As close to a three as it can get without actually being a three.
#1 Ambassadors are kind of like superheroes/heroines, eh? #2 I don't know anything aboAs close to a three as it can get without actually being a three.
#1 Ambassadors are kind of like superheroes/heroines, eh? #2 I don't know anything about being/living with an ambassador.
#3 Review Time!
Basically, All Fall Down is entertainment fodder with ambitions to develop into something less satisfying further on in the story. It's short, fast-paced with fun characters, sneaking and jumping and flipping authorities. Set in Embassy Row. In the fictional city of Adria, Valancia. There's a scarred killer amongst the tightrope walkers, peace promisers and other Very Important People.
Grace is a troubled narrator, and boy do I hate that word. Anyway, the entire world as she knows it considers her unreliable. Starting out and through the rest of this adventure, her narration pretty much revolves around the fact that she's not crazy and there's a killer out there. I got over that rrrrreally fast. Faster than Flash could sweep me off my feet and plant a kiss, I'd bet. How about it Flash??? I dare you. :D
It's a solid mystery set around characters with enough flesh, background and presence to carry on the story adequately. My definition of adequate being that I don't feel like I'm under a blanket, in a dark room for extra assurance. There's a bevy of beautiful people - another fact about ambassadors and their progeny I didn't know! They all set out to be models, but got sidetracked. However, despite my flaccid attempts at snark, I did like Noah, Rosie and Megan, our protagonist's compatriots in dank tunnels and trespasses.
There are only sparks of romance/crushing that crop up EVERY time Grace comes across, or spies on, her brother's best friend, a very Russian, very annoying, AND VERY UNSUITABLY NAMED Alexei. I mean, the left side of my brain sees: prat, shadow of characterization, no real personality, but the right side: RUSSIAN. HOT. NAMED ALEXEI. It brings on moments of cognitive dissonance, I tell you.
HOW IS A GIRL SUPPOSED TO COPE?
Putting hot Russians out of mind, for a moment, I'd like to make clear that there is only a smidgen of actual romance. Huzzah for us buzzkills and cynics and tired folks!
Carter's latest project requires you to suspend you belief in all things dangerous and 007 taught about efficiency of grownups like you'd drop your trousers in the loo when Ms Peepee has been banging on your bladder through an entire conference on lima beans.
Not that I'm claiming to know anything about Ms Peepee, conferences on lima beans or lima beans, for that matter. I'm a Goddess, you see, of Something and Other; no need to bother with earthly stuff. (Besides them book, obv. And Nutella.)
BUT WHERE WAS I? Oh, trousers. Ha! Right I don't have any sort of problems with THAT only when I get some sort of subtle discourse acknowledging the fact that yes, what our characters manage is unbelievable and tough. There wasn't. These players sneak into a very dangerous, secure, and paranoid man's with barely so much as an oomph!
Now, it's making me worry about the Very, Very Important people currently out there in other, real countries.
However, this lack of attention to details also goes for when emotional upheavals are going on, relationships strengthened or crapped upon, perils are faced. It's all fast and most certainly not furious, making for a "I'm in a dimly lit room and can only identify few sundries" experience.
Very nebulous and devoid of actual investment w/r/t thought and feeling.
But besides all that, the story does get fun sometime later. Very Ninja-style! Jumping from balconies and kicking out mortar. There also be revelations that change the course of the story and what you expect. Whether that be a good thing or bad, I leave up to you.
#4 WRAP UP
I'm stupid. The story would be much better if it were: (a) refined (b) tighter (c) more descriptive (d) used the word conspiracy more (that ALWAYS works) I'm not sure if I'll be back for more. The FANTASTIC Gallagher Girls this is not.
If Titanic and The Brides of Rollrock Island had a love child out of wedlock, the latter unabashedly not giving a fuck and the other ashamed of the maIf Titanic and The Brides of Rollrock Island had a love child out of wedlock, the latter unabashedly not giving a fuck and the other ashamed of the manner their progeny was brought into this world, both passing down some of their undesirable and desirable traits respectively, getting them all mushed up and mutated during the blueprint process, naming Regulus Arcturus Black its godfather and basically leaving it in his care for the weekends, holidays, sick leaves et cetra, the result would undoubtedly be The Witch of Salt and Storm.
Crikey! Kids are demanding.
[image]And surprisingly efficient. Or useless?
If you think you'll be able to handle that, you're most welcome to Kendall Kulper's amply, questionably, sporadically enchanting debut. But just for my satisfaction, do read further and know what you're actually getting into.
The Roe witches curse, bless, protect and kill-if you pay the right price. Avery's family has-of women-has always had a tenuous connection with the islanders-who wouldn't take a shit without first consulting her grandma. There are several facets to this story and one of those explores this unhealthy, dangerous relationship in a world of whaling as the world progresses, and witches be losing powers.
While it's written with a focus on romance, the book doesn't forget how it began, its roots and the creatures it weaves amongst. The first half of the story is devoted to this dance, playing by the characters and building on the setting and characters, their links and chains. The writing is subdued but that only complements the story that's thrilling despite the dearth of action.
Avery was an evocative character at times, although sometimes that was substituted for likeness to a caricature of a character made up lesser of lines and circles than of adjectives. She appeared to be obsessed with being a witch without any logical basis for it. Of course, her survival plays a major role but most of it had to do with dogma-the Roe witch have always been witches, and she must continue the line or the island will collapse. As time goes on, her views change though not her goal, and it was fascinating to see her reasons become more rational and survivalist.
I loved the descriptions of the island, the men and boys who have only one option-whaling, sailors who buy monogamy charms for their sweethearts but never themselves, sour and overripe and sickly sweet smell at the docks, raging winds from memories past that were harnessed by witches past; the whaling industry(it's crap and I hated hated hated the whales who died) and how it ran the world.
Every rich lady in the country has a jar of whale on her vanity. She dabs whale on her wrist, at her neck. She uses whale to pull in her waist and lifts up whale to keep the rain and sun off her lovely face. She reads by whale and washes with whale and has whale to brush her hair and pin it in place. Her husband takes some whale to polish his shoes, to keep his buggy wheels clean and squeak free. The factories that chug whale to grease their millions of working parts and whale to light their workrooms, and even a garden benefits from a bit of whale sprayed daily. You could glue things together with whale, strip off rust with whale, whip your horse with whale, and at night stroll the streets warm in the glow of whale.
These subtle and overt explorations of basically everything, written in a compelling manner are one of the things I'll remember fondly about The Witch of Salt and Storm for some time, for it was daring and fucking spellbinding, as the blurb says.
