This is not a riveting read. It doesn't make you want to plow through the book, turning pages at break neck speeds. But it is an easy, lazy read. It is unique in a lot of ways, though, at the same time, there is so much of it that has already been done before.
It has a tendency to cling to a lot of unoriginal subplots: Dances, dresses, masks, being a few.
The slight triangle was done in a way, that didn't leave Nara coming across as a slut, or nasty person. She kept her head on her shoulders, and was very straight forward about her intentions, or what she would allow. But I'm unsure if the relationship between Drystan was supposed to be awkward, but it really was. I wasn't sure that going straight into tight rope walking was the best approach for gaining trust. Their encounters just came across very...forced. Nothing between them flowed well.
The relationship between Nara and her mother may as well not exist. It's not likely a mother would just leave her child all alone after nearly being shot. It's not likely a mother would go off somewhere so close to her child's birthday, either. The only thing her mother represents is that Nara is still a minor. That's all. Their interaction was so poorly written, I think it would have been better had Nara just been an orphan, living on her own.
The friendship between Nara and Lainey was odd as well. At times they acted like best friends, but for the most part, they did not. I know my friends wouldn't have ditched me with a stranger. And I don't know what the deal is having these characters have no fucking spine. Nara pretty much lets Lainey walk all over her, boss her around, and never really puts her in her place. It annoyed me.
Patch is my favourite character in this story. I love him, he is so cute. And everything that is tied to him interests me more than anything else going on in the book. He was a sweet little critter, and I loved what he did with the quarters.
But I am liking all this Raven talk. I am interested where things are going to go with Nara and Ethan, and even Drystan. But mainly, I want to know more about Patch!
Overall
This is not a heavy read. You're not going to be dragged through the chapters. But it has enough going to on to continue flipping through it. There are a few areas that are snooze worthy, but nothing a quick skim won't take care of. I'll read the next one.
Read from March 30 to April 01, 2013
At first I wasn't liking this read. It was dull, redundant, conflicted, and very choppy.
The vampires were described as all of them being ugly. Later, they were described as being handsome, stunning, and beautiful. Stevens couldn't make up her mind.
This book was not written well. The structure really needed work. Things did not flow. As mentioned above, it was very choppy. Scenes and characters were added without crucial stepping stones in between to justify their presence. Rather than having these characters show up somewhere prior in the story, so that things moved smoothly, characters popped up with "surprises" that were more of a What The Fuck? Because you had NO idea who these people were. You didn't know they existed. And these revelations, that were supposed to be a twist and turn in the plot, were more of a fucking grenade blowing the whole book sky high. It didn't add up. It made sense--in a round about way, like you understood how it could work, it just wasn't set up right.
So many contradictions. Aria was supposedly sheltered as a child, then she wasn't, and then she was again. An editor was seriously needed for this.
Aria supposedly didn't know the blood slave rules, then at random times she knew all kinds of things about the rules. But, really, the rules were never explained fully. Nothing about what was going on with the Vampires and humans was ever really explained. I realize that the major plot was about Aria and Braith, but still, you need to spend some time on world building so your readers get a real feel for what is supposedly going on in your novel.
To, too, then, than, among other things, were often misused. Then is used as a time measurement, or for "next", than is used for rather or instead. I would rather take the stairs than ride the elevator. It's really simple. Too is used for "also". I would like ice cream, too! I mean, you learn this shit in kindergarten. Grammar Nazi? Yes. Yes I am. Because if you want me to read this shit, then learn English!
Aria's mouth had a habit of parting slightly. This was a problem for me. I despise repetitive phrases with a fiery passion.
And as mentioned above, this book was extremely redundant. A lot of it was spent talking in circles.
He was not like his father and Caleb though...
He was not his father and not Caleb... Both of these sentences also ended up pretty much saying the same thing.
This book was poorly executed. It wasn't exciting until the end. And honestly, it was the end that earned this book 2 stars. I had planned on giving it 1 star. But the end actually piqued my interest. And I am still not sure whether I will bother with the next one or not--but maybe I will.
Read on April 02, 2013
This is not what I was expecting.
This is a fem-nazi haven. Very anti-man. It was disturbing, among many other things.
I was left confused. The Ikati are apparently stuck in the old times where women are to be treated as...well, it didn't say exactly, but I got the impression that they were supposed to be seen--sometimes--but not heard? Or something like that. But this was contradicted with the fact that this species had Queens, who ruled over everything. So, how did that make sense? It didn't. So, unfortunately, the whole oppression against women really fell flat here. In fact, it had no place in this book. And I really detest when authors go about injecting their man hating agenda into their books! Leave it out unless it actually pertains to the story! It just ruins everything.
This wasn't really much of a story. The majority of the book was spent telling you how certain people looked in certain shades of light and darkness, describing rooms and extravagance, and all this "heat". There were numerous repetitions of how Jenna and Leander felt about each other, almost word for word. And quite frankly, what was left, made little to no sense at all. I was bored out of my mind.
There were a few names dropped as who were a part of this species. I had to roll my eyes because it's not like that has been done before. And honestly, what substance does it add to the story? Nothing, it was just filler. Unnecessary filler, that held no excitement, or even historic understanding.
The way Jenna treated Leander was awful. There was no real reason for the cruelty she displayed. Her hostility and the way she tried using her feminism was just ludicrous. I'm not sure what the author was trying to set up here, but it failed miserably. She did not come across as an independent, strong woman to me. She came across as shameless, nasty, and stupid. I failed to see what about her was attractive.
The romance was...well...it wasn't very romantic. You had Leander being the typical over bearing male these books love to project, and furthermore, he didn't know how to take "No" for an answer. There was nothing hot about that. That's molestation at the least. Every girl's dream! But this was obviously used to promote the anti-man theme coursing through the pages, and I wasn't impressed in the slightest.
But there were no swoon-worthy moments. There was no true connection. There was no buildup to the relationship. It was all just angst and sex. Because that hasn't been done before, either.
Dull. Boring. Cardboard cut out characters. Anti-male. Nothing worth reading between the lines. And so not going to read any further.
Read from April 01 to 02, 2013
Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face.
I heard good things about this series, so I thought I'd give it a go.
I have to say, I am not all that impressed. Overall, the story is decent. I mean, it's not like you don't know how it is going to end up, or who the killer is. It's pretty straight forward. You're not really taken on a wild goose chase. How you get to the end of the book is where the strength of this book comes into play. It's not overly exciting, nor is it full of action. Actually, the action scenes it has are very dull. It's not even full of magic, like you would expect. It's just that it's rather funny. And clever, too. This is a book that you will not take seriously. It actually comes across more of a mockery to the fantasy genre. And I am not put off by that, it was just lacking a lot of things to keep my attention.
