Bethany and Dawson is beautiful, and very heart warming. I also really like Bethany's point of view as well. She is different from Katy, yet at the same time they are both really strong girls. Bethany is really sweet, and I like how she handles herself around Dawson and the other Luxens. Obsidian and Onyx are written in a first person point of view- Katy's only, so we only get to see what she is thinking. I like that Shadows is written in third person omniscient, so there is a wider scope being covered which was brilliant. Since this is a novella, the author has to give out a lot of information but has limited page space, so I thought it was a clever idea to take us into the mindsets of many characters. I really enjoyed this novella, it was charming, sweet, funny, and at the same time creepy and dangerous. It's like we are given this amazing love story, side by side with this ticking time bomb...knowing that something bad is just waiting to happen. It's really nerve wrecking! Especially if you are like me and you know how things are going to end, but you still hope that the turn of events won't go down that road. I am starting Opal now, so I am glad in a way that I've read this novella before because I can compare how Dawson was before and how he is now. I think it will really provide insight on what happened to him, and how being captured really drained the life out of him as it did Bethany which by the way, is heartbreaking. I really like Dawson and Bethany, and I sincerely hope that they will somehow rekindle. I felt like I devoured this book, and I had to pace myself-one chapter a day-so I don't neglect my other books. But wow, Jennifer L. Armentrout is such a talented writer, she knows how to bait readers with her amazing stories. Got to go and dive into Opal, now hehe(;

4164037c103f03af8b2c2b44dab56686

2012-05-30

[[0, 'There is a lot of brooding, teenage angst and red tulips here.'], [0, '(SO many, in fact, that I believe I have developed an allergy to red tulips...!)'], [0, "There's also a plot that makes no sense."], [1, "Sure, Ever's tendency to do the wrong thing is actually part of the plotline - but what about the on again/off again no-touch-policy?"], [1, 'It seems to me that the author forgets about it every now & then.'], [1, 'Not the ONLY inconsistency by far - but one of the more obvious ones.'], [0, "Honestly: if I wasn't too stubborn for my own good (and in the middle of a move, thus pretty much book-less except for this series) I would probably not bother to finish it."], [0, "It's quite lousy."]]

7739934

abe208d944377b8223e3962ba8804525

There is a lot of brooding, teenage angst and red tulips here. (SO many, in fact, that I believe I have developed an allergy to red tulips...!) There's also a plot that makes no sense. Sure, Ever's tendency to do the wrong thing is actually part of the plotline - but what about the on again/off again no-touch-policy? It seems to me that the author forgets about it every now & then. Not the ONLY inconsistency by far - but one of the more obvious ones. Honestly: if I wasn't too stubborn for my own good (and in the middle of a move, thus pretty much book-less except for this series) I would probably not bother to finish it. It's quite lousy.

53a47ada249517b90794804df14d429e

2015-06-27

[[0, 'Very intriguing series.'], [0, 'What I enjoyed:'], [0, '* Josie she is soft but strong and very loyal'], [0, "* The brothers - I'm looking forward to getting to know them all better."], [0, "They've survived hell and have more to get through before hopefully getting a happy ending."], [0, '* The plot.'], [0, 'I definitely want to learn more and hopefully see the bad guys go down hard.'], [0, 'What could have been better:'], [1, '* I was surprised Josie would have sex in her office after all her talk about loving her job and wanting to get the promotion.'], [1, '* The whole Tom and Daniel thing came out of nowhere.'], [1, 'Poor Josie had people against her all over the place.']]

17976359

a7f3c6038d75a2d44d2c15f5ad08f18f

Very intriguing series. What I enjoyed: * Josie she is soft but strong and very loyal * The brothers - I'm looking forward to getting to know them all better. They've survived hell and have more to get through before hopefully getting a happy ending. * The plot. I definitely want to learn more and hopefully see the bad guys go down hard. What could have been better: * I was surprised Josie would have sex in her office after all her talk about loving her job and wanting to get the promotion. * The whole Tom and Daniel thing came out of nowhere. Poor Josie had people against her all over the place.

018fb46979eaef202859956d5ccb905b

2015-02-08

[[0, 'Prairie Fire is a powerful end to the story begun in the Story of Owen.'], [0, 'The scope is wider as Owen and Siobhan join the Oil Watch and learn about the politics of dragon slaying.'], [0, 'New characters are introduced as Siobhan works to find her place with her injured hands.'], [0, "I'm not going to say more about the plot since it should be approached unspoiled."], [0, 'A beautiful and hard book with violence and fire, a great read for a lover of fantasy and alternate history.'], [0, 'I got my copy from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2015.']]

17928170

50e6fa766d655ffdb4776b5ee855a734

Prairie Fire is a powerful end to the story begun in the Story of Owen. The scope is wider as Owen and Siobhan join the Oil Watch and learn about the politics of dragon slaying. New characters are introduced as Siobhan works to find her place with her injured hands. I'm not going to say more about the plot since it should be approached unspoiled. A beautiful and hard book with violence and fire, a great read for a lover of fantasy and alternate history. I got my copy from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2015.

4067184200f3f78ed31283724f2d989b

2013-02-26

[[0, 'Well that sure was a pleasant surprise.'], [0, "I've had this on my tbr list for ages and just kept letting it stay there, up until recently."], [0, "The past few weeks all I've heard in the book world is Rush this, and Rush that.. which made me thinking 'huh, who is this Rush?'"], [0, 'Well, I sure as hell was about to find out!'], [0, "So, in answer to my 'who is Rush?'"], [0, 'question, here he is..'], [0, '[image error]'], [0, '*Sigh* Rush Finlay was all sorts of perfect male.'], [0, "He's hot, popular, rich and an asshole."], [0, "Who wouldn't fall for him, right?"], [0, "Rush is the step-sister of Blaire (we'll get to her in a minute), a girl up until recently he had absolutely no desire to meet, let alone know."], [0, 'One night during one of his infamous house parties, she shows up needing somewhere to live, having lost everything in her life that she once knew.'], [0, 'Blaire is nothing like Rush could ever have expected, everything he wants, and everything he knows he will never be able to have.'], [0, 'How long will he be able to deny his feelings?'], [0, '"Blaire, I\'m not a romantic guy.'], [0, "I don't kiss and cuddle."], [0, "It's all about the sex for me."], [0, 'You deserve someone who kisses and cuddles.'], [0, 'Not me.'], [0, 'I just fuck, baby."'], [0, "Blaire Wynn has lost everything and everyone in her life she's ever known."], [0, "Having to move in with a father she hasn't seen in 5 years was never part of her life plan, but when does life ever go the way you want it to?"], [0, 'Never.'], [0, 'Blaire plans to stay at the house for as little a time as possible, get herself a job and an apartment and be gone.'], [0, "She doesn't need anybody, she learnt that a long time ago."], [0, "Turning up at her fathers house to learn he isn't there was just the icing on the cake."], [0, "Making her way through the house she is literally stopped in her tracks when she comes face to face with Rush.. she can't fall for him, she won't allow herself to."], [0, '"I\'m from Alabama.'], [0, 'I own boots, tight jeans and a gun."'], [0, 'Ha!'], [0, 'I just loved these characters, their interactions, their slow build up of relationship and even the way he was such an ass to her.'], [0, "I loved seeing them both fight their feelings and try to put it out of their mind, but of course it wasn't that easy."], [0, "I nearly cheered when they finally gave in to each other, but it's never going to be that easy is it?"], [0, "Because Rush is hiding a secret, a secret that has the potential to tear Blaire's heart in two."], [0, "Will he be able to tell her before it's too late, or will someone come along and ruin it all for him?"], [0, '[image error]'], [0, '"Everyone always says that love was enough.'], [0, "It wasn't."], [0, 'Not when your soul has been shattered."']]

16070903

e968ed1fd2426ce9ac1d796ae73d7ed8

Well that sure was a pleasant surprise. I've had this on my tbr list for ages and just kept letting it stay there, up until recently. The past few weeks all I've heard in the book world is Rush this, and Rush that.. which made me thinking 'huh, who is this Rush?' Well, I sure as hell was about to find out! So, in answer to my 'who is Rush?' question, here he is.. [image error] *Sigh* Rush Finlay was all sorts of perfect male. He's hot, popular, rich and an asshole. Who wouldn't fall for him, right? Rush is the step-sister of Blaire (we'll get to her in a minute), a girl up until recently he had absolutely no desire to meet, let alone know. One night during one of his infamous house parties, she shows up needing somewhere to live, having lost everything in her life that she once knew. Blaire is nothing like Rush could ever have expected, everything he wants, and everything he knows he will never be able to have. How long will he be able to deny his feelings? "Blaire, I'm not a romantic guy. I don't kiss and cuddle. It's all about the sex for me. You deserve someone who kisses and cuddles. Not me. I just fuck, baby." Blaire Wynn has lost everything and everyone in her life she's ever known. Having to move in with a father she hasn't seen in 5 years was never part of her life plan, but when does life ever go the way you want it to? Never. Blaire plans to stay at the house for as little a time as possible, get herself a job and an apartment and be gone. She doesn't need anybody, she learnt that a long time ago. Turning up at her fathers house to learn he isn't there was just the icing on the cake. Making her way through the house she is literally stopped in her tracks when she comes face to face with Rush.. she can't fall for him, she won't allow herself to. "I'm from Alabama. I own boots, tight jeans and a gun." Ha! I just loved these characters, their interactions, their slow build up of relationship and even the way he was such an ass to her. I loved seeing them both fight their feelings and try to put it out of their mind, but of course it wasn't that easy. I nearly cheered when they finally gave in to each other, but it's never going to be that easy is it? Because Rush is hiding a secret, a secret that has the potential to tear Blaire's heart in two. Will he be able to tell her before it's too late, or will someone come along and ruin it all for him? [image error] "Everyone always says that love was enough. It wasn't. Not when your soul has been shattered."

80dfb182687414f66219a89c41c056a9

2010-12-20

[[0, "This was a library borrow so I didn't have time to finish it but what I did read was pretty good."], [0, 'There were some "testimonies" I skipped over because I was more interested in hearing about the zombies than the military operations but that\'s just me.'], [0, 'I found the testimonies of families and neighbors to be more interesting than those of the military observants.'], [0, "Again, that's just me."], [0, 'Will probably try to complete at a later date and time.'], [0, 'Maybe.']]

8908

e656c6ec6ed16908f622e19443481c9c

This was a library borrow so I didn't have time to finish it but what I did read was pretty good. There were some "testimonies" I skipped over because I was more interested in hearing about the zombies than the military operations but that's just me. I found the testimonies of families and neighbors to be more interesting than those of the military observants. Again, that's just me. Will probably try to complete at a later date and time. Maybe.

888d87849118df8f8dd7d4d90b07aaa5

2014-07-25

[[1, 'If only I hadn\'t watched the movie "Devil" before reading this book I would have never seen that ending coming.'], [1, 'Alas...']]

16299

daf6f30a48a60faefa2e6f60a4c400b7

If only I hadn't watched the movie "Devil" before reading this book I would have never seen that ending coming. Alas...

f3322f9286ec65f3ec9e7721258ad0e4

2013-11-16

[[0, 'Let me just say the illustrations in this book is outstanding.'], [0, 'It gave so much to this story to be able to visualize that characters which I thought were fantastic'], [0, "Reading the synopsis of this book I wasn't sure what to expect but got such a great story and I loved the characters."], [0, 'The story follows a girl with no name who just so happens to not remember who she is or were she came from finding herself in a magical world she knows just isn\'t "normal".'], [0, "She meets a young girl about her age named Eloryn and they start out on an adventure that takes them down a road with lots of secrets and they find out something about themselves that they couldn't possibly imagine."], [0, 'The characters in this book are very well described and you do care about them.'], [0, 'At times I thought they were rather mean to each other and I think they all had self esteem issues but with such burdens on their shoulders I guess I can see why they would think they could fail (if they did or not I wont tell) I was actually quite fond of Memory I really liked her character she had a great sense of humor.'], [0, 'She seemed genuine having no memory of her life before she fell through the veil into the realm of Avall.'], [0, 'I really felt bad for her at times she was like an outcast and everyone else was a little nervous around her.'], [0, 'Eloryn was ok I thought she was rather indecisive and it took me a while to realize how much she cared about Memory.'], [0, 'I really liked her chemistry with Roen.'], [0, 'They seem rather good together if they would just admit then liked each other.'], [0, "Then there is Will, I am very fond of him, something about a shirtless man in fur kinda sounds really hot and the illustrations of him are rather nice to look at ;) King Thayl was the villain in this story is not a friendly person (that's because he was a villain) and is a great character I actually wanted more of him throughout the book."], [0, 'The over all story was great it was told in the 4 characters POV.'], [0, "I enjoyed reading from all the characters POV but at times it got a little confusing as to who's POV we were in."], [0, "I haven't read a story like this before so I have nothing to compare it with to give a hint of what it was like, it had a lot of twists and turns, just when I thought I figured it out, I realized I had no idea what was going on (in a good way) which made the story not very predictable."], [0, 'I did want a little more world build or layout description.'], [0, 'I felt that most of the questions were answered at least the most important stuff.'], [0, 'The end was great, so much action and so much info to the story is given it is really done very well.'], [0, "I really can't wait for the next one."], [0, "I gave Memory's Wake by Selina French 4 of 5 stars."], [0, 'I think this is a great Young Adult Fantasy for young and old.'], [0, 'A strong story with a cast of wonderful characters, you will simply fall in love with.'], [0, 'The illustrations in the book really bring a lot to the story and they are gorgeous!'], [0, 'My favorite is the last illustration in the book.'], [0, "I must have stared at it a dozen times, it's absolutely amazing."], [0, 'I strongly recommend this book, it is a great read and going to be a fantastic series!'], [0, 'More reviews at Because reading is better than real life']]

12035671

45cfd31f57e32552162b1f050df13445

Let me just say the illustrations in this book is outstanding. It gave so much to this story to be able to visualize that characters which I thought were fantastic Reading the synopsis of this book I wasn't sure what to expect but got such a great story and I loved the characters. The story follows a girl with no name who just so happens to not remember who she is or were she came from finding herself in a magical world she knows just isn't "normal". She meets a young girl about her age named Eloryn and they start out on an adventure that takes them down a road with lots of secrets and they find out something about themselves that they couldn't possibly imagine. The characters in this book are very well described and you do care about them. At times I thought they were rather mean to each other and I think they all had self esteem issues but with such burdens on their shoulders I guess I can see why they would think they could fail (if they did or not I wont tell) I was actually quite fond of Memory I really liked her character she had a great sense of humor. She seemed genuine having no memory of her life before she fell through the veil into the realm of Avall. I really felt bad for her at times she was like an outcast and everyone else was a little nervous around her. Eloryn was ok I thought she was rather indecisive and it took me a while to realize how much she cared about Memory. I really liked her chemistry with Roen. They seem rather good together if they would just admit then liked each other. Then there is Will, I am very fond of him, something about a shirtless man in fur kinda sounds really hot and the illustrations of him are rather nice to look at ;) King Thayl was the villain in this story is not a friendly person (that's because he was a villain) and is a great character I actually wanted more of him throughout the book. The over all story was great it was told in the 4 characters POV. I enjoyed reading from all the characters POV but at times it got a little confusing as to who's POV we were in. I haven't read a story like this before so I have nothing to compare it with to give a hint of what it was like, it had a lot of twists and turns, just when I thought I figured it out, I realized I had no idea what was going on (in a good way) which made the story not very predictable. I did want a little more world build or layout description. I felt that most of the questions were answered at least the most important stuff. The end was great, so much action and so much info to the story is given it is really done very well. I really can't wait for the next one. I gave Memory's Wake by Selina French 4 of 5 stars. I think this is a great Young Adult Fantasy for young and old. A strong story with a cast of wonderful characters, you will simply fall in love with. The illustrations in the book really bring a lot to the story and they are gorgeous! My favorite is the last illustration in the book. I must have stared at it a dozen times, it's absolutely amazing. I strongly recommend this book, it is a great read and going to be a fantastic series! More reviews at Because reading is better than real life

335a0e12ed4ca2539baf96dce55148b9

2013-12-15

[[0, 'Meh.'], [0, 'I like the idea of this book much more than I enjoyed reading it.'], [0, 'The Circle is a modern take on a 1984-type dystopia fed by our lust for information (even when some things should not be known) and propensity for over-sharing, fueled by emerging technologies.'], [0, 'Through satire, Eggers illustrates the silliness, sometimes insanity, of our social media obsessions.'], [0, 'I love a good speculative fiction, but some of the story is too exaggerated for my taste.'], [0, 'In the end, his message - a warning, if you will - is (maybe inelegantly) blatant.']]

18302455

76e7fd0b20e2141379a1620e3575fa6b

Meh. I like the idea of this book much more than I enjoyed reading it. The Circle is a modern take on a 1984-type dystopia fed by our lust for information (even when some things should not be known) and propensity for over-sharing, fueled by emerging technologies. Through satire, Eggers illustrates the silliness, sometimes insanity, of our social media obsessions. I love a good speculative fiction, but some of the story is too exaggerated for my taste. In the end, his message - a warning, if you will - is (maybe inelegantly) blatant.

5575b4134bfb19926726616daf53bb19

2014-10-31

[[0, 'I have one thing to say about this book:'], [1, 'ACCIDENTAL BACCHANAL MURDER.'], [0, 'Ugh.']]

29044

c36afb1618e2ec0a966855099d712970

I have one thing to say about this book: ACCIDENTAL BACCHANAL MURDER. Ugh.

dad0d3c7a8100bfb0b74c5d1d195ef6d

2016-06-26

[[0, '*brb.'], [0, 'Ugly crying*'], [0, "After escaping from the Republic's stronghold of Los Angeles, June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place."], [0, 'With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the pair joins a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and who offer them passage to the Colonies.'], [0, 'The Patriots have only one request--June and day must assassinate the new Elector.'], [0, "It's the chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long."], [0, "But as June realizes this elector is nothing like his father, she's haunted by the choice ahead."], [0, 'What if Anden is a new beginning?'], [0, 'What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood?'], [0, 'What if the Patriots are wrong?'], [0, '4.5 stars!'], [0, 'DAY!!!!'], [0, 'JUNE!!!'], [0, 'AHHHH!!'], [0, 'This book was an intense installment!'], [0, 'But, it will make you feel all the feels!'], [0, '*Just a quick warning.'], [0, 'It truly does pull at all your heart strings*'], [0, 'Anyway, this book was, as I mentioned, intense.'], [0, 'June and Day, who had been getting so close (and becoming a totally shippable OTP for this book.'], [0, 'Seriously, Day and June everyone!'], [0, 'Get with the program!)'], [0, 'end up in the arms of the Patriots who agree to help only if June and Day go along with their plan.'], [0, 'They both agree and then are separated (NO!!!!'], [0, 'Now, seeing my little speech/spiel up there, you might ask, why only 4.5 stars?'], [0, "Well, to be honest, it's because of Day."], [0, "Don't get me wrong, I love his character and I think he's an awesome hero, but this book, I felt like he was a little bit of an ass."], [1, 'He got so mad at June when she was trying to explain her way of thinking in saving Anden and deviating from the plan.'], [0, 'Although, I can sort of understand his thinking--why would he have reason to doubt Razor and the Patriots?'], [1, "But then again, didn't he think it was weird that there were times when everything June and Anden did had audio/visual, but at certain points (usually times when Anden was talking with June about something that would poke holes in Razor's orders) there was visual but no audio?"], [0, 'I mean, he asked her, and then he gets mad because how could her thoughts change and how could she be right?'], [0, 'That was a frustration.'], [0, 'Plus, the whole storyline with Tess felt a little...unneeded.'], [0, 'In the last book, they were fine because they were just friends.'], [0, 'But when she showed up here, it was clear that she was harboring feelings for Day.'], [0, "And then she's getting jealous of June just because June was a former member of the Republic's forces (and also Baxter but still...) So yeah, I was frustrated with Day this time which dropped my rating just a little bit."], [0, 'But that ending!!'], [0, 'WHY?'], [0, 'AHHH!!!'], [0, 'Must read Champion ASAP!']]

13414446

44ee54dbe45141b21b0a4e3c628455bd

*brb. Ugly crying* After escaping from the Republic's stronghold of Los Angeles, June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the pair joins a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and who offer them passage to the Colonies. The Patriots have only one request--June and day must assassinate the new Elector. It's the chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. But as June realizes this elector is nothing like his father, she's haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood? What if the Patriots are wrong? 4.5 stars! DAY!!!! JUNE!!! AHHHH!! This book was an intense installment! But, it will make you feel all the feels! *Just a quick warning. It truly does pull at all your heart strings* Anyway, this book was, as I mentioned, intense. June and Day, who had been getting so close (and becoming a totally shippable OTP for this book. Seriously, Day and June everyone! Get with the program!) end up in the arms of the Patriots who agree to help only if June and Day go along with their plan. They both agree and then are separated (NO!!!! Now, seeing my little speech/spiel up there, you might ask, why only 4.5 stars? Well, to be honest, it's because of Day. Don't get me wrong, I love his character and I think he's an awesome hero, but this book, I felt like he was a little bit of an ass. He got so mad at June when she was trying to explain her way of thinking in saving Anden and deviating from the plan. Although, I can sort of understand his thinking--why would he have reason to doubt Razor and the Patriots? But then again, didn't he think it was weird that there were times when everything June and Anden did had audio/visual, but at certain points (usually times when Anden was talking with June about something that would poke holes in Razor's orders) there was visual but no audio? I mean, he asked her, and then he gets mad because how could her thoughts change and how could she be right? That was a frustration. Plus, the whole storyline with Tess felt a little...unneeded. In the last book, they were fine because they were just friends. But when she showed up here, it was clear that she was harboring feelings for Day. And then she's getting jealous of June just because June was a former member of the Republic's forces (and also Baxter but still...) So yeah, I was frustrated with Day this time which dropped my rating just a little bit. But that ending!! WHY? AHHH!!! Must read Champion ASAP!

060eaeef3b7c78950842152786b7c62b

2015-11-12

[[0, 'I was attracted to The Body Electric because altered memories is one of my favorite tropes.'], [0, 'One of my longest running (and favorite) WIPs is about a future society with ever increasing mind control and a protagonist with hidden memories.'], [0, 'This book was sort of homework for me in a way, because I really wanted to see how the lost memories were handled.'], [0, 'It was also my first Beth Revis story, though I know she is pretty well known in the YA world for her Across the Universe series.'], [0, 'There was so much to enjoy in The Body Electric.'], [0, 'Right off the bat, we are introduced to a unique setting: a rebuilt Malta.'], [0, "I loved that the book didn't take place in a dystopic North America, and that Revis put a lot of thought into her universe."], [0, 'The integrated technologies were just that -- nothing stood out starkly against the story or felt hokey.'], [0, "Even the disease that Ella's mother suffered from felt absolutely real and a terrifying result of biohacking!"], [0, 'I have to say that the world was the part I enjoyed most about the story -- I could absolutely picture everything happening around Ella.'], [0, 'I was a little unsure about the reverie machines at first though.'], [0, "That aspect was a bit confusing to me, in how they really worked and why Ella could go inside another person's reverie."], [0, 'However, the scenes depicted inside the memories reminded me of Inception in an absolutely fabulous way.'], [0, "I was very impressed by how it was handled, and we could see parts of people's memories crumbling away as Ella played in their minds."], [0, 'I loved it!'], [0, 'The main drive of this book occurs after Ella meets Jack Tyler, a young man who claims she knew him well that Ella has no memory of.'], [0, "After this point, the story moves super fast, and there's chase scenes, terrorist attacks and some intense hiding out."], [0, 'It was paced as well as any action movie, and though it felt a little predictable, I still enjoyed the ride.'], [0, 'If I could extend one critique though, it would be the lukewarm romance.'], [0, 'Jack Tyler felt like a pretty flat character.'], [0, "I couldn't really tell you much about him now, other than he's smart and fills Ella in on a lot of exposition."], [0, "That's another risk you run with memory loss stories, and he did feel like the platform to which provide Ella answers."], [0, "And, I can't help but be annoyed by his name."], [0, "Jack Tyler reminds me of Rose Tyler and she's not on the top of my favorite companions list."], [0, "In regards to that, Jack's name was no accident."], [0, "I read Revis's note at the end of the novel, and she pointed out a lot of the Easter eggs in her story."], [0, 'I thought this was pretty cool, and while some of them flew right over my head, it is fun to find them.'], [0, "If you've read a lot of classic Sci-Fi, I am confident you'll pick up on a lot!"], [0, 'Overall, this was a really excellent Sci-Fi YA read!'], [0, 'The book was pretty hard to put down, and our main character Ella has a lot of drive and great qualities that make you root for her.'], [0, 'There was a certain amount of predictability, but also some surprises that will impress.']]

22642971

da60618ae4a99d0360c8a17f8f2c3954

I was attracted to The Body Electric because altered memories is one of my favorite tropes. One of my longest running (and favorite) WIPs is about a future society with ever increasing mind control and a protagonist with hidden memories. This book was sort of homework for me in a way, because I really wanted to see how the lost memories were handled. It was also my first Beth Revis story, though I know she is pretty well known in the YA world for her Across the Universe series. There was so much to enjoy in The Body Electric. Right off the bat, we are introduced to a unique setting: a rebuilt Malta. I loved that the book didn't take place in a dystopic North America, and that Revis put a lot of thought into her universe. The integrated technologies were just that -- nothing stood out starkly against the story or felt hokey. Even the disease that Ella's mother suffered from felt absolutely real and a terrifying result of biohacking! I have to say that the world was the part I enjoyed most about the story -- I could absolutely picture everything happening around Ella. I was a little unsure about the reverie machines at first though. That aspect was a bit confusing to me, in how they really worked and why Ella could go inside another person's reverie. However, the scenes depicted inside the memories reminded me of Inception in an absolutely fabulous way. I was very impressed by how it was handled, and we could see parts of people's memories crumbling away as Ella played in their minds. I loved it! The main drive of this book occurs after Ella meets Jack Tyler, a young man who claims she knew him well that Ella has no memory of. After this point, the story moves super fast, and there's chase scenes, terrorist attacks and some intense hiding out. It was paced as well as any action movie, and though it felt a little predictable, I still enjoyed the ride. If I could extend one critique though, it would be the lukewarm romance. Jack Tyler felt like a pretty flat character. I couldn't really tell you much about him now, other than he's smart and fills Ella in on a lot of exposition. That's another risk you run with memory loss stories, and he did feel like the platform to which provide Ella answers. And, I can't help but be annoyed by his name. Jack Tyler reminds me of Rose Tyler and she's not on the top of my favorite companions list. In regards to that, Jack's name was no accident. I read Revis's note at the end of the novel, and she pointed out a lot of the Easter eggs in her story. I thought this was pretty cool, and while some of them flew right over my head, it is fun to find them. If you've read a lot of classic Sci-Fi, I am confident you'll pick up on a lot! Overall, this was a really excellent Sci-Fi YA read! The book was pretty hard to put down, and our main character Ella has a lot of drive and great qualities that make you root for her. There was a certain amount of predictability, but also some surprises that will impress.

96137289a1b064eba0bbc7bdbfab703d

2013-06-12

[[0, "I picked up and finished reading this book a couple of days ago and already I'm starting to forget things about it."], [0, 'Like, say, the name of the MC and her "one true love".'], [0, "I've got one (two, really) word for you: insta-love!"], [0, 'And, when I say insta-love, I really mean super-duper-uber insta-love.'], [0, "The kind where they've known each other for a week and already talking about love."], [0, "No, wait..the kind where they've known each other for 3-4 days and already he's telling her of his horrible, heartbreaking nightmares in which he loses her forever."], [0, 'GASP!'], [0, "Didn't think I was going to finish it, initially."], [0, 'I actually shelved it as DNF only to go back and finish it.'], [0, "Don't ask me why, though."], [0, "Also, don't get me wrong."], [0, "It's not a bad book, per se."], [0, 'The premise is somewhat original and interesting, the reason I decided to read it in the first place.'], [0, "If you can get past the insipid romance, it's fairly decent book."], [0, 'And frustrating.'], [0, 'Very, very frustrating.'], [0, "The MC is a semi-immortal descendant of Greek gods who's lived for 80 something years... and she has the chronological, emotional and intellectual maturity of a bent spoon."], [0, "Moreover, it's filled with silly mistakes and TSTL moments and nonsensical choices that are only there with the sole purpose of moving the plot forward."], [0, 'Oh well.']]

13284052

e5131405a6fb1b94e44b97a18071497a

I picked up and finished reading this book a couple of days ago and already I'm starting to forget things about it. Like, say, the name of the MC and her "one true love". I've got one (two, really) word for you: insta-love! And, when I say insta-love, I really mean super-duper-uber insta-love. The kind where they've known each other for a week and already talking about love. No, wait..the kind where they've known each other for 3-4 days and already he's telling her of his horrible, heartbreaking nightmares in which he loses her forever. GASP! Didn't think I was going to finish it, initially. I actually shelved it as DNF only to go back and finish it. Don't ask me why, though. Also, don't get me wrong. It's not a bad book, per se. The premise is somewhat original and interesting, the reason I decided to read it in the first place. If you can get past the insipid romance, it's fairly decent book. And frustrating. Very, very frustrating. The MC is a semi-immortal descendant of Greek gods who's lived for 80 something years... and she has the chronological, emotional and intellectual maturity of a bent spoon. Moreover, it's filled with silly mistakes and TSTL moments and nonsensical choices that are only there with the sole purpose of moving the plot forward. Oh well.

0ce8f21524e7485990d0b1851c863fe0

2013-07-21

[[0, "This may be a rather snobbish review, as I'm a World War II historian."], [0, 'I was excited to read this book, as it had gotten a lot of good buzz.'], [0, 'I was quite disappointed.'], [0, "Here's why:"], [0, 'Methodology.'], [0, 'My biggest problem.'], [0, "Larson uses both memoirs and diaries a lot, but he usually doesn't make clear whether he's quoting from someone's diary or memoir, often written long after the fact."], [0, "For example, he quotes Hans Giseveius's memoir a lot--which was written in 1947."], [0, "It's hard for me to believe that Giseveius would perfectly remember Hitler's outfits on specific days, as Larson quotes Giseveius as writing."], [0, 'At the very least, Larson needed to include an explanation of the problems of using memoirs written more than a decade later, or he should have used memoirs more sparsely and relied more on diaries.'], [0, 'Foreshadowing.'], [0, 'Larson likes to melodramatically foreshadow what would happen.'], [0, "That's not necessary, and he overdramatizes what actually ends up happening."], [0, "The book is already suspenseful; no need for the author's voice to add melodrama."], [0, "The characters' transformation is not done well."], [1, 'I finished the book being very confused as to whether Martha had been a USSR spy or not.'], [1, 'Larson did not explain the relationship between Martha and Boris well.'], [0, 'Which brings me to...'], [0, 'Overreliance on quotes.'], [0, 'There are sooooo many quotes in this book.'], [0, 'In some cases, Larson should have cut back on direct quotes and analyzed or paraphrased more.'], [0, "Some quotes are great and add to the book, but in some cases, as with Martha and Boris's relationship, I would have liked more analysis than quoting letters that just left me confused."], [0, "I did finish the book, and I stayed interested in the characters' fates."], [0, 'But I had expected better from a book that had gotten so much public acclaim.'], [0, 'Instead of this book, I would recommend William Shirer\'s "Berlin Diary," which was written while Shirer was in Berlin was 1934-1941 and is a much more interesting and well done view into the life of an American in Berlin during this period.']]

9938498

25ffe965b85c8603a4814aaf2c6383c6

This may be a rather snobbish review, as I'm a World War II historian. I was excited to read this book, as it had gotten a lot of good buzz. I was quite disappointed. Here's why: Methodology. My biggest problem. Larson uses both memoirs and diaries a lot, but he usually doesn't make clear whether he's quoting from someone's diary or memoir, often written long after the fact. For example, he quotes Hans Giseveius's memoir a lot--which was written in 1947. It's hard for me to believe that Giseveius would perfectly remember Hitler's outfits on specific days, as Larson quotes Giseveius as writing. At the very least, Larson needed to include an explanation of the problems of using memoirs written more than a decade later, or he should have used memoirs more sparsely and relied more on diaries. Foreshadowing. Larson likes to melodramatically foreshadow what would happen. That's not necessary, and he overdramatizes what actually ends up happening. The book is already suspenseful; no need for the author's voice to add melodrama. The characters' transformation is not done well. I finished the book being very confused as to whether Martha had been a USSR spy or not. Larson did not explain the relationship between Martha and Boris well. Which brings me to... Overreliance on quotes. There are sooooo many quotes in this book. In some cases, Larson should have cut back on direct quotes and analyzed or paraphrased more. Some quotes are great and add to the book, but in some cases, as with Martha and Boris's relationship, I would have liked more analysis than quoting letters that just left me confused. I did finish the book, and I stayed interested in the characters' fates. But I had expected better from a book that had gotten so much public acclaim. Instead of this book, I would recommend William Shirer's "Berlin Diary," which was written while Shirer was in Berlin was 1934-1941 and is a much more interesting and well done view into the life of an American in Berlin during this period.

f8d7530c4a07b7866e88902e22822da7

2014-12-18

[[0, "This wasn't bad, per se, but not quite my cup of tea."], [0, 'Started out very slow, picked up around the middle, but then rushed the ending.']]

50398

ebed05e683c04c239475708d3c3d70b4

This wasn't bad, per se, but not quite my cup of tea. Started out very slow, picked up around the middle, but then rushed the ending.

efad5154493244763c0850ca7672dc0a

2012-12-25

[[0, 'Just beautiful.'], [0, 'This book was exactly what a fantasy book should be.'], [0, 'There is nothing more I can say.']]

8490112

6f35433a30bfb09c725fcc539c0ce682

Just beautiful. This book was exactly what a fantasy book should be. There is nothing more I can say.

5e2b66699819825a5779ebd11a374bba

2012-02-20

[[0, 'Brenna Shane Kincaid was abducted by a psionicly powerful psychopath.'], [0, 'She was damaged both inside and out, the physical damage is taking less time to heal than the psychological damage.'], [0, "Judd Lauren is another damaged soul, he's been told that losing control could kill other people, and it did, once accidentally."], [0, 'He has killed again and he really tries not to feel, there are feedback loops set up in his mind that will kill him if he becomes too emotional.'], [0, 'He has being helping Brenna heal and he is starting to care for her, too much.'], [0, "There's someone who is trying to kill them, someone who appears to be inside their very sanctuary."], [0, 'There are also complicated plots to try to get the shifters infighting and someone has plans with impants and the psy.'], [0, "I liked the relationship between Brenna and Judd, they accepted that things weren't going to be easy, they had moments of terror and Brenna's trauma wasn't just dismissed easily, and you know at the end that there will still be aftermath."], [0, "It wasn't an easy romance, but it was interesting."]]