The writing becomes grittier and often, nonsensical or awkward. The sequences that follow-with its high on emotional drama-only served to annoy me with their banality. It all became tiring-a catharsis that helped neither me or Avery. Her outpouring of emotions weren't out of the norm and came as a direct contrast to what I loved about the storytelling initially.
Not to say that it was particularly bad. Nah, it was simply uninspired and lost the enchantment. Even as the usage of magic increased, the story became more firmly rooted in reality-mobs going crazy, occurrence of untoward things. I suppose my disappointment has a lot to do with the the change in the narrative-not the character, but happenstance and circumstance, which in turn, changed her tone. And as a side, there were several back stories and relationships(in especial, Avery's mother's and grandmother's) that I wish had been explored more thoroughly.
Despite the lack of novelty, despite the "ballsy" twist that I didn't consider as such, I think Kendall Kulper could have had a tight grip on me even through these times. Butttt-she didn't.
I don't have much to say about the romance, albeit it soon became one of the foci-Tane was a model character-not white, not perfect, thirst for revenge, a distinct lack of douchebaggery. What we all want, yet he was lacking-I saw him more as a tool, as a means to achieve things than as a real character.
In the end, the ending didn't sit well with me, primarily because of all the useless stuff about beaks and crap, however, I truly appreciated what the ending alluded with regard to the whaling business. Overall, it was a good effort and I am sure lots of readers will love it.
Let's have it already: this was a terribly monotonous read.
It tells a story and within that, another, or should I say, the latter runs sideways with tLet's have it already: this was a terribly monotonous read.
It tells a story and within that, another, or should I say, the latter runs sideways with the other? Basically, Darcy Patel has written a paranormal romance and Afterworlds relays the entire process of publishing, editing, mingling in not that particular author from the eyes of a young, upcoming writer who only knows to weave tales, not pass discreet tests she didn't ask for, while in alternate chapters, we also get to read her novel named the same, most likely its finished copy.
The seemingly parallel tales have their own set of problems.
Considering Afterworlds is over 600 pages long, half of them gobbled up by the story within, I felt no compulsion to cut it some slack even if it was written, story-wise, by a 17yo. And might I just say it was acutely inadequate and well, cliched. I suppose I should mention that I only read about 25% and mayhap, it becomes a mind-fuck or even fun/pleasurable after that point, with several new interesting concepts, but my personal experience remained unsatisfactory, chore-like. I'm not reading a book if it feels like a chore, even for school.
Moreover, both are protagonists are uninteresting, lacking layers or depth to their character. They seem gratuitously ordinary. Ordinary in terms we think of when we forget we are ordinary, when ordinary becomes boring, comfortable blue all around.
I think I could have gotten into Darcy's story had there been the littlest effort to make her character less about the publishing process, and a teensy bit more about her, because she's Indian. As in, Asian Indian(just like meeeeee!), with strict parents who adhere to the belief that education is the only thing in life and will make all sorts of sacrifices and judgements and decisions for their daughters, to that end(just like meeeee!). Heh. I guess I was more into her parents than I was into her. But whatever...
There are numerous issues that come up relating to Hinduism and writers of color and go on to show the troubles impregnating the publishing business, and reading business and ignorant white people in general. An author says that Darcy looks "Hindu." There's a certain notion also that if a PoC plunders religious myths in their novels, it's okay but for white people, it isn't. Much fucking bullshit, but I liked that the author didn't come across as such, though the fact that he takes no stand on the matters was a bit irksome.
Anyways, one thing I did like is that Hinduism is referred to as Darcy's parents religion, not her own, since she doesn't seem to have any kind of piety or religious affiliations or feelings.
Liz deals with/falls for a death god, only this time around he's from Hindu myths. This guy:
[image] [image] [image]
who looks like this guy(I had to google him up but I think I've seen him around on the telly):
[image] [image] [image]
I just cannot see anyone saying Yamaraj delicately, sexily, dreamily. I cannot.
If anyone can, I do NOT want to hear it.
Gah, now I know what it feels like to see characters you reviled as a child, were made to revile or even see in a totally non-romantic way, are absorbed into the raging beastly Blob that is eventually going to eat the world but started out as the paranormal industry.
[image]
That wasn't the basis, or even the beginning, of my problems. I mostly hated the telling. It was not conducive to the story and couldn't draw me in at all. Not to mention that Yamaraj as a beautiful, broody, despondent boy is such an overused trope. If you're gonna be a death god, gonna ferry souls across, make damn sure you're equipped for it. At least Charon in Percy Jackson and the Olympians was a greedy, resourceful bastard(that I might have had a two-second crush on when I read the first book.)
This story is said to be "much better than your average paranormal romance" and for the life and afterlife and parallel lives and past-lives of me, I can't figure out why. Maybe because of all the awesomeness I missed out on in the latter 75%? Don't especially care.
Overall, there's not enough action in the story wherein I expect it, and not enough poignancy in the other one. Don't see anything worth to stick around for but maybe YOU'll do? Who knows? Someone not like meeeee!
For a huge part of this book, I kept repeating to myself,"Am I going to finish this book? Am I really?" But I2.5
Brilliant premise, mediocre execution.
For a huge part of this book, I kept repeating to myself,"Am I going to finish this book? Am I really?" But I did, albeit I feel like yawning into the next century and then some. Perseverance, people.
The MC could get really annoying sometimes but she didn't really bother me, besides always pestering everyone to not cuss. WHY? It's their business. I don't mind if she doesn't cuss, but berating people she's known for one day? SERIOUSLY? Personally, that would be the deal breaker for me in a potential girlfriend. I kinda figured out the whole deal with Aiden and the new siblings; in fact, (view spoiler)[I'd have been seriously disappointed had they not turned out to be eeevillll. (hide spoiler)] The turn the story took towards the end was nice, and the tone of it reminded a little of The Boyfriend List- this is something I really didn't want to say because that book is far, far, so fucking far above this one, it's on them floating islands. Same goes for Ruby; Tessa could never, ever compare to her. Still, I felt like there was some kind of resemblance between the two books. The Naughty List is not as realistic, characters not as vivid, or tightly portrayed and all that jazz.
Another itty-bitty: the blurb already reveals what happens wayyyyyyy after the 50% mark in the book. WHAT THE HELL, PEOPLE?
I had a couple of notes but eh, lost them, don't care.
Maybe I'll pick up the next book, mayyyyybeeeeeeeee. Hope it's better than this one. It wasn't even that funny or fluffy....more
Nowhere near as good as Echo. WHY DO I OWN THIS ONE AND NOT THAT? I want to re-read Echo, dammit!