The real focus of this book is Dresden. There are a handful of side characters, but none of them are really key players to the story. You don't get to know them very well or form any attachments to them. I didn't like that. You are introduced to a few creatures, but that's pretty much where it ends. You don't get a real feel for how these creatures fit into the world, or even in this story, really. There isn't a lot of talk about the lore of Wizards, or the lore of demons, faeries, trolls, elves, or what have you. They're just made known to exist, and voila! So there was some meat to this story, but not many bones. And bones are just as important.
I enjoyed how the date with Susan was initiated. I also enjoyed how the date played out. I laughed my ass off.
In the earlier stages of the book, I thought he was suggesting that he had murdered his girlfriend? But then it changed to him killing his mentor...I am still confused about this.
There were a few inconsistencies with the timeline in the book.
I don't know. I didn't hate it. I sure didn't love it, though. I may or may not read further. I just don't have much incentive to. The only character I really got to know was Dresden, and he wasn't that exciting.
Read from April 03 to 04, 2013
Blood Moon by Madelynne Ellis
It was certainly interesting.
It throws you right into the story without bothering to explain a whole lot, and by the end of it, most of what transpired in the beginning is still left unanswered. There was no introduction to the characters, and overall, little character development was actually done. We are aware that Asha and Blaze knew each other for a total of two days, and are bound to each other--apparently, but not certainly, after they had sex, which happened prior to us meeting them, and was only briefly touched upon; yet again, was not entirely explained. You're left to flounder in the little pieces of information you are given while trying to keep up with the rapid pace of the book. There was very little world buildup. I still have no idea what was really going on in the city, how the city became the way it was, or what this prophecy really had to do with anything. There was no explanation of the lore, and that really made things difficult to keep together. Things just took place in this book, and there was no way to know if anything was out of character or miraculous, because you had no idea these things could even take place--or not. I did not care for the structure of the book. You are given a few character's POV, but you are still not given much insight to what type of character they truly are.
Talon, for example, was a character I really would have liked to have had the chance to get to know and understand. How did he get to his position? Why were the Demon Hunters dressed in dresses when all bar one of them were male? How did he concoct his elaborate plan?
Asha was a confusing character. I never really got a feel for where she really stood. It was said that she was hoping Blaze would keep his humanity, but there was no true understanding of their relationship. It just was. And it just progressed without anything to stand behind it. I didn't really feel any connection between her and Blaze. Actually, the only true connection I felt for any of the characters, was the relationship between Blaze and Raven.
I don't know. The delivery of this book was just not adequate for all the ideas going on in here. I feel like I'm missing a lot of the story.
There were quite a few errors in this book. They became an eyesore later in the book, as that was when they showed up in abundance.
I don't think I will be bothering with the next book, mainly because I just found this one too difficult to follow and make sense of.
Read from April 04 to 06, 2013
It was thought out pretty well, yet there will still quite a handful of plot holes. There were a lot of predictable outcomes, and what were not, were not done with adequate suspicions.
There was a lot of mixed history incorporated with some unique supernatural elements, along with some not so unique supernatural elements. I did enjoy how the vampire hierarchy was explained.
There were a lot of comical scenes and plenty of action. It certainly wasn't a hard book to read.
Cassie was a well rounded character. Plenty of spite to enjoy from her. The only real issue I had--and this was a big issue for me--was that Cassie was whoring herself out for information; not just sexual favors, but her virginity. Then there was an attempt to make her seem empowered, because she felt powerful having a man succumb to her whims. It didn't work. In fact, it dropped Cassie's appeal so fucking fast that I almost stopped reading the book. To add to this issue, the guy she was whoring herself out to, was one whom she had known since she was eleven. She used to sit on his knee while he told her stories. Yet I'm supposed to see some kind of romantic connection between them? She claimed she never saw him as an uncle, but I found that hard to believe, given their history. There was no actual chemistry between them. I think that this whole mess really ruined the book for me. It just didn't add up, and it was disturbing.
The angst and issues with Tomas didn't make much sense to me either. Unfortunately, it was trod on with how Cassie was reacting to Mircae. She should have been just as furious with him as she was with Tomas. And she liked to say he didn't lie to her, but lies of omission count in my book. She sure didn't seem to mind the fact that he was hoping to keep her under lock and key. She sure didn't want to be, but she didn't hold it against him as I thought she should.
The issues I have with the time warp thing is that there's no way for Cassie to keep herself safe. The sybil could go to any time, before her, or otherwise, and there is no way for her to defend herself from it. So, I will be looking for this in the next book for sure.
I loved Billy Joe. He cracked me up.
I do think I will read the next one. Because for the most part, I really did like the book. Not everything can be perfect.
Read from April 06 to 08, 2013
Well, at least I am not the only one who is confused with what the hell is going on in this book. But, I get the impression that even by the end of this book, that this is exactly what Allyn wanted. And because of that, I am actually fond of this. It makes reading the next book a must, rather than a want. Not many books achieve that with me.
Cassie played jealous very well. She was not set up as a character that you were supposed to admire. She was set up to be hated, and for you to almost enjoy her repercussions. I liked that. I liked that I wasn't expected to root for her and hope she got what she wanted. Yet, by the end of the book, you get pulled in anyway.
There was not much character development, but at the same time, it wasn't needed for me. I was more interested in what was happening, rather than who it was happening to. Which is odd, I typically like to know who I'm reading about. The underlying story and plot was just much more interesting to me, and that is what I found myself focusing on.
I am very curious about who Jessemine is. I want to know how she came to be what she is. How it is possible, what her family ties have to do with anything. And how the dollhouse even came into existence. I like that Ethan is still a question mark. I am hoping there is a lot of explaining done about him, and why these girls had anything to do with what's going on. If that is left untouched, I will be very irritated.
I do have some gripes.
How were Ethan and Cassie pretending to eat? Where were they putting their uneaten food? How did Jessimine go undetected by Cassie for so long if everyone else knew? And why was she not informed by her friends? I would have liked there to have been a little more focus on what was going on with Ethan, just to have the curiosity piqued about him kept up throughout the book.
The whole ordeal with the owner of the house--whose name evades me right now--was extremely confusing, and I don't think was delivered very well. I don't mind some mystery, but this book answered very little questions. And it was, at times, more like walking through a labyrinth trying to keep up with the plot.
Cassie was supposed to be American. I didn't get that feel from her. She acted and spoke very Australian to me.
Things took too long to come together. There's nothing wrong with dragging things out, so long as you have a decent limit on it. But once it has become glaringly obvious to the reader, there is no real purpose to keep your character in the dark. It becomes tedious and annoying at that point. Unfortunately, that happened a lot in this.