458034

27b39e328d893fa6e383bb50b33e6e82

Brenna Shane Kincaid was abducted by a psionicly powerful psychopath. She was damaged both inside and out, the physical damage is taking less time to heal than the psychological damage. Judd Lauren is another damaged soul, he's been told that losing control could kill other people, and it did, once accidentally. He has killed again and he really tries not to feel, there are feedback loops set up in his mind that will kill him if he becomes too emotional. He has being helping Brenna heal and he is starting to care for her, too much. There's someone who is trying to kill them, someone who appears to be inside their very sanctuary. There are also complicated plots to try to get the shifters infighting and someone has plans with impants and the psy. I liked the relationship between Brenna and Judd, they accepted that things weren't going to be easy, they had moments of terror and Brenna's trauma wasn't just dismissed easily, and you know at the end that there will still be aftermath. It wasn't an easy romance, but it was interesting.

23ce4650499cf70c9bdad56fcf52762b

2014-03-27

[[0, 'Where to begin?'], [0, 'I feel like I am demoralizing it, just by writing this review.'], [0, 'For me, Harry Potter is the best thing to come out of fiction - no literature since time began.'], [0, 'No Exaggeration!'], [0, 'J.K.'], [0, 'Rowling managed to weave an intricate picture of beauty, of magic and friendship, and love all while delivering the message.'], [0, 'Good always prevails over evil.'], [0, 'This series shaped my whole childhood.'], [0, "From the very first page, I was sucked into Harry's world."], [0, 'Where I went to Hogwarts and had holiday feasts in the Great Hall.'], [0, 'I played Quidditch next to Harry and looked at my deepest desires in the Mirror of Erised.'], [0, "I beat giant magic chessmen, flying keys, murderous plants and possibly poisoned potions to stop an evil, possessed teacher from obtaining the Philosopher's Stone."], [0, 'And as each book release loomed ever closer.'], [0, 'I stayed awake at night, buzzing with further excitement when the moment came.'], [0, 'My brother would step in the door, he would smile at me and hand the book to me.'], [0, "I'd take it in my hands, hold it fervently, feeling the softness, the beauty that is Harry Potter."], [0, "ANd then I'd stay awake long into the night, being transported to Harry's amazing world once more."], [0, 'J.K Rowling has done something many authors fail to do.'], [0, 'She has made me care deeply for each and every one of her characters.'], [0, 'She made me hate Umbridge more than Voldemort, and she made me cry for Snape, when his true self was revealed.'], [0, 'The true self that we should have known all along.'], [0, 'She managed to make me care deeply for the animals.'], [0, 'All the magical creatures that she weaved into the pages.'], [0, 'The goblins, the house elves.'], [1, 'I cried for days when Dobby died.'], [0, "I just don't know how to put into words how much this series means to me."], [0, 'It shaped my whole childhood, my whole life.'], [0, 'And it made me a better person.'], [0, "Harry Potter inspired me that it's okay to be different."], [0, 'It taught me the true value of friendship and family in times of strife and grief.'], [0, "It taught me that there's no good and evil."], [0, 'And that everyone has reasons for being where they are.'], [0, 'It also inspired me to write myself.'], [0, 'To think that maybe I could do this.'], [0, 'I could write a world such as the beauty is as Harry Potter.'], [0, "And though no book could ever compare, I will always have that thought, that desire to succeedHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."], [0, 'to not give in and to chase my dreams.'], [0, 'I literally have nothing bad to say about this series.'], [0, 'It is and always will be the best classic to come out of the twentieth and twenty first century.'], [0, "And I know for centuries to come, children will be gathering around the books, excited to follow Harry's story."]]

3

23cf6dc7356ba8e11f1ab4487fab45f8

Where to begin? I feel like I am demoralizing it, just by writing this review. For me, Harry Potter is the best thing to come out of fiction - no literature since time began. No Exaggeration! J.K. Rowling managed to weave an intricate picture of beauty, of magic and friendship, and love all while delivering the message. Good always prevails over evil. This series shaped my whole childhood. From the very first page, I was sucked into Harry's world. Where I went to Hogwarts and had holiday feasts in the Great Hall. I played Quidditch next to Harry and looked at my deepest desires in the Mirror of Erised. I beat giant magic chessmen, flying keys, murderous plants and possibly poisoned potions to stop an evil, possessed teacher from obtaining the Philosopher's Stone. And as each book release loomed ever closer. I stayed awake at night, buzzing with further excitement when the moment came. My brother would step in the door, he would smile at me and hand the book to me. I'd take it in my hands, hold it fervently, feeling the softness, the beauty that is Harry Potter. ANd then I'd stay awake long into the night, being transported to Harry's amazing world once more. J.K Rowling has done something many authors fail to do. She has made me care deeply for each and every one of her characters. She made me hate Umbridge more than Voldemort, and she made me cry for Snape, when his true self was revealed. The true self that we should have known all along. She managed to make me care deeply for the animals. All the magical creatures that she weaved into the pages. The goblins, the house elves. I cried for days when Dobby died. I just don't know how to put into words how much this series means to me. It shaped my whole childhood, my whole life. And it made me a better person. Harry Potter inspired me that it's okay to be different. It taught me the true value of friendship and family in times of strife and grief. It taught me that there's no good and evil. And that everyone has reasons for being where they are. It also inspired me to write myself. To think that maybe I could do this. I could write a world such as the beauty is as Harry Potter. And though no book could ever compare, I will always have that thought, that desire to succeedHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. to not give in and to chase my dreams. I literally have nothing bad to say about this series. It is and always will be the best classic to come out of the twentieth and twenty first century. And I know for centuries to come, children will be gathering around the books, excited to follow Harry's story.

c0540c0175f9dcc2bf9d7f8a5e383c6b

2016-06-23

[[0, 'I debated between 1 or 2 stars for this book but eventually it ended up with the former for one simple reason: This book has no antagonist.'], [0, 'In fact, for all the Twilight book 1 parallels (and there are a LOT) the biggest parallel for the 3rd act is book 4.'], [1, 'Our climactic action is... a peaceful negotiation.'], [1, "Sadly, there aren't even the stakes of Twilight where if negotiation failed everyone would die."], [1, "Sure, there's a chance that negotiation failing will further up the road cause a war to go badly but there's no guarantee that the war will go any better the other way."], [0, 'I was actually shocked when I reached the end of the book because nothing had happened.'], [0, "So lack of climax aside, let's get out the official Twilight cliche checklist:"], [0, 'Blank slate main character with no discernible hobbies or personality (henceforth Mary Sue)'], [0, "Mary Sue's parents are in some way missing in action and not a part of her life"], [0, 'Mary Sue has just moved to a new town where she instantly makes friends'], [0, 'Our love interest (LI) at first is aggressive and cold towards her before suddenly pulling a 180 and wanting to start over friendly'], [0, "Mary Sue begins to get hints of LI's paranormalcy before he tells her (and is way too accepting of paranormalcy)"], [0, 'Life begins at man.'], [0, '"True, it hadn\'t been much of a life before Ull came into it."'], [0, 'Die young, live forever "And my mortality... was I really ready to end my life at eighteen?"'], [1, 'LI\'s inner circle of specials is all accepting of Mary Sue except for one (I guess that makes Thor into Rosalie in this case) Bonus points if they remark that LI has been "alone too long"'], [0, 'Mary Sue attempts sexual advances to be shut down by chivalrous LI who follows Christian wait-til-marriage ideology despite never being shown as religious'], [0, "There has been no one before Mary Sue and LI can't even imagine feelings for anyone else ever"], [1, 'Mary Sue wants to join LI in his paranormalcy but he is resistant against it for her sake and tension arises; other paranormals help her achieve paranormal status'], [0, 'LI is extremely wealthy'], [0, 'Mary Sue is extremely self-depreciating and self-conscious especially around other paranormals'], [0, 'So that pretty solidly wraps it up as a complete Twilight clone.'], [0, "This book got a lower rating though because it's also worse than Twilight."], [0, 'For example, our couple is engaged for marriage within a semester of knowing one another.'], [0, 'The writing is lower quality and the amount of on-the-nose coincidences is just silly.'], [0, 'For example, Mary Sue and LI meet in a class on Mythology that just haaaaaappens to be spending the first quarter focused on Norse mythology.'], [0, 'I also like that the course schedule is Norse Mythology, Roman mythology, and "Eastern mythology" as if the entire mythology of the eastern hemisphere is equivalent to Roman or Norse in content.'], [0, "The story is set in Wales of all places and there just haaaaappens to be a Norse Seaman's church 2 blocks from their apartments."], [0, 'Because why not.'], [0, "Mary Sue's grandmother raised her, a white girl in Oregon, on stories of Norse mythology and taught her basics of the language."], [0, "I could keep going but I don't want to expend more effort than the author did."], [0, 'The biggest thing that bothered me personally was how Mary Sue just accepts that Norse Gods exist with no questions asked.'], [0, "Excuse me, if I found out the Norse pantheon was strolling about I'd have some big questions about what that means for other world mythology and religion."], [0, 'Also what defines a "god"?'], [0, "We know they're fast and powerful but that's about it so far."], [0, 'Questions, Mary Sue!'], [0, 'Use that inquisitive mind!'], [0, 'So yeah, this book is a dud, probably even if you like Twilight.'], [0, "I mean I guess you can imagine the Marvel Thor characters into the rolls and giggle about how sexy that Thor is but that's about it."], [0, 'I demand more Loki.'], [0, 'Loki doing indecent things with goats.'], [0, 'I know the series is over but retroactively add it Bende!']]

21874581

bc09b04cef5032bf5481b2fdb62cbd57

I debated between 1 or 2 stars for this book but eventually it ended up with the former for one simple reason: This book has no antagonist. In fact, for all the Twilight book 1 parallels (and there are a LOT) the biggest parallel for the 3rd act is book 4. Our climactic action is... a peaceful negotiation. Sadly, there aren't even the stakes of Twilight where if negotiation failed everyone would die. Sure, there's a chance that negotiation failing will further up the road cause a war to go badly but there's no guarantee that the war will go any better the other way. I was actually shocked when I reached the end of the book because nothing had happened. So lack of climax aside, let's get out the official Twilight cliche checklist: Blank slate main character with no discernible hobbies or personality (henceforth Mary Sue) Mary Sue's parents are in some way missing in action and not a part of her life Mary Sue has just moved to a new town where she instantly makes friends Our love interest (LI) at first is aggressive and cold towards her before suddenly pulling a 180 and wanting to start over friendly Mary Sue begins to get hints of LI's paranormalcy before he tells her (and is way too accepting of paranormalcy) Life begins at man. "True, it hadn't been much of a life before Ull came into it." Die young, live forever "And my mortality... was I really ready to end my life at eighteen?" LI's inner circle of specials is all accepting of Mary Sue except for one (I guess that makes Thor into Rosalie in this case) Bonus points if they remark that LI has been "alone too long" Mary Sue attempts sexual advances to be shut down by chivalrous LI who follows Christian wait-til-marriage ideology despite never being shown as religious There has been no one before Mary Sue and LI can't even imagine feelings for anyone else ever Mary Sue wants to join LI in his paranormalcy but he is resistant against it for her sake and tension arises; other paranormals help her achieve paranormal status LI is extremely wealthy Mary Sue is extremely self-depreciating and self-conscious especially around other paranormals So that pretty solidly wraps it up as a complete Twilight clone. This book got a lower rating though because it's also worse than Twilight. For example, our couple is engaged for marriage within a semester of knowing one another. The writing is lower quality and the amount of on-the-nose coincidences is just silly. For example, Mary Sue and LI meet in a class on Mythology that just haaaaaappens to be spending the first quarter focused on Norse mythology. I also like that the course schedule is Norse Mythology, Roman mythology, and "Eastern mythology" as if the entire mythology of the eastern hemisphere is equivalent to Roman or Norse in content. The story is set in Wales of all places and there just haaaaappens to be a Norse Seaman's church 2 blocks from their apartments. Because why not. Mary Sue's grandmother raised her, a white girl in Oregon, on stories of Norse mythology and taught her basics of the language. I could keep going but I don't want to expend more effort than the author did. The biggest thing that bothered me personally was how Mary Sue just accepts that Norse Gods exist with no questions asked. Excuse me, if I found out the Norse pantheon was strolling about I'd have some big questions about what that means for other world mythology and religion. Also what defines a "god"? We know they're fast and powerful but that's about it so far. Questions, Mary Sue! Use that inquisitive mind! So yeah, this book is a dud, probably even if you like Twilight. I mean I guess you can imagine the Marvel Thor characters into the rolls and giggle about how sexy that Thor is but that's about it. I demand more Loki. Loki doing indecent things with goats. I know the series is over but retroactively add it Bende!

56681fd045b91f9c0f04ce7940354356

2014-10-22

[[0, 'Refreshingly cute to read.'], [0, 'I could see the signs of this being a Romeo and Juliet story in reverse.'], [0, "The love-hate relationship was excellent and while a big change was expected of the relationship between our two leads, it didn't feel forced at all."], [0, 'The gradual lead up to it was perfect.'], [0, 'Enough tension and thought was there for me to feel content with how things moved along.'], [0, 'Jemma and Ryder have hated each other since they were young.'], [0, 'She has always been very outspoken about her dislike for Ryder.'], [0, "However, with Ryder, I didn't feel any hate from him."], [0, 'If anything, I felt his hesitance everytime he approached Jemma.'], [0, 'They used to be great friends when they were kids but for some reason unknown to Ryder, Jemma began hating him.'], [0, 'I really appreciate Cook for not leaving us hanging for too long.'], [0, 'Fairly soon we discover why they had a fall out.'], [1, 'Ryder said some untrue things about Jemma to his friends and as fate would have it, she overheard.'], [0, "It's a very common mistake and Ryder does end up making it up to her so I was happy with the way that worked out."], [0, 'The characters in this book really stood out for me.'], [0, "Some of the events that occurred in the book were a little heavy but I thought each character's reaction to said events were very appropriate."], [1, "Jemma's annoyance at her mom trying to play matchmaker, her anxiety over her sister's cancer, her lack of devastation to Patrick's death and her guilt over kissing Ryder before she broke it off with Patrick were all understandable."], [0, 'Ryder was even easier to read with the way he acted.'], [0, "I especially loved how the two of them didn't let other people dictate their lives."], [0, 'They knew what they wanted and they fought for it.'], [0, "They're good together!"], [1, 'Not a big issue but the coincidence of Jemma and Ryder both heading to New York City for school felt a little too convenient to me.'], [0, "I also easily figured out why he didn't say anything to her before she found out and confronted him."], [0, 'On a side note, I really loved the excuse her friends came up with to cover for her when she snuck out to see him.'], [0, 'So adorable to see your friends have your back ;)'], [0, 'With love-hate relationships in stories, I definitely enjoy the wait for the animosity between the leads to turn into something more.'], [0, 'Magnolia is a contemporary romance done well in that way.'], [0, "I savoured every moment and all the feels that came with Jemma and Ryder's story."]]

16059149

51a69df926dd23ebdb7da8bdc46aee66

Refreshingly cute to read. I could see the signs of this being a Romeo and Juliet story in reverse. The love-hate relationship was excellent and while a big change was expected of the relationship between our two leads, it didn't feel forced at all. The gradual lead up to it was perfect. Enough tension and thought was there for me to feel content with how things moved along. Jemma and Ryder have hated each other since they were young. She has always been very outspoken about her dislike for Ryder. However, with Ryder, I didn't feel any hate from him. If anything, I felt his hesitance everytime he approached Jemma. They used to be great friends when they were kids but for some reason unknown to Ryder, Jemma began hating him. I really appreciate Cook for not leaving us hanging for too long. Fairly soon we discover why they had a fall out. Ryder said some untrue things about Jemma to his friends and as fate would have it, she overheard. It's a very common mistake and Ryder does end up making it up to her so I was happy with the way that worked out. The characters in this book really stood out for me. Some of the events that occurred in the book were a little heavy but I thought each character's reaction to said events were very appropriate. Jemma's annoyance at her mom trying to play matchmaker, her anxiety over her sister's cancer, her lack of devastation to Patrick's death and her guilt over kissing Ryder before she broke it off with Patrick were all understandable. Ryder was even easier to read with the way he acted. I especially loved how the two of them didn't let other people dictate their lives. They knew what they wanted and they fought for it. They're good together! Not a big issue but the coincidence of Jemma and Ryder both heading to New York City for school felt a little too convenient to me. I also easily figured out why he didn't say anything to her before she found out and confronted him. On a side note, I really loved the excuse her friends came up with to cover for her when she snuck out to see him. So adorable to see your friends have your back ;) With love-hate relationships in stories, I definitely enjoy the wait for the animosity between the leads to turn into something more. Magnolia is a contemporary romance done well in that way. I savoured every moment and all the feels that came with Jemma and Ryder's story.

0e96652b15f1e5e0fa6399b0e64c263d

2015-04-07

[[0, 'When I read this series, I loved it but people thought otherwise.'], [0, "I'm afraid to reread because there's a high chance that I'll now regret ever loving the two books."], [0, 'Still looking forward to book three though.']]

16248068

f55cd8bd9de61c6e6dfdc92b2a48a489

When I read this series, I loved it but people thought otherwise. I'm afraid to reread because there's a high chance that I'll now regret ever loving the two books. Still looking forward to book three though.

7e7df90b3eb0e7eabe010f4ecd429418

2016-07-25

[[0, 'I do have to admit that I was a little late jumping on the "Royals" bandwagon.'], [0, 'I remember as I was reading through the first book, I had to stop and ask Angie ^^ "Why didn\'t you tell me that this series was this AMAZING?"'], [0, 'I sure would have bumped the series way up my TBR list if I had known just how addicting the series is.'], [0, 'This is one of those stories where once you start you can not put down.'], [0, 'The secrets, the intrigues, the constant arguments and confrontations definitely had me on my tippy toes.'], [0, 'The complicated relationships especially that of Reed and Ella had me feeling frustrated one minute and giddy the next.'], [0, 'It literally was an emotional roller coaster but even so...I would not have wanted it any other way!'], [0, '"I\'m done playing games, Ella.'], [0, 'No other girls exists in this world for me.'], [0, "If you see me talking to one, know that I'm talking about you."], [0, 'If you see me walking next to someone.'], [0, "I'm wishing it was you."], [0, 'You\'re the only one for me."'], [0, 'What I enjoyed most about this book was the character development.'], [0, 'Ella accepting her role as a part of the Royal family was well played out.'], [0, 'She is no longer the emotional teen that we met in Paper Princess.'], [0, 'Oh no!'], [0, "Don't mess with Ella because she finally grew some claws and how sharp they are!"], [0, 'I thought it was remarkable how Reed turned a new leaf because of her.'], [0, 'Ella certainly brought the best out of him...or perhaps I should say she brought out the best in all of the Royals for that matter.'], [0, "She hasn't been with them THAT long but you could tell she was the glue that kept them together."], [0, 'I need to mention one downside about this book ... the CLIFFHANGER.'], [0, 'It ends on such a surprising note.'], [0, 'Hours later I still am dumbfounded by that shocking conclusion.'], [0, 'All I can say is that these authors sure have my complete attention.'], [0, 'I am one of many who will be waiting impatiently for the next installment.'], [0, "Liezel's Book Blog"]]

29519514

44de02142e378b769692bff75f89c27b

I do have to admit that I was a little late jumping on the "Royals" bandwagon. I remember as I was reading through the first book, I had to stop and ask Angie ^^ "Why didn't you tell me that this series was this AMAZING?" I sure would have bumped the series way up my TBR list if I had known just how addicting the series is. This is one of those stories where once you start you can not put down. The secrets, the intrigues, the constant arguments and confrontations definitely had me on my tippy toes. The complicated relationships especially that of Reed and Ella had me feeling frustrated one minute and giddy the next. It literally was an emotional roller coaster but even so...I would not have wanted it any other way! "I'm done playing games, Ella. No other girls exists in this world for me. If you see me talking to one, know that I'm talking about you. If you see me walking next to someone. I'm wishing it was you. You're the only one for me." What I enjoyed most about this book was the character development. Ella accepting her role as a part of the Royal family was well played out. She is no longer the emotional teen that we met in Paper Princess. Oh no! Don't mess with Ella because she finally grew some claws and how sharp they are! I thought it was remarkable how Reed turned a new leaf because of her. Ella certainly brought the best out of him...or perhaps I should say she brought out the best in all of the Royals for that matter. She hasn't been with them THAT long but you could tell she was the glue that kept them together. I need to mention one downside about this book ... the CLIFFHANGER. It ends on such a surprising note. Hours later I still am dumbfounded by that shocking conclusion. All I can say is that these authors sure have my complete attention. I am one of many who will be waiting impatiently for the next installment. Liezel's Book Blog

1a24bac964b67d5afe7175b79573d1a6

2016-01-25

[[0, 'In This Life by Christine Brae'], [0, '3 stars!'], [0, '"When you lose your soul to a kiss...it\'s irretrievable."'], [0, 'This was my first read by Christine Brae and I do love a new to me author.'], [0, "I fell in love with the synopsis of this one and I couldn't wait to dive in."], [0, "I have to say that Christine Brae's writing style is fantastic, it is eloquent, raw and mature and I was soon totally engrossed in the story that was panning out in front of me."], [0, "However, as you must all know by now, I am an emotional reader, I have to believe in the characters, feel them and for me, I didn't get this with Anna and Jude, however I had it in spades with Dante."], [0, "This book was emotional or at least should have been for me and yet because I didn't feel them, it lost its impact and I just wish that I could have related to them better."], [0, '"It was a promise kiss, a goodbye kiss, a kiss that signified the end but also the beginning."'], [0, 'This book starts off with Anna and her best friend, Dante, taking a mission trip to Thailand.'], [0, 'Anna was a doctor and treating the families that were victims to a Tsunami seemed a good idea when she was trying to get away from her life in New York.'], [0, 'Dante had been her best friend since school and where Anna went, he went too.'], [0, 'Anna had a heart of gold and treasured her friendship with Dante, they really were inseparable.'], [0, 'He was her rock and they had been through a lot together.'], [0, "Dante was hilarious at times and a bit of a ladies' man, but his unwavering support to Anna was truly beautiful."], [0, 'We all need a best friend like Dante.'], [0, 'Dante made this book for me.'], [0, '"You\'re in love with a ghost, and you need to exorcise it from your soul."'], [0, 'While in Thailand, Anna meets Jude, who is also American and they spend ten blissful days together.'], [0, 'Intellectual and deep conversations were the basis of their friendship and they really clicked.'], [0, 'However, when Anna has to suddenly go home, her time with Jude is cut short.'], [0, "With promises to keep in contact Anna leaves but it seems so does Jude...five years later she still hasn't heard from him and yet still yearns for the one that got away."], [0, 'Now she is married and working at the hospital, the last thing she expects is to cross paths with Jude once again.'], [0, 'Feelings that she once thought were buried are soon brought to the surface.'], [0, '"The line went dead.'], [0, "It didn't go silent, it didn't go blank."], [0, 'It separated him from me for good, it killed us, devastated him, set me free.'], [0, 'Our line, our connection, our love, gone.'], [0, 'Just like that."'], [0, 'And for me, this is where it all got a bit over the top.'], [0, "There was a lot going on, a lot of twists and turns, a few I saw coming and a few I didn't but sometimes less is more and this was one of those cases for me."], [0, "Unfortunately, the change in Anna really annoyed me, I tried to see her side of things but I couldn't and her actions just continued to irk."], [0, 'As far as the men involved were concerned, I did feel for them, my heart went out to them.'], [0, 'But the hot and cold that Anna blew would have been confusing for anyone.'], [0, 'Yes, this is a love triangle but no cheating, sometimes secrets that are kept for the best can have a catastrophic results and that was definitely the case here.'], [0, '"She was mine and I was hers, not in the next life, nor in the future life, but here and now.'], [0, 'In this life."'], [0, "Although I didn't love this book, I did like it and kept page turning and that is testament to Christine Brae's writing."], [0, 'Although Anna was not my favourite person in the world I still wanted to know what happened, how her life panned out and those of the men involved.'], [0, 'Despite a few eye-rolls, it was an addictive read.'], [0, '"This is where it ended.'], [0, 'This is where I died."'], [0, 'www.theromancecover.com']]

23121753

55afcf5324389e00e46e5b4ad067411f

In This Life by Christine Brae 3 stars! "When you lose your soul to a kiss...it's irretrievable." This was my first read by Christine Brae and I do love a new to me author. I fell in love with the synopsis of this one and I couldn't wait to dive in. I have to say that Christine Brae's writing style is fantastic, it is eloquent, raw and mature and I was soon totally engrossed in the story that was panning out in front of me. However, as you must all know by now, I am an emotional reader, I have to believe in the characters, feel them and for me, I didn't get this with Anna and Jude, however I had it in spades with Dante. This book was emotional or at least should have been for me and yet because I didn't feel them, it lost its impact and I just wish that I could have related to them better. "It was a promise kiss, a goodbye kiss, a kiss that signified the end but also the beginning." This book starts off with Anna and her best friend, Dante, taking a mission trip to Thailand. Anna was a doctor and treating the families that were victims to a Tsunami seemed a good idea when she was trying to get away from her life in New York. Dante had been her best friend since school and where Anna went, he went too. Anna had a heart of gold and treasured her friendship with Dante, they really were inseparable. He was her rock and they had been through a lot together. Dante was hilarious at times and a bit of a ladies' man, but his unwavering support to Anna was truly beautiful. We all need a best friend like Dante. Dante made this book for me. "You're in love with a ghost, and you need to exorcise it from your soul." While in Thailand, Anna meets Jude, who is also American and they spend ten blissful days together. Intellectual and deep conversations were the basis of their friendship and they really clicked. However, when Anna has to suddenly go home, her time with Jude is cut short. With promises to keep in contact Anna leaves but it seems so does Jude...five years later she still hasn't heard from him and yet still yearns for the one that got away. Now she is married and working at the hospital, the last thing she expects is to cross paths with Jude once again. Feelings that she once thought were buried are soon brought to the surface. "The line went dead. It didn't go silent, it didn't go blank. It separated him from me for good, it killed us, devastated him, set me free. Our line, our connection, our love, gone. Just like that." And for me, this is where it all got a bit over the top. There was a lot going on, a lot of twists and turns, a few I saw coming and a few I didn't but sometimes less is more and this was one of those cases for me. Unfortunately, the change in Anna really annoyed me, I tried to see her side of things but I couldn't and her actions just continued to irk. As far as the men involved were concerned, I did feel for them, my heart went out to them. But the hot and cold that Anna blew would have been confusing for anyone. Yes, this is a love triangle but no cheating, sometimes secrets that are kept for the best can have a catastrophic results and that was definitely the case here. "She was mine and I was hers, not in the next life, nor in the future life, but here and now. In this life." Although I didn't love this book, I did like it and kept page turning and that is testament to Christine Brae's writing. Although Anna was not my favourite person in the world I still wanted to know what happened, how her life panned out and those of the men involved. Despite a few eye-rolls, it was an addictive read. "This is where it ended. This is where I died." www.theromancecover.com

480564a6be18fc8d0046963a1b2f10dd

2016-01-23

[[0, "Good because it's Lois McMaster Bujold and she always writes great characters and interesting, eminently readable plots, but not my favorite."], [0, "There's a chunk in the middle where it lags, and I just didn't find myself caring to the same degree that I normally do with her books."], [0, "Ah well, I'm sure her next one will be back to normal!"]]

12998057

e65399c191c3868a38b261dace90bb44

Good because it's Lois McMaster Bujold and she always writes great characters and interesting, eminently readable plots, but not my favorite. There's a chunk in the middle where it lags, and I just didn't find myself caring to the same degree that I normally do with her books. Ah well, I'm sure her next one will be back to normal!

16ac89b02e0a5b4119867b17fe061ef0

2015-11-30

[[0, "While everyone else might see a bitter, closed off recluse, it takes another broken person to recognize that's all he was, lost in the darkness of his pain and sorrow."], [0, "There's more to Tristan than the town of Meadows Creek wants to see - all they see is a monster."], [0, "He's endured the ultimate loss and it has forever changed him."], [0, 'The hardest part about losing someone you love is the fact that you also lose yourself.'], [0, 'When Elizabeth and her daughter Emma move back into their home a year after losing her husband, they meet their new neighbor, the brooding Tristan Cole.'], [0, "Elizabeth instantly sees Tristan's broken pieces, something she recognizes in herself."], [0, "He doesn't want a friend and would rather be left alone, but she wears him down."], [0, "It's Elizabeth's idea that they use each other to remember the ones that they lost."], [0, 'She undressed me and made love to her past.'], [0, 'I slid into her and made love to my ghosts.'], [0, "It wasn't right, yet somehow it made sense."], [0, "But far too often, we don't realize that the wounds are healing until one day we learn to love again and can believe in the magic of that one person who can help you breathe when you don't know how to anymore."], [0, 'My dear boy, to love is magic.'], [0, 'This is a book that will make your heart swell, then shatter, then swell again.'], [0, 'It will make you feel, and love, and cry, and smile, and laugh, and then maybe cry some more.'], [0, 'It truly showcases a story of loss, love, friendship, pain, healing, and perseverance.'], [0, 'The story kept me wanting to know more.'], [0, "Each twist pulled me in deeper and I couldn't put it down."], [0, "I loved that it wasn't predictable and I didn't know if Elizabeth and Tristan were growing closer or pushing each other further apart."], [0, 'Brittainy C Cherry has an incredible talent for putting how I think and feel into words.'], [0, 'I highly recommend this book.']]

25564446

be9e8597ec7d4cf4d981240e0ff04009

While everyone else might see a bitter, closed off recluse, it takes another broken person to recognize that's all he was, lost in the darkness of his pain and sorrow. There's more to Tristan than the town of Meadows Creek wants to see - all they see is a monster. He's endured the ultimate loss and it has forever changed him. The hardest part about losing someone you love is the fact that you also lose yourself. When Elizabeth and her daughter Emma move back into their home a year after losing her husband, they meet their new neighbor, the brooding Tristan Cole. Elizabeth instantly sees Tristan's broken pieces, something she recognizes in herself. He doesn't want a friend and would rather be left alone, but she wears him down. It's Elizabeth's idea that they use each other to remember the ones that they lost. She undressed me and made love to her past. I slid into her and made love to my ghosts. It wasn't right, yet somehow it made sense. But far too often, we don't realize that the wounds are healing until one day we learn to love again and can believe in the magic of that one person who can help you breathe when you don't know how to anymore. My dear boy, to love is magic. This is a book that will make your heart swell, then shatter, then swell again. It will make you feel, and love, and cry, and smile, and laugh, and then maybe cry some more. It truly showcases a story of loss, love, friendship, pain, healing, and perseverance. The story kept me wanting to know more. Each twist pulled me in deeper and I couldn't put it down. I loved that it wasn't predictable and I didn't know if Elizabeth and Tristan were growing closer or pushing each other further apart. Brittainy C Cherry has an incredible talent for putting how I think and feel into words. I highly recommend this book.

ffb72f9c157638ddc3a7c65d4f7a7209

2012-11-13

[[0, 'Loved this book, the characters, the story the way it developed, everything about it']]

11505797

1efcd4c9582e90249a8499eb3c85ad97

Loved this book, the characters, the story the way it developed, everything about it

0102db8db2097cd4482ebc20b7b2d5be

2017-04-18

[[0, '"Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong.'], [0, 'The key is to never stop doing right."'], [0, "Sixteen-year-old Starr is coming home from a party when she witnesses her childhood best friend's death at the hands of a police officer."], [0, 'Although Khalil was unarmed and, by all measures, not a threat, it seems that everybody has an opinion about what happened.'], [0, 'The media calls him a thug, a gangbanger, and a possible drug dealer, but Starr knows the truth about what happened.'], [0, 'Can she set the record straight?'], [0, "And is it even worth all the threats she'll get in the process?"], [0, 'It seems like The Hate U Give is everywhere right now.'], [0, 'The entire internet is obsessed with it, and for good reason.'], [0, 'This book is incredible.'], [0, 'I cannot believe that this is a debut.'], [0, 'Angie Thomas is somehow able to capture every feeling surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and wrap it up in an engaging story that never once sounds preachy.'], [0, "Honestly, I feel like I could write a full-length novel about how much I loved this book and how relevant it is to today's society."], [0, 'Rather than waste your time reading my rambles about this amazing, powerful book, I would suggest that you take that time to go pick it up from your local bookstore or library.'], [0, "I can't imagine that you'll regret it."]]

32075671

d5b29c1fd5b4152bf67e0e23cbbec143

"Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right." Sixteen-year-old Starr is coming home from a party when she witnesses her childhood best friend's death at the hands of a police officer. Although Khalil was unarmed and, by all measures, not a threat, it seems that everybody has an opinion about what happened. The media calls him a thug, a gangbanger, and a possible drug dealer, but Starr knows the truth about what happened. Can she set the record straight? And is it even worth all the threats she'll get in the process? It seems like The Hate U Give is everywhere right now. The entire internet is obsessed with it, and for good reason. This book is incredible. I cannot believe that this is a debut. Angie Thomas is somehow able to capture every feeling surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and wrap it up in an engaging story that never once sounds preachy. Honestly, I feel like I could write a full-length novel about how much I loved this book and how relevant it is to today's society. Rather than waste your time reading my rambles about this amazing, powerful book, I would suggest that you take that time to go pick it up from your local bookstore or library. I can't imagine that you'll regret it.

aed4f8ec7b4f51fcd5b7f2facea5a058

2014-10-24

[[1, 'I thought at one point I was going to have to strangle Jae again, but fortunately he came around!'], [0, '.'], [0, 'More crazy Korean murders and family matters for Cole to entangle.'], [0, 'I did like the introduction of Ichi.']]

17560488

317bf34c1a845b90e46b9b576b6edb58

I thought at one point I was going to have to strangle Jae again, but fortunately he came around! . More crazy Korean murders and family matters for Cole to entangle. I did like the introduction of Ichi.

385edf5d8cfa117bd49ad6e1a33b976c

2014-12-28

[[0, 'I was pleasantly surprised by this book.'], [0, 'The sexy bits were really sexy.'], [0, 'I thought the story was interesting.'], [0, 'It took some turns towards the end that took me by surprise.'], [0, 'I do feel the end of the book was a little too easy after all the stuff that was going on, yet i still enjoyed the book and am looking forward to reading the series.']]