Sometimes I think Lia Block's words can never be tranNowhere near as good as Echo. WHY DO I OWN THIS ONE AND NOT THAT? I want to re-read Echo, dammit!
Sometimes I think Lia Block's words can never be translated into movies and pictures; other times, I can't help but wonder at the factor by which her book's awesomeness would be increased were it made into a movie with music and whispers and fast breaths. ...more
HEY YOU! YOU! IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO WRITE A NOVEL, HERE ARE HINTS IN THIS REVIEW AS TO HOW TO CATER TO ME!!! :D
I am guilty of loving too many tropes anHEY YOU! YOU! IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO WRITE A NOVEL, HERE ARE HINTS IN THIS REVIEW AS TO HOW TO CATER TO ME!!! :D
I am guilty of loving too many tropes and expecting books to actually deliver them in a realistic, or at the very least, enjoyable fashion. The Kiss of Deception was a story I'd been anticipating for it appeared to contain a number of them, as well as frames I always seek out, no matter how much I'm warned away from them. Sadly, due to its overwhelming, disappointing drama, which I usually love because drama!, and lack of substance/action/acceptable character development, the one book I'd been anticipating like few others, courtesy of my wonder and reminiscences of my love at/for The Adoration of Jenna Fox failed to satisfy one any even one count or expectation.
To begin with, I've always wanted to read a story of a princess who runs away from marriage, nobility, heads held high and vulnerable prides that musn't be poked to work the work of an ordinary city person, preferably a bar wench or waitress. [Confession: At the fear or thumbing my nose at the expensive education my parents are providing me with, I want to be a waitress or bar wench for a truly temporary. Someday.] Done and done. So much happiness I had, because one of my dreams came true. However, when I say I want such a story, I also want continuation, story to develop, things to happen, miracles to still be found and dragons to be domesticated or befriended or slain, whatever the protagonist's and dragon's preferences.
Going in the opposite direction, nothing of import actually happens in the first 70% or so of The Kiss of Deception, even Lia's character doesn't develop while she's waylaying handsy soldiers, scrubbing floors and serving ciders. Hell, not enough attention is even paid to how she's adjusting psychologically, mentally to these changes; how the new-found liberties have freed her. In passing, Lia mentions how she can't peel onions or flirt or whatever properly, but she's learning. Time that should've been spent on her was written about the two romantic interests. Which brings me to...
Assassin romance. I have no regrets. I LOVE it when assassins, actual assassins, fall in love with their victim, IF it's done right(The Assassin's Curse anyone? WHY couldn't it have been longer? Why did we have the second book which couldn't compare?). I guess because it's kind of a corollary of Foe Yay, the trope to end all other tropes for me. [It's funny because Confession: I also really love best friend romance. I guess I just like romance in general.] Yet in the long stretch while when fuck-all happens, the assassin's feels weren't conveyed nor developed. Later on, however, I think there was some progression and I shipped it because assassin and tortured soul and loyalty and crap, you know? I'm kind of like YA heroines in that sense. KIND OF. (Don't kick me out! We can totally work on this!)
Another of my types? Dark-haired guys. Guess what? If there's a choice, I'll ALWAYS go with the brunette/raven-haired, unless their personality is not to my taste. ALSO, of the two guys, one is blond and the other is- you know it! It's always the case.
I actually shipped the romance with the prince(because there was nothing else to think about in the book and that should tell you a lot because it is almost 500 pages) until a twist I didn't see coming, although there were hints. (view spoiler)[Before Kaden kidnaps her, I'd been thinking him the Prince and that was a major factor in me not shipping her with him, besides not being the brunette factor and the author also not giving him enough screen-time, nor developing the romance with him. BUT once it was revealed he's the assassin AND we get to the him and her parts, tables turned. I'm a fickle being. However, am I the only one who thinks that was deliberate or those were just my presumptions that paved the way for the shock? (hide spoiler)]
Lia, as a character, was engaging in the beginning but soon enough, with romance in the picture, her voice degenerated and lost any kind of cadence or personality that had made her unique. Moreover, the way I saw it, she was asking too much of life too fucking soon. I'd expect someone who's just found her wings to learn to flap them, stumble and take breaks, not cross oceans to migrate already! Just a few days after she breaks free, she starts pining for love. That annoyed me to no end, but whatever, to each her own and all that jazz. But then, after three conversations that, in summation, couldn't have taken more than thirty minutes, she's making remarks about one of the guys as such: I dismissed that possibility, because Rafe was quite articulate when he wanted to be, and contemplative, as though a great weight pressed on him. The things that matter. He had a tender side too, which he tried to hide. What weakness had made him share it with me?
UGH.
Moving on, there is too much romantic drama that most likely won't sustain the interests of readers with better things to do than I. All there is to it: him being hot and cold and moody. There were a few other incidents that took place, but they were far in between and short-lived.
This could have been a boring slice-of-life novel almost had it not been for the characters' respective backgrounds and histories considering how everything was put aside. The full scope of the series, the beginning of a plot that spans over novels is introduced too late in the story, after we are dragged through winter and summer, deserts and festivals and mourning periods. This is also when Lia's character changes, though only on the surface, IMHO.
However, these new snippets of information were enough to instigate anticipation for the next book in me- one song, in especial- as soon as I finished the story. Yet now, a little over a day after, I'm not sure because besides a slight curiosity that ennui begets, I can't think of any other emotion, reaction or feeling The Kiss of Deception evoked in me.
Yet three stars. BECAUSE. Mary E. Pearson writes like nobody's business. Her prose is marvelous and she's a natural storyteller, despite everything. Her words can flow like a ballad or a narrative, and manage to complement the other. The world building was an element I liked surprisingly, considering it's not the most creative nor that well-built as Lia is a sheltered royal, a princess moreover. What hooked me was the lack of meaningless descriptions that halt the imagination rather than boosting it. At least for me. I HATE descriptions(and I'm not even talking about info-dumps) of temples and structures and crap from afar. I'd rather my character touch it or use it, or someone else use it, otherwise meaningless; the setting it written while it's actually in play.
Third factor for last star: my change of ships. This could be due to my fickleness, or actually be a ramification of poor character build-up of the two guys- poor enough that their voices intermingle once shit happens and attention moves- but I'm attributing it to the author's dexterity at manipulating the hearts of her characters and readers.