This book was still very interesting. I haven't read a book like it. And I do think I will pick up the next one.
Read on April 09, 2013
The Faeire Guardian, Part II by Rachel Morgan
There is so much that happens in these short books. I like them though. I like them a lot. Very eager to read the next one.
Read from April 08 to 09, 2013
Dissolve (Dissolve #1) by Andrea Heltsley
This was listed with a lot of books I thoroughly enjoyed, so I thought I would check it out.
Awful. I can't believe I finally finished this. It was torture. I finally had to treat it as a horribly cruel joke, and even then it was painful.
This...story...was little more than sleeping, getting snacks, switching cars, staying in hotels, showering, getting dressed, and running.
There's something about powers in there, but it made little sense, and they rarely served a purpose. In fact, when they could be used, they weren't.
The dialogue was atrocious!
"I guess I won't need this bridesmaid dress now." Said minutes after learning that Cora's fiance was murdered. Can we say "too soon"?
"Really, thanks for the complement. That's really flattering and my breasts, thank you." What does that even mean? By the way...It's compliment.
"I agree."
"That's a very valid point."
"Do you think it is a trap?"
"I don't want to walk into a trap!"
"Morbid."
You have Cora's dead fiance, who was quickly replaced. It was pushed on you, then it was taken away because of poor dead Tom, and then it was right back in your fucking face again. Honestly, it was just disgusting.
I had a hunch this person was Nessa or Vienna. Wasn't that an intelligent statement considering she had already found Mia?
This was not well written at all. The execution was...horrid. The plot was never truly established. It was incredibly redundant. I was so wound up reading this book, it was ridiculous. The dialogue...it wasn't even just that it was choppy...it was close to robotic! Every character spoke the same way, often repeating the last thing the other said before them. There was no real connection between the characters. Nothing came together. This book actually told you nothing. You found out nothing. There was no purpose to the powers, there was no reason for them to have it, none of these things were touched. And what the fuck would they do with these powers once everyone else was gone? It was just absolutely horrible. The tenses were all over the place. Wrong words were used all the time. There was a major lack of punctuation. This would be one of the worst books I have read yet. In fact, it's a toss up between this and Alyson Noel...and sadly, I think I'd rather have read Noel's shit.
Awful. I can't believe I finally finished this. It was torture. I finally had to treat it as a horribly cruel joke, and even then it was painful.
This...story...was little more than sleeping, getting snacks, switching cars, staying in hotels, showering, getting dressed, and running.
There's something about powers in there, but it made little sense, and they rarely served a purpose. In fact, when they could be used, they weren't.
The dialogue was atrocious!
"I guess I won't need this bridesmaid dress now." Said minutes after learning that Cora's fiance was murdered. Can we say "too soon"?
"Really, thanks for the complement. That's really flattering and my breasts, thank you." What does that even mean? By the way...It's compliment.
"I agree."
"That's a very valid point."
"Do you think it is a trap?"
"I don't want to walk into a trap!"
"Morbid."
You have Cora's dead fiance, who was quickly replaced. It was pushed on you, then it was taken away because of poor dead Tom, and then it was right back in your fucking face again. Honestly, it was just disgusting.
I had a hunch this person was Nessa or Vienna. Wasn't that an intelligent statement considering she had already found Mia?
This was not well written at all. The execution was...horrid. The plot was never truly established. It was incredibly redundant. I was so wound up reading this book, it was ridiculous. The dialogue...it wasn't even just that it was choppy...it was close to robotic! Every character spoke the same way, often repeating the last thing the other said before them. There was no real connection between the characters. Nothing came together. This book actually told you nothing. You found out nothing. There was no purpose to the powers, there was no reason for them to have it, none of these things were touched. And what the fuck would they do with these powers once everyone else was gone? It was just absolutely horrible. The tenses were all over the place. Wrong words were used all the time. There was a major lack of punctuation. This would be one of the worst books I have read yet. In fact, it's a toss up between this and Alyson Noel...and sadly, I think I'd rather have read Noel's shit.
Read from April 09 to 10, 2013
Finale (Hush, Hush #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick
I regret reading this book. I should have just left it alone. I thought I really liked this series. I don't know if it's that I've read so many more awesome books, that Fitzpatrick's writing is really not as awesome as I thought it was, or if this book was just that terrible. Either way, I didn't like this book. I would give it one star except that I feel that would be untrue. The book wasn't entirely shit, exactly, it just wasn't impressive.
This book was so redundant. Fitzpatrick really had a thing for talking in circles. I'm not sure why there was a need to remind you so many times that if Nora failed to fulfill her oath, she would be dying alongside her mother. It angered me. I could see it popping up maybe three times in the book. But in the first two chapters it came up at least three times, before making appearances throughout the rest of the book. Very annoying.
The staged fight between Patch and Nora was pathetic. That would not have been convincing to anyone. Ever.
Nora never once came across as a strong leader--or individual for that matter. She was always trying to prove herself to someone, rather than finding confidence within herself. Then she would act like she needed to be a part of everything, yet when it came down to her needing to do things on her own, she didn't want to. Sure, she still did, but she whined about it and tried to worm her way out of it. I really disliked her in this book. I don't get the appeal of trying to make these girls out to be independent strong women, who ultimately rely on their overbearing male love interest to get shit done. It's embarrassing.
The plot was fine. It was extremely transparent, though. I knew everything that was going on in the book. I was not surprised in the least. Except, perhaps, the ending where Vee gets married to someone you don't know. I didn't see that coming, and it did nothing for the story.
Having Vee be Nephilim was a piss off too. She spent all four books, until the very dregs of this one, as human. What was the point in having her suddenly change?
Having Scott killed off was expected. I think Patch should have been kept in Hell, or Nora should have failed to fulfill her oath. I think I would have enjoyed this book had it actually taken a different route to what everyone was expecting.
The romance in this book was really lacking. The connection between Patch and Nora wasn't there. The most I felt between them was ownership of each other, and that is not the same as loving someone. They treated each other as possessions. I just wasn't feeling it.
Pepper was no fucking Archangel. That pissed me off the most in this book. What kind of Archangel cries and stutters over fear? Fear of a Nephilim, when he has the powers he has? Ridiculous. Unlikely. And it really just ruined things. It wasn't comical. It was eyeroll inducing.
Overall
I skimmed a lot of this book and it still took me forever to read it. I was extremely disappointed, so I am glad this was the last book.
I will say that the premise of all of these books was unique. Using their wing feathers as a weapon was not something I have read before. I also liked that the fallen possessed the nephilim in order to feel. I just didn't care for the delivery of this book.