9962040

ba6bc8167a8900d734fe7eca6155a721

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The sexy bits were really sexy. I thought the story was interesting. It took some turns towards the end that took me by surprise. I do feel the end of the book was a little too easy after all the stuff that was going on, yet i still enjoyed the book and am looking forward to reading the series.

fa9b29a7a0b7219aa5050b5f0446d840

2016-03-06

[[0, 'well that was also a book about terrible people.']]

13261812

cace0018873757c8cd60fcf56f5aa5e8

well that was also a book about terrible people.

b3bdbe7a6cb72afa6137c1e566b63ee0

2017-03-21

[[0, 'OH, MY GODDDSSSS!!!!!!!!!!'], [0, 'I do not know where to start it took me 5 hours to read this book.'], [0, 'I have been unable to do anything but sit and read it.'], [0, "It's amazing it is perfect it is everything I wanted the book to be."], [0, 'I was literally unable to not read it.'], [0, 'Seth and Josie are just so amazing and I love the dual point of the view.'], [0, 'I love everything that happened it this book.'], [0, "The world is so well built up and it's amazing getting to further explore the world in this book."], [0, 'The writing is so fluent and mesmerising I could read the whole series over and over again and not feel bored.'], [0, 'Alex and Aiden are ten times better in this book back to being there amazing lovable selves.'], [0, 'We have the army of awesome.'], [0, 'Who are amazing.'], [0, 'We have the titans who are so evil.'], [0, 'Just gonna name some of my favourite points:'], [1, 'Seth becoming a motherfucking god!'], [1, 'Seth being able to teleport'], [1, 'Seth saving Josie'], [1, 'Seth and Josie being motherfucking pregnant- like yes.'], [1, 'The feels in covenant when you thought Alex and Aiden were pregnant.'], [1, 'This has the same feels but stronger'], [1, 'When Josie asked Alex to come with her to get the pregnancy test!'], [1, 'Family time!'], [1, 'Deacon hugging Josie.'], [1, 'BFF goals.'], [1, 'Seth being so happy about Josie being pregnant.'], [1, 'Legit tears and screaming at this point.'], [1, 'Caleb screwing over Hades haha.'], [1, 'Seth killing the fucking dipshit Titan Hyperion.'], [1, 'Like that guy was a doosch canoe'], [1, 'Every single second of the book'], [1, 'When Josie discovers her talent.'], [1, 'She can see the future.'], [1, 'But then she has the shit vision'], [0, 'This book literally had me jumping up and down like a loon.'], [0, "I can't wait for the next book."], [0, "It's gonna be seriously interesting."], [0, "Especially with Josie's prophecies."], [0, 'LOVE IT LOVE IT!!'], [0, 'YOU RULE Jennifer L Armentrout!!!'], [0, 'RULE!!!']]

25092129

3da288ff94fd68ace9f7a1b6fa1b204e

OH, MY GODDDSSSS!!!!!!!!!! I do not know where to start it took me 5 hours to read this book. I have been unable to do anything but sit and read it. It's amazing it is perfect it is everything I wanted the book to be. I was literally unable to not read it. Seth and Josie are just so amazing and I love the dual point of the view. I love everything that happened it this book. The world is so well built up and it's amazing getting to further explore the world in this book. The writing is so fluent and mesmerising I could read the whole series over and over again and not feel bored. Alex and Aiden are ten times better in this book back to being there amazing lovable selves. We have the army of awesome. Who are amazing. We have the titans who are so evil. Just gonna name some of my favourite points: Seth becoming a motherfucking god! Seth being able to teleport Seth saving Josie Seth and Josie being motherfucking pregnant- like yes. The feels in covenant when you thought Alex and Aiden were pregnant. This has the same feels but stronger When Josie asked Alex to come with her to get the pregnancy test! Family time! Deacon hugging Josie. BFF goals. Seth being so happy about Josie being pregnant. Legit tears and screaming at this point. Caleb screwing over Hades haha. Seth killing the fucking dipshit Titan Hyperion. Like that guy was a doosch canoe Every single second of the book When Josie discovers her talent. She can see the future. But then she has the shit vision This book literally had me jumping up and down like a loon. I can't wait for the next book. It's gonna be seriously interesting. Especially with Josie's prophecies. LOVE IT LOVE IT!! YOU RULE Jennifer L Armentrout!!! RULE!!!

dc0e6096598d285e369a33a83288a4dc

2012-01-05

[[0, 'Sometimes you read a book that gives you everything you want, and more than you hoped for.'], [0, "I had been putting off reading this for longer than I care to admit, afraid that it wouldn't live up to the hype from my friends who love it."], [0, "I couldn't have been more wrong."], [0, "Eliza is a character you can't help my relate to."], [0, 'Did she sometimes make decisions that made me angry?'], [0, 'Yes.'], [0, "But that's part of what made her so great."], [0, "She's not perfect."], [0, 'I pretty much fell in love with Paul from the very first time he was mentioned.'], [0, "He's a swoony, tattooed rocker."], [0, "But he's also so much more than that."], [0, "He's funny, deep, thoughtful, and most of all he knows exactly what he wants."], [0, "Then there's Loring."], [0, 'I wanted to hate him, I wanted to scream at him or shake him sometimes.'], [0, "I also couldn't help but feel for him and to even root for him at times, even when I didn't want to."], [0, 'After Kassiah & Bri both gave me warning of the heartache I would experience reading this, I thought I had it all figured out.'], [0, 'I thought that I knew exactly how the angst would come about.'], [0, 'I was so wrong.'], [0, "I couldn't put this down until it was finished because I had to know what was going to happen, no matter how late I had to stay up."], [0, "If you're looking for a story about love, real earth shattering, soul mate kinda love, but with depth and a full spectrum of emotions, this one is for you."], [0, 'I will definitely be rereading.'], [0, "Some of my favorite lines that I've read over & over:"], [1, '"Warning: if you insult my heterosexual eminence one more time, I\'m going to have to thrown you down in the middle of the street and prove myself."'], [1, '"Tell me what you listen to, and I\'ll tell you who you are."'], [1, '"Sometimes I would open my eyes when we were kissing, I would watch him and I could see it.'], [1, 'I could actually see LOVE - not words, not an emotion, not an abstract concept or a subjective state of mind, but a living, breathing thing."'], [1, '"Remember this moment, my friend the tape reorder.'], [1, 'Lying next to Eliza, I had the feeling I\'d just found something I didn\'t even know I\'d lost."'], [1, '"That\'s the difference between the real stuff and the crap.'], [1, 'I know which one you are and you know which one I am."']]

113791

642afcbe72b44ff3771864834aceaf6e

Sometimes you read a book that gives you everything you want, and more than you hoped for. I had been putting off reading this for longer than I care to admit, afraid that it wouldn't live up to the hype from my friends who love it. I couldn't have been more wrong. Eliza is a character you can't help my relate to. Did she sometimes make decisions that made me angry? Yes. But that's part of what made her so great. She's not perfect. I pretty much fell in love with Paul from the very first time he was mentioned. He's a swoony, tattooed rocker. But he's also so much more than that. He's funny, deep, thoughtful, and most of all he knows exactly what he wants. Then there's Loring. I wanted to hate him, I wanted to scream at him or shake him sometimes. I also couldn't help but feel for him and to even root for him at times, even when I didn't want to. After Kassiah & Bri both gave me warning of the heartache I would experience reading this, I thought I had it all figured out. I thought that I knew exactly how the angst would come about. I was so wrong. I couldn't put this down until it was finished because I had to know what was going to happen, no matter how late I had to stay up. If you're looking for a story about love, real earth shattering, soul mate kinda love, but with depth and a full spectrum of emotions, this one is for you. I will definitely be rereading. Some of my favorite lines that I've read over & over: "Warning: if you insult my heterosexual eminence one more time, I'm going to have to thrown you down in the middle of the street and prove myself." "Tell me what you listen to, and I'll tell you who you are." "Sometimes I would open my eyes when we were kissing, I would watch him and I could see it. I could actually see LOVE - not words, not an emotion, not an abstract concept or a subjective state of mind, but a living, breathing thing." "Remember this moment, my friend the tape reorder. Lying next to Eliza, I had the feeling I'd just found something I didn't even know I'd lost." "That's the difference between the real stuff and the crap. I know which one you are and you know which one I am."

c3ec1ea0f591ebd42dee602b9d8f7a08

2013-11-22

[[0, 'Is it possible to be happy, heartbroken, happy and a sobbing mess all at once?'], [0, 'I have been kind of complaining about the Christian absence since the first book, because he is my favorite Mead character male or female, he is at the very top.'], [0, 'I have missed his snark and his blue eyes.'], [0, 'My high is a bit controlled right now.'], [0, "There were a few things I didn't like, I really can't put my finger to it, there were some moments between Adrian and Sydney that were so beautiful, but there were also some where I couldn't really feel my connection to the characters."], [0, 'I kind of want to give it a 5 because CHRISTIAN HAD MORE LINES THAN HE DID ON INDIGO SPELL (which was zero) but I actually still enjoyed Indigo Spell a lot more, and while I like Fiery Heart and will more than likely reread it again this weekend, I think a 4 is more like it.'], [0, 'I really liked it.'], [0, "Also, sometimes Adrian's POV was kind of weird, or different."], [0, "I might be too used to being inside Sydney's head."], [0, "I also felt like I had already read the end of the book, or maybe I read something on a blog I don't know, but like 90% through the book I stopped because I just had a feeling of Deja vu."], [0, "I think now I'm gonna go be my dorky self and highlight Christian's few lines in the book."], [0, 'Oh Christian!'], [1, 'Also, Angeline and Trey are really adorable and kick ass together.'], [1, 'And Jill and Eddie, about time.'], [1, "So far I hate Zoe, and I HATE Sydney's dad."], [1, 'He reminded me of Valentine from the mortal instruments series,everyone was hooking up in this book and I hate Zoe.'], [1, 'She had some moments when I thought']]

9833184

d58f5c104cf385341b14e5606a86cbaf

Is it possible to be happy, heartbroken, happy and a sobbing mess all at once? I have been kind of complaining about the Christian absence since the first book, because he is my favorite Mead character male or female, he is at the very top. I have missed his snark and his blue eyes. My high is a bit controlled right now. There were a few things I didn't like, I really can't put my finger to it, there were some moments between Adrian and Sydney that were so beautiful, but there were also some where I couldn't really feel my connection to the characters. I kind of want to give it a 5 because CHRISTIAN HAD MORE LINES THAN HE DID ON INDIGO SPELL (which was zero) but I actually still enjoyed Indigo Spell a lot more, and while I like Fiery Heart and will more than likely reread it again this weekend, I think a 4 is more like it. I really liked it. Also, sometimes Adrian's POV was kind of weird, or different. I might be too used to being inside Sydney's head. I also felt like I had already read the end of the book, or maybe I read something on a blog I don't know, but like 90% through the book I stopped because I just had a feeling of Deja vu. I think now I'm gonna go be my dorky self and highlight Christian's few lines in the book. Oh Christian! Also, Angeline and Trey are really adorable and kick ass together. And Jill and Eddie, about time. So far I hate Zoe, and I HATE Sydney's dad. He reminded me of Valentine from the mortal instruments series,everyone was hooking up in this book and I hate Zoe. She had some moments when I thought

480564a6be18fc8d0046963a1b2f10dd

2016-08-17

[[0, 'I picked this up intending to read a few pages just to get a feel for it and ended up finishing it in one sitting.'], [0, 'So well done!']]

20701984

7b84ca830d3a5078738f6e79e1bb851c

I picked this up intending to read a few pages just to get a feel for it and ended up finishing it in one sitting. So well done!

7e7df90b3eb0e7eabe010f4ecd429418

2017-06-22

[[0, 'Aaric Christos had a thing for Bryn Kelly for years.'], [0, 'In their teenage years, they were inseparable.'], [0, 'Aaric knew back then that Bryn was all that he would ever want.'], [0, 'Coming from way different economic backgrounds however he acknowledged that Bryn was way out of his league.'], [0, "He was so enamored by her he didn't let rejection dissuade him rather he took it on as a challenge to better himself to even be worthy of her."], [0, "He was so enamored by her he didn't let rejection dissuade him rather he took it on as a challenge to better himself to even be worthy of her."], [0, 'Fast forward to present time... Aaric is now a gazillionaire business mogul in NYC.'], [0, 'Bryn moves to the same city and basically knocks on his door, pitching her own idea in attempts to get a loan to open her very own business.'], [0, 'What was great was despite the emotions involved they kept things professional as much as they possibly could.'], [0, 'Aaric was different to gauge.'], [0, 'He was indifferent to her early on.'], [0, 'They were friends once and could have easily lent her the money but instead, he made her work for it giving her ample amount of opportunity to hone her skills and at the same getting to know her again.'], [0, 'Angst was the result.'], [0, 'Loved the slow simmer!'], [0, 'Angst was the result.'], [0, 'Loved the slow simmer!'], [0, 'They had numerous factors going against them but it was their history that elevated them above the rest.'], [0, 'Loved Aaric and Bryn.'], [0, 'Read this book and I assure you, you will too.'], [0, 'liezelsbookblog.net']]

34787781

2e1509ab1e8026bf50c0e4f2e15760d3

Aaric Christos had a thing for Bryn Kelly for years. In their teenage years, they were inseparable. Aaric knew back then that Bryn was all that he would ever want. Coming from way different economic backgrounds however he acknowledged that Bryn was way out of his league. He was so enamored by her he didn't let rejection dissuade him rather he took it on as a challenge to better himself to even be worthy of her. He was so enamored by her he didn't let rejection dissuade him rather he took it on as a challenge to better himself to even be worthy of her. Fast forward to present time... Aaric is now a gazillionaire business mogul in NYC. Bryn moves to the same city and basically knocks on his door, pitching her own idea in attempts to get a loan to open her very own business. What was great was despite the emotions involved they kept things professional as much as they possibly could. Aaric was different to gauge. He was indifferent to her early on. They were friends once and could have easily lent her the money but instead, he made her work for it giving her ample amount of opportunity to hone her skills and at the same getting to know her again. Angst was the result. Loved the slow simmer! Angst was the result. Loved the slow simmer! They had numerous factors going against them but it was their history that elevated them above the rest. Loved Aaric and Bryn. Read this book and I assure you, you will too. liezelsbookblog.net

d6a8980cc1707ae07d368f1630f670ab

2016-08-01

[[0, "So I've had a day to digest this and I think I'm finally ready to really talk about this book."], [0, 'This review may have gotten slightly out of hand...'], [0, 'This story is a sequel (#NotAPrequel) to the Harry Potter series and follows the trio, now all grown up, and their children.'], [0, 'Saying that is already a bit of an overstatement because where are all the kids??'], [0, "There seems to be a general consensus among fans that the plot is a horrible fanfiction that's nothing like the original HP series horrifically unfolding in front of your eyes like a car crash you can't look away from but the characters and (for the most part) beautifully written."], [0, "It's for these characters that I'm giving this book a 4 star rating."], [0, 'Trust me, Scorpious Malfoy, aka the cinnamon roll king, alone is worth cringing through the bad plot.'], [0, "I had to stop and catch my breath multiple times throughout Part 1 because wow this is exactly what I've always wanted from Scorpious and Albus and wow I cannot believe this is real and this is canon and this has been touched by the hands of JoRo herself."], [0, 'Have I read better characterizations for Scorp and Al?'], [0, 'Yes.'], [0, 'Most definitely.'], [0, 'Why, then, do I love this story so much for the kids?'], [0, "Because it's canon, because they didn't shy away from this amazing characterization of these kids because they were worried about it being considered fanservice or how it overlapped with popular tropes in fanfiction."], [0, "Now let's talk about why the plot is a hot mess."], [0, 'THIS PLOT IS SUCH A HOT MESS.'], [0, 'The tone of this play felt nothing like true blue HP with no world building, no little off-handed comments about this famous witch rock band or that Quidditch game, and barely any Hogwarts.'], [0, "A lot of reviews and click-bait online articles have been calling Cursed Child a badly written fanfiction and this isn't just the insult the plot."], [0, 'There are so many ways this story really is like a badly written fanfiction.'], [0, 'First, everything exists in a weird bubble.'], [0, "Not only does this story lack almost all traces of the wizarding world but there's a distinct feeling I got while reading the book that so many things were done just for convenience."], [0, 'Magic itself seemed only to be used when the plot needed a push forward or a shortcut past a barrier.'], [1, "Seriously though, they complain about how Hermione uses books and riddles to guard the time turner but now about how the frickin' Minister of Magic's office can be unlocked by A FRICKIN' ALOHAROMA?!"], [0, 'And really, not that much seems to be revealed.'], [0, 'But there is so much new information about the future, you may say!'], [0, 'Well, is there?'], [0, 'This is, after all, the 8th story.'], [0, 'There has to be a lot of new information about the next gen.'], [0, 'But of all that could be revealed, we get relatively little.'], [1, "Where's Hugo?"], [1, 'Or Neville?'], [1, 'Luna?'], [1, 'All the Weasley cousins?'], [1, 'All the Weasleys?????'], [1, 'Where is Teddy Lupin?'], [1, 'Will we ever get closure on this poor baby?'], [0, "Yes, I understand introducing too many characters and calling back to obscure concepts from the series could confuse a play audience but isn't one of the defining features of Harry Potter the fact that it does not talk down to its audience?"], [0, "In MuggleCast's review of Cursed Child also does an amazing job of pointing out that not much really changes post-Cursed Child."], [1, 'Sure, you find out how everyone is doing in the next gen and Harry and Al have angsty father/son bonding but what really changes?'], [0, 'The plot of Cursed Child has about as much impact on next gen canon as the average pwp oneshot.'], [1, 'No new magic seemed to be introduced either, and even many plot points are recycled (time turning, the entirety of Goblet of Fire, polyjuice, really I could go on) .'], [1, 'Next task to tackle(lol get it?)'], [0, ', the plotholes aplenty.'], [1, "Let's start with the obvious: this is not how time travel works in the Harry Potter universe."], [1, 'We do not get multiple parallel timelines and AUs.'], [1, 'JoRo was so meticulous about all her plotting and world building in the previous books that Cursed Child is maddeningly sloppy in comparison.'], [1, 'In Prisoner of Azkaban, time travel all happens in 1 timeline.'], [1, 'Nothing changes, and everything that will happen during the time travel has already happened.'], [1, "If this logic would be followed through, Al and Scorpious' actions in the past would have no consequences on the present and would not create alternate timelines."], [1, "Does this happen because Croaker's law is violated?"], [1, 'If so, then that is a very weak leg to stand the back bone of an entire plot on.'], [1, "Even the whole concept of time travel itself made me angry when a 'friend' spoiled that part of the play for me, I can't even imagine how angry/disappointed I would have been finding out that this was the crux of the story while reading it for the first time."], [1, 'Sure there are still great time travel stories, this was just not one of them.'], [1, 'Every time travel trope from meeting your parents and erasing your existence to getting stuck n the past is used and it was not good.'], [1, "And again, the rather convenient magic that's used whenever there's a pinch."], [1, 'Everything from the instantly brewed polyjuice to the apparent ability to transfigure anyone into Voldemort is a slap in the face to the carefully laid out and much more believable plots of the HP novels.'], [1, "Aside from the big one, there were several smaller plotholes such as how the AU's turned out the way they did, how the fireworks at the end of the second task was supposed to change Ron and Hermione's relationship after their history in AU#1, how in all their travels they were never discovered."], [0, 'Not only was the plot butchered, but there was mass character assassination happening in Cursed Child.'], [0, "Don't get me wrong, some of the characters were my favorite parts!"], [0, 'They really did make the entire experience for me.'], [0, 'However, many others were either out of character, underutilized, or (as mentioned above) missing completely!'], [1, "Let's start off with a moment of silence for the complete and utter character assassination of Cedric Diggory."], [1, "Okay, now let's change the tone a bit by talking about characters I actually loved."], [1, "Scoprious, of course, is everyone's new favorite Slytherin."], [1, 'Hermione was a boss ass b, no complaints.'], [1, "Ron, though out of character, was hilarious and I didn't have much of a problem with his lack of serious persona because I was not the biggest Ron fan in the original series (we can chalk it up to maturation)."], [1, "Harry I felt was pretty in character (though it's very hard to accept how bad of a dad he was)."], [1, "I'm still not quite sure how I feel about Ginny and Draco for much the same reason."], [1, 'Both, especially in Part 1, seemed to be only used when the plot needed a push forward.'], [1, "I had a strong sense that their characters weren't being respected even if they did not exactly act out of character."], [1, 'While Ginny had a lot of great moments, I would have appreciated seeing her as a stronger, wittier, and more central figure in the plot.'], [1, 'Yes she played the part of an amazing mother and wife but I felt like any character could have easily filled that role which was not played out exceptionally "Ginny-ish".'], [1, 'Draco on the other hand did not sound like Draco at all.'], [1, 'Yes he played the Draco part adequately, but he did not seem very "Draco-ish".'], [1, 'It really bothered me that Draco was calling others by their first names and vice versa.'], [1, 'Like a lot.'], [1, "This may be my Draco bias showing but I wish they gave more of an indication what he had been doing all these years since the war, they didn't even say what he did now."], [1, 'Though his redemption scene was beautiful and I was so glad the character finally got the conclusion he deserved, how fast the confession and forgiveness and understanding happened felt very empty and unearned.'], [1, "We won't even talk about Snape."], [1, "Albus I'm still trying to work out my feelings towards."], [1, 'As angsty as he was, I loved him and I think his character is totally believable.'], [1, 'The story left me wanting more Albus.'], [1, "And I don't want to regurgitate what a million and one people have already said but there was 100% queerbaiting with respect to Albus/Scorpious and I was very mad about that."], [1, 'Everything as the story progressed and unfolded was pointing towards this romantic (not platonic) pairing as endgame, much more strongly than Albus/Delphi or Scorpious/Rose.'], [1, 'As hints were being not so subtly dropped, I felt so elated, is this really happening?'], [1, 'Can it be so wonderful?'], [1, "And the disappointment when it didn't as entirely too annoying."], [1, "I've accepted a headcanon from tumblr that Rose is to Scorpious what Cho was to Harry (the timeline matches up), and Al is his Ginny."], [0, 'Finally, the big bad.'], [1, 'I hated Delphi.'], [1, "Though I was not one of the people who suspected Delphi of being a bad egg from the beginning, I wan't a huge fan purely on the grounds that I am not partial to Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way Mary Sues."], [1, 'This just seemed like the worst bad fanfiction trope that really made me question if I was reading the real thing?'], [1, 'I mean can you imagine the elevator pitch for this story?'], [1, "Hey, JK, we want to produce a play about Harry and Draco's sons going back in time using a plot device you destroyed (and didn't even work this way in the first place) to relive your least favorite book, make Cedric Diggory evil, fight Voldemort's daughter, and watch Voldy kill of Lily and James just one more time for funsies."], [1, 'I am still amazed and confused as to how this became canon.'], [0, "Okay, I promise I'm done now."], [0, "Despite all my complaints and unrelenting fangirl feels about this play, I still gave it 4 stars and I'm standing by it."], [0, 'Was it great?'], [0, 'Nope.'], [1, 'But it was Harry Potter and despite all its faults, Harry, Albus, Hermione, Ron "Dad Jokes" Weasley, Scorpious and Draco were enough to redeem this book for me.'], [1, 'TL;DR - Terrible plot, amazing characters, go read it, and new anthem of HP fandom: "Voldemort has a dick?"']]

29056083

5fa5cd3d80b0d5da6ae835fc3f7b4158

So I've had a day to digest this and I think I'm finally ready to really talk about this book. This review may have gotten slightly out of hand... This story is a sequel (#NotAPrequel) to the Harry Potter series and follows the trio, now all grown up, and their children. Saying that is already a bit of an overstatement because where are all the kids?? There seems to be a general consensus among fans that the plot is a horrible fanfiction that's nothing like the original HP series horrifically unfolding in front of your eyes like a car crash you can't look away from but the characters and (for the most part) beautifully written. It's for these characters that I'm giving this book a 4 star rating. Trust me, Scorpious Malfoy, aka the cinnamon roll king, alone is worth cringing through the bad plot. I had to stop and catch my breath multiple times throughout Part 1 because wow this is exactly what I've always wanted from Scorpious and Albus and wow I cannot believe this is real and this is canon and this has been touched by the hands of JoRo herself. Have I read better characterizations for Scorp and Al? Yes. Most definitely. Why, then, do I love this story so much for the kids? Because it's canon, because they didn't shy away from this amazing characterization of these kids because they were worried about it being considered fanservice or how it overlapped with popular tropes in fanfiction. Now let's talk about why the plot is a hot mess. THIS PLOT IS SUCH A HOT MESS. The tone of this play felt nothing like true blue HP with no world building, no little off-handed comments about this famous witch rock band or that Quidditch game, and barely any Hogwarts. A lot of reviews and click-bait online articles have been calling Cursed Child a badly written fanfiction and this isn't just the insult the plot. There are so many ways this story really is like a badly written fanfiction. First, everything exists in a weird bubble. Not only does this story lack almost all traces of the wizarding world but there's a distinct feeling I got while reading the book that so many things were done just for convenience. Magic itself seemed only to be used when the plot needed a push forward or a shortcut past a barrier. Seriously though, they complain about how Hermione uses books and riddles to guard the time turner but now about how the frickin' Minister of Magic's office can be unlocked by A FRICKIN' ALOHAROMA?! And really, not that much seems to be revealed. But there is so much new information about the future, you may say! Well, is there? This is, after all, the 8th story. There has to be a lot of new information about the next gen. But of all that could be revealed, we get relatively little. Where's Hugo? Or Neville? Luna? All the Weasley cousins? All the Weasleys????? Where is Teddy Lupin? Will we ever get closure on this poor baby? Yes, I understand introducing too many characters and calling back to obscure concepts from the series could confuse a play audience but isn't one of the defining features of Harry Potter the fact that it does not talk down to its audience? In MuggleCast's review of Cursed Child also does an amazing job of pointing out that not much really changes post-Cursed Child. Sure, you find out how everyone is doing in the next gen and Harry and Al have angsty father/son bonding but what really changes? The plot of Cursed Child has about as much impact on next gen canon as the average pwp oneshot. No new magic seemed to be introduced either, and even many plot points are recycled (time turning, the entirety of Goblet of Fire, polyjuice, really I could go on) . Next task to tackle(lol get it?) , the plotholes aplenty. Let's start with the obvious: this is not how time travel works in the Harry Potter universe. We do not get multiple parallel timelines and AUs. JoRo was so meticulous about all her plotting and world building in the previous books that Cursed Child is maddeningly sloppy in comparison. In Prisoner of Azkaban, time travel all happens in 1 timeline. Nothing changes, and everything that will happen during the time travel has already happened. If this logic would be followed through, Al and Scorpious' actions in the past would have no consequences on the present and would not create alternate timelines. Does this happen because Croaker's law is violated? If so, then that is a very weak leg to stand the back bone of an entire plot on. Even the whole concept of time travel itself made me angry when a 'friend' spoiled that part of the play for me, I can't even imagine how angry/disappointed I would have been finding out that this was the crux of the story while reading it for the first time. Sure there are still great time travel stories, this was just not one of them. Every time travel trope from meeting your parents and erasing your existence to getting stuck n the past is used and it was not good. And again, the rather convenient magic that's used whenever there's a pinch. Everything from the instantly brewed polyjuice to the apparent ability to transfigure anyone into Voldemort is a slap in the face to the carefully laid out and much more believable plots of the HP novels. Aside from the big one, there were several smaller plotholes such as how the AU's turned out the way they did, how the fireworks at the end of the second task was supposed to change Ron and Hermione's relationship after their history in AU#1, how in all their travels they were never discovered. Not only was the plot butchered, but there was mass character assassination happening in Cursed Child. Don't get me wrong, some of the characters were my favorite parts! They really did make the entire experience for me. However, many others were either out of character, underutilized, or (as mentioned above) missing completely! Let's start off with a moment of silence for the complete and utter character assassination of Cedric Diggory. Okay, now let's change the tone a bit by talking about characters I actually loved. Scoprious, of course, is everyone's new favorite Slytherin. Hermione was a boss ass b, no complaints. Ron, though out of character, was hilarious and I didn't have much of a problem with his lack of serious persona because I was not the biggest Ron fan in the original series (we can chalk it up to maturation). Harry I felt was pretty in character (though it's very hard to accept how bad of a dad he was). I'm still not quite sure how I feel about Ginny and Draco for much the same reason. Both, especially in Part 1, seemed to be only used when the plot needed a push forward. I had a strong sense that their characters weren't being respected even if they did not exactly act out of character. While Ginny had a lot of great moments, I would have appreciated seeing her as a stronger, wittier, and more central figure in the plot. Yes she played the part of an amazing mother and wife but I felt like any character could have easily filled that role which was not played out exceptionally "Ginny-ish". Draco on the other hand did not sound like Draco at all. Yes he played the Draco part adequately, but he did not seem very "Draco-ish". It really bothered me that Draco was calling others by their first names and vice versa. Like a lot. This may be my Draco bias showing but I wish they gave more of an indication what he had been doing all these years since the war, they didn't even say what he did now. Though his redemption scene was beautiful and I was so glad the character finally got the conclusion he deserved, how fast the confession and forgiveness and understanding happened felt very empty and unearned. We won't even talk about Snape. Albus I'm still trying to work out my feelings towards. As angsty as he was, I loved him and I think his character is totally believable. The story left me wanting more Albus. And I don't want to regurgitate what a million and one people have already said but there was 100% queerbaiting with respect to Albus/Scorpious and I was very mad about that. Everything as the story progressed and unfolded was pointing towards this romantic (not platonic) pairing as endgame, much more strongly than Albus/Delphi or Scorpious/Rose. As hints were being not so subtly dropped, I felt so elated, is this really happening? Can it be so wonderful? And the disappointment when it didn't as entirely too annoying. I've accepted a headcanon from tumblr that Rose is to Scorpious what Cho was to Harry (the timeline matches up), and Al is his Ginny. Finally, the big bad. I hated Delphi. Though I was not one of the people who suspected Delphi of being a bad egg from the beginning, I wan't a huge fan purely on the grounds that I am not partial to Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way Mary Sues. This just seemed like the worst bad fanfiction trope that really made me question if I was reading the real thing? I mean can you imagine the elevator pitch for this story? Hey, JK, we want to produce a play about Harry and Draco's sons going back in time using a plot device you destroyed (and didn't even work this way in the first place) to relive your least favorite book, make Cedric Diggory evil, fight Voldemort's daughter, and watch Voldy kill of Lily and James just one more time for funsies. I am still amazed and confused as to how this became canon. Okay, I promise I'm done now. Despite all my complaints and unrelenting fangirl feels about this play, I still gave it 4 stars and I'm standing by it. Was it great? Nope. But it was Harry Potter and despite all its faults, Harry, Albus, Hermione, Ron "Dad Jokes" Weasley, Scorpious and Draco were enough to redeem this book for me. TL;DR - Terrible plot, amazing characters, go read it, and new anthem of HP fandom: "Voldemort has a dick?"

219f009c09d785f2eb243fbb8e6d4a8b

2017-04-21

[[0, 'Disappointing ending.'], [0, "It started out pretty good and continued to go along fairly well, though with several unreliable narrators and some weird sentence structure, which set a pace and established certain characters' thought patterns, but which was initially confusing."], [0, 'Then the author threw in a couple unnecessary neon signs (100+ pages before the end) as to who the killer was.'], [1, 'Pretty much all the main characters either died or disappeared.'], [1, 'Hopefully not a set up for a sequel.']]