Eh. Not my most brilliant review(and thank goodness for you because it's also not the most boring(you're probably wondering how boring can I be?(your imagination is limited, in that case))) but I hope it'll do, and help you in deciding whether you want to read it or not. I wanted to include lots of funny gif's and jokes because my own boring reviews bore me as well, BUT! I'm FINALLY giving in to sister and memes all around pressure, FINALLY watching Game Of Thrones so pardon me, yeah? :D
Or I'll have to use my other-worldly persuasive powers.
BOOM!
[image] RESIST THAT!
[A little tidbit: don't insult Jon Snow in front of me. Three episodes in and I'm crazy for the guy who knows nothing.]
[image]Me too, Jon Snow. I'm ready for you as well....more
Gah, people! I tried, I tried so fucking many times until I had to force myself to press the YES to the delete option on my Kindle.
Theabandoned at 60%
Gah, people! I tried, I tried so fucking many times until I had to force myself to press the YES to the delete option on my Kindle.
The first problem with this book is that it's the same thing happening again and again and again, with little to no variations, until it all amalgamates into one meaty taffy that not only am I not interested in ingesting at all, but also makes me think that the story has not moved forward at all, at least where the reader is concerned.
The second problem with this book is that it's actually not that weird-it's one selling point; sure, there are a few crazy things and Easter, our narrator and delusional protagonist, talks in unusual terms and thinks in an unusual manner. She knows how fucked-up she is, she realizes she has to let go but she doesn't, can't, won't who fucking cares? Fact is, after you realize that she realizes this, her train of thoughts and consequent in/actions seem to take on a pattern that is predictable, and thusly, far less intriguing. And simple.
The third problem is that I expected too much, was promised too much and nothing fucking delivered.
There go the three stars and I am extremely pissed off.
The first argument in favor is that the beginning of the story was remarkable-darkly comic and subtly entrancing. The fact is, the book continues to drop in hints of aforementioned to keep you hanging and wanting, but never enough to have you-or at least, me-actually care. The writing was so simplistically engrossing, gentle, grating, easy to read with an aftertaste, like a goddamn spice cookie that I ate four of this afternoon. Don't worry-I have good metabolism. Or good enough.
The second argument in favor is that the characters were fascinating-all fucked up sans mentally draining drama. The Mother, The Father, Easter, Julia, The Evil Bitch(I think???) et cetra. Yet again, just barely-enough to leave me hopeful but recalcitrant.
I don't get it. I DON'T. I dislike that I don't get it because the plot was so good. The idea was excellent but the story was all over the place. I2.5
I don't get it. I DON'T. I dislike that I don't get it because the plot was so good. The idea was excellent but the story was all over the place. It doesn't even merit 3 stars IMO, and that half is for the ending. It was only the unrelenting pressure of not reading that made me finish the novel.
I didn't even like the romance and that's an automatic thumbs-down. It reads like it's in sore need of a thorough editing, to cut down the excesses and add where the story needs to be fleshed out.
The setting was just incongruous! The author could have played it so well but when you contrast the lurking forest of Uprooted to what you have here, it seems like a silly roleplay. And she added a Versailles-inspired court, with its flamboyances and general French-ness. You need more creeping vines and carrions in your forest to play that card! The author didn't.
The characters were nice enough, I'll give you that. But they were also ideas. More effort should have been placed on backing the characters up with traits and dialogues and silences and shit, than given because they were the backbone of the story. They were as surprising as a cat-rat hybrid outside your window, AND as the heart-eating, unexpected journey that was Cruel Beauty.
Less focus on the French words and messy directions the story took, would have wrought wonders.
I didn't even enjoy the retelling, and that had never before happened to me, in terms of fairytales.
How contrary this is, to my experience with Cruel Beauty! How strongly I wish I loved Crimson Bound! I hate it. Okay, I slightly dislike it. ...more
There are lots of topics touched upon in Winterspell, from possible molestation of a living statue to thankfully! prurient girls and burgeoninOh well.
There are lots of topics touched upon in Winterspell, from possible molestation of a living statue to thankfully! prurient girls and burgeoning sexuality to failures of father figures, which could have made for a rainy day book. Well, it didn't. Owing to a multitude of reasons, I had to abandon the novel at around 34% and can't even think to recommend it to anyone.
1. The writing style! It wasn't conducive at all. I could hardly begin to picture and get invested in the land, setting of the story. I don't know what to point at per se, but the way it came across was awkward, unfinished. Rough edges all around.
2. Lack of characterization. Especially of our protagonist. Her portrayal was forced, more so than others'. It was like the author had drawn up a list of how/what Clara feels, and in between action and dialogue, when there's pause, introduced them for a paragraph or two, then gone again until later. Her feelings didn't... integrate well.
3. The action scenes took away what little characterization, however malformed, there was. Pages upon pages would go by, once the action sequences started, before we'd get a look into her head. Weird and lacking, considering the book's written in first person present.
OKAY. The world can hate me later, so first hear me out. This was not meant to happen, but after 220+ pages, I cannot deny that it did, fuck my intentOKAY. The world can hate me later, so first hear me out. This was not meant to happen, but after 220+ pages, I cannot deny that it did, fuck my intentions.
Individually, the aspects of Lies We Tell Ourselves are intriguing, and in a word, important. We have interracial romance between two girls around the time of integration, southern pride and prejudices making for obstacles, parents messing with children's lives and lifestyles. But together, the cogs just aren't working smoothly enough for me.
This is a book of ISSUES, and that's fine, I would love it for that and I kind of did, how it was worked into the story, how the story was them; but the rotatory motions of the two main characters' though process, for that's how they appeared to me, the constant flux of back and forth, less and more, that I observed in their voices doesn't make me want to finish the story. I'm certainly not invested in it despite the fact that all those individual pieces? I can only applaud them and I mean it.
Take a look at Linda: she is conditioned and does not fight it, not until she begins to fall for Sarah. Even then, she thinks it's because Sarah is a special snowflake, not like the other colored people. However, her voice appears so coddled, despite the fact that she isn't. Not at all. And perhaps, you can attribute these contradictions to her conditioning but even as such, it created a rift for me.
And Sarah! Her "I'm a sinner" tirade at every bloody thing was expected, not unreasonable, and to some extent, emotional. A less pathetic person would have felt for her. Eheh. I wish she didn't keep repeating it so much.
You can just imagine how the romance worked for me. Come on, work that imagination.
BUT I HAVE GOOD THINGS TO SAY TOO(which I cannot remember or maybe I've exhausted myself). Okay, I liked the diversity in the portrayal of parents, teachers and voices. If there's one thing I can accept without any qualms, it's that Robin Talley can really create distinct voices.