Read from April 11 to 13, 2013
Starling (Starling #1) by Lesley Livingston
For this book, you really need to drop your expectations for Norse mythology, and pretty much all mythology, or it will surely piss you off. There are faeries and Egyptian gods, among other things, that you'd think have no place in this book. And I happen to agree. I think this would have been better off without it. Just keeping strictly to Norse mythology would have been the better route to take.
The beginning of this book was pretty decent. It didn't take long to leap into action, and the action was well done. The love triangle, of sorts, was introduced along with the action, which I can't say I was very fond of, but it wasn't the main focus, so it wasn't as terrible as it could have been. The nice thing? No insta-love. No ridiculous electrifying love connection. And no soul mate bullshit. I can't tell you how happy I am about this. And the love triangle wasn't typical, either.
Livingston has a great vocabulary and is not afraid to use it. I really enjoyed her use of language. Quite frankly, this book was written very well. I just did not care for the structure. It jumps around perspectives quite frequently, but doesn't offer up much character development. You're taken on a trip through different eyes to show you how many things are taking place at once, and how they're affecting the whole. Which is fine; however, there is a lacking of overall understanding of what makes these characters tick. You get a decent feel for Mason, and an almost decent feel for Fenn. But the rest are rather obscure.
Why did Rory hate Mason so much? The only explanation that was given--which wasn't from Rory--was that he hadn't forgiven her for standing up for him...And perhaps a little middle child syndrome. But that wasn't adequate to me for the way he treated her. Mason wasn't horrible to him and she could have been. She could have been rubbing in his face how much her dad surely liked her more. But she didn't. For the most part she stayed out of his way and acted like most siblings would. I'm hoping there will be more elaboration in the second book.
Having Mason knee Fennrys in the nuts was not well received by me. Much like, I suppose, having a male just randomly slap a female wouldn't be well received by most female readers. A knee to the crotch is incapacitating to males. It's not funny. And it should only be used if you're actually in danger, not to be an ass. I'm fairly certain, if Fenn had slapped Mason because she angered him, you wouldn't approve of it.
Livingston set up motions for big unexpected revelations very well. All of the stepping stones were there, and you weren't really given much insight to how they'd play a major role later, as they were used to explain away other things as well. I really enjoyed that.
The plot was decent. It flowed well for the most part--random mythical incorporation aside.
I will certainly read the next one.
Read from April 13 to 14, 2013
Beautiful.
"It's real, Six. You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off."
If words could break souls, my words just broke his in two.
This had just the right mix of seriousness, hilariousness, and tear jerkiness. Even though the majority of the plot was very transparent, it was written beautifully. There were a number of cheesy moments, but ultimately, it was really cute considering the subject matters. I really enjoyed the connections between the characters. They were solid, and easily related to. I would have to say that I really liked the Mormon. He was just lovely. I would have enjoyed a bit more involvement by both him and Six.
I was so torn between a few morals in this book. Because I could see both sides of the coin--and relate to them, understand them, and defend them. I had thought this was a stand alone, but it isn't. I am certainly holding out for the next one. And I will certainly be looking into other books by Hoover. She has such a fun, enjoyable writing style. My only real complaint is the usage of "off of". That's not correct. It's very American, but you'll find in any English class that is not acceptable. ;)
Read on April 15, 2013
1.5 Stars.
This got decent reviews...but I can't agree with them.
How is dreaming about a girl writing in a diary supposed to be a nightmare?
There were quite a few tense issues in this book, and typical grammar errors like "then" being in place of "than". I think a new editor is in order. Magnate is not how one spells magnet. Very different meanings.
This was extremely disjointed. It did not flow. It also never fully explained things before moving into new territory. I am still wondering why her room mate punched her in the face during the earthquake.
"OhmiGod." What is the fascination with this? It's fucking awful.
The back and forth between Isaiah and Fallon was boring. Actually, this book was full of ridiculous cliche's. There was a point made that they were not werewolves--yet that's actually, pretty much, exactly what Isaiah is. And little miss Fallon is basically a combo of werewolf and vampire. Oh, throw in some DNA alterations and suddenly it's different? No. It's not.
The plot and subplots were weak. There really wasn't enough done to make this book acceptable. It read, to me, as a first rough draft. Seriously. Connections were missing. The villains in the book were not well established. They just were. There was no real sense behind the vengeance Garrison was taking. That whole mess really needed the edges smoothed out. He's okay to kill his "daughter" just to make a clone suffer? And where was the explanation that a clone--that's exactly what they are--would hold any memories?
Eh...there was no originality here. And the attempts that were made, were half-assed. I like that Fallon and Isaiah are toxic to each other, but that was the only decent thing that was going on here. Why were any of the "creations" loyal to Garrison? I also would have liked Fallon to be a little more bad ass. She was timid. She was flimsy. She really had nothing to offer.
I won't be bothering to read any further.
Read from April 14 to 15, 2013
Flawed by Kate Avelynn
I knew going into this read that this book was going to be one of those reads where it rips your heart out and shreds your soul. It does so much more.
This book is absolutely devastating. You are sure to bawl your eyes out. I think it was a great depiction for damaged souls, and just how warped people can become growing up in dire situations. Some make it out cracked, but not broken; yet others are shattered beyond repair.
I had so much hope for certain things that never came to be. And I loved that the most. So many authors are scared to be real. I loved that the ending of this book was real. This book broke my heart.
You really get a feel for who Sarah is. You can sympathize with her situation, and even understand her thought process. There wasn't a leaf left untouched in this book. So many emotions are drawn out, and it's hard not to become absorbed in the story
I read this quickly.
Read on April 17, 2013
I knew going into this read that this book was going to be one of those reads where it rips your heart out and shreds your soul. It does so much more.
This book is absolutely devastating. You are sure to bawl your eyes out. I think it was a great depiction for damaged souls, and just how warped people can become growing up in dire situations. Some make it out cracked, but not broken; yet others are shattered beyond repair.
I had so much hope for certain things that never came to be. And I loved that the most. So many authors are scared to be real. I loved that the ending of this book was real. This book broke my heart.
You really get a feel for who Sarah is. You can sympathize with her situation, and even understand her thought process. There wasn't a leaf left untouched in this book. So many emotions are drawn out, and it's hard not to become absorbed in the story
I read this quickly.
Read on April 17, 2013
"You can do anything if the alternative is unacceptable."
I was apprehensive to read this book. As much as I loved the previous ones, I wasn't sure I was liking where this book was heading. Swank truly is talented. To take me from nervous, to blown away, it's just unheard of. I mean, I can be impressed, and I can be wrong about if I am going to enjoy a book or not; but, it really is a rare feat to have me dead wrong about my initial instincts about a book. I absolutely loved this book.