30687788

fb9cff85db33b1d91ed70109b296ef3a

Disappointing ending. It started out pretty good and continued to go along fairly well, though with several unreliable narrators and some weird sentence structure, which set a pace and established certain characters' thought patterns, but which was initially confusing. Then the author threw in a couple unnecessary neon signs (100+ pages before the end) as to who the killer was. Pretty much all the main characters either died or disappeared. Hopefully not a set up for a sequel.

c60cc2ac07e6adc15bfafe1129db0d64

2016-04-04

[[0, 'I LOVED THIS BOOK.'], [0, 'THE CHARACTERS.'], [0, 'THE MYSTERY.'], [0, 'THE SUSPENSE.'], [0, 'AGH!'], [0, 'The way the book is written, as mentioned in my fangirling shouts of joy, is that there is just a lot of mystery.'], [0, 'Information about each character is withheld initially and it keeps you intrigued and wanting to know their motives or past, etc.'], [0, 'I loved it.'], [0, 'Granted, this only works if the characters are good, and they all are.'], [0, 'Florian is my favorite, but a lot of the side characters are also excellent.'], [0, 'They even have small events that have you holding your breath hoping it somehow works out for them.'], [1, 'Like Ingrid trying to get past the checkpoint with the blue scarf.'], [1, "The soldier holds it out to her in the wind, and she's blind and she is trying to pretend like she is recovering her vision from an injury and it just dangles in the wind and for a second I'm like AGH HE KNOWS SHES LYING."], [1, 'But then she reaches up so she heard the scarf flutter or something and she passes so it was wonderous!'], [1, 'The suspense in like the two lines of text that this part was.... xD I love Emilia and Joana, too, though, and even Alfred has a lot of character to him.'], [1, 'You are supposed to hate him, that is the point, to get the POV of a German who loves Hitler and his ideals.'], [1, 'Granted he is a very odd and egotistic one, but he added a lot of interesting twists to the plot, and he was easy for Florian to manipulate for the sake of the plot.'], [1, ':)'], [0, 'I just had so many feels and emotions while reading this book.'], [0, "As I'm reading it, I know nothing about the ship, Wilhelm Gustoff, or the history of people having to evacuate due to the Russian advance into German territory."], [0, 'The only thing I did know (other than basic WWII history, of course) was what was written on the dust jacket.'], [0, 'That it is Winter 1945 and the tale of 4 teenagers vying for passage on a ship that "is inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history".'], [0, "The whole time I am reading this, I'm just like.... I HOPE THEY DON'T ALL DIE."], [0, "PLEASE DON'T."], [0, 'I know it relates to a great maritime tragedy, but somehow you all must live!'], [0, 'Please!'], [0, 'It leaves this impending doom upon me (the reader) and then I sit and stare at the cover at times just going, goodness this cover even gives me so many feels!'], [0, 'The foreshadowing is just all over the place while not being there at all!'], [0, '(Well, there is some, but really just any small event that happens, you turn to the cover and think, BUT THE SHIP!)'], [1, 'A few minor qualms I have... The actual sinking of the ship happened too quickly and then was quite long.'], [1, 'Part of this is me having poor knowledge of how long it takes a ship to sink.'], [1, 'I will start with the quick half: Just how our cast of 4 characters were able to get to the main deck/lifeboat area.'], [1, "I didn't have a good pictured layout of the ship in my head, but they were all rushing for the stairs along with 10500 other passengers."], [1, 'I don\'t know how many staircases there are or any of the sort, but I\'m picturing the ship filling with water very fast (this will go along with the "long" part) so it should be difficult with so many people in a panic and I don\'t know what deck level each person was on, such as the maternity ward.'], [1, 'I imagine that would be the first level below deck, I guess, but then where was Alfred?'], [1, 'It sounded like he was much farther down, he even runs into people that were hit by the torpedo, so that part of the ship should be filling with water quickly and going down fast.'], [1, 'I guess I just needed more of a visual to it.'], [1, 'The long/slow part:'], [1, 'After everyone is out of the ship and on a lifeboat, it seemed like it took awhile for the whole ship to go down.'], [1, 'We see from our 4 characters eyes other people desperately trying to break out of the ship and them drowning, etc.'], [1, 'You may ask, have I seen the movie, The Titanic?'], [1, 'Yes, I\'ve seen the Titanic, but the Titanic had all those "unsinkable" bits that were meant to stop the sinking.'], [1, "The Titanic also hit an iceberg, which is bad, but it isn't the same as being hit by 3 Torpedoes."], [1, "Also, I don't have a lot of knowledge about Torpedo damage, but basically I guess I thought that the whole bottom of the ship was blown out from it, so water should be filling exceedingly fast and people would drown very quickly."], [1, 'Overall it was just short of an hour total for the ship to sink, and I guess that makes sense, but I think the overall timing of everything in this part was incredibly rushed (main characters getting to lifeboats) then all of a sudden very slow to reflect on this tragedy.'], [1, 'Yes it is a tragedy and I feel like seeing all of the characters reactions fit well and was important, but it slowed down a lot after being so rushed even though it is all part of the same event, the sinking.'], [1, "It isn't a huge deal overall and I still love the book a lot, but this was my only small problem with it."], [1, 'I may go back and reread it, too, since I was also rushing through it to see what happens.'], [1, "I'm sad about Emilia and the Shoe Poet and Ingrid."], [1, 'I know a story like this will have loss, and I am glad that Mrs.'], [1, "Sepetys was strong enough to kill these characters off, especially Emilia because it didn't seem likely for all 4 main characters to make it."], [1, 'Though Alfred.... I feel like since he was just a terrible person he was meant to kill off and that made it easy.'], [1, 'So when I say all 4 characters shouldn\'t make it, I meant the 3 "good" guys.'], [1, 'When Florian falls out of the lifeboat when trying to get to the rescue ship, I almost died.'], [1, 'I was reading it happy that it seems like all 3 (Emilia saw "an approaching light" at this point, which turns out to mean the afterlife/heaven/what-have-you) and then I compared it to Rose and Jack from The Titanic movie.'], [1, 'I was like "oh the author clearly was just too upset by The Titanic to kill the romantic pairing.'], [1, 'Yay!'], [1, 'We get them together--- OH MY GOD HE FELL INTO THE OCEAN!'], [1, 'NO!SHE IS GOING TO KILL HIM!'], [1, 'WHAT WAS I THINKING!?'], [1, 'AGH!"'], [1, 'And then the relief I had that he makes it, oh my goodness, my heart!'], [1, 'I am so happy he and Joana both made it and they get to be together!'], [1, 'I also love how the romance is told and how their relationship develops in a more casual/minor way given all the stress the characters have to focus on first.'], [1, 'As for Emilia, I really love how she was very perceptive of the people around her.'], [1, 'There are quite a few examples, but how she notices that Joana and Florian have feelings for each other and compares them to birds and how their plumage is brighter when they found their mate, etc.'], [1, "The same goes for the Shoe Poet and how he is able to tell so much due to people's shoes!"], [1, "It's great."], [1, ':)'], [0, 'I had a lot to say with spoilers, so it proves a lot of the book stuck with me (though I read it within 2 days so everything is very fresh in my mind) and I had a lot to say, so I clearly loved it and give it 5/5 stars.'], [0, 'Highly recommend!']]

25614492

a316815f7dc58ada29390b662c9edfe5

I LOVED THIS BOOK. THE CHARACTERS. THE MYSTERY. THE SUSPENSE. AGH! The way the book is written, as mentioned in my fangirling shouts of joy, is that there is just a lot of mystery. Information about each character is withheld initially and it keeps you intrigued and wanting to know their motives or past, etc. I loved it. Granted, this only works if the characters are good, and they all are. Florian is my favorite, but a lot of the side characters are also excellent. They even have small events that have you holding your breath hoping it somehow works out for them. Like Ingrid trying to get past the checkpoint with the blue scarf. The soldier holds it out to her in the wind, and she's blind and she is trying to pretend like she is recovering her vision from an injury and it just dangles in the wind and for a second I'm like AGH HE KNOWS SHES LYING. But then she reaches up so she heard the scarf flutter or something and she passes so it was wonderous! The suspense in like the two lines of text that this part was.... xD I love Emilia and Joana, too, though, and even Alfred has a lot of character to him. You are supposed to hate him, that is the point, to get the POV of a German who loves Hitler and his ideals. Granted he is a very odd and egotistic one, but he added a lot of interesting twists to the plot, and he was easy for Florian to manipulate for the sake of the plot. :) I just had so many feels and emotions while reading this book. As I'm reading it, I know nothing about the ship, Wilhelm Gustoff, or the history of people having to evacuate due to the Russian advance into German territory. The only thing I did know (other than basic WWII history, of course) was what was written on the dust jacket. That it is Winter 1945 and the tale of 4 teenagers vying for passage on a ship that "is inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history". The whole time I am reading this, I'm just like.... I HOPE THEY DON'T ALL DIE. PLEASE DON'T. I know it relates to a great maritime tragedy, but somehow you all must live! Please! It leaves this impending doom upon me (the reader) and then I sit and stare at the cover at times just going, goodness this cover even gives me so many feels! The foreshadowing is just all over the place while not being there at all! (Well, there is some, but really just any small event that happens, you turn to the cover and think, BUT THE SHIP!) A few minor qualms I have... The actual sinking of the ship happened too quickly and then was quite long. Part of this is me having poor knowledge of how long it takes a ship to sink. I will start with the quick half: Just how our cast of 4 characters were able to get to the main deck/lifeboat area. I didn't have a good pictured layout of the ship in my head, but they were all rushing for the stairs along with 10500 other passengers. I don't know how many staircases there are or any of the sort, but I'm picturing the ship filling with water very fast (this will go along with the "long" part) so it should be difficult with so many people in a panic and I don't know what deck level each person was on, such as the maternity ward. I imagine that would be the first level below deck, I guess, but then where was Alfred? It sounded like he was much farther down, he even runs into people that were hit by the torpedo, so that part of the ship should be filling with water quickly and going down fast. I guess I just needed more of a visual to it. The long/slow part: After everyone is out of the ship and on a lifeboat, it seemed like it took awhile for the whole ship to go down. We see from our 4 characters eyes other people desperately trying to break out of the ship and them drowning, etc. You may ask, have I seen the movie, The Titanic? Yes, I've seen the Titanic, but the Titanic had all those "unsinkable" bits that were meant to stop the sinking. The Titanic also hit an iceberg, which is bad, but it isn't the same as being hit by 3 Torpedoes. Also, I don't have a lot of knowledge about Torpedo damage, but basically I guess I thought that the whole bottom of the ship was blown out from it, so water should be filling exceedingly fast and people would drown very quickly. Overall it was just short of an hour total for the ship to sink, and I guess that makes sense, but I think the overall timing of everything in this part was incredibly rushed (main characters getting to lifeboats) then all of a sudden very slow to reflect on this tragedy. Yes it is a tragedy and I feel like seeing all of the characters reactions fit well and was important, but it slowed down a lot after being so rushed even though it is all part of the same event, the sinking. It isn't a huge deal overall and I still love the book a lot, but this was my only small problem with it. I may go back and reread it, too, since I was also rushing through it to see what happens. I'm sad about Emilia and the Shoe Poet and Ingrid. I know a story like this will have loss, and I am glad that Mrs. Sepetys was strong enough to kill these characters off, especially Emilia because it didn't seem likely for all 4 main characters to make it. Though Alfred.... I feel like since he was just a terrible person he was meant to kill off and that made it easy. So when I say all 4 characters shouldn't make it, I meant the 3 "good" guys. When Florian falls out of the lifeboat when trying to get to the rescue ship, I almost died. I was reading it happy that it seems like all 3 (Emilia saw "an approaching light" at this point, which turns out to mean the afterlife/heaven/what-have-you) and then I compared it to Rose and Jack from The Titanic movie. I was like "oh the author clearly was just too upset by The Titanic to kill the romantic pairing. Yay! We get them together--- OH MY GOD HE FELL INTO THE OCEAN! NO!SHE IS GOING TO KILL HIM! WHAT WAS I THINKING!? AGH!" And then the relief I had that he makes it, oh my goodness, my heart! I am so happy he and Joana both made it and they get to be together! I also love how the romance is told and how their relationship develops in a more casual/minor way given all the stress the characters have to focus on first. As for Emilia, I really love how she was very perceptive of the people around her. There are quite a few examples, but how she notices that Joana and Florian have feelings for each other and compares them to birds and how their plumage is brighter when they found their mate, etc. The same goes for the Shoe Poet and how he is able to tell so much due to people's shoes! It's great. :) I had a lot to say with spoilers, so it proves a lot of the book stuck with me (though I read it within 2 days so everything is very fresh in my mind) and I had a lot to say, so I clearly loved it and give it 5/5 stars. Highly recommend!

a3f7a1d40aef81d3a272fcecfd4c007b

2016-07-29

[[0, 'So this book.'], [0, 'The one I waited an entire year for.'], [0, 'I actually wanted to give this book 3 stars, but made it 4 stars just because I love this series so much.'], [0, 'EDIT: CHANGED TO 3 STARS - the more I think about the ending to this book, the more pissed off I get ... :P'], [0, 'And yes, I actually did read this in 2 days - more like 6 hours (could have been in one day, but it was getting dangerously close to my bedtime)!'], [0, 'SPOILERS AHEAD:'], [1, 'The book started off great.'], [1, 'Humor, excitement, clever plans.'], [1, 'Typical Riordan writing.'], [1, 'We see new points of view (REYNA!'], [1, 'NICO!'], [1, 'I WAS WAITING TO SEE THEIR POINTS OF VIEW!!)'], [1, 'However, toward the ending.'], [1, 'It felt EXTREMELY rushed.'], [1, 'The battle scene (if you could call it that :/) with Gaea was ... well not even a "battle".'], [1, 'Gaea wakes up for all of 5 minutes, then the demigods magically swoop her up into the sky.'], [1, 'Piper says a few words and a strong "SLEEP" and boom, Gaea\'s done for.'], [1, 'And then Leo flies into her (as well as Octavian!!'], [1, 'WTH?)'], [1, 'and everything explodes.'], [1, 'OK back to the Octavian thing.'], [1, 'He was pretty much an antagonist from like the moment we met him.'], [1, "But in this book, he barely makes a scene, and then unceremoniously loads himself into a catapult shooting towards Gaea and then ... boom he's gone."], [1, 'That plotline just ended like that.'], [1, 'Oh, and Leo.'], [1, "Don't get me started on that plot line."], [1, 'In the last book I was TOTALLY rooting for him and Calypso (come on, they were cute!)'], [1, "Leo DOES reunite with Calypso, but it's so anticlimactic."], [1, "Leo dies (all the fangirls go *gasp*), then Festus jabs him with the cure (way too convenient how there's a cure for death), Leo crash-lands on Calypso's island, and oh wow Calypso's all ready to go."], [1, 'Then (and this is the worst part) THE BOOK ENDS RIGHT THERE.'], [1, "There's barely any closure in the ending, which makes me think that Riordan was just really writing on a deadline."], [1, 'OR (hopefully) there may be another book in the future or a glimpse of the characters in some future book.'], [1, '*fingers crossed*'], [1, 'REVIEW OF THE CHARACTERS:'], [1, 'OK, so I kinda forgot which POVs were in the book (did we have all of them?)'], [1, "But I'll write my opinion on the plotlines."], [1, 'JASON'], [1, 'Never really liked this guy.'], [1, 'Not sure why.'], [1, 'But he was pretty bad-a here.'], [1, 'Interesting plotline with his mother, but this was never fully explained or closed.'], [1, 'She showed up, he was all like "I hate you", and she disappears.'], [1, 'LOL at when Zeus shows up in that god and demigods vs.'], [1, "giants scene (which, BTW, was also way too convenient and rushed) and Jason's all starstruck!"], [1, 'But can I say, that scene in the end with Piper?'], [1, 'So cute!'], [1, 'PIPER'], [1, "Also another character that I wasn't too fond of, but Piper really shows her strength here."], [1, 'Especially in that scene with Annabeth, where Piper is able to fight back better than Annabeth can!'], [1, 'I did not, however, see how it was possible to make Gaea fall back asleep.'], [1, "Piper's charmspeak must have been like, super strong o.o"], [1, 'LEO'], [1, "As usually, Leo's voice is great and funny."], [1, 'I did not enjoy how he died and then instantly get revived by Festus.'], [1, 'Again, really convenient, but I suppose if Riordan made Leo die, every single fangirl would bombard him with hate messages :D'], [1, 'HAZEL'], [1, "I'm disappointed we don't see more of Hazel."], [1, 'However, her strength with the Mist is really awesome.'], [1, 'In the case of disguising Jason, Piper, and Annabeth in the beginning, as well as the vial that Leo "gives" to Piper.'], [1, 'And during the battle with Nike (which I thought was great), we can really see how much Hazel has strengthened in her skills with the Mist.'], [1, 'FRANK'], [1, "Another character we don't see a lot of."], [1, "I suppose Frank's spotlight was in the last book The House of Hades."], [1, 'ANNABETH & PERCY'], [1, "Yay they're back from Tartarus!"], [1, 'And kicking a like they normally do.'], [1, 'Really cute when Percy kisses Annabeth in Athens to "end the rivalry" of their parents.'], [1, 'And romantic!'], [1, 'REYNA'], [1, 'YAY YAY YAY.'], [1, 'Reyna was a character I was super interested in learning about ever since we met her in The Son of Neptune.'], [1, 'I knew there was something bad in her backstory.'], [1, 'However, this plotline was also NOT really explained or closed.'], [1, 'She killed her dad, who had turned into a maniac ghost ... thing.'], [1, 'Or something.'], [1, 'It got confusing.'], [1, 'I was also excited to see Hylla!'], [1, 'And Thalia!'], [1, 'Strong bad a girls who fight with bows.'], [1, 'And they both lead closeknit communities.'], [1, 'I was pretty upset when Phoebe fell in battle.'], [1, 'Just like Zoe Nightshade, she was realllllly old and loyal.'], [1, "I also found Reyna's friendship with Nico really cute."], [1, 'Before, I used to ship them, but I can also see how they can be just friends.'], [1, "Or, Nico can be like Reyna's little brother."], [1, 'How cute!'], [1, "So, what's up with Aphrodite's talk with Reyna."], [1, "She said that no demigod would heal Reyna's heart."], [1, 'So then who will???'], [1, 'I WANT TO KNOW!'], [1, 'NICO'], [1, 'Boom.'], [1, 'So this guy.'], [1, 'He has many issues, feeling left out and shut out of every group.'], [1, 'He had a crush on Percy that people (Jason, Reyna, Coach Hedge) find out about.'], [1, "And then he finally decides to tell Percy (Percy's reaction was just classic)."], [1, "I think it's hinted that there's something going on between Nico and Will Solace (no comment ... I really don't remember anything about Will before this book except that he's an Apollo demigod)."], [1, 'So yeah.'], [1, 'Nico was really brave to shadow travel so often.'], [1, 'Even with Reyna\'s giving strength thing (cool), he really got drained and almost "faded" away.'], [1, 'I love the character development we see in Nico.'], [1, "He's much different from the little kid we first met in The Titan's Curse."], [1, 'COACH HEDGE'], [1, 'Coach Hedge is back, and still as funny, derpy, and confident as always!'], [1, 'We also see his soft side when it comes to his wife Mellie (cute couple!)'], [1, 'And they had a kid!'], [1, 'Named CHUCK.'], [1, "I LOL'd at that!"], [1, 'Classic Hedge :)'], [1, 'Total rating: 3 stars'], [1, "I'm really sad to see this series end."], [1, 'This book was great in the beginning, but the ending EXTREMELY disappointed me.'], [1, 'GAH, I wish it could be rewritten!'], [1, 'We have mostly an unknown ending.'], [1, 'No like seriously, the last sentence was something like "they rode off into the unknown".'], [1, "Leo's friends don't find out what happened to him."], [1, 'And then how will Calypso blend into the group?'], [1, 'It will be SUPER awkward when Calypso and Percy see each other again ...'], [1, 'I JUST WANT ANOTHER BOOK.'], [1, 'Or an epilogue!'], [1, "(On a side note, who's excited for Riordan's next series about Norse mythology?)"]]

18705209

05a18e64d38516df6689fcb05163d56c

So this book. The one I waited an entire year for. I actually wanted to give this book 3 stars, but made it 4 stars just because I love this series so much. EDIT: CHANGED TO 3 STARS - the more I think about the ending to this book, the more pissed off I get ... :P And yes, I actually did read this in 2 days - more like 6 hours (could have been in one day, but it was getting dangerously close to my bedtime)! SPOILERS AHEAD: The book started off great. Humor, excitement, clever plans. Typical Riordan writing. We see new points of view (REYNA! NICO! I WAS WAITING TO SEE THEIR POINTS OF VIEW!!) However, toward the ending. It felt EXTREMELY rushed. The battle scene (if you could call it that :/) with Gaea was ... well not even a "battle". Gaea wakes up for all of 5 minutes, then the demigods magically swoop her up into the sky. Piper says a few words and a strong "SLEEP" and boom, Gaea's done for. And then Leo flies into her (as well as Octavian!! WTH?) and everything explodes. OK back to the Octavian thing. He was pretty much an antagonist from like the moment we met him. But in this book, he barely makes a scene, and then unceremoniously loads himself into a catapult shooting towards Gaea and then ... boom he's gone. That plotline just ended like that. Oh, and Leo. Don't get me started on that plot line. In the last book I was TOTALLY rooting for him and Calypso (come on, they were cute!) Leo DOES reunite with Calypso, but it's so anticlimactic. Leo dies (all the fangirls go *gasp*), then Festus jabs him with the cure (way too convenient how there's a cure for death), Leo crash-lands on Calypso's island, and oh wow Calypso's all ready to go. Then (and this is the worst part) THE BOOK ENDS RIGHT THERE. There's barely any closure in the ending, which makes me think that Riordan was just really writing on a deadline. OR (hopefully) there may be another book in the future or a glimpse of the characters in some future book. *fingers crossed* REVIEW OF THE CHARACTERS: OK, so I kinda forgot which POVs were in the book (did we have all of them?) But I'll write my opinion on the plotlines. JASON Never really liked this guy. Not sure why. But he was pretty bad-a here. Interesting plotline with his mother, but this was never fully explained or closed. She showed up, he was all like "I hate you", and she disappears. LOL at when Zeus shows up in that god and demigods vs. giants scene (which, BTW, was also way too convenient and rushed) and Jason's all starstruck! But can I say, that scene in the end with Piper? So cute! PIPER Also another character that I wasn't too fond of, but Piper really shows her strength here. Especially in that scene with Annabeth, where Piper is able to fight back better than Annabeth can! I did not, however, see how it was possible to make Gaea fall back asleep. Piper's charmspeak must have been like, super strong o.o LEO As usually, Leo's voice is great and funny. I did not enjoy how he died and then instantly get revived by Festus. Again, really convenient, but I suppose if Riordan made Leo die, every single fangirl would bombard him with hate messages :D HAZEL I'm disappointed we don't see more of Hazel. However, her strength with the Mist is really awesome. In the case of disguising Jason, Piper, and Annabeth in the beginning, as well as the vial that Leo "gives" to Piper. And during the battle with Nike (which I thought was great), we can really see how much Hazel has strengthened in her skills with the Mist. FRANK Another character we don't see a lot of. I suppose Frank's spotlight was in the last book The House of Hades. ANNABETH & PERCY Yay they're back from Tartarus! And kicking a like they normally do. Really cute when Percy kisses Annabeth in Athens to "end the rivalry" of their parents. And romantic! REYNA YAY YAY YAY. Reyna was a character I was super interested in learning about ever since we met her in The Son of Neptune. I knew there was something bad in her backstory. However, this plotline was also NOT really explained or closed. She killed her dad, who had turned into a maniac ghost ... thing. Or something. It got confusing. I was also excited to see Hylla! And Thalia! Strong bad a girls who fight with bows. And they both lead closeknit communities. I was pretty upset when Phoebe fell in battle. Just like Zoe Nightshade, she was realllllly old and loyal. I also found Reyna's friendship with Nico really cute. Before, I used to ship them, but I can also see how they can be just friends. Or, Nico can be like Reyna's little brother. How cute! So, what's up with Aphrodite's talk with Reyna. She said that no demigod would heal Reyna's heart. So then who will??? I WANT TO KNOW! NICO Boom. So this guy. He has many issues, feeling left out and shut out of every group. He had a crush on Percy that people (Jason, Reyna, Coach Hedge) find out about. And then he finally decides to tell Percy (Percy's reaction was just classic). I think it's hinted that there's something going on between Nico and Will Solace (no comment ... I really don't remember anything about Will before this book except that he's an Apollo demigod). So yeah. Nico was really brave to shadow travel so often. Even with Reyna's giving strength thing (cool), he really got drained and almost "faded" away. I love the character development we see in Nico. He's much different from the little kid we first met in The Titan's Curse. COACH HEDGE Coach Hedge is back, and still as funny, derpy, and confident as always! We also see his soft side when it comes to his wife Mellie (cute couple!) And they had a kid! Named CHUCK. I LOL'd at that! Classic Hedge :) Total rating: 3 stars I'm really sad to see this series end. This book was great in the beginning, but the ending EXTREMELY disappointed me. GAH, I wish it could be rewritten! We have mostly an unknown ending. No like seriously, the last sentence was something like "they rode off into the unknown". Leo's friends don't find out what happened to him. And then how will Calypso blend into the group? It will be SUPER awkward when Calypso and Percy see each other again ... I JUST WANT ANOTHER BOOK. Or an epilogue! (On a side note, who's excited for Riordan's next series about Norse mythology?)

8752ed22df16acf0b326bff09868ff6a

2014-07-29

[[0, 'I read this book years ago and loved it']]

11337

59d9e3c0c5cf76123ac7ee2c1ed74c7e

I read this book years ago and loved it

1cbb17e9bb2670fb0e68c2d8547a93b7

2014-10-02

[[0, 'I was reluctant to read this book because I am not sure if it will be a light read (like The Knitters series and Gambling Men: The Novel) or heavy read (like The Promises series and Mourning Heaven).'], [0, 'One reviewer ease that doubt for me and I start reading and now my head is spinning a bit.'], [0, 'The quality of writing alone is very high.'], [0, "Ace's voice was stark and heavy which I imagine reflected his soul."], [0, 'Sonny was a tough survivor who managed to escape his horrific past into the army.'], [0, 'Both find salvation within each other and to maintain their sanity.'], [1, "Ace who carried the ghost of his brother and his brother's lover on what could have been."], [1, 'Sonny who did anything he could to escape his awful awful past.'], [0, 'Like many reviewer said, the story was a race to read from beginning to end.'], [0, 'For me, I supposed it felt like walking on a tight-rope, all adrenaline rush and tensions.'], [0, 'Everything were on point, trimmed, with scarcely any extra frill.'], [0, 'There was little to no padding in this book for sure.'], [0, "It wasn't a very very heavy read (as I presume Mourning Heaven, gosh I still could not brace myself enough to read that one... I felt like if I read that book I would ended up on a rifle rampage on small town bigots...) but it was very intense."], [0, 'I believed that Ms.'], [0, 'Lane could write about Jake and Ronnie and sell it under the bittersweet line... Although it would be mostly bitter.'], [0, 'Sonny possessiveness reminded me of Landry from Mine.'], [0, "It was a bit funny to see that both Ace and Sonny couldn't read each other at first, that they were lusting after each other."], [0, 'After they became an us, they lean on each other, heavily, to make their lives worth living.'], [0, "Ace, to make the dream that his brother couldn't realized happened and Sonny, to finally belonged to one person of his choosing."], [0, 'The secondary characters were all adding to the story, people who came to the garage and stayed like stray cats, the dad who was portrayed as a hard ass but turn up gold within a few paragraph.'], [0, 'Again, I am so much hope that someone mainstream will read Ms.'], [0, 'Lane books and really putting her name on the big marquee in literacy world.'], [0, 'The quality of her writing is so much better than some of the mainstream stuff I had read.'], [0, 'Can anybody send this or Mourning Heaven for Oprah book club?']]

17700033

5e66109f9d0831aea2a157a1c1948b6b

I was reluctant to read this book because I am not sure if it will be a light read (like The Knitters series and Gambling Men: The Novel) or heavy read (like The Promises series and Mourning Heaven). One reviewer ease that doubt for me and I start reading and now my head is spinning a bit. The quality of writing alone is very high. Ace's voice was stark and heavy which I imagine reflected his soul. Sonny was a tough survivor who managed to escape his horrific past into the army. Both find salvation within each other and to maintain their sanity. Ace who carried the ghost of his brother and his brother's lover on what could have been. Sonny who did anything he could to escape his awful awful past. Like many reviewer said, the story was a race to read from beginning to end. For me, I supposed it felt like walking on a tight-rope, all adrenaline rush and tensions. Everything were on point, trimmed, with scarcely any extra frill. There was little to no padding in this book for sure. It wasn't a very very heavy read (as I presume Mourning Heaven, gosh I still could not brace myself enough to read that one... I felt like if I read that book I would ended up on a rifle rampage on small town bigots...) but it was very intense. I believed that Ms. Lane could write about Jake and Ronnie and sell it under the bittersweet line... Although it would be mostly bitter. Sonny possessiveness reminded me of Landry from Mine. It was a bit funny to see that both Ace and Sonny couldn't read each other at first, that they were lusting after each other. After they became an us, they lean on each other, heavily, to make their lives worth living. Ace, to make the dream that his brother couldn't realized happened and Sonny, to finally belonged to one person of his choosing. The secondary characters were all adding to the story, people who came to the garage and stayed like stray cats, the dad who was portrayed as a hard ass but turn up gold within a few paragraph. Again, I am so much hope that someone mainstream will read Ms. Lane books and really putting her name on the big marquee in literacy world. The quality of her writing is so much better than some of the mainstream stuff I had read. Can anybody send this or Mourning Heaven for Oprah book club?

b2cffcb1295d37e6f2375d731036b6c8

2014-11-30

[[0, 'I confess this book pretty much baffled me.'], [0, 'Incredibly slow plotting, not terribly frightening and, frankly, depressingly sexist.'], [1, 'The main characters commit an act of sexual violence against a woman, but it turns out to not be their fault because they were tempted into it by an evil female spirit who apparently does this to men again and again.'], [1, "Yeah, that's the way sexual violence against women works."], [0, "Definitely can't recommend this one."]]

19581

8d01d1c96cde9aafb88856abb3cebe21

I confess this book pretty much baffled me. Incredibly slow plotting, not terribly frightening and, frankly, depressingly sexist. The main characters commit an act of sexual violence against a woman, but it turns out to not be their fault because they were tempted into it by an evil female spirit who apparently does this to men again and again. Yeah, that's the way sexual violence against women works. Definitely can't recommend this one.

62bdc62b9afcf5e692e1f1cd531feb0f

2013-01-30

[[1, 'WTF!'], [1, "I just started reading and i find out she left her mother,friends..didn't even applied to college and practically gave up everything for HIM !!"], [1, "I get it that she loves him too much and thus she can't leave him.it's okay for me..but giving up everything else?disturbing...but i will read it anyway"], [1, "okay,so I didn't put the book down till I finished reading.Took me four long hours...I kept reading because I desperately wanted to know how things ended in this book.. Does she stay after all this or just let go and see the truth?I hate the fact that she left her mother and a friend like Abby for him!"], [1, 'gave up college and running..this is heartbreaking as she never gets what she wanted from Connor.So,finally she accepts that he is no good for her and she can do better than him.This is the only reason I like this book and will give 4 stars.'], [0, 'The only reason i gave it 4 stars is because the ending was just what I wanted !']]

9541845

855f80ae214de555bab83d15b62bd5dc

WTF! I just started reading and i find out she left her mother,friends..didn't even applied to college and practically gave up everything for HIM !! I get it that she loves him too much and thus she can't leave him.it's okay for me..but giving up everything else?disturbing...but i will read it anyway okay,so I didn't put the book down till I finished reading.Took me four long hours...I kept reading because I desperately wanted to know how things ended in this book.. Does she stay after all this or just let go and see the truth?I hate the fact that she left her mother and a friend like Abby for him! gave up college and running..this is heartbreaking as she never gets what she wanted from Connor.So,finally she accepts that he is no good for her and she can do better than him.This is the only reason I like this book and will give 4 stars. The only reason i gave it 4 stars is because the ending was just what I wanted !

4799d8278389a73e763bf09617c871b1

2013-09-06

[[0, 'When I saw this book, like Meredith Duran\'s excellent Duke of Shadows, takes place partially in British India (modern Pakistan), I said "sign me up!"'], [0, 'Unfortunately, this is not an excellent book.'], [0, 'Bryony Asquith and Leo Marsden grew up on neighboring estates and then found individual acclaim (him as an explorer and mathematician, her as a doctor and surgeon) before marrying.'], [0, 'Though it starts as a love match, things quickly go south.'], [1, "Bryony catches Leo in an infidelity the week before they marry; her love and trust is shattered, but she married him anyway for reasons that, frankly, don't make a lot of sense given her character."], [0, 'After a year of marriage, they agree to seek an annulment and go their separate ways.'], [0, 'Three years later, they meet again in the wilds of Pakistan against the backdrop of a dangerous civil rebellion.'], [0, 'The first third (roughly) of the book serves mostly to drive the reader crazy with unfamiliar place names and, worse, to make both main characters as unpleasant as possible.'], [0, 'Bryony is so cold and abrasive, I wondered if she was autistic.'], [0, "It's hard to believe her claims that she loved Leo once, because she seems so aloof and untouchable."], [0, 'Leo is an arrogant golden boy who uses absurdly florid vocabulary and appears to be all charm and no substance.'], [0, "As the ex-couple make the difficult trek back toward civilization, a series of flashbacks and difficult conversations reveal that the lovers are more sympathetic than they appear and their attraction has not burned itself out, but it wasn't enough to make me root for their reconciliation."], [0, 'One of the underlying problems in their marriage was sexual dysfunction: Bryony was cold and rejecting whenever Leo pressed his husbandly rights, so he started raping her in her sleep (because by the time she woke up, she was already too far gone to stop him), and he continued doing so even after she begged him to stop, until Bryony killed a patient due to sleep deprivation and finally physically barred her bedroom door to keep Leo out.'], [0, "(Note the lack of spoiler warning, there: I don't believe in hiding rape scenes."], [0, 'In fact, I think books should come with rape warnings the way many erotic books warn of consent issues, anal play, etc.'], [0, '-And, yes: what Leo did was rape, even though Bryony came, and the fact that she turns around and does the same to him (twice!)'], [0, 'during their journey does not make it right.)'], [0, 'Since they keep up with the sleep-rapes after reuniting, I had a really hard time believing all that was wrong in their original relationship was right in their second-chance romance.'], [0, "The Pathan rebellion was not nearly as riveting and gut wrenching as the Sepoy Rebellion in Duran's Duke of Shadows, though it was obvious Ms."], [0, 'Thomas borrowed heavily from that book.'], [0, "Duran's story felt so real and horrible I almost felt like I'd been there--I knew what the battle smelled like, and I tasted Emma's terror--but Thomas seems to have concocted the Pathan uprising because she needed some outside drama to get her protagonists out of their own heads and into the sack."], [0, "Once the lovers' impasse is resolved, so is the military siege."], [0, 'Both resolutions feel a little bit forced and a lot anticlimactic.']]

5841500

1a2d334ee4ba68d3dec01b8f29b001da

When I saw this book, like Meredith Duran's excellent Duke of Shadows, takes place partially in British India (modern Pakistan), I said "sign me up!" Unfortunately, this is not an excellent book. Bryony Asquith and Leo Marsden grew up on neighboring estates and then found individual acclaim (him as an explorer and mathematician, her as a doctor and surgeon) before marrying. Though it starts as a love match, things quickly go south. Bryony catches Leo in an infidelity the week before they marry; her love and trust is shattered, but she married him anyway for reasons that, frankly, don't make a lot of sense given her character. After a year of marriage, they agree to seek an annulment and go their separate ways. Three years later, they meet again in the wilds of Pakistan against the backdrop of a dangerous civil rebellion. The first third (roughly) of the book serves mostly to drive the reader crazy with unfamiliar place names and, worse, to make both main characters as unpleasant as possible. Bryony is so cold and abrasive, I wondered if she was autistic. It's hard to believe her claims that she loved Leo once, because she seems so aloof and untouchable. Leo is an arrogant golden boy who uses absurdly florid vocabulary and appears to be all charm and no substance. As the ex-couple make the difficult trek back toward civilization, a series of flashbacks and difficult conversations reveal that the lovers are more sympathetic than they appear and their attraction has not burned itself out, but it wasn't enough to make me root for their reconciliation. One of the underlying problems in their marriage was sexual dysfunction: Bryony was cold and rejecting whenever Leo pressed his husbandly rights, so he started raping her in her sleep (because by the time she woke up, she was already too far gone to stop him), and he continued doing so even after she begged him to stop, until Bryony killed a patient due to sleep deprivation and finally physically barred her bedroom door to keep Leo out. (Note the lack of spoiler warning, there: I don't believe in hiding rape scenes. In fact, I think books should come with rape warnings the way many erotic books warn of consent issues, anal play, etc. -And, yes: what Leo did was rape, even though Bryony came, and the fact that she turns around and does the same to him (twice!) during their journey does not make it right.) Since they keep up with the sleep-rapes after reuniting, I had a really hard time believing all that was wrong in their original relationship was right in their second-chance romance. The Pathan rebellion was not nearly as riveting and gut wrenching as the Sepoy Rebellion in Duran's Duke of Shadows, though it was obvious Ms. Thomas borrowed heavily from that book. Duran's story felt so real and horrible I almost felt like I'd been there--I knew what the battle smelled like, and I tasted Emma's terror--but Thomas seems to have concocted the Pathan uprising because she needed some outside drama to get her protagonists out of their own heads and into the sack. Once the lovers' impasse is resolved, so is the military siege. Both resolutions feel a little bit forced and a lot anticlimactic.