YOU, yes YOU, are going to love Lies We Tell Ourselves and it's a solemn promise that you can hit me later for if it doesn't pan out, but 4 times out of 5, it will. And you should take me up on those odds, not because this is an "important" book, but because it is fantastic(just not for me). It will make you angry, sad, maybe happy, and if you're a segregationist, then you're probably never picking this book, but don't worry, it was never written for you. It was written for us, to remind us.
I really want a dress of that cover, though. I have wanted it since the first time I saw it.
Review copy provided by Harlequin. Thank you so much!...more
Had I liked Deep Blue, I would have tried to sell it to you for its three elements:
a. Girl Power b. Diversity c. Puns
As it so happens, the girl powe1.5
Had I liked Deep Blue, I would have tried to sell it to you for its three elements:
a. Girl Power b. Diversity c. Puns
As it so happens, the girl power aspect felt flat and juvenile, the diversity thingy was experienced only once or twice for turbans and saris and it didn't really work, and the puns were disingenuous and stilted. Pooooooh!!!
Jennifer Donnelly's writing leaves a shitload to be desired. The first few chapters of the story are unbearable. With flinchingly detailed and full of blistering imagery that doesn't really work, it put me on my guard immediately. Paragraphs upon others go on to describe walls and beds and dresses that ended up halting my imagination each time I tried to conjure up a scene to match the story. Interspersed amidst this are pieces of information that seem to be of import but are never impressed upon the reader, moreover presented so spontaneously, it appears awkward. The puns in the writing are funny; however, they appropriate a lot of attention from the story itself. Moreover, there isn't the sense to make it seem part of the world. Rather, I think it was added more to instill humor that it doesn't quite manage to convey as opposed to fitting in with the merworld.
The world itself is expansive and works well with the current situation and century of ours; humans don't intermingle with mers, but the effects of our lifestyle resonate deep into the merworld. While I would describe it as a thought-out and detailed world, it is incredibly absurd at times as well. Underwater cafes, hats etc- I don't figure how they work underwater. What do they drink? How do their hats stay on- are there threads or whatever? On the other hand, bits regarding magic, why wand isn't preferred but voice is to wield magic and other, showcase in which arena more time and thoughts were put.
AND the characters. DO I get to whine now? I was so serious earlier. Can I whine pleasepleaseplease? SO half-assed, so un-characterized, so bland. The creatures of Bikini Bottom have more personality. They make better mermaids.
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The dynamics between them were instant and unfeeling; new characters acquainted themselves so well enough that one of our protagonists could almost seeeeee into their souls and dreams and fights. What crap. Conversations, on the part of our(you guessed it)MC's, were unbelievably, hilariously, pathetically half-baked attempts at modern teenage-speak, in especial when they're speaking with each other. I indeed admit that one degenerates in their manner of speaking, when one gets to converse with a long estranged best friend and there's a lot of squealing and giggling and screaming and like and neglection of adverbs, adjectives involved. But NO. This book didn't capture that, nor did it manage to create realistic characters- both princesses, despite what their diction might imply.
And pooh! Their characterization! No uniqueness or layers to them. No quirks of personality, hell, no personality! Just touching the surface of problems that a character in their position might face- being princesses and all. The obvious problems, that is. Like a collective noun. The abstracts of their personality and worries, frustrations that uniquely identify a character weren't there. Like an ISP! Their ISP was missing. They could be anyone.
Everything was too instantaneous and prompt, the literary equivalent of the Knight Bus- the one from movies. It squeezes and rushes off and halts suddenly; nothing ever registers not only because it is all so swift, but also because you're jerked around so. fucking. much. In Deep Blue's case, the stead of a blind driver and a bodiless, hanging-headed instructor is filled by the unpolished writing and puns. Our main characters are embroiled in a fight not theirs too suddenly, they accept new personages into their confidence too suddenly, they see into others' eyeeeees too suddenly. Nah-nyah-nah-nyah!
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(I have deep seated issues with conveyance of abstract stuff via eyes. THOSE PLACES ARE MEANT TO STORE DEMONS! GODDAMMIT! If you must, exchange demons when your eyes meet, not meanings and hints and secrets and dreams and hopes and shit.)
Again(you know it, I know it so let's say it together) Pooh! The entirety of the novel feels too juvenile. And not in the way I like my juvenile books. Way worse. Which is surprising, given I LOVE childish stories, the sillier the better. Yet the adventures aren't exciting or thrilling, new people and places discovered don't ignite even a smudge of curiosity, puns don't make me laugh. Which is surprising, given I LOVE to make lame puns. Also given these puns weren't entirely lame; clever, in fact. Who woulda thunk of Currensea would be the system of money in the merworld?
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I'm not judging Donnelly's other books by Deep Blue and neither should you, if this is/was going to be your first venture into her writing. There are definitely plans for her books and one day(as in, the speculative one day; not when I finish this class, or all my remaining books kind of one day, nor 14th of May 2016 kind of one day) in my non-existential planner.
oh well. this should have been fabulous: cool characters, wonderful writing, and when we do get to it, interesting concept. but! but it was four hu2.5
oh well. this should have been fabulous: cool characters, wonderful writing, and when we do get to it, interesting concept. but! but it was four hundred pages of nothing beyond high school-iness with occasional bouts of creepy. There is fuck-all until the last 100 or so pages, and by that time, I was so out of it, I didn't bother reading the entire, despite the writing which only got better and descriptive. SERIOUSLY! I COULD HAVE LOVED THIS! I HATE THAT I COULD'VE- could've and definitely would've were it not for the endless plodding through high school drama and unnecessary scenes about shit.
There is literally nothing I can think of to hate in this book. Yet it's ze cursze of ze paczing. ...more
First things first, let's decide on the rating because I love giving golden, little stars to books.
In terms of writing, charWARNING: THERE BE DRAGONS!
First things first, let's decide on the rating because I love giving golden, little stars to books.
In terms of writing, characters, plot, blah di dah all mushed together and judged together, I'd like to give Plus One three intact stars. On the other hand, when I consider my feels, or lack thereof, and enjoyment, or lack thereof again, I can come up with nothing better than 2.5.
SO I decided, if I'm going to break them, I might as well go in completely, AND compromised between my critical heart and generous mind: 2 and 3/4 stars. It's in sequence.
Plus One incited in me reactions from a very small range. There were times during which being in my vicinity would have transported you to a dimension where dragons breathe not fire, but fire-colored liquid(OJ), through not their mouth, but their nose.