Swank has a fantastic writing style. She really knows how to bring out the characters flaws and strengths. They feel real. They pop off the page. They make you love them--even if they're evil. I enjoyed them all. I was completely engrossed--as I was with all the books I've read in this series--nothing was done in my house today. Nothing. Not even a cooked meal.
My favourite thing about these books is the action. It grips me, and I can't help but read every word and tear through the pages like they're on fire. My only complaint was that it took entirely too long in this book for there to be any action; however, I wasn't disappointed by the action I was given.
So, I thought I knew about Will...then I wasn't so sure...then I was positive I was right...and I was still wrong. Good job! and the cliffhanger... You do realize I have to read the next one, right? I mean...how could you? That's a whole other book! I am so looking forward to it.
Read from April 16 to 17, 2013
No. Just no.
By chapter 9, this book had nothing new to offer me that I haven't already read before. And done so much better.
By chapter 10 I really lost interest. Yeah...the ingenious plan Claire and Payton had going on? Killed it. I finished out the chapter to see if I would be able to stomach where this book was going, and no. No, I can't.
Jessie was extremely desperate, which conflicted with the whole bad boy persona that was supposed to be secreted from his pores anytime you came in contact with him. That's not attractive. He didn't come across as male to me. He acted like most bitchy cheerleader stereotypes.
As for Claire? She also went against her initial character development with going out of her way to destroy someone for a petty comment that insulted her indirectly. I'm not sure how this incident qualified for the type of behaviour that was followed through with as "revenge". Very petty. And boring. I'm not one for love triangles. And I really don't like when someone knows someone is taken and still tries to move in to that position. It's not hot. Not hot at all. And if the person you're after is okay to fuck around with you while they're in a relationship, where is the appeal? You just know first hand now, that they're capable of doing this.
Anyway. This was not written to captivate you. It was written for very immature girls. I'd say 13 year old's. But, truthfully, most 13 year old's have more maturity than was being exhibited in this book.
No thanks. Won't be reading Shallow either.
Read on April 17, 2013
This started off interesting enough, but quickly became very mundane and monotonous. I was really curious as to where this story was going to go, because staying silent really made her a perfect target. Though it lightly touched base with that whole side of things, it didn't portray enough, or in a way that had any real kick.
The romance was cute, but it was extremely repetitive, causing me to lose interest very quickly.
So. Many. Errors. Good grief. I don't understand this. You do realize that this is probably a big reason as to why you'll find it difficult to find someone to publish your ideas, right? It's hardly legible. It's not too much to ask that you read your work. Had you, most of these errors would have been corrected! Missing words. Wrong words. Commas in the wrong places, and missing commas. It was very distracting.
There was an overabundance of exclamation points in some areas of the book, that really ruined the writing. It became wince inducing toward the end.
It took entirely too long to go anywhere. I was bored for the majority of the book. Ice cream and eating do not make a story. Why would you think it would?
I don't know what Oakley or Cole look like. I know Oakley has blonde hair, which I didn't learn until the end of the book. I have no idea what Cole looks like.
Anywho, this really flopped for me. I liked the ending enough to give this two stars...even though, honestly, it made no sense. Nor do I think it would be possible for her to go anywhere while a Trial would be in order. I don't know if I will read the next one. I can't see it going anywhere that I would care for.
Read on April 18, 2013
I read this for shits and giggles. Sometimes books you're not initially interested in can be darn good books. This was not the case for me. I was bored. Very bored. Nothing really happened. It was all just a bunch of random conversations, for the most part. Nothing to be excited about. A whole lot of confusion on Kyle's part, and just bland writing.
I'm not sure if you were supposed to like Kyle or not...but I couldn't stand him. He whined...a lot. Sure, he was supposed to be some castoff emo boy or something, but I saw him as a whiny little girl. Oh, and don't forget the giggling.
I hated Jackie. She didn't have any qualities to admire or find attractive. She was a bitch.
There were so many errors in this book. Patton couldn't keep his names straight. That annoyed the fuck out of me. I can forgive a few, but not as many as were in this book.
Anywho, I will so not be looking any further into this.
Read from April 18 to 19, 2013
I hate to do this. I really do. I really liked the other books I have read by Young, but this did not do her writing justice. At all.
Things did not flow well. There were some serious information dumps that just didn't sit well with me. The second one was incredibly long winded and boring. This book, ultimately, had little going for it. So it was about genies? No, not really. The name might have been different, but the overall lore behind it was left out. You were given some run down in the information dumps, but nothing to back it up, or even relay the information in a manner that added up to anything going on. I liked the Kings, as that was interesting, but there was little to be done with them, even though they were supposed to be key players. Instead, they were left in the background, showing up haphazardly to create a little drama. But realistically, there was nothing special going on in this book that hasn't already been done before, and much, much better.
Okay, I'm getting really tired of the insistence that "new words" be kept in italics throughout the entirety of the book. It is such an annoyance. We're not stupid. I promise, we're going to recognize the word without it being all slanted.
Young, you should be ashamed. Using "btw" in conversation? Honestly? I've never heard someone spout that out, and if I ever do, they will be slapped. Promptly. Consider yourself slapped.
I kept waiting for Ari to rip into Charlie. She was such a Mary Sue. She would have to be my most hated character from any of your books. I refuse to read another book in the series. I am so disappointed. I don't know how this got good reviews. Ari gets her ass handed to her. Why? She can COMMAND them all to do her bidding. There's no need for this story to even play out. All she has to do is tell all the kings to fuck off.
Anywho, I really didn't like this book. I was feeling hesitant to read any more books by Young, period, after reading this. But I had to remind myself, I liked the others! It's not a given that I will like them all.
On the other side of it, perhaps the younger girls, oh say, 11 to 15, might actually enjoy this. They won't necessarily be able to hone in on all the plot holes, and enjoy some of the humour Young has a way with.
Read from April 19 to 21
Eye of Newt by Dymtry Karpov
It was a decent attempt, and
could have been promising. It missed it's mark, though. There was no
impact, and nothing learned. It definitely had potential for a full
length story, but as a short story it was just incomplete.
Read on April 21, 2013
1.5 stars. The half star is granted because I think it works well for the targeted audience, of which, I am not a part of. And because of that, I don't think one star would be appropriate.