1f203434e203e159478b88c21e2761d5

2011-02-08

[[0, 'Very enjoyable.'], [0, "Reminded me of Lord of the Flies, Battle Royale (what I've read of it) and Running Man."], [0, 'It was a little predictable insofar as I knew which character(s) would survive to the end of the book.'], [0, 'But I had no clue how it was going to happen, so it was still riveting.'], [0, "Katniss' internal dialog was a little much sometimes, what with second-guessing Peeta's motives constantly."], [0, "But it was very true to character, so that's not a bad thing."], [0, 'Will definitely read the sequel, and hopefully her character will be allowed to develop a little more.']]

6053292

7a04e3d742565ce3b02bc9b09ff8f34f

Very enjoyable. Reminded me of Lord of the Flies, Battle Royale (what I've read of it) and Running Man. It was a little predictable insofar as I knew which character(s) would survive to the end of the book. But I had no clue how it was going to happen, so it was still riveting. Katniss' internal dialog was a little much sometimes, what with second-guessing Peeta's motives constantly. But it was very true to character, so that's not a bad thing. Will definitely read the sequel, and hopefully her character will be allowed to develop a little more.

480564a6be18fc8d0046963a1b2f10dd

2016-01-23

[[0, "This is the latest book in one of my favorite fantasy series and I didn't even know it existed until I found it at Half Price Books!"], [0, 'Score!'], [0, 'This was a really fun read, as usual, but it was the first to really feel like it was just coasting along (hey, getting 5 really awesome books out of an author is pretty good in my opinion).'], [0, "I'll definitely read the next book if she writes it, but if it has the same lack of character development as this one I'll probably skip the rest of the series."]]

10184855

d2282d31d26c10ee621067aeb050d258

This is the latest book in one of my favorite fantasy series and I didn't even know it existed until I found it at Half Price Books! Score! This was a really fun read, as usual, but it was the first to really feel like it was just coasting along (hey, getting 5 really awesome books out of an author is pretty good in my opinion). I'll definitely read the next book if she writes it, but if it has the same lack of character development as this one I'll probably skip the rest of the series.

19a67d7cf5cb2834dd9126821a4dbfc0

2014-12-20

[[0, 'Yet another YA fantasy series where the protagonist (and her obligatory love triangle) is the least interesting part of the book.'], [0, 'The world building is fantastic and I want to spend as much time in it as possible!'], [0, 'Without Alina and Mal, please.'], [1, "I will say this: I loved that Alina's powers grew only after she disavowed Mal."], [1, 'That play on the girl-whose-life-changes-for-the-better-because-of-a-dude trope is fantastic and I only wish it had stuck.']]

10194157

5c276afa6c7aea96073501dc20fbaded

Yet another YA fantasy series where the protagonist (and her obligatory love triangle) is the least interesting part of the book. The world building is fantastic and I want to spend as much time in it as possible! Without Alina and Mal, please. I will say this: I loved that Alina's powers grew only after she disavowed Mal. That play on the girl-whose-life-changes-for-the-better-because-of-a-dude trope is fantastic and I only wish it had stuck.

732d0f5b1f81a8486dd4b61022fbd651

2017-03-17

[[0, 'Incredible.'], [1, "Kind of sad about how we never get to know Offred's new name"]]

38447

6b7323670efac016bb213fbc3ecb6249

Incredible. Kind of sad about how we never get to know Offred's new name

470ecc3b73097d01bee2a4e4606fa9fd

2014-03-01

[[0, 'Ok, I enjoyed this greatly.'], [0, "I think that was rather noticeable by the updates, but either way, I'm reaffirming it."], [0, 'Jess is a dream guy, Abby falls just a little bit short (I liked her bad-assness and that she can stand up for herself, but I never felt the attachment going for her.'], [0, "It was like I hate you - and ok, I KNOW hate to love is a very fine thread and all that - but suddenly Oh-my-you're-hot-and-I-haven't-in-such-much-time-you-know and now I think I love you."], [0, "I know this romances are all rush-rush let's fall in love forever!"], [0, "But this seemed very, severely, rushed up and I kind of knew the problem/solution half-way, and Gosh it's sooooo f* easy to stop apocalypse."], [0, "But either way, I liked it, I'm just a little bit relieved I can give the DD's a holiday to them to grow on me again."], [0, "Just for fan-girling a bit after this rather harsh review (I didn't intended quite so much bah in this, I genuinely liked the book) MY GOD THE ACHERON SCENE."], [0, 'So many feelings!!!'], [0, "It was perfect, and oh my, I'm sorry for the babe, he's gonna have problems spelling that."]]

9065265

211af4c2b88f02d995e96bd48eef36b9

Ok, I enjoyed this greatly. I think that was rather noticeable by the updates, but either way, I'm reaffirming it. Jess is a dream guy, Abby falls just a little bit short (I liked her bad-assness and that she can stand up for herself, but I never felt the attachment going for her. It was like I hate you - and ok, I KNOW hate to love is a very fine thread and all that - but suddenly Oh-my-you're-hot-and-I-haven't-in-such-much-time-you-know and now I think I love you. I know this romances are all rush-rush let's fall in love forever! But this seemed very, severely, rushed up and I kind of knew the problem/solution half-way, and Gosh it's sooooo f* easy to stop apocalypse. But either way, I liked it, I'm just a little bit relieved I can give the DD's a holiday to them to grow on me again. Just for fan-girling a bit after this rather harsh review (I didn't intended quite so much bah in this, I genuinely liked the book) MY GOD THE ACHERON SCENE. So many feelings!!! It was perfect, and oh my, I'm sorry for the babe, he's gonna have problems spelling that.

424c9de62200cb4bea21ee28ab88fb08

2017-02-05

[[0, 'That ending, though!'], [0, 'It was heartbreaking but it left me hanging.'], [1, "It would have been amazing to see (read) a battle between a singer and a whisper, and that part wherein Elara destroyed Coriane's diary made me despise her character more."], [0, "I've always wondered about Coriane's death and how she became a queen when I was first read about her on one of Julian's dialogues in Red Queen."], [0, "I actually like this novella because I felt how Coriane's depression progressed throughout the story."], [0, "Reading about Queen Coriane's story also reminded me of Mare for some reason."], [0, 'I hope Victoria Aveyard makes a novella about Elara and Maven next!']]

25005214

ccd629b512790891edaf100f75d5206c

That ending, though! It was heartbreaking but it left me hanging. It would have been amazing to see (read) a battle between a singer and a whisper, and that part wherein Elara destroyed Coriane's diary made me despise her character more. I've always wondered about Coriane's death and how she became a queen when I was first read about her on one of Julian's dialogues in Red Queen. I actually like this novella because I felt how Coriane's depression progressed throughout the story. Reading about Queen Coriane's story also reminded me of Mare for some reason. I hope Victoria Aveyard makes a novella about Elara and Maven next!

a0ae3f368238d27f577844589cad7baf

2014-10-26

[[0, 'To the friend of mine who suggested that I read this book even though I was ambivalent about the first (I really liked it and was really annoyed by it at the same time) - thank you!'], [0, 'There are a number of reasons that this book worked better for me than the first one - I think I like Lady Trent a bit better this time around and, as silly as it sounds, the plot was just more fun.'], [0, "I'm glad I went back to this series."]]

17910078

826744eba1b30b929dfbeafebf9b61f4

To the friend of mine who suggested that I read this book even though I was ambivalent about the first (I really liked it and was really annoyed by it at the same time) - thank you! There are a number of reasons that this book worked better for me than the first one - I think I like Lady Trent a bit better this time around and, as silly as it sounds, the plot was just more fun. I'm glad I went back to this series.

ecf34f95f32368b0eccbb7e68623eee3

2016-02-07

[[0, 'I started at page 100 on February 2nd after not touching it for nearly two years.'], [0, 'I have a bad habit of doing that with books - I will start reading about 10 at a time & finish one or two of them, then I will move on to some new books despite how much I may be enjoying the books I am already reading.'], [0, "This book has endearing moments & there were parts where I connected to Craig, the main character, but while I didn't dislike it, I wasn't in love with it either."], [0, 'The theme of the book, that everyone is messed up but some people wear it differently than others, is one of the only reasons why I am rating this book as highly as I am.'], [1, 'I also enjoyed the fact that Craig decided to change the direction of his life when he realized that the goals he had were driving him crazy & were not something he enjoyed doing.'], [0, 'Honestly, the first half of the book was far superior to the second half.'], [0, 'The latter fell flat in most places & seemed flippant & rushed.'], [0, "The book has not one, but two Manic Pixie Dream Girls in it which didn't thrill me."], [0, 'I was shocked to see how much of the book was focused on Craig wanting some sort of sexual activity.'], [0, 'Sure, he is a teenager but is it really THAT relevant that it needed to be brought up as often as it was?'], [0, 'The most disappointing thing about this book was the treatment of the transgender character.'], [0, 'There was almost zero tact in it & I wish it had been better handled.'], [0, 'I understand certain characters ignorance but not one of them showed any respect for the character.']]

248704

0f3e7090f6611fe9baa69872fe28cfe8

I started at page 100 on February 2nd after not touching it for nearly two years. I have a bad habit of doing that with books - I will start reading about 10 at a time & finish one or two of them, then I will move on to some new books despite how much I may be enjoying the books I am already reading. This book has endearing moments & there were parts where I connected to Craig, the main character, but while I didn't dislike it, I wasn't in love with it either. The theme of the book, that everyone is messed up but some people wear it differently than others, is one of the only reasons why I am rating this book as highly as I am. I also enjoyed the fact that Craig decided to change the direction of his life when he realized that the goals he had were driving him crazy & were not something he enjoyed doing. Honestly, the first half of the book was far superior to the second half. The latter fell flat in most places & seemed flippant & rushed. The book has not one, but two Manic Pixie Dream Girls in it which didn't thrill me. I was shocked to see how much of the book was focused on Craig wanting some sort of sexual activity. Sure, he is a teenager but is it really THAT relevant that it needed to be brought up as often as it was? The most disappointing thing about this book was the treatment of the transgender character. There was almost zero tact in it & I wish it had been better handled. I understand certain characters ignorance but not one of them showed any respect for the character.

a17a7d4385bbb058b23fda480abcbc59

2013-12-15

[[0, 'Such an emotional book!'], [0, '"It\'s funny how when people change, you forget the way they used to be."'], [0, 'A lot of things happened on this sequel.'], [0, 'It was a whirlwind of romance, angst, family drama and uncertainties.'], [0, "I'm glad that this did not suffer from Middle Book Syndrome and that it answered a lot of questions from the first book."], [0, "It took me on a journey to find more about the history of part-angels and Clara's family."], [0, '"The first rule of Angel Club : You do not talk about Angel Club."'], [0, 'Other part-angels made an appearance on this book and it was fun to read all about them and how they live among humans for such a long time.'], [0, 'The knowledge about their nature and history made this ride exciting and intriguing at the same time.'], [0, "Fans of Unearthly will learn more about Maggie (Clara's mom) and her family."], [0, "The true nature of Clara's father will also be revealed."], [0, "And what's the real deal with Samjeeza?"], [0, "I am speculating a lot of twists from Maggie's revelation of her friendship with the Black Wing before."], [0, 'The Love Triangle is my favorite part.'], [0, 'Torn between two great guys, death and her purpose, Clara was having the most intense part of her life.'], [0, "This did not totally open the waterworks but it's enough to make you shed a tear."], [0, 'It was so sad and full of angst.'], [0, 'The ending was a sad cliffhanger especially for Tucker fans out there.'], [0, "I can't wait to start the final book."]]

11563110

adc662f2f94d5f7d7fc0efed1f3ebd23

Such an emotional book! "It's funny how when people change, you forget the way they used to be." A lot of things happened on this sequel. It was a whirlwind of romance, angst, family drama and uncertainties. I'm glad that this did not suffer from Middle Book Syndrome and that it answered a lot of questions from the first book. It took me on a journey to find more about the history of part-angels and Clara's family. "The first rule of Angel Club : You do not talk about Angel Club." Other part-angels made an appearance on this book and it was fun to read all about them and how they live among humans for such a long time. The knowledge about their nature and history made this ride exciting and intriguing at the same time. Fans of Unearthly will learn more about Maggie (Clara's mom) and her family. The true nature of Clara's father will also be revealed. And what's the real deal with Samjeeza? I am speculating a lot of twists from Maggie's revelation of her friendship with the Black Wing before. The Love Triangle is my favorite part. Torn between two great guys, death and her purpose, Clara was having the most intense part of her life. This did not totally open the waterworks but it's enough to make you shed a tear. It was so sad and full of angst. The ending was a sad cliffhanger especially for Tucker fans out there. I can't wait to start the final book.

fa47f985192e85d1822e16f888913fae

2014-11-07

[[0, 'If you enjoyed Auri, the whimsical girl living under the University whom Kvothe met while playing his lute in The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man\'s Fear, and you enjoy "the dreams of fish" and "sailor\'s songs" and eccentric playfulness, this is the book for you.'], [0, "But if you're Mola, who cautiously tolerates Auri but finds her whimsy almost disturbing, you may want to pass on this book."], [0, '(Or at least wait for the price to drop a bit.)'], [0, 'Why?'], [0, 'This is a strange book.'], [0, 'It tells a story with a barely-recognizable beginning, middle, and end.'], [0, "It exists largely within one person's head."], [0, 'Its events are pedestrian and perambulatory: exploring, tidying house, acquiring and consuming food.'], [0, 'And its sensibilities are those of a perturbed mind.'], [0, 'Yet for all of that, it seems to work.'], [0, '(Or at least, it works if you are one to take a story as it is, without over-analyzing all the components of a story.'], [0, "If you are a lit-crit fanatic intent on sucking all the life out of everything you read, don't come talking to me about your omphaloskeptic analyses of it."], [0, 'Here Rothfuss tells the story of a week in the life of Auri.'], [0, 'Kvothe presents her as a likely former student, driven slightly strange by some prior event, hiding from the world as best she can.'], [0, "Here we learn more about her, in a week just prior to The Wise Man's Fear, Chapter 11."], [0, "We learn of Auri's abiding sense of the rightness and wrongness of everything in the many hidden rooms beneath the University."], [0, 'Of (the place we would call) her home.'], [0, 'Of her careful consideration of what to give Kvothe when she meets him.'], [0, 'Of her sense of morality, living as she does off things found and things taken.'], [0, 'And we see in much greater detail (albeit narrower scope) the sweep of her regular haunts in the Underthing.'], [0, 'Perhaps most interestingly, we see small hints of Auri herself.'], [0, 'She does indeed seem to be a former student of alchemy, retaining some apparent facility in the art.'], [0, "She is self-aware enough to recognize that something's not quite right about her."], [1, 'Most intriguing are the stray isolated references to what might have been the events that "broke" her.'], [1, 'That "She knew how quickly things could break", and that she knew "It could come crashing down and there was nothing you could do" and that if you didn\'t step lightly "the whole world came apart to crush you" -- perhaps most revealingly, "Like a wrist pinned hard beneath a hand with the hot breath smell of want and wine...." What really happened to Auri?'], [0, "We still don't know."], [0, 'But we have a heartbreaking, cut-flower suggestion of what it may have been.'], [0, 'More than anything, we are left with greater (non-magical) sympathy for Auri and for whatever happened to her.'], [0, "And along the way, we get to enjoy Rothfuss's lyrical prose put to greatest effect in a story featuring the character who, more than any other Temerant figure, presents the greatest scope for it."], [0, 'I enjoyed this story, I hope to enjoy its subtler flourishes on a second read, and I hope to enjoy its continuation when Rothfuss decides the time is right (perhaps, the story leads us to expect, at some time in Book Three).'], [0, 'A couple last notes.'], [0, "Don't read this until you've read The Name of the Wind and, ideally but less critically, The Wise Man's Fear."], [0, "And if you have read those books, don't read this expecting a continuation or illumination of them."], [0, "A few parts suggest that this story may in time play back into that main storyline, but this is not Kvothe's story, and I would expect very little of it to have meaning in what may come in Book Three (and beyond, should such occur)."]]

21801768

162a55e7ccfef78530a576f17fcf4409

If you enjoyed Auri, the whimsical girl living under the University whom Kvothe met while playing his lute in The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear, and you enjoy "the dreams of fish" and "sailor's songs" and eccentric playfulness, this is the book for you. But if you're Mola, who cautiously tolerates Auri but finds her whimsy almost disturbing, you may want to pass on this book. (Or at least wait for the price to drop a bit.) Why? This is a strange book. It tells a story with a barely-recognizable beginning, middle, and end. It exists largely within one person's head. Its events are pedestrian and perambulatory: exploring, tidying house, acquiring and consuming food. And its sensibilities are those of a perturbed mind. Yet for all of that, it seems to work. (Or at least, it works if you are one to take a story as it is, without over-analyzing all the components of a story. If you are a lit-crit fanatic intent on sucking all the life out of everything you read, don't come talking to me about your omphaloskeptic analyses of it. Here Rothfuss tells the story of a week in the life of Auri. Kvothe presents her as a likely former student, driven slightly strange by some prior event, hiding from the world as best she can. Here we learn more about her, in a week just prior to The Wise Man's Fear, Chapter 11. We learn of Auri's abiding sense of the rightness and wrongness of everything in the many hidden rooms beneath the University. Of (the place we would call) her home. Of her careful consideration of what to give Kvothe when she meets him. Of her sense of morality, living as she does off things found and things taken. And we see in much greater detail (albeit narrower scope) the sweep of her regular haunts in the Underthing. Perhaps most interestingly, we see small hints of Auri herself. She does indeed seem to be a former student of alchemy, retaining some apparent facility in the art. She is self-aware enough to recognize that something's not quite right about her. Most intriguing are the stray isolated references to what might have been the events that "broke" her. That "She knew how quickly things could break", and that she knew "It could come crashing down and there was nothing you could do" and that if you didn't step lightly "the whole world came apart to crush you" -- perhaps most revealingly, "Like a wrist pinned hard beneath a hand with the hot breath smell of want and wine...." What really happened to Auri? We still don't know. But we have a heartbreaking, cut-flower suggestion of what it may have been. More than anything, we are left with greater (non-magical) sympathy for Auri and for whatever happened to her. And along the way, we get to enjoy Rothfuss's lyrical prose put to greatest effect in a story featuring the character who, more than any other Temerant figure, presents the greatest scope for it. I enjoyed this story, I hope to enjoy its subtler flourishes on a second read, and I hope to enjoy its continuation when Rothfuss decides the time is right (perhaps, the story leads us to expect, at some time in Book Three). A couple last notes. Don't read this until you've read The Name of the Wind and, ideally but less critically, The Wise Man's Fear. And if you have read those books, don't read this expecting a continuation or illumination of them. A few parts suggest that this story may in time play back into that main storyline, but this is not Kvothe's story, and I would expect very little of it to have meaning in what may come in Book Three (and beyond, should such occur).

437d078896f436e0b85b0360ff883719

2016-02-29

[[0, 'I read The Law of Moses at the end of last month and looooooved it!'], [0, 'But this one, not so much unfortunately.'], [0, 'It may have been the narrator, may have been that I listened to an audiobook?'], [0, 'It may have been the third perspective?'], [0, 'Idk.'], [0, "I didn't really connect with anything."], [0, 'My favorite character by far was Bailey who is amazing!'], [0, "He's such a ray of sunshine and positivity and lets everyone know what he thinks."], [0, "He never sugarcoats anything and he's just.. amazing!"], [0, 'I love that this book brought attention to this kind of condition.'], [0, "I have met a girl with the same disease as Bailey and it's a tough life for everyone around them, but their lives are just as valuable and can be lived as much to the fullest as possible."], [0, 'Bailey is a true inspiration and the parts related to him -- whether it was ship, family or friendship stuff -- they all made me super emotional.'], [0, "That's the best part of the book."], [1, 'Except that I hated to see him die like that??????'], [1, 'I know he wanted to be a hero, and he certainly was, but ;_________; idk it angered me too that his death had to be that kind'], [0, "I didn't much care about the ship."], [0, 'Mostly because.. while Ambrose was attentive and good to Fern later, he was also really rude and disrespectful at first.'], [1, 'He also kissed her without her consent which made me really angry.'], [1, "Though yep later he waited for her to be ready for everything and set the pace, but he didn't pull back when she didn't kiss her back at all and it was just icky to me when they first kissed, because IT WAS HER FIRST KISS!!!!"], [1, 'IT SHOULD NEVER BE LIKE THAT'], [0, 'Even if Ambrose and his friends were douches sometimes and used degrading jokes, I did like the bond they shared with each other and how much they loved and supported one another.'], [0, "I also liked the general message of the book that outside beauty isn't everything and it certainly isn't lasting."], [0, 'I found there to be some racist stereotypes.'], [0, "Like the Afro-American kid not having a good enough penmanship (I say penmanship, because I don't remember whether or it was said that he couldn't write well or whether his penmanship was bad; I think it was the first one but I can't be sure, because I don't remember for certain) to write to the mother of his child and the Latinx woman being so temperamental and ragey that her husband had no option but to drink often."], [0, 'Like ??????????'], [0, 'wtf?'], [0, "Also, I'm not religious, so the huge, huge aspect of religion made me so uncomfortable."], [1, 'I don\'t condemn anyone who believes in a God, Goddess or Gods/Goddesses, and most of the time I find it interesting, but I feel like everything was shoved down my throat like "this is why it hurts so much because God knows you are strong and they know you can take it"; "this is why other people die and you don\'t, because God wants you to live your life" and I just don\'t believe in that?'], [1, "Which is fine, on most days, because not every book I read will correlate with all my beliefs, dreams, desires, fears etc and I do respect everyone's freedom to believe in what they want to believe, but I just.. It made me uncomfortable."], [1, 'That everything is preached as a "God\'s way/will".'], [0, 'So yep.'], [0, "This wasn't sadly a favorite of mine :("]]

27237358

56817619a291858a21dc88474a198b7f

I read The Law of Moses at the end of last month and looooooved it! But this one, not so much unfortunately. It may have been the narrator, may have been that I listened to an audiobook? It may have been the third perspective? Idk. I didn't really connect with anything. My favorite character by far was Bailey who is amazing! He's such a ray of sunshine and positivity and lets everyone know what he thinks. He never sugarcoats anything and he's just.. amazing! I love that this book brought attention to this kind of condition. I have met a girl with the same disease as Bailey and it's a tough life for everyone around them, but their lives are just as valuable and can be lived as much to the fullest as possible. Bailey is a true inspiration and the parts related to him -- whether it was ship, family or friendship stuff -- they all made me super emotional. That's the best part of the book. Except that I hated to see him die like that?????? I know he wanted to be a hero, and he certainly was, but ;_________; idk it angered me too that his death had to be that kind I didn't much care about the ship. Mostly because.. while Ambrose was attentive and good to Fern later, he was also really rude and disrespectful at first. He also kissed her without her consent which made me really angry. Though yep later he waited for her to be ready for everything and set the pace, but he didn't pull back when she didn't kiss her back at all and it was just icky to me when they first kissed, because IT WAS HER FIRST KISS!!!! IT SHOULD NEVER BE LIKE THAT Even if Ambrose and his friends were douches sometimes and used degrading jokes, I did like the bond they shared with each other and how much they loved and supported one another. I also liked the general message of the book that outside beauty isn't everything and it certainly isn't lasting. I found there to be some racist stereotypes. Like the Afro-American kid not having a good enough penmanship (I say penmanship, because I don't remember whether or it was said that he couldn't write well or whether his penmanship was bad; I think it was the first one but I can't be sure, because I don't remember for certain) to write to the mother of his child and the Latinx woman being so temperamental and ragey that her husband had no option but to drink often. Like ?????????? wtf? Also, I'm not religious, so the huge, huge aspect of religion made me so uncomfortable. I don't condemn anyone who believes in a God, Goddess or Gods/Goddesses, and most of the time I find it interesting, but I feel like everything was shoved down my throat like "this is why it hurts so much because God knows you are strong and they know you can take it"; "this is why other people die and you don't, because God wants you to live your life" and I just don't believe in that? Which is fine, on most days, because not every book I read will correlate with all my beliefs, dreams, desires, fears etc and I do respect everyone's freedom to believe in what they want to believe, but I just.. It made me uncomfortable. That everything is preached as a "God's way/will". So yep. This wasn't sadly a favorite of mine :(

a4c8ba327c8db59eb6d70e68f2c07b8d

2016-09-19

[[0, 'Well I sure took my time getting to this series.'], [0, 'But I read all nine of the current books over the last week.'], [0, 'Leaving the reviews until the end was probably not the smartest thing I have ever done and I fear the reviews will suffer for it.'], [0, 'But here goes.'], [0, 'After reading all of the books, this one remained my favorite.'], [0, 'Damon is just a total badass.'], [0, 'And I really liked Nicole.'], [0, 'Sometimes her bravery bordered on stupidity, but she was driven and I appreciated her focus and commitment to helping kids.'], [0, 'There are tons of reviews and I do not want to spoil the story.'], [0, 'But for my safety gang peeps I will include some trigger spoilers below.'], [1, 'The vamps take blood from hoebag female vamps.'], [1, 'Damon has fucked them.'], [1, 'I think most have.'], [1, 'Anywho, one of them makes trouble with Nicole.'], [1, 'Implies things.'], [1, 'Damon is too stupid to know better than to feed from the bitch again and Nicole catches them and it causes trouble.'], [1, 'Damon really needed to be bitch slapped.'], [1, 'He was so clueless though I just could not hold a grudge.'], [1, 'The vamp bitch unfortunately makes several appearances which annoyed me.'], [1, 'But Damon was done with her before Nicole and had zero interest in her.'], [1, 'Damon also has a dead ex from like thousands of years ago.'], [1, 'He was not pining.'], [1, 'And you see that Nicole is more to him.'], [1, 'Lots of violence in this series.'], [1, 'Hero does push her away.'], [1, 'Much more than necessary.'], [1, 'But he had issues.'], [1, 'I got them later in the book.']]

13125879

9c7262724866e7aef1fa7a27aecba171

Well I sure took my time getting to this series. But I read all nine of the current books over the last week. Leaving the reviews until the end was probably not the smartest thing I have ever done and I fear the reviews will suffer for it. But here goes. After reading all of the books, this one remained my favorite. Damon is just a total badass. And I really liked Nicole. Sometimes her bravery bordered on stupidity, but she was driven and I appreciated her focus and commitment to helping kids. There are tons of reviews and I do not want to spoil the story. But for my safety gang peeps I will include some trigger spoilers below. The vamps take blood from hoebag female vamps. Damon has fucked them. I think most have. Anywho, one of them makes trouble with Nicole. Implies things. Damon is too stupid to know better than to feed from the bitch again and Nicole catches them and it causes trouble. Damon really needed to be bitch slapped. He was so clueless though I just could not hold a grudge. The vamp bitch unfortunately makes several appearances which annoyed me. But Damon was done with her before Nicole and had zero interest in her. Damon also has a dead ex from like thousands of years ago. He was not pining. And you see that Nicole is more to him. Lots of violence in this series. Hero does push her away. Much more than necessary. But he had issues. I got them later in the book.

1a24bac964b67d5afe7175b79573d1a6

2015-08-12

[[0, 'Art & Soul by Brittainy C Cherry'], [0, '4.5 stars!'], [0, '"We became the masterpieces of the loneliest souls.'], [0, 'The colors in both of our eyes bled out, knowing that sometimes the most beautiful pieces of art were created from the darkest of souls."'], [0, 'I love it when I go into a book blind and just get swept away in an all-consuming story.'], [0, 'This was recommended to me so I just downloaded and read, I knew nothing about it.'], [0, "This was one of the most beautiful YA stories I have read and it wasn't until the end that I realised there were no sex scenes, nothing naughty, just a beautiful, endearing, friends to lovers story that captures your heart."], [0, 'This story is about Aria and Levi, two kids that were so different yet so similar.'], [0, 'Both were having a difficult time yet somehow found solace in each other.'], [0, 'An unexpected friendship that is the beginning of a new start, healing for each other, support for each other but most of all a friendship that will stand the test of time, a friendship that no matter the hurdles is solid and one that despite the circumstances will bear the fruit of one the most uplifting friends to lovers story I have read.'], [0, '"Was Levi Myers real?'], [0, 'Did he really exist?'], [0, 'Or did my sad, black heart create him because it longed for a little bit of color?"'], [0, 'Aria keeps herself to herself; she is a budding artist, one of the "unpopular" kids at school and tries to walk the corridors unnoticed.'], [0, 'She sits with the "freaks" but she has the best friendships.'], [0, 'She was a beautiful character inside and out and just radiated sunshine.'], [0, 'Anyone who got to know her loved her; she just had to let you in first.'], [0, "Aria is incredibly sensible but everyone at some point or another has a lapse in judgement and Aria's one and only lapse would have far reaching consequences."], [0, 'Levi was totally and utterly adorable in the best way, he was free spirit in every sense of the word, his mum was a bit of a hippie and being that he had been home schooled and been with his mum 24/7 for most of his life she had kinda rubbed off on him.'], [0, 'He loved nature and loved his music and he took life with a pinch of salt.'], [0, 'His mum has her own issues that he has learned to deal with but a call from his Uncle leaves him wanting to reconnect with his Dad who he has not seen since he was little.'], [0, 'Spending a year with his Dad and starting school for the first time would have been daunting to most, but Levi took it all in his stride.'], [0, '"I wanted Dad to want me a little.'], [0, 'I wanted Mom to stop wanting me so much.'], [0, 'I wanted to be wanted, but not wanted a lot."'], [0, 'Levi was immediately popular, fresh meat and all that and the girls loved him.'], [0, "However, Levi only had eyes for the Aria, the girl that he met at the bus stop, the girl that he couldn't stop thinking about and the girl that he wanted to get to know better."], [0, 'Levi didn\'t care what social circles he ran in, who were "cool" and who wasn\'t, he treasured true friendships.'], [0, 'He was compassionate, sincere and empathetic, he had his own issues and all he needed and wanted were true friends.'], [0, 'And so begins this beautiful friendship and that is all I am saying...and who can resist a guy that brings out the big guns...maths chat up lines!'], [0, '"Well, I\'m just going to put this out there: I\'m not trying to be obtuse, but you\'re acute girl."'], [0, 'I do love my book titles and sometimes when they are a bit abstract I cannot wait for that Eureka moment when the title makes sense and this one was no different.'], [0, 'When art and music blend you can create something magical...you have Art & Soul...genius by the author and truly magical.'], [0, 'I loved this bunch of misfits, every single one of them, they all had an important part to play and made this book what it is.'], [0, 'Yes they were quirky, yes they were different, but they all had hearts of gold, they would do anything for each other and all had each others backs.'], [0, 'These were true friendships, friendships borne from the heart and ones that would stand the test of time.'], [0, '"Love openly," my heart whispered.'], [0, '"Love unconditionally," my heart begged.'], [0, '"Love the struggles," my heart taught.'], [0, '"Love in the moment."'], [0, "I loved this author's voice; she certainly has a way with words and is one amazing story teller."], [0, "Her words and characters keep you captive, your 'Art and Soul will be held hostage until you have devoured every single word."], [0, "But most of all you will walk away with a huge smile, that uplifting feeling of hope that there are good people in this world, that no matter how dire the circumstances you find yourself in friends and family will be there for you but most of all, stay true to yourself, if people don't love you for who you are they are not worth the time or the effort."], [0, 'Loved this story and highly recommend.'], [0, 'www.theromancecover.com']]

25398162

83d5f1e861bcce0ad3f45012885bd6c8

Art & Soul by Brittainy C Cherry 4.5 stars! "We became the masterpieces of the loneliest souls. The colors in both of our eyes bled out, knowing that sometimes the most beautiful pieces of art were created from the darkest of souls." I love it when I go into a book blind and just get swept away in an all-consuming story. This was recommended to me so I just downloaded and read, I knew nothing about it. This was one of the most beautiful YA stories I have read and it wasn't until the end that I realised there were no sex scenes, nothing naughty, just a beautiful, endearing, friends to lovers story that captures your heart. This story is about Aria and Levi, two kids that were so different yet so similar. Both were having a difficult time yet somehow found solace in each other. An unexpected friendship that is the beginning of a new start, healing for each other, support for each other but most of all a friendship that will stand the test of time, a friendship that no matter the hurdles is solid and one that despite the circumstances will bear the fruit of one the most uplifting friends to lovers story I have read. "Was Levi Myers real? Did he really exist? Or did my sad, black heart create him because it longed for a little bit of color?" Aria keeps herself to herself; she is a budding artist, one of the "unpopular" kids at school and tries to walk the corridors unnoticed. She sits with the "freaks" but she has the best friendships. She was a beautiful character inside and out and just radiated sunshine. Anyone who got to know her loved her; she just had to let you in first. Aria is incredibly sensible but everyone at some point or another has a lapse in judgement and Aria's one and only lapse would have far reaching consequences. Levi was totally and utterly adorable in the best way, he was free spirit in every sense of the word, his mum was a bit of a hippie and being that he had been home schooled and been with his mum 24/7 for most of his life she had kinda rubbed off on him. He loved nature and loved his music and he took life with a pinch of salt. His mum has her own issues that he has learned to deal with but a call from his Uncle leaves him wanting to reconnect with his Dad who he has not seen since he was little. Spending a year with his Dad and starting school for the first time would have been daunting to most, but Levi took it all in his stride. "I wanted Dad to want me a little. I wanted Mom to stop wanting me so much. I wanted to be wanted, but not wanted a lot." Levi was immediately popular, fresh meat and all that and the girls loved him. However, Levi only had eyes for the Aria, the girl that he met at the bus stop, the girl that he couldn't stop thinking about and the girl that he wanted to get to know better. Levi didn't care what social circles he ran in, who were "cool" and who wasn't, he treasured true friendships. He was compassionate, sincere and empathetic, he had his own issues and all he needed and wanted were true friends. And so begins this beautiful friendship and that is all I am saying...and who can resist a guy that brings out the big guns...maths chat up lines! "Well, I'm just going to put this out there: I'm not trying to be obtuse, but you're acute girl." I do love my book titles and sometimes when they are a bit abstract I cannot wait for that Eureka moment when the title makes sense and this one was no different. When art and music blend you can create something magical...you have Art & Soul...genius by the author and truly magical. I loved this bunch of misfits, every single one of them, they all had an important part to play and made this book what it is. Yes they were quirky, yes they were different, but they all had hearts of gold, they would do anything for each other and all had each others backs. These were true friendships, friendships borne from the heart and ones that would stand the test of time. "Love openly," my heart whispered. "Love unconditionally," my heart begged. "Love the struggles," my heart taught. "Love in the moment." I loved this author's voice; she certainly has a way with words and is one amazing story teller. Her words and characters keep you captive, your 'Art and Soul will be held hostage until you have devoured every single word. But most of all you will walk away with a huge smile, that uplifting feeling of hope that there are good people in this world, that no matter how dire the circumstances you find yourself in friends and family will be there for you but most of all, stay true to yourself, if people don't love you for who you are they are not worth the time or the effort. Loved this story and highly recommend. www.theromancecover.com

b78a9143ca2f0c4c7361694dc6cb0500

2013-08-03

[[0, "Fabulous - totally loved this 'two-in-one/here-and-now' story."], [0, 'The story starts in 2002 with Greg and Aaron on the verge of breaking up.'], [0, "Aaron is no longer prepared to be Greg's secret."], [0, "He agrees to attend one last event with Greg, the premiere of Greg's movie No Apologies."], [0, 'The story then takes us back to 1994, to the start of the relationship between Greg and Aaron, the story that is being told in the movie.'], [0, 'Aaron and Greg are both complex characters and their relationship is intense from the moment a traumatic event triggers their deeper feelings.'], [0, 'Aaron is involved in an assault that causes significant injury to Greg.'], [0, 'In a schoolboy showdown, a group of boys demand an apology from Greg with the threat of violence.'], [0, 'Aaron feels tremendous guilt, humiliated and disgusted with his lack of self control as Greg taunts him into action.'], [0, 'Later he admits to Greg that he fully expected that Greg would have apologised and thus avoided the eventual outcome.'], [0, 'Later we come to understand Greg and the terrible guilt and pain he feels, such that he cannot bring himself to apologise (thus the name of the book/movie).'], [0, 'From this emotional start, Aaron and Greg commence a relationship although both denying being gay.'], [0, 'They struggle to understand and accept their feelings, nicely summed up by Greg who wonders "Why couldn\'t it all be simple and...normal?".'], [0, 'However they are drawn to each other.'], [0, '"Pulling back, Aaron stared into his eyes, the gravity of the moment and the choice they\'d made hanging heavy in the air around them.'], [0, 'Everything was about to change in their lives."'], [0, 'The story focuses very much on Greg, no doubt due to the fact that the tale being told is his screenplay.'], [0, "It is heartbreaking to learn of the tragedy in Greg's past and the impact his father has had on him."], [0, 'He makes decisions aimed at giving Aaron the best possible life, but with sad, sad consequences.'], [0, "Aaron's control and confidence translates into the physical side of their relationship, with Greg responding to the authority shown by Aaron."], [0, '"In a delicious twist of fucked-up fate, it seemed he enjoyed being made to submit to someone he loved.".'], [0, 'The interactions between Aaron and Greg were really well written and blended sex with emotion.'], [0, '"He\'d never heard that tone from him - like arctic air clashed with Southern heat, and a storm brewed as a result."'], [0, 'The majority of the book is focused on the younger Aaron and Greg, with a brief detour back to 2002 in the middle, before finally ending back with the movie premiere where the present day Aaron and Greg address the future of their relationship.'], [0, 'I enjoyed the ending of the story.'], [0, 'A happy ending but with a sense of realism.'], [0, 'I would highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Hollywood series.'], [0, 'Now for my only point of confusion...the story of the younger Greg and Aaron is told using their names (not the movie character names) so reads like their actual life story.'], [0, 'It provides details of their families and events in their lives.'], [0, "The movie used different names (Grant and Alan) and had changed events in Aaron and Greg's lives."], [0, "Therefore, we later find out that the story of the younger Greg and Aaron, although similar, wasn't really their actual story."], [0, '(I hope that actually made sense!)'], [0, "This meant that I felt that I didn't really know the true Greg and Aaron."]]