[image]I am a ferocious beast in pink!
It was a miracle we didn't get hit. It was like the videos I had seen of traffic in India...
DO you see what comes after what? I swear, had it not been for the book, I'd have fallen for Ms Fama right there and then.
I rested my lips on the rim of the bottle before I drank, trying to differentiate between the warm wetness of the water and the warm wetness of his mouth...
HAHA! But alas-ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
...and brushed his great nose...
My HOUSE IS ON LIQUID-FIRE!
More of my reactions included: boredom, because while lots of things happened, they really didn't. [image]
confusion, when they say
"This is what I've wanted since the prairie."
"The same night that..." He couldn't finish the sentence. "The same night that Poppu died."
Heh? She was just talking with her Poppu, like she just returned from his room. The prairie was around two days ago. [image]
disappointment, because nothing in the book satiated me [image]
creeped out, the singular time:
I looked closer. His lashes were as pale as his eyebrow.
This is a poor kid she's just met, who's walking with them in uncomfortable silence, going "Um...." As someone who herself suffers through that, I find it creepy. But that's my pet peeve, don't you be bothered and all!
Plus One has a very interesting premise, a world that was unfolded in multiple chapters at a varying pace. Days and Nights are not, as one might guess, races; they're classes of people bifurcated based on their assignment in either day or night. At first, I was really impressed with the background and attitudes and traits of people-Rays and Smudges; Rays walked and talked openly while Smudges learned to sneak and skulk around early on. The difference in their perceptions is something I'd have liked to see more of, but sadly the book lacked in that department. I also thought that their lives would be more hurried seeing that each class had around twelve hours assigned to them, but they almost seemed languid. There were things that I questioned about the working of the world, the simplest things because I am goddamn genius(not), and I'm glad to admit that they really were no problems, and I was simply pretending at being precocious.
The theme playing at the book's core is love. Love for family starts the roller-coaster(not), and ends with true love. (True love ain't for me butI believe in tru wuv.) Sol Le Coeur decides to kidnap her new-born niece by deliberately mutilating her hand, so her grandfather, Poppu, gets to hold her before his last breath. Various misdeeds, mistaken identity, good people, chances et cetra ensue, and a story is written.
Sol is a badass MC who will be loved, admired, aspired, sung ballads in taverns about by one and many; she doesn't always kick ass, she has her moments of vulnerability and stupidity, and if I weren't me, I would say she's a marvellous and unique character with lots of juice to be squeezed out. However, by some probability and a few too many rounds of moonshine with dices in hand, ended up with me being me. And being me, I say that Sol didn't leave any kind of impression on me as a person, nor could I connect with her in any way. This lack of connection contributed the most towards my mild feelings about Plus One.
The romantic interest, D'Arcy, I think, could have been a great character. But he didn't give me any swoons and I couldn't even begin to try and look at him beyond his niceness. In the beginning, he had great potential to be a mulch-layered character, and he continued to be so, until a little ways forward from the mid of the story. That is when I felt it all going down the drain- the potential realized, and the unrealized. However, at the end of the second day, I refute my aforesaid statement because he really was a fleshed out character, and made more of an impact on me than Sol did. No swoons, though. No goddamn swoons.
Another character I'd like to discuss is Gigi. From what little we see of her, she comes off as a bitch, broken and used. I liked her and I felt for her. She is being treated like shit from both sides, yet she has her attitude and yet she helps them. At least there was one character whose story I'd like to read, and see where she goes.
This is a minor spoiler, so skip if you want. Gigi is Sol's brother, Ciel's ex. He broke her heart. He's married and has a child. YET he forces her to negotiate with him, when other people were up for it, and she absolutely doesn't want to. He has his reasons, but I thought this was a downright assholish thing to do.
The story isn't really very political; it involves more skipping about, hiding and having fun, thinking unwanted thoughts etc. It isn't very revolutionary either. There are some revelations made, and there might a revolution growing in the background, involved with characters completely unrelated with Sol, but that has very little to do with the story, until the very end. Plus One doesn't set out to make any statement; differences, injustices don't consume many words because foremost, it's a story about love.(And escaping.) Poppu, D'Arcy(for him, Jean, Helen), Ciel and in light of a declaration, Gigi.
One plus(o_O) is that I rrrrrrreeeeeeally like the cover.[See truwuv.]
I suppose lots of people are going to love this book-even with the misjudged set of expectations- but I spent my time making sounds of chains clanging as zombies zombie-shuffle wearing them as ornaments while I'm actually gritting my teeth(my teeth are razor-sharp and the razor is made of steel).
[image]For when bats steal your OJ.
Not my best review, but it's all I can manage. Drawing dragons wears me out, as does trying to imagine myself as dragons(I'm nothing if not authentic).
Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group!...more
Wake me up when this snoozefest ends. Yoklahoma, folks! [I don't know all this is supposed to mean. I am just very disappointed and bored.]Wake me up when this snoozefest ends. Yoklahoma, folks! [I don't know all this is supposed to mean. I am just very disappointed and bored.]...more
A couple untasteful jokes, very loose plot, limited direction, obvious and trite ploys/developments, an ending me not like-y because preferences, an eA couple untasteful jokes, very loose plot, limited direction, obvious and trite ploys/developments, an ending me not like-y because preferences, an excerpt from Reyes that just wasn't hot and all else aside, you can't go wrong with this book. Bwhahahaha! A let down in light of the whole series. Not a catharsis for all(but some) of that excitement, want and need.
A bit for Penryn, none for the story, and lots for Paige.
In retrospect, World After hasn't been as unmemorable an experience as was original conclu3.5
A bit for Penryn, none for the story, and lots for Paige.
In retrospect, World After hasn't been as unmemorable an experience as was original conclusion upon finishing with the book yesterday. However it's no Angelfall, and where unoriginality hadn't been detrimental to the debut novel, the opposite is true for the latest installment, that is to say it's the little originality here that keeps the book somewhat buoyant. What sold Susan Ee and made her an instant hit with readers all across were her characters and pacing, because let's face it: the plot was banal, and the writing was good. Penryn Young paved a way into tbr-lists and re-read-lists while already seeking a little sister and dealing with killer angels, she was an expert multi-tasker and so we all loved her.