So, here's the thing: I initially liked Armentrout's writing style. I had followed her at one point, and had even been a fan of hers on Facebook. I think that was where I made the mistake. For those of you who are her fans on Facebook and are subjected to her posts, maybe you will understand where I am coming from when I say that I do not think Armentrout ever matured. She's like a fourteen year old hopped up on a shit ton of sugar. And that's not necessarily a bad thing; however, she doesn't shift from this. This is all the time. It really shows in her writing. In fact, now that I've come to this conclusion, it's all I see! I'm totally fine with some immaturity, and I have no problem with her writing at a level of those she targets as her audience; however, Armentrout seems to forget some key ingredients in her stories due to this. There is nothing really to be learned in these novels. It's like Armentrout tries to go for some life altering experiences with her characters, but ultimately, her character's get away with everything, therefore, learning nothing. Alex and all her fuck ups are a perfect example of this. Kat, Lux series, is another perfect example of this. The books serve as random throwaway entertainment, offering nothing else except encouragement for heinous behaviour.
Dialogue
Let's be real. I don't know anyone who would ever considering talking the way these characters do. And I'm not talking about the bashing. It's the lame attempt to keep these novels semi-clean. Why bother? Your attempts at being witty, "holy alien babies everywhere" which I see was used in this as "For the love of baby daimons everywhere"...What? you thought that was clever? Well, good for you, I suppose. I didn't share your view on that.
Moving on, I hate dialogue that takes things in directions without a reason to actually go in these directions! These characters will be talking about something, and then for some reason--apparently they were brainstorming between the lines--they have all these ideas for what might really be going on. That shit pisses me off. It's lazy. It shows you don't have the creativity to actually take your book in these directions naturally, instead, you have to force it. It is also entirely too convenient. There was a whole lot of this shit going on in this book.
There were so many long winded, cheesy descriptions taking place in this book. Yet none of them were actually used to tell you anything. I forgot where Alex was half of the time. I also forgot who the person was who was being described. Of course, that could just be because I lost interest after the first few sentences, or when I got irritated when things began to repeat themselves.
Armentrout does at least do a decent job of recounting the previous book for you. So, if you started the series with this book, you'd probably be able to understand enough of what went on the first book to follow what is happening in this one. Or, if you are reading this one after having read the first one a while ago, your memory will be jogged well enough to avoid skimming or rereading the first book.
Alex
I liked absolutely nothing about Alex. She plays her part well. She is a bitch, reckless, irresponsible, unreliable, impudent, disrespectful, and incredibly self absorbed. I don't know how she had any friends. I don't know why anyone would bother with trying to help her. She does not care about anyone but Alex. She claims to care for Aiden, but I don't buy it. She doesn't care that he has made a choice. She continued to push her feelings to the front of conversations, acting as if she deserved his feelings in return. She is the queen of denial, irrationality, and stupidity. This selfish girl had no real roadblocks. So her friend died? I don't give a shit. She, ultimately, paid no price. None. She was defended when she should have been hung out to dry. Again. She only owned up to her misgivings during inner monologue, but not outwardly. I don't count her outburst to Telly. She did that out of spite, not to be forthcoming.
Alex is not your ideal strong personality. She is stupid. I do like that she will throw down, but that's it. I had a real problem with her coming out on top with 3 Furies when she couldn't even handle herself with Aiden or Seth in training. The Furies were supposed to be lesser goddesses--still a hell of a step above Alex. She hasn't awakened. She supposedly had a broken rib. It. Wouldn't. Have. Happened.
Her perspective on the zoo animals completely contradicted her feeling on the half-bloods. What the fuck was the point of that? Was it your way of getting how you feel about zoo animals out there into the corruptible minds of young teen girls? Because, I feel, you really picked the wrong character to deliver that one.
Speaking of the zoo. I skimmed the majority of it. It was boring. you learned nothing. And it wasted my fucking time!
"I just happened to stumble upon her on her dying day or something--lucky me. Woo."...She just saw someone die...and that is her reaction?
I found it funny that Armentrout thought she had enough room to talk shit about Bella from Twilight because that's how I felt about Alex and Aiden. Oh, and everyone else. I guess I preferred Seth, but I really wouldn't care if a meteor hit the earth and they all exploded into blue shimmery dust!
Oh, and the overwhelming amount of similarities in your books that clearly come from Twilight and others like it? Get off your white horse.
Romance
What the fuck is actually going on in this book? Alex loves Aiden. Aiden clearly loves Alex, but for some ridiculous reason, she can't see this. Their love is forbidden. Aiden showing his love for Alex will result in her death, at the very least. She doesn't care. She wants his words to be out in the open, and he denies her. But, see, Alex goes against her character development, and rolls over like a dog and lets him torment her. THIS IS DONE SO FUCKING OFTEN! IT IS DONE SO MUCH BETTER! And why are you bothering with this lame attempt at a love triangle? Your writing is halfhearted! It is obvious who is going to end up on top for that shit. This whole thing is just disturbing in so many ways.
There's this connection between us, Seth! And I don't know if it's real. You see, all these other characters, from all these other books have been in this exact situation, Seth! Like, 100's of them, from far superior books, even! And it's just so confusing, Seth. Because I know I love Aiden--and don't ask me how I know, because I just do--but then there's this undeniable pull that I get...which draws me to you, yeah, like a moth to flame. I know it sounds ridiculous, Seth, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I am not in the least bit interested in you. As I climb on your lap and run my fingers through your hair, I am really in love with Aiden. But I still expect you to be there for me, Seth! I want you to like me. I want you to look at me, and compliment me, because I am a selfish... Eh, that about sums it up.
Seth
What a boring character. The only reason why I like him is because he is an asshole to Alex. But that's all he is: a major underdeveloped character. I read his POV, and what was the point of that, exactly? It was the exact same thing as Alex's perspective. It told you nothing. There was no foreshadowing of things to come in the future. Most importantly, you learned nothing about who Seth really is.
Aiden
He's a sensible character. It annoyed me that he kept making attempts to be near Alex though. It also annoyed me that he thought he had the right to lecture her or tell her what to do, but hey, she was all over it. I just think I'd like him more if he killed Alex himself.
Anyway. I'm done. No more Armentrout for me. That's not to say that other people won't like it. I'm sure those who have no problem with ripoff books, and lazy writing will be all for this. And the younger crowd, who it is intended for, will really enjoy this. It really does cater to them--even if it teaches horrible morals.
Read from April 21 to 22, 2013
1.5 Stars.
I've not read much steampunk to know where this fits in with that whole genre, but going based on whether I enjoyed it or not--this failed.
I didn't like a single character in this book. There was very little character development. Most of it was spent trying to get you to see the two sides of Finley, but all I noticed about her was that she was a ho.
She enjoyed playing games with Griff and Jack, regardless of which personality was shining through.
I kept waiting for something to happen. There was a lot of senseless drama, that provided no entertainment. This book was a total bore.