10999091

4b9274e859c22c3098e2f909a3066080

Fabulous - totally loved this 'two-in-one/here-and-now' story. The story starts in 2002 with Greg and Aaron on the verge of breaking up. Aaron is no longer prepared to be Greg's secret. He agrees to attend one last event with Greg, the premiere of Greg's movie No Apologies. The story then takes us back to 1994, to the start of the relationship between Greg and Aaron, the story that is being told in the movie. Aaron and Greg are both complex characters and their relationship is intense from the moment a traumatic event triggers their deeper feelings. Aaron is involved in an assault that causes significant injury to Greg. In a schoolboy showdown, a group of boys demand an apology from Greg with the threat of violence. Aaron feels tremendous guilt, humiliated and disgusted with his lack of self control as Greg taunts him into action. Later he admits to Greg that he fully expected that Greg would have apologised and thus avoided the eventual outcome. Later we come to understand Greg and the terrible guilt and pain he feels, such that he cannot bring himself to apologise (thus the name of the book/movie). From this emotional start, Aaron and Greg commence a relationship although both denying being gay. They struggle to understand and accept their feelings, nicely summed up by Greg who wonders "Why couldn't it all be simple and...normal?". However they are drawn to each other. "Pulling back, Aaron stared into his eyes, the gravity of the moment and the choice they'd made hanging heavy in the air around them. Everything was about to change in their lives." The story focuses very much on Greg, no doubt due to the fact that the tale being told is his screenplay. It is heartbreaking to learn of the tragedy in Greg's past and the impact his father has had on him. He makes decisions aimed at giving Aaron the best possible life, but with sad, sad consequences. Aaron's control and confidence translates into the physical side of their relationship, with Greg responding to the authority shown by Aaron. "In a delicious twist of fucked-up fate, it seemed he enjoyed being made to submit to someone he loved.". The interactions between Aaron and Greg were really well written and blended sex with emotion. "He'd never heard that tone from him - like arctic air clashed with Southern heat, and a storm brewed as a result." The majority of the book is focused on the younger Aaron and Greg, with a brief detour back to 2002 in the middle, before finally ending back with the movie premiere where the present day Aaron and Greg address the future of their relationship. I enjoyed the ending of the story. A happy ending but with a sense of realism. I would highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Hollywood series. Now for my only point of confusion...the story of the younger Greg and Aaron is told using their names (not the movie character names) so reads like their actual life story. It provides details of their families and events in their lives. The movie used different names (Grant and Alan) and had changed events in Aaron and Greg's lives. Therefore, we later find out that the story of the younger Greg and Aaron, although similar, wasn't really their actual story. (I hope that actually made sense!) This meant that I felt that I didn't really know the true Greg and Aaron.

d3a6283a1b30a27923b70b7efb796262

2015-07-28

[[0, 'The book centers on a group of teens as they try and stay alive, and free, in a world where a disease called I.A.A.N has killed half of their generation and left the other half with strange and frightening abilities.'], [0, 'From the onset of puberty, most children who lived through the disease where taken, unwillingly, to camps with the promise of rehabilitation.'], [0, 'The story follows Ruby, who was taken from her parents and forced into Thurmond Camp, at the young age of 10.'], [0, "Through her escaping camp at the beginning, to her happening on a small group of fellow escapees, the characters take an interesting and engaging journey toward the 'promise land' of East River."], [0, 'This book will surprise you in more ways than one.'], [0, 'Bracken has the ability to change your opinions and feelings toward characters that you thought you had your mind made up about.'], [0, "Just when you think you know what's happening, you know where the story is going to lead, you know who the good guys are; Bracken shocks you with new revelations and your fooled once again."], [0, 'If you like dystopian novels, read this book.'], [0, 'If you like supernatural novels, read this book.'], [0, 'Just read this book, okay?'], [0, 'I gave this book a 4.5/5.'], [0, "There wasn't really anything wrong with this book but I'm taking .5 of the score because I thought there would be more romance."], [0, 'Spoilers ahead....'], [1, 'OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG'], [1, "All I could think of at the end of the book was 'Chubs fucking better be ok, Bracken."], [1, "I swear to god!'"], [1, 'because wow.'], [1, 'For around 2/3 of the book, I found him just there.'], [1, "He wasn't really important to me in the story."], [1, "I didn't find his suspicions and cautiousness toward Ruby annoying, both are necessary traits for survival, but I didn't really register him as being anything other than a sidekick (and thus didn't really have any strong connections to him)."], [1, 'But that ending?'], [1, 'That ending????????'], [1, 'In the last 1/3 of the book I was both happy that we were finally getting to know Chubs, and also sad that Bracken had left it that late into the book.'], [1, 'He better be alive!'], [1, "(This book is old so most people will know if he is alive for books 2 and 3, but I don't!)"], [1, 'Clancy, that motherfucker.'], [1, 'So when we first meet him, I think he is going to turn out to be evil.'], [1, "I think 'yeah he's just some power hungry maniac' but that dissolves almost instantly and I thought of him has some misunderstood, tortured rich guy."], [1, "I was happy that he had actually found someone so that he wouldn't be so alone in his abilities."], [1, 'I was happy that he seemed to have found a home, somewhere he felt comfortable to be himself.'], [1, 'BUT FUCK YOU CLANCY.'], [1, "I didn't even realise what was happening when that happened because I was slightly dozing off at the time."], [1, 'When I caught myself, I went back to reread it and I just paused for a moment in rage.'], [1, "I can't believe he would do that, he would compromise his friendship with Ruby to sexually assault her - to control her."], [1, 'It really sickened me.'], [1, "And then when Liam, Chubs, and Ruby were escaping and were caught, when Clancy forced the images of what he did to Ruby into Liam's mind; the language there suggested he did a lot more than kiss her forcefully."], [1, "I don't know if he raped her via penetration or what (TMI?"], [1, "I don't think so cause this is important to talk about) but it definitely seemed like there was more to the story."], [1, "What also angered me about Clancy was the message saying 'I would've run' that he left for Ruby to find."], [1, 'It angered me because I know, I just know, that there are going to be people reading this, impressionable people, that perhaps found this hot or something.'], [1, 'That the fact Clancy does have feelings toward Ruby somehow excuses him sexually assaulting her, psychologically abusing her.'], [1, 'It was just yucky to know there will be some people out there.'], [1, "Okay that's some of my thoughts on this book!!"]]

10576365

016cc2abb6e0b18d60377767f7ab6bbb

The book centers on a group of teens as they try and stay alive, and free, in a world where a disease called I.A.A.N has killed half of their generation and left the other half with strange and frightening abilities. From the onset of puberty, most children who lived through the disease where taken, unwillingly, to camps with the promise of rehabilitation. The story follows Ruby, who was taken from her parents and forced into Thurmond Camp, at the young age of 10. Through her escaping camp at the beginning, to her happening on a small group of fellow escapees, the characters take an interesting and engaging journey toward the 'promise land' of East River. This book will surprise you in more ways than one. Bracken has the ability to change your opinions and feelings toward characters that you thought you had your mind made up about. Just when you think you know what's happening, you know where the story is going to lead, you know who the good guys are; Bracken shocks you with new revelations and your fooled once again. If you like dystopian novels, read this book. If you like supernatural novels, read this book. Just read this book, okay? I gave this book a 4.5/5. There wasn't really anything wrong with this book but I'm taking .5 of the score because I thought there would be more romance. Spoilers ahead.... OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG All I could think of at the end of the book was 'Chubs fucking better be ok, Bracken. I swear to god!' because wow. For around 2/3 of the book, I found him just there. He wasn't really important to me in the story. I didn't find his suspicions and cautiousness toward Ruby annoying, both are necessary traits for survival, but I didn't really register him as being anything other than a sidekick (and thus didn't really have any strong connections to him). But that ending? That ending???????? In the last 1/3 of the book I was both happy that we were finally getting to know Chubs, and also sad that Bracken had left it that late into the book. He better be alive! (This book is old so most people will know if he is alive for books 2 and 3, but I don't!) Clancy, that motherfucker. So when we first meet him, I think he is going to turn out to be evil. I think 'yeah he's just some power hungry maniac' but that dissolves almost instantly and I thought of him has some misunderstood, tortured rich guy. I was happy that he had actually found someone so that he wouldn't be so alone in his abilities. I was happy that he seemed to have found a home, somewhere he felt comfortable to be himself. BUT FUCK YOU CLANCY. I didn't even realise what was happening when that happened because I was slightly dozing off at the time. When I caught myself, I went back to reread it and I just paused for a moment in rage. I can't believe he would do that, he would compromise his friendship with Ruby to sexually assault her - to control her. It really sickened me. And then when Liam, Chubs, and Ruby were escaping and were caught, when Clancy forced the images of what he did to Ruby into Liam's mind; the language there suggested he did a lot more than kiss her forcefully. I don't know if he raped her via penetration or what (TMI? I don't think so cause this is important to talk about) but it definitely seemed like there was more to the story. What also angered me about Clancy was the message saying 'I would've run' that he left for Ruby to find. It angered me because I know, I just know, that there are going to be people reading this, impressionable people, that perhaps found this hot or something. That the fact Clancy does have feelings toward Ruby somehow excuses him sexually assaulting her, psychologically abusing her. It was just yucky to know there will be some people out there. Okay that's some of my thoughts on this book!!

aca760854b57ce2ec981df32e46dc96c

2013-04-27

[[0, 'maggie rocks'], [0, 'Alistair - I love his hair!'], [0, ':D'], [0, 'Lucy was so stinking cute!'], [0, 'please tell me there are more books!!']]

11389398

2b9e279e1fd26a8539cfd515c5fee5c1

maggie rocks Alistair - I love his hair! :D Lucy was so stinking cute! please tell me there are more books!!

37b3e60b4e4152c580fd798d405150ff

2014-02-10

[[0, 'When I first read this, I read it as a Doctor Who novel, and I was pretty disappointed.'], [0, "Eleven and Amy are way out of character, and beyond that, this doesn't feel like a Doctor Who novel."], [0, 'When I second read this, I read it as a Moorcock novel, and I enjoyed it much more.'], [0, "It's got interesting parallels to the Dancers at the End of Time and clear connections to The Sundered Worlds and the Second Aether series."], [0, "In many ways it feels like a capstone to Moorcock's multiversal works."]]

8454751

f6dcbd87431328639f5864fa75287bba

When I first read this, I read it as a Doctor Who novel, and I was pretty disappointed. Eleven and Amy are way out of character, and beyond that, this doesn't feel like a Doctor Who novel. When I second read this, I read it as a Moorcock novel, and I enjoyed it much more. It's got interesting parallels to the Dancers at the End of Time and clear connections to The Sundered Worlds and the Second Aether series. In many ways it feels like a capstone to Moorcock's multiversal works.

a40ea25cc1ec47eb6c52ced3fb188173

2013-10-24

[[0, 'I was really, really excited to read this book.'], [0, "I adore Grant's Newsflesh trilogy--it definitely makes the list of my all-time favorite books."], [0, 'So I figured I would adore this one as well.'], [0, "I...didn't."], [0, "It was okay, and I suspect I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't have such high expectations, but in the end, it was no Feed."], [0, 'Part of the issue I had with Parasite is that the premise is actually remarkably similar to that of the Newsflesh books.'], [0, "It's still zombies, only the zombies are caused by quasi-sentient parasites meant to make you super healthy instead of a combo common cold/cancer cure."], [0, 'But, I mean, even the idea that zombies were caused by attempts to improve human health and quality of life is the same.'], [0, 'Also, Sal and Nathan were no George and Shaun.'], [1, "I didn't actually like any of the characters except one secondary character who shows up every once in a while and who turns out to be evil, oops ."], [0, 'Sal was an incredibly difficult protagonist to root for because she was just kind of a naive nitwit.'], [0, 'There were times when I hoped she would be killed by zombies.'], [1, '(But I suppose it would be too much to hope for that Mira Grant would kill off another protagonist in the first book of a series, heh.'], [0, 'for Newsflesh.)'], [0, 'And in another boring parallel to Newsflesh, there was a secret lab with a mad scientist doing terrifying, unethical experiments in order to further their fight against a big, evil conspiracy.'], [0, 'Been there, read that book.'], [0, "Overall, the book was decent, but the boring characters weren't strong enough to make the sameness of the premise palatable to someone who has read and loved the Newsflesh trilogy."], [0, 'I would rather spend my time rereading that series instead.'], [0, 'Thanks to Orbit and Edelweiss for the advance reader copy.']]

13641105

8ced67591897d83f00b12756577fc95f

I was really, really excited to read this book. I adore Grant's Newsflesh trilogy--it definitely makes the list of my all-time favorite books. So I figured I would adore this one as well. I...didn't. It was okay, and I suspect I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't have such high expectations, but in the end, it was no Feed. Part of the issue I had with Parasite is that the premise is actually remarkably similar to that of the Newsflesh books. It's still zombies, only the zombies are caused by quasi-sentient parasites meant to make you super healthy instead of a combo common cold/cancer cure. But, I mean, even the idea that zombies were caused by attempts to improve human health and quality of life is the same. Also, Sal and Nathan were no George and Shaun. I didn't actually like any of the characters except one secondary character who shows up every once in a while and who turns out to be evil, oops . Sal was an incredibly difficult protagonist to root for because she was just kind of a naive nitwit. There were times when I hoped she would be killed by zombies. (But I suppose it would be too much to hope for that Mira Grant would kill off another protagonist in the first book of a series, heh. for Newsflesh.) And in another boring parallel to Newsflesh, there was a secret lab with a mad scientist doing terrifying, unethical experiments in order to further their fight against a big, evil conspiracy. Been there, read that book. Overall, the book was decent, but the boring characters weren't strong enough to make the sameness of the premise palatable to someone who has read and loved the Newsflesh trilogy. I would rather spend my time rereading that series instead. Thanks to Orbit and Edelweiss for the advance reader copy.

b80acef610f14fea0510f1a44fc88d41

2017-10-16

[[0, 'Solid 3 stars'], [0, 'If I could literally go into a story and slap some sense into the characters, I would with Before We Were Strangers.'], [1, "One: When Grace didn't want the annulment, even though she's the one who brought it up the day after."], [1, "Two: One Character... just... my god... Elizabeth, Matt's ex-wife aka the person who f*cked with Grace and Matt."], [1, 'She infuriates me.'], [0, 'Overall solid story.'], [0, 'Made me frustrated approximately 45% of the time.'], [0, 'Kinda predictable.'], [1, 'It was just one big miscommunication.'], [0, 'My least favorite trope.'], [0, "I'm not sure why this has such a high rating..."], [0, "Sorry, don't hurt me."], [0, "I think this is my third book by Renee Carlino that I've given a mediocre review for."], [0, "I'll give her next book a chance."], [0, 'I promise.']]

23309634

7f584701ec5f6240af1edbc5a420354b

Solid 3 stars If I could literally go into a story and slap some sense into the characters, I would with Before We Were Strangers. One: When Grace didn't want the annulment, even though she's the one who brought it up the day after. Two: One Character... just... my god... Elizabeth, Matt's ex-wife aka the person who f*cked with Grace and Matt. She infuriates me. Overall solid story. Made me frustrated approximately 45% of the time. Kinda predictable. It was just one big miscommunication. My least favorite trope. I'm not sure why this has such a high rating... Sorry, don't hurt me. I think this is my third book by Renee Carlino that I've given a mediocre review for. I'll give her next book a chance. I promise.

4cbecbc15af3db041a8e0f594c642bb5

2012-06-14

[[0, 'Pi.'], [0, 'What a hilarious way to have a nickname born from relentless slanders, to believe in three religions all at once, to survive in the Pacific Ocean for 277 days, not to mention a Bengal tiger as a companion, to tell a story in exactly 100 chapters.'], [0, 'In the end, you may never really know if the story was indeed true or not, whether or not Piscine Molitor Patel a.k.a.'], [0, "Pi Patel (Pi as in circle pi) has once had shared a lifeboat with the tiger known as Richard Parker, whether he really believed in all three religions: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism; but you will remember Pi, thanks to Yann Martel's witty way of survival storytelling."]]

4214

7f5b115375b64e366e3ebc2ecdb1fb9a

Pi. What a hilarious way to have a nickname born from relentless slanders, to believe in three religions all at once, to survive in the Pacific Ocean for 277 days, not to mention a Bengal tiger as a companion, to tell a story in exactly 100 chapters. In the end, you may never really know if the story was indeed true or not, whether or not Piscine Molitor Patel a.k.a. Pi Patel (Pi as in circle pi) has once had shared a lifeboat with the tiger known as Richard Parker, whether he really believed in all three religions: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism; but you will remember Pi, thanks to Yann Martel's witty way of survival storytelling.

a9392d07c005e747b1a8a1dd3b3bc7d5

2013-03-30

[[0, "This is a lovely magical realism historical fiction that manages to have dreamily descriptive passages that never bog the book down (I'm usually impatient when it comes to descriptions)."], [0, "It's impressive that this is Ivey's first novel - she must be a natural talent."], [0, 'The writing is gorgeous and Alaska comes alive.'], [0, 'Plus, nicely done with the themes of isolation and loneliness, and the loving but often-tested relationship between husband and wife.'], [0, 'This is one of those realistic marriages rarely found in fiction.'], [0, "Either it's we-are-fated-to-be-head-over-heels-with-only-angst-to-break-us-apart or it's I-am-trapped-in-a-horrible-loveless-marriage."], [0, 'Mabel and Jack have to work at their relationship, like real human beings, but there is always underlying love and affection and respect.'], [0, 'I actually think the whole snow child aspect is the weakest part of the whole book.'], [0, 'In classic fairy tale style, an old, childless couple (Mabel and Jack) long for a child.'], [0, 'They build one out of snow and then the next day the snow child is gone and a real girl (or is she) appears.'], [0, 'This little girl, who they name Faina, is as wild as the woods, is accompanied by a fox, can possibly control the weather and disappears every spring, only to return in winter.'], [0, 'Faina herself I feel is too odd.'], [0, "I'm falling on the side of her not being a real human anymore, but some kind of part fey or part spirit."], [0, "If this was a fantasy scenario, I'd say she was a dying little girl (left in an Alaskan winter after her father drank himself to death) who through some form of magic got brought back to life/put her spirit in the snow child's body."], [0, "Saying that she was a real, normal little girl who happened to go a little feral and wild and lived by herself in the woods doesn't adequately explain it."], [0, 'How would she survive?'], [0, 'Why would she always go north (to stay in the snow) in the summers?'], [0, 'How could she have a tame fox friend?'], [0, 'How could she call up the snow storms (I mean, if she could, which I guess it could just be a coincidence, even though she certainly thought she called up the storm that almost killed Garrett)?'], [0, 'The whole who/what is Faina is an intriguing mystery that never gets answered - stylistic choice, but frustrating.'], [0, 'Faina also didn\'t have any personality beyond "independent and fey."'], [0, "Which is fine when she is 10 but just feels shallow when she's a teenager."], [0, "It almost makes her Garrett's version of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl."], [0, 'And Mabel just went kind of fucking crazy about her.'], [0, 'She gets too possessive and too obsessed.'], [0, 'When she tried to "tame" Faina was just the worst.'], [0, 'It was obviously not going to happen and it was obviously going to drive Faina away and it just made Mabel look completely irrational.'], [0, "That is what villains do in children's tales to non-domesticated children."], [0, 'Mabel had lived in the wilderness for two years by then and dealt with Faina.'], [0, 'She should know that the only way to not frighten a wild creature is to let it come to you and never try to trap it.'], [0, 'I also liked Garrett much less when he dealt with Faina.'], [0, 'He went from this complex character to just hopelessly in love with her one-note personality.'], [0, 'And the ending felt really rushed.'], [1, "They're in love!"], [1, "She's pregnant!"], [1, "They're married!"], [1, 'She disappeared!'], [0, "Like, woah, woah, we had all this build-up and all this character development and suddenly it's just finishing Faina's story."], [0, 'P.S.'], [0, 'After I read this, I ended up watching The Odd Life of Timothy Green, which is pretty much the same idea, but with a little boy who grows out of a garden.'], [0, 'As is expected, while the snow child is wild, the garden boy is quite domesticated.']]

11250053

158d0058779dae52da664d9cbb190484

This is a lovely magical realism historical fiction that manages to have dreamily descriptive passages that never bog the book down (I'm usually impatient when it comes to descriptions). It's impressive that this is Ivey's first novel - she must be a natural talent. The writing is gorgeous and Alaska comes alive. Plus, nicely done with the themes of isolation and loneliness, and the loving but often-tested relationship between husband and wife. This is one of those realistic marriages rarely found in fiction. Either it's we-are-fated-to-be-head-over-heels-with-only-angst-to-break-us-apart or it's I-am-trapped-in-a-horrible-loveless-marriage. Mabel and Jack have to work at their relationship, like real human beings, but there is always underlying love and affection and respect. I actually think the whole snow child aspect is the weakest part of the whole book. In classic fairy tale style, an old, childless couple (Mabel and Jack) long for a child. They build one out of snow and then the next day the snow child is gone and a real girl (or is she) appears. This little girl, who they name Faina, is as wild as the woods, is accompanied by a fox, can possibly control the weather and disappears every spring, only to return in winter. Faina herself I feel is too odd. I'm falling on the side of her not being a real human anymore, but some kind of part fey or part spirit. If this was a fantasy scenario, I'd say she was a dying little girl (left in an Alaskan winter after her father drank himself to death) who through some form of magic got brought back to life/put her spirit in the snow child's body. Saying that she was a real, normal little girl who happened to go a little feral and wild and lived by herself in the woods doesn't adequately explain it. How would she survive? Why would she always go north (to stay in the snow) in the summers? How could she have a tame fox friend? How could she call up the snow storms (I mean, if she could, which I guess it could just be a coincidence, even though she certainly thought she called up the storm that almost killed Garrett)? The whole who/what is Faina is an intriguing mystery that never gets answered - stylistic choice, but frustrating. Faina also didn't have any personality beyond "independent and fey." Which is fine when she is 10 but just feels shallow when she's a teenager. It almost makes her Garrett's version of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. And Mabel just went kind of fucking crazy about her. She gets too possessive and too obsessed. When she tried to "tame" Faina was just the worst. It was obviously not going to happen and it was obviously going to drive Faina away and it just made Mabel look completely irrational. That is what villains do in children's tales to non-domesticated children. Mabel had lived in the wilderness for two years by then and dealt with Faina. She should know that the only way to not frighten a wild creature is to let it come to you and never try to trap it. I also liked Garrett much less when he dealt with Faina. He went from this complex character to just hopelessly in love with her one-note personality. And the ending felt really rushed. They're in love! She's pregnant! They're married! She disappeared! Like, woah, woah, we had all this build-up and all this character development and suddenly it's just finishing Faina's story. P.S. After I read this, I ended up watching The Odd Life of Timothy Green, which is pretty much the same idea, but with a little boy who grows out of a garden. As is expected, while the snow child is wild, the garden boy is quite domesticated.

d101a74f12ac20d8b40f7a88396d737e

2017-05-17

[[0, '"Hello.'], [0, 'I hope somebody is listening."'], [0, 'Radio silence is one of those books that since the first sentences you know it is going to be an amazing and life-changing story.'], [0, 'The two main characters were well written and much like the real teenagers are : insecure, sometimes fake and freaked out about their future (something that tbh i dont see a lot in contemporary).'], [0, 'I can proudly say that i am a nerd and so Aled and Francis were relatable a lot.'], [0, 'The plot was interesting and i loved especially the ending.'], [1, 'The fact that Francis does not get accepted to Cambridge and then decides to go to the art college , to pursue what she really wants to do really made me happy and made me think about my own future and my choices.'], [1, '(i am a senior too )'], [0, 'It was a fast and astonishing read , perfect for teens such as myself dealing with an uncertain future.'], [0, 'Definitely one of my favorite books ever.']]

25322449

dea403b85b0073ec33af1f6091bdeb1e

"Hello. I hope somebody is listening." Radio silence is one of those books that since the first sentences you know it is going to be an amazing and life-changing story. The two main characters were well written and much like the real teenagers are : insecure, sometimes fake and freaked out about their future (something that tbh i dont see a lot in contemporary). I can proudly say that i am a nerd and so Aled and Francis were relatable a lot. The plot was interesting and i loved especially the ending. The fact that Francis does not get accepted to Cambridge and then decides to go to the art college , to pursue what she really wants to do really made me happy and made me think about my own future and my choices. (i am a senior too ) It was a fast and astonishing read , perfect for teens such as myself dealing with an uncertain future. Definitely one of my favorite books ever.

df23d31980c9168b90e3a9ecfb1e63b0

2015-07-20

[[0, 'It reminds me a lot of Twilight.'], [0, "The scene in the bio class was very alike (and what's the deal with bio lessons?!?)"], [0, 'and then also all the thing "if you eat with me I\'ll answer to your questions" it\'s very very twilightian (and, it\'s that even a word?'], [0, "And I was expecting something more from the whole Warden and Demons thing, but in the end it's unoriginal."], [0, 'I really loved Roth, because you have to love him (and Bambi and the three kittens *_*).'], [0, 'But the others characters are not so special or so original, yes, I liked Lyla and Zayne, and I think that also Danika has some potential, but they are nothing special.'], [0, "The story was good but not so good and I didn't like the ending very much."], [1, 'Yes there are some plot twist that are good Elijah is her father???'], [1, "I didn't see that coming!"], [1, "And the fact that she is Lilith's daughter is poorly played."]]

17455585

6c130ded092fced157dfb0f244fbe864

It reminds me a lot of Twilight. The scene in the bio class was very alike (and what's the deal with bio lessons?!?) and then also all the thing "if you eat with me I'll answer to your questions" it's very very twilightian (and, it's that even a word? And I was expecting something more from the whole Warden and Demons thing, but in the end it's unoriginal. I really loved Roth, because you have to love him (and Bambi and the three kittens *_*). But the others characters are not so special or so original, yes, I liked Lyla and Zayne, and I think that also Danika has some potential, but they are nothing special. The story was good but not so good and I didn't like the ending very much. Yes there are some plot twist that are good Elijah is her father??? I didn't see that coming! And the fact that she is Lilith's daughter is poorly played.

a75b505e993c48390cb948eda2bcc774

2017-07-16

[[0, 'In my opinion, the last book you need to read in the whole Princess Diaries series.'], [1, 'You know, since when the diaries come to a close it basically maintains the ending of this book.'], [0, 'You will enjoy this a helluva lot more if you can sympathize with Mia Thermopolis.'], [0, "I agree that she was occasionally funny but I prefer Jessica Darling's sense of humour."], [0, "By the way, Michael Moscovitz is a perfect cinnamon roll who won't get on your nerves (probably because he's not present most of the time, but hey, whatever)."], [0, "Good for a light read and well let's face it, pure guilty pleasure and wish fulfilment but who cares?"], [0, "It's always good to take some time off heavy shit."]]

93728

525fe45e80c672a9499ca8a116aaff91

In my opinion, the last book you need to read in the whole Princess Diaries series. You know, since when the diaries come to a close it basically maintains the ending of this book. You will enjoy this a helluva lot more if you can sympathize with Mia Thermopolis. I agree that she was occasionally funny but I prefer Jessica Darling's sense of humour. By the way, Michael Moscovitz is a perfect cinnamon roll who won't get on your nerves (probably because he's not present most of the time, but hey, whatever). Good for a light read and well let's face it, pure guilty pleasure and wish fulfilment but who cares? It's always good to take some time off heavy shit.

c38af3a57c89f31ad30613873ce0729e

2008-07-03

[[0, 'I am feeing generous so I am giving four stars, as I really enjoyed most of the book.'], [0, "It's not my usual genre - I gave up books about monsters and demons and things that go bump in the night many years ago."], [0, "This isn't typical Stephen King or Dean Koontz or even Anne Rice, though, and its plentiful dark humor appealed to my more offbeat side."], [0, 'The book is liberally sprinkled with profanity and sexual references, but nothing outside the mainstream.'], [0, 'I only notice it because I generally avoid it.'], [0, 'There is plenty of laugh-out-loud absurdity and up until the last 50 or 75 pages, I really enjoyed it.'], [0, "Then it started getting a little bit like an episode of Star Trek... where they've explored the story about as much as they can and they just realized, oh crap, there's only 5 minutes left to stick on the ending."], [0, "It's not that it was bad, it just seemed to be seriously anticlimactic."], [0, 'Even though you could see it coming, it all wrapped up so quickly I had to read it twice just to absorb it, it came and went so fast.'], [0, "Even so, Moore's characters are real and very likable, even the most quirky and messed-up ones."], [0, 'This book is more than just a collection of gags - that would not have held my attention.'], [0, "Besides being about the underworld and the afterlife, it's about a guy trying to do the right thing in a crazy situation, in a world that was plenty twisted even before he started living with death."], [0, "Not sure if I will read other books by this author, this may be something I taste once and enjoy but don't need to make a meal of."], [0, 'But it was a very tasty morsel indeed!']]

33456

e6bf2fbc43d20cba9ac9f37f5a362ded

I am feeing generous so I am giving four stars, as I really enjoyed most of the book. It's not my usual genre - I gave up books about monsters and demons and things that go bump in the night many years ago. This isn't typical Stephen King or Dean Koontz or even Anne Rice, though, and its plentiful dark humor appealed to my more offbeat side. The book is liberally sprinkled with profanity and sexual references, but nothing outside the mainstream. I only notice it because I generally avoid it. There is plenty of laugh-out-loud absurdity and up until the last 50 or 75 pages, I really enjoyed it. Then it started getting a little bit like an episode of Star Trek... where they've explored the story about as much as they can and they just realized, oh crap, there's only 5 minutes left to stick on the ending. It's not that it was bad, it just seemed to be seriously anticlimactic. Even though you could see it coming, it all wrapped up so quickly I had to read it twice just to absorb it, it came and went so fast. Even so, Moore's characters are real and very likable, even the most quirky and messed-up ones. This book is more than just a collection of gags - that would not have held my attention. Besides being about the underworld and the afterlife, it's about a guy trying to do the right thing in a crazy situation, in a world that was plenty twisted even before he started living with death. Not sure if I will read other books by this author, this may be something I taste once and enjoy but don't need to make a meal of. But it was a very tasty morsel indeed!

2836fc01e8be20f0335fd49d293755de

2012-08-01

[[0, 'This book is a solid 4 stars.'], [0, "I wish I could throw another one in it's direction but I did struggle with the first half of the book."], [0, 'It was a little slow for my liking but still a great story.'], [0, 'Full of family secrets, friendships and LOVE.']]