Picking up an instant after the end of Angelfall, the book follows basically... no plot until around the 50% mark. Penryn wakes up in the Resistance van, and joins them to their camp. I wouldn't have minded the lack of direction had there been some reason for bringing back Obi and Dee-Dum and the rest. Dee-Dum solely are there for making rude jokes and lightening the mood, which wasn't necessary since the mood had barely been tense to begin with! So why did they go to the Resistance? So Paige could run away again. I realize and appreciate that it was to get across the other, unapparent implications of Paige's mutilation, but what pisses me off is that no shit, absolutely. no. shit. that matters about the Resistance was included. As if the Resistance were an after-thought incorporated to accomplish jobs that Penryn couldn't and literally clean up after her. The only notable thing that happens within the Resistance itself is the three, or some men, that attack Penryn. Why? And why does Penryn not even care about that afterwards? The scene was obviously written to act as a catalyst in sending Paige off into the woods, but I prefer my plot devices to not be so transparent.
To the story itself, I didn't mind a few of the places it took Penryn. Revelations about the apocalypse and Uriel's mongering and a whole conspiracy and secrets about Paige are revealed, which is all very satisfying. The stipulation of humans not in gangs, or the Resistance, or hiding in the dark is revealed. My second favorite part of the book were, predictably, the humans. Even in the face of killer angels, scorpion angels and what the hell not, but they still gotta hold onto prejudices against old, wrinkly people and:
It is painful to see that people prefer a bad guy who looks like an angel to a good guy who looks like a demon.
My favorite part constitutes of alllllllll the scenes involving Paige. I absolutely LOVE her, and is it an alright time to mention that a book from her POV would be kick-ass and I want to see her grow up and I like it when she bares her teeth? Penryn faces many dilemmas when it comes to her demon-turned sister, so many landmines to crawl by, and occasionally, she steps on one and the situation goes KA-BOOM! For the most part, I liked Penryn the way I liked her the way I did in Angelfall, sooner than I liked, at about 70%, I got fed up. That's around the point Raffe enters the scene, and dear Ryn-Ryn goes swooooooooooooooooooooon, and I pretty much have the opposite reaction.
Before Raffe's entry, his absence is accomodated by fillers, excuse me, memories from his sword which tries to teach Penryn to swordfight, which actually was a cool concept until all at once, it was more about establishing that Raffe had a heart and, predictably, he cared for her. Raffe himself turned out to be somewhat disappointing. I remember really liking him in the first novel, but he seems very run-off-the-mill right now.
(view spoiler)[ The stupidest hole in the plot was Penryn going to the aerie back again, only to decide that she has to go back to the ship to get the tracer, except- wait for it-she had already fucking decided before going to the aerie that she's leaving it for her mother in case she fails. That she plans to look for Paige on her own and besides, she'd be unable to hide it. So what in the hell did you plan to do had you not met Raffe there? Seriously, idiot much? Time waster much?(hide spoiler)]
Hell's bells Penryn!
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I was also disturbed to notice that there are no female angels except for Laylah. It could always be that there are but they aren't important to the story. However, that begs the question, why aren't men hired/forced and prettied up to adorn them? Is it that only the male angels look towards that sort of thing? Moreover, the soldiers in Obi's army are all men, as was in Angelfall. In fact, the only woman actually part of the Resistance that's there we don't even meet, and the only reason I conclude that she's a part of the Resistance is from the fact that she was standing behind Obi in his office. Penryn can't be the only woman in the entire area of San Francisco to know self-defense and how to kick ass. We do have women in armies, don't we?
World After also failed to embrace me into its world. The ambiance, the atmosphere, the writing, all of it just barely worked for me. The sentences are so short and clipped, specifically in the first half, trying to be so dramatic, to add an overwrought impression to the story; instead it only resulted in distancing me from it.
Conversely, it does work the few times it does, mostly in the first few chapters when I was giddy and un-irritated and not displaying all the other signs of aging. As in:
But I can’t. I can’t look at her at all. Her eyes aren’t the same. They can’t be. I turn and run from her.
Adding to the negative was how each and every one of those chapters ends with a theatrical phrase. After a while, it got downright aggravating. My theory is that Ms Ee was afraid someone out there would sequester the draft from her, and ergo, she kept concluding each chapter like an ending.
The blurb goes:
Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.
For me, it didn't deliver. at. all. Sure, we get to know the motivations and rest, but it doesn't have the same effect, because the writing is missing its punch. I read how lovers were divided and a father grew more terrified than his son as they got separated, yet there was no emotion, no desolation for me to feel it was a post-apocalyptic novel.
World After literally ends with a ride off into the sunset(or sunrise), and I am glad for the lack of a cliffhanger. Book #3 is something I'm ambiguous about just yet. Actually, I'm thinking of re-reading Angelfall to see if I still find charm in it, but if memory serves me right, I will.I wish I'd read Marie Lu's Champion instead. Right now, however, I'm going to read The Bread We Eat In Our Dreams. Blow me away, Valente!
maybe i'll detract or add stars by tomorrow. review to come but did i mention I AM DISAPPOINT?
i mean really, i actually left it to finish my math homework. and i took notes, lots of 'em, on paper in ink! and that too, writing over my brother's math assignment(he did it with pencil so it was easy to overwrite with blue pen)....more
abandoned at 80%. Also, I kind of went overboard with Scott Pilgrim vs the World gifs, if you can't tell. I actually wrote the whole review around theabandoned at 80%. Also, I kind of went overboard with Scott Pilgrim vs the World gifs, if you can't tell. I actually wrote the whole review around the gifs rather than vice versa.
Why? WHY ON EARTH?
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I don't give a shit about these characters, I don't give a shit about the story. It's weird how automatically eating human flesh while dying makes one a zombie- is it like fucking vampirism?
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Plus, it's mentioned some tribes down south did eat human flesh, but only a few of them had Wendigo mentions. Moreover, I'm sure ordinary people must have bitten off their skin once or twice and eaten it. The tribes and the Wendigo and the zombies in the mountain, I can get, because there's the air of mystery about what might have been done before they became zombies. But (view spoiler)[Hank? He gets shot, eats human flesh and minutes later is revived as a zombie. (hide spoiler)] Can't wrap my head around it.
Moving on, I had issues with Jake.
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I couldn't see anyone romancing with him, despite/because of his sob story. He's flawed and all I get, but I cared for him less than Eve. The romance and sexy time never once clicked with me, and being the kind of reader I am, I decided then that it absolutely wasn't going to work for me(although I gave it a couple more chapters). Never mind that it was rushed.
The rest of cast I have no comment about.
Beyond that, I don't think it's a bad book, and might appeal to many people, but I'm in the throes of what could be fever, exam stress, expiring review copies stress and I need new glasses(I think)(not only because the glitter is coming off), and was reading it at 4 am, so I can't with a book that gives me nothing, not a flicker of emotion/reaction. I wasn't even frightened once, nor grossed out.