I want to say that Cross has no imagination, and a real lack of creativity, but that's not the case. She had a great imagination for her ideas about the Aether, so much so, that she tended to focus on getting that to the forefront of the story, while leaving the story behind. She decided to spice things up with not one, not two, but three love triangles.
Why? That was absolutely horrible. None of them were done right. None of them brought true angst to the story, no anticipation. Everything flopped.
The villain was just awful. I enjoyed him until you actually met him. Things were stacked up to be pretty good, until Cross tried to execute it. Cross really needs to work on her execution. The battles were not even worth reading. There was no real action. There were no true obstacles. They found him easily enough, with things going off without a hitch. And they destroyed everything very easily. People were injured, but there was no point to it. It wasn't suspenseful at all.
Anyway, this entire book was exceedingly dull. I'm not going to bother reading any further. And I have no idea who I'd recommend this to, if anyone.
Read on April 23, 2013
A Hint of Frost (Araneae Nation#1) by Hailey Edwards
This was adorable, even considering the dark aspects of it.
It was very unique--here's why:
No love triangle.
Lourdes had a healthy respect for men, there was no fem-nazi agenda. She had no plans to change her lover.
There was time spent building the relationship, even though it had been fast tracked in other ways.
There was no true villain to encounter.
I really liked it. The world building could have been a little better though. I would have liked to understand the clans and how the whole world worked. It was kind of just left in the background, making some things a little confusing.
I enjoyed the innocence of Lourdes, and even with Rhys. He was a great male character. He actually acted male. He was mysterious, but kind, always kind. He wasn't a douche bag, there wasn't any unnecessary angst from him. Though there was plenty with Vaughn. I loved him, though. There could have been some more character development with the side characters, but the overall story was pretty good.
I enjoyed it enough to read the next in this series.
It was very unique--here's why:
No love triangle.
Lourdes had a healthy respect for men, there was no fem-nazi agenda. She had no plans to change her lover.
There was time spent building the relationship, even though it had been fast tracked in other ways.
There was no true villain to encounter.
I really liked it. The world building could have been a little better though. I would have liked to understand the clans and how the whole world worked. It was kind of just left in the background, making some things a little confusing.
I enjoyed the innocence of Lourdes, and even with Rhys. He was a great male character. He actually acted male. He was mysterious, but kind, always kind. He wasn't a douche bag, there wasn't any unnecessary angst from him. Though there was plenty with Vaughn. I loved him, though. There could have been some more character development with the side characters, but the overall story was pretty good.
I enjoyed it enough to read the next in this series.
Read on April 25, 2013
Tirade (Heaven and Hell #3) by Cambria Hebert
It was very entertaining. I enjoyed this book, maybe not as much as the previous books, but it was still a fun read.
Gotta love a Snickers eating dragon. I liked the interactions taking place in Hell.
This book was just really transparent. There were no surprises. It was spelled out for you, i really don't think anyone would be surprised by any of the "twists" going on in here. There was no misdirection. I think that it would have done this book a huge favour had there been.
Poor Sam. He practically starves for 8 days, and Heven gives the Snickers to the dragon, but doesn't think to give him one. She even shares with Ana. But Sam, who has taken plenty of beatings, and suffered for over a week, while she got to eat and tell all kinds of lies, has to wait until after he's paid her in sex before he's granted food.
Everyone was a little too forgiving in this book. The drama wasn't very dramatic, it was just pretty lame.
I noticed a few missing words in here. "Needed washed/needed healed" and there were a few "to"'s and "to be"'s missing as well.
The other thing that really stood out was that Hebert doesn't use a wide range of vocabulary, instead, the read is very basic.
But I do like the bones of this story. It is interesting, and it is still a fun read.
Read from April 24 to 25, 2013
Darkness and Light (War of the Fae #3) by Elle Casey
True Rating: 3.5 Stars.
"I've gotten zero sexy thoughts from you lately and that just isn't good. Everyone should indulge in a little sexy time each day. It's good for the soul."
This book was not as impressive as the previous two in the series. It was very redundant, and I don't just mean with practically retelling the two books before this. There were duplicate explanations for things which became annoying.
There was not a lot of progress made, either.
Still hilarious as ever, and I am still a sucker for poor Chase. That boy. Good lord. And miss Casey, that cliff hanger had me yelling at the book. Seriously. I was planning to save the last one for a time when I needed to read a fantastic book--which I've been needing lately with all the horrible shit I have had had the displeasure of reading--but I just don't think I can wait. I am just going to have to read it right now.
So, off I go.
"I've gotten zero sexy thoughts from you lately and that just isn't good. Everyone should indulge in a little sexy time each day. It's good for the soul."
This book was not as impressive as the previous two in the series. It was very redundant, and I don't just mean with practically retelling the two books before this. There were duplicate explanations for things which became annoying.
There was not a lot of progress made, either.
Still hilarious as ever, and I am still a sucker for poor Chase. That boy. Good lord. And miss Casey, that cliff hanger had me yelling at the book. Seriously. I was planning to save the last one for a time when I needed to read a fantastic book--which I've been needing lately with all the horrible shit I have had had the displeasure of reading--but I just don't think I can wait. I am just going to have to read it right now.
So, off I go.
Read on April 27, 2013
Call to Arms (War of the Fae #2) by Elle Casey
"Shee-it,
you people have all the fun. You guys are givin' people strokes and
havin' sex parties and doin' rescues while I'm off gallivantin' in the
forest, shootin' at some stupid dang targets."
I love Casey's writing style. Absolutely love it. It is so much fun to read her books. The best way to describe it is: structured shenanigans. Absolutely random, but with such an awesome plot to boot. You just can't ask for more. Well, except maybe more action. This book had very little, but to be honest, I only noticed that fact at the end of the book--when it was just getting started. I didn't really miss it. I was too busy laughing my ass off, as usual.
I love Tim. I was really excited about his addition, because when he was first introduced I was thinking: wouldn't it be awesome if she had a pet pixie? It's almost like Casey is catering to me in these books. I love all the swearing. Jayne is perfect, I just love her. She is no Mary Sue. She has no problem sticking up for herself, talking a bunch of shit, and even attempting to throw down--if not throwing down--to back her points up. I love that she is so bold and I love how she ends up with her foot in her mouth very regularly. She is a breath of fresh air in YA lit right now. I have no complaints for her character.
I really like Chase. I hope things blossom between them. Earlier in the book I was thinking how much I preferred him over Spike. I don't know, Spike is the cliche love interest, so I had a soft spot for Chase, I guess. But I am really enjoying where the story is going. I was very pissed off when it ended. Good thing there are more! Because I am not done yet. Casey is easily one of my favourite authors, I just can't get enough of her writing.