11096647

d7a67a73941115c11e24869fc73dbe38

This book is a solid 4 stars. I wish I could throw another one in it's direction but I did struggle with the first half of the book. It was a little slow for my liking but still a great story. Full of family secrets, friendships and LOVE.

cf38e53cfc541424d557c467bfc768ed

2017-03-13

[[0, '3.5/5 stars.'], [0, 'On an enjoyment basis, I enjoyed this installment just as much as I did the previous book in the series; however, I can definitely point out some story choices that I thought were very odd.'], [0, "And I ultimately didn't like."], [0, "I feel that this one is better though than the first three installment, which is why I'm rounding up to 4 stars."], [0, 'This installment was incredibly addicting.'], [0, 'I was so hooked by the story that I could not put this book down.'], [0, 'There are some really amazing reveals regarding that world that I totally ate up.'], [0, 'I really enjoyed learning about the Watchers and what/who they are protecting.'], [0, 'I like learning more about their history.'], [0, 'Although, I do want more expansion on that story and that character.'], [0, 'It was kind of thrown in here halfheartedly, and it seems like a really interesting story to tell.'], [0, 'Furthermore, there were some really great romantic tension moments between Magnus and Cleo that I just could not get enough of.'], [0, 'Seriously, I need about twice as much of these two than I have been getting in the recent books.'], [0, 'However, while there was some super swoon-worthy and epic moments, there is a caveat to their relationship that I will speak of later.'], [0, 'Speaking of relationships, I was thoroughly entertained by Lucia and Jonas in this book.'], [0, 'They finally get to have some quality page time together, and their bickering and bantering was absolute gold.'], [0, "I can't wait to see how they progress in the final book, since it seems that their fates are entwined in some way."], [0, 'Speaking of fates, both Lucia and Jonas have their prophecy given to them by Timotheus.'], [0, 'In one instance, it seems that Timotheus was wrong.'], [0, 'I wonder if the prophecy was interpreted wrong or is more complicated than what it seems or what.'], [0, "I'm just very curious to see how these two characters paths move forward in the next book."], [0, 'Finally, I really enjoyed the end scene in Paelsia.'], [0, 'I feel like we have had to wait for that for a really long time.'], [0, 'I would have liked to see that happen earlier in the series, but I am relieved to finally see that plot come to fruition.'], [0, 'It took way too damn long.'], [1, "Now for the things that I didn't like (here be spoilers):"], [1, 'Magical baby plot line: This was way way WAY too much like Twilight.'], [1, 'No one is going to read this and not immediately connect it back to Twilight.'], [1, "It's stupid."], [1, 'I was really excited for this plot line initially, but then it went a direction that I am not okay with.'], [1, "I'm not looking forward to the outcome of it so much anymore."], [1, 'Magnus and Cleo: Never have I wanted to reach into a book and slap two characters more than I wanted to with these two for THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THIS FUCKING BOOK.'], [1, 'The scenes where they were together were fantastic.'], [1, 'But, they just refused to move forward with their relationship.'], [1, "They had sex in the last book, so I don't understand what all the hoopla was about in this book."], [1, 'I wish they would have just been together without all this backstabbing, hurtful words, he-said-she-said, second guessing bullshit.'], [1, 'It been 5 books, and I just want to see these two slaying it as a badass, mother-fucking team like I know they can.'], [1, 'No sex curse: Stupid.'], [1, 'Stupid, stupid, stupid.'], [1, 'Just another roadblock to prevent these two from being together.'], [1, 'And in the end, it turned out to be made-up all along.'], [1, 'Stupid.'], [1, 'Taran Ranus: Stupid.'], [1, 'Here I thought his introduction was going to throw Cleo into a tizzy and set her back in her relationship with Magnus (which I mean did get set back but not because of this).'], [1, 'What was his point?'], [1, 'Why did he have to be there at all?'], [1, "Why couldn't the Air Kindred just inhabited any of the other characters?"], [1, 'It literally served no point until the very end, and even then I was like why are you here...??'], [1, 'Felix: My poor, precious baby assassin.'], [1, 'You deserved so much more page time in this book.'], [1, 'You are too pure to be jipped like that.'], [1, 'Can we just let Gaius die please?'], [1, 'There are bigger fish to fry.'], [1, 'Like literal gods.'], [1, 'Not this puny undead mortal dude.'], [0, 'I know that seems like a lot of problems to only dock 1.5 stars.'], [0, 'But to be honest, I can overlook most of them.'], [0, 'Aside from the thing with Cleo and Magnus.'], [0, 'That really grated on my nerves and is the sole reason I dock 1.5 stars.']]

23367261

f8528fe943afea2292d5497b1ba9a2f1

3.5/5 stars. On an enjoyment basis, I enjoyed this installment just as much as I did the previous book in the series; however, I can definitely point out some story choices that I thought were very odd. And I ultimately didn't like. I feel that this one is better though than the first three installment, which is why I'm rounding up to 4 stars. This installment was incredibly addicting. I was so hooked by the story that I could not put this book down. There are some really amazing reveals regarding that world that I totally ate up. I really enjoyed learning about the Watchers and what/who they are protecting. I like learning more about their history. Although, I do want more expansion on that story and that character. It was kind of thrown in here halfheartedly, and it seems like a really interesting story to tell. Furthermore, there were some really great romantic tension moments between Magnus and Cleo that I just could not get enough of. Seriously, I need about twice as much of these two than I have been getting in the recent books. However, while there was some super swoon-worthy and epic moments, there is a caveat to their relationship that I will speak of later. Speaking of relationships, I was thoroughly entertained by Lucia and Jonas in this book. They finally get to have some quality page time together, and their bickering and bantering was absolute gold. I can't wait to see how they progress in the final book, since it seems that their fates are entwined in some way. Speaking of fates, both Lucia and Jonas have their prophecy given to them by Timotheus. In one instance, it seems that Timotheus was wrong. I wonder if the prophecy was interpreted wrong or is more complicated than what it seems or what. I'm just very curious to see how these two characters paths move forward in the next book. Finally, I really enjoyed the end scene in Paelsia. I feel like we have had to wait for that for a really long time. I would have liked to see that happen earlier in the series, but I am relieved to finally see that plot come to fruition. It took way too damn long. Now for the things that I didn't like (here be spoilers): Magical baby plot line: This was way way WAY too much like Twilight. No one is going to read this and not immediately connect it back to Twilight. It's stupid. I was really excited for this plot line initially, but then it went a direction that I am not okay with. I'm not looking forward to the outcome of it so much anymore. Magnus and Cleo: Never have I wanted to reach into a book and slap two characters more than I wanted to with these two for THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THIS FUCKING BOOK. The scenes where they were together were fantastic. But, they just refused to move forward with their relationship. They had sex in the last book, so I don't understand what all the hoopla was about in this book. I wish they would have just been together without all this backstabbing, hurtful words, he-said-she-said, second guessing bullshit. It been 5 books, and I just want to see these two slaying it as a badass, mother-fucking team like I know they can. No sex curse: Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Just another roadblock to prevent these two from being together. And in the end, it turned out to be made-up all along. Stupid. Taran Ranus: Stupid. Here I thought his introduction was going to throw Cleo into a tizzy and set her back in her relationship with Magnus (which I mean did get set back but not because of this). What was his point? Why did he have to be there at all? Why couldn't the Air Kindred just inhabited any of the other characters? It literally served no point until the very end, and even then I was like why are you here...?? Felix: My poor, precious baby assassin. You deserved so much more page time in this book. You are too pure to be jipped like that. Can we just let Gaius die please? There are bigger fish to fry. Like literal gods. Not this puny undead mortal dude. I know that seems like a lot of problems to only dock 1.5 stars. But to be honest, I can overlook most of them. Aside from the thing with Cleo and Magnus. That really grated on my nerves and is the sole reason I dock 1.5 stars.

fd4814a0139a43794d9652b409bcfc62

2016-08-11

[[0, 'I have yet to be disappointed by anything Frances Hardinge has written, and Cuckoo Song is no exception - in fact, it might actually be my favourite of her books so far.'], [0, "If you take just the bones, this could have been a great, slightly creepy kids' adventure story that would have been perfectly satisfying."], [0, 'Instead, a fantastic choice of POV, an intriguing setting and the addition of a whole heap of more complex layers (unhealthy family dynamics, a society still reeling from the aftermath of WW1, questions of identity, meta on ostracising anything weird or Other, etc.)'], [0, 'made it something uniquely engrossing.'], [0, 'Plus, complicated sister feels!'], [0, 'Delightfully creepy fairies!'], [0, 'Infuriating patriarchy!'], [0, 'A sharp, smart chick on a motorbike!'], [0, 'Folklore and progress and war wounds and otherworldly mysteries!'], [0, 'Yeah, this book is definitely going to end up bent and broken-spined from me rereading it to tatters.']]

18298890

80366a9a9f8464d1bf0430f1381a9f86

I have yet to be disappointed by anything Frances Hardinge has written, and Cuckoo Song is no exception - in fact, it might actually be my favourite of her books so far. If you take just the bones, this could have been a great, slightly creepy kids' adventure story that would have been perfectly satisfying. Instead, a fantastic choice of POV, an intriguing setting and the addition of a whole heap of more complex layers (unhealthy family dynamics, a society still reeling from the aftermath of WW1, questions of identity, meta on ostracising anything weird or Other, etc.) made it something uniquely engrossing. Plus, complicated sister feels! Delightfully creepy fairies! Infuriating patriarchy! A sharp, smart chick on a motorbike! Folklore and progress and war wounds and otherworldly mysteries! Yeah, this book is definitely going to end up bent and broken-spined from me rereading it to tatters.

3bee82b7abf696e9ac935ee2a479508b

2015-11-01

[[0, '"So it goes."'], [0, "This is the best book about war I've read so far - honest, absurd, yet accurate like a punch in the gut."]]

4981

952a1f3ce1a2b49b4b1c9c0bc726a2b5

"So it goes." This is the best book about war I've read so far - honest, absurd, yet accurate like a punch in the gut.

df7068f85819b1d0bd6b4ed20096692d

2011-10-15

[[0, 'Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.'], [0, 'Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu is a book I have book looking forward to for months.'], [0, "It's a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen."], [0, "It's one of my very favorites and I don't think it gets enough love among retellings."], [0, 'So when I started seeing this one pop up I started to get a little giddy.'], [0, '(Awesome books do that to you to, be honest here...) I posted a sneak peek on Tuesday and other bloggers have also had excerpts and illustrations going up.'], [0, '(Including Misty at The Book Rat!)'], [0, 'Breadcrumbs is a retelling of The Snow Queen, but there is so much more to it that that.'], [0, 'Ursu incorporates snippets, parts and pieces from many different stories and it made the book lover inside me jump up and dance.'], [0, 'Our main character, Hazel has a vivid imagination and together with her best friend, Jack, they act out and live out their imaginings frequently.'], [0, "Hazel is told, over and over that she needs to tone down the imagination and return to reality but she is so caught up in magic and wonderings that she can't really be bothered by reality."], [0, "Anything is possible in your imagination and in stories, the good guys always win, pain is temporary and it doesn't matter that your dad left your family, or his mom can't seem to find her way up and out of her sad."], [0, 'Jack is who Hazel can always count on and no matter what else is wrong in her life, Hazel has a place to belong with Jack.'], [0, 'And things have certainly started to change.'], [0, "Hazel's dad walked away from the family, which means that her mom no longer has the money to send her to the (very unstructured, 'liberal') private school she was attending, and now she must attend public school."], [0, "It's hard for her because everything is different."], [0, 'What was celebrated before as creativity and a unique way of looking at the world is viewed as disobedience, defiance and distractedness.'], [0, "She also has a hard time making new friends, but she doesn't mind too much, because Jack is there."], [0, "Yes, Jack's other friends are rude to Hazel and he has to split his time between both of them, but it's what makes life bearable."], [0, 'Until it all changes.'], [0, 'After an accident at recess, Jack no longer has time for Hazel, is rude to her and brushes her off until he disappears altogether.'], [0, 'And Hazel sets out to find him.'], [0, 'She walks into the woods where Jack disappeared with the white witch and enters a magical forest where fairy tales are real, where they are happening and where nothing is as it seems.'], [0, 'Normal rules do not apply in the forest and Hazel must learn the rules of the wood if she is going to save Jack.'], [0, 'She learns a lot about herself on the way and she spends a lot of time worrying about what is going to happen with Jack but she presses on, refuses to give up and with the fierce loyalty and determination that marks her character she pushes through the forest.'], [0, 'The time Hazel spends in the forest is my favorite part of the book.'], [0, "I've been a fan of fairy tales since I was very young and I'm familiar with a lot of the original tales."], [0, "I read both Grimm's and Anderson's complete fairy tales when I was around 12 and I've revisited the books several times since then."], [0, 'Seeing some of these characters come to life was so exciting to me.'], [0, 'And, knowing the stories as I do gave me an advantage.'], [0, 'Hazel knows many of the stories too, but it takes her a little longer to really grasp what is happening in her world.'], [0, "She's lonely, scared, tired and afraid and overwhelmed by everything that is happening."], [0, "But she's strong, she learns and adapts and no matter what happens, she keeps moving, knowing that she must save Jack."], [0, 'I do wish that we had been given more from the characters.'], [0, "It's my only complaint with the book."], [0, "We are told many times that Jack is going through a tough time at home because of his mom's depression and we are told that Hazel's life is also rough because of her dad and the changes it's made in other areas of her life, like the new school."], [0, "And, we see it sometimes, there are moments when it's definitely there, but I didn't feel like it was enough."], [0, 'I was never really sure I believed that these two were hurting as much as I was supposed to, never really sure I believed that what Jack was going through was enough to make him give up everything to the ice.'], [0, 'It felt too... disconnected for that.'], [0, 'It felt like the characters spent so much time not talking or thinking about the issues that were weighing down on them that they never felt that big.'], [0, 'I knew they were that big, knew they were really hurting these two kids, but I never really felt it, not the way I think I was supposed to.'], [0, 'But that one thing aside, this was a completely lovely book.'], [0, "I loved Hazel's character, really felt for her throughout most of the story and really wanted her to do well."], [0, 'Jack was also such a great kid!'], [0, 'He does his best to make sure that there is balance in his life between his friends, making time for Hazel and the boys he hung out with before (until the enchantment and all that kicks in) and he struggles to accept, understand and deal with the problems with his mom.'], [0, "He tries so hard and when the Snow Queen offers him a chance to leave it all, offers him an out, you can just feel his relief that he isn't going to have to struggle or suffer anymore."], [0, 'Not feeling anything is better than feeling everything too much.'], [0, 'The forest in this story hold an insane amount of potential.'], [0, 'As she is in the woods, Hazel meets a boy a few years older than her named Ben.'], [0, 'He helps her and offers her some advice on how to best navigate the woods.'], [0, 'And one of the things he tells her is that the woods do funny things to people.'], [0, "Once in the woods, people change and the woods lead them to do things they wouldn't normally do."], [0, 'There is so much potential here, such an unlimited amount of story to be told and I for one am hoping that Ursu returns to these forests in the future.'], [0, "It doesn't have to be Hazel or Jack's story anymore but there is so much story waiting in those woods that I would love to be a part of."], [0, 'And I loved the way Ursu used that subtle magic to show us that there is more to stories than just words on a page.'], [0, 'Stories are so much more than that, they go so much deeper.'], [0, "No, you aren't going to walk into a fairy land if you step into the woods near your home, but the truth that stories run far deeper than the page they are written on is a good one to learn."], [0, 'I also loved the illustrations in the book, but sadly most of them were missing.'], [0, 'You just see the big white section telling you the art is yet to come.'], [0, ":( But there are a few images in the ARC and I've also seen several by following the sneak peeks that bloggers are posting."], [0, "This is definitely a book I intend to buy after it's release, both because I loved the story and really want to have a finished copy to return to, but also so I can stare at all the pretty pictures."], [0, 'This is a beautiful story.'], [0, 'Although I do still love them, I often find that I have a harder time getting pulled into the magical feeling in a modern fairy tale.'], [0, 'The modern setting makes it much harder for me to pull out that feeling of a fairy tale.'], [0, 'But the way that Ursu crafted this story, especially once Hazel gets into the woods (see, those woods again.'], [0, "I'm telling you, I'm hooked!!)"], [0, 'brought out the best of both worlds.'], [0, 'I enjoyed the modern setting but I was also able to pull out the feeling you have when you read a fairy tale retelling that just gets it.'], [0, "I'm telling you folks, this is a book to read."], [0, "I think it's one that will appeal to younger kids looking for something a little longer than most MG (the MCs are in 5th grade) but it will also attract YA readers as well as anyone who loves fairy tales."], [0, "It's one I already can't wait to read again."]]

10637959

53ff1893b7a5e4414951f04a17bfc7f1

Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu is a book I have book looking forward to for months. It's a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. It's one of my very favorites and I don't think it gets enough love among retellings. So when I started seeing this one pop up I started to get a little giddy. (Awesome books do that to you to, be honest here...) I posted a sneak peek on Tuesday and other bloggers have also had excerpts and illustrations going up. (Including Misty at The Book Rat!) Breadcrumbs is a retelling of The Snow Queen, but there is so much more to it that that. Ursu incorporates snippets, parts and pieces from many different stories and it made the book lover inside me jump up and dance. Our main character, Hazel has a vivid imagination and together with her best friend, Jack, they act out and live out their imaginings frequently. Hazel is told, over and over that she needs to tone down the imagination and return to reality but she is so caught up in magic and wonderings that she can't really be bothered by reality. Anything is possible in your imagination and in stories, the good guys always win, pain is temporary and it doesn't matter that your dad left your family, or his mom can't seem to find her way up and out of her sad. Jack is who Hazel can always count on and no matter what else is wrong in her life, Hazel has a place to belong with Jack. And things have certainly started to change. Hazel's dad walked away from the family, which means that her mom no longer has the money to send her to the (very unstructured, 'liberal') private school she was attending, and now she must attend public school. It's hard for her because everything is different. What was celebrated before as creativity and a unique way of looking at the world is viewed as disobedience, defiance and distractedness. She also has a hard time making new friends, but she doesn't mind too much, because Jack is there. Yes, Jack's other friends are rude to Hazel and he has to split his time between both of them, but it's what makes life bearable. Until it all changes. After an accident at recess, Jack no longer has time for Hazel, is rude to her and brushes her off until he disappears altogether. And Hazel sets out to find him. She walks into the woods where Jack disappeared with the white witch and enters a magical forest where fairy tales are real, where they are happening and where nothing is as it seems. Normal rules do not apply in the forest and Hazel must learn the rules of the wood if she is going to save Jack. She learns a lot about herself on the way and she spends a lot of time worrying about what is going to happen with Jack but she presses on, refuses to give up and with the fierce loyalty and determination that marks her character she pushes through the forest. The time Hazel spends in the forest is my favorite part of the book. I've been a fan of fairy tales since I was very young and I'm familiar with a lot of the original tales. I read both Grimm's and Anderson's complete fairy tales when I was around 12 and I've revisited the books several times since then. Seeing some of these characters come to life was so exciting to me. And, knowing the stories as I do gave me an advantage. Hazel knows many of the stories too, but it takes her a little longer to really grasp what is happening in her world. She's lonely, scared, tired and afraid and overwhelmed by everything that is happening. But she's strong, she learns and adapts and no matter what happens, she keeps moving, knowing that she must save Jack. I do wish that we had been given more from the characters. It's my only complaint with the book. We are told many times that Jack is going through a tough time at home because of his mom's depression and we are told that Hazel's life is also rough because of her dad and the changes it's made in other areas of her life, like the new school. And, we see it sometimes, there are moments when it's definitely there, but I didn't feel like it was enough. I was never really sure I believed that these two were hurting as much as I was supposed to, never really sure I believed that what Jack was going through was enough to make him give up everything to the ice. It felt too... disconnected for that. It felt like the characters spent so much time not talking or thinking about the issues that were weighing down on them that they never felt that big. I knew they were that big, knew they were really hurting these two kids, but I never really felt it, not the way I think I was supposed to. But that one thing aside, this was a completely lovely book. I loved Hazel's character, really felt for her throughout most of the story and really wanted her to do well. Jack was also such a great kid! He does his best to make sure that there is balance in his life between his friends, making time for Hazel and the boys he hung out with before (until the enchantment and all that kicks in) and he struggles to accept, understand and deal with the problems with his mom. He tries so hard and when the Snow Queen offers him a chance to leave it all, offers him an out, you can just feel his relief that he isn't going to have to struggle or suffer anymore. Not feeling anything is better than feeling everything too much. The forest in this story hold an insane amount of potential. As she is in the woods, Hazel meets a boy a few years older than her named Ben. He helps her and offers her some advice on how to best navigate the woods. And one of the things he tells her is that the woods do funny things to people. Once in the woods, people change and the woods lead them to do things they wouldn't normally do. There is so much potential here, such an unlimited amount of story to be told and I for one am hoping that Ursu returns to these forests in the future. It doesn't have to be Hazel or Jack's story anymore but there is so much story waiting in those woods that I would love to be a part of. And I loved the way Ursu used that subtle magic to show us that there is more to stories than just words on a page. Stories are so much more than that, they go so much deeper. No, you aren't going to walk into a fairy land if you step into the woods near your home, but the truth that stories run far deeper than the page they are written on is a good one to learn. I also loved the illustrations in the book, but sadly most of them were missing. You just see the big white section telling you the art is yet to come. :( But there are a few images in the ARC and I've also seen several by following the sneak peeks that bloggers are posting. This is definitely a book I intend to buy after it's release, both because I loved the story and really want to have a finished copy to return to, but also so I can stare at all the pretty pictures. This is a beautiful story. Although I do still love them, I often find that I have a harder time getting pulled into the magical feeling in a modern fairy tale. The modern setting makes it much harder for me to pull out that feeling of a fairy tale. But the way that Ursu crafted this story, especially once Hazel gets into the woods (see, those woods again. I'm telling you, I'm hooked!!) brought out the best of both worlds. I enjoyed the modern setting but I was also able to pull out the feeling you have when you read a fairy tale retelling that just gets it. I'm telling you folks, this is a book to read. I think it's one that will appeal to younger kids looking for something a little longer than most MG (the MCs are in 5th grade) but it will also attract YA readers as well as anyone who loves fairy tales. It's one I already can't wait to read again.

425b6b14258acd48498de682a074cfcc

2013-09-21

[[0, "My my, that band wagon's looking awfully full isn't it, room for one more?"], [0, "Different to how I expected but also in many ways better than what I'd been led to believe about it."], [0, "There's something about it that was wonderful and horrible at the same time."], [0, "I wasn't sure I liked any of the characters at all, except maybe Gatsby- I even loved his adorably awful ways of meeting Daisy again."], [0, 'I loved the excess and details of the party and the money, but throughout the whole thing I felt the morning after; the regret, loss, missed chances, and the constant theme of not giving up on that we have already lost, or never really had in the first place.'], [0, "I think Gatsby is one of those books best looked at from a step back, not in an emotionally involved or close reading, but as a larger picture and portrayal of Fitzgerald's understanding of the time in while this book was written."], [0, "This may be the pretentious literature student coming out of me, but this book isn't about the characters at all."], [0, 'When I view it as a whole I like it much more.']]

4671

be399067bc4ba5489d0934d1c9e0d325

My my, that band wagon's looking awfully full isn't it, room for one more? Different to how I expected but also in many ways better than what I'd been led to believe about it. There's something about it that was wonderful and horrible at the same time. I wasn't sure I liked any of the characters at all, except maybe Gatsby- I even loved his adorably awful ways of meeting Daisy again. I loved the excess and details of the party and the money, but throughout the whole thing I felt the morning after; the regret, loss, missed chances, and the constant theme of not giving up on that we have already lost, or never really had in the first place. I think Gatsby is one of those books best looked at from a step back, not in an emotionally involved or close reading, but as a larger picture and portrayal of Fitzgerald's understanding of the time in while this book was written. This may be the pretentious literature student coming out of me, but this book isn't about the characters at all. When I view it as a whole I like it much more.

83fa52c2260b0731507859fdbd299fd2

2013-06-19

[[0, 'It tasted different.'], [0, 'Too magical.'], [0, "I'm feeling like I'm watching Sailormoon in this."], [0, '"In the name of the moon..."']]

24766

9ed2aff9624fe174a983bef5f7fcfddf

It tasted different. Too magical. I'm feeling like I'm watching Sailormoon in this. "In the name of the moon..."

a84ff57a511ac11957ce8e745ed9f4d2

2015-07-09

[[0, '3.5 stars?'], [0, "Yes, that's a question mark because I honestly don't know what to write about In a World Just Right, by Jen Brooks."], [0, "Even though I'm finished the book and have had plenty of time to think about it along the way, I still don't know how I feel."], [0, 'The positives?'], [0, 'The writing style and quality were great.'], [0, 'The characters--Jonathan and Kylie--are likeable and relatable, and I cared about what was happening to them.'], [0, "The premise was unique and interesting; it's what made me want to read the book in the first place."], [0, 'The negatives?'], [0, 'It could be confusing trying to remember or figure out which world you were in.'], [0, "Jonathon's choices didn't always make a lot of sense."], [0, 'I was irritated by the lack of knowledge.'], [0, "I wanted to know where Jonathan's ability to build worlds came from."], [1, "I wanted the 'how' behind it and we simply weren't given this information."], [1, 'The explanation is nothing more than a brief supposition with no facts.'], [1, 'I found this supremely frustrating.'], [0, "I didn't like Tess at all."], [0, 'There was no satisfaction when her presence was finally explained, and no resolution between Tess and Jonathan.'], [0, 'The end of the book brought up some interesting ideas but felt rushed.'], [0, 'I think I would have enjoyed the story much more if the end had been drawn out in lieu of some of the middle being removed.'], [0, 'There was something about the emotion that was off for me.'], [0, "It's so hard to put into words... The story wasn't unemotional, not by a long shot, but it was as if some of them were absent or truncated given Jonathan's backstory."], [1, 'For instance, he and Tess were like oil and water.'], [1, "I would have thought he'd be falling all over himself to have a member of his family back."], [1, "Instead they seemed to have a mutual dislike that is eventually explained but I didn't feel it fit with Jonathon's character."], [0, 'The parallels and hints in the story are not well connected.'], [0, "The bottom line is that Brooks's execution of her ideas wasn't entirely successful in my eyes."], [0, 'There was too little information given in miniscule frequency and size that took away from the enjoyment and understanding of the story.'], [0, 'She wrapped it all up by the end but almost in a too little too late sort of way for the story to have been one I loved.']]

18304348

b5f4f4540e2ff7f50a8b523f312262f6

3.5 stars? Yes, that's a question mark because I honestly don't know what to write about In a World Just Right, by Jen Brooks. Even though I'm finished the book and have had plenty of time to think about it along the way, I still don't know how I feel. The positives? The writing style and quality were great. The characters--Jonathan and Kylie--are likeable and relatable, and I cared about what was happening to them. The premise was unique and interesting; it's what made me want to read the book in the first place. The negatives? It could be confusing trying to remember or figure out which world you were in. Jonathon's choices didn't always make a lot of sense. I was irritated by the lack of knowledge. I wanted to know where Jonathan's ability to build worlds came from. I wanted the 'how' behind it and we simply weren't given this information. The explanation is nothing more than a brief supposition with no facts. I found this supremely frustrating. I didn't like Tess at all. There was no satisfaction when her presence was finally explained, and no resolution between Tess and Jonathan. The end of the book brought up some interesting ideas but felt rushed. I think I would have enjoyed the story much more if the end had been drawn out in lieu of some of the middle being removed. There was something about the emotion that was off for me. It's so hard to put into words... The story wasn't unemotional, not by a long shot, but it was as if some of them were absent or truncated given Jonathan's backstory. For instance, he and Tess were like oil and water. I would have thought he'd be falling all over himself to have a member of his family back. Instead they seemed to have a mutual dislike that is eventually explained but I didn't feel it fit with Jonathon's character. The parallels and hints in the story are not well connected. The bottom line is that Brooks's execution of her ideas wasn't entirely successful in my eyes. There was too little information given in miniscule frequency and size that took away from the enjoyment and understanding of the story. She wrapped it all up by the end but almost in a too little too late sort of way for the story to have been one I loved.

7ac68d284be15768081bd3e86a1431c9

2014-10-08

[[0, 'This is a mature YA read due to sexual content that is accurate, age-appropriate, and handled with tact.'], [0, 'Annie is a high school junior whose father was a hot-shot pitching prospect 17 years ago.'], [0, 'He was signed to the Yankees, played one game and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, never returning to the game as a player.'], [0, "Now, he's being recruited by a longtime baseball friend to be a pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals."], [0, "It's a long way from Arizona where Annie, her dad and her senile Grams life a quiet life."], [0, 'Annie likes it quiet, and hates when her flighty mother drops in--as she tends to do every couple years, or so.'], [0, 'So, she urges her dad to make the move, and NOT reveal their new address to his estranged wife.'], [0, "Annie's dad's main job is to refine a hot-shot prospect, Jason Brody, who has a great arm, and a bad history."], [0, "He's nineteen, an ex-con?"], [0, '(Sorta) Anywho, Annie and Jason spend a lot of time together, and Annie develops the teensiest mega-crush on the pitcher.'], [0, "But, she can't act on it."], [0, "First, she's 17, he's 19."], [0, "Second, if anything goes wrong with Jason, her dad's out of a job."], [0, 'Third, does it matter?'], [0, "You know she's going to make a play for him..."], [0, "Here's the thing, this isn't a flitty teen romance."], [0, 'It gets to the seemy underside of pro sports.'], [0, "Annie's new BFF Lenny is the daughter of First Base."], [0, "He's a playa, and his famiy is polished yet fragile."], [0, "Lenny's a smart girl, but likes to cut loose, bringing Annie along for the ride."], [0, "Jason's a decent guy, even if he's attracted to a high school girl."], [0, 'Actually, one thing he really lacks in his life, a family connection, is something that he really admires in the bond between Annie and her dad.'], [0, "He's infatuated with the idea of being a part of a family again, ever since his mother disowned him."], [0, 'I really enjoyed the playfulness, and the introspection.'], [0, 'Annie is a confident character, not a hot mess.'], [0, 'She has goals--and is extremely competitive--yet she is human.'], [0, 'She sees the heartbreak of a teammate and makes a choice to help someone else, instead of herself.'], [0, 'She is mature, having practically raised herself with no mom around.'], [0, 'And, she is fierce in her love for both family, and Jason.'], [0, 'The book unfolds over the course of the baseball season--roughly five months.'], [0, "The feelings develop and are expressed in terms of months, not weeks, so we don't get whiplash from INSTALOVE, which is grand."], [0, 'Again, the characters do become intimate.'], [0, 'In careful stages.'], [0, 'With lots and lots of verbal communication.'], [0, "They make responsible, adult decisions and though Annie's dad goes a tiny bit (read: whole lot) ballistic, life works out well for all the characters."], [0, "In a way that doesn't compromise the MC's ideals."], [0, 'Yes, there are curveballs.'], [0, 'Yes, sometimes Annie has to perform a suicide squeeze when she wants to hit a dinger.'], [0, "Yes, Jason is panty-melting hot--and Annie's not sure if he's capable of reading her signs."], [0, 'The baseball metaphors are sprinkled throughout the book like poppy seeds on a Chicago style hotdog bun, and it worked for me.'], [0, '(side note: this reviewer played 10 seasons of fast pitch softball and spent her youth, and adulthood, cheering on the White Sox.)'], [0, 'I appreciated the appropriate language of the game, and how skillfully the story enfolded all aspects of baseball in a way a non-fan could still understand.'], [0, 'A big hit, for me.'], [0, 'I received an ARC via NetGalley.']]

20757528

a60cac91f9e9e731a63ced2b1e966803

This is a mature YA read due to sexual content that is accurate, age-appropriate, and handled with tact. Annie is a high school junior whose father was a hot-shot pitching prospect 17 years ago. He was signed to the Yankees, played one game and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, never returning to the game as a player. Now, he's being recruited by a longtime baseball friend to be a pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals. It's a long way from Arizona where Annie, her dad and her senile Grams life a quiet life. Annie likes it quiet, and hates when her flighty mother drops in--as she tends to do every couple years, or so. So, she urges her dad to make the move, and NOT reveal their new address to his estranged wife. Annie's dad's main job is to refine a hot-shot prospect, Jason Brody, who has a great arm, and a bad history. He's nineteen, an ex-con? (Sorta) Anywho, Annie and Jason spend a lot of time together, and Annie develops the teensiest mega-crush on the pitcher. But, she can't act on it. First, she's 17, he's 19. Second, if anything goes wrong with Jason, her dad's out of a job. Third, does it matter? You know she's going to make a play for him... Here's the thing, this isn't a flitty teen romance. It gets to the seemy underside of pro sports. Annie's new BFF Lenny is the daughter of First Base. He's a playa, and his famiy is polished yet fragile. Lenny's a smart girl, but likes to cut loose, bringing Annie along for the ride. Jason's a decent guy, even if he's attracted to a high school girl. Actually, one thing he really lacks in his life, a family connection, is something that he really admires in the bond between Annie and her dad. He's infatuated with the idea of being a part of a family again, ever since his mother disowned him. I really enjoyed the playfulness, and the introspection. Annie is a confident character, not a hot mess. She has goals--and is extremely competitive--yet she is human. She sees the heartbreak of a teammate and makes a choice to help someone else, instead of herself. She is mature, having practically raised herself with no mom around. And, she is fierce in her love for both family, and Jason. The book unfolds over the course of the baseball season--roughly five months. The feelings develop and are expressed in terms of months, not weeks, so we don't get whiplash from INSTALOVE, which is grand. Again, the characters do become intimate. In careful stages. With lots and lots of verbal communication. They make responsible, adult decisions and though Annie's dad goes a tiny bit (read: whole lot) ballistic, life works out well for all the characters. In a way that doesn't compromise the MC's ideals. Yes, there are curveballs. Yes, sometimes Annie has to perform a suicide squeeze when she wants to hit a dinger. Yes, Jason is panty-melting hot--and Annie's not sure if he's capable of reading her signs. The baseball metaphors are sprinkled throughout the book like poppy seeds on a Chicago style hotdog bun, and it worked for me. (side note: this reviewer played 10 seasons of fast pitch softball and spent her youth, and adulthood, cheering on the White Sox.) I appreciated the appropriate language of the game, and how skillfully the story enfolded all aspects of baseball in a way a non-fan could still understand. A big hit, for me. I received an ARC via NetGalley.

3c2f8fbd9232d36ff4834c2100b54933

2017-09-14

[[0, 'Well this was utterly adorable with a side of creepy and weird.'], [0, "Adorable may sound like a strange description considering this whole book revolves around demons living inside someone's body."], [0, 'But what can I say?'], [0, 'It was just all kinds of adorable.'], [0, 'If you enjoy reading middle grade novels, I think this would be a really great read for you.'], [0, 'Alex has just breathed so much life into this book and I am 100% down with all of it.']]

33785202

c65321bd1a18fafd1faa404141f089c0

Well this was utterly adorable with a side of creepy and weird. Adorable may sound like a strange description considering this whole book revolves around demons living inside someone's body. But what can I say? It was just all kinds of adorable. If you enjoy reading middle grade novels, I think this would be a really great read for you. Alex has just breathed so much life into this book and I am 100% down with all of it.