But this one line did creep me out: something about how his skin smelled warm and nice.
Nothing sucked me in, the atmosphere wasn't set, and I believe Donners of the Dead is one of few very, very choice books which I lost interest in.
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If you liked Darkhouse, I think you might enjoy it for Halle's trademark writing style and characterization. However, if you ever loved Sins & Needles, especially for how intense and sexy and breathtaking it was, maybe you'd better skip it. 'Cause this so wasn't intense, and I think that's what irked me the most. Because I held it up against Sins & Needles rather than Darkhouse, with which Donners of the Dead has more in common.(Despite the fact that Darknouse scared me once, too.)
And for no reason at all(and obviously I'm not directing it at myself): [image] ...more
Zombies. Welcome to our generation of them brain-sucking undead oysters=> possibilities. The world is full to the briborrring borrrrrrring borrrrrring
Zombies. Welcome to our generation of them brain-sucking undead oysters=> possibilities. The world is full to the brim of oysters, if you're in the right place at the right time reading the right book.
Or should I rewrite that sentence with 'wrongs'?
Books are turning me into zombies. What's the one symptom of a zombie? Their language consists of a short vocabulary whose words they drawl like two-sizes short stretch/leather pants. As if they're from the fucking 80's.
Google giveth.
Zombies from the 80's.
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[image]Not one to judge but why is that lady having an orgasm? Is this like an older version, realistic(relatively speaking) of Warm Bodies?
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[image]Sex and the City, smoking meat style.
But what I just said is so fucking offensive and narrow and ignorant, I'm going to separate my demographic on language basis. You speak Chinese? Review limited to people who speak Chinese. You speak Ancient Welsh?(why?)(teach me) For you only. Don't kid yourself, there's probably only one of you.
Anyways, Boomerang did all that and no more. No morrrrrre. No morrrrrrre. Nooooooo morrrrrrre. (Okay, so this wasn't zombie; it's Doctor Who style.)
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With a cast of restrictive characters who are all hothothotheat and beautiful people with expressive eyes around every goddamn corner, this book blinded me with its whiteness. Its brilliance. My eyes are bleeding. And I wanted to pledge myself to eye donation camp, dammit!
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Ethan and Mia couldn't possibly be more boring. Or they could be. The wonders of the world surprise me; plus possibilities, for some people, aren't an endangered species.
Most of their dialogue, or hell even their monologues, consist of the other: how they look so perfectly masculine/feminine, how gentle and kind, oh those eyes that express so much, oh zat passion. It seemed fucking clinical and rote. Like the author(s) were going through the motions of a romance novel. And while it may not be the case for them, this destroyed any chemistry that could be sizzling for me.
It was surface, and the surface, if it ain't even manipulatively funny or ridiculous, pisses me off.
The writing is glorified. And by that I mean, it is unreal in its depiction and constructs every person, action, scene as so flawless, unblemished and hollywood. This is a trademark of romance novels I've hated.
And let's not get started on the beautiful people. It'll turn into a drinking game for an unlucky hap who's looking for excuses to get intimate with the floor in an inebriated state. How come everyone is perfect? THIS LEVEL OF PERFECTION! This traditional beauty. I've never been able to buy it. Even as a kid, I remember scoffing at the definition of ugliness when it came to people, because it simple befuddled me. That girl in the glass with dark skin and cheeks like puff balls? Have you seen her smile, how she fucking glows? Yeah, so that boy may have a lot of acne scars and a big nose, but when he talks(and slightly spits), his speech makes you wonder why the room isn't spontaneously combusting right now.
But all this book has-his chin is so perfect! yo rack is fabulous, girl! he was born in Armani! and of course, her face is so perfect she somehow looks less than beautiful. I don't even get this.
I couldn't buy into anything. Mia's struggle for an independent start to her career seemed only a smokescreen; Ethan's want for money to pay his rent and crap was dealt in an offhand manner. These issues were there one second, forgotten the next because their blazing hotness/attraction.
Let's not even get into the cheesy, recycled lines they spout at the end. The turns in the plot that were predictable like you only wish your grades could be. (Oh goodness, PLEASE let me not fail the psychology test I errr... prepared for! Somewhat.)
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On the other hand, I did like Ethan and Mia's separate circles of friends and their boss. Their portrayals were banal, as well, and trite but they could be funny. And if it be funny, me dont give shits. Unfortunately, one of Mia's friends just had to spout random peptalk shit-the kind friends don't give you in real life, and that ruined her for me.
Eh, I can't believe I didn't love Boomerang, considering the urge I always got to read the hell out of this book that I always got whenever I saw its page on Goodreads. And I saw it a lot. Reality is disappointing. Which brings me to the question, Am I ever going to read Into the Still Blue?
Doubtful is my sixth middle name.
The ending rode off into the sunset with Mia and Ethan and so many more happenstance couples, and everyone who read this book, and they left me behind. Gawd, I'm a hater. Let's parrrr-tay, I'm gonna try my hands at cookies.
[image] This is from the 21st century, but whatever, you're welcome....more
I'm neither here nor there. This series has a damned polarizing effect on readers: they either hate it from the first book or get addicted enough to fI'm neither here nor there. This series has a damned polarizing effect on readers: they either hate it from the first book or get addicted enough to find your way to the third book when shit. gets. real.
Apparently, shit was supposed to get realer in magic bleeds. I wouldn't know, because the whole world's decided to leave me behind while they go their two distinct ways. Probably because I'm a convert and the world's got a rich history with converts. Anwho, thing being I didn't enjoy this book, much as I tired to.
I really thought we had something there, Kate Daniels, but I suppose we don't fit alchemically on a deeper level. For example:
I liked you better when your world wasn't suffused in romantic melodrama.
I liked you better when you used to make bets with your beer. Remember? Fun Days.
Most important of all, I liked Curran much more when he was just the Beast Lord. Probably a good time to mention I don't ship Curran and Kate(unless in tweets- those are hilarious). And the smexy scenes were kind of boring.
It's simply my mindset- it doesn't make allowances for all these sweet nothings and ugly-crying. I probably should be looking for a therapist right now. But I have genuine issue that a lot of the book felt contrived.
It's just as well because my load of expiring ARC's has been making me cry, and the shelf of new books that I used to want so badly before Ilona and Andrews laid siege to my mind, are rusting. I'm not saying goodbye forever but I'm booked for the next few months.
Toodles, series. These proved to be a near-fun almost-week. Eh, I think I'm over you now....more
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