I love Casey's writing style. Absolutely love it. It is so much fun to read her books. The best way to describe it is: structured shenanigans. Absolutely random, but with such an awesome plot to boot. You just can't ask for more. Well, except maybe more action. This book had very little, but to be honest, I only noticed that fact at the end of the book--when it was just getting started. I didn't really miss it. I was too busy laughing my ass off, as usual.
I love Tim. I was really excited about his addition, because when he was first introduced I was thinking: wouldn't it be awesome if she had a pet pixie? It's almost like Casey is catering to me in these books. I love all the swearing. Jayne is perfect, I just love her. She is no Mary Sue. She has no problem sticking up for herself, talking a bunch of shit, and even attempting to throw down--if not throwing down--to back her points up. I love that she is so bold and I love how she ends up with her foot in her mouth very regularly. She is a breath of fresh air in YA lit right now. I have no complaints for her character.
I really like Chase. I hope things blossom between them. Earlier in the book I was thinking how much I preferred him over Spike. I don't know, Spike is the cliche love interest, so I had a soft spot for Chase, I guess. But I am really enjoying where the story is going. I was very pissed off when it ended. Good thing there are more! Because I am not done yet. Casey is easily one of my favourite authors, I just can't get enough of her writing.
Read from April 26 to 27, 2013
New World Order (War of the Fae #4) by Elle Casey
Well that was a depressing ending. I cried a little.
It was also a very funny read as always.
I am happy that things didn't go the way I wanted them to. Not enough authors do that. Most books I read end the way I expect them to. But Casey has no fear with her writing which makes it all the more fantastic.
Jayne did a lot of growing up in this book, she really flourished throughout the whole story. I like that she kept her character as she came in to herself, though. I loved all the characters. I wasn't too pleased with her feelings for Chase as there wasn't much time spent with them to form much chemistry, but I did love him too. It really broke my heart that things went down the way they did.
I am eager to get my grubby fingers on the Clash of the Otherworlds. Casey is easily, easily, one of my favourite writers. And I will glady eat up anything she puts to paper.
It was also a very funny read as always.
I am happy that things didn't go the way I wanted them to. Not enough authors do that. Most books I read end the way I expect them to. But Casey has no fear with her writing which makes it all the more fantastic.
Jayne did a lot of growing up in this book, she really flourished throughout the whole story. I like that she kept her character as she came in to herself, though. I loved all the characters. I wasn't too pleased with her feelings for Chase as there wasn't much time spent with them to form much chemistry, but I did love him too. It really broke my heart that things went down the way they did.
I am eager to get my grubby fingers on the Clash of the Otherworlds. Casey is easily, easily, one of my favourite writers. And I will glady eat up anything she puts to paper.
Read on April 28, 2013
Secrets in the Dark (Chimera Chronicles #1) by K.D Blakely
Too
many italicized words and notes to self.....uh yeah. No thanks. I
didn't make it through many chapters before I decided I wasn't going to
waste my time.
Not for me.
Not for me.
Read on April 29, 2013
Slammed (Slammed #1) by Colleen Hoover
Do you want to cry? Do you
want to laugh? Do you want to love? Do you want to live? If you
answered yes to any of these questions, especially if you answered yes
to all of the questions, you need to read this book.
Absolutely beautiful and devastating. I loved this book so much. I love poetry, so that was an added bonus. The fact that I couldn't find a fault with any of the poems in this book? The fact that this book was one of the best pieces of poetry I have ever read? Phenomenal.
This is the second book I've read by Hoover and this is the second time she has knocked me off my feet. Completely blown me away. I cried. I laughed. I felt so much love. And I felt alive. You can't ask for more. Well, actually, you damn well can. Keep writing Hoover, your words are beautiful, they are inspiring. They are worth reading--and most of all, they are worth remembering. Keep writing because I am asking you for more.
Absolutely beautiful and devastating. I loved this book so much. I love poetry, so that was an added bonus. The fact that I couldn't find a fault with any of the poems in this book? The fact that this book was one of the best pieces of poetry I have ever read? Phenomenal.
This is the second book I've read by Hoover and this is the second time she has knocked me off my feet. Completely blown me away. I cried. I laughed. I felt so much love. And I felt alive. You can't ask for more. Well, actually, you damn well can. Keep writing Hoover, your words are beautiful, they are inspiring. They are worth reading--and most of all, they are worth remembering. Keep writing because I am asking you for more.
Read from April 28 to 29, 2013
Out in Blue (Return to Sanctuary #1) by Sarah Gilman
This was okay. It was an interesting take on things to do with angels and demons. It was nice not to have it be the cliche end of the world bullshit. But this was missing a lot of spark.
It was very, very rushed. The relationship between Ginger and Wren was over the top fast, and the whole story unfolding was done in such a way that you didn't really have time to grasp what was actually going on. There was an attempt to give you clues to what was happening--but nothing to really lead you anywhere. There was no explanation for why the angels and demons roamed the earth, nor was there an explanation as to how and why they were hunted. How were poachers able to get a hold and kill of most of the archangels? Archangels have some awesome powers. How were people able to organize and train themselves to better a being that is supposed to be superior to us?
There was no real action. The suspense wasn't very suspenseful. The romance wasn't very romantic. And the way things happened with the ending to their story was just lame. Should have left it alone.
There wasn't much done with the character development, either. I did not get attached to the characters. I'm guessing the next book is supposed to be about Jett and his life, more like a sister story than a continuation of the characters read about in this book.
I didn't learn enough in this book to be pulled into reading the next one.
There were also an abundance of errors throughout this book. "of" seemed to be a word that was forgotten often. That was rather random.
I won't be looking out for the next one because this one was missing too many elements. I truly have no freaking clue what was supposed to be happening in this story. Everything was handed over. The only excitement was held within the telling of the past--that you weren't given first hand. So, yeah. 2 stars.
Read on April 30, 2013
Ashes and Ice (Ashes and Ice #1) by Rochelle Maya Callen
This had a very confusing
structure to begin with. But it was very interesting, which made it an
easy read regardless of the confusion. There were a few false leads on
things that I really enjoyed. I also liked Jade's character development.
She kept you on your toes. I wasn't too fond of Connor--but I was fond
of the fact that Callen went a different route with the love interest.
He wasn't all that. And I have been kind of hoping for something like
this. I thought it was done well. I am not one for a love triangle, but
I liked how this one was introduced. I especially liked how it was set
up to make sense once it became known to you.
This is certainly a great beginning to a series. I will most definitely be looking out for the sequel.
This is certainly a great beginning to a series. I will most definitely be looking out for the sequel.
Read from April 29 to 30, 2013
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