358d1e67e6f0202d0cb98340e59cdd52

2014-01-03

[[0, '** spoiler alert **'], [0, 'I have absolutely no idea why people are getting their panties in a twist over this ending.'], [0, 'More thoughts to come.'], [0, 'Need consoling cuddles.'], [0, "This isn't so much a review but a response upon reading the final book in the series, Allegiant."], [0, "I didn't feel like writing reviews for Divergent or Insurgent because they were books I was reading for pleasure, but I did know I would have something to say about Allegiant once I'd finished it."], [0, 'Here goes:'], [0, 'I grew up much like Tris did, stifled in an environment that demanded I was selfless to the point of almost losing my own identity.'], [0, "I didn't recognise myself in a mirror or photographs until I was fifteen."], [0, 'I was torn apart for appearing older than I was, sexually assaulted for the same reason, emotionally bullied by adults and (physically) by children alike, and often reminded by my own mother not to be selfish, to always always always think of others first, never to assume that anyone was thinking of me, that something might be for me.'], [0, 'I was lazy.'], [0, "I wasn't trying hard enough."], [0, "I wasn't worth it."], [0, 'I Divergent (Divergent, #1)was a selfish pig.'], [0, 'My emotions, my needs and wants and desires always came last.'], [0, 'I was used to holding my temper in check because showing I was angry was selfish.'], [0, 'Being the centre of attention - even on my birthday - was selfish.'], [0, 'My mother dominated me, and she especially loved making me do degrading chores while I had friends visiting.'], [0, 'It happened even when I was a teenager.'], [0, "I took to never inviting friends over, or if I did, warning my friends to play nice with my mother, that she'd exert her dominance over me by making me do something and if I refuse she'd fly into a rage and threaten me with physical violence, emotional blackmail, and throwing me out on the streets."], [0, 'It was easier to humiliate myself and appease her than face her wrath.'], [0, "I understand Tris' initial fear of being factionless."], [0, 'I grew up walking on eggshells.'], [0, 'My mother threatened to leave my father every six weeks.'], [0, 'You could mark it off on a calendar.'], [0, 'We got a bonus domestic at Christmas time.'], [0, 'Joy to the world indeed.'], [0, "It wasn't a society thing, it was a mother thing."], [0, "You can trade Tobias' issues with his dad and replace my mother and change the abuse to emotional and I'll understand his issues."], [0, "Also, I can't hate Caleb."], [0, 'He reminds me too much of my own brother.'], [0, 'My big brother was Erudite through and through - intelligent, arrogant, lacking in empathy.'], [0, "But I still love him because he's my brother."], [0, "My personality is very different to Tris'."], [0, "I wouldn't have the balls to choose Dauntless, but I'd still want to escape."], [0, "I'd run to Amity and live in peace."], [0, "I've never really thought about my Abnegation upbringing."], [0, "It open some pretty raw wounds even now that I'm in my mid-twenties."], [0, 'But I did love this book series.'], [0, 'I re-read Divergent, rocketed through Insurgent, and cruised through Allegiant knowing that something about the ending was pissing people the hell off.'], [0, 'I managed to avoid spoilers for a month - a dauntless task in itself.'], [0, "I almost spoiled it for myself once, but the spoiler wasn't actually a spoiler after all."], [0, "After preparing myself for the worst (which really wasn't the worst) I came up with four possible theories as to why people were getting so upset."], [0, 'Tris dies'], [0, 'Tobias dies'], [0, 'One of them forgets the other due to the memory serum'], [0, "It was all a simulation since the end of Divergent (the 'attack simulation' was a reality simulation)"], [0, "Insurgent (Divergent, #2)If any of this upsets you, then clearly you didn't grow up with Joss Whedon."], [0, "Joss Whedon is known for creating conflict by 'jossing' his characters - that is, romantic couples get together only to be torn apart before they can really enjoy their happiness."], [0, 'This is an awesome concept, but it leads to a lot of character deaths, many of which I have wept over.'], [0, "Every death of Joss' is poignant, if not 'necessary'."], [0, 'But people die.'], [0, "It's no use covering your eyes and your ears and ignoring that fact."], [0, 'People die.'], [0, 'Me?'], [0, "Not only did I grow up with Joss Whedon producing most of my favourite shows, but I'm an Animorphs fan."], [0, 'I dedicated 5 years of my life and several hundred dollars to a series that ended in the death of my favourite character, the absolute breaking of my second favourite, the random disappearance of another, the breaking up of a team, and on a cliffhanger to boot.'], [0, 'Wanna complain to me about FAIR?'], [0, 'FIVE YEARS, PEOPLE.'], [0, "You can't go through a war without casualties."], [0, 'Killing off the favourite, or unexpected character, is the norm to me.'], [0, 'Nothing much shocks me.'], [0, "I don't need a happily ever after, or even happily for now."], [0, 'I can deal with upsetting endings.'], [0, "SERIOUSLY I AM TALKING ABOUT SPOILERY THINGS SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED THEN OFF IS THE DIRECTION IN WHICH I SUGGEST YOU FUCK."], [0, "Or if you're still reading because you're a readaholic and it's like crack and you can't help yourself then I will make it easy."], [0, 'Click the X and close this post.'], [0, "You're not missing anything and when it's spoiled you'll feel like crap."], [0, 'Click it.'], [0, 'Buh-bye.'], [0, "Anyone who wants to claim that any death in fiction is 'unnecessary' can go fuck themselves."], [0, "Since when is any death at any time 'necessary' or not?"], [0, "Who are you to define when it is and when it isn't?"], [0, 'Some people say that deaths in fiction have to serve some purpose.'], [0, 'To them as well I say a giant FUCK YOU.'], [0, 'Deaths in the real world have no rhyme or reason, so why should they in fiction?'], [0, 'Why should they?'], [0, "'It's OK that you dad died of cancer, he died for a reason.'"], [0, 'Does that sound at all sane or logical to you?'], [0, 'NO.'], [0, 'Well, guess what?'], [0, "Deaths in fiction don't have to be logical either."], [0, 'The best deaths are the unexpected ones.'], [0, "Look at George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire."], [0, "Sure, it's confusing as hell when you're trying to figure out who the 'real' protagonist is, but those deaths and shocking and effective and they don't make sense and they don't happen for a reason and neither does death in real life."], [0, "Allegiant (Divergent, #3)What I did likeis that Tris made a huge mistake in once again being selfless to the point of recklessness and taking Caleb's place in the final charge."], [0, 'Caleb was supposed to atone himself, but their atonement was done in words in the scenes beforehand, not in action.'], [0, "I always thought of Tris as a very action-orientated, violent girl, and I love her for that because I don't think we have enough adrenaline junky teen girls out there in YA fiction that show more ways how a girl can be, that are completely unashamed to not be damsels in distress."], [0, "However I do understand Tris' motive for taking Caleb's place, and as sad as I was that she died, I've read worse."], [0, 'And true, sometimes I got lost on which character was narrating because their voices were so similar.'], [0, "That's the reason for the docking of one star."], [0, "I didn't like the addition of the second narrator, and I also don't think it was necessary."], [0, "I think with a little more work and some creative writing the story could have been told entirely from Tris' point of view, and I like the idea of the structural integrity by continuing with the lone narrator to keep the uniformity of the trilogy."], [0, "I don't think we needed the final scenes from Tobias, or if we needed the epilogue, it could have been delivered in any manner of ways: a report, a news item, a letter, third person omniscient."], [0, 'I liked the fact that just when the rebels were escaping rebellion number 3?'], [0, 'Was it?'], [0, 'They fell straight into another.'], [0, "It's like the ripples on a pond."], [0, "You escape one pond in which you're a big fish, you become a small fish in a bigger pond."], [0, "This is why I like my 'Divergent is high school' theory - in Allegiant they leave high school and go off to work in the big wide world, and it's really more for the same, even though it's so different."], [0, "People will fight for what's right, if they feel passionately enough about it."], [0, "That's why we have wars in the first place."], [0, "Wouldn't it have been easy to have ended World War Two with a memory serum?"], [0, 'I like that no matter where Tris turned, there was always more fighting to be had.'], [0, "Because that society is fucked up - it's not ideal, it's not wanted, and that's why the story continued beyond her, through Tobias, until peace was restored."], [0, 'Then it was no longer a dystopian and the story could end.'], [0, "And to all the people saying 'I don't need a happy ending but THIS ENDING SUCKED'."], [0, 'Well, suck it up, princess.'], [0, "That's exactly what a non-happily-ever-after ending does."], [0, 'Yes, I am still looking forward to the film a ridiculous amount.']]

18710190

19173a9c0fc48f862bffe3744929e3e1

** spoiler alert ** I have absolutely no idea why people are getting their panties in a twist over this ending. More thoughts to come. Need consoling cuddles. This isn't so much a review but a response upon reading the final book in the series, Allegiant. I didn't feel like writing reviews for Divergent or Insurgent because they were books I was reading for pleasure, but I did know I would have something to say about Allegiant once I'd finished it. Here goes: I grew up much like Tris did, stifled in an environment that demanded I was selfless to the point of almost losing my own identity. I didn't recognise myself in a mirror or photographs until I was fifteen. I was torn apart for appearing older than I was, sexually assaulted for the same reason, emotionally bullied by adults and (physically) by children alike, and often reminded by my own mother not to be selfish, to always always always think of others first, never to assume that anyone was thinking of me, that something might be for me. I was lazy. I wasn't trying hard enough. I wasn't worth it. I Divergent (Divergent, #1)was a selfish pig. My emotions, my needs and wants and desires always came last. I was used to holding my temper in check because showing I was angry was selfish. Being the centre of attention - even on my birthday - was selfish. My mother dominated me, and she especially loved making me do degrading chores while I had friends visiting. It happened even when I was a teenager. I took to never inviting friends over, or if I did, warning my friends to play nice with my mother, that she'd exert her dominance over me by making me do something and if I refuse she'd fly into a rage and threaten me with physical violence, emotional blackmail, and throwing me out on the streets. It was easier to humiliate myself and appease her than face her wrath. I understand Tris' initial fear of being factionless. I grew up walking on eggshells. My mother threatened to leave my father every six weeks. You could mark it off on a calendar. We got a bonus domestic at Christmas time. Joy to the world indeed. It wasn't a society thing, it was a mother thing. You can trade Tobias' issues with his dad and replace my mother and change the abuse to emotional and I'll understand his issues. Also, I can't hate Caleb. He reminds me too much of my own brother. My big brother was Erudite through and through - intelligent, arrogant, lacking in empathy. But I still love him because he's my brother. My personality is very different to Tris'. I wouldn't have the balls to choose Dauntless, but I'd still want to escape. I'd run to Amity and live in peace. I've never really thought about my Abnegation upbringing. It open some pretty raw wounds even now that I'm in my mid-twenties. But I did love this book series. I re-read Divergent, rocketed through Insurgent, and cruised through Allegiant knowing that something about the ending was pissing people the hell off. I managed to avoid spoilers for a month - a dauntless task in itself. I almost spoiled it for myself once, but the spoiler wasn't actually a spoiler after all. After preparing myself for the worst (which really wasn't the worst) I came up with four possible theories as to why people were getting so upset. Tris dies Tobias dies One of them forgets the other due to the memory serum It was all a simulation since the end of Divergent (the 'attack simulation' was a reality simulation) Insurgent (Divergent, #2)If any of this upsets you, then clearly you didn't grow up with Joss Whedon. Joss Whedon is known for creating conflict by 'jossing' his characters - that is, romantic couples get together only to be torn apart before they can really enjoy their happiness. This is an awesome concept, but it leads to a lot of character deaths, many of which I have wept over. Every death of Joss' is poignant, if not 'necessary'. But people die. It's no use covering your eyes and your ears and ignoring that fact. People die. Me? Not only did I grow up with Joss Whedon producing most of my favourite shows, but I'm an Animorphs fan. I dedicated 5 years of my life and several hundred dollars to a series that ended in the death of my favourite character, the absolute breaking of my second favourite, the random disappearance of another, the breaking up of a team, and on a cliffhanger to boot. Wanna complain to me about FAIR? FIVE YEARS, PEOPLE. You can't go through a war without casualties. Killing off the favourite, or unexpected character, is the norm to me. Nothing much shocks me. I don't need a happily ever after, or even happily for now. I can deal with upsetting endings. SERIOUSLY I AM TALKING ABOUT SPOILERY THINGS SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED THEN OFF IS THE DIRECTION IN WHICH I SUGGEST YOU FUCK. Or if you're still reading because you're a readaholic and it's like crack and you can't help yourself then I will make it easy. Click the X and close this post. You're not missing anything and when it's spoiled you'll feel like crap. Click it. Buh-bye. Anyone who wants to claim that any death in fiction is 'unnecessary' can go fuck themselves. Since when is any death at any time 'necessary' or not? Who are you to define when it is and when it isn't? Some people say that deaths in fiction have to serve some purpose. To them as well I say a giant FUCK YOU. Deaths in the real world have no rhyme or reason, so why should they in fiction? Why should they? 'It's OK that you dad died of cancer, he died for a reason.' Does that sound at all sane or logical to you? NO. Well, guess what? Deaths in fiction don't have to be logical either. The best deaths are the unexpected ones. Look at George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire. Sure, it's confusing as hell when you're trying to figure out who the 'real' protagonist is, but those deaths and shocking and effective and they don't make sense and they don't happen for a reason and neither does death in real life. Allegiant (Divergent, #3)What I did likeis that Tris made a huge mistake in once again being selfless to the point of recklessness and taking Caleb's place in the final charge. Caleb was supposed to atone himself, but their atonement was done in words in the scenes beforehand, not in action. I always thought of Tris as a very action-orientated, violent girl, and I love her for that because I don't think we have enough adrenaline junky teen girls out there in YA fiction that show more ways how a girl can be, that are completely unashamed to not be damsels in distress. However I do understand Tris' motive for taking Caleb's place, and as sad as I was that she died, I've read worse. And true, sometimes I got lost on which character was narrating because their voices were so similar. That's the reason for the docking of one star. I didn't like the addition of the second narrator, and I also don't think it was necessary. I think with a little more work and some creative writing the story could have been told entirely from Tris' point of view, and I like the idea of the structural integrity by continuing with the lone narrator to keep the uniformity of the trilogy. I don't think we needed the final scenes from Tobias, or if we needed the epilogue, it could have been delivered in any manner of ways: a report, a news item, a letter, third person omniscient. I liked the fact that just when the rebels were escaping rebellion number 3? Was it? They fell straight into another. It's like the ripples on a pond. You escape one pond in which you're a big fish, you become a small fish in a bigger pond. This is why I like my 'Divergent is high school' theory - in Allegiant they leave high school and go off to work in the big wide world, and it's really more for the same, even though it's so different. People will fight for what's right, if they feel passionately enough about it. That's why we have wars in the first place. Wouldn't it have been easy to have ended World War Two with a memory serum? I like that no matter where Tris turned, there was always more fighting to be had. Because that society is fucked up - it's not ideal, it's not wanted, and that's why the story continued beyond her, through Tobias, until peace was restored. Then it was no longer a dystopian and the story could end. And to all the people saying 'I don't need a happy ending but THIS ENDING SUCKED'. Well, suck it up, princess. That's exactly what a non-happily-ever-after ending does. Yes, I am still looking forward to the film a ridiculous amount.

1672388b9086b3298ed4e129ceefdd9f

2015-01-22

[[0, 'My favorite of the Culture novels.'], [0, 'Deeply challenging wrestling with issues of the afterlife, heaven, hell and the politics of religion.']]

7937744

32951f345ba000128383bfaf82e30061

My favorite of the Culture novels. Deeply challenging wrestling with issues of the afterlife, heaven, hell and the politics of religion.

dd792b1e71f295f404fa58ce8f2a3d22

2013-04-07

[[0, '3.5/5 stars'], [0, 'A heartbreaking, emotional journey that had me in tears more than once.'], [0, 'A book about life, the choices we make, the challenges we face and how we can decide for ourselves to come out better people.'], [0, 'And on top of all of that, a beautiful love story full of challenges and trust (and lack of trust).'], [0, 'We get to see the POVs of both our hero and heroine.'], [0, "I loved reading Ryan's perspective and hearing his side of the story."], [0, "It added so much, and it definitely would not have been the same book without hearing his voice as well as Liliana's."], [0, 'Overall, a great emotional read.'], [0, 'My only criticism, though, is the editing needs some serious attention.'], [0, 'Tenses were inconsistent, spelling and grammar borderline horrible and just very inconsistent.'], [0, 'Once the book gets (hopefully) a final run through, it will make a huge improvement.'], [0, 'I almost feel badly writing anything negative, because I thought it was a great book.'], [0, 'But, I find poor editing a huge distraction (and detraction) from my enjoyment of a book.'], [0, 'But, as I said, overall it was a great read that I would definitely recommend!'], [0, '*Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.']]

17602565

b10c4197f71a4330474fbcaff35b86eb

3.5/5 stars A heartbreaking, emotional journey that had me in tears more than once. A book about life, the choices we make, the challenges we face and how we can decide for ourselves to come out better people. And on top of all of that, a beautiful love story full of challenges and trust (and lack of trust). We get to see the POVs of both our hero and heroine. I loved reading Ryan's perspective and hearing his side of the story. It added so much, and it definitely would not have been the same book without hearing his voice as well as Liliana's. Overall, a great emotional read. My only criticism, though, is the editing needs some serious attention. Tenses were inconsistent, spelling and grammar borderline horrible and just very inconsistent. Once the book gets (hopefully) a final run through, it will make a huge improvement. I almost feel badly writing anything negative, because I thought it was a great book. But, I find poor editing a huge distraction (and detraction) from my enjoyment of a book. But, as I said, overall it was a great read that I would definitely recommend! *Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5ac3a0a6144f8bb547cfcb94fe7491d2

2017-06-19

[[0, 'Nope.'], [0, 'Just nope for me.'], [0, "I didn't get all that far, and this is a short book."], [0, 'I was mostly just Bored.']]

37743

2bd73d6670b9c81ae4dfaf7f5bc62122

Nope. Just nope for me. I didn't get all that far, and this is a short book. I was mostly just Bored.

96137289a1b064eba0bbc7bdbfab703d

2012-10-11

[[0, 'Following the detonations, the world irrevocably changed and two kinds of people were left: the pure ones and wretches.'], [0, "The pure are the ones who got to the Dome before the radiation and explosions happened and they're normal people."], [0, "Wretches are the ones who got hit by the blast and didn't die."], [0, 'Instead they transformed; forever altered, fused to whatever objects and/or life forms where close to them at the moment of the detonation.'], [0, 'As such, some have fused with the earth and the blasted buildings, some have glass forever embedded into their skin.'], [0, 'Our heroine, Pressia, has the head of a doll instead of a hand.'], [0, 'Also, all children born after the Detonations are mutated as well.'], [0, 'Think...Total Recall mutants.'], [0, 'The world is one incredibly sad and dark and bleak.'], [0, "Now, I'm sure, this story sounded awesome as an idea."], [0, 'However, once on paper, not so much.'], [0, "Even though the writing is good and very descriptive, with a helluva lot of visuals for the mutations and this post-apocalyptic world, that's about as much as I liked in Pure."], [0, "The characters seemed flat to me and I couldn't relate to either one."], [0, "Pressia came across as way too jaded and judgemental, even for someone in her position, and I didn't enjoy that."], [0, "Bradwell, the conspiracy freak, didn't sound like a teenager or even young adult."], [0, "The plot moved far too slow for the potentially great story this could've been and it picked up far too late into the book."], [0, 'Actually, let me back up here for a second.'], [0, 'The plot..was literally unbelievable for me.'], [0, 'Partridge wants to find his mother and with the help of the others, uncovers huge secrets along the way.'], [0, 'What jump-starts this voyage though and what keeps it going in a fairly logical way are unbelievable and far fetched coincidences.'], [0, "That didn't sit well with me either."], [0, 'Long conversations about war and lots of technical terms also make it hard to keep up reading.'], [0, "I'm surprised this book is labeled as Young Adult lit, since the only YA element is the characters ages."], [0, "I think it's far, faar too heavy for a 14-year-old for example."], [0, 'Hit and miss.'], [0, "I guess this just wasn't for me."], [0, 'Shame, I really wanted to like it after reading the blurbs.'], [0, 'Find this review, and others, here:']]

9680114

68d03af21012d8fdf1a046320bf7907a

Following the detonations, the world irrevocably changed and two kinds of people were left: the pure ones and wretches. The pure are the ones who got to the Dome before the radiation and explosions happened and they're normal people. Wretches are the ones who got hit by the blast and didn't die. Instead they transformed; forever altered, fused to whatever objects and/or life forms where close to them at the moment of the detonation. As such, some have fused with the earth and the blasted buildings, some have glass forever embedded into their skin. Our heroine, Pressia, has the head of a doll instead of a hand. Also, all children born after the Detonations are mutated as well. Think...Total Recall mutants. The world is one incredibly sad and dark and bleak. Now, I'm sure, this story sounded awesome as an idea. However, once on paper, not so much. Even though the writing is good and very descriptive, with a helluva lot of visuals for the mutations and this post-apocalyptic world, that's about as much as I liked in Pure. The characters seemed flat to me and I couldn't relate to either one. Pressia came across as way too jaded and judgemental, even for someone in her position, and I didn't enjoy that. Bradwell, the conspiracy freak, didn't sound like a teenager or even young adult. The plot moved far too slow for the potentially great story this could've been and it picked up far too late into the book. Actually, let me back up here for a second. The plot..was literally unbelievable for me. Partridge wants to find his mother and with the help of the others, uncovers huge secrets along the way. What jump-starts this voyage though and what keeps it going in a fairly logical way are unbelievable and far fetched coincidences. That didn't sit well with me either. Long conversations about war and lots of technical terms also make it hard to keep up reading. I'm surprised this book is labeled as Young Adult lit, since the only YA element is the characters ages. I think it's far, faar too heavy for a 14-year-old for example. Hit and miss. I guess this just wasn't for me. Shame, I really wanted to like it after reading the blurbs. Find this review, and others, here:

66c5cf79205cd32d327bd10213321c31

2017-05-13

[[0, 'Essential reading.'], [0, 'Succinctly and incisively, Snyder lays out not just the red flags of a tyrannical regime (the majority of which are already emphatically flying) but a variety of ideas for direct action.'], [0, 'This book should be read, considered, reread, and passed along.']]

33917107

1467f18e800530bff37df0bf5ec86bb5

Essential reading. Succinctly and incisively, Snyder lays out not just the red flags of a tyrannical regime (the majority of which are already emphatically flying) but a variety of ideas for direct action. This book should be read, considered, reread, and passed along.

907cd5febddf6b315b47b26a5a3750fd

2014-09-23

[[0, 'It was okay read though the ending spoiled the story for me.'], [0, 'It was an interesting twist but totally out of place here.']]

22362119

b4c9d03fa0aec1125bcb5ec99d405034

It was okay read though the ending spoiled the story for me. It was an interesting twist but totally out of place here.

0dec19a59e368b700ec24a1f122e05c2

2012-10-18

[[0, 'This was a pretty good October read for me.'], [0, 'I loved it, it was a good conclusion to an awesome story.'], [0, "Again it wasn't really scary but the horror images just put you in the mood."]]

7823797

af73c2861b6cc6a97bfc4c5b3b3fcfd5

This was a pretty good October read for me. I loved it, it was a good conclusion to an awesome story. Again it wasn't really scary but the horror images just put you in the mood.

f986c213af3348660c6143a42a77f0fc

2015-09-02

[[0, 'Saga is my everything']]

17131869

a442375c4b31356d5811d9b09ca67267

Saga is my everything

8a55ea1ef6b29b4589cb759bb5f75f30

2012-06-20

[[0, 'What an astonishing book.'], [0, 'Oh man, it is books like this that make me SO happy that I decided to take on reading as a hobby.'], [0, 'I always held a special spot for Adrian in my heart.'], [0, 'Ever since one of his first lines "Little Dhampir" - I always pictured a smooth, sexy man behind those words.'], [0, 'His character has grown so much since Vampire Academy days, and I love that I was able to follow every step of the way.'], [0, 'Sydney pissed me off beyond belief in the end.'], [0, "I hope she gets her head out of the Alchemists' asses and decides to finally live her life for her."], [0, 'Other than that, she is amazing.'], [0, 'I love how much her character has developed as well.'], [0, 'She went from having a stick up her ass in Vampire Academy - to actually almost living a little.'], [1, 'I loved in the end when she started laughing after Brayden breaks up with her and tells her she is irresponsible .'], [0, 'Way to go Sage!'], [0, 'All in all, I cannot wait for The Indigo Spell.'], [0, 'Someone induce me into a coma for the next 8 months.'], [0, 'Please?']]

8709523

33a44b3d3005f8a8a392ef8581592228

What an astonishing book. Oh man, it is books like this that make me SO happy that I decided to take on reading as a hobby. I always held a special spot for Adrian in my heart. Ever since one of his first lines "Little Dhampir" - I always pictured a smooth, sexy man behind those words. His character has grown so much since Vampire Academy days, and I love that I was able to follow every step of the way. Sydney pissed me off beyond belief in the end. I hope she gets her head out of the Alchemists' asses and decides to finally live her life for her. Other than that, she is amazing. I love how much her character has developed as well. She went from having a stick up her ass in Vampire Academy - to actually almost living a little. I loved in the end when she started laughing after Brayden breaks up with her and tells her she is irresponsible . Way to go Sage! All in all, I cannot wait for The Indigo Spell. Someone induce me into a coma for the next 8 months. Please?

887eeda87a848c7119be8209b0bcadb9

2014-02-19

[[0, "Started reading this, couldn't hack it, then listened to it as an audiobook."], [0, 'It was much more tolerable that way.'], [0, 'In fact, for the last few chapters, I switched back to reading it.'], [0, "Let me just say I don't link this kind of thing."], [0, "I feel like it's a sucker punch."], [0, "That's not supposed to happen."], [0, 'That said, the ending was just a bit more acceptable than THG.'], [0, "It was a good enough wrap up, not exactly what I'd prefer, but better than some other similar books (i.e."], [0, 'Delirium series).']]

10616322

56e4085b59f3c528826ce37b230e3b86

Started reading this, couldn't hack it, then listened to it as an audiobook. It was much more tolerable that way. In fact, for the last few chapters, I switched back to reading it. Let me just say I don't link this kind of thing. I feel like it's a sucker punch. That's not supposed to happen. That said, the ending was just a bit more acceptable than THG. It was a good enough wrap up, not exactly what I'd prefer, but better than some other similar books (i.e. Delirium series).

ab2fadb5c7bbe55c80406d2b3692e969

2016-07-25

[[0, '3.5 stars:'], [0, "*bump this up to a 4 if you haven't read Station Eleven, or if you're a huge fan of Survivor type reality television."], [0, "This is the tale of a survival-style TV contestant who unknowingly gets caught up in the aftermath of a near-species ending plague and finds that she's fighting for more than prize money."], [0, 'The Last One has flaws, but is also very engaging.'], [0, "I'll definitely seek Oliva out in the future."]]

27245997

c2fc117ce2dc0828b9332b05c747edc5

3.5 stars: *bump this up to a 4 if you haven't read Station Eleven, or if you're a huge fan of Survivor type reality television. This is the tale of a survival-style TV contestant who unknowingly gets caught up in the aftermath of a near-species ending plague and finds that she's fighting for more than prize money. The Last One has flaws, but is also very engaging. I'll definitely seek Oliva out in the future.

9e08a64185be87863b15811e5a487039

2016-12-09

[[0, '"Well, princess," Wynter murmured, "let\'s see what you\'re made of."'], [0, "12 May 2014 Update: Win an arc on CL Wilson's website (Click blog)!"], [0, '17 April 2014 Update: 600 pages of pure goodness !'], [0, 'Woo hoo !'], [0, 'The book is going to be so so long which means it is going to be one sweet long ride.'], [0, "* Sigh * Don't you just love fantasy romance ?"], [0, '600 pages means its going to be a proper story- well drawn out, not abrupt and quick-quick romances!'], [0, 'Read the excerpt here!'], [0, '19th December 2013 update'], [0, 'Oh boy!'], [0, "Check out the prologue and first chapter of the winter king in CL Wilson's new book One Enchanted Season"], [0, 'Seems like Khamsin(Heroine) and Wynter (hero) are going to be in a real battle of wills.'], [0, 'Goodness, the tension!!'], [0, 'I am so so so so excited!!'], [0, 'He he, Wynter first sees Khamsin in a tower and thinks she is a servant.'], [0, 'What will happen when he realizes that she is the fourth princess.'], [0, "I can't wait to read their confrontation....and everything else!"], [0, 'And something about the most powerful magical sword..'], [0, "He felt the weather mage's breathless shock, tasted the scent of definite feminine power and outrage on the wind."], [0, 'And, to his pleasure, a hint of fear.'], [0, 'Good.'], [0, 'The precocious princess has probably'], [0, 'never met her match.'], [0, 'Until now.'], [0, 'She would learn, as her father had learned, that the Winter King was no spineless pampered weakling to be threatened without a care.'], [0, "She would learn, as her brother would learn if the coward ever dared return to face the man he'd wronged, that the wild, impetuous tempest of summer was no match for the hard, relentless dominion of winter."], [0, 'I am absolutely craving for more right now and making up my own story.'], [0, 'Sigh- what a long long wait!'], [0, '"Mind your temper, and use that brain God'], [0, 'gave you!'], [0, "This isn't politics we're talking about."], [0, "It's survival."], [0, 'Your father\'s and your own to boot.Displease the Winter King, and we\'ll none of us see another spring."'], [0, '"What joy does a slave find in spring?"'], [0, 'Khamsin countered bitterly.'], [0, '"Better to die a hero\'s deathlike Roland than live ten lifetimes cowering beneath a conqueror\'s heel!"'], [0, "AMAZON'S SUMMARY:"], [0, "After three long years of war, starkly handsome Wynter Atrialan will have his vengeance on Summerlea's king by taking one of the man's beautiful, beloved daughters as his bride."], [0, "But though peace is finally at hand, Wynter's battle with the Ice Heart, the dread power he embraced to avenge his brother's death, rages on."], [0, "Khamsin Coruscate, Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, has spent her life exiled to the shadows of her father's palace."], [0, "Reviled by her father, marriage to Wintercraig's icy king was supposed to be a terrible punishment, but instead offers Kham her first taste of freedom--and her first taste of overwhelming passion."], [0, "As fierce, indomitable Wynter weathers even Khamsin's wildest storms, surprising her with a tenderness she never expected, Kham wants more than Wynter's passion--she yearns for his love."], [0, 'But the power of the Ice Heart is growing, dangerous forces are gathering, and a devastating betrayal puts Khamsin and Wynter to the ultimate test.'], [0, '19th August 2013 Update'], [0, 'Release date : August 2014'], [0, 'ONE MORE YEAR !'], [0, 'That seems like awfully long time, but I guess that will just make the book more exciting to read.'], [0, 'Woo Hoo !'], [0, 'The cover is up.. that means the book is probably going to come out very soon !'], [0, "Do you'll like the cover?"], [0, "I like the herioine's dress."], [0, "There are 2 excerpts on Cl Wilson's yahoo group :"], [0, 'http://groups.yahoo.com/group/clwilson/'], [0, 'Man, I am literally bubbling with excitement !!!!!'], [0, ':D'], [0, 'Actually that is an understatement !'], [0, "Can't wait :)"]]

10485751

443a7bc296b12538b95b240d12e7869e

"Well, princess," Wynter murmured, "let's see what you're made of." 12 May 2014 Update: Win an arc on CL Wilson's website (Click blog)! 17 April 2014 Update: 600 pages of pure goodness ! Woo hoo ! The book is going to be so so long which means it is going to be one sweet long ride. * Sigh * Don't you just love fantasy romance ? 600 pages means its going to be a proper story- well drawn out, not abrupt and quick-quick romances! Read the excerpt here! 19th December 2013 update Oh boy! Check out the prologue and first chapter of the winter king in CL Wilson's new book One Enchanted Season Seems like Khamsin(Heroine) and Wynter (hero) are going to be in a real battle of wills. Goodness, the tension!! I am so so so so excited!! He he, Wynter first sees Khamsin in a tower and thinks she is a servant. What will happen when he realizes that she is the fourth princess. I can't wait to read their confrontation....and everything else! And something about the most powerful magical sword.. He felt the weather mage's breathless shock, tasted the scent of definite feminine power and outrage on the wind. And, to his pleasure, a hint of fear. Good. The precocious princess has probably never met her match. Until now. She would learn, as her father had learned, that the Winter King was no spineless pampered weakling to be threatened without a care. She would learn, as her brother would learn if the coward ever dared return to face the man he'd wronged, that the wild, impetuous tempest of summer was no match for the hard, relentless dominion of winter. I am absolutely craving for more right now and making up my own story. Sigh- what a long long wait! "Mind your temper, and use that brain God gave you! This isn't politics we're talking about. It's survival. Your father's and your own to boot.Displease the Winter King, and we'll none of us see another spring." "What joy does a slave find in spring?" Khamsin countered bitterly. "Better to die a hero's deathlike Roland than live ten lifetimes cowering beneath a conqueror's heel!" AMAZON'S SUMMARY: After three long years of war, starkly handsome Wynter Atrialan will have his vengeance on Summerlea's king by taking one of the man's beautiful, beloved daughters as his bride. But though peace is finally at hand, Wynter's battle with the Ice Heart, the dread power he embraced to avenge his brother's death, rages on. Khamsin Coruscate, Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, has spent her life exiled to the shadows of her father's palace. Reviled by her father, marriage to Wintercraig's icy king was supposed to be a terrible punishment, but instead offers Kham her first taste of freedom--and her first taste of overwhelming passion. As fierce, indomitable Wynter weathers even Khamsin's wildest storms, surprising her with a tenderness she never expected, Kham wants more than Wynter's passion--she yearns for his love. But the power of the Ice Heart is growing, dangerous forces are gathering, and a devastating betrayal puts Khamsin and Wynter to the ultimate test. 19th August 2013 Update Release date : August 2014 ONE MORE YEAR ! That seems like awfully long time, but I guess that will just make the book more exciting to read. Woo Hoo ! The cover is up.. that means the book is probably going to come out very soon ! Do you'll like the cover? I like the herioine's dress. There are 2 excerpts on Cl Wilson's yahoo group : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/clwilson/ Man, I am literally bubbling with excitement !!!!! :D Actually that is an understatement ! Can't wait :)

1a24bac964b67d5afe7175b79573d1a6

2013-02-11

[[0, "I loved the characters in this book and the story but at times found the writing style a bit hard to follow...can't wait to start the 2nd book."]]

16118160

55d534d34bf4e3e313de63947e9f12a3

I loved the characters in this book and the story but at times found the writing style a bit hard to follow...can't wait to start the 2nd book.